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Issue 499
SNIPPETZ FEELS THE EARTH MOVE
On May 16, in just 24 hours, scientists recorded 87 earthquakes – albeit small – in the United States. Most of them occurred in California and Alaska. Three were at magnitude 3-plus and one was at magnitude 4.5-plus.
More than a million magnitude 2.0 to 2.9 earthquakes occur each year worldwide. Thousands of 3 to 5.9 earthquakes occur annually, and it’s estimated that one earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher takes place in any given year.
On May 9, a small magnitude 3.9 earthquake was recorded in Colorado: 12 miles west of Trinidad; 22 miles northwest of Raton, N.M., 32 miles south of Walsenburg and 179 miles south of Denver.
Is the future on shaky ground?
What’s Making the Earth Move?
When two blocks of the earth slip past each other in a sudden movement, they create a fault or fault plane.
The earth has four major layers: the inner and outer core, the mantle and the crust. The crust, which is at the top of the mantle, is comprised of a thin skin on the surface of the planet. The skin is made up of many pieces, which continuously move – often sliding past and bumping into each other. The pieces are called tectonic plates; the edges of the plates are plate boundaries, which comprise many faults. Most of the earthquakes occur on the faults. The edges of the plates are rough, so they get stuck when the plate keeps moving.
An earthquake starts below the earth’s surface – the location of it is called the hypocenter. Directly above the surface of the earth in the exact location is the epicenter.
The largest earthquake is referred to as the main shock, but smaller earthquakes – both foreshocks and aftershocks – often accompany an earthquake. Aftershocks can continue for weeks, months; even years.
The measured value of an earthquake size is known as the magnitude, which doesn’t vary with the area or shaking movement of the earthquake. The intensity of an earthquake measures the shaking activity.
On March 11, a big portion of the Pacific Plate, which normally travels west under Japan at 3 inches per year, pushed forward up to 59 feet – the jolt caused the undersea upward, creating the magnitude 9 earthquake and the tsunami.
Why the Ground Shakes
When the edges of the faults are stuck together as the rest of the block moves, the energy that would normally cause the blocks to slip past each other is stored. The force of the moving blocks overwhelms the friction of the jagged edges of the fault, releasing the edges and the stored energy. The energy radiates outward from the fault in many directions – this is referred to as seismic waves (like ripples on a pond). The waves shake the earth as they move through it, and when the waves reach the earth’s surface, they shake the ground and buildings, etc.
To record and measure earthquakes, Charles Richter developed the seismograph in 1935. Richter assigned each earthquake a number – from weak (1) to strong (7). The Richter scale is still used today.
The Crystal Ball
Scientists and climatologists cannot predict an earthquake, and if it’s true that some animals and humans experience a “feeling” that an earthquake is about to happen, the experts are clueless as to how or why.
But scientists understand fault lines and the earth’s movement. Here’s what they do know:
The Big Ones
At Home
• Colorado’s largest earthquake was a magnitude 6.6 that shook up Denver and the Front Range on Nov. 7, 1882. It caused damage in Denver, and experts said it was centered near Rocky Mountain National Park. The quake was felt in Salina, Kan., and Salt Lake City.
• The second-largest earthquake jarred Colorado a century later on Nov. 26, 1967. The magnitude 5.2 earthquake caused minor damage in suburban areas northeast of Denver and was felt from the northwest in Laramie, Wyo., east to Goodland, Kan., and south to Pueblo.
• Several minor earthquakes have rattled Colorado throughout the years, and most of the shocks have been centered west of the Rocky Mountain Front Range. But Colorado is considered a region of minor earthquake activity.
Nationwide/Worldwide
The largest earthquake in the U.S. occurred March 28, 1964. The magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck Prince William Sound in Alaska.
The three most recent big earthquakes in the U.S.:
The largest earthquake in the world was a magnitude 9.5 that ripped into Chile May 22, 1960.
Japan is probably the most seismic of all countries, but because it is larger than Japan, Indonesia has more total earthquakes.
Shaky Ground Snippetz
SNIPPETZ FEELS THE EARTH MOVE
On May 16, in just 24 hours, scientists recorded 87 earthquakes – albeit small – in the United States. Most of them occurred in California and Alaska. Three were at magnitude 3-plus and one was at magnitude 4.5-plus.
More than a million magnitude 2.0 to 2.9 earthquakes occur each year worldwide. Thousands of 3 to 5.9 earthquakes occur annually, and it’s estimated that one earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher takes place in any given year.
On May 9, a small magnitude 3.9 earthquake was recorded in Colorado: 12 miles west of Trinidad; 22 miles northwest of Raton, N.M., 32 miles south of Walsenburg and 179 miles south of Denver.
Is the future on shaky ground?
What’s Making the Earth Move?
When two blocks of the earth slip past each other in a sudden movement, they create a fault or fault plane.
The earth has four major layers: the inner and outer core, the mantle and the crust. The crust, which is at the top of the mantle, is comprised of a thin skin on the surface of the planet. The skin is made up of many pieces, which continuously move – often sliding past and bumping into each other. The pieces are called tectonic plates; the edges of the plates are plate boundaries, which comprise many faults. Most of the earthquakes occur on the faults. The edges of the plates are rough, so they get stuck when the plate keeps moving.
An earthquake starts below the earth’s surface – the location of it is called the hypocenter. Directly above the surface of the earth in the exact location is the epicenter.
The largest earthquake is referred to as the main shock, but smaller earthquakes – both foreshocks and aftershocks – often accompany an earthquake. Aftershocks can continue for weeks, months; even years.
The measured value of an earthquake size is known as the magnitude, which doesn’t vary with the area or shaking movement of the earthquake. The intensity of an earthquake measures the shaking activity.
On March 11, a big portion of the Pacific Plate, which normally travels west under Japan at 3 inches per year, pushed forward up to 59 feet – the jolt caused the undersea upward, creating the magnitude 9 earthquake and the tsunami.
Why the Ground Shakes
When the edges of the faults are stuck together as the rest of the block moves, the energy that would normally cause the blocks to slip past each other is stored. The force of the moving blocks overwhelms the friction of the jagged edges of the fault, releasing the edges and the stored energy. The energy radiates outward from the fault in many directions – this is referred to as seismic waves (like ripples on a pond). The waves shake the earth as they move through it, and when the waves reach the earth’s surface, they shake the ground and buildings, etc.
To record and measure earthquakes, Charles Richter developed the seismograph in 1935. Richter assigned each earthquake a number – from weak (1) to strong (7). The Richter scale is still used today.
The Crystal Ball
Scientists and climatologists cannot predict an earthquake, and if it’s true that some animals and humans experience a “feeling” that an earthquake is about to happen, the experts are clueless as to how or why.
But scientists understand fault lines and the earth’s movement. Here’s what they do know:
- During the past three million years, the average rate of motion across the San Andreas Fault Zone is about 2 inches a year, which is the same rate of growth for the human fingernail. If the rate continues at this pace, scientists predict that Los Angeles and San Francisco will be adjacent to one another in about 15 million years. The San Andreas Fault runs along the entire California coast.
- Each year, there are about 10,000 earthquakes in Southern California. Most of them are inconsequential and unnoticed.
- The Wasatch Range in Utah, which runs north and south through the state, was produced by a series of earthquakes (as all mountain ranges). The fault on the range is comprised of several segments, and each one is capable of producing up to a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. During the past 6,000 years, there has been a magnitude 6.5-plus about once every 350 years on this range.
- Earthquakes can occur in the central area of the U.S. In 1811 and 1812, New Madrid, Mo., experienced three magnitude 7.5 to 7.7 earthquakes.
- Florida and North Dakota experience fewer earthquakes than any other state.
- Alaska is the most earthquake-prone state and extremely seismically active. Alaska experiences a magnitude 7 earthquake almost every year, and a magnitude 8 or greater earthquake on average every 14 years.
- One of the most active plate boundaries, with frequent earthquakes and eruptions, is around the massive Pacific Plate, referred to as the Pacific Ring of Fire. Ninety percent of the world’s earthquakes occur in this area.
- Inside the Antarctica are ice-quakes, which are more frequent in Antarctica than earthquakes. The ice-quakes are small and occur within the ice sheet instead of the land underneath the ice.
- An earthquake can happen in cold, wet and rainy or hot weather. Earthquakes do not produce a variance in weather patterns; thus, weather is never an indicator.
The Big Ones
At Home
• Colorado’s largest earthquake was a magnitude 6.6 that shook up Denver and the Front Range on Nov. 7, 1882. It caused damage in Denver, and experts said it was centered near Rocky Mountain National Park. The quake was felt in Salina, Kan., and Salt Lake City.
• The second-largest earthquake jarred Colorado a century later on Nov. 26, 1967. The magnitude 5.2 earthquake caused minor damage in suburban areas northeast of Denver and was felt from the northwest in Laramie, Wyo., east to Goodland, Kan., and south to Pueblo.
• Several minor earthquakes have rattled Colorado throughout the years, and most of the shocks have been centered west of the Rocky Mountain Front Range. But Colorado is considered a region of minor earthquake activity.
Nationwide/Worldwide
The largest earthquake in the U.S. occurred March 28, 1964. The magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck Prince William Sound in Alaska.
The three most recent big earthquakes in the U.S.:
- In December 2003, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake happened in San Simeon, Calif. The epicenter was near the Pacific Coast in central California. The earthquake did not rupture the surface, but it caused landslides and shaking. Two people were killed when a building collapsed in nearby Paso Robles.
- In November 2002, the magnitude 7.9 Denali earthquake shook Alaska, generating numerous landslides and road closures. But structural damage was minimal, and there were few injuries and no deaths.
- In 1994, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake roiled the city of Northridge, located in the San Fernando Valley region in Southern California. The earthquake brought about more than 60 deaths, 5,000 injuries, left 25,000 people homeless; and caused $25 billion in damages.
The largest earthquake in the world was a magnitude 9.5 that ripped into Chile May 22, 1960.
Japan is probably the most seismic of all countries, but because it is larger than Japan, Indonesia has more total earthquakes.
Shaky Ground Snippetz
- The moon has quakes, too. Moonquakes don’t occur as frequently and are usually smaller in magnitude than earthquakes. The moonquakes are related to the tidal stresses associated with varying distances between Earth and the moon.
- A tsunami and a tidal wave are activities of their own. A tidal wave is caused by the gravitational interactions among the sun, moon and Earth. A tsunami is a sea wave caused by an underwater earthquake or landslide – normally triggered by an earthquake but not always – which displaces the water.
- Earthquakes typically last about 10 to 30 seconds.
- Contrary to popular belief, the ground does not open up and swallow people in the event of an earthquake. Cracks in the ground can form in relation to landslides or ground slumping, but open fissures are gaps that people can stand in.
- The safest place to be when an earthquake occurs is an open field. Earthquakes do not kill or injure – falling debris from collapsed buildings is the culprit. If indoors, take cover under a table or sturdy furniture. Do not run out of the building.
Issue 498
SNIPPETZ REMINISCES ABOUT THE RAT PACK
"If power doesn't mean that you have the opportunity to work with the people that you love, then you haven't really got any."
- Frank Sinatra
They weren’t a gang per se, just a group of fun-loving friends. They weren’t elusive, just exclusive. “They” were called the Rat Pack, most often identified today as these five Hollywood icons: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. However, movie star legend Humphrey Bogart fathered the pack.
In the 1950s, Bogart and his equally legendary wife, Lauren Bacall, spent their Friday and Saturday nights in Los Angeles gadding about town, hitting the hot spots and sipping cocktails with their equally famous friends. Among them were Judy Garland and husband, Sid Luft; actor David Niven; songwriter Jimmy VanHusuen; and a young Frank Sinatra. Bacall informally dubbed their party group “The Rat Pack of Holmby Hills” – Holmby Hills was a wealthy neighborhood where most of them lived.
Bogart died of cancer at age 57, and the Rat Pack disbanded. But Sinatra missed his social network, so he invited a few new buddies for the bar-hopping adventures.
The New Rat Pack
Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford and Bishop became the regulars to carry on Bogart’s party tradition. Others like Shirley MacLaine and Angie Dickinson joined them on occasion.
The new group first became known as “the clan.” As the mid-1960s approached, racial strife was widespread. “The clan” didn’t want to be confused with the “Klan,” so they adopted the name of ole’ Bogie’s gang – and the Rat Pack was reborn.
Although the Rat Pack was about socializing, they also enjoyed entertaining as a group and starring in movies together. All five starred in “Ocean’s 11.”
The Rat Pack was famous for their connection to the Kennedys, originally friends of Sinatra’s. In 1960, the pack sang the national anthem at the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. John F. Kennedy was the Democratic nominee for president.
Martin and Sinatra
After Sinatra conducted the orchestra featured on Martin’s record album, “Sleep Warm,” the two garnered rave reviews for an impromptu performance in Las Vegas that turned into an ongoing gig. On Jan. 28, 1959, Sinatra joined Martin on stage at the Sands Hotel in Vegas for the first time. The duo rocked audiences and became an overnight sensation; and, in a short time, they were renowned nationwide for their on-stage antics and behind-the-scenes friendship.
Martin usually played the role of a boozer, always with a glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other, but in reality he was the one Rat Pack member who often chose a T.V. western over nights out on the town. Martin wasn’t a big drinker, despite his image. Many in the audiences thought he was drunk on stage, but he was actually drinking apple juice.
In 1967, the relationship between Sinatra and Martin was challenged when Howard Hughes bought the Sands Hotel the same year. Sinatra had a run-in with the management of the Sands, and they cut off his credit to the casino. After a physical fight with the casino boss that cost Sinatra a few teeth, he signed a contract with rival Caesar’s Palace. Sinatra believed Martin would follow; instead, Martin stayed at the Sands for another year. Although Martin could hold his own, the Sands wasn’t the same after Sinatra left, and Martin ended up at the Riviera, where ticket prices for his shows exceeded ticket prices for Sinatra at Caesar’s.
Throughout the transition, the two remained friends, making movies together and with other members of the Rat Pack. Martin and Sinatra were cast in seven films together. Sinatra was also a frequent guest on Martin’s T.V. show, “The Dean Martin Show.”
When Martin died in 1995 at age 78, Sinatra reflected on their epic friendship. “Too many times I’ve been asked to say something about friends who are gone – this is one of the hardest. Dean was my brother – not through blood, but through choice. He has been like the air I breathe, always there, always close by.”
Sinatra died at age 82 in 1998.
The Rest of the Pack
Sinatra was the leader of the pack, and Martin was the pack’s good looking, devilish womanizer. Three other members of the pack – Lawford, Davis and Bishop – gained fame not only through their association with Sinatra and Martin, but also because they were talented and alluring in their own way.
Joey Bishop
Bishop was a stand-up comedian, who never memorized a joke, always ad-libbing. When Sinatra attended one of his shows, he snagged Bishop as his opening act. Eventually, Bishop began getting his own comic stints in first-rate clubs across the country.
One of Bishop’s more memorable lines was heard at the Copacabana in Manhattan. During the middle of his stand-up performance, Marilyn Monroe surprised everyone and walked on stage, wrapped in white ermine. Bishop’s quick wit kicked in, when off the cuff he said, “Marilyn, I told you to sit in the truck.”
Bishop went on to television with the “Joey Bishop Show.” He even challenged Johnny Carson when, for a short time, he hosted a talk show at the same time Carson aired.
As part of the Rat Pack, Bishop, too, was a fan of JFK. He was the master of ceremonies at Kennedy’s inaugural ball.
Bishop outlasted his Rat Pack buddies. He died in 2007 at age 89.
Sammy Davis Jr.
As the son of vaudeville star Sammy Davis Sr., the junior Davis was adept at singing, dancing, playing instruments, acting and stand-up comedy. As a black man, he knew discrimination all too well, but he often made jokes about it. During one performance, he made fun of people who complained about being discriminated against. “You got it easy,” Davis said. “I’m a short, ugly, one-eyed black Jew. What do you think it’s like for me?” (Davis lost his left eye in a car crash.)
In the 1950s and 1960s, when Davis performed in the hotels in Las Vegas, he wasn’t allowed to stay in the same hotels because they didn’t allow black people.
But Davis also paved the way for other black entertainers. He wasn’t afraid of controversy. In the 1960s, he married the blonde, blue-eyed Swedish-born actress May Britt. The marriage lasted for eight years. Later, Davis had an affair with white actress Kim Novak, and because of it someone put a contract out on his life. Frank Sinatra presumably interceded, and the affair ended, as did the contract.
Davis almost always appeared on stage with a cigarette in hand. The four-pack-a-day habit would cost him. He died in 1990 at age 64 from throat cancer.
Peter Lawford
In some circles, Lawford was recognized more for his marriage to Patricia Kennedy (making him a brother-in-law to JFK) than an accomplished actor. Sinatra even gave Lawford the nickname “brother-in-Lawford.”
Born in London and raised in Paris, Lawford began his acting career at an early age. When the handsome Lawford came to Hollywood his French accent and charm attracted many ladies of the screen, including Lana Turner, Ava Gardner and Kim Novak. After his marriage to Kennedy ended in the 1960s, Lawford married three more times.
His first major role was in the movie, “A Yank at Eton” (1942). Co-starring with Mickey Rooney, critics praised his performance. When movie icon Clark Gable was drafted into World War II, Lawford began getting more lead roles in movies. Lawford had injured his arm as a young boy and wasn’t eligible for military service.
In the mid-1960s, Lawford and Sinatra had a falling out – supposedly over political disparities. Lawford once attended a Las Vegas show where Sinatra was playing. Legend has it that Sinatra refused to go on stage until Lawford left. They never reconciled their differences.
Lawford was the first one of the Rat Pack to die. In 1984, he died from liver and kidney disease at age 61.
Rat Pack Snippetz
SNIPPETZ REMINISCES ABOUT THE RAT PACK
"If power doesn't mean that you have the opportunity to work with the people that you love, then you haven't really got any."
- Frank Sinatra
They weren’t a gang per se, just a group of fun-loving friends. They weren’t elusive, just exclusive. “They” were called the Rat Pack, most often identified today as these five Hollywood icons: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. However, movie star legend Humphrey Bogart fathered the pack.
In the 1950s, Bogart and his equally legendary wife, Lauren Bacall, spent their Friday and Saturday nights in Los Angeles gadding about town, hitting the hot spots and sipping cocktails with their equally famous friends. Among them were Judy Garland and husband, Sid Luft; actor David Niven; songwriter Jimmy VanHusuen; and a young Frank Sinatra. Bacall informally dubbed their party group “The Rat Pack of Holmby Hills” – Holmby Hills was a wealthy neighborhood where most of them lived.
Bogart died of cancer at age 57, and the Rat Pack disbanded. But Sinatra missed his social network, so he invited a few new buddies for the bar-hopping adventures.
The New Rat Pack
Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford and Bishop became the regulars to carry on Bogart’s party tradition. Others like Shirley MacLaine and Angie Dickinson joined them on occasion.
The new group first became known as “the clan.” As the mid-1960s approached, racial strife was widespread. “The clan” didn’t want to be confused with the “Klan,” so they adopted the name of ole’ Bogie’s gang – and the Rat Pack was reborn.
Although the Rat Pack was about socializing, they also enjoyed entertaining as a group and starring in movies together. All five starred in “Ocean’s 11.”
The Rat Pack was famous for their connection to the Kennedys, originally friends of Sinatra’s. In 1960, the pack sang the national anthem at the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. John F. Kennedy was the Democratic nominee for president.
Martin and Sinatra
After Sinatra conducted the orchestra featured on Martin’s record album, “Sleep Warm,” the two garnered rave reviews for an impromptu performance in Las Vegas that turned into an ongoing gig. On Jan. 28, 1959, Sinatra joined Martin on stage at the Sands Hotel in Vegas for the first time. The duo rocked audiences and became an overnight sensation; and, in a short time, they were renowned nationwide for their on-stage antics and behind-the-scenes friendship.
Martin usually played the role of a boozer, always with a glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other, but in reality he was the one Rat Pack member who often chose a T.V. western over nights out on the town. Martin wasn’t a big drinker, despite his image. Many in the audiences thought he was drunk on stage, but he was actually drinking apple juice.
In 1967, the relationship between Sinatra and Martin was challenged when Howard Hughes bought the Sands Hotel the same year. Sinatra had a run-in with the management of the Sands, and they cut off his credit to the casino. After a physical fight with the casino boss that cost Sinatra a few teeth, he signed a contract with rival Caesar’s Palace. Sinatra believed Martin would follow; instead, Martin stayed at the Sands for another year. Although Martin could hold his own, the Sands wasn’t the same after Sinatra left, and Martin ended up at the Riviera, where ticket prices for his shows exceeded ticket prices for Sinatra at Caesar’s.
Throughout the transition, the two remained friends, making movies together and with other members of the Rat Pack. Martin and Sinatra were cast in seven films together. Sinatra was also a frequent guest on Martin’s T.V. show, “The Dean Martin Show.”
When Martin died in 1995 at age 78, Sinatra reflected on their epic friendship. “Too many times I’ve been asked to say something about friends who are gone – this is one of the hardest. Dean was my brother – not through blood, but through choice. He has been like the air I breathe, always there, always close by.”
Sinatra died at age 82 in 1998.
The Rest of the Pack
Sinatra was the leader of the pack, and Martin was the pack’s good looking, devilish womanizer. Three other members of the pack – Lawford, Davis and Bishop – gained fame not only through their association with Sinatra and Martin, but also because they were talented and alluring in their own way.
Joey Bishop
Bishop was a stand-up comedian, who never memorized a joke, always ad-libbing. When Sinatra attended one of his shows, he snagged Bishop as his opening act. Eventually, Bishop began getting his own comic stints in first-rate clubs across the country.
One of Bishop’s more memorable lines was heard at the Copacabana in Manhattan. During the middle of his stand-up performance, Marilyn Monroe surprised everyone and walked on stage, wrapped in white ermine. Bishop’s quick wit kicked in, when off the cuff he said, “Marilyn, I told you to sit in the truck.”
Bishop went on to television with the “Joey Bishop Show.” He even challenged Johnny Carson when, for a short time, he hosted a talk show at the same time Carson aired.
As part of the Rat Pack, Bishop, too, was a fan of JFK. He was the master of ceremonies at Kennedy’s inaugural ball.
Bishop outlasted his Rat Pack buddies. He died in 2007 at age 89.
Sammy Davis Jr.
As the son of vaudeville star Sammy Davis Sr., the junior Davis was adept at singing, dancing, playing instruments, acting and stand-up comedy. As a black man, he knew discrimination all too well, but he often made jokes about it. During one performance, he made fun of people who complained about being discriminated against. “You got it easy,” Davis said. “I’m a short, ugly, one-eyed black Jew. What do you think it’s like for me?” (Davis lost his left eye in a car crash.)
In the 1950s and 1960s, when Davis performed in the hotels in Las Vegas, he wasn’t allowed to stay in the same hotels because they didn’t allow black people.
But Davis also paved the way for other black entertainers. He wasn’t afraid of controversy. In the 1960s, he married the blonde, blue-eyed Swedish-born actress May Britt. The marriage lasted for eight years. Later, Davis had an affair with white actress Kim Novak, and because of it someone put a contract out on his life. Frank Sinatra presumably interceded, and the affair ended, as did the contract.
Davis almost always appeared on stage with a cigarette in hand. The four-pack-a-day habit would cost him. He died in 1990 at age 64 from throat cancer.
Peter Lawford
In some circles, Lawford was recognized more for his marriage to Patricia Kennedy (making him a brother-in-law to JFK) than an accomplished actor. Sinatra even gave Lawford the nickname “brother-in-Lawford.”
Born in London and raised in Paris, Lawford began his acting career at an early age. When the handsome Lawford came to Hollywood his French accent and charm attracted many ladies of the screen, including Lana Turner, Ava Gardner and Kim Novak. After his marriage to Kennedy ended in the 1960s, Lawford married three more times.
His first major role was in the movie, “A Yank at Eton” (1942). Co-starring with Mickey Rooney, critics praised his performance. When movie icon Clark Gable was drafted into World War II, Lawford began getting more lead roles in movies. Lawford had injured his arm as a young boy and wasn’t eligible for military service.
In the mid-1960s, Lawford and Sinatra had a falling out – supposedly over political disparities. Lawford once attended a Las Vegas show where Sinatra was playing. Legend has it that Sinatra refused to go on stage until Lawford left. They never reconciled their differences.
Lawford was the first one of the Rat Pack to die. In 1984, he died from liver and kidney disease at age 61.
Rat Pack Snippetz
- Joe Dimaggio refused to allow the Rat Pack members to attend Marilyn Monroe’s funeral.
- Judy Garland was the vice president of the Rat Pack, and Lauren Bacall was the “den mother.”
- Martin and Jerry Lewis were a comedy team before Martin’s involvement with the Rat Pack. They were together from 1946 to 1956.
- Sinatra was married four times; Martin was married three times.
- Martin’s son, Dino, of the band “Dino, Desi and Billy” was killed in a plane crash in 1987.
- Lawford was the last person to speak to Marilyn Monroe before she died.
- Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon were among Hollywood notables who remade “Ocean’s Eleven” and went on to star in the sequels.
- At one time, Martin was a black jack dealer in his home state of Ohio.
- Davis’ wife, May Britt, was the only spouse who disapproved of the Rat Pack.
- Joey Bishop, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra were high school dropouts.
- Sammy Davis Jr. was never enrolled in school because he toured with his father and uncle, who were vaudeville performers.
- Davis made a guest appearance in 1972 on “All in the Family.” He kissed the infamously bigoted Archie Bunker character on the cheek.
- Martin, Bishop and Lawford adopted stage names. Their original names, respectively: Dino Paul Crocetti, Joseph Abraham Gottlieb and Peter Sydney Ernest Aylen.
Issue 497
SNIPPETZ POPS THE LID OFF EVERYTHING CORN
Corn: “Any of numerous cultivated forms of a widely-grown cereal grass bearing grains or kernels; the grains or kernels of the plant used as food for humans and livestock; a seed or fruit of various other plants like peppercorn; corn snow; corn whiskey; slang for something considered trite, melodramatic, unduly sentimental.”
Corn is a household word. It might be corny to say so, but corn, with all its uses and meanings, is a beloved entity.
About Corn
Corn is a descendent of the teosinte plant, which grows in Mexico – the country of corn’s origins. The earliest ears of corn were just a few inches long. Today, a typical corn plant is from 5 to 12 feet tall. In Iowa, corn can grow to 8 feet under good growing conditions.
Corn Facts
More than 100 years ago, corn was produced for starch, and the rest of the kernel was thrown away. Presently, every part of the kernel and the water in which it is processed is used. There are more than 3,500 uses for corn products. Many of the new corn-based products are more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based products. Corn products include the following:
Paint, dyes, laundry detergent, packing peanuts, plates, disposable flatware, milk jugs, golf tees, adhesives, degradable plastics, chewing gum, shoe polish, printing inks, soft drinks, pet food, alcoholic beverages and fuel.
Biofuel
Corn is a valuable “feedstock” for ethanol plant production because of the large amount of carbohydrates, especially starch, in corn. Starch can be easily broken down into simple sugars, which feed yeast (fermentation process) to produce ethanol. By-products include animal feed. Modern-day ethanol production can garner about 2.7 gallons of fuel ethanol per bushel of corn.
Although biofuel is an alternative to the country’s dependence on oil, growing crops like corn to produce ethanol takes a toll on the environment, not to mention the pocketbook.
In 2010, more than a third of the corn harvest in the U.S. – 335 million metric tons – was used to produce corn ethanol. It’s expected that within five years, 50 percent of the corn crop in the U.S. will become biofuels.
Biofuel is on the rise as an export, but demand for food crop exports is still strong; which drives higher prices worldwide. Another price factor is the crop acreage needed to produce biofuels. According to a 2007 “Science” magazine article, to replace just 10 percent of the gasoline in the U.S. with ethanol and biodiesel would require that 43 percent of current cropland in the U.S. be used for growing crops just for biofuels.
In 2007, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences studied the effects of water consumption as it relates to producing ethanol. They concluded that growing corn to produce ethanol consumes 200 times more water than the water used to process the corn into ethanol.
Back to Food – Popcorn
Americans consume more popcorn than any other country – about 17 billion quarts of popcorn per year: 54 quarts per person.
Corn: It’s all in a Name
Candy corn, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, corn cobs, corn on the cob, it’s corny, corn snow: The word “corn” is well-used and not always about food.
Corn Snakes
Food does play a part in the naming of the corn snake. It was named after its belly, which resembles the checkerboard pattern of Indian corn.
Movies, etc.
Corn has been part of movie titles since the 1950s.
“Corns-a-Poppin” – 1951
“Corn Chips” – 1951
“Corn Plastered” – 1951
“Corn on the Cop” – 1965
“Indian Corn” – 1972
“Corn on the Macabre” – 1997
“Children of the Corn” – 1984 – sequels 1984, 1993 and 1994
Corn Snow
Coloradoans might be familiar with corn snow, the term for wet snow that has gone through repeated melt-freeze cycles. The result is large-grained, rounded crystals. Under corn snow conditions, a crust is formed on the surface of the snow, and it can supports one’s weight when it’s frozen. However, during the heat of the day, the snow turns to deep slush. Corn snow skiing is best during the mid-to-late-morning hours.
It’s Corny
A long-lasting favorite saying, “it’s corny” has been passed on through generations. In the movie, “South Pacific,” there is a song titled “What a Wonderful Guy.” Among the lyrics, “I’m as corny as Kansas in August.” Kansas is well-known for its corn production, and August is harvest time for corn. Thus, the long version of “it’s corny.”
SNIPPETZ POPS THE LID OFF EVERYTHING CORN
Corn: “Any of numerous cultivated forms of a widely-grown cereal grass bearing grains or kernels; the grains or kernels of the plant used as food for humans and livestock; a seed or fruit of various other plants like peppercorn; corn snow; corn whiskey; slang for something considered trite, melodramatic, unduly sentimental.”
Corn is a household word. It might be corny to say so, but corn, with all its uses and meanings, is a beloved entity.
About Corn
Corn is a descendent of the teosinte plant, which grows in Mexico – the country of corn’s origins. The earliest ears of corn were just a few inches long. Today, a typical corn plant is from 5 to 12 feet tall. In Iowa, corn can grow to 8 feet under good growing conditions.
Corn Facts
- Corn is produced on every continent of the world except Antarctica.
- Corn was first grown by the Indians in North, Central and South America.
- Petrified corn cobs more than 5,000 years old have been found in ancient Indian villages in the Western hemisphere.
- When Christopher Columbus landed in the West Indies, he traded with the Indians for corn to take home to Spain.
- The Indians had named corn “MA-HIZ;” early American settlers picked it up as “maize.”
- North American Indians provided corn to the settlers during their first winter in America, and later showed them how to grow corn by planting corn kernels with small fish used as fertilizer.
- The Indians also shared their recipes and methods for cooking corn, which included cornbread, corn pudding, corn soup and fried corn cakes.
- Eventually, the early settlers saw the value in corn and used it in trade for meat and furs.
- Corn is totally domesticated; it cannot live as a wild plant.
- Grits are small broken grains of corn, first produced by Native Americans.
- The U.S. is the largest producer of corn in the world.
- Corn is grown on more than 400,000 U.S. farms.
- In 2000, the U.S. produced almost 10 billion of the world’s 23 billion-bushel crop.
- About 80 percent of all corn grown in the U.S. is food for domestic and overseas livestock, poultry and fish production.
- About 12 percent of the U.S. corn crop ends up in directly-consumed foods like corn chips or indirect food sources, such as high fructose corn syrup.
- For the past 14 years, Iowa has been the top producer of corn in the U.S. Iowans grow three times as much corn than a country the size of Argentina and produce more corn than most countries.
- Corn is not vegetable; it’s a grain.
More than 100 years ago, corn was produced for starch, and the rest of the kernel was thrown away. Presently, every part of the kernel and the water in which it is processed is used. There are more than 3,500 uses for corn products. Many of the new corn-based products are more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based products. Corn products include the following:
Paint, dyes, laundry detergent, packing peanuts, plates, disposable flatware, milk jugs, golf tees, adhesives, degradable plastics, chewing gum, shoe polish, printing inks, soft drinks, pet food, alcoholic beverages and fuel.
Biofuel
Corn is a valuable “feedstock” for ethanol plant production because of the large amount of carbohydrates, especially starch, in corn. Starch can be easily broken down into simple sugars, which feed yeast (fermentation process) to produce ethanol. By-products include animal feed. Modern-day ethanol production can garner about 2.7 gallons of fuel ethanol per bushel of corn.
Although biofuel is an alternative to the country’s dependence on oil, growing crops like corn to produce ethanol takes a toll on the environment, not to mention the pocketbook.
In 2010, more than a third of the corn harvest in the U.S. – 335 million metric tons – was used to produce corn ethanol. It’s expected that within five years, 50 percent of the corn crop in the U.S. will become biofuels.
Biofuel is on the rise as an export, but demand for food crop exports is still strong; which drives higher prices worldwide. Another price factor is the crop acreage needed to produce biofuels. According to a 2007 “Science” magazine article, to replace just 10 percent of the gasoline in the U.S. with ethanol and biodiesel would require that 43 percent of current cropland in the U.S. be used for growing crops just for biofuels.
In 2007, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences studied the effects of water consumption as it relates to producing ethanol. They concluded that growing corn to produce ethanol consumes 200 times more water than the water used to process the corn into ethanol.
Back to Food – Popcorn
Americans consume more popcorn than any other country – about 17 billion quarts of popcorn per year: 54 quarts per person.
- In the 1800s, popcorn rose to popularity when it was introduced at ball parks and theatres. Popcorn flavors at the time included rose, honey, molasses and sugar.
- Charles Cretors invented the popcorn machine in 1895.
- Street vendors sold popcorn during the Great Depression because it was one of the few snacks available and inexpensive.
- Native Americans first discovered “popcorn” when they threw corn kernels into the fire, causing them to pop. They not only ate the popcorn, but also strung it to make garlands for women. American colonists ground up the popcorn and poured milk over it for a breakfast food.
- When a kernel heats up, the moisture inside the kernel expands. After a while, the hard shell is unable to withstand the pressure, so it explodes, forming a white, fluffy substance that rapidly cools and then solidifies.
- According to folklore, the Native Americans believed that tiny spirits lived inside the kernels; and, when their homes were heated, they became angry, bursting out of their kernels.
- The world’s largest popcorn ball was created in Sac City, Iowa in 2009. It weighed more than 5,000 pounds, stood more than 8 feet tall and measured 28.8 feet around.
- The Marion Popcorn Festival in Ohio is the largest popcorn festival in the world, attracting more than 200,000 people each year.
- Popcorn is a healthy snack, with only 31 calories per air-popped cup or 55 calories per oil-popped. It’s high in fiber and sodium and sugar free. Beware, however, of popcorn seasonings and toppings, from butter to caramel to chocolate chips, peanuts and fudge sauce.
Corn: It’s all in a Name
Candy corn, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, corn cobs, corn on the cob, it’s corny, corn snow: The word “corn” is well-used and not always about food.
Corn Snakes
Food does play a part in the naming of the corn snake. It was named after its belly, which resembles the checkerboard pattern of Indian corn.
- The corn snake is also known as the red corn snake or the red rat snake.
- Corn snakes are not endangered, but in Florida they are listed as a Species of Special Concern because of a loss of habitat, especially in the lower Florida Keys. Corn snakes are harmless but often mistaken for copperheads and killed.
- Corn snakes are bred more than any other snake species as pets.
- Corn snakes are slender and 24 to 72 inches long. They are orange or brownish-yellow, with large, black-lined red spots down the middle of their backs.
- Corn snakes climb trees and spend most of their time underground searching for prey in rodent burrows. They can be found in wooded groves, rocky hillsides, meadowlands, barns and abandoned buildings.
- Corn snakes are most abundant in Florida and the southeast.
- Corn snakes eat every few days, feeding on mice, rats, birds and bats. They are constrictors, so they first bite the prey to obtain a firm grip; then they wrap around the body of their victim and squeeze until they suffocate them. Sometimes, the corn snake forgoes the suffocation part and eats their prey alive.
Movies, etc.
Corn has been part of movie titles since the 1950s.
“Corns-a-Poppin” – 1951
“Corn Chips” – 1951
“Corn Plastered” – 1951
“Corn on the Cop” – 1965
“Indian Corn” – 1972
“Corn on the Macabre” – 1997
“Children of the Corn” – 1984 – sequels 1984, 1993 and 1994
Corn Snow
Coloradoans might be familiar with corn snow, the term for wet snow that has gone through repeated melt-freeze cycles. The result is large-grained, rounded crystals. Under corn snow conditions, a crust is formed on the surface of the snow, and it can supports one’s weight when it’s frozen. However, during the heat of the day, the snow turns to deep slush. Corn snow skiing is best during the mid-to-late-morning hours.
It’s Corny
A long-lasting favorite saying, “it’s corny” has been passed on through generations. In the movie, “South Pacific,” there is a song titled “What a Wonderful Guy.” Among the lyrics, “I’m as corny as Kansas in August.” Kansas is well-known for its corn production, and August is harvest time for corn. Thus, the long version of “it’s corny.”
Issue 496
SNIPPETZ CARRIES A TORCH FOR LADY LIBERTY
"Give me your tired, your poor;
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
- From the inscription on the Statue of Liberty
It wasn’t until after her death that Emma Lazarus’ poem “The New Colossus” became the symbolic words of freedom adorned on the Statue of Liberty. Lazarus wrote the poem in 1883 as a donation to help raise funds for the construction of the Statue of Liberty pedestal.
When a patron of the New York Arts, Georgina Schuyler, discovered “The New Colossus,” she was moved by the words cited above and eventually led an effort to inscribe those last five lines on the Statue of Liberty. In the early 1900s, the entire 14-line poem, engraved in bronze, was placed over the Statue of Liberty’s main entrance.
Since 1886, the Statue of Liberty has been a guiding light to the many immigrants and workers who have landed on Liberty Island.
Lady Liberty’s Place in History
This year, Lady Liberty will celebrate 125 years standing tall and strong for freedom and democracy.
She was conceived in the 1870s when the people of France decided to present a statue to the United States as a gesture of friendship between the two countries – a friendship established during the American Revolution. The statue became a joint effort between the U.S. and France. The French would design and construct the statue and transport it to the U.S.; the Americans would build a pedestal for the statue. The statue would be completed by 1876, as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in America.
And So It Went
Home in the Harbor
Ninety years later, the bicentennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence took place. In honor of the 200th birthday, the state of New Jersey gifted the nation with Liberty State Park.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the “park” was a waterfront industrial area and a freight and passenger transportation hub. Activity hovered around the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. The terminal played a major role in history, alongside the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, in serving the immigrants who came to America seeking a new life.
As the railroad industry declined, the area and old structures were abandoned. What was once a bustling site had become a dump site. The state of New Jersey rejuvenated the area and transformed more than 1,400 acres into a beautiful city park, just 2,000 feet from Lady Liberty. The park opened June 14, 1976. The grounds are now federal land but New York has jurisdiction.
If Only She Could Talk
If Lady Liberty could speak, imagine the stories. She would certainly talk about all the changes that have taken place in 125 years.
Besides undergoing a patina process (the natural aging of copper) that turned the statue a light green color, Lady Liberty has seen plenty of change throughout the years. Until 1901, the United States Lighthouse Board was responsible for the Statue of Liberty. The U.S. War Department took over the care and management of the statue until 1933, when the National Park Service assumed responsibility for all operations. In 1965, the park service also began managing Ellis Island, which soon became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
In 1982, former President Ronald Reagan chose automobile icon Lee Iacocca to chair a private foundation established to restore the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation partnered with the National Park Service for the $87 million restoration project. When the restoration began in 1984, the United Nations designated the Statue of Liberty as a World Heritage Site. The newly restored statue re-opened to the public July 5, 1986.
After 9/11, Liberty Island was closed but re-opened 100 days later; however, the statue remained closed. In August 2004, the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal level was reopened to the public.
On July 4, 2009, the crown was finally reopened. Today, visitors must make a reservation to climb the pedestal or crown.
Lady Liberty Snippetz
125 Years to Celebrate
In honor of the 125th anniversary milestone, a new play, “Sing a Song of Freedom: The Story of Emma Lazarus and the Statue of Liberty,” depicts the tale behind Lazarus’ poem, “The New Colossus,” which became the statue’s emblem of welcome. The show is funded by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and opens at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum’s Living Theater starting April 16, running through Labor Day weekend. The 30-minute play, written by playwright and director Ken Urban, also highlights stories of immigration.
The U.S. Post Office also is recognizing Lady Liberty this year with a “Forever” stamp of her face and crown. But controversy abounds. The photo was taken from a replica of Lady Liberty that stands outside of a Las Vegas casino. A Statue of Liberty aficionado detected a difference in the hair and eyes of the statue in the photo and contacted Linn’s Stamp News, which first published the story.
The Postal Service, however, is sticking with the stamp as is.
The New York Times reported that the former mayor of New York, Edward Koch, wasn’t happy with the Postal Service decision. “The post office is doing a stupid thing,” Koch said.
Only in America! Hail to Lady Liberty.
SNIPPETZ CARRIES A TORCH FOR LADY LIBERTY
"Give me your tired, your poor;
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
- From the inscription on the Statue of Liberty
It wasn’t until after her death that Emma Lazarus’ poem “The New Colossus” became the symbolic words of freedom adorned on the Statue of Liberty. Lazarus wrote the poem in 1883 as a donation to help raise funds for the construction of the Statue of Liberty pedestal.
When a patron of the New York Arts, Georgina Schuyler, discovered “The New Colossus,” she was moved by the words cited above and eventually led an effort to inscribe those last five lines on the Statue of Liberty. In the early 1900s, the entire 14-line poem, engraved in bronze, was placed over the Statue of Liberty’s main entrance.
Since 1886, the Statue of Liberty has been a guiding light to the many immigrants and workers who have landed on Liberty Island.
Lady Liberty’s Place in History
This year, Lady Liberty will celebrate 125 years standing tall and strong for freedom and democracy.
She was conceived in the 1870s when the people of France decided to present a statue to the United States as a gesture of friendship between the two countries – a friendship established during the American Revolution. The statue became a joint effort between the U.S. and France. The French would design and construct the statue and transport it to the U.S.; the Americans would build a pedestal for the statue. The statue would be completed by 1876, as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in America.
And So It Went
- The French commissioned sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi to design the statue. An engineer was hired as well to address the structural issues around what would become a massive copper sculpture. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (designer of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design the huge iron pylon and the secondary skeletal framework.
- To raise money for the entire project, France sponsored a lottery and entertainment venues; and also brought in money for the statue through donations and public fees. Americans responded by raising funds for the pedestal through theatrical performances, art exhibitions, auctions and prize fights. Despite these efforts, the going was slow on both ends.
- When the going gets tough, however, the tough get going. Joseph Pulitzer (yep, Pulitzer Prize) began using his newspaper, “The World,” to campaign for funds for the pedestal. In the editorial pages, Pulitzer shamed the wealthy for failing to donate to the construction of the pedestal and blasted the middle class for relying on the rich for the necessary funds. Money began pouring in as a result of Pulitzer’s rant.
- The pedestal construction was completed in April 1886. The French had already finished the statue two years earlier and had shipped it to the U.S. Lady Liberty landed in the New York Harbor in June 1885 in 350 individual pieces. It took four months to re-assemble her for placement on the pedestal. On Oct. 28, 1886, thousands of people witnessed the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. One might say it was a late birthday gift – 10 years after the centennial celebration.
Home in the Harbor
Ninety years later, the bicentennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence took place. In honor of the 200th birthday, the state of New Jersey gifted the nation with Liberty State Park.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the “park” was a waterfront industrial area and a freight and passenger transportation hub. Activity hovered around the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. The terminal played a major role in history, alongside the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, in serving the immigrants who came to America seeking a new life.
As the railroad industry declined, the area and old structures were abandoned. What was once a bustling site had become a dump site. The state of New Jersey rejuvenated the area and transformed more than 1,400 acres into a beautiful city park, just 2,000 feet from Lady Liberty. The park opened June 14, 1976. The grounds are now federal land but New York has jurisdiction.
If Only She Could Talk
If Lady Liberty could speak, imagine the stories. She would certainly talk about all the changes that have taken place in 125 years.
Besides undergoing a patina process (the natural aging of copper) that turned the statue a light green color, Lady Liberty has seen plenty of change throughout the years. Until 1901, the United States Lighthouse Board was responsible for the Statue of Liberty. The U.S. War Department took over the care and management of the statue until 1933, when the National Park Service assumed responsibility for all operations. In 1965, the park service also began managing Ellis Island, which soon became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
In 1982, former President Ronald Reagan chose automobile icon Lee Iacocca to chair a private foundation established to restore the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation partnered with the National Park Service for the $87 million restoration project. When the restoration began in 1984, the United Nations designated the Statue of Liberty as a World Heritage Site. The newly restored statue re-opened to the public July 5, 1986.
After 9/11, Liberty Island was closed but re-opened 100 days later; however, the statue remained closed. In August 2004, the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal level was reopened to the public.
On July 4, 2009, the crown was finally reopened. Today, visitors must make a reservation to climb the pedestal or crown.
Lady Liberty Snippetz
- The French ship “Isere” transported the statue to the New York Harbor – the pieces were packed in 214 crates. The ship almost sank because of rough seas but arrived safely June 17, 1885.
- The height of the Statue of Liberty, from the base of the pedestal foundation to the tip of the torch, is 305 feet, 6 inches.
- The face on the statue is more than 8 feet tall.
- There are 154 steps from the pedestal to the head of the statue.
- In the Lady’s left hand is a tablet that measures 23 feet, 7 inches tall and 13 feet, 7 inches wide. Inscribed on the tablet is a date in Roman numerals (July IV, MDCCLXXVI – or July 4, 1776).
- The crown of the statue has seven rays, one for each continent. The individual rays measure 9 feet in length and weigh up to 150 pounds.
- The total weight of the statue is 225 tons or 450,000 pounds.
- At the foot of the statue are broken shackles representing oppression and tyranny.
- During the restoration of the statue in the 1980s, a new torch was covered in thin sheets of 24K gold.
- 300 sheets of copper line the exterior; the copper is not quite as thick as two pennies together
- The torch was the first part constructed on the statue. The torch has been closed to the public since 1916, when a fire and explosion at a munitions depot on Liberty Island – purposefully started by an anti-American group – caused millions of dollars of property damage and thousands to the Statue of Liberty.
- The face of the statue is said to be modeled after the sculptor’s mother.
- The National Park Service staff climbs a narrow 40-foot ladder to maintain the floodlights, which light the torch.
- The second floor of the pedestal houses the Statue of Liberty exhibit and includes museum objects, photographs, prints, videos and oral histories. Full-scale replicas of the statue’s face and foot also are on display.
125 Years to Celebrate
In honor of the 125th anniversary milestone, a new play, “Sing a Song of Freedom: The Story of Emma Lazarus and the Statue of Liberty,” depicts the tale behind Lazarus’ poem, “The New Colossus,” which became the statue’s emblem of welcome. The show is funded by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and opens at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum’s Living Theater starting April 16, running through Labor Day weekend. The 30-minute play, written by playwright and director Ken Urban, also highlights stories of immigration.
The U.S. Post Office also is recognizing Lady Liberty this year with a “Forever” stamp of her face and crown. But controversy abounds. The photo was taken from a replica of Lady Liberty that stands outside of a Las Vegas casino. A Statue of Liberty aficionado detected a difference in the hair and eyes of the statue in the photo and contacted Linn’s Stamp News, which first published the story.
The Postal Service, however, is sticking with the stamp as is.
The New York Times reported that the former mayor of New York, Edward Koch, wasn’t happy with the Postal Service decision. “The post office is doing a stupid thing,” Koch said.
Only in America! Hail to Lady Liberty.
Issue 495
SNIPPETZ IS STRIKING A POSE - A YOGA POSE
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”
- B.K.S. Iyengar
It doesn’t take pretzel-like flexibility to become a yogi or yogini, the proper names for men and women, respectively, engaged in the practice of yoga. All it takes is a mat and a yoga instruction video to get started at home, or enrollment in a yoga class. And videos and classes are plentiful throughout the country because yoga has gained momentum since being introduced to the U.S. in the late 19th century. Blossoming in the 1960s; today, one in 10 Americans practices yoga.
Yoga and its Roots
Yoga began more than 5,000 years ago in India as more than an exercise. Yoga in India is a lifestyle. The word “yoga” comes from the word “yuj,” which is the ancient Sanskrit language of India. It translates to “union” or “joining together.” Indian yoga texts and sacred Hindu texts were all written in Sanskrit, and the yoga styles and postures were named in the language. However, in the West, much of the Sanskrit names have been changed; for example, Vrikshasana is Tree Pose.
In simple terms, yoga is an exercise that involves moving the body into different positions, which are referred to as asanas, poses or postures. All of the postures incorporate stretching, balancing and breathing while standing, sitting or lying on the floor.
Yoga is not a religion, but there is a philosophy behind it. Yoga represents awareness and being in the moment. It embraces the gentle and accepting side of human nature. “Of the mind, body and spirit” is a phrase often intertwined with the practice of yoga.
Besides building physical strength, flexibility and coordination; yoga has been known to improve focus, confidence, self-esteem and self-control and creativity. Some yoga enthusiasts say they’re more relaxed and they sleep better.
Another thing pro-yoga is that it can be done anywhere, even at the work desk. Yoga is often recommended for those who sit at computers all day. Breaking for a few minutes to do some yoga is a great way to stretch the body after sitting in one spot for hours at a time.
From movie stars to professional athletes to corporate America, yoga has become a widespread form of exercise in the U.S. And Yoga itself has become big business.
Upward Dog
The business of yoga is booming. Of course, a downward economy might encourage people to seek ways of releasing their anxieties.
The Yoga Business Academy published the following statistics on their Web site.
Some insurance companies are already paying for yoga, and many predict that doctors will be regularly prescribing yoga in the future.
Those who practice yoga are often inclined toward nutritional programs and whole foods sources, gyms for alternate exercise programs, spas, etc. – all a boost to the health and wellness industry and the American economy.
Become a Warrior
Warrior is actually the name of a challenging yoga pose, but yoga offers something for everyone, from types of yoga to a variety of poses. Many postures are interactive with all yoga practices, and listed here are some basic descriptions of well-known types of yoga.
The Power of Om
Yoga to some might conjure up visions of people sitting with straight backs, eyes closed and the tips of their thumbs and forefingers pressed together, all the while chanting “om.” Yoga is about meditation, and aum (westerners spelled it “om”) is tied to yoga. However, it’s much more than hippie chatter.
In ancient India tradition, all sounds are derived from the sound of aum, which is considered the all-connecting sound of the universe. B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of Iyengar yoga, wrote in this book “Light on Yoga” that the letter “a” symbolizes the conscious state; the letter “u” is the dream state and “m” is the “dreamless sleep state of the mind and spirit.” The three letters together signify the “realization of man’s divinity within himself.”
Aum translates into the Tibetan sacred word of “hum,” the Moslems’ “amin” and the Christians’ “amen.”
The use of the word “aum” is about a sense of “sacredness.” The correct pronunciation of “aum” rhymes with home, minus the “h.”
Although Woodstock was about free love and rock n’ roll – not exactly sacred ground – the chant of “om” echoed throughout the hills as those attending made known their desires for world peace.
Namaste
The word “Namaste” is akin with yoga. “Nama” means to bow; “as” means I and “te” means you. The phrase “Namaste” means “I bow to you.” Namaste is from India and revolves around the chakra (energy) of the heart. In India, the word Namaste doesn’t need to be spoken when greeting others – the gesture is understood. In the U.S., Namaste is often spoken or written without the gesture.
The gesture, however, is an acknowledgement of the soul of each person and implies a deep respect for another. Namaste is acted out by placing the hands together in a prayer form, closing the eyes and bowing the head.
Many yoga teachers end their classes with Namaste. Yoga centers and studios worldwide have incorporated their businesses using the word Namaste as part of their name.
Namaste to our readers and advertisers, both for whom we are most grateful.
SNIPPETZ IS STRIKING A POSE - A YOGA POSE
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”
- B.K.S. Iyengar
It doesn’t take pretzel-like flexibility to become a yogi or yogini, the proper names for men and women, respectively, engaged in the practice of yoga. All it takes is a mat and a yoga instruction video to get started at home, or enrollment in a yoga class. And videos and classes are plentiful throughout the country because yoga has gained momentum since being introduced to the U.S. in the late 19th century. Blossoming in the 1960s; today, one in 10 Americans practices yoga.
Yoga and its Roots
Yoga began more than 5,000 years ago in India as more than an exercise. Yoga in India is a lifestyle. The word “yoga” comes from the word “yuj,” which is the ancient Sanskrit language of India. It translates to “union” or “joining together.” Indian yoga texts and sacred Hindu texts were all written in Sanskrit, and the yoga styles and postures were named in the language. However, in the West, much of the Sanskrit names have been changed; for example, Vrikshasana is Tree Pose.
In simple terms, yoga is an exercise that involves moving the body into different positions, which are referred to as asanas, poses or postures. All of the postures incorporate stretching, balancing and breathing while standing, sitting or lying on the floor.
Yoga is not a religion, but there is a philosophy behind it. Yoga represents awareness and being in the moment. It embraces the gentle and accepting side of human nature. “Of the mind, body and spirit” is a phrase often intertwined with the practice of yoga.
Besides building physical strength, flexibility and coordination; yoga has been known to improve focus, confidence, self-esteem and self-control and creativity. Some yoga enthusiasts say they’re more relaxed and they sleep better.
Another thing pro-yoga is that it can be done anywhere, even at the work desk. Yoga is often recommended for those who sit at computers all day. Breaking for a few minutes to do some yoga is a great way to stretch the body after sitting in one spot for hours at a time.
From movie stars to professional athletes to corporate America, yoga has become a widespread form of exercise in the U.S. And Yoga itself has become big business.
Upward Dog
The business of yoga is booming. Of course, a downward economy might encourage people to seek ways of releasing their anxieties.
The Yoga Business Academy published the following statistics on their Web site.
- About $6 billion was spent on yoga products last year.
- The percentage of people practicing Yoga increases on average about 20 to 25 percent every year.
- In the past five years, spending on yoga-related products has increased by 87 percent.
- The median household income for people who practice yoga is $82,200; 44 percent of yoga practitioners have household incomes of $75,000 or more; 24 percent have household incomes of more than $100,000.
- Yoginis (women) comprise 72 percent of those who practice; almost 28 percent are yogis.
- The Yoga Business Academy predicts that yoga will become mainstream in the corporate world.
- The YBA also states that companies will increase marketing efforts to associate their products with wellness lifestyles, and yoga “imagery” will be a smart way to do it.
Some insurance companies are already paying for yoga, and many predict that doctors will be regularly prescribing yoga in the future.
Those who practice yoga are often inclined toward nutritional programs and whole foods sources, gyms for alternate exercise programs, spas, etc. – all a boost to the health and wellness industry and the American economy.
Become a Warrior
Warrior is actually the name of a challenging yoga pose, but yoga offers something for everyone, from types of yoga to a variety of poses. Many postures are interactive with all yoga practices, and listed here are some basic descriptions of well-known types of yoga.
- Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced form of yoga in the U.S. and the basis for other types. Hatha yoga is great for beginners because it’s about gentle, flowing movements and breathing techniques. It’s also a good way to mellow out from a long day at the office.
- Kripalu yoga also is good for beginners. The basis of this type of yoga is about meditation, inner spirit, breathing and stretching, with some easier poses interspersed.
- Kundalini yoga refers to the chakra energy. This type of yoga is especially good for the core area and the abs. There is rapid movement and lots of sitting positions.
- Iyengar yoga uses many props in the practice, from blocks to harnesses to cushions. This type focuses on aligning the body. People who have chronic physical problems or need physical therapy could benefit from this methodical-based yoga.
- Ashtanga yoga, or power yoga, is a great yoga for athletes or people who regularly exercise. Ashtanga is known for sculpting the body with a variety of fast-paced poses. The movements are quick and somewhat demanding. It’s not only good for defining muscles, but it also provides a cardio workout.
- Bikram yoga has risen in popularity – for those who like it hot. Bikram yoga takes place in a room heated to 105 degrees (with no less than 40 percent humidity). The best advice with this type of yoga is to wear as little as possible. Bikram yoga began in Los Angeles in the 1970s under Bikram Choudhury. The classes generally run 90 minutes, with a series of 26 postures. The thinking behind the “heat” is that it facilitates deeper stretching and injury prevention; reduces stress and tension; stimulates the muscles, organs and joints; improves circulation; and increases lung capacity. Because it induces profuse sweating, Bikram is detoxifying as well.
The Power of Om
Yoga to some might conjure up visions of people sitting with straight backs, eyes closed and the tips of their thumbs and forefingers pressed together, all the while chanting “om.” Yoga is about meditation, and aum (westerners spelled it “om”) is tied to yoga. However, it’s much more than hippie chatter.
In ancient India tradition, all sounds are derived from the sound of aum, which is considered the all-connecting sound of the universe. B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of Iyengar yoga, wrote in this book “Light on Yoga” that the letter “a” symbolizes the conscious state; the letter “u” is the dream state and “m” is the “dreamless sleep state of the mind and spirit.” The three letters together signify the “realization of man’s divinity within himself.”
Aum translates into the Tibetan sacred word of “hum,” the Moslems’ “amin” and the Christians’ “amen.”
The use of the word “aum” is about a sense of “sacredness.” The correct pronunciation of “aum” rhymes with home, minus the “h.”
Although Woodstock was about free love and rock n’ roll – not exactly sacred ground – the chant of “om” echoed throughout the hills as those attending made known their desires for world peace.
Namaste
The word “Namaste” is akin with yoga. “Nama” means to bow; “as” means I and “te” means you. The phrase “Namaste” means “I bow to you.” Namaste is from India and revolves around the chakra (energy) of the heart. In India, the word Namaste doesn’t need to be spoken when greeting others – the gesture is understood. In the U.S., Namaste is often spoken or written without the gesture.
The gesture, however, is an acknowledgement of the soul of each person and implies a deep respect for another. Namaste is acted out by placing the hands together in a prayer form, closing the eyes and bowing the head.
Many yoga teachers end their classes with Namaste. Yoga centers and studios worldwide have incorporated their businesses using the word Namaste as part of their name.
Namaste to our readers and advertisers, both for whom we are most grateful.
Issue 494
SNIPPETZ PUTS AN EAR TO BANNED MUSIC
“I did write a letter to the archdiocese who'd banned the song, Only the Good Die Young, asking them to ban my next record. “
- Billy Joel
When rock n’ roll hit the music scene in the 1950s, one could say that “all hell broke loose.” The songs and the artists behind them were in cahoots with Satan himself, according to many parent groups, government and religious organizations and private enterprise.
As the 50s rolled into the 60s, the rock-solid baby boomers began rebelling against societal norms and the “establishment.” Many naysayers of their music believed that the song lyrics and stage presence of these newbie recording artists were weakening the foundation of America – feeding teens and young adults with cultish-like propaganda.
There was only one way to silence the evil music: censorship. Banning music, books or whatever has created controversy for decades worldwide because what is offensive to some is not to others. And what was offensive in the 1950s is church music compared to the 21st century.
If I Could Turn Back Time
Here’s a snapshot of censorship that took place in each decade starting with 1950, and the variety of reasons and people behind the ban.
Can’t Get No Satisfaction
Can someone get some satisfaction from music censorship? Are attempts to quell the music industry all about enforcement of morality as well as individual or organized beliefs and values? Eric Nuzum has written numerous blogs and a book on music censorship. In his book, “Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America,” Nuzum addressed the factors that spark censorship.
Morality Issues
As previously noted, a revolution of attitudes took place in the 1950s and 1960s. The likes of Elvis, the Beatles and many others ignited a sense of independence from and anarchy toward authority and tradition.
Even in the 1920s, people complained about flappers and jazz musicians, but those performances were limited to certain venues. The advent of technology widened the avenues of communication. In the 1950s, radio allowed access to all kinds of music, which prompted music censorship – especially in light of the new attitudes about sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.
Racial Motivations
Blame the blues. Rhythm and blues were introduced in the 1950s and early 1960s, and the R&B genre was dominated by black musicians. The “soul” of R&B was about passion and desire, including sex and drugs. When white people, especially teenagers and young adults, started following R&B, the older generation feared the corruption of the younger generation.
And censorship wasn’t confined to parents and grandparents.
When MTV was launched, the station shied away from airing any videos by black musicians. It wasn’t until 1983 that Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” became the first black video aired on MTV in “heavy rotation.”
Generational Value Gaps
Although the gap in music tastes has narrowed from generation to generation, the latest trends in music don’t always reflect the values of the older generation. Mick Jagger and Janis Joplin were hardly contemporaries of Frank Sinatra and Connie Francis.
The Great Depression-era generation – who also fought in World War II – was raised to respect authority, which included the head of a household, the priest, the doctor, the local sheriff and the U.S. president (no matter the party). It’s what they did. Their kids, however, questioned authority and sought freedom from society’s rules. It made sense that the music would be different and likely scary to the older generation.
Fear
Nuzum says the “root of all the factors” leading to music censorship is fear. And fear of change is widespread, but much of the music being censored mirrors the changes in societal issues and values.
From the Vietnam War to today’s Iraq War, and from the advent of the sexual revolution to today’s “culture wars,” music is recognized as a potential source of power to change values, ideas, and beliefs – as well as to influence actions. Those who fear this change try to stop it by censorship, even when, as history has shown us, censorship is futile when change is inevitable.
- Eric Nuzum
The Thunder Rolls
Tipper Gore (Al’s wife) was a lightning rod for change after she was incensed that the album “Purple Rain” by Prince contained sexually suggestive words. Gore pressured the music industry to post voluntary warning labels on records with obscene lyrics; and, in 1985, Gore cofounded the nonprofit Parents Music Resource Center to allow parents more control over the music industry.
Many song artists raised thunderous voices decrying Gore’s idea. Frank Zappa cried censorship and called Gore a “cultural terrorist.”
However, Gore had a power team of women in Washington who also wanted transparency in the music industry, and the PMRC is today still playing musical watchdog.
Papa Don’t Preach
When Madonna recorded “Papa Don’t Preach,” she wasn’t thinking of music censors, although she was fired from a Pepsi commercial because of her video for “Like a Prayer.” Here are a few more musicians who have gotten the “ole fire and brimstone” from censors.
In 2007, Anderson Cooper hosted a segment on hip-hop music and its crime-happy, anti-police culture on “60 Minutes.” Cooper interviewed rapper Cam’ron, who was shot in 2005, about snitching. Cooper said he couldn’t cooperate with the police because it would hurt his professional reputation and defy his upbringing. Cooper asked Cam’ron what he would do if he lived next door to a serial killer. Cam’ron replied that he would move.
Is Cam’ron or any other musician just catering to what sells or is the real question “Why does this stuff sell?”
SNIPPETZ PUTS AN EAR TO BANNED MUSIC
“I did write a letter to the archdiocese who'd banned the song, Only the Good Die Young, asking them to ban my next record. “
- Billy Joel
When rock n’ roll hit the music scene in the 1950s, one could say that “all hell broke loose.” The songs and the artists behind them were in cahoots with Satan himself, according to many parent groups, government and religious organizations and private enterprise.
As the 50s rolled into the 60s, the rock-solid baby boomers began rebelling against societal norms and the “establishment.” Many naysayers of their music believed that the song lyrics and stage presence of these newbie recording artists were weakening the foundation of America – feeding teens and young adults with cultish-like propaganda.
There was only one way to silence the evil music: censorship. Banning music, books or whatever has created controversy for decades worldwide because what is offensive to some is not to others. And what was offensive in the 1950s is church music compared to the 21st century.
If I Could Turn Back Time
Here’s a snapshot of censorship that took place in each decade starting with 1950, and the variety of reasons and people behind the ban.
- 1955: The Juvenile Delinquency and Crime Commission of Houston, Texas, banned more than 30 songs. The songs were considered obscene, but almost every artist on the list of censored songs was black.
- 1968: The war in Viet Nam became one of the most unsettled and volatile eras in the nation. An anti-war sentiment led to bold protests against the government and the men and women in the military, creating a sharp divide in the country. The Doors' song "Unknown Soldier" was banned from the air at radio stations throughout the country because the lyrics were anti-war.
- 1975: Country music icon Loretta Lynn was banned from radio stations nationwide because of her song “The Pill,” which referenced birth control.
- 1989: Another music goddess, Cher (see photo above), known for her aversion to wearing a lot of clothing, shook up even the music industry with her “If I Could Turn Back Time” video. Cher donned fishnet stockings and what appeared to be 3-inch-wide black electrical tape to cover body parts that otherwise exposed would scream “nude.” MTV would only air the video after 9 p.m. after slicing the parts of the video (like Cher’s “bum” shots) that begged for censorship.
- 1997: Three owners of a concert venue in Mississippi spent six months in jail for booking a performance by 2 Live Crew.
- 2000: A Louisiana sheriff confiscated the Disney Tarzan soundtrack and music by Britney Spears and Snoop Doggy Dog from a roller skating rink owner. His reason: The music played in the rink spawned a fight in the parking lot. A federal judge eventually found that the sheriff was out of line censoring the music and ordered him to return the music. Also in 2000, a private school in Texas suspended four students who attended a Backstreet Boys concert, which violated a school policy forbidding “involvement in inappropriate music [or] dancing."
Can’t Get No Satisfaction
Can someone get some satisfaction from music censorship? Are attempts to quell the music industry all about enforcement of morality as well as individual or organized beliefs and values? Eric Nuzum has written numerous blogs and a book on music censorship. In his book, “Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America,” Nuzum addressed the factors that spark censorship.
Morality Issues
As previously noted, a revolution of attitudes took place in the 1950s and 1960s. The likes of Elvis, the Beatles and many others ignited a sense of independence from and anarchy toward authority and tradition.
Even in the 1920s, people complained about flappers and jazz musicians, but those performances were limited to certain venues. The advent of technology widened the avenues of communication. In the 1950s, radio allowed access to all kinds of music, which prompted music censorship – especially in light of the new attitudes about sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.
Racial Motivations
Blame the blues. Rhythm and blues were introduced in the 1950s and early 1960s, and the R&B genre was dominated by black musicians. The “soul” of R&B was about passion and desire, including sex and drugs. When white people, especially teenagers and young adults, started following R&B, the older generation feared the corruption of the younger generation.
And censorship wasn’t confined to parents and grandparents.
When MTV was launched, the station shied away from airing any videos by black musicians. It wasn’t until 1983 that Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” became the first black video aired on MTV in “heavy rotation.”
Generational Value Gaps
Although the gap in music tastes has narrowed from generation to generation, the latest trends in music don’t always reflect the values of the older generation. Mick Jagger and Janis Joplin were hardly contemporaries of Frank Sinatra and Connie Francis.
The Great Depression-era generation – who also fought in World War II – was raised to respect authority, which included the head of a household, the priest, the doctor, the local sheriff and the U.S. president (no matter the party). It’s what they did. Their kids, however, questioned authority and sought freedom from society’s rules. It made sense that the music would be different and likely scary to the older generation.
Fear
Nuzum says the “root of all the factors” leading to music censorship is fear. And fear of change is widespread, but much of the music being censored mirrors the changes in societal issues and values.
From the Vietnam War to today’s Iraq War, and from the advent of the sexual revolution to today’s “culture wars,” music is recognized as a potential source of power to change values, ideas, and beliefs – as well as to influence actions. Those who fear this change try to stop it by censorship, even when, as history has shown us, censorship is futile when change is inevitable.
- Eric Nuzum
The Thunder Rolls
Tipper Gore (Al’s wife) was a lightning rod for change after she was incensed that the album “Purple Rain” by Prince contained sexually suggestive words. Gore pressured the music industry to post voluntary warning labels on records with obscene lyrics; and, in 1985, Gore cofounded the nonprofit Parents Music Resource Center to allow parents more control over the music industry.
Many song artists raised thunderous voices decrying Gore’s idea. Frank Zappa cried censorship and called Gore a “cultural terrorist.”
However, Gore had a power team of women in Washington who also wanted transparency in the music industry, and the PMRC is today still playing musical watchdog.
Papa Don’t Preach
When Madonna recorded “Papa Don’t Preach,” she wasn’t thinking of music censors, although she was fired from a Pepsi commercial because of her video for “Like a Prayer.” Here are a few more musicians who have gotten the “ole fire and brimstone” from censors.
- When the Rolling Stones introduced their song “Let’s Spend the Night Together” in the 1960s, many radio stations pulled the song because of its bawdy lyrics. In 1967, Mick Jagger and the boys, as they awaited their entrance on television’s “Ed Sullivan Show,” were asked by the network and Sullivan to change their lyrics to “Let’s Spend Some Time together.” The Stones agreed.
- In 1965, radio stations across the country banned the Rolling Stones hit "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" because of sexually suggestive lyrics.
- Ed Sullivan embraced the radical music of the 60s, and his Sunday night television show featuring many of the new rogue artists garnered plenty of viewers. Obviously, as in the Rolling Stones, Sullivan didn’t have carte blanche to allow anything to fly on his show. In 1963, Bob Dylan was scheduled for Sullivan’s show and told the producers he would be singing “Talkin’ John Birch Society Blues” for the television audience. The John Birch Society was an anti-government group highly visible in the media at the time. When Dylan rehearsed the song for the producers, they didn’t object. But, about two hours before the show aired, the producers did a turnabout and nixed the song. Dylan walked out and didn’t return.
- In 1967, the Ed Sullivan Show producers asked the Doors to change the lyrics “girl, we couldn’t get much higher” in the song, “Light My Fire.” Jim Morrison and his cohorts agreed to the request, but they didn’t follow through during the show and sang the original lyrics.
- Who would imagine Garth Brooks among the censored? But he was in 1991. Domestic violence was portrayed in his video for “The Thunder Rolls,” which led to a few T.V. networks like CMT and TNN banning the video from the airwaves. It didn’t matter to the television networks that Brooks had the support of shelters housing victims of domestic violence. Nonetheless, the song went to the top of the charts that year and won the Country Music Awards video of the year.
- Another late songster also seems a far cry from censorship, but John Denver’s song “Rocky Mountain High” was banned from many radio stations because it was a “drug-related song.” Obviously, the censors had never felt the natural high from being in the presence of our Rocky Mountains.
- In 2007, AT & T did a cybercast of a Pearl Jam concert, which included a song by Pink Floyd in which Pearl Jam changed some lyrics to “George Bush, leave this world alone,” and “George Bush, find yourself another home.” AT & T omitted the lyrics from the Webcast, saying it was accidental.
- Hip-hop has been a bed of controversy because of the genre’s reference to demeaning words and racial labeling. Hip-hop and rap have been blamed for many of society’s problems, from crime to sexism. But in the end, is the music the problem or is it the listener?
In 2007, Anderson Cooper hosted a segment on hip-hop music and its crime-happy, anti-police culture on “60 Minutes.” Cooper interviewed rapper Cam’ron, who was shot in 2005, about snitching. Cooper said he couldn’t cooperate with the police because it would hurt his professional reputation and defy his upbringing. Cooper asked Cam’ron what he would do if he lived next door to a serial killer. Cam’ron replied that he would move.
Is Cam’ron or any other musician just catering to what sells or is the real question “Why does this stuff sell?”
Issue 493
SNIPPETZ IS SEEN BLOWING IN THE WIND
“The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind; the answer is blowing in the wind.”
- Bob Dylan
This article isn’t about Bob Dylan’s song. It’s about how the wind powers and influences lifestyles, from the necessities to recreational opportunities.
What is Wind?
Those who have experienced hurricanes, tornadoes or gusty windstorms on the prairie know the power of wind. Although its presence can be ominous; wind, simply described, is “moving air.”
Capturing Wind
Many people in the world view wind as a better alternative for generating electricity than the traditional coal, hydro or nuclear power plants.
Wind is fueled by kinetic energy, which is energy from any mass in motion. Technology has been developed to capture the wind’s kinetic energy to convert it to electricity or mechanical power. That wind power is a natural and forever-lasting source of electricity. It’s a huge step from reliance on fossil fuels. Plus, wind power is clean, doesn’t contribute to pollution and doesn’t require solutions for waste.
One of the biggest obstacles to harnessing wind power is humankind. Wind farms need to be located on vast wind-producing areas like coastlines or large tracts of land. However, agriculture, development and coastal dwellers who do not want their views obstructed are often in conflict with wind powered technology.
Windmills to Wind Turbines
People have been capturing the energy of wind for centuries.
A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to create wind, turbines use winds to make electricity. The wind turns the blades; the blades spin a shaft that connects to a generator, where electricity is made. The electricity is then distributed through transmission lines for human use.
The Wind Turbine Time Line
Fun with Wind
If there is a way to use Mother Nature for recreational purposes, humans will figure it out. Think what ocean waves and snow has bestowed on surfers and skiers. Think wind when it comes to flying kites, sailing the seas, hang gliding or parasailing.
Man-made wind tunnel structures (like those used in aerodynamic research for the study of the effects of air on stationary objects) have become a popular venue for indoor skydiving. No worries about a fear of heights, jumping out of airplanes or smashing to the ground. In a contained area, the sporty wind tunnel can lift a person as much as 90 feet above ground. It’s like free falling without paranoia or the parachute.
For the sports car enthusiast, a U.K.-based company, Ecotricity, developed a car called the Nemesis, which is “faster than a V12 Ferrari.” Ecotricity supplies energy from its 51 windmills and 15 wind parks to more than 40,000 customers across the U.K.
The Nemesis, totally powered by 100 percent “green” electricity, has reached 100 mph in 8.5 seconds and is capable of 170 mph. It runs from 100 to 150 miles between charges and can be charged from empty under two hours by its fast charger or eight to nine hours from its regular supply means – both are cable systems built into the rear of the car.
Dale Vince, the person who launched Ecotricity, has been voted Britain’s “leading green entrepreneur.” Vince said he wanted to create an electric car fueled entirely by wind power – a car that would also be “exotic and desirable … challenging stereotypes.” The car debuted last year.
Wind Song
Although today wind chimes are mainly thought of as tools that produce soothing sounds, before the 19th century they were used in Asia to ward off evil spirits or intruders. Their sounds weren’t so soothing – more like deafening. Early wind chimes were carved from bone and hung from roofs and eaves and other overhead structures.
In Italy and Greece, wind chimes were looked upon as magnets for kind and generous spirits. They provided protection and good luck. Wind chimes eventually made their way to the western world, where sailors and farmers often used them to predict short-term weather patterns. The direction of the wind could indicate temperature changes, and wind speed could predict the arrival time of a storm or front. The logging industry used information from wind-chime weather forecasting to organize work schedules.
The modern-day wind chime, created out of a variety of materials from seashells to metal to stones, is used to enhance a garden or porch and complement an area that offers a calm setting. Wind chimes today come in a myriad of musical sounds and shapes and sizes.
Gone with the Wind
How many musicians have “gone with the wind” as titles or song lyrics? Besides Bob Dylan’s Blowing in the Wind, check these out just for the fun of it.
SNIPPETZ IS SEEN BLOWING IN THE WIND
“The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind; the answer is blowing in the wind.”
- Bob Dylan
This article isn’t about Bob Dylan’s song. It’s about how the wind powers and influences lifestyles, from the necessities to recreational opportunities.
What is Wind?
Those who have experienced hurricanes, tornadoes or gusty windstorms on the prairie know the power of wind. Although its presence can be ominous; wind, simply described, is “moving air.”
- The moving air is caused by differences in air pressure within the atmosphere.
- As air moves over the surfaces of Earth, the movement is all about wind, from areas of high pressure to low pressure. What causes the changes in pressure is mainly energy from the sun, which radiates heat and light energy. When the energy reaches Earth, the surface absorbs it and “heats” the air. The differences in temperature and the rotation of the planet create wind.
- Hot air rises, which reduces the atmospheric pressure near the earth’s surfaces, drawing in cooler air.
- Wind is referenced in terms of directions. Easterly winds blow from east to west; westerly winds blow from west to east. Winds have different levels of speed, from “breeze” to “gale” depending on wind velocity. Wind speeds are based on the Beaufort scale, which divides the speeds into 12 categories, starting at less than 1 mph.
- About 1 to 2 percent of the sun’s energy is converted into wind energy, which is a source of power that will never run out.
Capturing Wind
Many people in the world view wind as a better alternative for generating electricity than the traditional coal, hydro or nuclear power plants.
Wind is fueled by kinetic energy, which is energy from any mass in motion. Technology has been developed to capture the wind’s kinetic energy to convert it to electricity or mechanical power. That wind power is a natural and forever-lasting source of electricity. It’s a huge step from reliance on fossil fuels. Plus, wind power is clean, doesn’t contribute to pollution and doesn’t require solutions for waste.
One of the biggest obstacles to harnessing wind power is humankind. Wind farms need to be located on vast wind-producing areas like coastlines or large tracts of land. However, agriculture, development and coastal dwellers who do not want their views obstructed are often in conflict with wind powered technology.
Windmills to Wind Turbines
People have been capturing the energy of wind for centuries.
- By 200 B.C., windmills in China were pumping water and in Persia and the Middle East vertical axis windmills were grinding grain.
- The concept of windmills was brought to Europe by merchants and explorers.
- The Dutch people adapted the windmill for draining lakes and marshes.
- When settlers took the windmill technology to America in the last 19th century, windmills became a way to pump water for ranches and farms – and generate electricity for homes and businesses.
- Industrialization led to the demise of the early windmills, but later generated another wind “machine,” commonly referred to as wind turbines.
A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to create wind, turbines use winds to make electricity. The wind turns the blades; the blades spin a shaft that connects to a generator, where electricity is made. The electricity is then distributed through transmission lines for human use.
The Wind Turbine Time Line
- In the 1940s in the U.S., the largest wind turbine of its time began operating on a hill top in Vermont. The turbine fed electricity to the area utility network during World War II.
- Lower fuel prices after WW II prompted a decline in interest in wind energy in the U.S. But in the 1970s – when the price of oil went through the roof – wind turbines gained steam once again.
- As technology evolved, efforts to harness electricity from the wind turned to wind farms or wind power plants – groups of wind turbines that feed electricity into the utility grid.
- At the end of 2010, wind power accounted for about 3 percent of the electricity generated in the U.S., which is second in wind power generation behind China.
- Today, wind energy is becoming comparable in price to conventional electricity sources in some areas.
- The Bureau of Land Management just announced plans for three wind projects in California and two in Oregon on BLM lands.
- The U.S. Department of Interior has started the process for the first commercial wind lease off the Delaware coast under DOI’s Atlantic Offshore Wind program.
Fun with Wind
If there is a way to use Mother Nature for recreational purposes, humans will figure it out. Think what ocean waves and snow has bestowed on surfers and skiers. Think wind when it comes to flying kites, sailing the seas, hang gliding or parasailing.
Man-made wind tunnel structures (like those used in aerodynamic research for the study of the effects of air on stationary objects) have become a popular venue for indoor skydiving. No worries about a fear of heights, jumping out of airplanes or smashing to the ground. In a contained area, the sporty wind tunnel can lift a person as much as 90 feet above ground. It’s like free falling without paranoia or the parachute.
For the sports car enthusiast, a U.K.-based company, Ecotricity, developed a car called the Nemesis, which is “faster than a V12 Ferrari.” Ecotricity supplies energy from its 51 windmills and 15 wind parks to more than 40,000 customers across the U.K.
The Nemesis, totally powered by 100 percent “green” electricity, has reached 100 mph in 8.5 seconds and is capable of 170 mph. It runs from 100 to 150 miles between charges and can be charged from empty under two hours by its fast charger or eight to nine hours from its regular supply means – both are cable systems built into the rear of the car.
Dale Vince, the person who launched Ecotricity, has been voted Britain’s “leading green entrepreneur.” Vince said he wanted to create an electric car fueled entirely by wind power – a car that would also be “exotic and desirable … challenging stereotypes.” The car debuted last year.
Wind Song
Although today wind chimes are mainly thought of as tools that produce soothing sounds, before the 19th century they were used in Asia to ward off evil spirits or intruders. Their sounds weren’t so soothing – more like deafening. Early wind chimes were carved from bone and hung from roofs and eaves and other overhead structures.
In Italy and Greece, wind chimes were looked upon as magnets for kind and generous spirits. They provided protection and good luck. Wind chimes eventually made their way to the western world, where sailors and farmers often used them to predict short-term weather patterns. The direction of the wind could indicate temperature changes, and wind speed could predict the arrival time of a storm or front. The logging industry used information from wind-chime weather forecasting to organize work schedules.
The modern-day wind chime, created out of a variety of materials from seashells to metal to stones, is used to enhance a garden or porch and complement an area that offers a calm setting. Wind chimes today come in a myriad of musical sounds and shapes and sizes.
Gone with the Wind
How many musicians have “gone with the wind” as titles or song lyrics? Besides Bob Dylan’s Blowing in the Wind, check these out just for the fun of it.
- The Wind Cries Mary: Jimi Hendrix
- Wayward Wind: Tex Ritter
- Dust in the Wind: Kansas
- Candle in the Wind: Elton John
- Hickory Wind: Gram Parsons
- Summer Wind: Frank Sinatra
- Hasten down the Wind: Linda Ronstadt
- The Wind and the Rain: Meat Puppets
- Windflowers: Seals and Crofts
Issue 492
SNIPPETZ SAYS NUTS TO YOU
“No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut.”
- Channing Pollock, American playwright and critic
“As American as apple pie” is a little white lie. It should be “As American as pecan pie.”
The apple originated in China, which remains one of the top apple producers today along with the U.S., Turkey, Poland and Italy. The pecan, on the other hand, has its roots firmly planted in American soil, and the U.S. is its No. 1 producer.
The word “pecan” came from Native Americans, who gathered pecans for a variety of uses. They pressed the oils for seasoning, ground the pecans into meal to thicken stews and soups, cooked them with beans and roasted them for travel staples.
As the Europeans settled in to America, the pecan began evolving, and today there are recipes galore for pecan lovers. Pecan pie wins over pumpkin and apple pie as the favorite for Thanksgiving.
So, it’s appropriate that some pecan aficionados decided to designate April 14 as National Pecan Day.
More on the Pecan
The Un-Nut
In the U.S., pecans are second in popularity to the peanut, but some might say the pecan does have the top spot among nuts because the peanut isn’t a nut at all.
Peanuts and peanut butter rank at the top of the “nut” list, comprising 67 percent of all nut consumption. However, the peanut is not a nut. It’s in the same family as beans and peas – it’s a legume. Legumes are enclosed in pods; and, as opposed to the real nuts that grow on trees, they grow underground.
The origin of the peanut is credited to South America, but European explorers brought the peanut plant to Asia, Africa and North America. Today, the three top producers of peanuts are China (more than 40 percent), India (about 18 percent) and the U.S. (about 6 percent).
Peanut production in the U.S. went up in the early 1900s with the increasing popularity of peanut butter and other peanut-based products and the research of George Washington Carver, often referred to as the “father of peanuts.”
Carver’s research showed that peanuts as legumes put nitrogen back into the soil, so he advised farmers to rotate their cotton plants (which deplete nitrogen from the soil) and plant peanuts.
Studies have shown that people who eat peanuts and peanut butter have a lower body mass index. Peanuts add fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin E, thiamin and magnesium to the diet as well.
Including all peanut-based products like desserts, baked goods and soups, Americans consume almost four million pounds of peanuts daily.
Nut Case
The word “nutcase” is not exactly an endearing term, but how did the word “nut” become associated with someone who is extremely eccentric or unbalanced? There are at least two thoughts on the nut-to-crazy relationship.
The phrase “a tough nut to crack” came from the idea that the brain is hidden inside a skull (like a peanut in a shell). When someone is “complex,” he or she is often hard to understand, as in hard to crack.
Another explanation involves the metal nut. When a nut fell off a machine in the factories, workers used to say the machine went “crazy.” Somehow, someone translated that to humans with the saying “he has a nut (or screw) loose.” Eventually, the phrase was reduced to “nuts” or “nutty.”
OK, nuts to all that - the nut is really a case for health. One ounce of nuts a day can reduce the risk of heart disease by 10 percent.
Nuts For Good Health
Mixed Nuts (or Nut Snippetz)
Last but not least, the only U.S. president with a peanut monument is Jimmy Carter. In 1976, three Indiana residents constructed the 13-foot-tall peanut, complete with huge, protruding teeth, to welcome President Carter to Evanston, In. The peanut was moved shortly after to Carter’s birth place in Plains, Ga.
SNIPPETZ SAYS NUTS TO YOU
“No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut.”
- Channing Pollock, American playwright and critic
“As American as apple pie” is a little white lie. It should be “As American as pecan pie.”
The apple originated in China, which remains one of the top apple producers today along with the U.S., Turkey, Poland and Italy. The pecan, on the other hand, has its roots firmly planted in American soil, and the U.S. is its No. 1 producer.
The word “pecan” came from Native Americans, who gathered pecans for a variety of uses. They pressed the oils for seasoning, ground the pecans into meal to thicken stews and soups, cooked them with beans and roasted them for travel staples.
As the Europeans settled in to America, the pecan began evolving, and today there are recipes galore for pecan lovers. Pecan pie wins over pumpkin and apple pie as the favorite for Thanksgiving.
So, it’s appropriate that some pecan aficionados decided to designate April 14 as National Pecan Day.
More on the Pecan
- Pecan trees thrive in southern U.S. states. Georgia produces the most pecans in the U.S.; Texas is No. 2 and New Mexico and Oklahoma follow. Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi and the Carolinas are other states where pecan tree conditions are optimum.
- Pecan trees can grow to more than 100 feet and live for more than 1,000 years.
- The pecan is the state nut of Alabama; the state tree of Texas.
- The U.S. produces about 90 percent of the world's pecans, with an annual production of about 200 million pounds.
- Pecan trees produce 25 to 45 pounds per tree, but they are alternate year bearing trees, so they produce every second year.
The Un-Nut
In the U.S., pecans are second in popularity to the peanut, but some might say the pecan does have the top spot among nuts because the peanut isn’t a nut at all.
Peanuts and peanut butter rank at the top of the “nut” list, comprising 67 percent of all nut consumption. However, the peanut is not a nut. It’s in the same family as beans and peas – it’s a legume. Legumes are enclosed in pods; and, as opposed to the real nuts that grow on trees, they grow underground.
The origin of the peanut is credited to South America, but European explorers brought the peanut plant to Asia, Africa and North America. Today, the three top producers of peanuts are China (more than 40 percent), India (about 18 percent) and the U.S. (about 6 percent).
Peanut production in the U.S. went up in the early 1900s with the increasing popularity of peanut butter and other peanut-based products and the research of George Washington Carver, often referred to as the “father of peanuts.”
Carver’s research showed that peanuts as legumes put nitrogen back into the soil, so he advised farmers to rotate their cotton plants (which deplete nitrogen from the soil) and plant peanuts.
Studies have shown that people who eat peanuts and peanut butter have a lower body mass index. Peanuts add fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin E, thiamin and magnesium to the diet as well.
Including all peanut-based products like desserts, baked goods and soups, Americans consume almost four million pounds of peanuts daily.
Nut Case
The word “nutcase” is not exactly an endearing term, but how did the word “nut” become associated with someone who is extremely eccentric or unbalanced? There are at least two thoughts on the nut-to-crazy relationship.
The phrase “a tough nut to crack” came from the idea that the brain is hidden inside a skull (like a peanut in a shell). When someone is “complex,” he or she is often hard to understand, as in hard to crack.
Another explanation involves the metal nut. When a nut fell off a machine in the factories, workers used to say the machine went “crazy.” Somehow, someone translated that to humans with the saying “he has a nut (or screw) loose.” Eventually, the phrase was reduced to “nuts” or “nutty.”
OK, nuts to all that - the nut is really a case for health. One ounce of nuts a day can reduce the risk of heart disease by 10 percent.
Nuts For Good Health
- Almonds – a small handful a day provides about 25 percent of the daily need for magnesium and the calcium benefit is equal to the same amount of cow milk. Studies have shown that the fiber in almonds could play a role in preventing colon cancer. One ounce of almonds (about 23) contains 35 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin E.
- Walnuts – to prevent “going nuts” eat a walnut, which is known to increase cognitive functioning. Walnuts also contain antioxidants and polyphenols, which ward off disease.
- Pecans – want to lower your cholesterol? Pecans are a complete protein and contain significant amounts of 18 essential amino acids. They also contain good amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, as well as vitamin B, C, Thiamin, and Niacin. Although high in fat, pecans are a great source of energy.
- Brazil Nuts – this big nut is rich in protein, vitamin E, fiber, magnesium, copper, niacin and selenium. And studies on Brazil nuts have shown that it could aid in the prevention of breast cancer.
- Cedar – Siberian cedar nuts originated in Russia. They contain 70 percent of the essential amino acids the body needs and a fatty acid similar to fish oil – known for reducing cholesterol. The cedar nut also holds high amounts of vitamins A, B and D.
Mixed Nuts (or Nut Snippetz)
- Astronauts have taken pecans on at least two Apollo space missions.
- About two million pounds of almonds are processed each day in the world’s largest almond factory in Sacramento, Calif.
- A favorite snack of the Japanese is slivered almonds with dried sardines.
- The macadamia nut, originally from Australia, was introduced in Hawaii in the late 1800s and used as an ornament. The first commercial orchards were not planted in Hawaii until 1921.
- A walnut tree takes about four years to produce its first major crop, but it continues to produce for up to a century.
- In May 2009, the Okmulgee Chamber of Commerce (Oklahoma) ended a 25-year pecan festival that took place in the center of the city. But the festival produced the largest pecan pie in the world.
- Speaking of nut festivals, plenty of cities throughout the country host a variety of nut festivals. To name a few: the Sahuarita Pecan Festival in Sahuarita, Ariz.; the Newberry Springs Pistachio Festival in Newberry, Calif.; the October West Virginia Black Walnut Festival in Spencer, W.Va.; and in September the Oakley Almond Festival in Oakley, Calif.
- The coconut is not a nut. It’s a fibrous one-seeded drupe, which is a fruit with a hard stone-like covering that encloses the seed.
- The world’s largest peanut monument is in Ashburn, Ga. The 10-foot-tall peanut sits atop a 15-foot brick base.
- The cashew nut is actually grown on a cashew apple, which in turn grows on a tropical tree. The cashew apple can produce more than one nut and varies in color from yellow to red. The apple is edible and can be made into cashew juice.
- The Willamette Valley in Oregon produces 99 percent of all hazelnuts in the U.S. Among other health benefits, hazelnuts are a source of phytochemicals and vitamin E.
Last but not least, the only U.S. president with a peanut monument is Jimmy Carter. In 1976, three Indiana residents constructed the 13-foot-tall peanut, complete with huge, protruding teeth, to welcome President Carter to Evanston, In. The peanut was moved shortly after to Carter’s birth place in Plains, Ga.
Issue 491
SNIPPETZ SAYS, "IT'S ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON..."
“The continued popularity of detective stories is a puzzling phenomenon that should be submitted to psychiatrists or perhaps to moralists for explanation.”
- S. Jarcho, 1968
In 1841, when Edgar Allen Poe introduced C. Auguste Dupin in his book, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” a new genre of fiction unfolded: Mystery novels featuring quirky, intelligent, eccentric crime-solving detectives became global smash hits.
Detective Dupin served as a role model for a number of writers who began developing their own highly famous detective characters, from Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes to Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.
Sherlock
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle brought Sherlock Holmes to fame in 1887 in “A Study in Scarlet.” Following the book, Holmes wrote a series of short stories featuring Holmes and his friend and roommate, Dr. John Watson.
Doyle was born in May 1859 in Edinburgh, and later studied medicine at Edinburgh University. In 1885, he became a doctor and practiced until 1891, when he turned to a full-time writing career. Apparently, creativity was in his blood – both his grandfather, a caricaturist, and his uncle, an illustrator, were well-known for their works. And Doyles’ father was an architect, designer and book illustrator.
Doyle based Sherlock Holmes on a surgeon he had studied under at Edinburgh University. Dr. Joseph Bell was a master at detecting symptoms and making a diagnosis before a patient would even utter a word about his or her illness or injury. Holmes took on that same remarkable ability as a detective solving crimes.
Along with his trademark deerstalker hat, pipe and spyglass; Holmes charmed his audiences by his integrity, trustworthiness, intellectual superiority and a no-nonsense, unemotional manner in which he solved crimes.
His friend Watson brought out the warmer, brighter side of his detective buddy.
Rumor has it that a famous violinist, Alfred Sherlock, could have been the name behind “Sherlock,” and “Holmes” could have come from fellow doctor, American Oliver Wendell Holmes. Another doctor, Dr. John Watson, is credited as the source for Holmes’ friend of the same name.
Snippetz About Holmes
The Golden Age
As the crime-mystery stories and the detectives who solved them grew and evolved, the first half of the 20th century was often referred to as the golden age of the genre. There were two types of story lines: the classical and hard-boiled.
The classical style reflected the British authors’ original themes of solving crimes through shrewd and systematic detective work. Besides Holmes, Agatha Christie’s Miss Jane Marple and Hercule Poirot were great examples of classical style.
Poirot was a Belgian detective created in 1916 with Christie’s “The Mysterious Affair at Styles.” Poirot was known for his waxed, black mustache and his perfect style of dress. He was orderly and methodical and appeared in 33 novels and 65 short stories.
Jane Marple had an interesting profile, inspired by author Christie. Marple was an elderly single woman – tall, thin, plain, with white hair and wrinkles. Miss Marple could solve crimes with all the coyness of a lurking coyote – her exterior and unassuming ways kept the best of them guessing.
American authors developed another type of detective – rough exterior, ambitious, macho and a bully who wasn’t afraid of a fight. The hard-boiled styles were read as short stories published in pulp fiction magazines. Raymond Chandler brought the hard-boiled image to life with Phillip Marlowe – a tough, wise-cracking detective famously played by Humphrey Bogart in the film version of Chandler’s “The Long Goodbye.”
During and after World War II, fictional detectives became real and more authentic, as authors began mirroring them after actual police detectives.
Bogart also played Sam Spade in the classic 1941 film version of “The Maltese Falcon,” written by Dashiel Hammett, the inventor of Spade. In the novel, Spade runs a detective agency in San Francisco with his partner Miles Archer, who is murdered early in the story.
Mike Hammer solved crimes for his author and creator, Mickey Spillane. Hammer was portrayed with big shoulders and a strong, square jaw – an intimidating sort. But Hammer was cast in the books amidst plentiful sex and violence, which led to heavy censorship in consideration of film versions.
Crime Solvers Today
Whether he – or she – is featured in books, film or television; the fictional detective has been an iconic, beloved, sometimes suffering character over decades. A good mystery is only as good as its detectives. Many fictional detective characters have been molded to fit the “subgenres” of the mystery – from serial killer stories (Criminal Minds) to criminal plots revolving around the military (NCIS).
SNIPPETZ SAYS, "IT'S ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON..."
“The continued popularity of detective stories is a puzzling phenomenon that should be submitted to psychiatrists or perhaps to moralists for explanation.”
- S. Jarcho, 1968
In 1841, when Edgar Allen Poe introduced C. Auguste Dupin in his book, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” a new genre of fiction unfolded: Mystery novels featuring quirky, intelligent, eccentric crime-solving detectives became global smash hits.
Detective Dupin served as a role model for a number of writers who began developing their own highly famous detective characters, from Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes to Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.
Sherlock
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle brought Sherlock Holmes to fame in 1887 in “A Study in Scarlet.” Following the book, Holmes wrote a series of short stories featuring Holmes and his friend and roommate, Dr. John Watson.
Doyle was born in May 1859 in Edinburgh, and later studied medicine at Edinburgh University. In 1885, he became a doctor and practiced until 1891, when he turned to a full-time writing career. Apparently, creativity was in his blood – both his grandfather, a caricaturist, and his uncle, an illustrator, were well-known for their works. And Doyles’ father was an architect, designer and book illustrator.
Doyle based Sherlock Holmes on a surgeon he had studied under at Edinburgh University. Dr. Joseph Bell was a master at detecting symptoms and making a diagnosis before a patient would even utter a word about his or her illness or injury. Holmes took on that same remarkable ability as a detective solving crimes.
Along with his trademark deerstalker hat, pipe and spyglass; Holmes charmed his audiences by his integrity, trustworthiness, intellectual superiority and a no-nonsense, unemotional manner in which he solved crimes.
His friend Watson brought out the warmer, brighter side of his detective buddy.
Rumor has it that a famous violinist, Alfred Sherlock, could have been the name behind “Sherlock,” and “Holmes” could have come from fellow doctor, American Oliver Wendell Holmes. Another doctor, Dr. John Watson, is credited as the source for Holmes’ friend of the same name.
Snippetz About Holmes
- There are more than 300 Sherlock Holmes Societies throughout the world. More than 10,000 independent reference books, studies and investigative publications have been dedicated to Sherlock Holmes.
- Doyle wrote “A Study in Scarlet” in three weeks in 1886.
- In 1893 in “The Final Problem,” Doyle killed off Holmes, which spawned anger among fans, prompting numerous letters to Doyle. A few years later, Doyle resurrected Holmes, and achieved success again with the next series.
- Holmes lived with his roommate Watson at 221B Baker Street in London.
- The first Sherlock Holmes film was produced in 1900 and the last to-date was released in 2009, starring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson. The latter movie was based on the Sherlock Holmes comic books. A sequel to the 2009 movie, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” is scheduled for release in December 2011.
- In 1939, the Sherlock Holmes novels were developed as a series of films starring Basil Rathbone.
- Today, the American television series “House,” starring British actor Hugh Laurie, is a subtle homage to Holmes, says creator David Shore. Dr. Gregory House (Laurie) is portrayed as the medical version of Holmes. Dr. House is peculiar, eccentric, quick to judge a situation, intelligent and a non-conformist who lives at an apartment numbered 221B! House’s best friend and mentor is Dr. James Wilson.
The Golden Age
As the crime-mystery stories and the detectives who solved them grew and evolved, the first half of the 20th century was often referred to as the golden age of the genre. There were two types of story lines: the classical and hard-boiled.
The classical style reflected the British authors’ original themes of solving crimes through shrewd and systematic detective work. Besides Holmes, Agatha Christie’s Miss Jane Marple and Hercule Poirot were great examples of classical style.
Poirot was a Belgian detective created in 1916 with Christie’s “The Mysterious Affair at Styles.” Poirot was known for his waxed, black mustache and his perfect style of dress. He was orderly and methodical and appeared in 33 novels and 65 short stories.
Jane Marple had an interesting profile, inspired by author Christie. Marple was an elderly single woman – tall, thin, plain, with white hair and wrinkles. Miss Marple could solve crimes with all the coyness of a lurking coyote – her exterior and unassuming ways kept the best of them guessing.
American authors developed another type of detective – rough exterior, ambitious, macho and a bully who wasn’t afraid of a fight. The hard-boiled styles were read as short stories published in pulp fiction magazines. Raymond Chandler brought the hard-boiled image to life with Phillip Marlowe – a tough, wise-cracking detective famously played by Humphrey Bogart in the film version of Chandler’s “The Long Goodbye.”
During and after World War II, fictional detectives became real and more authentic, as authors began mirroring them after actual police detectives.
Bogart also played Sam Spade in the classic 1941 film version of “The Maltese Falcon,” written by Dashiel Hammett, the inventor of Spade. In the novel, Spade runs a detective agency in San Francisco with his partner Miles Archer, who is murdered early in the story.
Mike Hammer solved crimes for his author and creator, Mickey Spillane. Hammer was portrayed with big shoulders and a strong, square jaw – an intimidating sort. But Hammer was cast in the books amidst plentiful sex and violence, which led to heavy censorship in consideration of film versions.
Crime Solvers Today
Whether he – or she – is featured in books, film or television; the fictional detective has been an iconic, beloved, sometimes suffering character over decades. A good mystery is only as good as its detectives. Many fictional detective characters have been molded to fit the “subgenres” of the mystery – from serial killer stories (Criminal Minds) to criminal plots revolving around the military (NCIS).
Issue 490
SNIPPETZ SEEKS OUT THE CROSSWORD LEGENDS
Our whole life is solving puzzles.
- Erno Rubik
What bargain hunters enjoy. A written acknowledgement. A bird. Part of your head. An animal of prey. A river in Russia. Found on the seashore.
Answers: sale, receipt, dove, face, lion, Neva, sand.
All of the above are examples of the first-ever crossword puzzle published in the United States. Journalist Arthur Wynne, who immigrated to America from Liverpool, invented that first crossword puzzle, patterning it after a similarly played game in Pompeii. His first puzzles were diamond shape with a hole in the center and no blackened-out squares. He called them “word cross” and later “cross-word.”
His instructions for the first puzzle: Fill in the small squares with words that “agree” with the definitions. The clues were not separated into “across” and “down.”
On Dec. 31, 1913, the newspaper Wynne worked for at the time – “The New York World” – published his crossword puzzle. Let the game begin.
By the early 1920s, the crossword puzzle was a hit cross country and other newspapers began picking it up. In 1924, Simon and Shuster published the first collection of crossword puzzles in book form. Throughout the decade the crossword puzzle transformed into the modern-day version.
Around 1942, the “New York Times” raised the bar for crossword puzzle standards with symmetrical grids, pun-inspired clues and multiple-word answers, all the while embracing a myriad of topics.
Today, crossword puzzles are the most popular word game of all time and a worldwide form of entertainment and education. The puzzle has crossed over, so to speak, from print to prime-time television to personal computers.
From T.V. to the Wii
Fill in this word: Who created a television game show featuring crossword puzzles? Merv Griffin, of course – T.V.’s king of game shows. “Merv Griffin’s Crosswords” ran in syndication from September 2007 to May 2008. It is still shown on cable television. Griffin died shortly after the show was launched.
Crossword Weaver is the premier software for those who want to create their own crossword puzzle. It’s great for puzzles for newsletters, as teaching tools and for entertaining family and friends.
Others might like the free online crossword puzzles, such as http://boatloadpuzzles.com; http://webcrosswords.com; http://bestcrosswords.com. Newspapers like “USA Today” and the “Los Angeles Times” publish their daily crossword puzzles online at no cost. It’s easy to get hooked, too. Those little clicks to the boxes are mesmerizing and addicting. Walk into Rosie’s Diner or the Coffee Cup any day of the week and you’ll find folks working out a puzzle.
There are crossword puzzles for the Wii, and there was even a movie made about crossword puzzles.
“Wordplay” was a 2006 documentary featuring reputable crossword puzzle solvers and constructors and Will Shortz, editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle section.
Half of the movie was set at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, and famous fans of “The New York Times” crossword puzzle had bit parts in the movie. Bill Clinton, Bob Dole and Jon Stewart were among them.
Critic Peter Travers of the “Rolling Stone” had this to say about “Wordplay:”
Boy, was I wrong. There's more palm-sweating suspense in one minute of this baby than in all of “The Omen.”
No one else could have brought the suspense of the game to the big screen like star Shortz; his life is all about crossword puzzles.
An Enigma … What?
At Indiana University in the 1970s, Shortz designed his own course of study, which was focused on enigmatology – the study of puzzles. In 1974, Shortz received a degree in enigmatology and today is the only academically accredited enigmatologist on Planet Earth.
After he received his unique undergraduate degree, Shortz went on to earn a law degree from the University of Virginia, but the legal field wasn’t his calling. Instead, he skipped the bar exam and eventually became the editor of “Games” magazine. He stayed at the magazine for 15 years before joining “The New York Times” in 1993. Shortz calls his newspaper’s puzzle solvers the “most intelligent, best educated in the country.”
Margaret Farrar was the first crossword editor of “The New York Times” when they began publishing puzzles in 1942. Before retiring in 1969, Farrar created the idea that the puzzles would become more difficult from Monday to Saturday. She called Saturday’s puzzle a “two-cups-of-coffee puzzle,” likely for some, a whole pot.
As an avid crossword puzzle fan, President Clinton talked about one Sunday’s puzzle at a technology conference in 1997. The puzzle was called “Technophobe’s Delight.” All of the clues were terms from the computer world and answers defined the terms otherwise. For example, a “digital monitor” was a manicurist and “hard drive” was a Tiger tee shot. Clinton, by the way, is known for solving “The New York Times” puzzle in 20 minutes.
Another puzzle that captured reader attention appeared on Election Day in 1996. The clue across was “lead story in tomorrow’s newspaper.” “Clinton elected” was the obvious answer; however, the answer also could have been “Bob Dole elected.” The crossover clue “black Halloween animal” could have been “bat” or “cat”- C for Clinton or B for Bob Dole. The “trick” had both parties calling the editor’s desk. "As soon as it appeared, my telephone started ringing,” Shortz told a reporter. “Most people said, ‘How dare you presume that Clinton will win!’ And the people who filled in “Bob Dole” thought we'd made a whopper of a mistake.”
In 1978, Shortz founded the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Today, he is still the director.
The Crossword Competition
Many states have crossword puzzle competitions, but the biggie in the U.S. is the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the nation’s oldest and largest competition. The event takes place this year March 18 through March 20 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Participants will solve eight original crossword puzzles specifically created for the tournament. Scoring is based on speed and accuracy, and prizes are awarded in more than 20 categories, with a grand prize of $5,000. Fun games in the evening, guest speakers and a wine and cheese reception provide a bit of relief and relaxation for the crossword whizzes.
Last year, 643 contestants participated, and the overall winner was Dan Feyer.
20 Puzzles A Day
Name of Gorbachev’s wife (Raisa), a synonym for no-good (dadblasted), the Rangers coach in 1994 (Keenan), the meaning of objurgation (rant): Only a mental giant could figure out this crossword puzzle, right? Or maybe a person who rockets through more than 20 crossword puzzles a day. That would be Dan Feyer who won last year’s ACPT. In his other life, he is a pianist and music director.
According to an article in “The New York Times” last December, the 30-something Feyer trains like an athlete and has “underlying brain power and a head for trivia,” in his words. Feyer’s penchant for math and music meshes with solving crossword puzzles. He said the common denominator in all of them is pattern recognition. Feyer can recognize words without even looking at the clues. It’s all about a few letters and puzzle structure.
Feyer, who grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Princeton, didn’t become an avid solver until he saw the movie “Wordplay.” That was five years ago, and today Feyer has a blog where every day he posts his time for solving the puzzles in a few newspapers, including “The New York Times” and the “Los Angeles Times.” On March 2, Feyer solved the NYT puzzle in 1.56 minutes; the LAT in 2.09 minutes.
As a freelance editor and proofreader for a publisher of crossword puzzles, Feyer has tried his hand at constructing puzzles and has sold at least one to The New York Times. But he said he’s better at solving than creating.
Feyer will defend his title this year at the ACPT.
More Than 20 Trophies
New Yorker Miriam Raphael has won 27 trophies at crossword tournaments, including a national title in 1979.
Retired as an English-as-second-language teacher, she considers herself a “word nerd.” Raphael’s time is a bit slower than Feyer – about five minutes for the easy ones and 20 to 30 for the hard ones. However, Raphael is 84 years old; last year, she won the ACPT in the 80-plus senior division for the second year in a row.
Wynne, Shortz, Feyer and Raphael are crossword puzzle legends.
Who knew?
SNIPPETZ SEEKS OUT THE CROSSWORD LEGENDS
Our whole life is solving puzzles.
- Erno Rubik
What bargain hunters enjoy. A written acknowledgement. A bird. Part of your head. An animal of prey. A river in Russia. Found on the seashore.
Answers: sale, receipt, dove, face, lion, Neva, sand.
All of the above are examples of the first-ever crossword puzzle published in the United States. Journalist Arthur Wynne, who immigrated to America from Liverpool, invented that first crossword puzzle, patterning it after a similarly played game in Pompeii. His first puzzles were diamond shape with a hole in the center and no blackened-out squares. He called them “word cross” and later “cross-word.”
His instructions for the first puzzle: Fill in the small squares with words that “agree” with the definitions. The clues were not separated into “across” and “down.”
On Dec. 31, 1913, the newspaper Wynne worked for at the time – “The New York World” – published his crossword puzzle. Let the game begin.
By the early 1920s, the crossword puzzle was a hit cross country and other newspapers began picking it up. In 1924, Simon and Shuster published the first collection of crossword puzzles in book form. Throughout the decade the crossword puzzle transformed into the modern-day version.
Around 1942, the “New York Times” raised the bar for crossword puzzle standards with symmetrical grids, pun-inspired clues and multiple-word answers, all the while embracing a myriad of topics.
Today, crossword puzzles are the most popular word game of all time and a worldwide form of entertainment and education. The puzzle has crossed over, so to speak, from print to prime-time television to personal computers.
From T.V. to the Wii
Fill in this word: Who created a television game show featuring crossword puzzles? Merv Griffin, of course – T.V.’s king of game shows. “Merv Griffin’s Crosswords” ran in syndication from September 2007 to May 2008. It is still shown on cable television. Griffin died shortly after the show was launched.
Crossword Weaver is the premier software for those who want to create their own crossword puzzle. It’s great for puzzles for newsletters, as teaching tools and for entertaining family and friends.
Others might like the free online crossword puzzles, such as http://boatloadpuzzles.com; http://webcrosswords.com; http://bestcrosswords.com. Newspapers like “USA Today” and the “Los Angeles Times” publish their daily crossword puzzles online at no cost. It’s easy to get hooked, too. Those little clicks to the boxes are mesmerizing and addicting. Walk into Rosie’s Diner or the Coffee Cup any day of the week and you’ll find folks working out a puzzle.
There are crossword puzzles for the Wii, and there was even a movie made about crossword puzzles.
“Wordplay” was a 2006 documentary featuring reputable crossword puzzle solvers and constructors and Will Shortz, editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle section.
Half of the movie was set at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, and famous fans of “The New York Times” crossword puzzle had bit parts in the movie. Bill Clinton, Bob Dole and Jon Stewart were among them.
Critic Peter Travers of the “Rolling Stone” had this to say about “Wordplay:”
Boy, was I wrong. There's more palm-sweating suspense in one minute of this baby than in all of “The Omen.”
No one else could have brought the suspense of the game to the big screen like star Shortz; his life is all about crossword puzzles.
An Enigma … What?
At Indiana University in the 1970s, Shortz designed his own course of study, which was focused on enigmatology – the study of puzzles. In 1974, Shortz received a degree in enigmatology and today is the only academically accredited enigmatologist on Planet Earth.
After he received his unique undergraduate degree, Shortz went on to earn a law degree from the University of Virginia, but the legal field wasn’t his calling. Instead, he skipped the bar exam and eventually became the editor of “Games” magazine. He stayed at the magazine for 15 years before joining “The New York Times” in 1993. Shortz calls his newspaper’s puzzle solvers the “most intelligent, best educated in the country.”
Margaret Farrar was the first crossword editor of “The New York Times” when they began publishing puzzles in 1942. Before retiring in 1969, Farrar created the idea that the puzzles would become more difficult from Monday to Saturday. She called Saturday’s puzzle a “two-cups-of-coffee puzzle,” likely for some, a whole pot.
As an avid crossword puzzle fan, President Clinton talked about one Sunday’s puzzle at a technology conference in 1997. The puzzle was called “Technophobe’s Delight.” All of the clues were terms from the computer world and answers defined the terms otherwise. For example, a “digital monitor” was a manicurist and “hard drive” was a Tiger tee shot. Clinton, by the way, is known for solving “The New York Times” puzzle in 20 minutes.
Another puzzle that captured reader attention appeared on Election Day in 1996. The clue across was “lead story in tomorrow’s newspaper.” “Clinton elected” was the obvious answer; however, the answer also could have been “Bob Dole elected.” The crossover clue “black Halloween animal” could have been “bat” or “cat”- C for Clinton or B for Bob Dole. The “trick” had both parties calling the editor’s desk. "As soon as it appeared, my telephone started ringing,” Shortz told a reporter. “Most people said, ‘How dare you presume that Clinton will win!’ And the people who filled in “Bob Dole” thought we'd made a whopper of a mistake.”
In 1978, Shortz founded the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Today, he is still the director.
The Crossword Competition
Many states have crossword puzzle competitions, but the biggie in the U.S. is the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the nation’s oldest and largest competition. The event takes place this year March 18 through March 20 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Participants will solve eight original crossword puzzles specifically created for the tournament. Scoring is based on speed and accuracy, and prizes are awarded in more than 20 categories, with a grand prize of $5,000. Fun games in the evening, guest speakers and a wine and cheese reception provide a bit of relief and relaxation for the crossword whizzes.
Last year, 643 contestants participated, and the overall winner was Dan Feyer.
20 Puzzles A Day
Name of Gorbachev’s wife (Raisa), a synonym for no-good (dadblasted), the Rangers coach in 1994 (Keenan), the meaning of objurgation (rant): Only a mental giant could figure out this crossword puzzle, right? Or maybe a person who rockets through more than 20 crossword puzzles a day. That would be Dan Feyer who won last year’s ACPT. In his other life, he is a pianist and music director.
According to an article in “The New York Times” last December, the 30-something Feyer trains like an athlete and has “underlying brain power and a head for trivia,” in his words. Feyer’s penchant for math and music meshes with solving crossword puzzles. He said the common denominator in all of them is pattern recognition. Feyer can recognize words without even looking at the clues. It’s all about a few letters and puzzle structure.
Feyer, who grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Princeton, didn’t become an avid solver until he saw the movie “Wordplay.” That was five years ago, and today Feyer has a blog where every day he posts his time for solving the puzzles in a few newspapers, including “The New York Times” and the “Los Angeles Times.” On March 2, Feyer solved the NYT puzzle in 1.56 minutes; the LAT in 2.09 minutes.
As a freelance editor and proofreader for a publisher of crossword puzzles, Feyer has tried his hand at constructing puzzles and has sold at least one to The New York Times. But he said he’s better at solving than creating.
Feyer will defend his title this year at the ACPT.
More Than 20 Trophies
New Yorker Miriam Raphael has won 27 trophies at crossword tournaments, including a national title in 1979.
Retired as an English-as-second-language teacher, she considers herself a “word nerd.” Raphael’s time is a bit slower than Feyer – about five minutes for the easy ones and 20 to 30 for the hard ones. However, Raphael is 84 years old; last year, she won the ACPT in the 80-plus senior division for the second year in a row.
Wynne, Shortz, Feyer and Raphael are crossword puzzle legends.
Who knew?
Issue 489
SNIPPETZ IS SEEN WEARIN' O' THE GREEN
May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing
More than a thousand years ago, the people of Ireland began observing March 17 as a religious holiday in memory of the day St. Patrick died. Roman Catholics in Ireland still celebrate March 17 as a holy day, amid parties, too. And the secular celebration has become a worldwide festivity rivaling the New Orleans Mardi Gras. All because of one man who changed the history of Ireland.
St. Patrick
Magonus Sucatus was born in the fourth century to wealthy parents in Roman Britain. His father and grandfather were deacons in the church. Magonus would later become Patricius or Patrick.
At age 16, Patrick was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland, where for six years he worked as a shepherd. Eventually, Patrick escaped his captivity on a rescue ship and fled to France.
When he returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary, he often used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to potential converts. The three leaves of the shamrock represented the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because snakes or serpents were symbolic to the pagan religion, St. Patrick has often been depicted driving the snakes out of Ireland – most likely a metaphor for banishing paganism from Ireland. Historians and biologists have said there were no snakes in Ireland at the time.
After 30 years of bringing Christianity to Ireland, St. Patrick died – revered as a champion for Christianity, and eventually known as the patron saint of Ireland.
Erin Go Bragh
Because of Irish immigration to America during the potato famine years, Irish communities became widespread, especially in bigger cities like Boston and New York City. But the Irish never forgot their homeland, and on St. Patrick’s Day the Irish eyes were smiling. They brought to America a celebration that would forever be in the hearts of all people. For on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish.
The Revelers and Parades
The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York City March 17, 1762, when a small band of Irish New Yorkers marched to an inn to celebrate the day. The St. Patrick’s Day parade tradition even pre-dated the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
That first parade was held on lower Broadway; as the Irish danced their way down the street with great pride, they were free to speak their language, sing their songs and play the traditional bagpipes. For the first few years, military units organized the parades. After the War of 1812, Irish fraternal societies began sponsoring St. Patrick’s Day events.
The parade grew, eventually proceeding toward Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Lower Manhattan, where the Archbishop of New York addressed the crowd before revelers scattered to the bars.
The St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City is today reminiscent of its roots. Only the marching revelers are allowed – no floats, autos or other commercial entities are allowed to participate. Not that they could with a quarter of a million people marching down Fifth Avenue in front of more than 2 million spectators.
On St. Patrick’s Day following Sept. 11, the parade was dedicated to police, firefighters, workers and all those who had lost their lives to the terrorist attacks. Around midday, all of the marchers and spectators paused for two minutes and they turned to face south toward the twin towers, as a prayer was said for the victims. It was said one could hear a pin drop during the tribute. That 2002 parade was the largest to-date, with about 300,000 marchers and three million spectators.
Traditions: Green
At one point in history in Ireland, the Irish were not allowed to show their patriotism by wearing green. So, Irish Americans free to wear whatever they wanted made sure that St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. was as emerald green as the countryside of Ireland. The wearing of the green was actually a tradition that originated in America.
Green poodles, green hair, green beer, green rivers: Green, green, everywhere there’s green.
Give an Irishman lager for a month, and he’s a dead man. An Irishman is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him.
- Mark Twain in “Life on the Mississippi”
The day after St. Patrick’s Day, the Irishman might need to down a few whiskeys to polish his copper because on St. Patrick’s Day the green beer is flowing as fast as the Arkansas River.
It’s not set in stone, but green beer probably originated in Boston or New York City because of large populations of people with Irish heritage. One theory for green beer centers on the “drowning the shamrock” custom. After the parades on St. Patrick’s Day, the men would head over to the pubs, drop a shamrock into their whisky and drink it down – all for good luck.
But more likely, some bartender bloke decided one St. Patrick’s Day to throw a bit of green food coloring in the beer, in keeping with the color of the day. Whatever its beginnings, green beer on St. Patrick’s Day is as popular as, well, a green river.
While New York City and Boston had their parades, Chicago came up with a green river, and we’re not talking mossy green. The Chicago River becomes a bright green – the kind of green Colorado landscapers and garden lovers would die for.
And dying is what it’s all about.
It all started in 1962 when city workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges. They decided the green dye could provide an unparalleled way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The Chicago mayor at the time, Richard Daley, wanted to dye the lake. Yes, Lake Michigan. However, many thought his idea was a bit over the top, so they settled for the river. They released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river that year, which kept it green for a week.
Since 1962, male members (no women allowed) of the Butler family have had the distinction of throwing green dye into the Chicago River. Today, it’s about 40 pounds of biodegradable vegetable dye that lasts for a day only.
The late Stephen Bailey, one of the green river instigators, has said the “road from Chicago to Ireland is marked in green. From the Chicago River to the Illinois River, then to the Mississippi, up the Gulf Stream and across the Atlantic you can see the beautiful green enter the Irish Sea, clearly marking the way from Chicago to Ireland.”
Leprechauns and More
Corn beef and cabbage is the traditional meal of St. Patrick’s Day, but cabbage is the only thing Americans have in common with the traditional Irish grub of March 17. In Ireland, cabbage was served with Irish bacon, but when Irish immigrants moved to America, they substituted corned beef because bacon was too expensive. It is believed that Jewish neighbors introduced them to corned beef.
The shamrock, as previously noted, was a teaching tool for St. Patrick. But it has also become a symbol of good luck. Of note though, the shamrock is not a four-leaf clover, which was the “good luck charm” of Ireland pre-Christianity.
Leprechauns, according to legend, were tiny fairies who made shoes. The 2-feet tall little people were also guarding a treasure that had been buried by the Danes, who at one time had conquered Ireland. Since the fairies held the secret to hidden treasures, the humans tried to catch them and force them to lead the way to the pot of gold. But the fairies were hard to catch because they could “vanish” right before the human eye. When they weren’t making shoes or guarding the treasure, they were making merry by drinking, singing and dancing.
St. Patrick’s Day also is a window to spring. Many times, celebrations are framed in sunshine and warmth or dogged with snow and cold. However, as Adrienne Cook once said, “St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time – a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic.”
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
SNIPPETZ IS SEEN WEARIN' O' THE GREEN
May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing
More than a thousand years ago, the people of Ireland began observing March 17 as a religious holiday in memory of the day St. Patrick died. Roman Catholics in Ireland still celebrate March 17 as a holy day, amid parties, too. And the secular celebration has become a worldwide festivity rivaling the New Orleans Mardi Gras. All because of one man who changed the history of Ireland.
St. Patrick
Magonus Sucatus was born in the fourth century to wealthy parents in Roman Britain. His father and grandfather were deacons in the church. Magonus would later become Patricius or Patrick.
At age 16, Patrick was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland, where for six years he worked as a shepherd. Eventually, Patrick escaped his captivity on a rescue ship and fled to France.
When he returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary, he often used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to potential converts. The three leaves of the shamrock represented the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because snakes or serpents were symbolic to the pagan religion, St. Patrick has often been depicted driving the snakes out of Ireland – most likely a metaphor for banishing paganism from Ireland. Historians and biologists have said there were no snakes in Ireland at the time.
After 30 years of bringing Christianity to Ireland, St. Patrick died – revered as a champion for Christianity, and eventually known as the patron saint of Ireland.
Erin Go Bragh
Because of Irish immigration to America during the potato famine years, Irish communities became widespread, especially in bigger cities like Boston and New York City. But the Irish never forgot their homeland, and on St. Patrick’s Day the Irish eyes were smiling. They brought to America a celebration that would forever be in the hearts of all people. For on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish.
The Revelers and Parades
The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York City March 17, 1762, when a small band of Irish New Yorkers marched to an inn to celebrate the day. The St. Patrick’s Day parade tradition even pre-dated the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
That first parade was held on lower Broadway; as the Irish danced their way down the street with great pride, they were free to speak their language, sing their songs and play the traditional bagpipes. For the first few years, military units organized the parades. After the War of 1812, Irish fraternal societies began sponsoring St. Patrick’s Day events.
The parade grew, eventually proceeding toward Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Lower Manhattan, where the Archbishop of New York addressed the crowd before revelers scattered to the bars.
The St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City is today reminiscent of its roots. Only the marching revelers are allowed – no floats, autos or other commercial entities are allowed to participate. Not that they could with a quarter of a million people marching down Fifth Avenue in front of more than 2 million spectators.
On St. Patrick’s Day following Sept. 11, the parade was dedicated to police, firefighters, workers and all those who had lost their lives to the terrorist attacks. Around midday, all of the marchers and spectators paused for two minutes and they turned to face south toward the twin towers, as a prayer was said for the victims. It was said one could hear a pin drop during the tribute. That 2002 parade was the largest to-date, with about 300,000 marchers and three million spectators.
Traditions: Green
At one point in history in Ireland, the Irish were not allowed to show their patriotism by wearing green. So, Irish Americans free to wear whatever they wanted made sure that St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. was as emerald green as the countryside of Ireland. The wearing of the green was actually a tradition that originated in America.
Green poodles, green hair, green beer, green rivers: Green, green, everywhere there’s green.
Give an Irishman lager for a month, and he’s a dead man. An Irishman is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him.
- Mark Twain in “Life on the Mississippi”
The day after St. Patrick’s Day, the Irishman might need to down a few whiskeys to polish his copper because on St. Patrick’s Day the green beer is flowing as fast as the Arkansas River.
It’s not set in stone, but green beer probably originated in Boston or New York City because of large populations of people with Irish heritage. One theory for green beer centers on the “drowning the shamrock” custom. After the parades on St. Patrick’s Day, the men would head over to the pubs, drop a shamrock into their whisky and drink it down – all for good luck.
But more likely, some bartender bloke decided one St. Patrick’s Day to throw a bit of green food coloring in the beer, in keeping with the color of the day. Whatever its beginnings, green beer on St. Patrick’s Day is as popular as, well, a green river.
While New York City and Boston had their parades, Chicago came up with a green river, and we’re not talking mossy green. The Chicago River becomes a bright green – the kind of green Colorado landscapers and garden lovers would die for.
And dying is what it’s all about.
It all started in 1962 when city workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges. They decided the green dye could provide an unparalleled way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The Chicago mayor at the time, Richard Daley, wanted to dye the lake. Yes, Lake Michigan. However, many thought his idea was a bit over the top, so they settled for the river. They released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river that year, which kept it green for a week.
Since 1962, male members (no women allowed) of the Butler family have had the distinction of throwing green dye into the Chicago River. Today, it’s about 40 pounds of biodegradable vegetable dye that lasts for a day only.
The late Stephen Bailey, one of the green river instigators, has said the “road from Chicago to Ireland is marked in green. From the Chicago River to the Illinois River, then to the Mississippi, up the Gulf Stream and across the Atlantic you can see the beautiful green enter the Irish Sea, clearly marking the way from Chicago to Ireland.”
Leprechauns and More
Corn beef and cabbage is the traditional meal of St. Patrick’s Day, but cabbage is the only thing Americans have in common with the traditional Irish grub of March 17. In Ireland, cabbage was served with Irish bacon, but when Irish immigrants moved to America, they substituted corned beef because bacon was too expensive. It is believed that Jewish neighbors introduced them to corned beef.
The shamrock, as previously noted, was a teaching tool for St. Patrick. But it has also become a symbol of good luck. Of note though, the shamrock is not a four-leaf clover, which was the “good luck charm” of Ireland pre-Christianity.
Leprechauns, according to legend, were tiny fairies who made shoes. The 2-feet tall little people were also guarding a treasure that had been buried by the Danes, who at one time had conquered Ireland. Since the fairies held the secret to hidden treasures, the humans tried to catch them and force them to lead the way to the pot of gold. But the fairies were hard to catch because they could “vanish” right before the human eye. When they weren’t making shoes or guarding the treasure, they were making merry by drinking, singing and dancing.
St. Patrick’s Day also is a window to spring. Many times, celebrations are framed in sunshine and warmth or dogged with snow and cold. However, as Adrienne Cook once said, “St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time – a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic.”
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Issue 488
SNIPPETZ IS OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD...
Ding Dong, the witch is dead,
Which old witch?
The wicked witch.
Ding Dong, the wicked witch is dead!
- The Munchkins in the “Wizard of Oz”
Who isn’t afraid of the Wicked Witch of the West? Most of us were probably afraid of that horrible green woman and her monkeys from the moment we first saw and heard her voice in the 1939 film production of “The Wizard of Oz.” (I admittedly still am every time I see it.) But the 111-year-old story is a timeless illustration of the power of friendship, bravery, love and intellect. Not to mention the warm and fuzzy. After all, “There’s no place like home.”
The Book
The story was published in May 1900 as “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” written by L. Frank Baum. The illustrations by W.W. Denslow were thought to be even better than the story itself. The first year in print, about 21,000 copies were sold. By 1938, over a million copies had been printed; by 1956, about 3 million. Without question, the story has proved to be timeless.
The book has been translated into 22 languages and has gone through many adaptations.
Even though Baum never intended the story to have sequels, he eventually bowed to the pressure of thousands of children who wrote him asking for the story to continue. His first sequel, “The Marvelous Land of Oz,” was published in 1904. Then in 1907, 1908 and 1909 he wrote an additional three sequels. In 1911, he published “The Emerald City of Oz,” while at the same time announcing he would never write another sequel. But, there’s nothing like a few thousand children to force a person into doing something they don’t want to do. Once again, Baum gave in and wrote a sequel annually starting in 1913 until he died in 1919. He once wrote, “To please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one’s heart and brings its own reward.” Clearly he lived by that.
The Film
The film production of “The Wizard of Oz” was produced in 1939 with a starring cast that included Judy Garland, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Berg Lahr, Margaret Hamilton and Frank Morgan. The film cost $2,777,000 to produce and grossed only $3,000,000 at its first release. MGM paid author L. Frank Baum $75,000 for the film rights. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards and took home Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
Even Dorothy Has Critics
Although “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” received some critical acclaim over the decades, it has not been without its critics on the negative side. In 1957, the Detroit libraries banned the book, indicating it had “no value” for children, supported “negativism” and brought children’s minds “to a cowardly level.” Margery Hourihan, feminist author, writes that the story is a “banal and mechanistic story which is written in flat, impoverished prose,” further stating that Dorothy is simply “the girl-woman of Hollywood.” Really?
Several Fundamentalist Christian families in Tennessee filed suit against the public schools for including it in their syllabus. Their argument was that the novel depicted “benevolent witches” and the human attributes of the story characters were “individually developed rather than God given.” They further purported that the novel taught children that females were equal to males. They clearly missed Hourihan’s review.
The United States Library of Congress has preserved the film in the National Film Registry, calling it “culturally significant.”
Some Great Lines
Four lines from the movie made it on Premier magazine’s poll of 100 greatest movie lines:
No. 11 – “There’s no place like home.”
No. 24 – “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”
No. 62 – “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
No. 99 – “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!”
Casting Challenges and Switcheroos
The original director, Richard Thorpe only lasted through about two weeks of shooting when he was fired and replaced by George Cukor. Cukor changed Dorothy’s look from a blonde wig and heavy baby doll makeup to a more natural look. He also changed the Wicked Witch’s makeup, the Scarecrows clothing and the yellow brick road. Victor Fleming replaced Cukor and was responsible for most of the filming until he left to take over as director of a troubled “Gone with the Wind” film. King Vidor then took over the few remaining pieces of the production.
Fanny Brice and Beatrice Lillie were both considered for the part of Glinda, the Good Witch.
Ray Bolger was originally cast as the Tin Woodsman and Buddy Epsen as the Scarecrow. Bolger wanted the Scarecrow role and switched with Epsen. When Epsen suffered severe allergic reactions to the aluminum powder used in the Tin Man’s make-up, Jack Haley replaced him with no explanation given as to the reason why. Ebsen’s vocals are still in the song “We’re Off To See The Wizard.”
W.C. Fields was slated to be The Wizard and was offered $75,000 to play the part, which was not enough to give up the work he was doing on writing the script for “You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man.” During negotiations, the role was beefed up to include playing the Wizard, the Gatekeeper, the cab driver, Professor Marvel and the guard. They became Frank Morgan’s roles.
Big Salaries?
• Judy Garland earned $500 per week for a minimum of 20 weeks.
• Terry, the Cairn terrier who played Toto, made $125 per week
• The Munchkins each made $50 per week after their agent took $50 in commission.
On Or Almost On The Cutting Room Floor
The running time was initially 120 minutes, eventually cut to 102 minutes. The original film was only seen once by a test audience in California. To this day, they were the only members of the public to see the cut scenes, which included a Jitterbug dance number and a dance sequence to “If I Only Had a Brain.” Other scenes were cut after the next preview that included a scene in which the Tin Man turned into a human beehive. Many of the Wicked Witch of the West scenes were cut or shortened because they were thought to be too scary.
The American Film Institute ranked the song “Over the Rainbow” No. 1 on its list of the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films. However, the song was almost cut because the production company felt the song was “over the heads of children” and that it was too degrading for Judy Garland to sing a song in a barnyard. The placement of the song was then moved to a scene while Dorothy was imprisoned in the witch’s castle. “Over the Rainbow” soon won an Academy Award for Best Song.
More Oz Snippetz
“Well, I... I think that it... that it wasn't enough to just want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em... and it's that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard; because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with.”
- Judy Garland as Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”
SNIPPETZ IS OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD...
Ding Dong, the witch is dead,
Which old witch?
The wicked witch.
Ding Dong, the wicked witch is dead!
- The Munchkins in the “Wizard of Oz”
Who isn’t afraid of the Wicked Witch of the West? Most of us were probably afraid of that horrible green woman and her monkeys from the moment we first saw and heard her voice in the 1939 film production of “The Wizard of Oz.” (I admittedly still am every time I see it.) But the 111-year-old story is a timeless illustration of the power of friendship, bravery, love and intellect. Not to mention the warm and fuzzy. After all, “There’s no place like home.”
The Book
The story was published in May 1900 as “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” written by L. Frank Baum. The illustrations by W.W. Denslow were thought to be even better than the story itself. The first year in print, about 21,000 copies were sold. By 1938, over a million copies had been printed; by 1956, about 3 million. Without question, the story has proved to be timeless.
The book has been translated into 22 languages and has gone through many adaptations.
Even though Baum never intended the story to have sequels, he eventually bowed to the pressure of thousands of children who wrote him asking for the story to continue. His first sequel, “The Marvelous Land of Oz,” was published in 1904. Then in 1907, 1908 and 1909 he wrote an additional three sequels. In 1911, he published “The Emerald City of Oz,” while at the same time announcing he would never write another sequel. But, there’s nothing like a few thousand children to force a person into doing something they don’t want to do. Once again, Baum gave in and wrote a sequel annually starting in 1913 until he died in 1919. He once wrote, “To please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one’s heart and brings its own reward.” Clearly he lived by that.
The Film
The film production of “The Wizard of Oz” was produced in 1939 with a starring cast that included Judy Garland, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Berg Lahr, Margaret Hamilton and Frank Morgan. The film cost $2,777,000 to produce and grossed only $3,000,000 at its first release. MGM paid author L. Frank Baum $75,000 for the film rights. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards and took home Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
Even Dorothy Has Critics
Although “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” received some critical acclaim over the decades, it has not been without its critics on the negative side. In 1957, the Detroit libraries banned the book, indicating it had “no value” for children, supported “negativism” and brought children’s minds “to a cowardly level.” Margery Hourihan, feminist author, writes that the story is a “banal and mechanistic story which is written in flat, impoverished prose,” further stating that Dorothy is simply “the girl-woman of Hollywood.” Really?
Several Fundamentalist Christian families in Tennessee filed suit against the public schools for including it in their syllabus. Their argument was that the novel depicted “benevolent witches” and the human attributes of the story characters were “individually developed rather than God given.” They further purported that the novel taught children that females were equal to males. They clearly missed Hourihan’s review.
The United States Library of Congress has preserved the film in the National Film Registry, calling it “culturally significant.”
Some Great Lines
Four lines from the movie made it on Premier magazine’s poll of 100 greatest movie lines:
No. 11 – “There’s no place like home.”
No. 24 – “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”
No. 62 – “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
No. 99 – “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!”
Casting Challenges and Switcheroos
The original director, Richard Thorpe only lasted through about two weeks of shooting when he was fired and replaced by George Cukor. Cukor changed Dorothy’s look from a blonde wig and heavy baby doll makeup to a more natural look. He also changed the Wicked Witch’s makeup, the Scarecrows clothing and the yellow brick road. Victor Fleming replaced Cukor and was responsible for most of the filming until he left to take over as director of a troubled “Gone with the Wind” film. King Vidor then took over the few remaining pieces of the production.
Fanny Brice and Beatrice Lillie were both considered for the part of Glinda, the Good Witch.
Ray Bolger was originally cast as the Tin Woodsman and Buddy Epsen as the Scarecrow. Bolger wanted the Scarecrow role and switched with Epsen. When Epsen suffered severe allergic reactions to the aluminum powder used in the Tin Man’s make-up, Jack Haley replaced him with no explanation given as to the reason why. Ebsen’s vocals are still in the song “We’re Off To See The Wizard.”
W.C. Fields was slated to be The Wizard and was offered $75,000 to play the part, which was not enough to give up the work he was doing on writing the script for “You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man.” During negotiations, the role was beefed up to include playing the Wizard, the Gatekeeper, the cab driver, Professor Marvel and the guard. They became Frank Morgan’s roles.
Big Salaries?
• Judy Garland earned $500 per week for a minimum of 20 weeks.
• Terry, the Cairn terrier who played Toto, made $125 per week
• The Munchkins each made $50 per week after their agent took $50 in commission.
On Or Almost On The Cutting Room Floor
The running time was initially 120 minutes, eventually cut to 102 minutes. The original film was only seen once by a test audience in California. To this day, they were the only members of the public to see the cut scenes, which included a Jitterbug dance number and a dance sequence to “If I Only Had a Brain.” Other scenes were cut after the next preview that included a scene in which the Tin Man turned into a human beehive. Many of the Wicked Witch of the West scenes were cut or shortened because they were thought to be too scary.
The American Film Institute ranked the song “Over the Rainbow” No. 1 on its list of the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films. However, the song was almost cut because the production company felt the song was “over the heads of children” and that it was too degrading for Judy Garland to sing a song in a barnyard. The placement of the song was then moved to a scene while Dorothy was imprisoned in the witch’s castle. “Over the Rainbow” soon won an Academy Award for Best Song.
More Oz Snippetz
- The yellow brick road was originally green. Likewise, the ruby slippers were initially silver. Real ruby studded slippers, valued at $3 million, were made in 1989 by the House of Winston to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film.
- The Munchkins have the own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, awarded in 2007.
- The colors on the horses of different colors came from jello crystals, which the horses continuously licked off, making the scene difficult to shoot.
- Judy Garland earned a miniature honorary Oscar for Best Juvenile of 1939, the only Academy Award she earned during her career. She died in 1969 at the age of 47 and was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award posthumously in 1997.
- When the “Wizard of Oz” came along, Judy Garland had been signed to play Scarlett O’Hara’s young sister, Careen, in “Gone with the Wind.” Ann Rutherford played the role when the producers let Garland out of her contract to make the switch.
- Dorothy’s last name was Gale.
- Wicked Witch Margaret Hamilton was hospitalized after being burned during the scene where the witch goes up in a cloud of smoke. Upon her return, she was replaced by stand-in, Betty Danko, as she refused to perform that scene again. Danko was also injured during the scene.
- The Broadway hit musical “Wicked” is based on the story that leads up to “The Wizard of Oz,” telling the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West became so wicked. The novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” was written by Gregory Maguire.
- Disney produced a sequel called “Return to Oz” in 1985.
“Well, I... I think that it... that it wasn't enough to just want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em... and it's that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard; because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with.”
- Judy Garland as Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”
Issue 487
SNIPPETZ SAYS, A LITTLE RECOGNITION, PLEASE
“Research indicates that workers have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.”
-Zig Ziglar
Recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions not only boosts morale but also a company’s bottom line. While employees are primary sources for increasing revenues, losing them can put a company in the red.
Depending on the job level, American Management Association studies concluded that it costs employers between 25 and 250 percent of an annual salary per the employee who quits.
In the old days, employees worked at just one company for their lifetime. Today, there are few gold watches for employee longevity. The average tenure with a company is five years, so retaining employees is another reason for recognizing them.
In 1995, a founding board member of Recognition Professionals International launched Employee Appreciation Day to motivate employers industry wide to recognize employees for their hard work. Since establishing the employee day – always on the first Friday of March – the RPI has been organized as a nonprofit that focuses on recognition innovations and education to improve the workplace.
Lessons from the Leaders
RPI also rewards company leaders for maintaining employee recognition programs. Employees reward them, too, by rating them among the best companies to work for. In one study, employees across industries were asked if they received recognition for their good work. About 55 percent said yes; and, among the top 10 percent of the best companies, 66 percent said yes.
Some companies appreciate their employees with perks like free food, gyms and laundry services. The following companies made Fortune magazine’s 2010 list of the top 100 employers in the U.S.
The Top-10
Employers: More for Less
Not all companies can afford a state-of-the-art gym, on-site laundry and child care services or big bonuses. But all of the above companies were recognized for appreciating their employees, too. And a little bit can go a long way. RPI came up with some ideas to help employers recognize their employees. Here are a few.
In Receipt Of
Want to be on the receiving end? How to be an employee worthy of the boss’s attention isn’t rocket science. But one successful American who has a rocket-science mind defines the following attributes of a good employee.
In a nutshell, 10 traits to get recognized by Microsoft creator Bill Gates:
Happy Employee Appreciation Day!
SNIPPETZ SAYS, A LITTLE RECOGNITION, PLEASE
“Research indicates that workers have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.”
-Zig Ziglar
Recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions not only boosts morale but also a company’s bottom line. While employees are primary sources for increasing revenues, losing them can put a company in the red.
Depending on the job level, American Management Association studies concluded that it costs employers between 25 and 250 percent of an annual salary per the employee who quits.
In the old days, employees worked at just one company for their lifetime. Today, there are few gold watches for employee longevity. The average tenure with a company is five years, so retaining employees is another reason for recognizing them.
In 1995, a founding board member of Recognition Professionals International launched Employee Appreciation Day to motivate employers industry wide to recognize employees for their hard work. Since establishing the employee day – always on the first Friday of March – the RPI has been organized as a nonprofit that focuses on recognition innovations and education to improve the workplace.
Lessons from the Leaders
RPI also rewards company leaders for maintaining employee recognition programs. Employees reward them, too, by rating them among the best companies to work for. In one study, employees across industries were asked if they received recognition for their good work. About 55 percent said yes; and, among the top 10 percent of the best companies, 66 percent said yes.
Some companies appreciate their employees with perks like free food, gyms and laundry services. The following companies made Fortune magazine’s 2010 list of the top 100 employers in the U.S.
The Top-10
- SAS: This Cary, N.C., software firm offers on-site health care, child care at $410 per month, summer camp for kids, car cleaning, beauty salon and a 66,000-square-feet gym. One manager had this to say regarding employee feedback: “People stay at SAS in large part because they are happy … people don’t leave SAS because they feel regarded – seen, attended to and cared for.”
- The Boston Consulting Co., amid an economic downturn, hired its largest class of recruits ever in 2010. Generous pay and a commitment to social issues through its Social Impact Practice Network are two reasons this company jumped from No. 8 last year to No. 2 this year. The SIPN offers employees an opportunity to give back and work with high-profile organizations like the U.N. World Food Program and Save the Children. BCG also pulled its consultants off client projects to provide working support in Haiti following the earthquake.
- Wegmans Food Markets chain, based in Rochester, N.Y., is known for caring about the health and well-being of its employees. This year, the company challenged its employees to eat five cups of fruit and vegetables a day and walk up to 10,000 steps a day for eight weeks – 11,000 workers took on the challenge. The company also offered fully covered health screenings, flu shots and the H1N1 vaccine.
- Google – the icon of search engines is an icon of employee perks. Free food at any of its cafeterias, a climbing wall and free laundry service are among its employee benefits. Last year, Google, in appreciation of a 20 percent increase in revenue, appreciated its employees by giving each of them a 10 percent pay hike. Google is rooted in Mountain View. Calif.
- NetApp of Sunnyvale, Calif., a data-storage firm, hired hundreds of employees this year as revenues soared by 33 percent. Hourly executive assistants make $76,450 a year, plus a bonus of $21,917. Employees also enjoy free fruit on Tuesdays, free bagels and cream cheese on Fridays and free espresso every day.
- Zappos.com is an online shoe retailer that went from No. 15 last year to this spot on Fortune’s list. Now under Amazon.com, the culture of the company remains: free lunches, free vending machines, a full-time life coach on hand and a company directive to “create fun and a little weirdness.” Zappos is headquartered in Henderson, Nev.
- Camden Property Trust, an apartment management company in Houston, offers its employees furnished apartments for $20 a night in popular vacation spots like Orlando, San Diego, Denver and Austin. During the height of the recession, employees were willing to take lower pay to save company costs.
- Nugget Market of Woodland, Calif., owns nine supermarkets in Northern California. Employees receive a 10 percent discount on products. And every day, via a giant flat-screen computer monitor, management provides employees in all stores information about the company, products and employee awards. It’s a daily pep rally.
- REI (Recreational Equipment) went from a ranking of 14 last year to its current ninth place. Employees of this Kent, Wash., based sports retailer, receive a 50 to 75 percent discount on apparel and equipment, free rental of equipment like skis and kayaks and a yearly gift of REI gear. Employees who participate in a challenging outdoor adventure (like cycling 500 miles across the state of Iowa) receive up to $300 worth of gear. Plus, after 15 years of service, employees receive a four-week paid sabbatical; after that, they can take a four-week sabbatical every five years.
- DreamWorks Animation SKG is behind movies like Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, and its creative employees are privy to free breakfast and lunch, afternoon yoga, on-site art classes, movie screenings and monthly parties. The CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, still calls job candidates to encourage them to join his team, which is based in Glendale, Calif. Plus, any worker can pitch a movie idea to the execs and take a company-sponsored workshop to learn how.
Employers: More for Less
Not all companies can afford a state-of-the-art gym, on-site laundry and child care services or big bonuses. But all of the above companies were recognized for appreciating their employees, too. And a little bit can go a long way. RPI came up with some ideas to help employers recognize their employees. Here are a few.
- Ask an employee to write down six ways he or she would like to be rewarded. Anything goes but for one rule: Half the ideas must be low or no cost.
- Schedule lunch dates with employees – one at a time.
- Give an employee a shopping spree to the local office retailer to spice up his or her work space.
- A full day at a spa or a massage is a surefire way to reward an employee. Provide gift coupons for lessons or classes for their favorite pastimes, like yoga or golf.
- Gift an employee with a set of “On Your Mark, Get Set, Go” (leave work early) cards to redeem at the employee’s discretion. Leaving work early can be about anything, from going to a movie to shopping to golfing.
- Nothing says “thank you” like a hand-written note for a job well done.
- If an employee goes out of his/her way to stay late on a project, send the employee and his/her partner to dinner.
- Purchase an item for employee enjoyment: a cappuccino machine, a dart board, a ping pong table.
In Receipt Of
Want to be on the receiving end? How to be an employee worthy of the boss’s attention isn’t rocket science. But one successful American who has a rocket-science mind defines the following attributes of a good employee.
In a nutshell, 10 traits to get recognized by Microsoft creator Bill Gates:
- Have a fundamental curiosity about company products. Use the products, if appropriate.
- Have a “genius” interest in engaging customers in discussions about the products. Know customers’ needs.
- Once you have that understanding, think about how a product can help someone or make things more interesting in the workplace or home.
- Focus on your own lifelong goals like further developing skills. Be self-motivated above and beyond that next bonus or salary increase. Be a team player.
- “A willingness to learn is critical.” The expertise one has today might not be good enough tomorrow.
- Be flexible to take advantage of opportunities that “give you perspective.” At Microsoft, an employee interested in management is encouraged to work in different units, whether it means a lateral move or relocating. Gates calls it “cross pollinating.”
- Learn the economics of the business you’re in. What are the business models of the company? Know everything about the company so you know the importance of your job.
- Focus on competitors and what they’re doing. Know them.
- Analyze problems effectively and in practical ways. Prioritize your time. Think about how to advise other employees or groups when it’s necessary. Interact positively with peers.
- Be honest, ethical and hard working.
Happy Employee Appreciation Day!
Issue 486
SNIPPETZ CARRIES A TUNE... KARAOKE ANYONE?
“Singing is such an excellent thing, that I wish all people would sing”
-Richard Byrd
Whether it’s rock, blues, country or classical; music star wannabes don’t have to wait for American Idol to come to their town. They just need to find the nearest pub or bar offering karaoke night. Then, with a bit of moxie, they’re on stage, and suddenly the wannabe takes on the persona of the likes of a Springsteen or Madonna. It’s their three and a half minutes of fame.
Karaoke in Kobe
The word “karaoke” comes from two Japanese words: “kara” means empty and “oke” or “okesutora” means orchestra. Empty orchestra – karaoke – pretty much defines the pastime that remains a favorite of the Japanese people.
Karaoke became popular in the U.S. in the early 1990s. Bars and lounges that held a “Karaoke Night” soon discovered a crowd-pleasing money maker. Of course, when karaoke first came on the scene, many willing participants imbibed a few too many, generating a lot of laughs from the audience. But the karaoke wave caught on, and wannabe songsters rode it with great pride (or a missing sense of reality) as they conquered stage fright and stepped up to entertain the crowds.
These amateurs grab a microphone and belt out a song as they follow the words displayed on a screen. The invention of the karaoke machine belongs to a Japanese man, who didn’t get recognized for his accomplishment until much later.
In 1970, Daisuke Inoue and six colleagues were playing the bars of Kobe, Japan, accompanying businessmen who wanted to sing Japanese country songs. Inoue, the only one who couldn’t read music or rely on memory, had to play drums by following the lips of the singers.
An avid devotee – and the president of a small steel company – of Inoue’s laid back, follow-along music style, asked him to accompany him on an overnight trip to a resort. However, Inoue couldn’t leave his job, so he gave the businessman a tape of the musical accompaniment, and the gentleman was able to entertain his colleagues without the band.
Inoue realized the potential of this accompaniment style and began making homemade boxes and fitting them with specially made tapes and amplifiers. In 1971, he and his buddies started leasing the machines to the bars in Kobe. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Because he never patented his karaoke machine, Inoue didn’t make much money from his invention, and his karaoke business eventually went down the tubes. However, he did make money from a potion he created to keep cockroaches and rats from chewing the karaoke boxes.
Although he didn’t get rich, he eventually received the long overdue recognition as the inventor of karaoke. In 1996, Inoue was finally connected to the karaoke machine when a TV channel in Singapore picked up the story. Three years later, “Time” magazine described Inoue as one of the “most influential Asians of the century.”
In 2004, Inoue was awarded an Ig Nobel Peace Prize for inventing karaoke. When he accepted the award at Harvard University, he sang a rendition of “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” and a standing ovation followed. The audience of Nobel Prize laureates then sang “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” to Inoue.
“I think karaoke has helped to transform the Japanese people,” Inoue once said. “They're said to be shy and poor at expressing themselves in public. But give a guy a microphone and the same man who has trouble getting out a wedding speech never wants to stop."
The Machine
It might be less intimidating to sing from home, and the home karaoke machine brings the rock star out of the shower and into the living room.
A basic home karaoke machine has audio input and output. The most popular machines, according to Home Karaoke, are audio mixers with microphone input built in with CD+G, video CD, laser disc or DVD players. CD+G players use a special track called subcode to encode lyrics and display pictures on the screen. Cost starts at about $200 and goes up from there.
Commercial karaoke machines are a bit more techno. Some are computers that have been modified with special software for Karaoke purposes, with features like unlimited downloads, professional audio capabilities and plentiful storage and memory. There are jukebox systems as well.
And a few disc jockeys have capitalized on the popularity of karaoke by setting up businesses that lease DJ services and karaoke machines.
Karaoke has become big business – and big competition.
World Championships
Since 2003, people from all over the globe have come together in one spot to participate in the Karaoke World Championships. In 2010, they met in Moscow, Russia; in 2011, singers from 20 countries will meet in September in Killarney, Ireland.
Unlike karaoke practiced in living rooms and bars, the world championship attracts singers comparable to the talent of Carrie Underwood or Bon Jovi. Winners are decided in both men’s and women’s categories; their prize is a recording deal. The top winners in Moscow last year were both from Finland.
All entrants must first go through national trials within their own country.
Move over American Idol, the Karaoke World Championships USA, an affiliate of KWC, is coming to television in the summer of 2011. “America’s Karaoke Challenge” will pit singers from all over the country against one another to “crown a new king and queen.” Statewide competitions must be certified through KWCUSA, and this year the contests will take place in May. Regional competitions take place in June and July, and the national championship is in August.
Past winners of the U.S. competition have proved worthy challengers internationally.
The 2010 U.S. champs – both from New Mexico – placed in the top five in Moscow. Tami Marie, female U.S. champion, placed third, and the No. 1 male, Edward Pimentel, placed in the top five. Pimentel also won the “Audience Favorite Award.”
Marie’s favorite song for performing was “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston and Pimental’s was “Here I Stand” by Usher.
Top 10 Karaoke Songs
For the ordinary home and bar/lounge karaoke gigs, participants seem to gravitate to the same songs. The following list is definitely arguable, and the most popular karaoke tunes are most likely different in Colorado than let’s say Florida (think Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra). But this “seasoned” karaoke follower (who says she’s listened to karaoke in dive bars, piano bars, hotel lobbies, work-related parties and Chinese restaurants) listed these songs as the top 10 on her karaoke route, and they seem to parallel many songs in other top 10 versions.
Starting with No. 10:
10. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
Regulars on the karaoke circuit don’t sing this – because it’s nine minutes long, but rookies don’t know that.
9. “Black Velvet” by Canadian singer Alannah Myles
It’s seemingly easy and fun to sing.
8. “Hey Jude”
Can sometimes put the audience to sleep, especially when it comes to two minutes of “na na na na na na na na”
7. “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John
A song by Elton John is a karaoke staple.
6. “Summer Nights” from the movie “Grease”
Songs from movie soundtracks, and specifically “Grease” songs, often make their way into the karaoke rotation, but none so often as “Summer Nights.”
5. “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” by Pat Benetar
Sing it, girl. This one’s for all those female rocker wannabes.
4. “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
A favorite of the older karaoke crowd and the most popular of Diamond’s songs
3. “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks
Audiences like to sing along as well with this Brooks favorite.
2. “Total Eclipse” of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Better know how to hit those high notes.
1. “Picture” by Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow (original authors and singers)
This song is a big favorite of men and women who want to sing a duet.
“My Way” to the Highway
In the Philippines, the news media has reported that at least half a dozen victims have died from fights fueled by the karaoke singing of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” People have speculated on the reasons the song incites fights, but nothing concrete has been determined. Many of the country’s karaoke bars have taken the song out of the circuit.
Apparently, it’s not just the Philippines. In the past two years a Malaysian man was fatally stabbed for taking too much time on the microphone. And a Thai man killed eight of his neighbors in a rage after singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver.
Not to be left out, the U.S. has had its own karaoke crimes. In a Seattle bar, a woman punched a man for singing Coldplay’s version of “Yellow.” She didn’t like his version.
The lesson here: Don’t be afraid to get on stage, but if you have a voice that just doesn’t measure up, watch your back!
SNIPPETZ CARRIES A TUNE... KARAOKE ANYONE?
“Singing is such an excellent thing, that I wish all people would sing”
-Richard Byrd
Whether it’s rock, blues, country or classical; music star wannabes don’t have to wait for American Idol to come to their town. They just need to find the nearest pub or bar offering karaoke night. Then, with a bit of moxie, they’re on stage, and suddenly the wannabe takes on the persona of the likes of a Springsteen or Madonna. It’s their three and a half minutes of fame.
Karaoke in Kobe
The word “karaoke” comes from two Japanese words: “kara” means empty and “oke” or “okesutora” means orchestra. Empty orchestra – karaoke – pretty much defines the pastime that remains a favorite of the Japanese people.
Karaoke became popular in the U.S. in the early 1990s. Bars and lounges that held a “Karaoke Night” soon discovered a crowd-pleasing money maker. Of course, when karaoke first came on the scene, many willing participants imbibed a few too many, generating a lot of laughs from the audience. But the karaoke wave caught on, and wannabe songsters rode it with great pride (or a missing sense of reality) as they conquered stage fright and stepped up to entertain the crowds.
These amateurs grab a microphone and belt out a song as they follow the words displayed on a screen. The invention of the karaoke machine belongs to a Japanese man, who didn’t get recognized for his accomplishment until much later.
In 1970, Daisuke Inoue and six colleagues were playing the bars of Kobe, Japan, accompanying businessmen who wanted to sing Japanese country songs. Inoue, the only one who couldn’t read music or rely on memory, had to play drums by following the lips of the singers.
An avid devotee – and the president of a small steel company – of Inoue’s laid back, follow-along music style, asked him to accompany him on an overnight trip to a resort. However, Inoue couldn’t leave his job, so he gave the businessman a tape of the musical accompaniment, and the gentleman was able to entertain his colleagues without the band.
Inoue realized the potential of this accompaniment style and began making homemade boxes and fitting them with specially made tapes and amplifiers. In 1971, he and his buddies started leasing the machines to the bars in Kobe. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Because he never patented his karaoke machine, Inoue didn’t make much money from his invention, and his karaoke business eventually went down the tubes. However, he did make money from a potion he created to keep cockroaches and rats from chewing the karaoke boxes.
Although he didn’t get rich, he eventually received the long overdue recognition as the inventor of karaoke. In 1996, Inoue was finally connected to the karaoke machine when a TV channel in Singapore picked up the story. Three years later, “Time” magazine described Inoue as one of the “most influential Asians of the century.”
In 2004, Inoue was awarded an Ig Nobel Peace Prize for inventing karaoke. When he accepted the award at Harvard University, he sang a rendition of “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” and a standing ovation followed. The audience of Nobel Prize laureates then sang “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” to Inoue.
“I think karaoke has helped to transform the Japanese people,” Inoue once said. “They're said to be shy and poor at expressing themselves in public. But give a guy a microphone and the same man who has trouble getting out a wedding speech never wants to stop."
The Machine
It might be less intimidating to sing from home, and the home karaoke machine brings the rock star out of the shower and into the living room.
A basic home karaoke machine has audio input and output. The most popular machines, according to Home Karaoke, are audio mixers with microphone input built in with CD+G, video CD, laser disc or DVD players. CD+G players use a special track called subcode to encode lyrics and display pictures on the screen. Cost starts at about $200 and goes up from there.
Commercial karaoke machines are a bit more techno. Some are computers that have been modified with special software for Karaoke purposes, with features like unlimited downloads, professional audio capabilities and plentiful storage and memory. There are jukebox systems as well.
And a few disc jockeys have capitalized on the popularity of karaoke by setting up businesses that lease DJ services and karaoke machines.
Karaoke has become big business – and big competition.
World Championships
Since 2003, people from all over the globe have come together in one spot to participate in the Karaoke World Championships. In 2010, they met in Moscow, Russia; in 2011, singers from 20 countries will meet in September in Killarney, Ireland.
Unlike karaoke practiced in living rooms and bars, the world championship attracts singers comparable to the talent of Carrie Underwood or Bon Jovi. Winners are decided in both men’s and women’s categories; their prize is a recording deal. The top winners in Moscow last year were both from Finland.
All entrants must first go through national trials within their own country.
Move over American Idol, the Karaoke World Championships USA, an affiliate of KWC, is coming to television in the summer of 2011. “America’s Karaoke Challenge” will pit singers from all over the country against one another to “crown a new king and queen.” Statewide competitions must be certified through KWCUSA, and this year the contests will take place in May. Regional competitions take place in June and July, and the national championship is in August.
Past winners of the U.S. competition have proved worthy challengers internationally.
The 2010 U.S. champs – both from New Mexico – placed in the top five in Moscow. Tami Marie, female U.S. champion, placed third, and the No. 1 male, Edward Pimentel, placed in the top five. Pimentel also won the “Audience Favorite Award.”
Marie’s favorite song for performing was “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston and Pimental’s was “Here I Stand” by Usher.
Top 10 Karaoke Songs
For the ordinary home and bar/lounge karaoke gigs, participants seem to gravitate to the same songs. The following list is definitely arguable, and the most popular karaoke tunes are most likely different in Colorado than let’s say Florida (think Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra). But this “seasoned” karaoke follower (who says she’s listened to karaoke in dive bars, piano bars, hotel lobbies, work-related parties and Chinese restaurants) listed these songs as the top 10 on her karaoke route, and they seem to parallel many songs in other top 10 versions.
Starting with No. 10:
10. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
Regulars on the karaoke circuit don’t sing this – because it’s nine minutes long, but rookies don’t know that.
9. “Black Velvet” by Canadian singer Alannah Myles
It’s seemingly easy and fun to sing.
8. “Hey Jude”
Can sometimes put the audience to sleep, especially when it comes to two minutes of “na na na na na na na na”
7. “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John
A song by Elton John is a karaoke staple.
6. “Summer Nights” from the movie “Grease”
Songs from movie soundtracks, and specifically “Grease” songs, often make their way into the karaoke rotation, but none so often as “Summer Nights.”
5. “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” by Pat Benetar
Sing it, girl. This one’s for all those female rocker wannabes.
4. “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
A favorite of the older karaoke crowd and the most popular of Diamond’s songs
3. “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks
Audiences like to sing along as well with this Brooks favorite.
2. “Total Eclipse” of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Better know how to hit those high notes.
1. “Picture” by Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow (original authors and singers)
This song is a big favorite of men and women who want to sing a duet.
“My Way” to the Highway
In the Philippines, the news media has reported that at least half a dozen victims have died from fights fueled by the karaoke singing of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” People have speculated on the reasons the song incites fights, but nothing concrete has been determined. Many of the country’s karaoke bars have taken the song out of the circuit.
Apparently, it’s not just the Philippines. In the past two years a Malaysian man was fatally stabbed for taking too much time on the microphone. And a Thai man killed eight of his neighbors in a rage after singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver.
Not to be left out, the U.S. has had its own karaoke crimes. In a Seattle bar, a woman punched a man for singing Coldplay’s version of “Yellow.” She didn’t like his version.
The lesson here: Don’t be afraid to get on stage, but if you have a voice that just doesn’t measure up, watch your back!
Issue 485
SNIPPETZ IS CLEANING OUT OUR COMPUTERS
“Want to make your computer go really fast? Throw it out a window!”
-Author unknown
If you think that Feb. 14 is just Valentine’s Day, think again. For computer geeks, it’s a very special occasion – National Clean Out Your Computer Day – and is celebrated, so to speak, on the second Monday in February. The “holiday” was originally sponsored by the Institute for Business Technology.
We at Snippetz don’t profess to be gurus of the computer – that’s why we have Bill Gates. There are also vast resources to be found on the Internet, if your computer is running fast enough to get there. And the local computer repair shop is full of folks who care very little about a heart shaped box of chocolates, but whose hearts go all a’twitter over the thought of an impending computer crash. If you are a computer owner, these people are your best friends.
We offer you some tips stolen from the likes of Microsoft and others in the know about how to clean up your computer, inside and out.
First, Some Interesting Stats
Did you know:
• The average executive spends six weeks per year looking for computer files and documents.
• The average American has about 1,800 digital files.
• As a whole, Americans search for misplaced items nine million hours per day.
• In 2007, we threw away 40 million computers.
• Overheating is the biggest cause of computer failure.
Hey, Check Out Those Dust Bunnies!
If you turned your keyboard upside down and the makings of a meal fell out or the vents on your computer’s CPU are covered in dust, it might be time to clean the computer and its components. All those dust bunnies can cause overheating and computer malfunction. The logical place to start is with your manufacturer’s instructions because some will void warranty coverage if you open up the back panel of your CPU.
Next, gather together a dust free cloth, screwdriver, rubbing alcohol, compressed air (cans available for purchase at office supply stores), cotton swabs and water. Turn the computer off, unplug it and get ready to make it shine.
For a desktop system, look at the back panel to find either knobs to turn or buttons to press to release the side panel. In some cases, you may need a screwdriver.
For a notebook or laptop, turn the computer upside down on a towel and remove the battery. There is usually a small panel fastened with Phillips screws that can be removed.
Don’t touch anything inside the CPU, but follow these steps:
Inside
1. Pick out dust bunnies carefully with a cotton swab or use tweezers if you have a steady hand.
2. Keeping it about 4 inches away from the machine parts, blow compressed air around the components and in the corners, making sure you aim the air so that it blows the dust away from components and crevices. This might be the time to put some safety glasses on to protect your eyes.
3. Blow air into the fans, being careful not to apply too much pressure as they are delicate and will crack easily. Use quick bursts of air and possibly hold onto the blades with your fingertips using a lint free towel or cotton swab.
4. Again, gently blow air into the disc drives and ports.
5. Use a slightly moist cloth to wipe the inside of the cover before replacing it. Be sure to let it dry before replacing the cover.
Outside
Dip a cotton swab into some rubbing alcohol and run it around all the openings on the outside of the computer case.
Keyboard
Turn the keyboard upside down and give it a gentle shake. Then use the can of compressed air to blow out the remaining crumbs and dust particles. The experts say never to do what I do, and that is take your vacuum cleaner attachment to the keyboard. This can cause a static electrical charge and computers like static about as much as they like moisture – not!
Next, take cotton swabs dipped in alcohol to clean on and around the keyboard keys. Be extra careful when using this procedure when cleaning the keyboard of your laptop.
Mouse
First, disconnect the mouse from the computer and then use a towel moistened with rubbing alcohol to wipe the exterior surface. If you have a mechanical mouse, remove the cover. Remove the track ball and wash with water and air dry before replacing. Use the same cotton swab procedure to wipe down the inside components of the mouse before drying and replacing the cover.
Monitor
For one of those dinosaur CRT monitors that look like a TV, use regular glass cleaning solution, but nothing that includes alcohol or ammonia which can damage the screen. There is nothing to open here and any attempt at opening up a monitor may cause severe damage.
For LCD’s and flat-panel monitors, use a water moistened lint-free cloth to wipe the screen gently. Never spray anything directly onto one of these screens. Check the manufacturer’s suggestions if this doesn’t get it clean enough.
Feeling a Little Sluggish?
If your computer is dragging, then it’s time for an internal cleanup. This is the easy stuff to do. If you have Windows XP or a newer operating system, there are several utilities available to do the job. Microsoft recommends performing these cleanup utilities about once every month.
Search and Destroy
First, run a Disc Check to locate and repair hard drive errors.
• Click on “My Computer”
• Right click on “C drive”
• Choose “Properties”
• Select the “Tools” Tab
• Click the "Check Now" button under "Error Checking"
• Check all the boxes
• Click “Start”
Clean It Up
While browsing the Internet, the computer takes on hundreds or even thousands of temporary files. These are great for getting those Web sites to load quickly, but clutters up the hard drive. To clean them up, run Disc Cleanup.
• Click on “My Computer”
• Right click on your C drive
• Choose “Properties”
• Select “Disk Cleanup”
Defragment
Over time, everything you add to your computer is put into files that are added to and changed. The files then tend to break into “chunks” of data; hence, the term fragmentation. The computer runs slower because it has to search harder to find information. Using the Disc Defragmenter can take over an hour or so to run, but may well be worth the increased speed of the machine. Set this up when you know you won’t need to use the computer for awhile.
• Click on “My Computer “
• Right click on the C drive
• Select “Properties”
• Choose the “Tools” tab
• Click "Defragment Now" button under "Defragmentation"
Take Out the Trash
When you put files into the Recycle Bin, they stay there until you empty it out just in case you change your mind. These files take up a lot of space and should be emptied periodically.
• From the desktop, right click on “Recycle Bin” and select “Empty Recycle Bin.”
Decisions, Decisions
Now it’s time to clean up all the old documents and files on the hard drive. If you can’t stand the thought of deleting old files, them move them to CD’s or purchase a portable hard drive. Then it’s a snap to select files to move. This frees up more disc space and eliminates the clutter that you wade through every time you try to find a file.
Back Up, Back Up, Back Up
If you’ve ever had a computer hard drive crash and lost all of your files, you understand the importance of backing up. There are inexpensive software programs that can do this for you as frequently as you wish – daily, weekly or monthly depending on how many files you generate. If or when the dreaded crash happens, you are up and running once again with a minimal amount of pain and anguish.
What’s Left?
Now for that dreaded organization part. Think of your computer like a file cabinet. In a file cabinet important documents likely get put into a folder and appropriately labeled. Same thing here, but it’s even quicker. Depending upon how many files you might have waiting for a real home, this might take a couple of 30-minute sessions to complete.
First, look at the files:
• Right click on the “Start” button
• Select “Explorer”
• Select “Shared Documents” or “My Documents” or the place where all of the files are kept.
Think of possible categories that would help you determine how files could be placed. There could be home folders, work folders, etc. Each folder can then have subfolders. Work files might have names of clients or projects. Home files might have photo files, tax files, personal correspondence.
To make folders, while in “My Documents” or “Shared Documents”
• Click on “File”
• Select “New”
• Select “Folder”
• Name the folder
Once you name that folder, you can then click and drag any document into it easily. Right clicking on any file name also allows you to rename the file. This would be a good time to give a name to all those photos that are now named with an odd assortment of meaningless numbers. If you have hundreds or thousands of photos and the task seems too daunting, try sorting them into folders that identify them, such as Susie’s 10th birthday, 2010 Christmas or Johnnie’s baby pics.
Now that you’ve done some basic cleanup work on the computer and it’s running faster and smoother, be sure to do an Internet search to find more helpful computer cleanup and organization tips such as deleting software programs no longer used and facing the e-mail pileup. A periodic purging and filing of those emails will save hours in the long run and free up computer space and energy.
There, now doesn’t that feel better?
SNIPPETZ IS CLEANING OUT OUR COMPUTERS
“Want to make your computer go really fast? Throw it out a window!”
-Author unknown
If you think that Feb. 14 is just Valentine’s Day, think again. For computer geeks, it’s a very special occasion – National Clean Out Your Computer Day – and is celebrated, so to speak, on the second Monday in February. The “holiday” was originally sponsored by the Institute for Business Technology.
We at Snippetz don’t profess to be gurus of the computer – that’s why we have Bill Gates. There are also vast resources to be found on the Internet, if your computer is running fast enough to get there. And the local computer repair shop is full of folks who care very little about a heart shaped box of chocolates, but whose hearts go all a’twitter over the thought of an impending computer crash. If you are a computer owner, these people are your best friends.
We offer you some tips stolen from the likes of Microsoft and others in the know about how to clean up your computer, inside and out.
First, Some Interesting Stats
Did you know:
• The average executive spends six weeks per year looking for computer files and documents.
• The average American has about 1,800 digital files.
• As a whole, Americans search for misplaced items nine million hours per day.
• In 2007, we threw away 40 million computers.
• Overheating is the biggest cause of computer failure.
Hey, Check Out Those Dust Bunnies!
If you turned your keyboard upside down and the makings of a meal fell out or the vents on your computer’s CPU are covered in dust, it might be time to clean the computer and its components. All those dust bunnies can cause overheating and computer malfunction. The logical place to start is with your manufacturer’s instructions because some will void warranty coverage if you open up the back panel of your CPU.
Next, gather together a dust free cloth, screwdriver, rubbing alcohol, compressed air (cans available for purchase at office supply stores), cotton swabs and water. Turn the computer off, unplug it and get ready to make it shine.
For a desktop system, look at the back panel to find either knobs to turn or buttons to press to release the side panel. In some cases, you may need a screwdriver.
For a notebook or laptop, turn the computer upside down on a towel and remove the battery. There is usually a small panel fastened with Phillips screws that can be removed.
Don’t touch anything inside the CPU, but follow these steps:
Inside
1. Pick out dust bunnies carefully with a cotton swab or use tweezers if you have a steady hand.
2. Keeping it about 4 inches away from the machine parts, blow compressed air around the components and in the corners, making sure you aim the air so that it blows the dust away from components and crevices. This might be the time to put some safety glasses on to protect your eyes.
3. Blow air into the fans, being careful not to apply too much pressure as they are delicate and will crack easily. Use quick bursts of air and possibly hold onto the blades with your fingertips using a lint free towel or cotton swab.
4. Again, gently blow air into the disc drives and ports.
5. Use a slightly moist cloth to wipe the inside of the cover before replacing it. Be sure to let it dry before replacing the cover.
Outside
Dip a cotton swab into some rubbing alcohol and run it around all the openings on the outside of the computer case.
Keyboard
Turn the keyboard upside down and give it a gentle shake. Then use the can of compressed air to blow out the remaining crumbs and dust particles. The experts say never to do what I do, and that is take your vacuum cleaner attachment to the keyboard. This can cause a static electrical charge and computers like static about as much as they like moisture – not!
Next, take cotton swabs dipped in alcohol to clean on and around the keyboard keys. Be extra careful when using this procedure when cleaning the keyboard of your laptop.
Mouse
First, disconnect the mouse from the computer and then use a towel moistened with rubbing alcohol to wipe the exterior surface. If you have a mechanical mouse, remove the cover. Remove the track ball and wash with water and air dry before replacing. Use the same cotton swab procedure to wipe down the inside components of the mouse before drying and replacing the cover.
Monitor
For one of those dinosaur CRT monitors that look like a TV, use regular glass cleaning solution, but nothing that includes alcohol or ammonia which can damage the screen. There is nothing to open here and any attempt at opening up a monitor may cause severe damage.
For LCD’s and flat-panel monitors, use a water moistened lint-free cloth to wipe the screen gently. Never spray anything directly onto one of these screens. Check the manufacturer’s suggestions if this doesn’t get it clean enough.
Feeling a Little Sluggish?
If your computer is dragging, then it’s time for an internal cleanup. This is the easy stuff to do. If you have Windows XP or a newer operating system, there are several utilities available to do the job. Microsoft recommends performing these cleanup utilities about once every month.
Search and Destroy
First, run a Disc Check to locate and repair hard drive errors.
• Click on “My Computer”
• Right click on “C drive”
• Choose “Properties”
• Select the “Tools” Tab
• Click the "Check Now" button under "Error Checking"
• Check all the boxes
• Click “Start”
Clean It Up
While browsing the Internet, the computer takes on hundreds or even thousands of temporary files. These are great for getting those Web sites to load quickly, but clutters up the hard drive. To clean them up, run Disc Cleanup.
• Click on “My Computer”
• Right click on your C drive
• Choose “Properties”
• Select “Disk Cleanup”
Defragment
Over time, everything you add to your computer is put into files that are added to and changed. The files then tend to break into “chunks” of data; hence, the term fragmentation. The computer runs slower because it has to search harder to find information. Using the Disc Defragmenter can take over an hour or so to run, but may well be worth the increased speed of the machine. Set this up when you know you won’t need to use the computer for awhile.
• Click on “My Computer “
• Right click on the C drive
• Select “Properties”
• Choose the “Tools” tab
• Click "Defragment Now" button under "Defragmentation"
Take Out the Trash
When you put files into the Recycle Bin, they stay there until you empty it out just in case you change your mind. These files take up a lot of space and should be emptied periodically.
• From the desktop, right click on “Recycle Bin” and select “Empty Recycle Bin.”
Decisions, Decisions
Now it’s time to clean up all the old documents and files on the hard drive. If you can’t stand the thought of deleting old files, them move them to CD’s or purchase a portable hard drive. Then it’s a snap to select files to move. This frees up more disc space and eliminates the clutter that you wade through every time you try to find a file.
Back Up, Back Up, Back Up
If you’ve ever had a computer hard drive crash and lost all of your files, you understand the importance of backing up. There are inexpensive software programs that can do this for you as frequently as you wish – daily, weekly or monthly depending on how many files you generate. If or when the dreaded crash happens, you are up and running once again with a minimal amount of pain and anguish.
What’s Left?
Now for that dreaded organization part. Think of your computer like a file cabinet. In a file cabinet important documents likely get put into a folder and appropriately labeled. Same thing here, but it’s even quicker. Depending upon how many files you might have waiting for a real home, this might take a couple of 30-minute sessions to complete.
First, look at the files:
• Right click on the “Start” button
• Select “Explorer”
• Select “Shared Documents” or “My Documents” or the place where all of the files are kept.
Think of possible categories that would help you determine how files could be placed. There could be home folders, work folders, etc. Each folder can then have subfolders. Work files might have names of clients or projects. Home files might have photo files, tax files, personal correspondence.
To make folders, while in “My Documents” or “Shared Documents”
• Click on “File”
• Select “New”
• Select “Folder”
• Name the folder
Once you name that folder, you can then click and drag any document into it easily. Right clicking on any file name also allows you to rename the file. This would be a good time to give a name to all those photos that are now named with an odd assortment of meaningless numbers. If you have hundreds or thousands of photos and the task seems too daunting, try sorting them into folders that identify them, such as Susie’s 10th birthday, 2010 Christmas or Johnnie’s baby pics.
Now that you’ve done some basic cleanup work on the computer and it’s running faster and smoother, be sure to do an Internet search to find more helpful computer cleanup and organization tips such as deleting software programs no longer used and facing the e-mail pileup. A periodic purging and filing of those emails will save hours in the long run and free up computer space and energy.
There, now doesn’t that feel better?
Issue 484
SNIPPETZ ASKS: WHAT'S IN A NAME?
“The name of a man is a numbing blow from which he never recovers.”
-Marshall McLuhan
Henry John Deutschendorf (see photo above), Reginald Dwight and Karen Johnson are all famous celebrities who have something in common. They all changed their birth names. Fans know them as John Denver, Elton John and Whoopi Goldberg, respectively.
There are numerous reasons people change their names, but having a dislike for one’s name is No. 1. Actors, politicians, athletes, singers – they often adopt new names for publicity reasons. It’s hard to imagine “Rocky Mountain High” by Henry Deutschendorf.
Some change first names only. Long ago, this sports icon’s dad came up with a nickname that would surely be more electrifying in the midst of fame than his birth name. Eldrick Woods just isn’t as “cool” as Tiger.
People change names when they get married, divorced or perhaps for religious reasons. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was Cassius Clay when he first stepped in the ring.
Gone To The Dogs
Last August, 44-year-old Gary Guy Mathews went before a judge to change his name to Boomer the Dog. Mathews is an anthropomorphic – someone who attributes human characteristics to animals. “Boomer the Dog” is based on an old NBC show, “Here’s Boomer,” about a stray dog that saved people in trouble.
When Mathews appeared in court in Alleghany County, Penn., he presented a letter of support to the judge from Hobnose Bordercollie. Although Mr. Bordercollie appears as such on Facebook, nothing has indicated he legally changed his name to Hobnose B. However, if anyone would like to view a video of Hobnose and Boomer playing in an abandoned train station, just Google their “doggie” names.
The judge denied the name change, and, according to his blog, Mathews is appealing.
It’s All in the Name
Duly noted from above, a name can reveal a lot (or too much) about a person – and the same goes for parents.
We are at the mercy of mom and dad when it comes to our birth names. On occasion, it appears as if some parents are borderline sadistic. Of course, if you are the children of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, you can probably get by with names like Rumer, Scout and Tallulah. Same goes for Gwyneth Paltrow’s little girl, Apple. But even the sweetest kid in class couldn’t resist, “Here’s an Apple for the teacher.”
Last names often dictate (one would think) what a parent shouldn’t name a child. But that’s not always the case. In 1882, James Steven Hogg, governor of Texas, named his daughter Ima. First-grade roll call wouldn’t be so funny for Ima Hogg.
Bill and Moya Lear (Lear Jet) had a daughter named Shanda Lear.
Retired airman Stan Still from the United Kingdom once told a reporter that his name had been a “blooming millstone” around his neck for his “entire life.” His commanding officer used to belly laugh as he shouted, “Stan Still, get a move on.”
One can’t blame the parents for their child’s career decision, however. How would they have known that Les Plack would become a dentist in San Francisco? Maybe some people choose their professions based on their names, such as Dr. Leslie Doctor of Westport, Conn.
Not So Funny
Perhaps some parents think they can buy their children’s way out of a life of excessive teasing.
Actors David Duchovny and Tea Leoni must have had a good laugh when they named their kid, “Kyd.” “Hey, Kyd.” “Where ya going, Kyd?”
Actress Shannyn Sossamon named her daughter Audio Science.
Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller must have been looking for Vegas material when he and his wife named their oldest child, Moxie Crimefighter. Apparently, Penn’s wife didn’t have a middle name so they decided it didn’t matter much anyway.
Actor Rob Morrow’s child will eventually need psychiatric care after all the “tu-morrows” he will hear in his lifetime. What was Morrow thinking when he named his kid, “Tu?”
Etymology and Popularity
Many people name their children based on the meaning of one part of a name, or the original literal meaning, which is called the etymology of a name.
For example, “bert” is a name element that appears in common German names like Albert and Robert – “bert” means “bright.”
And many people simply follow the trends – and some set them.
According to the Social Security Administration, the following names were the top-10 most popular for boys in 2009: At No. 1 was Jacob, then Ethan, Michael, Alexander, William, Joshua, Daniel, Jayden, Noah and Anthony.
Notably, Michael came in second in popularity from 1999 through 2008. Daniel and Joshua have remained in the top 10 since 1999. Jayden was listed at No. 254 in 1999.
Coming in at No. 1 for female names was Isabella, followed by Emma, Olivia, Sophia, Ava, Emily, Madison, Abigail, Chloe and Mia.
From 1999 through 2007, Emily held the No. 1 spot. Madison has remained in the top 10 since 1999; Mia was No. 120 in 1999; Ava was No. 259.
Thoroughbreds and Names
People have fun naming their pets, and the process is often as thoughtful as naming a child. But in the horse racing world, a name is a statement, a proclamation, a testimony to the will of the horse, or the owner.
In a National Public Radio interview, Jockey Club registrar Rick Bailey said he once received a letter from the White House allowing an owner to register their horse with the name Barbara Bush. In 2005, the Jockey Club denied an owner’s request to name his horse Sally Hemmings, after Thomas Jefferson’s slave (and alleged mistress).
The names of horses that win major races must be retired permanently; other names can be used again over time.
A few winning horses and the reasons behind their names:
From Amazon to Apple
Ever wonder what’s behind the name of some of the most successful businesses? Here are a few answers.
Just for Fun
Besides John Denver, there are many other celebs, from movies to politics, who have changed their names.
Can you match the names? Answers below
SNIPPETZ ASKS: WHAT'S IN A NAME?
“The name of a man is a numbing blow from which he never recovers.”
-Marshall McLuhan
Henry John Deutschendorf (see photo above), Reginald Dwight and Karen Johnson are all famous celebrities who have something in common. They all changed their birth names. Fans know them as John Denver, Elton John and Whoopi Goldberg, respectively.
There are numerous reasons people change their names, but having a dislike for one’s name is No. 1. Actors, politicians, athletes, singers – they often adopt new names for publicity reasons. It’s hard to imagine “Rocky Mountain High” by Henry Deutschendorf.
Some change first names only. Long ago, this sports icon’s dad came up with a nickname that would surely be more electrifying in the midst of fame than his birth name. Eldrick Woods just isn’t as “cool” as Tiger.
People change names when they get married, divorced or perhaps for religious reasons. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was Cassius Clay when he first stepped in the ring.
Gone To The Dogs
Last August, 44-year-old Gary Guy Mathews went before a judge to change his name to Boomer the Dog. Mathews is an anthropomorphic – someone who attributes human characteristics to animals. “Boomer the Dog” is based on an old NBC show, “Here’s Boomer,” about a stray dog that saved people in trouble.
When Mathews appeared in court in Alleghany County, Penn., he presented a letter of support to the judge from Hobnose Bordercollie. Although Mr. Bordercollie appears as such on Facebook, nothing has indicated he legally changed his name to Hobnose B. However, if anyone would like to view a video of Hobnose and Boomer playing in an abandoned train station, just Google their “doggie” names.
The judge denied the name change, and, according to his blog, Mathews is appealing.
It’s All in the Name
Duly noted from above, a name can reveal a lot (or too much) about a person – and the same goes for parents.
We are at the mercy of mom and dad when it comes to our birth names. On occasion, it appears as if some parents are borderline sadistic. Of course, if you are the children of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, you can probably get by with names like Rumer, Scout and Tallulah. Same goes for Gwyneth Paltrow’s little girl, Apple. But even the sweetest kid in class couldn’t resist, “Here’s an Apple for the teacher.”
Last names often dictate (one would think) what a parent shouldn’t name a child. But that’s not always the case. In 1882, James Steven Hogg, governor of Texas, named his daughter Ima. First-grade roll call wouldn’t be so funny for Ima Hogg.
Bill and Moya Lear (Lear Jet) had a daughter named Shanda Lear.
Retired airman Stan Still from the United Kingdom once told a reporter that his name had been a “blooming millstone” around his neck for his “entire life.” His commanding officer used to belly laugh as he shouted, “Stan Still, get a move on.”
One can’t blame the parents for their child’s career decision, however. How would they have known that Les Plack would become a dentist in San Francisco? Maybe some people choose their professions based on their names, such as Dr. Leslie Doctor of Westport, Conn.
Not So Funny
Perhaps some parents think they can buy their children’s way out of a life of excessive teasing.
Actors David Duchovny and Tea Leoni must have had a good laugh when they named their kid, “Kyd.” “Hey, Kyd.” “Where ya going, Kyd?”
Actress Shannyn Sossamon named her daughter Audio Science.
Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller must have been looking for Vegas material when he and his wife named their oldest child, Moxie Crimefighter. Apparently, Penn’s wife didn’t have a middle name so they decided it didn’t matter much anyway.
Actor Rob Morrow’s child will eventually need psychiatric care after all the “tu-morrows” he will hear in his lifetime. What was Morrow thinking when he named his kid, “Tu?”
Etymology and Popularity
Many people name their children based on the meaning of one part of a name, or the original literal meaning, which is called the etymology of a name.
For example, “bert” is a name element that appears in common German names like Albert and Robert – “bert” means “bright.”
And many people simply follow the trends – and some set them.
According to the Social Security Administration, the following names were the top-10 most popular for boys in 2009: At No. 1 was Jacob, then Ethan, Michael, Alexander, William, Joshua, Daniel, Jayden, Noah and Anthony.
Notably, Michael came in second in popularity from 1999 through 2008. Daniel and Joshua have remained in the top 10 since 1999. Jayden was listed at No. 254 in 1999.
Coming in at No. 1 for female names was Isabella, followed by Emma, Olivia, Sophia, Ava, Emily, Madison, Abigail, Chloe and Mia.
From 1999 through 2007, Emily held the No. 1 spot. Madison has remained in the top 10 since 1999; Mia was No. 120 in 1999; Ava was No. 259.
Thoroughbreds and Names
People have fun naming their pets, and the process is often as thoughtful as naming a child. But in the horse racing world, a name is a statement, a proclamation, a testimony to the will of the horse, or the owner.
In a National Public Radio interview, Jockey Club registrar Rick Bailey said he once received a letter from the White House allowing an owner to register their horse with the name Barbara Bush. In 2005, the Jockey Club denied an owner’s request to name his horse Sally Hemmings, after Thomas Jefferson’s slave (and alleged mistress).
The names of horses that win major races must be retired permanently; other names can be used again over time.
A few winning horses and the reasons behind their names:
- Big Brown: The 2008 Kentucky Derby winner was named after UPS, as a gesture of appreciation for the owner’s business relationship with UPS. In turn, UPS agreed to a sponsorship. The value of the exposure for UPS: about $4 million.
- Giacomo: The 2005 Kentucky Derby winner was named for the son of Sting, who worked with A&M records co-founder and the horse’s breeder, Jerry Moss.
- Seattle Slew: The 1977 Triple Crown winner was named after his owner’s two hometowns: Seattle and a wetland area of Florida. A swamp in Florida is often called a slew.
- Secretariat: The 1973 Triple Crown winner’s name was practically an afterthought. All 10 names his owner had submitted to the Jockey Club were denied. The 11th was approved.
- Burgoo King: Not what you think: This 1932 Kentucky Derby winner was named after a local grocer renowned for his burgoo stew.
From Amazon to Apple
Ever wonder what’s behind the name of some of the most successful businesses? Here are a few answers.
- 3M: from the company’s original name – Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
- Amazon.com: After introducing the company as Cadabra.com, founder Jeff Bezos renamed it after the “voluminous” river, the Amazon. The name reflected the sales potential.
- Apple: The computer giant is actually named after Steve Jobs favorite fruit. Founder Jobs also worked in an apple orchard and wanted a name different from the techno-based names – like IBM.
- Google: Originally named Googol, it was misspelled as Google, and left that way because the domain name was unregistered. The name Googol referred to the company’s goal to organize the hordes of online information.
- Pepsi: actually named after the digestive enzyme – pepsin
- Reebok: named after an African antelope, the rhebock or Pelea capreolus
- Virgin: In his book, “Losing my Virginity,” founder Richard Branson said the name “Virgin” was suggested by a female co-worker who thought the name represented their lack of experience starting a mail order business.
Just for Fun
Besides John Denver, there are many other celebs, from movies to politics, who have changed their names.
Can you match the names? Answers below
Adopted Names |
Original Names |
1. Bono |
A. Leslie Lynch King Jr. |
2. President Gerald Ford |
B. Allen Stewart Konigsberg |
3. Kirstie Alley |
C. William Jefferson Blythe |
4. Woody Allen |
D. Demetria Gene Guynes |
5. Bruce Willis |
E. Paul Hewson |
6. Meg Ryan |
F. Gladys Leeman |
7. President Bill Clinton |
G. Eric Bishop |
8. Sugar Ray Robinson |
H. Walter Willison |
9. Jamie Fox |
I. Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra |
10. Demi Moore |
J. Walker Smith |
Answers: 1. E; 2. A; 3. F; 4. B; 5. H; 6. I; 7. C; 8. J; 9. G; 10.D
Issue 483
SNIPPETZ IS READY FOR THE SUPERBOWL... COMMERCIALS
Come Monday morning after Super Bowl Sunday, the talk around the water cooler won’t be all about quarterback sneaks, touchdowns and referee blunders. Nope. Instead, they’ll be talking about Budweiser, Pepsi and General Motors – and all the rest of the commercials, everyone arguing over which commercial they loved best.
Throughout the years, the people behind those Super Bowl commercials have upped the ante on the ingenuity factor involved in creating ads. It’s a competition among the big corporations that rivals the football game. And the advertisers are paying a hefty price to be part of the dog-eat-dog market.
The High Cost of Laughs
In 1967, as the Green Bay Packers were playing the Kansas City Chiefs in the first-ever Super Bowl, the cost of a 60-second ad sold for $75,000 to $85,000. When Super Bowl XLV rolls around Feb. 6, corporate giants like Coca-Cola and Doritos will pay about $3 million for a 30-second spot. According to Reuters, CBS has indicated that 90 percent of the ads have been sold.
Sixty million viewers watched that first Super Bowl on television. In 2010, when the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl No. 44, 106 million people watched it on T.V. That number surpassed the 1983 finale of “M-A-S-H” and became the most-watched program in U.S. television history, according to Nielsen.
Those stats have attracted all sorts of advertisers. Beer, sodas, snacks and cars dominated the advertising scene in the 1990s. In the beginning of the 21st century, the dot.com and high-tech companies took over the ad spots; however, it was short-lived when the dot.com bubble burst in March 2000.
Sacked From the Super Bowl
The networks obviously have the option to turn away ads they feel are tasteless or considered risky business. There are ads that sprouted such a fuss they never made it to the screen.
Check out the scripts of a few banned ads.
Touchdowns
The following ads were listed among ESPN viewers and Women’s Day Magazine favorites.
In no particular order:
Should Have Been Benched?
Some of these ads fall under the controversial category and maybe should have been taken out of the game altogether.
The Analysis
Perhaps Neal Burns, former advertising executive and now a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said it best. "There's always this quasi-philosophical argument about whether advertising creates the culture or reflects the culture, but either way it tells us something about ourselves.”
SNIPPETZ IS READY FOR THE SUPERBOWL... COMMERCIALS
Come Monday morning after Super Bowl Sunday, the talk around the water cooler won’t be all about quarterback sneaks, touchdowns and referee blunders. Nope. Instead, they’ll be talking about Budweiser, Pepsi and General Motors – and all the rest of the commercials, everyone arguing over which commercial they loved best.
Throughout the years, the people behind those Super Bowl commercials have upped the ante on the ingenuity factor involved in creating ads. It’s a competition among the big corporations that rivals the football game. And the advertisers are paying a hefty price to be part of the dog-eat-dog market.
The High Cost of Laughs
In 1967, as the Green Bay Packers were playing the Kansas City Chiefs in the first-ever Super Bowl, the cost of a 60-second ad sold for $75,000 to $85,000. When Super Bowl XLV rolls around Feb. 6, corporate giants like Coca-Cola and Doritos will pay about $3 million for a 30-second spot. According to Reuters, CBS has indicated that 90 percent of the ads have been sold.
Sixty million viewers watched that first Super Bowl on television. In 2010, when the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl No. 44, 106 million people watched it on T.V. That number surpassed the 1983 finale of “M-A-S-H” and became the most-watched program in U.S. television history, according to Nielsen.
Those stats have attracted all sorts of advertisers. Beer, sodas, snacks and cars dominated the advertising scene in the 1990s. In the beginning of the 21st century, the dot.com and high-tech companies took over the ad spots; however, it was short-lived when the dot.com bubble burst in March 2000.
Sacked From the Super Bowl
The networks obviously have the option to turn away ads they feel are tasteless or considered risky business. There are ads that sprouted such a fuss they never made it to the screen.
Check out the scripts of a few banned ads.
- PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) created an ad promoting vegetarianism. The ad featured scantily clad women “playing” with all sorts of vegetables in a suggestive way.
- Bud Light apparently went a bit too far with this commercial. At a party, a couple had wandered out to the pool, and with no one around they decided to jump in sans clothes. As they’re about to engage in some fooling around, they realize the people gathered in one room of the house are viewing them underwater – the pool had been designed like an aquarium at Sea World. Of course, the voyeurs were all drinking Buds.
- A couple of commercials by Go Daddy didn’t cross the finish line. This one ran, but some networks removed it from rotation. In 2005, Go Daddy created an ad that poked fun at Janet Jackson’s 2004 wardrobe malfunction. This ad featured a large-busted woman testifying before officials as a strap on her itty bitty top kept falling down.
- This 2007 ad by Snickers ran but was also yanked from rotation after gay and lesbian groups objected to it. In the ad, two men were working on a car engine when one pulls out a Snickers bar and begins to chomp away. His buddy starts chewing the other end of the Snickers and eventually their lips meet – duh? Realizing they just kissed, one of them said, “We have to do something manly.”
- In 2004, this Super Bowl ad for the natural cold remedy company Airborne was pulled because of Mickey Rooney’s bun. Envision 84-year-old Rooney in a crowded sauna. When someone sneezes, Rooney freaks out and runs out of the locker room, leaving his towel behind and his bottom bare.
- This one ran in 2006 but was eventually pulled. Two friends were hanging outdoors; when one decided he was thirsty, he sent his dog to fetch a Bud Light out of the cooler. The conversation went something like this: “Think your dog could do that?” “Yea, he can do even better.” At that point, his dog attacks the guy holding the Bud, biting him in a sensitive area. During the attack, the Budweiser leaps in the air and lands in the hands of the friend.
- Bud Light also ran a few ads featuring “Apology Bot 3000.” When the chef serves a table of people poison food, the robot appears to inform them of their impending death – offering ice-cold buds as a consolation.
Touchdowns
The following ads were listed among ESPN viewers and Women’s Day Magazine favorites.
In no particular order:
- The now-famous phrase “where’s the beef” was introduced in this Wendy’s 1984 Super Bowl ad by character actress Clara Peller (see photo above). Later, Wendy’s fired her for saying “I found it” during a Prego ad!
- In 1987, Michael J. Fox played an eager-to-please neighbor when a young, gorgeous woman across the hall knocks on his apartment door, asking him if he has a diet Pepsi. After checking the refrigerator and realizing the Pepsi is gone, Fox jumps out his window, runs down the fire escape and across the tops of about five cars to a pop machine. He gets the Pepsi and sprints back. As he’s handing the Pepsi to the woman, her equally good-looking roommate walks in and says, “Got another one of those?”
- In 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh PC in a 60-second spot derived from George Orwell’s book “1984.” At the end of the commercial, a voiceover says, “On Jan. 24, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh, and you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like “1984.”
- In 1999, Monster.com threw everyone off with an ad highlighting young kids sharing their dreams for the future as they look directly into the camera. Instead of the usual “fireman” or “astronaut,” the kids say, “When I grow up, I want to be in middle management … I want to be a brown noser – the ad took viewers by surprise, but the ad experts said the ad was well-timed in the atmosphere of the country.
- Remember the 1995 Super Bowl ad from Budweiser featuring three frogs sitting on a lilly pad in the dark of the night? Each frog had a “croaking” line: “Bud,” “Weis” and “Er.” The camera eventually pans in to a bar-like building with the Budweiser name in lights.
- Bud also gained fame for the ad about Hank, the horse that didn’t make the cut for the Clydesdale team. A Dalmatian stepped in and “coached” Hank, running him through a series of training maneuvers … to the tune of the music from “Rocky.”
- Who can forget the monkey in an E*trade T-shirt dancing on top of a garbage can in a garage next to a couple of old men clapping off beat to La Cucaracha. In this 2000 ad, the punch line was as good as a “1st and 10.” “We just wasted $2 million. What are you doing with your money?”
- Also in 2000, Electronic Data Systems ran an ad featuring cowboys riding herd over the plains. But they’re not herding cattle; their herding cats - hundreds of them. The gist of the ad: Managing data in the world of information technology is like trying to herd cats.
- In 2008, Bridgestone Corp. ran an ad that was pure hysteria – or just plain hysterical. A squirrel is shown dashing into the street to fetch an acorn. As he calmly sits there, a car careens around the corner and the squirrel screams, followed by the screams of at least a half-dozen other wildlife creatures and the female passenger in the car. Everything calms when the car’s tires bring it to a halt and prevent the squirrel’s demise. But the ear-piercing screams had definitely caught the viewers’ attention.
Should Have Been Benched?
Some of these ads fall under the controversial category and maybe should have been taken out of the game altogether.
- A year after (1985) Apple introduced Macintosh, they introduced Macintosh Office featuring office workers jumping off a cliff to the tune of “Heigh-Ho” The ad was “morbid, dark and depressing” – and the ad gurus hated it. Apple didn’t advertise during the Super Bowl again until 1999.
- Former Vice President Dan Quayle became the butt of many jokes for many reasons, one of them his inability to spell. In 1993, Frito-Lay gave Quayle a cameo role in a Lays potato chip commercial. In it, Quayle joked about incorrectly spelling potato. Many thought it was bad business to associate Quayle with any product.
- A Holiday Inn ad in 1997 featured a woman at a high school revealing she was now a man after a sex change operation. The sex change was likened to the Inn’s recent renovations. All kinds of groups, including media critics, lambasted the ad for stereotyping.
- How the commercial execs let this one pass is anyone’s guess. In 1999, the following ad sparked a lawsuit. A Just for Feet ad showed a group of mercenaries in a Humvee chasing down a barefoot Kenyan running in Africa. When they caught him, they drugged him unconscious and forced a pair of running shoes on his feet. The ad was called racist and imperialist, and the company pulled the ads. Just for Feet filed a $10 million lawsuit against their advertising agency. Later that same year, Just for Feet filed for bankruptcy. Eventually, the lawsuit was dropped and Just for Feet sold its stores. The last store closed in 2004.
- Then there was Budweiser with the flatulent horse ad that ran during the 2004 Super Bowl. The romantic horse and buggy ride was ruined for one couple when a horse’s flatulence lit a candle and torched the woman’s hair. Critics called it a “disgusting example of sullying a brand.”
The Analysis
Perhaps Neal Burns, former advertising executive and now a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said it best. "There's always this quasi-philosophical argument about whether advertising creates the culture or reflects the culture, but either way it tells us something about ourselves.”
Issue 482
SNIPPETZ GOES FOR THE SILENT TREATMENT: WHEN MOVIES DIDN'T TALK
“The movie people would have nothing to do with me until they heard me speak in a Broadway play, then they all wanted to sign me for the silent movies.”
-W.C. Fields
Few Americans under the age of 90 can relate to the early beginnings of the movie industry. With surround sound and special sound effects, it’s almost unfathomable to think about moviegoers of the 21st century sitting in theatres watching plots develop with nary a word. It might be hard to sit still, maybe the reason the first 20 years of silent movies were just a few minutes in length.
The first silent movies were spinoffs of photography. The work of French and British photographers of the 19th and 20th centuries spawned the development of motion picture cameras, projectors and transparent celluloid film.
In 1888, American George Eastman developed a stable type of celluloid film and sensitized roll photographic film, along with the Kodak small box camera. In 1889, he invented a celluloid roll film with photographic emulsion out of synthetic plastic material that was coated with gelatin.
Thomas Edison and his British assistant developed early motion picture cameras and projectors.
Although two brothers from France – Louis and Auguste Lumiere – have been dubbed the “founding fathers of modern film” worldwide, in the U.S., four companies, including the Edison Manufacturing Co., were vying for dominance in the film industry. Edison had often claimed that it was “his” movie industry. He tried to buy patents from his competitors; some he sued.
The Story Film and Nickelodeons
In the early 1900s, Edison hired Edwin Porter, who began making short narrative films: Jack and the Beanstalk in 1902; The Life of an American Fireman in 1903. That same year, Porter produced The Great Train Robbery based on a real-life train robbery. Made in New Jersey, it was the first narrative Western film with a story line. The film was also the first motion picture hit featuring a future western film icon, Gilbert Anderson, aka Bronco Billy.
Porter also developed the process of editing films, which inarguably furthered the development of the artistry of cinema.
The “flickers” as they were called became a widely touted form of entertainment for everyone. Storefronts and parlors were converted into movie houses. Because the admission charge was usually a nickel – the first cinema theatres became known as nickelodeons.
The first nickelodeon opened in Pittsburgh in June 1905 with a showing of The Great Train Robbery.
Working-class immigrants comprised the majority of the audience and films lasted between 10 minutes and one hour. The demand for this form of entertainment increased the number of films being produced and upped the profits. By 1908, America had about 8,000 neighborhood theatres – now called movie palaces.
The Feature Film
Producers were guarded about making movies that would last more than an hour. In 1911 in Manhattan, Dante’s Inferno was the first feature-length film released in its entirety. It took two years to make and cost more than $180,000. Francesco Bertolini, Giuseppe de Liguoro and Adolfo Padovan were the directors of the 69-minute film.
But the first film shown in its entirety was Oliver Twist in 1912, followed by Queen Elizabeth and Richard III.
The Epics
In 1915, film as art reached new heights with the silent movie Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith, who was born to a poor family on a small farm in Kentucky. His father was a Confederate soldier and Civil War hero.
In his movie, Griffith created and perfected many cinematic methods, such as flashback and crosscutting, along with parallel editing and incredible actions shots. His ingenuity and newly found celebrity was marred when conflicts arose over the theme of Birth of a Nation. Black audiences were outraged by racism depicted in the film, which was viewed as a catalyst to the rise of the Ku Klux Klan.
Still, Birth of a Nation was called the first masterpiece of cinema. As a story of the Civil War, Griffith brought the war to life in an unprecedented way.
In his next movie, Griffith brought prejudice under a microscope with the 1916 release of Intolerance. The film begged for “brotherhood” and “understanding” toward social reformers.
Griffith went on to direct “Broken Blossoms” and “Way Down East.” But these films would never reach the distinctions accorded to Birth of a Nation and Intolerance.
In 1919, Griffith formed a film-making company, United Artists, with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin – all renowned silent film stars. For 10 years, he made films with the company and Paramount, but his films in the Roaring 20s didn’t appeal as much to the younger crowd. Although he was the first to present a true epic, he was unable to find work the last 15 years of his life. In the summer of 1948, Griffith died in a tiny hotel room in Los Angeles.
Lillian Gish, another famous silent movie actress, called Griffith the “father of film,” and Charlie Chaplin called him a “teacher of us all.”
About Charlie
If you're really truthful with yourself, it's a wonderful guidance.
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was not only a prolific actor of silent movies, but also a film maker, script writer, composer and author – a master of the media of his time.
With uncanny and expressive physical movement, Chaplin perfected the character of Tramp, which he first debuted in Kid Auto Races at Venice. As a champion of the little guy and loved by moviegoers, the character of Tramp became Chaplin’s signature role. Tramp still defines Chaplin in pictures today: the Hitler-type mustache, baggy pants, oversized shoes, a bowler hat and the cane.
As a film maker, Chaplin produced a plethora of movies for the cinema. Among them were Gold Rush, Women of Paris and the Circus, for which he received his first Academy Award.
When sound was added to the cinema in the 1930s, Chaplin at first refused to go along with it. He maintained the silent film in 1931 with City Lights. Despite his snub at the talkies, Chaplin’s composition of the entire score for the movie wowed the industry, and critics loved City Lights. At the London premier, Albert Einstein was Chaplin’s invited guest. Sitting next to him at the Los Angeles premier was Bernard Shaw.
Chaplin wasn’t afraid to address volatile issues in his films. “The Great Dictator” in 1939 was patterned after Hitler. When he was 70 years old, he took on the hysteria and political intolerance present in the U.S. during the Cold War years of the 1940s and 1950s in the film A King in New York.
British born, Chaplin himself had been branded as a “foreign liberal” in the U.S. and was targeted by many witch-hunting political groups during the Cold War.
He left the U.S. in 1952 and died Christmas Day in 1977; he was 78 years old.
Silent Snippetz
The End
In 1929, the movie Applause was released featuring a soundtrack with overlapping dialogue. The talkies were born. Ernst Lubitsch’s first talkie, The Love Parade (1929/30), received six Academy Award nominations.
In 1931, Lewis Milestone used a mobile camera combined with “rapid-fire” dialogue and fast editing in the filming of the play The Front Page, the first of the newspaper genre movies.
Sound had arrived.
SNIPPETZ GOES FOR THE SILENT TREATMENT: WHEN MOVIES DIDN'T TALK
“The movie people would have nothing to do with me until they heard me speak in a Broadway play, then they all wanted to sign me for the silent movies.”
-W.C. Fields
Few Americans under the age of 90 can relate to the early beginnings of the movie industry. With surround sound and special sound effects, it’s almost unfathomable to think about moviegoers of the 21st century sitting in theatres watching plots develop with nary a word. It might be hard to sit still, maybe the reason the first 20 years of silent movies were just a few minutes in length.
The first silent movies were spinoffs of photography. The work of French and British photographers of the 19th and 20th centuries spawned the development of motion picture cameras, projectors and transparent celluloid film.
In 1888, American George Eastman developed a stable type of celluloid film and sensitized roll photographic film, along with the Kodak small box camera. In 1889, he invented a celluloid roll film with photographic emulsion out of synthetic plastic material that was coated with gelatin.
Thomas Edison and his British assistant developed early motion picture cameras and projectors.
Although two brothers from France – Louis and Auguste Lumiere – have been dubbed the “founding fathers of modern film” worldwide, in the U.S., four companies, including the Edison Manufacturing Co., were vying for dominance in the film industry. Edison had often claimed that it was “his” movie industry. He tried to buy patents from his competitors; some he sued.
The Story Film and Nickelodeons
In the early 1900s, Edison hired Edwin Porter, who began making short narrative films: Jack and the Beanstalk in 1902; The Life of an American Fireman in 1903. That same year, Porter produced The Great Train Robbery based on a real-life train robbery. Made in New Jersey, it was the first narrative Western film with a story line. The film was also the first motion picture hit featuring a future western film icon, Gilbert Anderson, aka Bronco Billy.
Porter also developed the process of editing films, which inarguably furthered the development of the artistry of cinema.
The “flickers” as they were called became a widely touted form of entertainment for everyone. Storefronts and parlors were converted into movie houses. Because the admission charge was usually a nickel – the first cinema theatres became known as nickelodeons.
The first nickelodeon opened in Pittsburgh in June 1905 with a showing of The Great Train Robbery.
Working-class immigrants comprised the majority of the audience and films lasted between 10 minutes and one hour. The demand for this form of entertainment increased the number of films being produced and upped the profits. By 1908, America had about 8,000 neighborhood theatres – now called movie palaces.
The Feature Film
Producers were guarded about making movies that would last more than an hour. In 1911 in Manhattan, Dante’s Inferno was the first feature-length film released in its entirety. It took two years to make and cost more than $180,000. Francesco Bertolini, Giuseppe de Liguoro and Adolfo Padovan were the directors of the 69-minute film.
But the first film shown in its entirety was Oliver Twist in 1912, followed by Queen Elizabeth and Richard III.
The Epics
In 1915, film as art reached new heights with the silent movie Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith, who was born to a poor family on a small farm in Kentucky. His father was a Confederate soldier and Civil War hero.
In his movie, Griffith created and perfected many cinematic methods, such as flashback and crosscutting, along with parallel editing and incredible actions shots. His ingenuity and newly found celebrity was marred when conflicts arose over the theme of Birth of a Nation. Black audiences were outraged by racism depicted in the film, which was viewed as a catalyst to the rise of the Ku Klux Klan.
Still, Birth of a Nation was called the first masterpiece of cinema. As a story of the Civil War, Griffith brought the war to life in an unprecedented way.
In his next movie, Griffith brought prejudice under a microscope with the 1916 release of Intolerance. The film begged for “brotherhood” and “understanding” toward social reformers.
Griffith went on to direct “Broken Blossoms” and “Way Down East.” But these films would never reach the distinctions accorded to Birth of a Nation and Intolerance.
In 1919, Griffith formed a film-making company, United Artists, with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin – all renowned silent film stars. For 10 years, he made films with the company and Paramount, but his films in the Roaring 20s didn’t appeal as much to the younger crowd. Although he was the first to present a true epic, he was unable to find work the last 15 years of his life. In the summer of 1948, Griffith died in a tiny hotel room in Los Angeles.
Lillian Gish, another famous silent movie actress, called Griffith the “father of film,” and Charlie Chaplin called him a “teacher of us all.”
About Charlie
If you're really truthful with yourself, it's a wonderful guidance.
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was not only a prolific actor of silent movies, but also a film maker, script writer, composer and author – a master of the media of his time.
With uncanny and expressive physical movement, Chaplin perfected the character of Tramp, which he first debuted in Kid Auto Races at Venice. As a champion of the little guy and loved by moviegoers, the character of Tramp became Chaplin’s signature role. Tramp still defines Chaplin in pictures today: the Hitler-type mustache, baggy pants, oversized shoes, a bowler hat and the cane.
As a film maker, Chaplin produced a plethora of movies for the cinema. Among them were Gold Rush, Women of Paris and the Circus, for which he received his first Academy Award.
When sound was added to the cinema in the 1930s, Chaplin at first refused to go along with it. He maintained the silent film in 1931 with City Lights. Despite his snub at the talkies, Chaplin’s composition of the entire score for the movie wowed the industry, and critics loved City Lights. At the London premier, Albert Einstein was Chaplin’s invited guest. Sitting next to him at the Los Angeles premier was Bernard Shaw.
Chaplin wasn’t afraid to address volatile issues in his films. “The Great Dictator” in 1939 was patterned after Hitler. When he was 70 years old, he took on the hysteria and political intolerance present in the U.S. during the Cold War years of the 1940s and 1950s in the film A King in New York.
British born, Chaplin himself had been branded as a “foreign liberal” in the U.S. and was targeted by many witch-hunting political groups during the Cold War.
He left the U.S. in 1952 and died Christmas Day in 1977; he was 78 years old.
Silent Snippetz
- Did you know the following movies were among those first created as silent films? The Ten Commandments, Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Ben-Hur ,The Jazz Singer, Oliver Twist, Robin Hood
- Some of the most popular actors of the 1920s were Lillian Gish, Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino and Douglas Fairbanks.
- The 1922 film Nanook of the North is credited as the first documentary or nonfiction film.
- Chicago was the first city to censor silent movies.
- In 1910, there were about 13,000 movie theatres in the U.S. (2006: more than 38,000).
- The average length of the silent movie in 1910: about 30 minutes (today: 120 minutes).
- Mary Pickford’s salary in 1910 was $175 per week (Jennifer Aniston in The Breakup - $8 million).
- The average budget for a feature film was $13,000 during the silent movie era (2007 – about $100 million).
The End
In 1929, the movie Applause was released featuring a soundtrack with overlapping dialogue. The talkies were born. Ernst Lubitsch’s first talkie, The Love Parade (1929/30), received six Academy Award nominations.
In 1931, Lewis Milestone used a mobile camera combined with “rapid-fire” dialogue and fast editing in the filming of the play The Front Page, the first of the newspaper genre movies.
Sound had arrived.
Issue 481
ON YOUR MARK... GET SET... GO... SNIPPETZ TAKES YOU TO THE RACES
“Racing is a matter of spirit not strength.”
- Janet Guthrie
Psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists and other “ists” have studied competition for decades. Is it an innate or learned behavior? Or is it some of both? Nonetheless, proof of the human need or fascination with competition is everywhere. People compete with others for jobs, in sports and against themselves. And the venues for expressing the competitive spirit are numerous from racing cockroaches and bathtubs on wheels to spelling bees. If you’re an Olympic wannabe without the sponsorship, then there’s a race or contest somewhere at some time just for you. Snippetz takes a look at a few of the more … ahem … interesting contests.
Dust Off Your Stair-Climbing Shoes
Think running up 86 stories over 1,576 stairs as fast as you can. If you’re up to it, you can enter the Race to the Top, an annual tradition since 1978 whereby runners take to the stairs of New York’s Empire State Building. From 1999 through 2003, Australian Paul Crake won this race. His fastest time of 9 minutes and 33 seconds is still the time to beat. This year’s race will be held on Feb. 1, 2011.
Prefer to Sit?
Grab a bathtub and slap some wheels on it (see photo above) and you can enter Nome, Alaska’s Great American Bathtub Race on Labor Day. After spending a bundle of money on travel and many hours to get to Nome, you and four friends only need $20 for your race entry fee. Be sure to get there a few days early to grab yourself a competitive tub and wheels from the local landfill. One gets to be up to his or her neck in hot bubbly water in the tub while four teammates do the pulling along Front Street. The grand prize: bragging rights.
Calling Creative Cooks
If you’re a culinary genius, check out the Austin, Texas SPAMARAMA, otherwise known as the Pandemonious Potted Pork Festival held on April Fool’s Day. There is a SPAM cook-off and other festivities to include a tug-of-war contest pitting teams over a pool of SPAM jelly. Nothing says all American like SPAM.
Calling Creative Eaters
Eating contests have been popular for decades and one of the most widely known is the hot dog eating contest held on the 4th of July in Coney Island, N.Y. at Nathan’s Famous hotdog stand. Contestants get 10 minutes to eat as many dogs as they can with a drink of their choice to assist in washing them down. The winner of this contest earns bragging rights along with a very large and fashionable Mustard Belt to wear, likely to be the envy of his or her friends. Nathan’s has hosted this American pastime since 1916. Last year, Joey Chestnut won his fourth championship in a row by downing 54 dogs. The grand prize was $10,000 with a total purse of $20,000. Enough cash to purchase antacids.
Win Your Wife’s Weight in Beer!
Not to be outdone by Finland’s Wife Carrying World Championship, Sunday River, Maine is the home of the North American Wife Carrying Championship. Carry the little lady through a 278-yard obstacle course with the best time and win your wife’s weight in beer and five times her weight in cold hard cash. Legend has it this race came from the old tradition in Finland whereby a man would run into a village, grab a prospective wife, literally, and carry her off into the sunset. Thanks to women’s rights, since 2005 the little lady can now carry the big guy through the obstacle course if she so chooses.
Coffin Races, Polar Plunges and Frozen Dead Guys … Oh My
If your town housed a frozen dead guy in a storage shed complete with weekly dry ice deliveries and a documentary about him, you’d probably want to host a festival to celebrate too. The town of Nederland, Colo., just west of Boulder, is home to the three-day Frozen Dead Guy Days held the first weekend in March. There’s something for everyone at this festival including pancake breakfasts, parade of hearses, coffin races, scavenger hunts, a polar plunge and the Blue Ball. There’s also the grandpa look-alike and alien ice queen costume contests. Grandpa is Grandpa Bredo Morstoel who died in 1989 and has been kept in a cryogenic state in a TuffShed in hopes that advances in technology will bring grandpa back to life some day. If you’re thinking you’d like to visit grandpa Bredo, think again. His TuffShed is tough to get to, so it’s best to stick with the festival in his honor. Donations are always accepted to help keep grandpa in the manner in which he has become accustomed. This year’s festival motto: Freeze the Day. Catchy.
Manitou Springs, Colo. hosts the Emma Crawford Festival featuring a coffin race and parade in her honor. Crawford’s claim to fame? Emma and her family moved to Manitou Springs in 1889 in hopes that the environment would help cure her tuberculosis. One day she hiked to the top of Red Mountain and had a vision while there. She tied a scarf to a tree and stated that her dying wish was to be buried there. When she died in 1891 at the age of 19, her fiancé and his friends did indeed bury her at that site. Spiritual hikers often visited her there and eventually she was relocated to a different side of the slope to make room for a train to go up the mountain. Not only did the railroad fail, but Crawford’s coffin was affected by erosion and slid down the mountain after an especially severe rainstorm. Eventually, her remains were buried in Crystal Valley Cemetery. Legend has it that Crawford will not rest until she is moved back to the top of Red Mountain, so she continues to haunt those slopes. Starting in 1994, Manitou Springs has held a parade in her honor as well as a coffin race each year at the end of October. As in the bathtub races, coffin races have teams of five members with one coffin rider and four pulling it on wheels. Awards are given for the race winners as well as the best decked out coffin and its costumed team members.
Gentlemen, Start Your Lawnmowers
With only a trophy and bragging rights, hundreds enter lawnmower racing events every year in many towns around the world as well as in the U.S. These lawnmower racing enthusiasts have their own association – United States Lawn Mower Racing Association – with an official website of www.letsmow.com. If lucky enough to win a regional championship, this “grassroots” movement goes on to compete at the national championships every Labor Day weekend. This group loves adding to their 45 chapters across the country – “The Mow, the Merrier.”
A Redneck’s Dream
If you’re looking for inexpensive entertainment, then the Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Geo. might be the ticket. Held in July of each year, entry fees are only $5.00 for contests such as bobbin’ for pig’s feet, redneck horseshoes, hubcap hurling and toilet seat pitching. Such a deal.
A Race for Nothing
If all this talk of competition and festivals is too much, then head off to Telluride, Colo. for their Nothing Festival. Complete with a city permit, the festival began in 1991 and boasts absolutely no races, contests or activities each year at a designated time in the month of July. The annual theme: Thank you for not participating!
ON YOUR MARK... GET SET... GO... SNIPPETZ TAKES YOU TO THE RACES
“Racing is a matter of spirit not strength.”
- Janet Guthrie
Psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists and other “ists” have studied competition for decades. Is it an innate or learned behavior? Or is it some of both? Nonetheless, proof of the human need or fascination with competition is everywhere. People compete with others for jobs, in sports and against themselves. And the venues for expressing the competitive spirit are numerous from racing cockroaches and bathtubs on wheels to spelling bees. If you’re an Olympic wannabe without the sponsorship, then there’s a race or contest somewhere at some time just for you. Snippetz takes a look at a few of the more … ahem … interesting contests.
Dust Off Your Stair-Climbing Shoes
Think running up 86 stories over 1,576 stairs as fast as you can. If you’re up to it, you can enter the Race to the Top, an annual tradition since 1978 whereby runners take to the stairs of New York’s Empire State Building. From 1999 through 2003, Australian Paul Crake won this race. His fastest time of 9 minutes and 33 seconds is still the time to beat. This year’s race will be held on Feb. 1, 2011.
Prefer to Sit?
Grab a bathtub and slap some wheels on it (see photo above) and you can enter Nome, Alaska’s Great American Bathtub Race on Labor Day. After spending a bundle of money on travel and many hours to get to Nome, you and four friends only need $20 for your race entry fee. Be sure to get there a few days early to grab yourself a competitive tub and wheels from the local landfill. One gets to be up to his or her neck in hot bubbly water in the tub while four teammates do the pulling along Front Street. The grand prize: bragging rights.
Calling Creative Cooks
If you’re a culinary genius, check out the Austin, Texas SPAMARAMA, otherwise known as the Pandemonious Potted Pork Festival held on April Fool’s Day. There is a SPAM cook-off and other festivities to include a tug-of-war contest pitting teams over a pool of SPAM jelly. Nothing says all American like SPAM.
Calling Creative Eaters
Eating contests have been popular for decades and one of the most widely known is the hot dog eating contest held on the 4th of July in Coney Island, N.Y. at Nathan’s Famous hotdog stand. Contestants get 10 minutes to eat as many dogs as they can with a drink of their choice to assist in washing them down. The winner of this contest earns bragging rights along with a very large and fashionable Mustard Belt to wear, likely to be the envy of his or her friends. Nathan’s has hosted this American pastime since 1916. Last year, Joey Chestnut won his fourth championship in a row by downing 54 dogs. The grand prize was $10,000 with a total purse of $20,000. Enough cash to purchase antacids.
Win Your Wife’s Weight in Beer!
Not to be outdone by Finland’s Wife Carrying World Championship, Sunday River, Maine is the home of the North American Wife Carrying Championship. Carry the little lady through a 278-yard obstacle course with the best time and win your wife’s weight in beer and five times her weight in cold hard cash. Legend has it this race came from the old tradition in Finland whereby a man would run into a village, grab a prospective wife, literally, and carry her off into the sunset. Thanks to women’s rights, since 2005 the little lady can now carry the big guy through the obstacle course if she so chooses.
Coffin Races, Polar Plunges and Frozen Dead Guys … Oh My
If your town housed a frozen dead guy in a storage shed complete with weekly dry ice deliveries and a documentary about him, you’d probably want to host a festival to celebrate too. The town of Nederland, Colo., just west of Boulder, is home to the three-day Frozen Dead Guy Days held the first weekend in March. There’s something for everyone at this festival including pancake breakfasts, parade of hearses, coffin races, scavenger hunts, a polar plunge and the Blue Ball. There’s also the grandpa look-alike and alien ice queen costume contests. Grandpa is Grandpa Bredo Morstoel who died in 1989 and has been kept in a cryogenic state in a TuffShed in hopes that advances in technology will bring grandpa back to life some day. If you’re thinking you’d like to visit grandpa Bredo, think again. His TuffShed is tough to get to, so it’s best to stick with the festival in his honor. Donations are always accepted to help keep grandpa in the manner in which he has become accustomed. This year’s festival motto: Freeze the Day. Catchy.
Manitou Springs, Colo. hosts the Emma Crawford Festival featuring a coffin race and parade in her honor. Crawford’s claim to fame? Emma and her family moved to Manitou Springs in 1889 in hopes that the environment would help cure her tuberculosis. One day she hiked to the top of Red Mountain and had a vision while there. She tied a scarf to a tree and stated that her dying wish was to be buried there. When she died in 1891 at the age of 19, her fiancé and his friends did indeed bury her at that site. Spiritual hikers often visited her there and eventually she was relocated to a different side of the slope to make room for a train to go up the mountain. Not only did the railroad fail, but Crawford’s coffin was affected by erosion and slid down the mountain after an especially severe rainstorm. Eventually, her remains were buried in Crystal Valley Cemetery. Legend has it that Crawford will not rest until she is moved back to the top of Red Mountain, so she continues to haunt those slopes. Starting in 1994, Manitou Springs has held a parade in her honor as well as a coffin race each year at the end of October. As in the bathtub races, coffin races have teams of five members with one coffin rider and four pulling it on wheels. Awards are given for the race winners as well as the best decked out coffin and its costumed team members.
Gentlemen, Start Your Lawnmowers
With only a trophy and bragging rights, hundreds enter lawnmower racing events every year in many towns around the world as well as in the U.S. These lawnmower racing enthusiasts have their own association – United States Lawn Mower Racing Association – with an official website of www.letsmow.com. If lucky enough to win a regional championship, this “grassroots” movement goes on to compete at the national championships every Labor Day weekend. This group loves adding to their 45 chapters across the country – “The Mow, the Merrier.”
A Redneck’s Dream
If you’re looking for inexpensive entertainment, then the Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Geo. might be the ticket. Held in July of each year, entry fees are only $5.00 for contests such as bobbin’ for pig’s feet, redneck horseshoes, hubcap hurling and toilet seat pitching. Such a deal.
A Race for Nothing
If all this talk of competition and festivals is too much, then head off to Telluride, Colo. for their Nothing Festival. Complete with a city permit, the festival began in 1991 and boasts absolutely no races, contests or activities each year at a designated time in the month of July. The annual theme: Thank you for not participating!
Issue 480
SNIPPETZ INVESTIGATES YOUR SIGN: DOES THE ZODIAC REALLY TELL ALL?
“Who needs astrology? The wise man gets by on fortune cookies.”
-Edward Abbey
Many high-ranking officials and leaders worldwide sought guidance from their personal astrologers before they would make any decisions on a variety of matters. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan made a splash in history when she consulted an astrologist after the assassination attempt on her husband and then president, Ronald Reagan, who also turned to the galaxy for guidance.
Millions of Americans read their horoscope on a daily basis – some read for fun; others are serious. One Harris poll showed that at least 31 percent of Americans believe in astrology to some degree. Almost half of the believers were in the 25 to 29 age group, as opposed to 14 percent of those 65 years plus.
More Than The Daily Horoscope
The “art” or “science” or “black magic” (as some believe) of astrology dates way back to 1645 BC in the days of Babylon. In the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, constellations were recognized and named, soon after 3000 B.C.
Based on a mixed bag of mathematical systems, astrology is the study of the interactions among the stars and the planets and how those relationships affect human existence. It’s not to be confused with astronomy, which is the study of the sun, moon and stars – without the human factor.
Advances in astrology have been credited to the Greeks. When they linked the planets and constellations to Greek gods, the Greeks gave new meaning to the science of astrology. The Greek astronomer and mathematician, Ptolemy, became a legendary guru of astrology after he wrote books on the subject. His writings eventually became the fodder for modern-day astrology.
Others like Galileo and Copernicus also were recognized as the “fathers” of the modern movement of astrology.
The popularity of astrology soared during the Renaissance Period, as almanacs began publishing astrological information for the public to utilize.
However, astrology eventually lost its momentum for a number of years when a first-of-its-kind prediction failed to materialize.
The Great Conjunction of 1524
Remember Y2K and all the negative predictions that had people stocking up on supplies and incessantly talking about the “end” of the beginning of 2000?
The same sort of “scare” happened in 1524 as well, when astrologers announced the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, and a conjunction of all the ancient planets under the sign of Pisces. Because the conjunction was supposed to happen under a water sign (Pisces), predictions about flooding and an overabundance of rain and snow were widespread. But controversy over using the Conjunction of 1524 as a prognosticator of weather brought on numerous treatises decrying its reliability.
Modern astrological software has now revealed that the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn took place Jan. 30, 1524, before all seven planets were together in Pisces. On Feb. 13 the same year, Mercury entered Pisces, which brought all of the traditional planets together under Pisces, except for the Moon in Gemini. On Feb. 20, Venus entered Aries with the Moon in Sagittarius. Clear as mud?
In other words, the Conjunction of 1524 was a non-event. When the astrologically based predictions never came to fruition, the science of the constellations in relation to humans declined in popularity.
Although many continued to practice astrology, it wasn’t until 1930 when Princess Margaret was born that astrology was once again embraced en masse. To celebrate the birth of the princess, the “London Sunday Express” ran an astrological profile of her; thus, the beginning of the modern newspaper horoscope.
The Signs of the Zodiac
The Greeks believed the constellations could determine the strengths of a person at the time of birth; they also believed that a person’s life was pre-ordained and all major events could be predicted through knowledge of the Zodiac system.
Astrologers (some were called soothsayers) used zodiac animal and human signs, such as the goat, the crab and the archer, to predict the destinies of the wealthy and the aristocrats. The zodiac signs were divided into four main groups in correlation to the elements of Earth. The signs of FIRE are attributed to the sun: Aires, Leo and Sagittarius. AIR signs are connected with the power of wind: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. The rainy season or WATER signs include Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. EARTH signs are Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo.
Chinese Horoscope Legends
Many Americans have adopted the Chinese zodiac signs as a forecast for the future as well. Chinese astrology is about the position of the major planets when a person is born.
The Chinese built a system around a 12-year cycle of animal signs by observing the orbit of Jupiter. Following Jupiter’s orbit around the sun, the Chinese divided the “celestial” circle into 12 sections.
There are many myths and legends about the roots of the Chinese zodiac signs. The 12 animals that make up the signs, which appear on the Chinese zodiac calendar, are an odd conglomeration: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, monkey, pig, horse, sheep, rooster and dog.
The most famous legend regarding the Chinese zodiac signs begins with Buddha inviting all animals to participate in a race. The prize was a “coveted” position on the Chinese zodiac calendar. The first 12 animals to cross the river would appear on the calendar in the order they finished.
The rat came in first, achieving his place by using his brain. The rat hitched a ride on the best swimmer (the buffalo) and jumped off the buffalo’s back just before reaching the finish line. The buffalo came in second.
The tiger crossed in third place, followed by the rabbit that jumped his way across the river, with the dragon helping the rabbit on the final stretch. The snake hid in the hoof of the horse and jumped out at the last minute, scaring the horse and getting the No. 6 spot. The sheep, monkey and rooster all helped each other cross the river, earning three of the 12 spots. The dog and pig were the next ones in despite the fact that both had stopped halfway between. The dog stopped to take a bath and the pig, which had feasted prior to the race, stopped to rest – they were the last to achieve a position on the calendar.
Hey Baby, What’s Your Sign?
The moon orbits one full turn around Earth in 28 days and in doing so it passes through each zodiac sign for about two days. During that time, the moon within the sign is thought to influence the behaviors of people, affecting everything from daily activities to moods to crime to romance.
A vast number of Americans have at one time or another consulted astrological charts for information on relationship compatibility.
Astrology-based hookups have become part of the online dating networks. Web sites flood the Internet reaching out to people who want to find that special person through what is labeled as “astro-science.”
Reality or Voodoo
For as many believers in astrology, there are the naysayers. From Christians to atheists, plenty of people think astrology is hogwash. Many believe that astrology is a superstition – a pseudoscience, and that psychology explains the belief in astrology as cognitively based.
But some renowned figures in the U.S. believe astrology is a worthy prophet.
Inventors, scientists, authors and doctors have believed that astrology is as plausible as any other science.
Here’s what some of our past prominent citizens had to say on the subject.
SNIPPETZ INVESTIGATES YOUR SIGN: DOES THE ZODIAC REALLY TELL ALL?
“Who needs astrology? The wise man gets by on fortune cookies.”
-Edward Abbey
Many high-ranking officials and leaders worldwide sought guidance from their personal astrologers before they would make any decisions on a variety of matters. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan made a splash in history when she consulted an astrologist after the assassination attempt on her husband and then president, Ronald Reagan, who also turned to the galaxy for guidance.
Millions of Americans read their horoscope on a daily basis – some read for fun; others are serious. One Harris poll showed that at least 31 percent of Americans believe in astrology to some degree. Almost half of the believers were in the 25 to 29 age group, as opposed to 14 percent of those 65 years plus.
More Than The Daily Horoscope
The “art” or “science” or “black magic” (as some believe) of astrology dates way back to 1645 BC in the days of Babylon. In the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, constellations were recognized and named, soon after 3000 B.C.
Based on a mixed bag of mathematical systems, astrology is the study of the interactions among the stars and the planets and how those relationships affect human existence. It’s not to be confused with astronomy, which is the study of the sun, moon and stars – without the human factor.
Advances in astrology have been credited to the Greeks. When they linked the planets and constellations to Greek gods, the Greeks gave new meaning to the science of astrology. The Greek astronomer and mathematician, Ptolemy, became a legendary guru of astrology after he wrote books on the subject. His writings eventually became the fodder for modern-day astrology.
Others like Galileo and Copernicus also were recognized as the “fathers” of the modern movement of astrology.
The popularity of astrology soared during the Renaissance Period, as almanacs began publishing astrological information for the public to utilize.
However, astrology eventually lost its momentum for a number of years when a first-of-its-kind prediction failed to materialize.
The Great Conjunction of 1524
Remember Y2K and all the negative predictions that had people stocking up on supplies and incessantly talking about the “end” of the beginning of 2000?
The same sort of “scare” happened in 1524 as well, when astrologers announced the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, and a conjunction of all the ancient planets under the sign of Pisces. Because the conjunction was supposed to happen under a water sign (Pisces), predictions about flooding and an overabundance of rain and snow were widespread. But controversy over using the Conjunction of 1524 as a prognosticator of weather brought on numerous treatises decrying its reliability.
Modern astrological software has now revealed that the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn took place Jan. 30, 1524, before all seven planets were together in Pisces. On Feb. 13 the same year, Mercury entered Pisces, which brought all of the traditional planets together under Pisces, except for the Moon in Gemini. On Feb. 20, Venus entered Aries with the Moon in Sagittarius. Clear as mud?
In other words, the Conjunction of 1524 was a non-event. When the astrologically based predictions never came to fruition, the science of the constellations in relation to humans declined in popularity.
Although many continued to practice astrology, it wasn’t until 1930 when Princess Margaret was born that astrology was once again embraced en masse. To celebrate the birth of the princess, the “London Sunday Express” ran an astrological profile of her; thus, the beginning of the modern newspaper horoscope.
The Signs of the Zodiac
The Greeks believed the constellations could determine the strengths of a person at the time of birth; they also believed that a person’s life was pre-ordained and all major events could be predicted through knowledge of the Zodiac system.
Astrologers (some were called soothsayers) used zodiac animal and human signs, such as the goat, the crab and the archer, to predict the destinies of the wealthy and the aristocrats. The zodiac signs were divided into four main groups in correlation to the elements of Earth. The signs of FIRE are attributed to the sun: Aires, Leo and Sagittarius. AIR signs are connected with the power of wind: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. The rainy season or WATER signs include Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. EARTH signs are Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo.
Chinese Horoscope Legends
Many Americans have adopted the Chinese zodiac signs as a forecast for the future as well. Chinese astrology is about the position of the major planets when a person is born.
The Chinese built a system around a 12-year cycle of animal signs by observing the orbit of Jupiter. Following Jupiter’s orbit around the sun, the Chinese divided the “celestial” circle into 12 sections.
There are many myths and legends about the roots of the Chinese zodiac signs. The 12 animals that make up the signs, which appear on the Chinese zodiac calendar, are an odd conglomeration: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, monkey, pig, horse, sheep, rooster and dog.
The most famous legend regarding the Chinese zodiac signs begins with Buddha inviting all animals to participate in a race. The prize was a “coveted” position on the Chinese zodiac calendar. The first 12 animals to cross the river would appear on the calendar in the order they finished.
The rat came in first, achieving his place by using his brain. The rat hitched a ride on the best swimmer (the buffalo) and jumped off the buffalo’s back just before reaching the finish line. The buffalo came in second.
The tiger crossed in third place, followed by the rabbit that jumped his way across the river, with the dragon helping the rabbit on the final stretch. The snake hid in the hoof of the horse and jumped out at the last minute, scaring the horse and getting the No. 6 spot. The sheep, monkey and rooster all helped each other cross the river, earning three of the 12 spots. The dog and pig were the next ones in despite the fact that both had stopped halfway between. The dog stopped to take a bath and the pig, which had feasted prior to the race, stopped to rest – they were the last to achieve a position on the calendar.
Hey Baby, What’s Your Sign?
The moon orbits one full turn around Earth in 28 days and in doing so it passes through each zodiac sign for about two days. During that time, the moon within the sign is thought to influence the behaviors of people, affecting everything from daily activities to moods to crime to romance.
A vast number of Americans have at one time or another consulted astrological charts for information on relationship compatibility.
Astrology-based hookups have become part of the online dating networks. Web sites flood the Internet reaching out to people who want to find that special person through what is labeled as “astro-science.”
Reality or Voodoo
For as many believers in astrology, there are the naysayers. From Christians to atheists, plenty of people think astrology is hogwash. Many believe that astrology is a superstition – a pseudoscience, and that psychology explains the belief in astrology as cognitively based.
But some renowned figures in the U.S. believe astrology is a worthy prophet.
Inventors, scientists, authors and doctors have believed that astrology is as plausible as any other science.
Here’s what some of our past prominent citizens had to say on the subject.
- Benjamin Franklin wrote about astrology in Poor Richard’s Almanac: "Oh the wonderful knowledge to be found in the stars. Even the smallest things are written there ... if you had but skill to read."
- President Theodore Roosevelt kept his horoscope mounted on a chess board in the oval office because, in his words, "I always keep my weather eye on the opposition of my seventh house Moon to my first house Mars."
- “Millionaires don’t use astrology, billionaires do,” said JP Morgan, one of America's first billionaires.
- Donald Reagan, the former chief of staff under President Reagan, said, “It's common knowledge that a large percentage of Wall Street brokers use astrology." (And not very well we might add)
- "Astrology is a science in itself and contains an illuminating body of knowledge. It taught me many things and I am greatly indebted to it." Albert Einstein
- Physicist Sir Isaac Newton said, in defense of astrology, to skeptic Edmund Halley: "I have studied the matter. You sir, have not".
- "Astrology is astronomy brought down to earth and applied toward the affairs of man.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "A physician without the knowledge of astrology has no right to call himself a physician.” Hippocrates
- "The controls of life are structured as forms and nuclear arrangements, in relation with the motions of the universe." Louis Pasteur
- "I was born with Halley's Comet and I expect to die upon its return.” (And he did) Mark Twain
- "Astrology is assured recognition from psychology without further restrictions, because astrology represents the summation of all the knowledge of antiquity. The fact that it is possible to construct, in adequate fashion, a person's character from the data of his nativity, shows the validity of astrology." Dr. Carl Jung, one of the founding fathers of psychology
- "Heaven sends down its good and evil symbols and wise men act accordingly." Confucius
Issue 479
SNIPPETZ IS IN PURSUIT OF TRIVIA
Answers: Hummingbird; Beatles; Richard M. Nixon; Mars and Murrie, the last names of the men who developed M&M Candies in 1941; and …
Although it had been a favorite pastime of students since the 1950s, the game of trivia was popularized en masse in the mid 60s, when four students from Columbia University appeared on the television show, “I’ve Got a Secret.” The students competed in a trivia contest with the show’s regular panelists, and shortly after, Columbia University hosted its own show: the First Annual Ivy League-Seven Sisters Trivia Contest. By 1966, trivia bowls had spread to college campuses nationwide.
The First College Bowl
Before universities took on the sponsorship of trivia bowls, American companies like Good Housekeeping magazine and General Electric backed trivia contests for students. Good Housekeeping sponsored a trivia bowl on the radio, referred to as “the varsity sport of the mind,” from 1953 to 1955. In January 1959, the most well-known of all college bowls was launched with GE as its sponsor.
The GE College Bowl became a hit network television show, originally hosted by Allen Ludden and later Robert Earle. It ran about 25 to 40 weeks each year on Saturdays and Sundays for 17 seasons, until June 1970. During its run, the College Bowl won numerous accolades from presidents to Congress to the PTA and received a slew of awards, including an Emmy and the Peabody Award for outstanding achievement in entertainment and education.
In today’s world of college bowls, the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point boasts the world’s largest trivia contest. The contest, which has run for 38 years, is open to anyone and played in April each year. It spans 54 hours throughout a weekend with eight questions every hour. There are 500 teams with one to 50 players, and the top 10 are awarded trophies.
Trivial Pursuit Trivia
The word “trivia” is the plural form of “trivium,” a Latin noun taken from “triple” and “via.” In short, trivia is referred to as knowledge that is good to have but nonessential – mainly it’s material for answering quiz questions.
But trivia became essential with the arrival of the board game, Trivial Pursuit.
On Dec. 15, 1979, a photo journalist for the “Montreal Gazette,” Chris Haney, and a sports journalist for “The Canadian Press,” Scott Abbott, were playing a game of Scrabble when they decided to invent their own game. Two years later, their invention was trademark registered and eventually released as Trivial Pursuit.
The first copies of Trivial Pursuit sold at a loss. Manufacturing costs for the copies were $75 each game; retailers sold it for $15. Then, in 1983, Selchow and Righter, a U.S. game manufacturer and distributor, bought the rights to Trivial Pursuit; and, after an all-out public relations campaign, the game became “the biggest phenomenon in game history,” according to Time magazine.
In December 1993, Games Magazine named Trivial Pursuit to the “Games Hall of Fame.”
As time went on, Trivial Pursuit came out with pop-culture games like the Beatles Trivia Pursuit and Seinfeld Trivia Pursuit. As technology crept in, Trivial Pursuit kept up, with Trivial Pursuit games for computer and video, cell phones, the Wii and the iPod.
Have you ever been to a bar and played the video version of Trivial Pursuit while sipping a beer?
Regardless of the variety, the basics remain the same. In 2008, Parker Brothers released Trivial Pursuit: the Best of Genus. The edition is a collection of “best” questions in all of the categories from the past 25 years, from people and places to sports and leisure to science and nature.
Some of the all-time, best-loved Trivial Pursuit questions can be silly, funny or a bit personal.
For example: What did 100,000 American women buy 200,000 of in 1980? Who once warned: "Never eat more than you can lift"? What African animal's name is made up of the letters n, g and u?
Answers: breast implants; Miss Piggy; a Gnu
T.V. Trivia Games
The popularity of the board game gave birth to trivia-related television shows like “Jeopardy” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” And for the younger set (or adults shot down by Jeopardy), there is “Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader?”
Most of the trivial pursuits-of-the-same-name-television game shows were short-lived.
The Family Channel’s “Trivial Pursuit” game show aired from 1993 to 1995, with announcers Wink Martindale and Randy West.
Running only one season was Trivial Pursuit: America Plays. The game show premiered in September 2008 but wasn’t renewed, even though it was based on an interactive format, where the public sent in questions with a potential to win money at home.
The Trivia Guru
There’s always the smarty pants in the crowd.
Wilson Casey is known as “The Trivia Guy.” He is an American columnist, author and entertainer and holds two Guinness World Book of Records for a 30-hour live, continuous broadcast on radio station WKDY-AM that took place Jan. 9 and Jan. 10, 1999, in Spartanburg, SC. During the 30-hour trivia marathon, he asked and correctly identified 3,333 questions.
Famous Trivial Pursuits
There’s trivia games for foodies, science geeks and sports enthusiasts, among others. Who can talk trivia without mentioning need-to-know facts about Super Bowl?
Did you know …?
• No NFL team has ever played the Super Bowl on its own home field.
• No Super Bowl game has ever gone into overtime play.
• Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving as the day Americans consume the largest amount of food.
• The first Super Bowl was played in 1967. The Green Bay Packers of the National Football League defeated the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League, 35-to-10.
There also is plenty of trivia for entomologists (those who study insects). Did you know? (Do you care to know?)
• Amazon ants (red ants found in the western U.S.) steal the larvae of other ants to keep as slaves. The slave ants build homes for and feed the Amazon ants, who cannot do anything but fight. They depend completely on their slaves for survival.
• The honeybee kills more people worldwide than all the poisonous snakes combined.
• The venom of a female black widow spider is more potent than that of a rattlesnake.
• The world's smallest winged insect, the Tanzanian parasitic wasp, is smaller than the eye of a housefly.
• There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings on the entire earth.
• When ants find food, they lay down a chemical trail, called a pheromone, so that other ants can find their way from the nest to the food source.
• Worker ants may live seven years and the queen may live as long as 15 years.
• You're more likely to be a target for mosquitoes if you consume bananas.
Test Your Knowledge
It’s an article about trivia, so it’s time to throw out some trivia questions to our readers. Test your knowledge of “American firsts.” Answers below
1. Who was the first American basketball player featured on a box of Wheaties?
2. Who was the entertainer to appear on the cover of the first edition of People Magazine?
3. Who was the first American president to speak on television?
4. What was the first American consumer product sold in the Soviet Union?
5. What was the first toy product advertised on television?
6. What year did the first personal computer, the Apple II, go on sale?
7. Most lipsticks contain what ingredient (sounds fishy)?
8. Who was the first female U.S. attorney general?
9. Who was the president to mandate that cigarette manufacturers put health warnings on their packages?
10. What illegal drug was used in the 1880s to cure sore throat, neuralgia, nervousness, headache, colds and sleeplessness?
Answers: 1. Michael Jordan; 2. Mia Farrow – 1974; 3. Franklin D. Roosevelt; 4. Pepsi-Cola; 5. Mr. Potato Head; 6. 1977; 7. fish scales; 8. Janet Reno; 9. Lyndon B. Johnson; 10. Cocaine
A game of trivia to ring in 2011, anyone?
SNIPPETZ IS IN PURSUIT OF TRIVIA
- What is the only bird that can fly backwards?
- Which band held the top-five spots on the billboard singles chart on April 4, 1964?
- Who was the only president in office to resign?
- What do the letters “m” stand for in M&M candies?
- When and how did the pastime of trivia become a pop culture phenomenon?
Answers: Hummingbird; Beatles; Richard M. Nixon; Mars and Murrie, the last names of the men who developed M&M Candies in 1941; and …
Although it had been a favorite pastime of students since the 1950s, the game of trivia was popularized en masse in the mid 60s, when four students from Columbia University appeared on the television show, “I’ve Got a Secret.” The students competed in a trivia contest with the show’s regular panelists, and shortly after, Columbia University hosted its own show: the First Annual Ivy League-Seven Sisters Trivia Contest. By 1966, trivia bowls had spread to college campuses nationwide.
The First College Bowl
Before universities took on the sponsorship of trivia bowls, American companies like Good Housekeeping magazine and General Electric backed trivia contests for students. Good Housekeeping sponsored a trivia bowl on the radio, referred to as “the varsity sport of the mind,” from 1953 to 1955. In January 1959, the most well-known of all college bowls was launched with GE as its sponsor.
The GE College Bowl became a hit network television show, originally hosted by Allen Ludden and later Robert Earle. It ran about 25 to 40 weeks each year on Saturdays and Sundays for 17 seasons, until June 1970. During its run, the College Bowl won numerous accolades from presidents to Congress to the PTA and received a slew of awards, including an Emmy and the Peabody Award for outstanding achievement in entertainment and education.
In today’s world of college bowls, the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point boasts the world’s largest trivia contest. The contest, which has run for 38 years, is open to anyone and played in April each year. It spans 54 hours throughout a weekend with eight questions every hour. There are 500 teams with one to 50 players, and the top 10 are awarded trophies.
Trivial Pursuit Trivia
The word “trivia” is the plural form of “trivium,” a Latin noun taken from “triple” and “via.” In short, trivia is referred to as knowledge that is good to have but nonessential – mainly it’s material for answering quiz questions.
But trivia became essential with the arrival of the board game, Trivial Pursuit.
On Dec. 15, 1979, a photo journalist for the “Montreal Gazette,” Chris Haney, and a sports journalist for “The Canadian Press,” Scott Abbott, were playing a game of Scrabble when they decided to invent their own game. Two years later, their invention was trademark registered and eventually released as Trivial Pursuit.
The first copies of Trivial Pursuit sold at a loss. Manufacturing costs for the copies were $75 each game; retailers sold it for $15. Then, in 1983, Selchow and Righter, a U.S. game manufacturer and distributor, bought the rights to Trivial Pursuit; and, after an all-out public relations campaign, the game became “the biggest phenomenon in game history,” according to Time magazine.
In December 1993, Games Magazine named Trivial Pursuit to the “Games Hall of Fame.”
As time went on, Trivial Pursuit came out with pop-culture games like the Beatles Trivia Pursuit and Seinfeld Trivia Pursuit. As technology crept in, Trivial Pursuit kept up, with Trivial Pursuit games for computer and video, cell phones, the Wii and the iPod.
Have you ever been to a bar and played the video version of Trivial Pursuit while sipping a beer?
Regardless of the variety, the basics remain the same. In 2008, Parker Brothers released Trivial Pursuit: the Best of Genus. The edition is a collection of “best” questions in all of the categories from the past 25 years, from people and places to sports and leisure to science and nature.
Some of the all-time, best-loved Trivial Pursuit questions can be silly, funny or a bit personal.
For example: What did 100,000 American women buy 200,000 of in 1980? Who once warned: "Never eat more than you can lift"? What African animal's name is made up of the letters n, g and u?
Answers: breast implants; Miss Piggy; a Gnu
T.V. Trivia Games
The popularity of the board game gave birth to trivia-related television shows like “Jeopardy” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” And for the younger set (or adults shot down by Jeopardy), there is “Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader?”
Most of the trivial pursuits-of-the-same-name-television game shows were short-lived.
The Family Channel’s “Trivial Pursuit” game show aired from 1993 to 1995, with announcers Wink Martindale and Randy West.
Running only one season was Trivial Pursuit: America Plays. The game show premiered in September 2008 but wasn’t renewed, even though it was based on an interactive format, where the public sent in questions with a potential to win money at home.
The Trivia Guru
There’s always the smarty pants in the crowd.
Wilson Casey is known as “The Trivia Guy.” He is an American columnist, author and entertainer and holds two Guinness World Book of Records for a 30-hour live, continuous broadcast on radio station WKDY-AM that took place Jan. 9 and Jan. 10, 1999, in Spartanburg, SC. During the 30-hour trivia marathon, he asked and correctly identified 3,333 questions.
Famous Trivial Pursuits
There’s trivia games for foodies, science geeks and sports enthusiasts, among others. Who can talk trivia without mentioning need-to-know facts about Super Bowl?
Did you know …?
• No NFL team has ever played the Super Bowl on its own home field.
• No Super Bowl game has ever gone into overtime play.
• Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving as the day Americans consume the largest amount of food.
• The first Super Bowl was played in 1967. The Green Bay Packers of the National Football League defeated the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League, 35-to-10.
There also is plenty of trivia for entomologists (those who study insects). Did you know? (Do you care to know?)
• Amazon ants (red ants found in the western U.S.) steal the larvae of other ants to keep as slaves. The slave ants build homes for and feed the Amazon ants, who cannot do anything but fight. They depend completely on their slaves for survival.
• The honeybee kills more people worldwide than all the poisonous snakes combined.
• The venom of a female black widow spider is more potent than that of a rattlesnake.
• The world's smallest winged insect, the Tanzanian parasitic wasp, is smaller than the eye of a housefly.
• There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings on the entire earth.
• When ants find food, they lay down a chemical trail, called a pheromone, so that other ants can find their way from the nest to the food source.
• Worker ants may live seven years and the queen may live as long as 15 years.
• You're more likely to be a target for mosquitoes if you consume bananas.
Test Your Knowledge
It’s an article about trivia, so it’s time to throw out some trivia questions to our readers. Test your knowledge of “American firsts.” Answers below
1. Who was the first American basketball player featured on a box of Wheaties?
2. Who was the entertainer to appear on the cover of the first edition of People Magazine?
3. Who was the first American president to speak on television?
4. What was the first American consumer product sold in the Soviet Union?
5. What was the first toy product advertised on television?
6. What year did the first personal computer, the Apple II, go on sale?
7. Most lipsticks contain what ingredient (sounds fishy)?
8. Who was the first female U.S. attorney general?
9. Who was the president to mandate that cigarette manufacturers put health warnings on their packages?
10. What illegal drug was used in the 1880s to cure sore throat, neuralgia, nervousness, headache, colds and sleeplessness?
Answers: 1. Michael Jordan; 2. Mia Farrow – 1974; 3. Franklin D. Roosevelt; 4. Pepsi-Cola; 5. Mr. Potato Head; 6. 1977; 7. fish scales; 8. Janet Reno; 9. Lyndon B. Johnson; 10. Cocaine
A game of trivia to ring in 2011, anyone?
Issue 478
SNIPPETZ IS WHINING ABOUT A DAY OF WHINERS.... REALLY?
“Oh, wouldn't the world seem dull and flat with nothing whatever to grumble at?”
- W.S. Gilbert
National Hugging Day, National Pig Day and now National Whiners Day on Dec. 26: What? We don’t want to whine about the fact that every day is some kind of DAY – but really, Whiner’s Day? Who comes up with these ideas, anyway?
Here’s one. Rev. Kevin Zaborney: He is the man behind National Hugging Day and National Whiners Day. On his Web site citing National Whiners Day, Zaborney refers to himself as the “Connoisseur of Fine Whines.” His real credentials are nothing to whine about. Zaborney has a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Michigan and a master of divinity degree from Boston University. He works for the state of Michigan.
Snippetz wrote to Zaborney and asked him why he started the National Whining Day tradition. This was his answer.
“I started the observance as a result of too many people whining about what they don't have in life rather than expressing gratefulness for what they do have. Of course, there is a tongue-in-cheek aspect to the day, too! Whining contests, Whine and Geeze parties, and unwanted gift exchanges while whining are all in vogue.”
Whether it’s in vogue to be considered a “whiner of the year” is unknown. But Zaborney came up with the list as something “fun” for National Whiners Day.
Visitors to Zaborney’s Web site can send in nominations for their preferences for whiner of the year. Over the past few years, the following high-profile people have been dubbed “whiner of the year.”
• Phil Gramm, former Republican senator, was awarded whiner of the year after he whined in the midst of a speech on the waning economy. “We have become a nation of whiners,” he said. “You just hear this constant whining.”
• The infamous Michael Vick, now quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, received his whining distinction when he continuously whined about being unjustly accused of dog fighting – until he admitted it. (Making more than $7 million a year, Vick has little to whine about now.)
• Rosie O’Donnell whined about her role on “The View” and whined about everything she didn’t agree with. So, in 2006, O’Donnell, along with Britney Spears (no explanation needed!) received the touted “whiners of the year” designation.
Zaborney also has selected “famous whiners from the last 20 years.”
Among those with the honors:
And the 10 most famous whiners of the 20th century:
Your Turn to Whine
It seems appropriate that Whiners Day is the day after Christmas and Snippetz thinks this is such a great holiday that we should extend it for the whole week after Christmas. After all, there’s plenty to whine about right after the holidays. We just spent hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on Christmas decorations for the house and yard; parties, party clothes; food and liquor; and gifts for everyone, from the garbage men to Aunt Betsy. Oh, yea, we deserve to whine about the time consumed for all the above activities, too, right? And there’s a lot of whining to do about the extra pounds we gained from all that holiday eating.
No matter the Christmas holidays, National Whiners Day reaches across all cultures, religions, races – and there are all kinds of ways to celebrate the day, or week, if you choose to do it Snippetz style.
Zaborney lists a few ideas for celebratory activities:
• Visit a shopping mall and watch customers and clerks whine about gift returns.
• Host a “whine and geeze” party.
• Hold a whining contest, complete with prizes (or exchange unwanted gifts).
• Call a radio station, and whine about National Whiners Day.
For those naturally positive people whose mantra is “everything is always peachy,” here are a few whiner-wannabe tips to get in on the whining fun:
• Find something that's not perfect in your life and call everyone to tell them about it. Whine about the kids, the husband, the mother-in-law – just do it.
• Notice what everyone else has that you don't. Whine about how it's not fair because you work hard and don’t have a big boat and a new car to go along with a 12-bedroom home.
• Constantly complain about the weather. You can’t do a thing about it, so why not whine? Make sure to let others know how you feel.
• Tell everyone you know how much you hate your job – or your boss or co-workers. Whine about how you are overworked and underpaid.
• Whine about the cost of living: food costs, gas, taxes. Act like you’re the only one affected. Whine loudly with the high-pitched whiners’ voice.
• Find fault with everything other people do and be sure to mention that people do things just to annoy you.
Things to Whine About
• The national debt – over $8 trillion
• Unemployment rate – about 9.8 percent nationwide
• Politics and politicians
• The federal government lists the calories in one slice of pizza at 140 – the slice is no more than 2 oz.
WAH!
On the opposite side of “peachy” is “whiny.” Take this test to see if you are a whiner. If you’ve answered yes to any question, then you need help. And there is hope with Whiners Anonymous Help (WAH).
Are you a whiner?
• Do you complain or snivel?
• Are you a grumpy old person?
• Do you seek out others in bars or on Internet chat rooms to whine about things?
• Do people ever tell you to "like it or lump it"?
• Are you often asked, "What are you crying about?"
• Do friends or family seem less likely to talk to you as the years go by?
• Do you constantly tell other people they whine too much?
If you do any of these things, you may be in need of the WAH! 12 step program:
1. Admit you’re a whiner. Just say, I’m a whiner.
2. Realize that whining interferes with your life.
3. Seek help.
4. Laugh at your constant whining.
5. Put your whining in perspective. (think starvation stats)
6. Eat something you don’t like, and don’t whine while doing so.
7. Get a part-time job at a complaint department and listen to people whining all day long. You cannot complain about your job.
8. Make a victim list of all the people you might have hurt. Ask them if you’ve ever whined?
9. Take your parents to court for allowing you to be a whiner as a child.
10. Stop whining about not whining.
11. If you must whine, whine to your dog.
12. Help other whiners. Then, you can whine about how they whine.
Finally, join www.city-data.com or Facebook – Whiners Anonymous Clubs – and participate in discussions with other whiners.
Happy Whiners Week!
SNIPPETZ IS WHINING ABOUT A DAY OF WHINERS.... REALLY?
“Oh, wouldn't the world seem dull and flat with nothing whatever to grumble at?”
- W.S. Gilbert
National Hugging Day, National Pig Day and now National Whiners Day on Dec. 26: What? We don’t want to whine about the fact that every day is some kind of DAY – but really, Whiner’s Day? Who comes up with these ideas, anyway?
Here’s one. Rev. Kevin Zaborney: He is the man behind National Hugging Day and National Whiners Day. On his Web site citing National Whiners Day, Zaborney refers to himself as the “Connoisseur of Fine Whines.” His real credentials are nothing to whine about. Zaborney has a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Michigan and a master of divinity degree from Boston University. He works for the state of Michigan.
Snippetz wrote to Zaborney and asked him why he started the National Whining Day tradition. This was his answer.
“I started the observance as a result of too many people whining about what they don't have in life rather than expressing gratefulness for what they do have. Of course, there is a tongue-in-cheek aspect to the day, too! Whining contests, Whine and Geeze parties, and unwanted gift exchanges while whining are all in vogue.”
Whether it’s in vogue to be considered a “whiner of the year” is unknown. But Zaborney came up with the list as something “fun” for National Whiners Day.
Visitors to Zaborney’s Web site can send in nominations for their preferences for whiner of the year. Over the past few years, the following high-profile people have been dubbed “whiner of the year.”
• Phil Gramm, former Republican senator, was awarded whiner of the year after he whined in the midst of a speech on the waning economy. “We have become a nation of whiners,” he said. “You just hear this constant whining.”
• The infamous Michael Vick, now quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, received his whining distinction when he continuously whined about being unjustly accused of dog fighting – until he admitted it. (Making more than $7 million a year, Vick has little to whine about now.)
• Rosie O’Donnell whined about her role on “The View” and whined about everything she didn’t agree with. So, in 2006, O’Donnell, along with Britney Spears (no explanation needed!) received the touted “whiners of the year” designation.
Zaborney also has selected “famous whiners from the last 20 years.”
Among those with the honors:
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
- Tammy Faye Bakker
- Dennis Rodman
- Mike Tyson
- Terrorists Osama bin Laden & the Taliban & al Qaida
And the 10 most famous whiners of the 20th century:
- Stan Laurel (Laurel & Hardy)
- Lou Costello (Abbott & Costello)
- Jerry Lewis (comedian)
- Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy)
- Curly Howard (3 Stooges)
- Peewee Herman (Peewee's Playhouse)
- Olive Oyle (Popeye)
- Squiggy (Laverne & Shirley)
- Major Frank Burns (MASH)
- The Whiner Family (Saturday Night Live)
Your Turn to Whine
It seems appropriate that Whiners Day is the day after Christmas and Snippetz thinks this is such a great holiday that we should extend it for the whole week after Christmas. After all, there’s plenty to whine about right after the holidays. We just spent hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on Christmas decorations for the house and yard; parties, party clothes; food and liquor; and gifts for everyone, from the garbage men to Aunt Betsy. Oh, yea, we deserve to whine about the time consumed for all the above activities, too, right? And there’s a lot of whining to do about the extra pounds we gained from all that holiday eating.
No matter the Christmas holidays, National Whiners Day reaches across all cultures, religions, races – and there are all kinds of ways to celebrate the day, or week, if you choose to do it Snippetz style.
Zaborney lists a few ideas for celebratory activities:
• Visit a shopping mall and watch customers and clerks whine about gift returns.
• Host a “whine and geeze” party.
• Hold a whining contest, complete with prizes (or exchange unwanted gifts).
• Call a radio station, and whine about National Whiners Day.
For those naturally positive people whose mantra is “everything is always peachy,” here are a few whiner-wannabe tips to get in on the whining fun:
• Find something that's not perfect in your life and call everyone to tell them about it. Whine about the kids, the husband, the mother-in-law – just do it.
• Notice what everyone else has that you don't. Whine about how it's not fair because you work hard and don’t have a big boat and a new car to go along with a 12-bedroom home.
• Constantly complain about the weather. You can’t do a thing about it, so why not whine? Make sure to let others know how you feel.
• Tell everyone you know how much you hate your job – or your boss or co-workers. Whine about how you are overworked and underpaid.
• Whine about the cost of living: food costs, gas, taxes. Act like you’re the only one affected. Whine loudly with the high-pitched whiners’ voice.
• Find fault with everything other people do and be sure to mention that people do things just to annoy you.
Things to Whine About
• The national debt – over $8 trillion
• Unemployment rate – about 9.8 percent nationwide
• Politics and politicians
• The federal government lists the calories in one slice of pizza at 140 – the slice is no more than 2 oz.
WAH!
On the opposite side of “peachy” is “whiny.” Take this test to see if you are a whiner. If you’ve answered yes to any question, then you need help. And there is hope with Whiners Anonymous Help (WAH).
Are you a whiner?
• Do you complain or snivel?
• Are you a grumpy old person?
• Do you seek out others in bars or on Internet chat rooms to whine about things?
• Do people ever tell you to "like it or lump it"?
• Are you often asked, "What are you crying about?"
• Do friends or family seem less likely to talk to you as the years go by?
• Do you constantly tell other people they whine too much?
If you do any of these things, you may be in need of the WAH! 12 step program:
1. Admit you’re a whiner. Just say, I’m a whiner.
2. Realize that whining interferes with your life.
3. Seek help.
4. Laugh at your constant whining.
5. Put your whining in perspective. (think starvation stats)
6. Eat something you don’t like, and don’t whine while doing so.
7. Get a part-time job at a complaint department and listen to people whining all day long. You cannot complain about your job.
8. Make a victim list of all the people you might have hurt. Ask them if you’ve ever whined?
9. Take your parents to court for allowing you to be a whiner as a child.
10. Stop whining about not whining.
11. If you must whine, whine to your dog.
12. Help other whiners. Then, you can whine about how they whine.
Finally, join www.city-data.com or Facebook – Whiners Anonymous Clubs – and participate in discussions with other whiners.
Happy Whiners Week!
Issue 477
SNIPPETZ IS READING CHRISTMAS TALES
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads.
- Clement Clarke Moore, “A Visit From St. Nicholas”
Snippetz could spend pages and pages and many issues talking about Christmas literature. There are hundreds of books, movies, TV specials and poems about the holiday and every year there are new entries onto the scene. We’ve chosen to delve into three of the most famous and beloved stories.
“A Visit from St. Nicholas”
aka “The Night Before Christmas”
If one attempts to conjure up a list of American Christmas classics, “The Night Before Christmas” has to be near the top of the list. First titled “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” author Clement Clarke Moore wrote it for his son in 1822. A friend had submitted it anonymously to the Troy, New York “Sentinel” in 1823 when it was first published. The poem was not attributed to Moore until an anthology of his work was published in 1844. Legend has it that Moore, a university professor and author of scholarly works, may not have wanted to be associated with children’s literature.
Once published in the “Sentinel,” the rest was history. It is surmised that Moore’s story about Santa Claus shaped the American view of Christmas and associated Santa with the holiday, giving the emphasis to children rather than religion.
The story has been adapted over and over again in other literature pieces, music, movies and television.
Who is Really the Author?
There is a small amount of controversy surrounding the true author of “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” A few have proposed that Harry Livingston Jr. is the author. Arguments include the writing style and theme was consistent with Livingston’s prose; his mother was Dutch, which would account for the original Dutch spelling of reindeer Dunder and Blixem; Clement Clarke Moore had not take credit for the writing early on; and Moore had allegedly lied about translating a book at one time, although this has been explained as a miscommunication regarding a dedication in a book.
Controversy aside, this is the first piece of literature that told the story of Santa, what he looks like and how he operates: arriving on Christmas Eve, stuffing the stockings, the reindeer and their names, the use of the chimney and how Santa looks. And that look has stuck to this day – a chubby man with a head of white hair, white beard, dressed in fur and carrying a sack of toys for the children.
‘Twas Trivia
• The spelling of the reindeer’s names Dunder and Blixem was changed to the German spelling of Donder and Blitzen by editor Edmund Clarence Stedman in his “An American Anthology, 1787-1900.” The English translation is Thunder and Lightening.
• Over the years other terminology has also changed. Phrases and words such as “But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight” has changed to: “But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight.” The original last line was “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night,” which has changed in more recent editions to “Merry Christmas to all …”
• Three of the original four handwritten poems are located in museums. The fourth is said to have surfaced in 2006 in Dallas when it was sold by a private collector through Heritage Auction Galleries for $280,000 to a New York media CEO. This copy is said to be signed by Clement Clarke Moore and was given to a friend in 1860.
Oh the Mean One, Mr. Grinch
If “The Night Before Christmas” launched the commercialization of the holiday, then “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” was a serious attempt at reversing that trend. Written in 1957 by Dr. Seuss, the story is about a cranky green creature (Grinch) who lives in a cave in the very steep Mount Crumpit that rises above Whoville where the happy Whos live and breathe the Christmas Spirit. The Grinch is lonely and envious of the Whos. He hatches a plan to steal their Christmas – everything from decorations to presents – while they are sleeping on Christmas Eve. Much to his surprise, the disappointed Whos are still happy and the Grinch learns the real meaning of Christmas, returning all that he stole and joining the Whos in their Christmas day festivities.
The story has been adapted numerous times for film, stage and television, as well as translated into many languages including Latin. Boris Karloff starred as the Grinch in the first television production in 1966. Jim Carrey played the part successfully in the 2000 version directed by Ron Howard. In 1975, Zero Mostel narrated an audio recording of the story.
Green and Other Grinchy Trivia
• The original Grinch was not green, but black and white with some red and pink splotches of color.
• The 2000 movie cost $115 million to make. Part of that cost was to pay for 2,000 candy canes, 52,000 Christmas lights and about 8,200 ornaments. Oh, and there was that yak hair dyed green and sewn onto a suit made of spandex, one at a time.
• The TV version featured June Foray as the voice of Cindy Lou Who. She was the voice of Rocky the flying squirrel and Natasha Fatale in the famous “Rocky and Bullwinkle” cartoon series.
Dickens’ Christmas Carol
English novelist Charles Dickens is synonymous with Christmas literature, “A Christmas Carol” being one of the most well known and popular, particularly for movie and stage performances. Lest the Grinch think he has cornered the market on the holiday grumpies, there’s Ebenezer Scrooge. “A Christmas Carol” was written during the Victorian era in Britain, a time when Christmas may have gone by the wayside and replaced with a more somber atmosphere. Dickens’ story brought back the “merry” to Merry Christmas.
We all know the story: Ebenezer Scrooge, cruel and heartless businessman is visited by the spirit of his dead business partner who warns him of what is to happen if he doesn’t change his Grinch-like ways. Scrooge then receives visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, all giving him a glimpse into his life and the affects he has had on others. After he views life through the eyes of others, he experiences a revelation and changes into a kind and compassionate man who loves Christmas and what it stands for. He suddenly finds empathy and compassion for his employee, Bob Cratchit and his ill son, Tiny Tim.
Dickens felt strongly about the plight of poor families and their children during the early 19th century and had planned to write a scathing discourse about the same. Instead, he chose to write “A Christmas Carol” in an effort to raise awareness about poverty and the injustice he felt were bestowed upon the poor.
Beyond giving us the terms “Scrooge” and “Bah humbug,” the story changed the way people felt about Christmas and brought about a new social awareness and feeling of generosity among the more wealthy in Britain as well as across the pond in America. Businesses were sending their employees home with turkeys, sizeable donations were given to agencies assisting crippled children and money was being raised for the poor.
We can also thank Dickens for some of our celebratory traditions like family dinners and other festivities surrounding the holiday.
Bah Humbug!
• Scrooge’s business partner’s name was Jacob Marley and had already been dead for seven years when the story begins.
• Dickens published the book himself in 1843; however, he still only earned a meager amount equal to about 19,000 British pounds today.
• Jim Carrey shows up in this Christmas tale in a 2009 Walt Disney Pictures “A Christmas Carol” project as Scrooge. He also plays the three ghosts of Christmas.
• Lionel Barrymore played Scrooge in the 1930s and 1940s on radio. His brother John took over for a time in the 1930s when Lionel was ill.
• Michael Caine played Scrooge in the very popular The Muppet Christmas Carol produced in 1992.
SNIPPETZ IS READING CHRISTMAS TALES
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads.
- Clement Clarke Moore, “A Visit From St. Nicholas”
Snippetz could spend pages and pages and many issues talking about Christmas literature. There are hundreds of books, movies, TV specials and poems about the holiday and every year there are new entries onto the scene. We’ve chosen to delve into three of the most famous and beloved stories.
“A Visit from St. Nicholas”
aka “The Night Before Christmas”
If one attempts to conjure up a list of American Christmas classics, “The Night Before Christmas” has to be near the top of the list. First titled “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” author Clement Clarke Moore wrote it for his son in 1822. A friend had submitted it anonymously to the Troy, New York “Sentinel” in 1823 when it was first published. The poem was not attributed to Moore until an anthology of his work was published in 1844. Legend has it that Moore, a university professor and author of scholarly works, may not have wanted to be associated with children’s literature.
Once published in the “Sentinel,” the rest was history. It is surmised that Moore’s story about Santa Claus shaped the American view of Christmas and associated Santa with the holiday, giving the emphasis to children rather than religion.
The story has been adapted over and over again in other literature pieces, music, movies and television.
Who is Really the Author?
There is a small amount of controversy surrounding the true author of “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” A few have proposed that Harry Livingston Jr. is the author. Arguments include the writing style and theme was consistent with Livingston’s prose; his mother was Dutch, which would account for the original Dutch spelling of reindeer Dunder and Blixem; Clement Clarke Moore had not take credit for the writing early on; and Moore had allegedly lied about translating a book at one time, although this has been explained as a miscommunication regarding a dedication in a book.
Controversy aside, this is the first piece of literature that told the story of Santa, what he looks like and how he operates: arriving on Christmas Eve, stuffing the stockings, the reindeer and their names, the use of the chimney and how Santa looks. And that look has stuck to this day – a chubby man with a head of white hair, white beard, dressed in fur and carrying a sack of toys for the children.
‘Twas Trivia
• The spelling of the reindeer’s names Dunder and Blixem was changed to the German spelling of Donder and Blitzen by editor Edmund Clarence Stedman in his “An American Anthology, 1787-1900.” The English translation is Thunder and Lightening.
• Over the years other terminology has also changed. Phrases and words such as “But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight” has changed to: “But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight.” The original last line was “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night,” which has changed in more recent editions to “Merry Christmas to all …”
• Three of the original four handwritten poems are located in museums. The fourth is said to have surfaced in 2006 in Dallas when it was sold by a private collector through Heritage Auction Galleries for $280,000 to a New York media CEO. This copy is said to be signed by Clement Clarke Moore and was given to a friend in 1860.
Oh the Mean One, Mr. Grinch
If “The Night Before Christmas” launched the commercialization of the holiday, then “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” was a serious attempt at reversing that trend. Written in 1957 by Dr. Seuss, the story is about a cranky green creature (Grinch) who lives in a cave in the very steep Mount Crumpit that rises above Whoville where the happy Whos live and breathe the Christmas Spirit. The Grinch is lonely and envious of the Whos. He hatches a plan to steal their Christmas – everything from decorations to presents – while they are sleeping on Christmas Eve. Much to his surprise, the disappointed Whos are still happy and the Grinch learns the real meaning of Christmas, returning all that he stole and joining the Whos in their Christmas day festivities.
The story has been adapted numerous times for film, stage and television, as well as translated into many languages including Latin. Boris Karloff starred as the Grinch in the first television production in 1966. Jim Carrey played the part successfully in the 2000 version directed by Ron Howard. In 1975, Zero Mostel narrated an audio recording of the story.
Green and Other Grinchy Trivia
• The original Grinch was not green, but black and white with some red and pink splotches of color.
• The 2000 movie cost $115 million to make. Part of that cost was to pay for 2,000 candy canes, 52,000 Christmas lights and about 8,200 ornaments. Oh, and there was that yak hair dyed green and sewn onto a suit made of spandex, one at a time.
• The TV version featured June Foray as the voice of Cindy Lou Who. She was the voice of Rocky the flying squirrel and Natasha Fatale in the famous “Rocky and Bullwinkle” cartoon series.
Dickens’ Christmas Carol
English novelist Charles Dickens is synonymous with Christmas literature, “A Christmas Carol” being one of the most well known and popular, particularly for movie and stage performances. Lest the Grinch think he has cornered the market on the holiday grumpies, there’s Ebenezer Scrooge. “A Christmas Carol” was written during the Victorian era in Britain, a time when Christmas may have gone by the wayside and replaced with a more somber atmosphere. Dickens’ story brought back the “merry” to Merry Christmas.
We all know the story: Ebenezer Scrooge, cruel and heartless businessman is visited by the spirit of his dead business partner who warns him of what is to happen if he doesn’t change his Grinch-like ways. Scrooge then receives visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, all giving him a glimpse into his life and the affects he has had on others. After he views life through the eyes of others, he experiences a revelation and changes into a kind and compassionate man who loves Christmas and what it stands for. He suddenly finds empathy and compassion for his employee, Bob Cratchit and his ill son, Tiny Tim.
Dickens felt strongly about the plight of poor families and their children during the early 19th century and had planned to write a scathing discourse about the same. Instead, he chose to write “A Christmas Carol” in an effort to raise awareness about poverty and the injustice he felt were bestowed upon the poor.
Beyond giving us the terms “Scrooge” and “Bah humbug,” the story changed the way people felt about Christmas and brought about a new social awareness and feeling of generosity among the more wealthy in Britain as well as across the pond in America. Businesses were sending their employees home with turkeys, sizeable donations were given to agencies assisting crippled children and money was being raised for the poor.
We can also thank Dickens for some of our celebratory traditions like family dinners and other festivities surrounding the holiday.
Bah Humbug!
• Scrooge’s business partner’s name was Jacob Marley and had already been dead for seven years when the story begins.
• Dickens published the book himself in 1843; however, he still only earned a meager amount equal to about 19,000 British pounds today.
• Jim Carrey shows up in this Christmas tale in a 2009 Walt Disney Pictures “A Christmas Carol” project as Scrooge. He also plays the three ghosts of Christmas.
• Lionel Barrymore played Scrooge in the 1930s and 1940s on radio. His brother John took over for a time in the 1930s when Lionel was ill.
• Michael Caine played Scrooge in the very popular The Muppet Christmas Carol produced in 1992.
Issue 476
SNIPPETZ SAILS TO THE THRESHOLD OF IMMIGRATION
"Remember, remember always that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
One day after it opened Jan. 2, 1892, a 15-year-old Irish girl, Annie Moore, became the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island.
From 1892 to 1954, more than 12 million immigrants entered the U.S. through Ellis Island, a small island in the New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty towering above.
The historical entry way to the U.S. went from its original 3.3 acres to 27.5 acres over the course of its time.
Fort Gibson
When the island was just a spot of sand, barely visible during high tide, Native American tribes called it the Kioshk or Gull Island. When the Dutch and English arrived and discovered an abundance of oyster beds on the island, they named the area Oyster Island.
Before Samuel Ellis bought the island in the 1770s, the island had been called by many different names. After Ellis died, it served multiple purposes. The island had been a site for hanging pirates, a harbor fort and an ammunition and ordinance depot known as Fort Gibson.
The latter was established when British fleets found easy access to the New York Harbor, which they occupied during the Revolutionary War. In 1808, U.S. government officials had determined a need to defend coastal areas so they negotiated with the state of New York to purchase Ellis Island, where they set up a fort named after an officer by the name of Gibson, who was killed during the War of 1812.
Early Migration
Prior to 1890, the states regulated immigration as opposed to the federal government. A former New York fort – Castle Garden – had been serving as a major port of entry in New York for immigrants. But immigrants began arriving in droves during the latter half of the 19th century, sparking the largest mass of human migration in history. Castle Garden was not prepared to handle the growing number of people seeking freedom from Europe’s restrictive religious laws, poor economic conditions and political unrest. New York was simply unable to handle the hordes of immigrants.
The federal government put on its Superman hat and to save the state of New York, built a new immigration station on Ellis Island. Under the auspices of President Benjamin Harris, the first federally operated immigration station had been established.
Five years later, June 14, 1897, a fire broke out on Ellis Island and burned the immigration station – made of Georgia pine – to the ground. No lives were lost, but immigration records dating back to 1855 were. The feds reconstructed the immigration station under the condition that all structures would be fireproof.
Money Can Buy Happiness
It seems like the distinction between the wealthy and not so wealthy has deep roots. When they took over the ship, so to speak, the federal government adopted a policy that immigrants with first or second class passenger status did not have to go through the inspection process at Ellis Island. Instead, those passengers were inspected on board the ship. The argument for the practice was that a person who could afford a first or second class ticket would be less likely to become a burden on the states. The affluent, of course, would not frequent institutions or hospitals or become a challenge to the legal system. The wealthy were welcomed with open arms.
But – if they were ill or had legal problems, they, too, were subjected to further inspection at Ellis Island.
The “lower class” immigrants were the third class passengers. Referred to as “steerage,” third class passengers traveled in crowded and sometimes unsanitary conditions close to the bottom of the steamships. They weren’t privy to above-board accommodations, and many spent the journey seasick in their bunks.
When the boats arrived in New York City, the first and second class passengers passed through Customs at the docks and handily entered the U.S. Third class passengers were transported by ferry or barge to Ellis Island for medical and legal inspections.
The Ellis Island inspection process lasted from three to five hours, if the new immigrant was fairly healthy and their papers were in order.
Not everyone gained entry. Ellis Island had occasionally been referenced as the “Island of Tears” for those who had been turned away. Two percent of the immigrants were excluded from entering the U.S. mainly because they had a contagious disease or were likely to become a burden on society or an illegal contract laborer.
The Beginning of the End
In 1907, more people had migrated to the U.S. than at any other time. About 1.25 million immigrants were processed at Ellis Island that year. Between 1900 and 1915, the building industry boomed, trying to keep up with the influx of people.
When the U.S. became involved in World War 1, immigration to the U.S. significantly decreased. Instead, Ellis Island became a sort of prison for suspected enemies who had been living throughout the U.S.
Between 1918 and 1919, the suspects or detainees were transferred to other U.S. locations so the U.S. Navy and the Army’s medical division could inspect immigrants on board the ships or docks. In 1920, Ellis Island returned to full operations as an immigrant receiving station, processing 225,206 immigrants that year.
From 1880 to 1924, migration to America was at its height. As the numbers soared, politicians and some of their constituents began demanding immigrant restrictions. If some think modern U.S. immigration laws are discriminating, the laws established in the 19th and 20th centuries were blatantly prejudice. The Chinese Exclusion Act, the Alien Contract Labor Law and a literacy test were instituted during that time. The passage of the Quota Law and the National Origins Act were percentage-based attempts to favor immigrants from certain areas of Europe and exclude all non-European immigrants. It was believed that immigrants from northern and western Europe, where many of the early settlers migrated from, were superior to immigrants from southern and eastern Europe.
After World War I ended in 1918, U.S. embassies were established all over the world. Potential immigrants to the U.S. applied in their home countries at American consulates, and medical inspections took place there as well. Ellis Island became a hub for war refugees and displaced persons. The island remained open through November 1954 as a holding place for enemy merchant seamen and eventually a training site for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Last, But Not Least
In 1954, Arne Peterssen, a Norwegian merchant seaman, was the last person to pass through Ellis Island.
In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson designated Ellis Island as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. In 1984, Ellis Island went through a colossal restoration – $160 million worth, funded by donations.
The Ellis Island Immigration Museum offers a variety of activities, from video documentaries to free tours to reenactments of immigrant hearings.
Almost two million people visit the island every year.
Island Trivia
• When Samuel Ellis purchased the island in the 70s, he built a tavern that catered to local fishermen.
• Ellis Island has always been considered a part of New York City, but about 80 percent of the island is in New Jersey.
• Some believe that officials at Ellis Island changed the names of immigrants entering the U.S. In reality, they tried to retain the original spelling of the immigrants’ last names.
• To add to the acreage at Ellis Island in its early years, landfill from New York City subway tunnels and other areas was used to create two new islands, which housed hospital administration, a hospital contagious disease ward and a psychiatric ward.
• Some of the steamship companies that played a huge role in the history of Ellis Island immigrants were the White Star, Red Star, Cunard and Hamburg-America.
• Recruiters offered contract labor agreements to potential immigrants and U.S. Railroad companies advertised inexpensive farm land. Hungarians, the Polish and Italians were among the immigrants who went to coal mines or steel mills. The Greek people preferred textile mills.
• In 1907, the S.S. Baltic arrived at Ellis Island with 1,000 single female passengers looking for a husband. Many of the women immediately chose a husband and were married on the island.
• By 1910, about 70 percent of the Ellis Island immigrants were Europeans, but many came from Arab lands ruled by the Ottoman Empire. With the passage of the National Origins Act, Arab immigration ended in 1924 and resurged when the act was repealed in 1965.
• By 1932, during the Great Depression, more immigrants left the country than arrived.
• About one-half of today’s U.S. population has at least one ancestor who came through Ellis Island.
SNIPPETZ SAILS TO THE THRESHOLD OF IMMIGRATION
"Remember, remember always that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
One day after it opened Jan. 2, 1892, a 15-year-old Irish girl, Annie Moore, became the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island.
From 1892 to 1954, more than 12 million immigrants entered the U.S. through Ellis Island, a small island in the New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty towering above.
The historical entry way to the U.S. went from its original 3.3 acres to 27.5 acres over the course of its time.
Fort Gibson
When the island was just a spot of sand, barely visible during high tide, Native American tribes called it the Kioshk or Gull Island. When the Dutch and English arrived and discovered an abundance of oyster beds on the island, they named the area Oyster Island.
Before Samuel Ellis bought the island in the 1770s, the island had been called by many different names. After Ellis died, it served multiple purposes. The island had been a site for hanging pirates, a harbor fort and an ammunition and ordinance depot known as Fort Gibson.
The latter was established when British fleets found easy access to the New York Harbor, which they occupied during the Revolutionary War. In 1808, U.S. government officials had determined a need to defend coastal areas so they negotiated with the state of New York to purchase Ellis Island, where they set up a fort named after an officer by the name of Gibson, who was killed during the War of 1812.
Early Migration
Prior to 1890, the states regulated immigration as opposed to the federal government. A former New York fort – Castle Garden – had been serving as a major port of entry in New York for immigrants. But immigrants began arriving in droves during the latter half of the 19th century, sparking the largest mass of human migration in history. Castle Garden was not prepared to handle the growing number of people seeking freedom from Europe’s restrictive religious laws, poor economic conditions and political unrest. New York was simply unable to handle the hordes of immigrants.
The federal government put on its Superman hat and to save the state of New York, built a new immigration station on Ellis Island. Under the auspices of President Benjamin Harris, the first federally operated immigration station had been established.
Five years later, June 14, 1897, a fire broke out on Ellis Island and burned the immigration station – made of Georgia pine – to the ground. No lives were lost, but immigration records dating back to 1855 were. The feds reconstructed the immigration station under the condition that all structures would be fireproof.
Money Can Buy Happiness
It seems like the distinction between the wealthy and not so wealthy has deep roots. When they took over the ship, so to speak, the federal government adopted a policy that immigrants with first or second class passenger status did not have to go through the inspection process at Ellis Island. Instead, those passengers were inspected on board the ship. The argument for the practice was that a person who could afford a first or second class ticket would be less likely to become a burden on the states. The affluent, of course, would not frequent institutions or hospitals or become a challenge to the legal system. The wealthy were welcomed with open arms.
But – if they were ill or had legal problems, they, too, were subjected to further inspection at Ellis Island.
The “lower class” immigrants were the third class passengers. Referred to as “steerage,” third class passengers traveled in crowded and sometimes unsanitary conditions close to the bottom of the steamships. They weren’t privy to above-board accommodations, and many spent the journey seasick in their bunks.
When the boats arrived in New York City, the first and second class passengers passed through Customs at the docks and handily entered the U.S. Third class passengers were transported by ferry or barge to Ellis Island for medical and legal inspections.
The Ellis Island inspection process lasted from three to five hours, if the new immigrant was fairly healthy and their papers were in order.
Not everyone gained entry. Ellis Island had occasionally been referenced as the “Island of Tears” for those who had been turned away. Two percent of the immigrants were excluded from entering the U.S. mainly because they had a contagious disease or were likely to become a burden on society or an illegal contract laborer.
The Beginning of the End
In 1907, more people had migrated to the U.S. than at any other time. About 1.25 million immigrants were processed at Ellis Island that year. Between 1900 and 1915, the building industry boomed, trying to keep up with the influx of people.
When the U.S. became involved in World War 1, immigration to the U.S. significantly decreased. Instead, Ellis Island became a sort of prison for suspected enemies who had been living throughout the U.S.
Between 1918 and 1919, the suspects or detainees were transferred to other U.S. locations so the U.S. Navy and the Army’s medical division could inspect immigrants on board the ships or docks. In 1920, Ellis Island returned to full operations as an immigrant receiving station, processing 225,206 immigrants that year.
From 1880 to 1924, migration to America was at its height. As the numbers soared, politicians and some of their constituents began demanding immigrant restrictions. If some think modern U.S. immigration laws are discriminating, the laws established in the 19th and 20th centuries were blatantly prejudice. The Chinese Exclusion Act, the Alien Contract Labor Law and a literacy test were instituted during that time. The passage of the Quota Law and the National Origins Act were percentage-based attempts to favor immigrants from certain areas of Europe and exclude all non-European immigrants. It was believed that immigrants from northern and western Europe, where many of the early settlers migrated from, were superior to immigrants from southern and eastern Europe.
After World War I ended in 1918, U.S. embassies were established all over the world. Potential immigrants to the U.S. applied in their home countries at American consulates, and medical inspections took place there as well. Ellis Island became a hub for war refugees and displaced persons. The island remained open through November 1954 as a holding place for enemy merchant seamen and eventually a training site for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Last, But Not Least
In 1954, Arne Peterssen, a Norwegian merchant seaman, was the last person to pass through Ellis Island.
In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson designated Ellis Island as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. In 1984, Ellis Island went through a colossal restoration – $160 million worth, funded by donations.
The Ellis Island Immigration Museum offers a variety of activities, from video documentaries to free tours to reenactments of immigrant hearings.
Almost two million people visit the island every year.
Island Trivia
• When Samuel Ellis purchased the island in the 70s, he built a tavern that catered to local fishermen.
• Ellis Island has always been considered a part of New York City, but about 80 percent of the island is in New Jersey.
• Some believe that officials at Ellis Island changed the names of immigrants entering the U.S. In reality, they tried to retain the original spelling of the immigrants’ last names.
• To add to the acreage at Ellis Island in its early years, landfill from New York City subway tunnels and other areas was used to create two new islands, which housed hospital administration, a hospital contagious disease ward and a psychiatric ward.
• Some of the steamship companies that played a huge role in the history of Ellis Island immigrants were the White Star, Red Star, Cunard and Hamburg-America.
• Recruiters offered contract labor agreements to potential immigrants and U.S. Railroad companies advertised inexpensive farm land. Hungarians, the Polish and Italians were among the immigrants who went to coal mines or steel mills. The Greek people preferred textile mills.
• In 1907, the S.S. Baltic arrived at Ellis Island with 1,000 single female passengers looking for a husband. Many of the women immediately chose a husband and were married on the island.
• By 1910, about 70 percent of the Ellis Island immigrants were Europeans, but many came from Arab lands ruled by the Ottoman Empire. With the passage of the National Origins Act, Arab immigration ended in 1924 and resurged when the act was repealed in 1965.
• By 1932, during the Great Depression, more immigrants left the country than arrived.
• About one-half of today’s U.S. population has at least one ancestor who came through Ellis Island.
Issue 475
SNIPPETZ HAS GONE HOLIDAY SHOPPING
“Once again, we come to the holiday season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.”
-Dave Barry
What an industry! The holidays and all that pressure to spend lots of money on gifts for people who may in turn regift it to someone else, put it in their next garage sale or sell it on eBay.
Depending on which report you read, the average consumer spends between $500 and $700 on holiday gifts and another $200 or so on food, cards and decorations. Fa-la-la-la-la
Not only do the holidays eat a hole in your wallet, but they eat a lot of time. According to Consumer Reports, the average American spends 42 hours on holiday activities.
• 15 hours for shopping (men 10, women 20)
• Waiting in checkout lines - 3.5 hours
• Three hours wrapping gifts
• One hour returning gifts
• 15 hours at holiday parties, gatherings or other events
• About 7.5 hours spent traveling to attend holiday events
Good Intentions
There are surveys and reports galore this and every year about how many Americans are planning to spend less, more or about the same; as well as what they intend to buy. Some say 30 percent intend to spend less and some report as much as 50 percent. There is always a small percentage, maybe 20 percent or less, who intend to spend more.
The reality is that usually the projections are wrong. Take 2009 for instance. The average person surveyed intended to spend $699 on Christmas. But the actual average spent that year was $811. Sound like your holiday?
Money Is No Object
We could bore you with a long list of best gifts to give mom, dad, the kids and Uncle Fred, but you can find that information anywhere. Snippetz wants to know about the outrageous and extravagant.
In case your were wondering about Oprah’s favorite things, this year she gave away $525 earrings, a $700 Nikon camera, a diamond watch with a mere 58 diamonds in it, a Caribbean cruise, a cashmere throw and sweater, five years of Netflix, flat screen TV and Blue-Ray player worth $3,600 and then some. The lucky audience members in attendance on give-away day also received the book, “A Course in Weight Loss,” something that should NEVER be given for a gift. Shame on you, Oprah!
Not sure where to find the best of the best? There’s always the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog. Some of their favorite items this year are a $3,400 crocodile handbag for mom, $2,500 cufflinks for dad, a $9,900 pink leopard art guitar for your teen, a $15,000 edible gingerbread playhouse for the kids or a $1,500,000 glass sculpture for the bottom of your indoor swimming pool. Oh, they are also selling a Tequila Avion private party for 75 of your closest buddies for $125,000. Colin Cowie, celebrity event planner will put this together for you and your friends to enjoy sips of the most extravagant tequila on the planet. Not too shabby when you consider snacks are involved.
And More Ridiculous
On the market this year, there’s a $20,000 diamond-studded Blackberry case, an automatic twirling spaghetti fork for a very affordable $17.95, and a $32 personalized propane steak branding iron (why?).
For the man in your life, Portland General Store sells aftershave scents for $25. This is not your typical cologne; these are manly scents: tobacco, whiskey, wood, cognac or professor (anybody know what a professor smells like?). Bloomingdales sells colorful rubber tote bags for the little lady to carry while shopping for $195. If your velvet bow is looking a bit raggedy, you can get a replacement from tomford.com for a scant $220.
The Dirty Little Secret of Regifting
Once regifting became a topic of a “Seinfeld” episode in 1995, the cat was out of the bag. Regifting is not a new concept – think about visiting grandma or great aunt Betsy over the holidays and receiving a package, sans gift tag, of handkerchiefs that look like they came from the Woolworths sale bin … about 30 years ago. “Oh Grandma, you shouldn’t have!” (You really shouldn’t have.) Or fruitcake. Remember the old joke about there only being two fruitcakes in existence that get passed from one person to another for the holidays?
Before you regift, consider using these delightful gifts at white elephant gift exchanges that have become so popular. It is the perfect place to get rid of that oversized pink polka dotted coffee mug that makes a joke about menopause. Think of the laughs! On-line second-hand sales sites like eBay are great avenues for dumping those cufflinks and making a little lunch money from the sale. Goodwill and thrift stores are always happy for donations.
If you must regift, here are a few tips from MSN Money on how to do it correctly:
• Keep track of who the gift came from so you don’t make the mistake of gifting back to the person who gave it to you.
• Clean your regifts. If you actually were gutsy enough to use the gift first, clean it up if it can look new and repackage in the original box.
• Do not give partially used gift cards. Yes, it happens.
• Do not regift soaps, CDs that are not the recipient’s taste, candles, obscure software, ugly jewelry, scarves, cologne or socks. It’s always obvious to the recipient that it wasn’t chosen for them.
• Don’t give gifts from companies that are no longer in operation. It’s a dead giveaway.
Worst Gifts Ever
Most of us have received a really bad gift in the past and will do so again. Here are some reported worst gifts people have received and that one should never ever give:
• Nose hair clippers
• One-month gym membership
• Vacuum cleaner
• Wreath
• Shoes
• Snow globe
• Christmas ornaments
• Quesadilla maker
• Chia pet
• Underwear and/or socks
• Musical boxer shorts
• Diet pills
• Sausage making machine
• Facial hair lightening cream
• Meat cookbook for a vegetarian
• Sweatpants
• Thighmaster
• Charitable donation given in the recipient’s honor
Prepare for the Worst
How you react to a very bad gift is a matter of class and good manners. And teaching our children this skill is particularly difficult, especially after we’ve told them over and over again that lying is wrong, wrong, wrong.
First, approach every gift as though it’s the most anticipated item of the day. Open excitedly and get ready to smile brightly and exclaim “I love it; it’s PERFECT!” even if it is 3 pairs of Christmas socks or a partridge in a pear tree. Don’t forget an exuberant “thank you” while still smiling. Second, if you really like the person who gave you the offending item and don’t want to hurt their feelings, be sure to pick up the item periodically and hug it or exclaim once again how much you love their gift.
Those 12 Days of Christmas
If you are planning on indulging your true love this year, the dollars you will need to purchase a complete set of items from “The 12 Days of Christmas” will cost you about $100,000, a 10.8 percent over what it would have cost had you been madly in love last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management. What you’re up against:
• One partridge - $12; pear tree - $149
• Two turtle doves - $100
• Three French hens - $150
• Four calling birds - $599.96
• Five golden rings - $649.95
• Six geese-a-laying - $150
• Seven swans-a-swimming - $5,600
• Eight maids-a-milking - $58
• Nine ladies dancing - $6,294.03
• Ten lords-a-leaping - $4,766
• Eleven pipers piping - $2,356
• Twelve drummers drumming - $2,552
If this is more than you can afford, purchasing one of everything might be more affordable at $23,439. Ah, the price of love.
SNIPPETZ HAS GONE HOLIDAY SHOPPING
“Once again, we come to the holiday season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.”
-Dave Barry
What an industry! The holidays and all that pressure to spend lots of money on gifts for people who may in turn regift it to someone else, put it in their next garage sale or sell it on eBay.
Depending on which report you read, the average consumer spends between $500 and $700 on holiday gifts and another $200 or so on food, cards and decorations. Fa-la-la-la-la
Not only do the holidays eat a hole in your wallet, but they eat a lot of time. According to Consumer Reports, the average American spends 42 hours on holiday activities.
• 15 hours for shopping (men 10, women 20)
• Waiting in checkout lines - 3.5 hours
• Three hours wrapping gifts
• One hour returning gifts
• 15 hours at holiday parties, gatherings or other events
• About 7.5 hours spent traveling to attend holiday events
Good Intentions
There are surveys and reports galore this and every year about how many Americans are planning to spend less, more or about the same; as well as what they intend to buy. Some say 30 percent intend to spend less and some report as much as 50 percent. There is always a small percentage, maybe 20 percent or less, who intend to spend more.
The reality is that usually the projections are wrong. Take 2009 for instance. The average person surveyed intended to spend $699 on Christmas. But the actual average spent that year was $811. Sound like your holiday?
Money Is No Object
We could bore you with a long list of best gifts to give mom, dad, the kids and Uncle Fred, but you can find that information anywhere. Snippetz wants to know about the outrageous and extravagant.
In case your were wondering about Oprah’s favorite things, this year she gave away $525 earrings, a $700 Nikon camera, a diamond watch with a mere 58 diamonds in it, a Caribbean cruise, a cashmere throw and sweater, five years of Netflix, flat screen TV and Blue-Ray player worth $3,600 and then some. The lucky audience members in attendance on give-away day also received the book, “A Course in Weight Loss,” something that should NEVER be given for a gift. Shame on you, Oprah!
Not sure where to find the best of the best? There’s always the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog. Some of their favorite items this year are a $3,400 crocodile handbag for mom, $2,500 cufflinks for dad, a $9,900 pink leopard art guitar for your teen, a $15,000 edible gingerbread playhouse for the kids or a $1,500,000 glass sculpture for the bottom of your indoor swimming pool. Oh, they are also selling a Tequila Avion private party for 75 of your closest buddies for $125,000. Colin Cowie, celebrity event planner will put this together for you and your friends to enjoy sips of the most extravagant tequila on the planet. Not too shabby when you consider snacks are involved.
And More Ridiculous
On the market this year, there’s a $20,000 diamond-studded Blackberry case, an automatic twirling spaghetti fork for a very affordable $17.95, and a $32 personalized propane steak branding iron (why?).
For the man in your life, Portland General Store sells aftershave scents for $25. This is not your typical cologne; these are manly scents: tobacco, whiskey, wood, cognac or professor (anybody know what a professor smells like?). Bloomingdales sells colorful rubber tote bags for the little lady to carry while shopping for $195. If your velvet bow is looking a bit raggedy, you can get a replacement from tomford.com for a scant $220.
The Dirty Little Secret of Regifting
Once regifting became a topic of a “Seinfeld” episode in 1995, the cat was out of the bag. Regifting is not a new concept – think about visiting grandma or great aunt Betsy over the holidays and receiving a package, sans gift tag, of handkerchiefs that look like they came from the Woolworths sale bin … about 30 years ago. “Oh Grandma, you shouldn’t have!” (You really shouldn’t have.) Or fruitcake. Remember the old joke about there only being two fruitcakes in existence that get passed from one person to another for the holidays?
Before you regift, consider using these delightful gifts at white elephant gift exchanges that have become so popular. It is the perfect place to get rid of that oversized pink polka dotted coffee mug that makes a joke about menopause. Think of the laughs! On-line second-hand sales sites like eBay are great avenues for dumping those cufflinks and making a little lunch money from the sale. Goodwill and thrift stores are always happy for donations.
If you must regift, here are a few tips from MSN Money on how to do it correctly:
• Keep track of who the gift came from so you don’t make the mistake of gifting back to the person who gave it to you.
• Clean your regifts. If you actually were gutsy enough to use the gift first, clean it up if it can look new and repackage in the original box.
• Do not give partially used gift cards. Yes, it happens.
• Do not regift soaps, CDs that are not the recipient’s taste, candles, obscure software, ugly jewelry, scarves, cologne or socks. It’s always obvious to the recipient that it wasn’t chosen for them.
• Don’t give gifts from companies that are no longer in operation. It’s a dead giveaway.
Worst Gifts Ever
Most of us have received a really bad gift in the past and will do so again. Here are some reported worst gifts people have received and that one should never ever give:
• Nose hair clippers
• One-month gym membership
• Vacuum cleaner
• Wreath
• Shoes
• Snow globe
• Christmas ornaments
• Quesadilla maker
• Chia pet
• Underwear and/or socks
• Musical boxer shorts
• Diet pills
• Sausage making machine
• Facial hair lightening cream
• Meat cookbook for a vegetarian
• Sweatpants
• Thighmaster
• Charitable donation given in the recipient’s honor
Prepare for the Worst
How you react to a very bad gift is a matter of class and good manners. And teaching our children this skill is particularly difficult, especially after we’ve told them over and over again that lying is wrong, wrong, wrong.
First, approach every gift as though it’s the most anticipated item of the day. Open excitedly and get ready to smile brightly and exclaim “I love it; it’s PERFECT!” even if it is 3 pairs of Christmas socks or a partridge in a pear tree. Don’t forget an exuberant “thank you” while still smiling. Second, if you really like the person who gave you the offending item and don’t want to hurt their feelings, be sure to pick up the item periodically and hug it or exclaim once again how much you love their gift.
Those 12 Days of Christmas
If you are planning on indulging your true love this year, the dollars you will need to purchase a complete set of items from “The 12 Days of Christmas” will cost you about $100,000, a 10.8 percent over what it would have cost had you been madly in love last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management. What you’re up against:
• One partridge - $12; pear tree - $149
• Two turtle doves - $100
• Three French hens - $150
• Four calling birds - $599.96
• Five golden rings - $649.95
• Six geese-a-laying - $150
• Seven swans-a-swimming - $5,600
• Eight maids-a-milking - $58
• Nine ladies dancing - $6,294.03
• Ten lords-a-leaping - $4,766
• Eleven pipers piping - $2,356
• Twelve drummers drumming - $2,552
If this is more than you can afford, purchasing one of everything might be more affordable at $23,439. Ah, the price of love.
Issue 474
SNIPPETZ TAKES A TRIP TO THE RED PLANET
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have a grave announcement to make. Incredible as it may seem, strange beings who landed in New Jersey tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from Mars.” - Orson Welles, “The War of the World”
When Orson Welles, American filmmaker, director, actor and screenwriter, performed the now famous radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel “War of the Worlds” in October 1938, many Americans believed Martians were attacking planet Earth. The reading was so real that it apparently caused widespread panic. Later reports have refuted the widespread panic rumor. Nonetheless, renewed fascination about the red planet was launched.
A Couple of Days for Celebrating
Here on the third rock from the sun, we celebrate Red Planet Day on Nov. 28, which also celebrates the launch of the Spacecraft Mariner 4 on that day in 1964. July 14 is also a big day for Mars because it’s the anniversary of the day the Mariner 4 was closest to the planet at 6,118 miles from its surface. Although there are no widely accepted celebratory activities for either of those days, that doesn’t mean that Mars is not important. In fact, it’s a lot more than a little red dot in the night sky.
Why The Red Planet?
Well, it’s really not red; it just looks red. Mars’ surface is comprised mainly of a fine iron oxide dust, the same iron oxide mineral that makes Red Rocks here in Colorado red. Scientists believe the iron in the soil and/or rocks turned rusty some time during Mars’ evolution – likely between the planet’s creation and subsequent floods that carved the famous deep crevices and channels. The moisture from the floods is what stimulated the rusting action that created the red layer and gives Mars the red color. The layer ranges in depth from a few millimeters to as deep as two meters. When the sun reflects off of the surface, it emits a light, mainly in the red/orange range, giving the planet its reddish hue. Hence, it’s famous name, The Red Planet.
Mars also has more iron than Earth, a lot more. In fact, below the surface the planet is made up of a rock called basalt left by volcanic activity. Martian basalt has very high concentrations of iron that makes the iron oxide, which also makes the planet look red.
Is There or Is There Not H2O?
So what happened to all that water the scientists talk about?
Scientists believe the water that ran on Mars’ surface perhaps millions of years ago has retreated below the surface and is now in a frozen state. For many years, and until advanced scientific exploration and technological advances in equipment, it was a commonly held belief that the polar ice caps were frozen water.
Taking a Polar Peek
Other than its red color, Mars has a few other distinctions that have captivated Earthlings for centuries, and one of them is the polar ice caps. Are they really ice or do they just look like ice? Well, they are actually composed of dry ice, the same variety that can be purchased at the grocery store that you might use to make your Halloween brew pot look smoky. Unfortunately, it’s not the same H2O that aids in sustaining life as we know it.
On Mars there are seasons much like here on Earth, and this time of year it’s the summer, or warmer season for the Martian southern hemisphere. During this time, the ice cap recedes due to the warmer surface temperatures. In our spring and early summer, the southern half of Mars turns colder and that ice cap will grow. If you have even a low power telescope, the polar ice caps are visible, but when to view our closest celestial neighbor (other than the moon) can be tricky.
At this time of year Mars is barely visible and especially later in the month it could be completely faded out by the evening glow, and too small due to its location; experts say that “backyard telescopes” will not be useful for viewing Mars this time of year. But there are other times during the year that Mars is not only visible with binoculars and/or a low power telescope; it is also visible with the naked eye. Mid to late August is coined the prime Mars viewing period, and thankfully so as the warmer weather makes the early evening to midnight window much easier to deal with.
Will There Be Body Searches When You Go There?
Man has been fascinated by Mars for centuries as far back as 1570 B.C when the Egyptians wondered about Mars and actually made it a god named “Hours of the Horizon.” But man has two primary desires about Mars: first is to fear any Martians who land and cause havoc and destruction about our planet, and second is to travel to Mars someday with the idea of colonizing, or just exploring. Lately, that discussion has taken a serious turn, even to the point that the government has funded a grant ($1.5 million) to explore the possibility of a trip to Mars. There are two scenarios for the first manned Mars mission. One would be the conventional “go there, snoop around, claim it for the United States and come back,” and the second would be a one-way mission, with no return.
A manned mission to Mars would not only be a daunting task technologically but financially as well. The first hurtle would be the money. The cargo, including food, water and equipment, has been estimated at $1.5 million per pound. Which is why the second idea for a Mars trip was conceived – the one-way trip, with no return.
A one-way trip with no return seems a bit unusual, but it’s not any different than the early Vikings or Columbus setting sail looking for the new world with the idea that there may be no return. Those in favor of a one-way trip cite the cost savings – the equipment and fuel needed to leave Mars for the return trip would not be necessary. The weight that would be eliminated could be used to ship food and water. Even trimming the return costs, the trip is estimated to cost around $10 billion.
The one-way trip is currently being explored as a one-person trip, which could be defined as colonization – one small colony.
Past Visits to Mars
Spacecrafts Mariner 3 and 4 were designed to carry out the first flybys of Mars. Mariner 3 was launched Nov. 5, 1964, but the shroud encasing the spacecraft on top of its rocket failed to open properly and Mariner 3 never got to Mars. On Nov. 28 – just three weeks later – Mariner 4 was launched successfully on an eight-month journey to Mars. There were more Mariners launched through 1971.
And then the Viking landed
NASA's Viking Project was the first mission to land a spacecraft safely on the surface of another planet. Two identical spacecraft, each consisting of a lander and an orbiter, were built. Each orbiter-lander pair flew together and entered Mars orbit; the landers then separated and descended to the planet's surface. Viking 1 was launched Aug. 20, 1975 and arrived on Mars June 19, 1976. Viking 2 was launched Sept. 9, 1975 and arrived Aug. 7, 1976.
It would be 17 years before there was another launch to Mars.
The United States launched Mars Observer Sept. 25, 1992. The spacecraft was complete with science instruments designed to study the geology, geophysics and climate of Mars. However, on Aug. 22, 1993, the spacecraft lost contact before entering Mars’ orbit.
Many Mars missions took place in the 90s. One of the most significant, however, was the Mars Global Surveyor, launched Nov. 7, 1996. This spacecraft operated more than four times as long as planned once it reached Mars on Sept. 12, 1997. The spacecraft returned detailed information that brought a new understanding about Mars.
During the next decade through 2010, NASA has launched numerous spacecrafts – each one advancing technologically, bringing more valuable information about Mars to scientists worldwide.
More About Mars
• Mars is about half the size of Earth.
• The temperature on Mars varies from cold to extremely cold.
• It is impossible for water to exist as a liquid on the surface of Mars.
• Statistically, UFO sightings are at their greatest number during those times when Mars is closest to Earth.
• Mars takes about 2 years to orbit the sun.
• An object weighing 100 pounds on Earth would weigh just 38 pounds on Mars.
• According to scientists, gold exists on Mars, Mercury and Venus.
• Mars is about 35 million miles from Earth and 141.71 million miles from the Sun.
• The atmosphere on Mars is primarily made up of carbon dioxide.
• On Mars the seasons are more exaggerated and last much longer than Earth.
Top 10 Movies About Mars
1. Total Recall
2. Red Planet
3. The Martian Chronicles
4. John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars
5. Mission Mars
6. Robinson Crusoe on Mars
7. Doom
8. The Angry Red Planet
9. Rocketman
10. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
SNIPPETZ TAKES A TRIP TO THE RED PLANET
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have a grave announcement to make. Incredible as it may seem, strange beings who landed in New Jersey tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from Mars.” - Orson Welles, “The War of the World”
When Orson Welles, American filmmaker, director, actor and screenwriter, performed the now famous radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel “War of the Worlds” in October 1938, many Americans believed Martians were attacking planet Earth. The reading was so real that it apparently caused widespread panic. Later reports have refuted the widespread panic rumor. Nonetheless, renewed fascination about the red planet was launched.
A Couple of Days for Celebrating
Here on the third rock from the sun, we celebrate Red Planet Day on Nov. 28, which also celebrates the launch of the Spacecraft Mariner 4 on that day in 1964. July 14 is also a big day for Mars because it’s the anniversary of the day the Mariner 4 was closest to the planet at 6,118 miles from its surface. Although there are no widely accepted celebratory activities for either of those days, that doesn’t mean that Mars is not important. In fact, it’s a lot more than a little red dot in the night sky.
Why The Red Planet?
Well, it’s really not red; it just looks red. Mars’ surface is comprised mainly of a fine iron oxide dust, the same iron oxide mineral that makes Red Rocks here in Colorado red. Scientists believe the iron in the soil and/or rocks turned rusty some time during Mars’ evolution – likely between the planet’s creation and subsequent floods that carved the famous deep crevices and channels. The moisture from the floods is what stimulated the rusting action that created the red layer and gives Mars the red color. The layer ranges in depth from a few millimeters to as deep as two meters. When the sun reflects off of the surface, it emits a light, mainly in the red/orange range, giving the planet its reddish hue. Hence, it’s famous name, The Red Planet.
Mars also has more iron than Earth, a lot more. In fact, below the surface the planet is made up of a rock called basalt left by volcanic activity. Martian basalt has very high concentrations of iron that makes the iron oxide, which also makes the planet look red.
Is There or Is There Not H2O?
So what happened to all that water the scientists talk about?
Scientists believe the water that ran on Mars’ surface perhaps millions of years ago has retreated below the surface and is now in a frozen state. For many years, and until advanced scientific exploration and technological advances in equipment, it was a commonly held belief that the polar ice caps were frozen water.
Taking a Polar Peek
Other than its red color, Mars has a few other distinctions that have captivated Earthlings for centuries, and one of them is the polar ice caps. Are they really ice or do they just look like ice? Well, they are actually composed of dry ice, the same variety that can be purchased at the grocery store that you might use to make your Halloween brew pot look smoky. Unfortunately, it’s not the same H2O that aids in sustaining life as we know it.
On Mars there are seasons much like here on Earth, and this time of year it’s the summer, or warmer season for the Martian southern hemisphere. During this time, the ice cap recedes due to the warmer surface temperatures. In our spring and early summer, the southern half of Mars turns colder and that ice cap will grow. If you have even a low power telescope, the polar ice caps are visible, but when to view our closest celestial neighbor (other than the moon) can be tricky.
At this time of year Mars is barely visible and especially later in the month it could be completely faded out by the evening glow, and too small due to its location; experts say that “backyard telescopes” will not be useful for viewing Mars this time of year. But there are other times during the year that Mars is not only visible with binoculars and/or a low power telescope; it is also visible with the naked eye. Mid to late August is coined the prime Mars viewing period, and thankfully so as the warmer weather makes the early evening to midnight window much easier to deal with.
Will There Be Body Searches When You Go There?
Man has been fascinated by Mars for centuries as far back as 1570 B.C when the Egyptians wondered about Mars and actually made it a god named “Hours of the Horizon.” But man has two primary desires about Mars: first is to fear any Martians who land and cause havoc and destruction about our planet, and second is to travel to Mars someday with the idea of colonizing, or just exploring. Lately, that discussion has taken a serious turn, even to the point that the government has funded a grant ($1.5 million) to explore the possibility of a trip to Mars. There are two scenarios for the first manned Mars mission. One would be the conventional “go there, snoop around, claim it for the United States and come back,” and the second would be a one-way mission, with no return.
A manned mission to Mars would not only be a daunting task technologically but financially as well. The first hurtle would be the money. The cargo, including food, water and equipment, has been estimated at $1.5 million per pound. Which is why the second idea for a Mars trip was conceived – the one-way trip, with no return.
A one-way trip with no return seems a bit unusual, but it’s not any different than the early Vikings or Columbus setting sail looking for the new world with the idea that there may be no return. Those in favor of a one-way trip cite the cost savings – the equipment and fuel needed to leave Mars for the return trip would not be necessary. The weight that would be eliminated could be used to ship food and water. Even trimming the return costs, the trip is estimated to cost around $10 billion.
The one-way trip is currently being explored as a one-person trip, which could be defined as colonization – one small colony.
Past Visits to Mars
Spacecrafts Mariner 3 and 4 were designed to carry out the first flybys of Mars. Mariner 3 was launched Nov. 5, 1964, but the shroud encasing the spacecraft on top of its rocket failed to open properly and Mariner 3 never got to Mars. On Nov. 28 – just three weeks later – Mariner 4 was launched successfully on an eight-month journey to Mars. There were more Mariners launched through 1971.
And then the Viking landed
NASA's Viking Project was the first mission to land a spacecraft safely on the surface of another planet. Two identical spacecraft, each consisting of a lander and an orbiter, were built. Each orbiter-lander pair flew together and entered Mars orbit; the landers then separated and descended to the planet's surface. Viking 1 was launched Aug. 20, 1975 and arrived on Mars June 19, 1976. Viking 2 was launched Sept. 9, 1975 and arrived Aug. 7, 1976.
It would be 17 years before there was another launch to Mars.
The United States launched Mars Observer Sept. 25, 1992. The spacecraft was complete with science instruments designed to study the geology, geophysics and climate of Mars. However, on Aug. 22, 1993, the spacecraft lost contact before entering Mars’ orbit.
Many Mars missions took place in the 90s. One of the most significant, however, was the Mars Global Surveyor, launched Nov. 7, 1996. This spacecraft operated more than four times as long as planned once it reached Mars on Sept. 12, 1997. The spacecraft returned detailed information that brought a new understanding about Mars.
During the next decade through 2010, NASA has launched numerous spacecrafts – each one advancing technologically, bringing more valuable information about Mars to scientists worldwide.
More About Mars
• Mars is about half the size of Earth.
• The temperature on Mars varies from cold to extremely cold.
• It is impossible for water to exist as a liquid on the surface of Mars.
• Statistically, UFO sightings are at their greatest number during those times when Mars is closest to Earth.
• Mars takes about 2 years to orbit the sun.
• An object weighing 100 pounds on Earth would weigh just 38 pounds on Mars.
• According to scientists, gold exists on Mars, Mercury and Venus.
• Mars is about 35 million miles from Earth and 141.71 million miles from the Sun.
• The atmosphere on Mars is primarily made up of carbon dioxide.
• On Mars the seasons are more exaggerated and last much longer than Earth.
Top 10 Movies About Mars
1. Total Recall
2. Red Planet
3. The Martian Chronicles
4. John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars
5. Mission Mars
6. Robinson Crusoe on Mars
7. Doom
8. The Angry Red Planet
9. Rocketman
10. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Issue 473
SNIPPETZ IS SLEEP TALKING
"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Edison said, “Sleep is an acquired habit. Cells don't sleep. Fish swim in the water all night. Even a horse doesn't sleep. A man doesn't need any sleep." Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov agreed: “I never use an alarm clock. I can hardly wait until 5 a.m. In the Army, I always woke before reveille. I hate sleeping. It wastes time.”
Humans spend about one-third of their life sleeping, and the experts would challenge Edison and Asimov by touting the benefits of eight hours of sleep a night. Performing at one’s best and maintaining good health are two benefits.
Sleep deprivation can lead to poor work habits, chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity, a weakened immune system, depression, cardiovascular disease and premature aging.
Despite the warnings, Americans still don’t get enough sleep. Work, family, stress, sleep disorders are a few factors that prevent people from that eight hours of shut eye. And as the holidays approach, Mr. Sandman loses big time to Santa.
But some people have said sleep is over-rated; they can live productively on less than eight hours. Studies also have shown that people who sleep between six and a half and seven and a half hours a night live the longest. People who slept less than six hours a night or more than eight didn’t live as long as the first group.
The truth is there are all kinds of variables that define human sleep habits.
The Age Factor
On average, adults age 25 to 55 should get eight hours of sleep every night. Some studies have shown that older adults need less sleep – about six hours. But others argue that seniors need eight hours but their sleep is frequently interrupted. Babies sleep about 16 hours a day.
Sleep is especially vital in reference to adolescents and teenagers.
There is a reason it takes a bullhorn and a bulldozer to get a teenager out of bed in the morning.
Studies have proven that the biological clocks of teenagers keep them awake later at night and sleeping later in the morning. Teenagers need about 10 hours of sleep per night, and the effects of not getting enough sleep are much more dramatic in teens than adults. It’s why many sleep experts believe that school class start times of 7 or 7:30 a.m. are insufficient and even abusive.
In the late 1990s, schools in Minneapolis changed start times from 7:15 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. because of recommendations from sleep experts. The University of Minnesota then studied the impact the change had on academic performance and behavior, and the results were significant. Later start times –
• Attendance improved, and there was less tardiness.
• Students ate breakfast more frequently.
• Teachers discovered a calmer atmosphere in the hallways and cafeteria.
• There were fewer trips to the principal for disciplinary reasons.
• Relationships among teenagers were better.
• Parents also noted that their teenagers were easier to live with.
And a happy teenager could mean more sleep for the adults in the household.
Morning Person or Night Owl
Neuroscientists have found major differences in the brains of early risers or night owls. Participants in a study were grouped in either category based on a questionnaire about their habits.
Magnetic resonance imaging-guided brain stimulation was used to test muscle torque and the excitability of pathways through the spinal cord and brain. The brains of the morning people were most excitable at 9 a.m., and the excitability factor decreased throughout the day. The brains of the night owls were most excitable at 9 p.m. Evening people also became physically stronger throughout the day, while morning people didn’t change.
Sleep Disorders
Sleep is compromised at certain times of life: parenting an infant (or a teenage driver), menopause, old age, etc. Sleep disorders on the other hand can be chronic.
New studies have found that sleep apnea can cause defects in the brain’s gray matter, which creates problems with cognitive functions like attention and memory. The brain changes are thought to be caused by intermittent oxygen deprivation.
Driving While Drowsy
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that driving while sleepy has resulted in about 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and more than 100,000 accidents each year.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety did analyzed accidents caused by drowsy drivers and found that younger drivers between 16 and 24 years of age were twice as likely to be involved in a drowsy driving accident as drivers age 40 to 59. Fifty-seven percent of sleepiness-related crashes occurred when the driver drifted into another lane or off the road.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Scientists have found that mammals and humans have a common denominator when they sleep: Both have REM or rapid eye movement sleep, which is associated with dreams. Humans and animals display the same level of brain activity and increased heart rate variability during REM sleep. Dogs often bark or twitch during REM sleep.
Rats have similar sleep needs to humans. They require rest to be alert to dodge humans and cats.
Giraffes can go without sleep for weeks; brown bats sleep the entire day. The golden dormouse balances itself on the branch of a tree to sleep – and any quiver of the twig awakens the dormouse.
Smaller animals require more sleep than larger animals. Animals that sleep less than four hours average are large land mammals like the elephant and the cow.
Horses stand 98 percent of the time while they sleep.
Some birds sleep with one eye open to sense predators.
Mammals, too, factor in danger when they sleep. The African Papio baboon sleeps on its heels in the tops of trees to avoid predators – talk about sleep deprivation.
In marine mammals, one hemisphere of their brain is always awake, which means that dolphins swim and surface to breath while they’re sleeping.
More Sleep Snippetz
• The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The person holding the record reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.
• Parents typically lose 400 to 750 hours of sleep during a newborn’s first year.
• British Ministry of Defense researchers have used optical fibers embedded in spectacles that project a ring of bright, white light around the retinas of the soldiers to reset the soldiers' body clocks so they can go without sleep for up to 36 hours.
• Experts have said that one of the biggest reasons for sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the Internet.
• If it takes anything less than five minutes to fall asleep at night, it means you're sleep deprived. The ideal falling asleep time is between 10 and 15 minutes.
Good night and sweet dreams.
SNIPPETZ IS SLEEP TALKING
"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Edison said, “Sleep is an acquired habit. Cells don't sleep. Fish swim in the water all night. Even a horse doesn't sleep. A man doesn't need any sleep." Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov agreed: “I never use an alarm clock. I can hardly wait until 5 a.m. In the Army, I always woke before reveille. I hate sleeping. It wastes time.”
Humans spend about one-third of their life sleeping, and the experts would challenge Edison and Asimov by touting the benefits of eight hours of sleep a night. Performing at one’s best and maintaining good health are two benefits.
Sleep deprivation can lead to poor work habits, chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity, a weakened immune system, depression, cardiovascular disease and premature aging.
Despite the warnings, Americans still don’t get enough sleep. Work, family, stress, sleep disorders are a few factors that prevent people from that eight hours of shut eye. And as the holidays approach, Mr. Sandman loses big time to Santa.
But some people have said sleep is over-rated; they can live productively on less than eight hours. Studies also have shown that people who sleep between six and a half and seven and a half hours a night live the longest. People who slept less than six hours a night or more than eight didn’t live as long as the first group.
The truth is there are all kinds of variables that define human sleep habits.
The Age Factor
On average, adults age 25 to 55 should get eight hours of sleep every night. Some studies have shown that older adults need less sleep – about six hours. But others argue that seniors need eight hours but their sleep is frequently interrupted. Babies sleep about 16 hours a day.
Sleep is especially vital in reference to adolescents and teenagers.
There is a reason it takes a bullhorn and a bulldozer to get a teenager out of bed in the morning.
Studies have proven that the biological clocks of teenagers keep them awake later at night and sleeping later in the morning. Teenagers need about 10 hours of sleep per night, and the effects of not getting enough sleep are much more dramatic in teens than adults. It’s why many sleep experts believe that school class start times of 7 or 7:30 a.m. are insufficient and even abusive.
In the late 1990s, schools in Minneapolis changed start times from 7:15 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. because of recommendations from sleep experts. The University of Minnesota then studied the impact the change had on academic performance and behavior, and the results were significant. Later start times –
• Attendance improved, and there was less tardiness.
• Students ate breakfast more frequently.
• Teachers discovered a calmer atmosphere in the hallways and cafeteria.
• There were fewer trips to the principal for disciplinary reasons.
• Relationships among teenagers were better.
• Parents also noted that their teenagers were easier to live with.
And a happy teenager could mean more sleep for the adults in the household.
Morning Person or Night Owl
Neuroscientists have found major differences in the brains of early risers or night owls. Participants in a study were grouped in either category based on a questionnaire about their habits.
Magnetic resonance imaging-guided brain stimulation was used to test muscle torque and the excitability of pathways through the spinal cord and brain. The brains of the morning people were most excitable at 9 a.m., and the excitability factor decreased throughout the day. The brains of the night owls were most excitable at 9 p.m. Evening people also became physically stronger throughout the day, while morning people didn’t change.
Sleep Disorders
Sleep is compromised at certain times of life: parenting an infant (or a teenage driver), menopause, old age, etc. Sleep disorders on the other hand can be chronic.
- Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, often resulting in impaired functioning during the day. Fifty-percent of adults and older people complain of chronic insomnia symptoms.
- Narcolepsy is excessive sleepiness during the day, causing “sleep attacks.”
- Restless Legs Syndrome is what the Centers for Disease Control likened to a “creeping” sensation, which is associated with nighttime aches and pains throughout the legs.
- Sleep apnea is common. While sleeping, people with sleep apnea experience pauses in breathing or shallow breaths. The pauses can last a few seconds to minutes and occur five to 30 times or more an hour. When normal breathing starts again, it can be accompanied by loud snoring or choking sounds. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness.
New studies have found that sleep apnea can cause defects in the brain’s gray matter, which creates problems with cognitive functions like attention and memory. The brain changes are thought to be caused by intermittent oxygen deprivation.
Driving While Drowsy
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that driving while sleepy has resulted in about 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and more than 100,000 accidents each year.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety did analyzed accidents caused by drowsy drivers and found that younger drivers between 16 and 24 years of age were twice as likely to be involved in a drowsy driving accident as drivers age 40 to 59. Fifty-seven percent of sleepiness-related crashes occurred when the driver drifted into another lane or off the road.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Scientists have found that mammals and humans have a common denominator when they sleep: Both have REM or rapid eye movement sleep, which is associated with dreams. Humans and animals display the same level of brain activity and increased heart rate variability during REM sleep. Dogs often bark or twitch during REM sleep.
Rats have similar sleep needs to humans. They require rest to be alert to dodge humans and cats.
Giraffes can go without sleep for weeks; brown bats sleep the entire day. The golden dormouse balances itself on the branch of a tree to sleep – and any quiver of the twig awakens the dormouse.
Smaller animals require more sleep than larger animals. Animals that sleep less than four hours average are large land mammals like the elephant and the cow.
Horses stand 98 percent of the time while they sleep.
Some birds sleep with one eye open to sense predators.
Mammals, too, factor in danger when they sleep. The African Papio baboon sleeps on its heels in the tops of trees to avoid predators – talk about sleep deprivation.
In marine mammals, one hemisphere of their brain is always awake, which means that dolphins swim and surface to breath while they’re sleeping.
More Sleep Snippetz
• The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The person holding the record reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.
• Parents typically lose 400 to 750 hours of sleep during a newborn’s first year.
• British Ministry of Defense researchers have used optical fibers embedded in spectacles that project a ring of bright, white light around the retinas of the soldiers to reset the soldiers' body clocks so they can go without sleep for up to 36 hours.
• Experts have said that one of the biggest reasons for sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the Internet.
• If it takes anything less than five minutes to fall asleep at night, it means you're sleep deprived. The ideal falling asleep time is between 10 and 15 minutes.
Good night and sweet dreams.
Issue 472
SNIPPETZ HONORS THE GREATER GOOD - AND THE GIVERS
Is the rich world aware of how four billion of the six billion live? If we were aware, we would want to help out, we'd want to get involved.
- Bill Gates
November is the traditional month to celebrate National Philanthropy Day in cities and states across America. Different dates are set aside to pay tribute to the philanthropic community, to those who have donated for the betterment of lives, communities and the world.
The U.S. gives more philanthropically than any other country in the world, with an annual contribution of about $300 billion.
Americans gave more than $307 billion to charitable organizations in 2009, despite a gloomy economy. However, total giving was down 3.6 percent – the biggest decline since the American Association of Fundraising Counsel began reporting statistics on giving in 1956.
Still, the following stories provide evidence that the spirit of giving is alive and well.
You Don’t Have To Be Rich
The Secret Society for Creative Philosophy started in 2006 in New York City when Courtney Martin, after receiving a windfall advance for a book she was writing, gave 10 friends $100 each. She then asked them to give the $100 away in a creative manner. Afterward, they would all meet at a bar and discuss the results of the $100 give-a-way over a few beers. The stories of giving fueled a fire.
The following year, Martin’s friends gave $100 to their friends to creatively dish out, and the idea just kept on giving.
Once a year, members of the Secret Society convene in cities throughout the country to relay their stories about how they dispersed their $100 each. New York, Seattle, San Francisco and Athens, Ga., all have formal chapters of the society. To be a member of the society, one has to be gifted by a special Creative Philanthropy agent, known as the CP agent.
The San Francisco Chronicle published a story about the $100 give-away there.
Speaking of Kids
You don’t have to be older to be involved in philanthropy, either. Philanthropy is defined as the desire to benefit humanity; to improve the material, social and spiritual welfare of humanity … through charitable activities. Kids from coast to coast are involved in humanitarian and environmental causes.
Each year, Kohl’s Department Store recognizes 200 young people nationwide who have given back to their communities. Thousands are nominated, and the winners are presented with a $1,000 scholarship toward post-secondary education.
Here are some examples of young philanthropists – a few of the winners of Kohl’s 2009 scholarships.
When these kids are in their middle years in 2050, it’s estimated that $41 trillion will have transferred from one generation to the next, with gifts to nonprofit organizations projected at more than $6 trillion.
Leaving a Legacy
Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates are throwing down the gauntlet to their peers of wealth in the name of philanthropy, setting unprecedented standards for giving back.
Gates and Buffet have launched the Giving Pledge, a movement encouraging the wealthiest Americans to give it up for charity.
The two ultra-wealthy, mega-successful and well-known philanthropists have been recruiting from the Forbes 400 list of America’s richest of the rich. Media mogul Ted Turner, Domino’s Pizza founder Thomas Monaghan, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Barron Hilton, son of hotel icon Conrad Hilton, are among those who have formally signed the pledge. Significant, to say the least: Those who’ve jumped on board have promised to give away at least 50 percent of their net worth to charity during their lifetime or at death.
Some have pledged more than 50 percent. Oracle’s founder Larry Ellison pledged 95 percent of his wealth.
The 2009 net worth of the Forbes 400 was about $1.2 trillion. If all of them were to give 50 percent of their net worth to charity, it would amount to $600 billion.
The Giving Pledge is not focused on any one issue. Those who’ve pledged choose their charitable organization under a common philosophy, according to Fortune: A life of monetary excess can be an empty life, if the wealth does nothing to advance a greater cause.
As of August, 40 families have become part of the Giving Pledge – and many others have met with Buffet and Gates to discuss the possibilities.
Star Philanthropists
Other big money makers in the U.S. like movie stars, musicians and athletes have doled out millions to advance their causes. Celebrities have a lot of clout in a star-struck country like the U.S. It’s a reason why the likes of George Clooney and Sean Penn were able to present their concerns about world strife before Congress.
Some even give from the grave.
The deceased king of late-night television, Johnny Carson, is still giving millions of dollars in securities and royalty rights from the John W. Carson Trust. The John W. Carson Foundation received $35.2 million in cash and $121.2 million during the fiscal year ending last June.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt give time and money to help people worldwide. Jolie is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. Together, Pitt and Jolie have established the Jolie-Pitt Foundation in support of human rights and environmental issues. Pitt has an avid interest in architecture, which led him to help families in New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina. Pitt committed at least $5 million to build environmentally friendly, sustainable structures in New Orleans – and he was active in the process of rebuilding.
U2’s Bono has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Bono has been on the Forbes Generous Celebrity list for his work involving AIDS and debt relief in Africa. He has been involved in numerous causes, from racism to poverty to hunger. He was knighted in 2007.
Tennis great Andre Agassi founded The Andre Agassi Foundation in 1994 at the age of 24. The foundation’s focus is public education through practice, policy and partnerships. Millions of dollars have been poured into opportunities for underserved youth.
Hordes of athletes, including John Elway, Magic Johnson and Tiger Woods have set up charitable foundations to give back to communities that have fervently supported them.
From the Others
• Individuals gave the largest portion of charitable giving - $227.41 billion – 75 percent of all contributed dollars.
• Charitable bequests by individuals totaled $23.8 billion – 8 percent – a decrease of almost 24 percent from 2008.
• Foundations also fell behind in 2009 by 8.9 percent. They gave more than $38 billion, or 13 percent, of all donations in the U.S.
• Individuals, bequests and family foundations contributed 88 percent - $266.61 billion – of the total giving figures in 2009.
• Corporate giving increased 5.5 percent in 2009 to more than $14 billion, accounting for 4 percent of all charitable giving in 2009.
In November, the following Colorado individuals and companies will be recognized for their outstanding charitable contributions.
SNIPPETZ HONORS THE GREATER GOOD - AND THE GIVERS
Is the rich world aware of how four billion of the six billion live? If we were aware, we would want to help out, we'd want to get involved.
- Bill Gates
November is the traditional month to celebrate National Philanthropy Day in cities and states across America. Different dates are set aside to pay tribute to the philanthropic community, to those who have donated for the betterment of lives, communities and the world.
The U.S. gives more philanthropically than any other country in the world, with an annual contribution of about $300 billion.
Americans gave more than $307 billion to charitable organizations in 2009, despite a gloomy economy. However, total giving was down 3.6 percent – the biggest decline since the American Association of Fundraising Counsel began reporting statistics on giving in 1956.
Still, the following stories provide evidence that the spirit of giving is alive and well.
You Don’t Have To Be Rich
The Secret Society for Creative Philosophy started in 2006 in New York City when Courtney Martin, after receiving a windfall advance for a book she was writing, gave 10 friends $100 each. She then asked them to give the $100 away in a creative manner. Afterward, they would all meet at a bar and discuss the results of the $100 give-a-way over a few beers. The stories of giving fueled a fire.
The following year, Martin’s friends gave $100 to their friends to creatively dish out, and the idea just kept on giving.
Once a year, members of the Secret Society convene in cities throughout the country to relay their stories about how they dispersed their $100 each. New York, Seattle, San Francisco and Athens, Ga., all have formal chapters of the society. To be a member of the society, one has to be gifted by a special Creative Philanthropy agent, known as the CP agent.
The San Francisco Chronicle published a story about the $100 give-away there.
- David Ibnale decided to give free umbrellas to people in a rainstorm, but they thought there was something “fishy” about his offer. “What’s the catch” was a common response. All total, he asked 27 people who were soaking wet if they would like an umbrella – 17 said no.
- Brett Lockspeiser took $100 in dollar bills to a mission in San Francisco and held up a sign that read, “I will give you $1 for you to give to someone else.” People thought he was trying to scam them. He could only give away $52, and one person who suspected that Lockspeiser was poor gave him a pair of socks. Some of those who took dollar bills gave them to street musicians.
- Mollie Ricker spent $100 on a tip to a friendly cabdriver.
- Christina Zanfagna used her $100 to buy drinks for strangers in a restaurant.
- Jeremy Mende took his money to Union Square in San Francisco and offered a pair of strangers $1 each to have a one-on-one conversation. From the Chronicle story, some of the conversations were quite bold.
Speaking of Kids
You don’t have to be older to be involved in philanthropy, either. Philanthropy is defined as the desire to benefit humanity; to improve the material, social and spiritual welfare of humanity … through charitable activities. Kids from coast to coast are involved in humanitarian and environmental causes.
Each year, Kohl’s Department Store recognizes 200 young people nationwide who have given back to their communities. Thousands are nominated, and the winners are presented with a $1,000 scholarship toward post-secondary education.
Here are some examples of young philanthropists – a few of the winners of Kohl’s 2009 scholarships.
- David, 18, volunteered to teach math and science and technology programs to young students.
- Philip, 17, raised more than $45,000 for care packages to veterans.
- Julia, 10, sold homemade pins to raise more than $2,700 for autism research.
- Tony, 12, created a charity that fixes old bikes, and after they’re repaired, they’re given to children in need.
- Reid, 13, raised more than $100,000 for brain tumor research through bike rides and lemonade stands. Reid also had surgery for a brain tumor.
- Kathryn, 17, collected more than 50,000 books for schools serving at-risk children.
- Jake, 7, raised donations during the holidays to adopt a family in need to provide them with food, toys and clothing.
- Sydney, 11, raised almost $50,000 for research for a rare cell disease (that she was diagnosed with) selling homemade jewelry.
- Eamonn, 10, began a recycling program at his elementary school.
When these kids are in their middle years in 2050, it’s estimated that $41 trillion will have transferred from one generation to the next, with gifts to nonprofit organizations projected at more than $6 trillion.
Leaving a Legacy
Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates are throwing down the gauntlet to their peers of wealth in the name of philanthropy, setting unprecedented standards for giving back.
Gates and Buffet have launched the Giving Pledge, a movement encouraging the wealthiest Americans to give it up for charity.
The two ultra-wealthy, mega-successful and well-known philanthropists have been recruiting from the Forbes 400 list of America’s richest of the rich. Media mogul Ted Turner, Domino’s Pizza founder Thomas Monaghan, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Barron Hilton, son of hotel icon Conrad Hilton, are among those who have formally signed the pledge. Significant, to say the least: Those who’ve jumped on board have promised to give away at least 50 percent of their net worth to charity during their lifetime or at death.
Some have pledged more than 50 percent. Oracle’s founder Larry Ellison pledged 95 percent of his wealth.
The 2009 net worth of the Forbes 400 was about $1.2 trillion. If all of them were to give 50 percent of their net worth to charity, it would amount to $600 billion.
The Giving Pledge is not focused on any one issue. Those who’ve pledged choose their charitable organization under a common philosophy, according to Fortune: A life of monetary excess can be an empty life, if the wealth does nothing to advance a greater cause.
As of August, 40 families have become part of the Giving Pledge – and many others have met with Buffet and Gates to discuss the possibilities.
Star Philanthropists
Other big money makers in the U.S. like movie stars, musicians and athletes have doled out millions to advance their causes. Celebrities have a lot of clout in a star-struck country like the U.S. It’s a reason why the likes of George Clooney and Sean Penn were able to present their concerns about world strife before Congress.
Some even give from the grave.
The deceased king of late-night television, Johnny Carson, is still giving millions of dollars in securities and royalty rights from the John W. Carson Trust. The John W. Carson Foundation received $35.2 million in cash and $121.2 million during the fiscal year ending last June.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt give time and money to help people worldwide. Jolie is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. Together, Pitt and Jolie have established the Jolie-Pitt Foundation in support of human rights and environmental issues. Pitt has an avid interest in architecture, which led him to help families in New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina. Pitt committed at least $5 million to build environmentally friendly, sustainable structures in New Orleans – and he was active in the process of rebuilding.
U2’s Bono has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Bono has been on the Forbes Generous Celebrity list for his work involving AIDS and debt relief in Africa. He has been involved in numerous causes, from racism to poverty to hunger. He was knighted in 2007.
Tennis great Andre Agassi founded The Andre Agassi Foundation in 1994 at the age of 24. The foundation’s focus is public education through practice, policy and partnerships. Millions of dollars have been poured into opportunities for underserved youth.
Hordes of athletes, including John Elway, Magic Johnson and Tiger Woods have set up charitable foundations to give back to communities that have fervently supported them.
From the Others
• Individuals gave the largest portion of charitable giving - $227.41 billion – 75 percent of all contributed dollars.
• Charitable bequests by individuals totaled $23.8 billion – 8 percent – a decrease of almost 24 percent from 2008.
• Foundations also fell behind in 2009 by 8.9 percent. They gave more than $38 billion, or 13 percent, of all donations in the U.S.
• Individuals, bequests and family foundations contributed 88 percent - $266.61 billion – of the total giving figures in 2009.
• Corporate giving increased 5.5 percent in 2009 to more than $14 billion, accounting for 4 percent of all charitable giving in 2009.
In November, the following Colorado individuals and companies will be recognized for their outstanding charitable contributions.
- Large business or corporation: Comcast
- Small business or corporation: KB Homes Mountain Division
- Foundation: Colorado Health Foundation
- Individual philanthropist: Janet Mordecai
- Professional in philanthropy: Linda Childears
- Service organization: Fruita Thrift Shop
- Volunteer: Gaku Homma
- Volunteer fundraiser: Kristin Richardson
- Youth: Nicole Saucedo
- Youth group: Lowry Elementary Eagle Ambassadors
Issue 471
SNIPPETZ IS NOT STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS
What size turkey shall I get this year? If I invite Uncle Jim, he’ll probably drink too much and start talking politics, and he and cousin Mary will turn dinner into a war zone.
How will I ever get the shopping done and the dinner preparations made when I have to work all week?
Christmas is almost here, and I have so much to do before we leave town. What if it snows and the flight is cancelled? I need to get that sitter for the dog.
And, oh, yea, that master card bill in January.
Welcome to the holidays – and all the stressors that follow. Of course, stress is a year-round malady, but the holidays ignite emotions like a lit match to dead leaves. Dr. Shawn Talbott; a nutrition consultant and educator for athletes of organizations like the U.S. Olympic training centers, the National Basketball Association and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, cited the following statistics on holiday stress from a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association.
• Up to 69 percent of those surveyed named lack of time and money as two main stressors during the holidays.
• Fifty-one percent said holiday stress is about the pressure to give or get gifts.
• Sadness (59 percent), sleep issues (56 percent) and lack of energy (55 percent) were the side effects of the stressors.
Add to the holidays the everyday stress that Americans incur year-round. From a 2004 APA survey:
And given that 14.8 million Americans were unemployed in September of this year, Santa’s reappearance is like the return of Frankenstein.
Pumpkin Pie & Grandma’s Noodles
Experts say nutritional habits affect stress. Now, that makes for another reason why some Americans might want to build an underground shelter for hiding during the holidays. Office parties, holiday dinners, desserts galore and fast-food stops for the hurried shopper: The holidays are synonymous with eating and weight gain (which brings on more stress). Then comes January and all of the resolutions to lighten the holiday heavies. More stress.
Stress can cause increased levels of cortisol in the body, which create cravings for salty and sweet foods: a vicious cycle.
Family get-togethers are often a source of stress. Although Uncle Jim is a grumpy old wino, it’s expected he’ll be around for the holidays. It’s a time of year when families are supposed to be together after all. Emotionally charged stress incites overeating.
Food is a godsend in an uncomfortable setting. Potatoes and pie can thwart confrontation or take one’s focus off the three A’s: apprehension, anger and anxiety. “Honey, Uncle Jim is driving everyone crazy.” Bring on that pecan pie.
A great amount of stress affects where people store fat. Abdominal fat is linked to people with high stress, and fat tummies and big bellies can be precursors to heart attacks and strokes. Talk about stress.
“I will resolve to start my exercise routine Jan. 1.” Sound familiar? Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle today, which makes a routine exercise program as important as that cup of wakeup java. However, demanding schedules impede the will to exercise, and the holiday season is a whopping good reason to ditch the exercise. The No. 1 excuse to avoid exercise? There’s just no time!
In Perspective
Stress is real, and for some it can be debilitating and lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Managing the stress of everyday life is vital to maintaining a sound body and mind.
Dealing with everyday stress provides an understanding to what causes it; facing the stressors can often mean making changes amid new opportunities.
Putting one’s life in perspective is a sure-fire way to battle seasonal stressors like finding time to shop for the holidays.
This is what stress looks like in a bigger picture.
The above statistics reach beyond stress. But keep in mind that no one is going to send you to prison if the turkey is charred. They can’t hang you because you chose a night of popcorn and DVDs instead of the party. Johnny will survive if he doesn’t get that new Xbox game.
Speaking of Survival
Still not convinced that those little stressors can be swept under the rug? If so, here are 10 ideas from the Mayo Clinic to prevent stress throughout the holidays – and other days.
With that, enjoy those holidays. After all, January is around the corner – uh oh, tax time. Save this issue of Snippetz and read again.
SNIPPETZ IS NOT STRESSED ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS
What size turkey shall I get this year? If I invite Uncle Jim, he’ll probably drink too much and start talking politics, and he and cousin Mary will turn dinner into a war zone.
How will I ever get the shopping done and the dinner preparations made when I have to work all week?
Christmas is almost here, and I have so much to do before we leave town. What if it snows and the flight is cancelled? I need to get that sitter for the dog.
And, oh, yea, that master card bill in January.
Welcome to the holidays – and all the stressors that follow. Of course, stress is a year-round malady, but the holidays ignite emotions like a lit match to dead leaves. Dr. Shawn Talbott; a nutrition consultant and educator for athletes of organizations like the U.S. Olympic training centers, the National Basketball Association and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, cited the following statistics on holiday stress from a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association.
• Up to 69 percent of those surveyed named lack of time and money as two main stressors during the holidays.
• Fifty-one percent said holiday stress is about the pressure to give or get gifts.
• Sadness (59 percent), sleep issues (56 percent) and lack of energy (55 percent) were the side effects of the stressors.
Add to the holidays the everyday stress that Americans incur year-round. From a 2004 APA survey:
- Two-thirds of Americans said they would seek help for stress.
- Fifty-four percent of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday lives.
- Sixty-two percent said work has a significant impact on stress levels.
- Fifty-four percent of workers were concerned about health problems caused by stress.
- Executives and managers tend to have the most stressful jobs, while self-employed workers are the least stressed.
- One in four workers had taken a mental health day off from work to cope with stress.
- Seventy-three percent of Americans said money is the No. 1 factor affecting their stress level.
And given that 14.8 million Americans were unemployed in September of this year, Santa’s reappearance is like the return of Frankenstein.
Pumpkin Pie & Grandma’s Noodles
Experts say nutritional habits affect stress. Now, that makes for another reason why some Americans might want to build an underground shelter for hiding during the holidays. Office parties, holiday dinners, desserts galore and fast-food stops for the hurried shopper: The holidays are synonymous with eating and weight gain (which brings on more stress). Then comes January and all of the resolutions to lighten the holiday heavies. More stress.
Stress can cause increased levels of cortisol in the body, which create cravings for salty and sweet foods: a vicious cycle.
Family get-togethers are often a source of stress. Although Uncle Jim is a grumpy old wino, it’s expected he’ll be around for the holidays. It’s a time of year when families are supposed to be together after all. Emotionally charged stress incites overeating.
Food is a godsend in an uncomfortable setting. Potatoes and pie can thwart confrontation or take one’s focus off the three A’s: apprehension, anger and anxiety. “Honey, Uncle Jim is driving everyone crazy.” Bring on that pecan pie.
A great amount of stress affects where people store fat. Abdominal fat is linked to people with high stress, and fat tummies and big bellies can be precursors to heart attacks and strokes. Talk about stress.
“I will resolve to start my exercise routine Jan. 1.” Sound familiar? Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle today, which makes a routine exercise program as important as that cup of wakeup java. However, demanding schedules impede the will to exercise, and the holiday season is a whopping good reason to ditch the exercise. The No. 1 excuse to avoid exercise? There’s just no time!
In Perspective
Stress is real, and for some it can be debilitating and lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Managing the stress of everyday life is vital to maintaining a sound body and mind.
Dealing with everyday stress provides an understanding to what causes it; facing the stressors can often mean making changes amid new opportunities.
Putting one’s life in perspective is a sure-fire way to battle seasonal stressors like finding time to shop for the holidays.
This is what stress looks like in a bigger picture.
- There are almost seven billion people in the world.
- A little more than one billion are undernourished.
- More than one billion are overweight.
- On Oct. 19 alone, more than 19,400 people died of hunger.
- To date this year, more than 8.3 million people died of hunger.
- In 2009, 43.6 million people in the U.S. were in poverty; in 2008, 39.8 million. The 43.6 million is the largest number in the 51 years the U.S. Census Bureau has published information on poverty.
The above statistics reach beyond stress. But keep in mind that no one is going to send you to prison if the turkey is charred. They can’t hang you because you chose a night of popcorn and DVDs instead of the party. Johnny will survive if he doesn’t get that new Xbox game.
Speaking of Survival
Still not convinced that those little stressors can be swept under the rug? If so, here are 10 ideas from the Mayo Clinic to prevent stress throughout the holidays – and other days.
- Acknowledge feelings: It’s OK to feel sad or to grieve during the holidays and any time. Don’t force happiness; sometimes it’s just not there, no matter what season it is.
- Reach out: For every holiday celebration, there is someone somewhere who is reeling from a death of a loved one, a divorce, a bankruptcy, poor health, loneliness, etc. And if it’s you, reach out. Volunteer, find a church if you’re so inclined, find your passion and then find others who share it: nonprofits, book clubs, art groups, etc.
- Be realistic: The holidays do not have to be perfect. Go with the flow. If traditions change because of growing or far-away families, accept it and be open to new rituals.
- Set aside differences: When family is around for the holidays, accept them for all their eccentricities and faults. Don’t have unrealistic expectations that people will change or that you have to like them just because it’s Christmas.
- Budget: Decide how much money can be spent on food and gifts, and stick to it. Try homemade gifts, too. Or service gifts: Babysit for your sister’s kids while the parents take the night off.
- Plan: It’s a good time for lists and setting aside specific days and hours for shopping, baking, parties, visiting, etc. Stay focused.
- Just say no: If you can’t make the party, say no. If you can’t go to lunch on Saturday with Aunt Sue, don’t. If your boss wants overtime, say yes, but let others know your time has just been limited.
- Stay healthy: Don’t abandon healthy habits just because – it only adds to the stress. Indulge but don’t go overboard. Get ample sleep and continue those exercise routines: If it’s time you’re worried about, get up a half hour earlier and do something physical.
- Take time for you: Exercise, as well as meditating, stargazing, listening to music or reading, can clear the mind and restore calm.
- Seek help if necessary: If stress any time of the year leads to feelings of despair, sadness, anxiety or the inability to sleep or eat or face routine chores, get help. Seek out a doctor or mental health professional.
With that, enjoy those holidays. After all, January is around the corner – uh oh, tax time. Save this issue of Snippetz and read again.
Issue 470
SNIPPETZ UNLOCKS THE MYSTERY OF KING TUT'S CURSE
"At last have made a wonderful discovery in Valley; a magnificent tomb with seals intact; re-covered same for your arrival; congratulations."
- Howard Carter, archaeologist, to Lord Carnarvon, Nov. 5, 1922
Ah, the life of a pharaoh in ancient Egypt! Elaborate palaces, surrounded by servants, adorned with gold and precious jewels and a burial fit for a king. Who can beat it? And probably the most fascinating of all the pharaohs was the young King Tutankhamun, better known to us as King Tut who began his rule in 1333 BC at the age of 9. His reign was short-lived, however, as he died in 1324 BC. Scholars have extensively studied his short life of 19 years, but much of his life and especially his death remains a mystery to this day.
The 18th Dynasty and Religious Upheaval
Tutankhamun was born in 1343 BC. He was named Tutankhaten, the ‘aten’ from the god depicted by a sun disc. Life was good for Tutankhaten as it was thought he was much loved by his parents and heir to the throne his father, Pharaoh Ahkenaten held for 17 years. Dad was a very powerful autocratic ruler who decided to abolish the ancient Egyptian religious practice of polytheism, or the worship of many gods, to monotheism, worship of a single god. Up until this time, the ancient Egyptians had worshipped multiple gods – upwards of around 2,000 – for possibly thousands of years.
Change did not come easy. Akhenaten was obsessed with his newfound religious beliefs and life for Egyptians revolved around this change. The government was no longer run by priests, but by Akhenaten backed by a powerful military force. He built a new capital city of Amarna and forced the more than 20,000 people of Thebes to move there. Everyone was required to worship the god Aten and images of the old gods had to be destroyed.
The Demise of Akhenaten
It should be no surprise that Akhenaten would be a very unpopular king once he established a mandatory change in religious beliefs and practices. When Tut was 7 years old his father was forced to abdicate the throne. He died shortly thereafter. Tut did not immediately take over the throne. Someone by the name of Smenkhkare Ankhetkheperure began a two-year reign starting in 1336 BC. Rumor has it that she was actually Nefertiti, Akhenaten’s chief wife and Tut’s stepmother. More about these relationships later.
Enter King Tut
At the ripe old age of 9, Tutankhaten became the reigning king. He was not alone and had the advice and counsel of Ay, a family member, as well as General Horemheb, military commander and his deputy. The young king ordered the restoration of many of the old temples in Thebes. He also worked on foreign policy - improving relations with neighboring lands - and may have fought in battles against Egyptian enemies.
When Tut was 12 years old, he changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun to align himself more with the god of Amun and the Amun priests rather than the monotheistic god of Aten of his father’s reign. It was during this time that he moved the royal family back to their roots in Thebes.
Keeping It In The Family
It was thought that the Egyptian gods and goddesses practiced incest to maintain the bloodline. Since pharaohs were considered living gods, incest was a perfectly acceptable practice for royalty in ancient Egypt. Tut’s family was no exception.
Upon becoming king, Tut married Ankhesenpaaten, his half sister. Ankhesenpaaten’s mother was Nefertiti, one of Tut’s father’s wives. Some researchers name Kiya as Tut’s mother and some reports say that DNA studies indicate his mother was actually one of his father’s sisters, Queen Tiye. She was seen as quite influential during Tut’s reign as king once her husband, Tut’s father, died. Tiye’s firstborn, Prince Tuthmose, is rumored to have been the Moses who led the Israelites to the Promised Land of bible fame.
Tut’s main advisor, Ay was Tut’s stepmother Nefertiti’s father and his wife’s grandfather. Confused?
Tut and his wife, Ankhesenpaaten, who also dropped the “aten” in her name and replaced it with “amun,” were thought to have two children who were stillborn. The mummies of these infants were found in Tut’s tomb.
The End of Tut’s Life
A shroud of mystery has surrounded the death of Tut. He was only 18 or 19 years old at the time of his death. For a long time, it was thought he was killed by a blow to the head. Some historians say there is evidence of an infection from a broken leg; others suggest several bouts of a severe form of malaria that can cause death; and still others purport Kohler disease, a bone disorder. Recently, some German scientists have suggested he died from Sickle Cell disease.
Fast Forward to Carter and Carnarvon
If the ancient Egyptians were correct in their belief that a pharaoh would live for eternity if only his name was remembered, then Tut is sitting pretty in the afterlife. He was considered a minor king with a short-lived reign, but the discovery of his tomb has provided more than 15 minutes of fame.
Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922 by the English archaeologist, Howard Carter who was financed by Lord Carnarvon. It was found in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes where many pharaohs were buried. It was thought that the tomb was quickly put together, likely due to Tut’s early death, but still contained about 3,000 treasures. It was the custom to have a space of 70 days between death and burial; however, preparing a tomb grand enough for a pharaoh took much longer than 70 days. It is possible that Tut’s demise prompted the use of a tomb that was being prepared for another pharaoh. Nonetheless, there was enough in the tomb to tell the story of his riches. Much of the contents are on display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo; and some tour the world, such as the exhibit currently at the Denver Art Museum.
That Cursed Tomb
It’s been the belief since shortly after the discovery of Tut’s tomb that anyone entering it was cursed with not only bad luck but an untimely death. It all started with the death of Lord Carnarvon just a few short weeks after he entered the tomb in early 1923. Soon thereafter, he was bit by a mosquito on his cheek and eventually suffered an infection and died from it. Tales of the curse were rampant after that.
The “New York Times” reported in December 1922 that a messenger going to Howard Carter’s home found a bird cage with a cobra in it that held Carter’s dead bird in its mouth. The cobra was the symbol of the Egyptian monarchy worn on the head of the pharaoh to ward off the enemy. This tale likened the incident to the cobra breaking into the home of Carter who was breaking into the tomb of Tut. Others have since disputed this by reporting that Carter’s bird had been given to a friend to bird-sit who in turn gave it to another acquaintance.
Another common misconception is that there is an inscription on Tut’s tomb that says: “Death shall come on swift wings to him that toucheth the tomb of the Pharaoh." Other reports say the inscription reads: “Death shall come on swift wings to him who disturbs the peace of the King.” Neither is true.
Many rumors have suggested the majority of people present at the opening of Tut’s tomb died shortly thereafter, but Egyptologist Herbert E. Winlock states that out of those 26, only six died within 10 years. Howard Carter himself, who had likely spent the most time in the tomb, died from natural causes in 1939 – 16 years after he first found the tomb.
Other than good old fashioned rumor and sensationalism, if there were an inordinate number of deaths of those involved with the opening of the tomb, there could be a reasonable explanation. Some scientists say that the tomb likely contained contamination such as bacteria and molds. The bacteria Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas genera, and the molds Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus have been found in unopened tombs and can be especially dangerous for individuals with weakened immune systems.
Tut and the Curse Live On
Movies, games and song:
King Tut
By Steve Martin and the Toot Uncommons
King Tut (King Tut)
Now when he was a young man,
He never thought he'd see
People stand in line to see the boy king.
(King Tut) How'd you get so funky?
(funky Tut) Did you do the monkey?
Born in Arizona,
Moved to Babylonia (King Tut).
(king Tut) Now, if I'd known
they'd line up just to see him,
I'd trade in all my money
And bought me a museum (King Tut).
Buried with a donkey (funky Tut)
He's my favorite honkey!
Born in Arizona,
Moved to Babylonia (King Tut)
Dancin' by the Nile, (disco Tut)
The ladies love his style, (boss Tut)
Rockin' for a mile (rockin' Tut)
He ate a crocodile.
He gave his life for tourism.
Golden idol!
He's an Egyptian
They're sellin' you.
Now, when I die,
now don't think I'm a nut,
don't want no fancy funeral,
Just one like ole King Tut (King Tut).
He coulda won a Grammy,
Buried in his jammies,
Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia,
He was born in Arizona, got a condo made of stone-a,
King Tut!
SNIPPETZ UNLOCKS THE MYSTERY OF KING TUT'S CURSE
"At last have made a wonderful discovery in Valley; a magnificent tomb with seals intact; re-covered same for your arrival; congratulations."
- Howard Carter, archaeologist, to Lord Carnarvon, Nov. 5, 1922
Ah, the life of a pharaoh in ancient Egypt! Elaborate palaces, surrounded by servants, adorned with gold and precious jewels and a burial fit for a king. Who can beat it? And probably the most fascinating of all the pharaohs was the young King Tutankhamun, better known to us as King Tut who began his rule in 1333 BC at the age of 9. His reign was short-lived, however, as he died in 1324 BC. Scholars have extensively studied his short life of 19 years, but much of his life and especially his death remains a mystery to this day.
The 18th Dynasty and Religious Upheaval
Tutankhamun was born in 1343 BC. He was named Tutankhaten, the ‘aten’ from the god depicted by a sun disc. Life was good for Tutankhaten as it was thought he was much loved by his parents and heir to the throne his father, Pharaoh Ahkenaten held for 17 years. Dad was a very powerful autocratic ruler who decided to abolish the ancient Egyptian religious practice of polytheism, or the worship of many gods, to monotheism, worship of a single god. Up until this time, the ancient Egyptians had worshipped multiple gods – upwards of around 2,000 – for possibly thousands of years.
Change did not come easy. Akhenaten was obsessed with his newfound religious beliefs and life for Egyptians revolved around this change. The government was no longer run by priests, but by Akhenaten backed by a powerful military force. He built a new capital city of Amarna and forced the more than 20,000 people of Thebes to move there. Everyone was required to worship the god Aten and images of the old gods had to be destroyed.
The Demise of Akhenaten
It should be no surprise that Akhenaten would be a very unpopular king once he established a mandatory change in religious beliefs and practices. When Tut was 7 years old his father was forced to abdicate the throne. He died shortly thereafter. Tut did not immediately take over the throne. Someone by the name of Smenkhkare Ankhetkheperure began a two-year reign starting in 1336 BC. Rumor has it that she was actually Nefertiti, Akhenaten’s chief wife and Tut’s stepmother. More about these relationships later.
Enter King Tut
At the ripe old age of 9, Tutankhaten became the reigning king. He was not alone and had the advice and counsel of Ay, a family member, as well as General Horemheb, military commander and his deputy. The young king ordered the restoration of many of the old temples in Thebes. He also worked on foreign policy - improving relations with neighboring lands - and may have fought in battles against Egyptian enemies.
When Tut was 12 years old, he changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun to align himself more with the god of Amun and the Amun priests rather than the monotheistic god of Aten of his father’s reign. It was during this time that he moved the royal family back to their roots in Thebes.
Keeping It In The Family
It was thought that the Egyptian gods and goddesses practiced incest to maintain the bloodline. Since pharaohs were considered living gods, incest was a perfectly acceptable practice for royalty in ancient Egypt. Tut’s family was no exception.
Upon becoming king, Tut married Ankhesenpaaten, his half sister. Ankhesenpaaten’s mother was Nefertiti, one of Tut’s father’s wives. Some researchers name Kiya as Tut’s mother and some reports say that DNA studies indicate his mother was actually one of his father’s sisters, Queen Tiye. She was seen as quite influential during Tut’s reign as king once her husband, Tut’s father, died. Tiye’s firstborn, Prince Tuthmose, is rumored to have been the Moses who led the Israelites to the Promised Land of bible fame.
Tut’s main advisor, Ay was Tut’s stepmother Nefertiti’s father and his wife’s grandfather. Confused?
Tut and his wife, Ankhesenpaaten, who also dropped the “aten” in her name and replaced it with “amun,” were thought to have two children who were stillborn. The mummies of these infants were found in Tut’s tomb.
The End of Tut’s Life
A shroud of mystery has surrounded the death of Tut. He was only 18 or 19 years old at the time of his death. For a long time, it was thought he was killed by a blow to the head. Some historians say there is evidence of an infection from a broken leg; others suggest several bouts of a severe form of malaria that can cause death; and still others purport Kohler disease, a bone disorder. Recently, some German scientists have suggested he died from Sickle Cell disease.
Fast Forward to Carter and Carnarvon
If the ancient Egyptians were correct in their belief that a pharaoh would live for eternity if only his name was remembered, then Tut is sitting pretty in the afterlife. He was considered a minor king with a short-lived reign, but the discovery of his tomb has provided more than 15 minutes of fame.
Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922 by the English archaeologist, Howard Carter who was financed by Lord Carnarvon. It was found in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes where many pharaohs were buried. It was thought that the tomb was quickly put together, likely due to Tut’s early death, but still contained about 3,000 treasures. It was the custom to have a space of 70 days between death and burial; however, preparing a tomb grand enough for a pharaoh took much longer than 70 days. It is possible that Tut’s demise prompted the use of a tomb that was being prepared for another pharaoh. Nonetheless, there was enough in the tomb to tell the story of his riches. Much of the contents are on display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo; and some tour the world, such as the exhibit currently at the Denver Art Museum.
That Cursed Tomb
It’s been the belief since shortly after the discovery of Tut’s tomb that anyone entering it was cursed with not only bad luck but an untimely death. It all started with the death of Lord Carnarvon just a few short weeks after he entered the tomb in early 1923. Soon thereafter, he was bit by a mosquito on his cheek and eventually suffered an infection and died from it. Tales of the curse were rampant after that.
The “New York Times” reported in December 1922 that a messenger going to Howard Carter’s home found a bird cage with a cobra in it that held Carter’s dead bird in its mouth. The cobra was the symbol of the Egyptian monarchy worn on the head of the pharaoh to ward off the enemy. This tale likened the incident to the cobra breaking into the home of Carter who was breaking into the tomb of Tut. Others have since disputed this by reporting that Carter’s bird had been given to a friend to bird-sit who in turn gave it to another acquaintance.
Another common misconception is that there is an inscription on Tut’s tomb that says: “Death shall come on swift wings to him that toucheth the tomb of the Pharaoh." Other reports say the inscription reads: “Death shall come on swift wings to him who disturbs the peace of the King.” Neither is true.
Many rumors have suggested the majority of people present at the opening of Tut’s tomb died shortly thereafter, but Egyptologist Herbert E. Winlock states that out of those 26, only six died within 10 years. Howard Carter himself, who had likely spent the most time in the tomb, died from natural causes in 1939 – 16 years after he first found the tomb.
Other than good old fashioned rumor and sensationalism, if there were an inordinate number of deaths of those involved with the opening of the tomb, there could be a reasonable explanation. Some scientists say that the tomb likely contained contamination such as bacteria and molds. The bacteria Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas genera, and the molds Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus have been found in unopened tombs and can be especially dangerous for individuals with weakened immune systems.
Tut and the Curse Live On
Movies, games and song:
- The 1939 film, “We Want Our Mummy” starring the Three Stooges who explore the tomb of King Rutentuten (“rootin’-tootin’) and Queen Hotsy Totsy. And if that wasn’t enough, they made “Mummy’s Dummies” 10 years later with a toothache storyline.
- Victor Buono played King Tut in the Batman TV series for two years in the mid 1960s. Tut was the villain here.
- The video game “Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy” features a young and naïve mummy.
- Anyone around in 1978 is likely familiar with the song, “King Tut” performed by comedian Steve Martin and his backup band called the Toot Uncommons. The original performance was seen on an April 22, 1978 “Saturday Night Live” episode.
King Tut
By Steve Martin and the Toot Uncommons
King Tut (King Tut)
Now when he was a young man,
He never thought he'd see
People stand in line to see the boy king.
(King Tut) How'd you get so funky?
(funky Tut) Did you do the monkey?
Born in Arizona,
Moved to Babylonia (King Tut).
(king Tut) Now, if I'd known
they'd line up just to see him,
I'd trade in all my money
And bought me a museum (King Tut).
Buried with a donkey (funky Tut)
He's my favorite honkey!
Born in Arizona,
Moved to Babylonia (King Tut)
Dancin' by the Nile, (disco Tut)
The ladies love his style, (boss Tut)
Rockin' for a mile (rockin' Tut)
He ate a crocodile.
He gave his life for tourism.
Golden idol!
He's an Egyptian
They're sellin' you.
Now, when I die,
now don't think I'm a nut,
don't want no fancy funeral,
Just one like ole King Tut (King Tut).
He coulda won a Grammy,
Buried in his jammies,
Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia,
He was born in Arizona, got a condo made of stone-a,
King Tut!
Issue 469
SNIPPETZ BELIEVES IN MAGIC
One man's magic is another man's engineering.
- Robert A. Heinlein (author, 1907-1988)
Magic has had a place in history since human culture was first documented. Almost 5,000 years ago, a magician named Dedi entertained the court of an Egyptian king by cutting off and restoring the heads of a goose, pelican and an ox. To animal lovers, it sounds like abuse, but the act represented one of the four main illusions of magic: mind reading, levitation, transformation and the disembodied head.
Magicians were popular in Europe. Although some performed in royal courts, most of them mystified crowds at marketplaces, fairs and on street corners. Too often, magicians were accused of witchcraft. To dispute the accusations, Reginald Scot wrote a book in 1584 revealing some of the natural methods magicians used, as opposed to supernatural powers.
Magic has evolved over the years, but one thing remains: Magic has never lost its … well, magic.
The Great Magicians of the Past
Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin performed throughout Europe in the 1840s and 50s. As one of the first magicians to perform in theaters, he became known as “The Father of Modern Magic.” Science and technology influenced Houdin. He often consulted scientists to determine how to perform a trick. After discovering a use for electromagnetism, he designed a trick called “The Light and Heavy Chest.”
Houdin invited a spectator on stage and asked him to lift a small, wooden box where he stored his money. The person was always able to lift the box; however, Houdin then commanded the box to stay put, so it could not be stolen. Each volunteer tried hard to remove the box, but no one could. Inside the wooden chest was a metal plate, and an electromagnet was under the stage. When Houdin’s assistant turned on the magnet, the connection made it impossible to move the chest.
When Adelaide Scarcez, a dancer, married magician Alexander Herrmann in 1875, she assisted with his shows, often dancing as part of the performance. After Alexander died in 1896, Adelaide kept the show on the road with her nephew, Leon Herrmann. Differing opinions separated them in 1899, but Adelaide Herrmann continued touring on and off until she died in 1928 at age 75. She was known as the “Queen of Magic.”
In the early 1900s, Black Herman (aka Benjamin Rucker) was the first African-American magician in the U.S.; he gained fame being buried alive for days in an actual coffin. People paid to see his “dead” body, feel his non-existent pulse and watch as the coffin was buried. At the end of his shtick, Black Herman would rise from the dug-up coffin.
In 1934, Herman collapsed on stage – and died, really – but the audience didn’t believe it. Outside his funeral home, crowds gathered to witness the end of his latest trick. When they refused to go away, Herman’s assistant charged them an admission fee to the funeral home. They said that Black Herman would have done the same thing.
A Mexican magician, A.J. Cantu, famous for working with doves, inspired Channing Pollock, whose magic produced doves out of thin air. Pollock also became known for his stage presence, described as graceful and serious. His handsome face and formal dress added to his mesmerizing aura. Magicians everywhere began copying him.
Nothing says magic like The Great Houdini. Born in Hungary in 1874, Houdini came to the U.S. as an infant named Erich Weiss. He established his trade name – Harry Houdini – after the famous magician Robert-Houdin. Houdini became well-known as a daring escape artist – handcuffs were his trademarks.
One of his most famous escapes involved a milk can. Assistants filled the can with water, and a handcuffed Houdini squirmed his way into the can. A steel cover was placed over the top, along with padlocks to secure the cover. A screen was then pulled forward and around the can. After about two minutes, Houdini came out from behind the screen, soaking wet and out of breath.
Eventually, Houdini replaced the milk can with the Chinese Water Torture Cell. With his feet locked in stocks (wooden boards), Houdini was enclosed in a cage and lowered upside down into the tank full of water. The torture cell featured glass on the front, which allowed the audience to view Houdini inside.
Houdini became more visible to the audience with his straitjacket escape. He drew thousands of onlookers when he donned a straitjacket and dangled upside down from a tall building or crane. In full view of the crowd, he would make his escape.
Houdini died on Halloween in 1926.
Today’s Top Magicians
At age 6, a young Canadian boy by the name of Doug Henning became enthralled with magic. After years of study and performing as a youth, Henning and his friend, Ivan Reitman, produced a rock/opera/magic show called “Spellbound.” Its success in Toronto led to Broadway and then to television.
On Dec. 26, 1975, “Doug Henning’s World of Magic” aired live on national T.V. The special included guest stars Gene Kelly and Bill Cosby. After seven more television specials – three of them live – Henning was banned from doing live specials when one of his tigers escaped and ran through the halls of NBC.
Henning excited crowds with his “double sawing” illusion. Two women arrived on stage wearing different colored dresses – one in pink and one in blue. Each woman got into a box, and Henning sawed each in half. When they emerged from their boxes, one had a pink top half and a blue bottom half and the other vice versa.
In 1987, Henning set aside magic to promote transcendental meditation, which he had practiced for years. In 1999, he returned to magic but it was short-lived. Henning died of liver cancer in 2000.
Henning is among the top-10 magicians of all times.
Others include David Copperfield, the rock star of magic with his uncanny skills at manipulation and illusion. In 2006, Forbes magazine listed Copperfield as the most commercially successful magician in history. At that time, he had grossed more than $1 billion. That same year, Copperfield purchased 11 islands in the Bahamas – known as Musha Cay – and renamed them the Islands of Copperfield Bay. He once levitated a Ferrari three feet in the air and made the Statue of Liberty disappear.
Big cats assisted illusionists Siegfried and Roy in their Vegas performances. Disaster struck in 2003, when one of his tigers bit Roy as he stumbled on stage. His recovery was long and thwarted by a few strokes and surgery on his windpipe, but he did recover and was able to make a final stage appearance in 2009 at The Bellagio in Vegas.
Derren Brown is known for mind control. He once played Russian roulette on live T.V. A volunteer loaded a revolver with a single bullet into one of the numbered chambers. The revolver had a shield over the chambers so no one, including Brown and the cameras, could see the bullet. He fired chambers three and four at his head, and fired chamber five away from his head, thinking the bullet was in No. 5. With obvious trepidation, he pulled the trigger to his head with No. 6. Lucky for him, chamber No. 1 contained the bullet.
Another Vegas duo, Penn & Teller, bring a style all their own to the world of magic. Using humor and shock appeal, the two are often referred to as eccentric magicians. They’ve sometimes angered their magician colleagues by revealing a few tricks of the trade onstage.
Imagine being buried alive inside a glass coffin for a week, or encased in a cube of ice for 62 hours or holding your breath under water for 17 minutes. Some find his magic bizarre, but David Blaine has awed many with his outrageous stunts.
Singing the Magic
Magic is everywhere and the proof is in the songwriting.
Finally, J.K. Rowling has revolutionized magic under the name Harry Potter. The wizard boy has certainly made magic for Rowling. Magic, as in these words from “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:”
“You sort of start thinking anything's possible, if you've got enough nerve.”
SNIPPETZ BELIEVES IN MAGIC
One man's magic is another man's engineering.
- Robert A. Heinlein (author, 1907-1988)
Magic has had a place in history since human culture was first documented. Almost 5,000 years ago, a magician named Dedi entertained the court of an Egyptian king by cutting off and restoring the heads of a goose, pelican and an ox. To animal lovers, it sounds like abuse, but the act represented one of the four main illusions of magic: mind reading, levitation, transformation and the disembodied head.
Magicians were popular in Europe. Although some performed in royal courts, most of them mystified crowds at marketplaces, fairs and on street corners. Too often, magicians were accused of witchcraft. To dispute the accusations, Reginald Scot wrote a book in 1584 revealing some of the natural methods magicians used, as opposed to supernatural powers.
Magic has evolved over the years, but one thing remains: Magic has never lost its … well, magic.
The Great Magicians of the Past
Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin performed throughout Europe in the 1840s and 50s. As one of the first magicians to perform in theaters, he became known as “The Father of Modern Magic.” Science and technology influenced Houdin. He often consulted scientists to determine how to perform a trick. After discovering a use for electromagnetism, he designed a trick called “The Light and Heavy Chest.”
Houdin invited a spectator on stage and asked him to lift a small, wooden box where he stored his money. The person was always able to lift the box; however, Houdin then commanded the box to stay put, so it could not be stolen. Each volunteer tried hard to remove the box, but no one could. Inside the wooden chest was a metal plate, and an electromagnet was under the stage. When Houdin’s assistant turned on the magnet, the connection made it impossible to move the chest.
When Adelaide Scarcez, a dancer, married magician Alexander Herrmann in 1875, she assisted with his shows, often dancing as part of the performance. After Alexander died in 1896, Adelaide kept the show on the road with her nephew, Leon Herrmann. Differing opinions separated them in 1899, but Adelaide Herrmann continued touring on and off until she died in 1928 at age 75. She was known as the “Queen of Magic.”
In the early 1900s, Black Herman (aka Benjamin Rucker) was the first African-American magician in the U.S.; he gained fame being buried alive for days in an actual coffin. People paid to see his “dead” body, feel his non-existent pulse and watch as the coffin was buried. At the end of his shtick, Black Herman would rise from the dug-up coffin.
In 1934, Herman collapsed on stage – and died, really – but the audience didn’t believe it. Outside his funeral home, crowds gathered to witness the end of his latest trick. When they refused to go away, Herman’s assistant charged them an admission fee to the funeral home. They said that Black Herman would have done the same thing.
A Mexican magician, A.J. Cantu, famous for working with doves, inspired Channing Pollock, whose magic produced doves out of thin air. Pollock also became known for his stage presence, described as graceful and serious. His handsome face and formal dress added to his mesmerizing aura. Magicians everywhere began copying him.
Nothing says magic like The Great Houdini. Born in Hungary in 1874, Houdini came to the U.S. as an infant named Erich Weiss. He established his trade name – Harry Houdini – after the famous magician Robert-Houdin. Houdini became well-known as a daring escape artist – handcuffs were his trademarks.
One of his most famous escapes involved a milk can. Assistants filled the can with water, and a handcuffed Houdini squirmed his way into the can. A steel cover was placed over the top, along with padlocks to secure the cover. A screen was then pulled forward and around the can. After about two minutes, Houdini came out from behind the screen, soaking wet and out of breath.
Eventually, Houdini replaced the milk can with the Chinese Water Torture Cell. With his feet locked in stocks (wooden boards), Houdini was enclosed in a cage and lowered upside down into the tank full of water. The torture cell featured glass on the front, which allowed the audience to view Houdini inside.
Houdini became more visible to the audience with his straitjacket escape. He drew thousands of onlookers when he donned a straitjacket and dangled upside down from a tall building or crane. In full view of the crowd, he would make his escape.
Houdini died on Halloween in 1926.
Today’s Top Magicians
At age 6, a young Canadian boy by the name of Doug Henning became enthralled with magic. After years of study and performing as a youth, Henning and his friend, Ivan Reitman, produced a rock/opera/magic show called “Spellbound.” Its success in Toronto led to Broadway and then to television.
On Dec. 26, 1975, “Doug Henning’s World of Magic” aired live on national T.V. The special included guest stars Gene Kelly and Bill Cosby. After seven more television specials – three of them live – Henning was banned from doing live specials when one of his tigers escaped and ran through the halls of NBC.
Henning excited crowds with his “double sawing” illusion. Two women arrived on stage wearing different colored dresses – one in pink and one in blue. Each woman got into a box, and Henning sawed each in half. When they emerged from their boxes, one had a pink top half and a blue bottom half and the other vice versa.
In 1987, Henning set aside magic to promote transcendental meditation, which he had practiced for years. In 1999, he returned to magic but it was short-lived. Henning died of liver cancer in 2000.
Henning is among the top-10 magicians of all times.
Others include David Copperfield, the rock star of magic with his uncanny skills at manipulation and illusion. In 2006, Forbes magazine listed Copperfield as the most commercially successful magician in history. At that time, he had grossed more than $1 billion. That same year, Copperfield purchased 11 islands in the Bahamas – known as Musha Cay – and renamed them the Islands of Copperfield Bay. He once levitated a Ferrari three feet in the air and made the Statue of Liberty disappear.
Big cats assisted illusionists Siegfried and Roy in their Vegas performances. Disaster struck in 2003, when one of his tigers bit Roy as he stumbled on stage. His recovery was long and thwarted by a few strokes and surgery on his windpipe, but he did recover and was able to make a final stage appearance in 2009 at The Bellagio in Vegas.
Derren Brown is known for mind control. He once played Russian roulette on live T.V. A volunteer loaded a revolver with a single bullet into one of the numbered chambers. The revolver had a shield over the chambers so no one, including Brown and the cameras, could see the bullet. He fired chambers three and four at his head, and fired chamber five away from his head, thinking the bullet was in No. 5. With obvious trepidation, he pulled the trigger to his head with No. 6. Lucky for him, chamber No. 1 contained the bullet.
Another Vegas duo, Penn & Teller, bring a style all their own to the world of magic. Using humor and shock appeal, the two are often referred to as eccentric magicians. They’ve sometimes angered their magician colleagues by revealing a few tricks of the trade onstage.
Imagine being buried alive inside a glass coffin for a week, or encased in a cube of ice for 62 hours or holding your breath under water for 17 minutes. Some find his magic bizarre, but David Blaine has awed many with his outrageous stunts.
Singing the Magic
Magic is everywhere and the proof is in the songwriting.
- Do You Believe in Magic by the Lovin’ Spoonful
- This Magic Moment by The Drifters
- Magic Bus by The Who
- Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf
- Black Magic Woman by Santana
- Magic Dance by David Bowie
- Magic Moments by Perry Como
- Every Little Thing She Does is Magic by The Police
- Abracadabra by the Steve Miller Band
- Strange Magic by ELO
Finally, J.K. Rowling has revolutionized magic under the name Harry Potter. The wizard boy has certainly made magic for Rowling. Magic, as in these words from “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:”
“You sort of start thinking anything's possible, if you've got enough nerve.”
Issue 468
SNIPPETZ CAN TALK, TALK, TALK - DAY AND NIGHT
“I’m sort of the comic relief after a hard day at work. My message is that it`s OK to relax.”
-Larry King
From the early 1920s, talk shows have been a staple of American lifestyle, providing entertainment and enlightenment for millions of radio and television fans.
Radio First
Barry Gray was the first host of the call-in radio talk shows. He is sometimes referred to as the “father of radio talk show.” Larry King, CNN television talk show host, called Gray “one of the biggest influences” in his life. Gray’s shows were broadcast from a restaurant in New York City, from midnight to 3 a.m. Almost 40 years later, Gray had become radio’s longest running, highest paid and most controversial interviewer, “loathed and loved by his listeners,” according to an article from the New York Times, published in 1996 – the year Gray died. He was 80 years old.
The founders of television talk shows were also radio talk show icons: Arthur Godfrey, Dave Garroway, Edward R. Murrow, Arlene Francis, Steve Allen and Jack Paar were among the pioneers of radio and television talk shows.
But television didn’t take away from radio talk. The 20th and 21st century radio talk shows are varied, from National Public Radio to Glenn Beck. The editors of Talkers Magazine, a trade publication for radio and TV talk shows, presented its list of the most important radio talk shows in America today. Rush Limbaugh was No. 1. Sean Hannity, Glen Beck, Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Lou Dobbs were among the top 10. Legendary talk show hosts Howard Stern and Don Imus got a nod as well.
TV Talk
Daytime Talk Shows
From 1949 to 1973, talk shows became almost one-half of TV daytime programming on all three major channels: ABC, CBS and NBC.
Considered a morning news and talk show, the Today Show is the second longest-running show in television history. Meet the Press is No. 1. When the Today Show began in 1952, its first host was Dave Garroway. Barbara Walters, Tom Brokaw, Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric are among those whose careers soared as hosts of the Today Show.
In the 1950s and 1960s, daytime talk shows were replicas of late-night talk show The Tonight Show. Rarely did hosts like Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Doris Day and Dick Cavett discuss controversial issues. Talk shows were light and amusing.
The daytime talk show concept changed over the years, and the Phil Donahue Show launched what some call “tabloid talk shows.” Donahue took huge risks with a myriad of topics when his show became part of daytime programming in 1970. He enjoyed challenging discussions about taboo subjects like atheism and homosexuality. Donahue was also the first talk show host to take his microphone and mingle with the audience.
For more than a decade, Donahue commanded the tabloid talk show genre. Then, along came Oprah. Endearing audiences with her own personal revelations, 32-year-old Oprah Winfrey, broadcasting from Chicago, quickly surpassed Donahue’s viewership.
The rest, they say, is history. And the Oprah Winfrey Show will be history, as she leaves the throne in 2011. Winfrey will have 25 years under her belt as the queen of daytime talk shows.
Winfrey continued Donahue’s penchant for exploring out-of-bounds topics. Winfrey went even further. She took on the topics as if they were hers. She influenced the audience through her own emotions, prompted by shows that featured America’s fears of the “other side.” Winfrey is arguably credited for raising the bar for gays, bringing prejudices to the forefront and championing the openly gay.
Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz are spinoffs from The Oprah Winfrey Show.
In her 25 years in front of television audiences every day, Winfrey created a colossal empire. As the richest African American in the world, Winfrey has taken on international issues and American politics – and is one of the most powerful women in the world.
The success of the Oprah Winfrey Show spawned a slew of copycats: Regis and Kathie Lee and The Tyra Banks Show were two.
Some of those that rode on the coattails of Winfrey entered new territory: trash talk. The Jerry Springer Show is probably best known for on-camera brawls and topics like wife swapping. Sally Jesse Raphael and Jenny Jones had their share of contentious guest moments as well.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has given Winfrey a run for her money. DeGeneres reflects more of the entertainment talk show: serious but light.
The advent of cable television has brought more talk shows to the tube.
Larry King Live, which debuted in 1985, is CNN’s most watched and longest running program. King attracts more than 1 million viewers every night.
Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report are wildly popular as “fake news” talk shows. HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher is another cable talk show hit.
Late Night
It’s impossible to discuss talk shows without singling out the longest running entertainment series in television history: The Tonight Show.
Steve Allen was the creator and host of the first-ever late-night TV talk show. On Sept. 27, 1954, The Tonight Show was broadcast for the first time live over the NBC network.
Allen built the viewership without writers, adlibbing with props and guests. He hosted The Tonight Show from 1954 to 1957, when Jack Paar took over so Allen could pursue his primetime comedy show, The Steve Allen Show.
Paar hosted the Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962. Paar was not interested in participating in comedy sketches; instead, he had a flair for a nightly monologue and was keen at interviewing guests. Opinionated and emotionally charged, he was the first to mix politics with entertainment on late-night talk shows. He tackled subjects like the investigation of organized crime. When Paar invited Robert Kennedy, the then chief counsel of the senate-labor-management relations committee, on the show; Jimmy Hoffa, head of the Teamsters Union, filed a million-dollar lawsuit against Kennedy and Paar. It was eventually thrown out.
Heeeeere’s Johnny
“If it weren’t for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we’d still be eating frozen radio dinners,” said Johnny Carson.
For 30 years, Johnny Carson reigned as the “King of Late-Night Television.” Carson replaced Paar in October 1962 as host of The Tonight Show, and from the get-go the audience loved his low-key, laid back style as well as his straight-man-persona and dry wit.
Carson had an uncanny ability to combine his verbal prowess with a mix of facial expressions and gestures. He became known as the “master of lampooning the pretentious, salvaging the boring or sharpening a nervous guest’s performance for maximum effect” (the Museum of Broadcast Communications).
Married four times, Carson’s love life was often the butt of his own jokes – and his guests.
Carson was more than a late-night T.V. host. He was brilliant at keeping his pulse on American politics, trends and lifestyles. There were a lot of changes between 1962 and 1992 in the country, but for 30 years Americans knew they could come home and, as David Letterman said, be “tucked in by Johnny Carson.” On Jan. 25, 2005, Carson died at age 79 of respiratory arrest due to emphysema.
Jay Leno, Carson’s successor; and late-night TV hosts David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson and Conan O’Brien have all given credit to Carson for his influence on the format and tone of their shows.
Top Five Talk Show Myths and Legends
• Did Tommy Hilfiger make a racist comment on Oprah?
No. The rumor was so ramped that Hilfiger hired an investigator to determine the source of the rumor. They traced it to a college campus – but nothing else came of it. Hilfiger and Oprah refuted the rumor for years.
• Was Jimmy Kimmel bitten by a snake on his late-night talk show?
No. It was supposed to be a ratings stunt, where Kimmel was bitten by a snake and rushed to the hospital depicted in the T.V. show Grey’s Anatomy.
• Did Jay Leno author an essay on how good we have it in America, and why we shouldn’t complain?
No. Author Craig Smith wrote “Made in the USA: Spoiled Brats.” Leno’s name was attached to the piece after someone cut and pasted one of Leno’s one-liners to the piece and e-mailed it. The line: “As you know, Hurricane Rita is headed toward Florida, Texas and Louisiana. It’s like the ninth hurricane this season. Maybe this is not a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance.”
• Does Merv Griffin’s tombstone state “I will not be right back after this message!”
Yes. Griffin died of prostate cancer in August 2007 and made it known to friends and family that he wanted the inscription on his tomb stone.
• Is it true that one of Dick Cavett’s guests died on the show?
Yes, but the show didn’t air. A self-proclaimed longevity expert, 72-year-old Jeremy Rodale, was sitting and listening as Cavett chatted with another guest. When Rodale dropped his head and groaned, Cavett supposedly said, “Are we boring you?” Rodale was dead from a heart attack.
SNIPPETZ CAN TALK, TALK, TALK - DAY AND NIGHT
“I’m sort of the comic relief after a hard day at work. My message is that it`s OK to relax.”
-Larry King
From the early 1920s, talk shows have been a staple of American lifestyle, providing entertainment and enlightenment for millions of radio and television fans.
Radio First
Barry Gray was the first host of the call-in radio talk shows. He is sometimes referred to as the “father of radio talk show.” Larry King, CNN television talk show host, called Gray “one of the biggest influences” in his life. Gray’s shows were broadcast from a restaurant in New York City, from midnight to 3 a.m. Almost 40 years later, Gray had become radio’s longest running, highest paid and most controversial interviewer, “loathed and loved by his listeners,” according to an article from the New York Times, published in 1996 – the year Gray died. He was 80 years old.
The founders of television talk shows were also radio talk show icons: Arthur Godfrey, Dave Garroway, Edward R. Murrow, Arlene Francis, Steve Allen and Jack Paar were among the pioneers of radio and television talk shows.
But television didn’t take away from radio talk. The 20th and 21st century radio talk shows are varied, from National Public Radio to Glenn Beck. The editors of Talkers Magazine, a trade publication for radio and TV talk shows, presented its list of the most important radio talk shows in America today. Rush Limbaugh was No. 1. Sean Hannity, Glen Beck, Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Lou Dobbs were among the top 10. Legendary talk show hosts Howard Stern and Don Imus got a nod as well.
TV Talk
Daytime Talk Shows
From 1949 to 1973, talk shows became almost one-half of TV daytime programming on all three major channels: ABC, CBS and NBC.
Considered a morning news and talk show, the Today Show is the second longest-running show in television history. Meet the Press is No. 1. When the Today Show began in 1952, its first host was Dave Garroway. Barbara Walters, Tom Brokaw, Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric are among those whose careers soared as hosts of the Today Show.
In the 1950s and 1960s, daytime talk shows were replicas of late-night talk show The Tonight Show. Rarely did hosts like Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Doris Day and Dick Cavett discuss controversial issues. Talk shows were light and amusing.
The daytime talk show concept changed over the years, and the Phil Donahue Show launched what some call “tabloid talk shows.” Donahue took huge risks with a myriad of topics when his show became part of daytime programming in 1970. He enjoyed challenging discussions about taboo subjects like atheism and homosexuality. Donahue was also the first talk show host to take his microphone and mingle with the audience.
For more than a decade, Donahue commanded the tabloid talk show genre. Then, along came Oprah. Endearing audiences with her own personal revelations, 32-year-old Oprah Winfrey, broadcasting from Chicago, quickly surpassed Donahue’s viewership.
The rest, they say, is history. And the Oprah Winfrey Show will be history, as she leaves the throne in 2011. Winfrey will have 25 years under her belt as the queen of daytime talk shows.
Winfrey continued Donahue’s penchant for exploring out-of-bounds topics. Winfrey went even further. She took on the topics as if they were hers. She influenced the audience through her own emotions, prompted by shows that featured America’s fears of the “other side.” Winfrey is arguably credited for raising the bar for gays, bringing prejudices to the forefront and championing the openly gay.
Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz are spinoffs from The Oprah Winfrey Show.
In her 25 years in front of television audiences every day, Winfrey created a colossal empire. As the richest African American in the world, Winfrey has taken on international issues and American politics – and is one of the most powerful women in the world.
The success of the Oprah Winfrey Show spawned a slew of copycats: Regis and Kathie Lee and The Tyra Banks Show were two.
Some of those that rode on the coattails of Winfrey entered new territory: trash talk. The Jerry Springer Show is probably best known for on-camera brawls and topics like wife swapping. Sally Jesse Raphael and Jenny Jones had their share of contentious guest moments as well.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has given Winfrey a run for her money. DeGeneres reflects more of the entertainment talk show: serious but light.
The advent of cable television has brought more talk shows to the tube.
Larry King Live, which debuted in 1985, is CNN’s most watched and longest running program. King attracts more than 1 million viewers every night.
Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report are wildly popular as “fake news” talk shows. HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher is another cable talk show hit.
Late Night
It’s impossible to discuss talk shows without singling out the longest running entertainment series in television history: The Tonight Show.
Steve Allen was the creator and host of the first-ever late-night TV talk show. On Sept. 27, 1954, The Tonight Show was broadcast for the first time live over the NBC network.
Allen built the viewership without writers, adlibbing with props and guests. He hosted The Tonight Show from 1954 to 1957, when Jack Paar took over so Allen could pursue his primetime comedy show, The Steve Allen Show.
Paar hosted the Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962. Paar was not interested in participating in comedy sketches; instead, he had a flair for a nightly monologue and was keen at interviewing guests. Opinionated and emotionally charged, he was the first to mix politics with entertainment on late-night talk shows. He tackled subjects like the investigation of organized crime. When Paar invited Robert Kennedy, the then chief counsel of the senate-labor-management relations committee, on the show; Jimmy Hoffa, head of the Teamsters Union, filed a million-dollar lawsuit against Kennedy and Paar. It was eventually thrown out.
Heeeeere’s Johnny
“If it weren’t for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we’d still be eating frozen radio dinners,” said Johnny Carson.
For 30 years, Johnny Carson reigned as the “King of Late-Night Television.” Carson replaced Paar in October 1962 as host of The Tonight Show, and from the get-go the audience loved his low-key, laid back style as well as his straight-man-persona and dry wit.
Carson had an uncanny ability to combine his verbal prowess with a mix of facial expressions and gestures. He became known as the “master of lampooning the pretentious, salvaging the boring or sharpening a nervous guest’s performance for maximum effect” (the Museum of Broadcast Communications).
Married four times, Carson’s love life was often the butt of his own jokes – and his guests.
Carson was more than a late-night T.V. host. He was brilliant at keeping his pulse on American politics, trends and lifestyles. There were a lot of changes between 1962 and 1992 in the country, but for 30 years Americans knew they could come home and, as David Letterman said, be “tucked in by Johnny Carson.” On Jan. 25, 2005, Carson died at age 79 of respiratory arrest due to emphysema.
Jay Leno, Carson’s successor; and late-night TV hosts David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson and Conan O’Brien have all given credit to Carson for his influence on the format and tone of their shows.
Top Five Talk Show Myths and Legends
• Did Tommy Hilfiger make a racist comment on Oprah?
No. The rumor was so ramped that Hilfiger hired an investigator to determine the source of the rumor. They traced it to a college campus – but nothing else came of it. Hilfiger and Oprah refuted the rumor for years.
• Was Jimmy Kimmel bitten by a snake on his late-night talk show?
No. It was supposed to be a ratings stunt, where Kimmel was bitten by a snake and rushed to the hospital depicted in the T.V. show Grey’s Anatomy.
• Did Jay Leno author an essay on how good we have it in America, and why we shouldn’t complain?
No. Author Craig Smith wrote “Made in the USA: Spoiled Brats.” Leno’s name was attached to the piece after someone cut and pasted one of Leno’s one-liners to the piece and e-mailed it. The line: “As you know, Hurricane Rita is headed toward Florida, Texas and Louisiana. It’s like the ninth hurricane this season. Maybe this is not a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance.”
• Does Merv Griffin’s tombstone state “I will not be right back after this message!”
Yes. Griffin died of prostate cancer in August 2007 and made it known to friends and family that he wanted the inscription on his tomb stone.
• Is it true that one of Dick Cavett’s guests died on the show?
Yes, but the show didn’t air. A self-proclaimed longevity expert, 72-year-old Jeremy Rodale, was sitting and listening as Cavett chatted with another guest. When Rodale dropped his head and groaned, Cavett supposedly said, “Are we boring you?” Rodale was dead from a heart attack.
Issue 467
SNIPPETZ IS SINGING ANCHORS AWEIGH
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.
- Second verse from the revised lyrics of “Anchors Aweigh” by George D. Lottman
As the Navy celebrates its birthday Oct. 13, they’ve gone from two sailing vessels to a slew of ships that include submarines, cruisers and destroyers. The Navy today has 329,629 active duty officers, enlisted men and midshipmen. Total reserves mobilized as of Sept. 21 are 6,936 (Sept. 21). There are 46,193 personnel in deployment. The Navy has 144 ships (50 percent of all ships) under way – away from the homeport.
It All Started In The 1700s
On Friday, Oct. 13, 1775, the United States Continental Congress voted to outfit two sailing vessels with crews of 80 men and plenty of ammunition and send them to sea for three months in search of ships supplying ammunition to the British Army in America.
After the War of Independence, the ships of the “Continental Navy” were sold.
In 1789, the Constitution was amended to give Congress the power to maintain a Navy.
In 1797, Congress launched the USS United States, USS Constellation and USS Constitution.
On April 30, 1798, Congress established the Department of the Navy. Benjamin Stoddert of Maryland was the first Secretary of the Navy.
Smooth Sailing
Looking at the impact water has on the world the Navy is a vital asset to the U.S. Department of Defense.
• 70 percent of the earth is covered in water
• 80 percent of the planet’s population lives within close proximity to coastal areas
• 90 percent of global commerce is conducted by sea
Maintaining a presence on the world’s waterways, the Navy ensures safe travel for people and commodities – “smooth sailing” for Americans and others.
Historic Battles
By Sea, By Air, By Land
In 1962, President Kennedy established a small but elite maritime military force. They would carry out clandestine, small-unit and high-impact missions – unconventional warfare under the U.S. Special Operations Command. All military operations would originate from and return to a river, ocean, swamp, delta or coastline. The team of hardy men would operate by sea, by air and by land – they would be called the SEALS.
The SEALS have become the military’s upper crust – disciplined men who are powered by mental and physical capabilities that extend way beyond the norm. The teams partake in, among other operations, direct action initiatives, terrorism combat, special reconnaissance, information warfare, drug warfare and personnel recovery.
The SEALS are trained to operate in all environments and extreme climates, from desert to humid jungles to freezing temperatures.
Today, the SEALS are involved in pursuits of high-profile terrorists, operating in remote regions of Afghanistan and in cities like Baghdad, Iraq.
Navy Bits & Pieces
Naming The Ships
They’re In The Navy Now
The Navy’s Famous Names
Presidents:
John F. Kennedy
Gerald Ford
Richard Nixon
Jimmy Carter
Lyndon B. Johnson
George H.W. Bush
Actors:
Jack Benny
Humphrey Bogart
Ernest Borgnine
Tom Bosley
Raymond Burr
Bill Cosby
Henry Fonda
Johnny Carson
SNIPPETZ IS SINGING ANCHORS AWEIGH
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.
- Second verse from the revised lyrics of “Anchors Aweigh” by George D. Lottman
As the Navy celebrates its birthday Oct. 13, they’ve gone from two sailing vessels to a slew of ships that include submarines, cruisers and destroyers. The Navy today has 329,629 active duty officers, enlisted men and midshipmen. Total reserves mobilized as of Sept. 21 are 6,936 (Sept. 21). There are 46,193 personnel in deployment. The Navy has 144 ships (50 percent of all ships) under way – away from the homeport.
It All Started In The 1700s
On Friday, Oct. 13, 1775, the United States Continental Congress voted to outfit two sailing vessels with crews of 80 men and plenty of ammunition and send them to sea for three months in search of ships supplying ammunition to the British Army in America.
After the War of Independence, the ships of the “Continental Navy” were sold.
In 1789, the Constitution was amended to give Congress the power to maintain a Navy.
In 1797, Congress launched the USS United States, USS Constellation and USS Constitution.
On April 30, 1798, Congress established the Department of the Navy. Benjamin Stoddert of Maryland was the first Secretary of the Navy.
Smooth Sailing
Looking at the impact water has on the world the Navy is a vital asset to the U.S. Department of Defense.
• 70 percent of the earth is covered in water
• 80 percent of the planet’s population lives within close proximity to coastal areas
• 90 percent of global commerce is conducted by sea
Maintaining a presence on the world’s waterways, the Navy ensures safe travel for people and commodities – “smooth sailing” for Americans and others.
Historic Battles
- The Battle of Leyte Gulf is the largest naval battle in history. In October 1944, U.S. troops invaded the island of Leyte in an attempt to isolate Japan from countries they occupied in Southeast Asia and to rob Japan’s forces of oil supplies. In response, the Imperial Japanese navy mobilized almost all of its naval vessels in an attempt to defeat the invasion. However, the U.S. Navy’s third and seventh fleets thwarted the attack, and Japan suffered heavy losses in both lives and ships. Because of the attack and the loss of oil, the Imperial navy was docked for the rest of World War II.
- The Battle of Okinawa was one of the most devastating battles during World War II. The U.S. Navy lost an historical 36 ships, and 368 were damaged. The Battle of Okinawa handed the Navy its largest loss of life in a single battle – almost 5,000 were killed and an equal number wounded. The U.S. 10th Army, comprised of 183,000 Army, Navy and Marine personnel, lost 7,613 men during the 82 days of battle. More than 30,000 men were wounded. The battle become known as Operation Iceberg and is thought of in many Navy circles as the Pacific War’s biggest battle.
- During the Korean War, the only real naval action involving an American warship took place on the East Coast, when North Korean torpedo boats attacked the cruisers of the USS Juneau, the HMS Jamaica and the frigate HMS Black Swan.
- In October 1962, President John F. Kennedy imposed a quarantine on Cuba, and Navy cruisers the USS Newport News and USS Canberra were among the vessels sent to Cuba to block the entry of Soviet offensive weapons.
- In August 1965, the Marines initiated their first large-scale amphibious assault in Vietnam on the Van Tuong Peninsula. They were supported by Marine air and naval gunfire from the cruiser, the USS Galveston, and two destroyers. Called Operation Starlite, it was the largest battle that Americans had fought since the Korean War.
- On Oct. 11, 1972, 19 sailors were killed and 10 wounded by an explosion on the all-gun cruiser USS Newport News during a firing mission off the coast of Vietnam.
By Sea, By Air, By Land
In 1962, President Kennedy established a small but elite maritime military force. They would carry out clandestine, small-unit and high-impact missions – unconventional warfare under the U.S. Special Operations Command. All military operations would originate from and return to a river, ocean, swamp, delta or coastline. The team of hardy men would operate by sea, by air and by land – they would be called the SEALS.
The SEALS have become the military’s upper crust – disciplined men who are powered by mental and physical capabilities that extend way beyond the norm. The teams partake in, among other operations, direct action initiatives, terrorism combat, special reconnaissance, information warfare, drug warfare and personnel recovery.
The SEALS are trained to operate in all environments and extreme climates, from desert to humid jungles to freezing temperatures.
Today, the SEALS are involved in pursuits of high-profile terrorists, operating in remote regions of Afghanistan and in cities like Baghdad, Iraq.
Navy Bits & Pieces
- The official Navy colors are blue and gold.
- The Navy hymn is “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.”
- The Navy march is “Anchors Aweigh,” a song written in 1906 for the Naval Academy class of 1907.
- Although it’s unofficial, the Navy’s motto is “non sibi sed patriae” – not self but country.
Naming The Ships
- The Secretary of the Navy is assigned the task of naming each vessel. The secretary can rely on many sources, such as yearly recommendations from the Naval Historical Center.
- The ships’ names have evolved over the years. More than 200 new ships were built after the Civil War and another 418 were purchased. The types of ships – like ironclads and river steamers – determined the names. Brooklyn, Stars and Stripes, Penguin were some of the early names. Some ships were given names of American Indian origin, such as Owasco and Saugus.
- In the 20th century, attack submarines were named for sea creatures, although a few were named for legislators. Some submarines were named for American cities.
- Today, aircraft carriers bear names of former presidents.
- Guided missile destroyers honor naval leaders and heroes.
- The prefix USS (United States Ship) identifies a commissioned ship.
- Navy ships in active national service use the prefix USNS (United States Naval Ship)
They’re In The Navy Now
- Women began serving in the Navy in 1908, with the establishment of the Nurse Corps.
- The Navy has more than 54,000 women today. More than 8,000 women are officers and 2,500 women are Chief Petty Officers. They account for 15 percent of the Navy and serve on command strike groups, aviation squads, combatant ships, civil engineer corps commands and other operational and shore units.
- Women comprise about 23 percent of the Navy’s 2010 and 2011 recruiting goal.
- In 1948, the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act allowed women to enter the Navy as a regular enlistee or on reserve status.
- Other avenues in the Navy as well as other military forces opened up when Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972.
- Enlisted Navy women are assigned to all but five ratings – all communities are open to them, with the exception of the SEALS.
The Navy’s Famous Names
Presidents:
John F. Kennedy
Gerald Ford
Richard Nixon
Jimmy Carter
Lyndon B. Johnson
George H.W. Bush
Actors:
Jack Benny
Humphrey Bogart
Ernest Borgnine
Tom Bosley
Raymond Burr
Bill Cosby
Henry Fonda
Johnny Carson
Issue 466
SNIPPETZ IS PIE-STRUCK - AS IN PIZZA
“When the moon hits your eye like a big – a pizza pie, that’s amore.”
When Dean Martin sang “That’s Amore” – the popular musical theme in the hit movie, “Moonstruck” – he was referring to a full moon. But reverse the lyrics, and it sums up Americans’ love of pizza.
When the pie hits your eye like a big – a full moon, that’s amore.
Americans eat 90 acres of pizza per day; 350 slices each second. Everyone in the U.S. eats about 46 slices per year. Each year in the U.S., more than 3 billion pizzas are sold.
There are about 62,000 pizza parlors in the United States. Pizza is a $30 billion industry annually. It all began in?
Italy or Greece or …
Although there are different versions as to the origins of pizza, Italy and Greece are considered the capitols of the pizza nation. However, Babylonians, Israelites, Egyptians and other ancient Middle Eastern cultures were eating flat, unleavened bread they had cooked in mud ovens, and, as far back as 1000 A.D., peasants were baking leftover dough.
Italy is credited for creating the first version of the “modern” pizza, although different from the 21st century American pizza. People from Naples, Italy, began using dough as a base for oils, herbs and cheese – the Greeks had already coined the process. The Romans added honey and bay leaves, along with the cheese, to a sheet of fine flour. But the people of Naples added the tomato, which had been feared as a poisonous fruit by many Europeans.
In 1889, Raffaele Esposito of Naples, owner of a restaurant called Pizzeria di Pietro, baked his version of a pizza for Italy’s King Umberto I and Queen Margherita. Esposito wanted to impress the royal couple so he topped the flat bread with food the colors of Italy’s flag: the red tomato, white mozzarella cheese and green basil. He did make an impression, not only with the king and queen but also with the masses. The dish was well-received, and others began copying it. The Margherita pizza was born.
Coming to America
In the late 19th century, pizza was sold on the streets of Naples, Italy, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The pie, which included a simple topping of mushrooms and anchovies, was carried on a large tray and cut in slices.
As Italians migrated to America, so did the pizza. Initially, New York and Chicago became a hub for pizza in the U.S. Sold in the traditional Italian way, peddlers introduced pizza to Chicago by walking up and down the streets with a washtub of pizzas on their head: 2 cents for a piece of the pie.
Among the Italian-American population, pizzas were first known as tomato pie, a term that remains in areas of the Northeast and central New York. The tomato pie is distinguished from the regular pizza by its layering: first, the cheese; then, the toppings; and last, the sauce.
The Commercial Timeline
Pepperoni Please…Or Squid?
The pizza craze has been fueled in the 21st century because it’s easy and fast – whether ordering in or popping it into the oven. Pizza is an easy fix for a quick dinner, a late-night snack or a spur-of-the-moment get together.
Whether it’s homemade, store bought or Domino’s, Americans in general agree on their favorite topping: Pepperoni is the No. 1 choice for pizza toppings in the U.S. Mushrooms and sausage follow.
The pizza is as diverse as various cultures around the world. Preferred toppings in India include pickled ginger, minced mutton and paneer cheese. In Japan, the favorite is eel and squid and a combination of mayonnaise, potato and bacon. Green peas are among the choice toppings in Brazil, and Russians favor red herring.
Slices of Trivia
That’s Amore!
SNIPPETZ IS PIE-STRUCK - AS IN PIZZA
“When the moon hits your eye like a big – a pizza pie, that’s amore.”
When Dean Martin sang “That’s Amore” – the popular musical theme in the hit movie, “Moonstruck” – he was referring to a full moon. But reverse the lyrics, and it sums up Americans’ love of pizza.
When the pie hits your eye like a big – a full moon, that’s amore.
Americans eat 90 acres of pizza per day; 350 slices each second. Everyone in the U.S. eats about 46 slices per year. Each year in the U.S., more than 3 billion pizzas are sold.
There are about 62,000 pizza parlors in the United States. Pizza is a $30 billion industry annually. It all began in?
Italy or Greece or …
Although there are different versions as to the origins of pizza, Italy and Greece are considered the capitols of the pizza nation. However, Babylonians, Israelites, Egyptians and other ancient Middle Eastern cultures were eating flat, unleavened bread they had cooked in mud ovens, and, as far back as 1000 A.D., peasants were baking leftover dough.
Italy is credited for creating the first version of the “modern” pizza, although different from the 21st century American pizza. People from Naples, Italy, began using dough as a base for oils, herbs and cheese – the Greeks had already coined the process. The Romans added honey and bay leaves, along with the cheese, to a sheet of fine flour. But the people of Naples added the tomato, which had been feared as a poisonous fruit by many Europeans.
In 1889, Raffaele Esposito of Naples, owner of a restaurant called Pizzeria di Pietro, baked his version of a pizza for Italy’s King Umberto I and Queen Margherita. Esposito wanted to impress the royal couple so he topped the flat bread with food the colors of Italy’s flag: the red tomato, white mozzarella cheese and green basil. He did make an impression, not only with the king and queen but also with the masses. The dish was well-received, and others began copying it. The Margherita pizza was born.
Coming to America
In the late 19th century, pizza was sold on the streets of Naples, Italy, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The pie, which included a simple topping of mushrooms and anchovies, was carried on a large tray and cut in slices.
As Italians migrated to America, so did the pizza. Initially, New York and Chicago became a hub for pizza in the U.S. Sold in the traditional Italian way, peddlers introduced pizza to Chicago by walking up and down the streets with a washtub of pizzas on their head: 2 cents for a piece of the pie.
Among the Italian-American population, pizzas were first known as tomato pie, a term that remains in areas of the Northeast and central New York. The tomato pie is distinguished from the regular pizza by its layering: first, the cheese; then, the toppings; and last, the sauce.
The Commercial Timeline
- In 1905, Gennaro Lombardi opened the first American pizzeria in Lower Manhattan in New York City, and called it “Lombardi’s.”
- Pizza wasn’t always a huge hit. Many middle-class Americans in those days favored boiled fish and toast. Food writers in the 1940s weren’t well-versed in “pizza talk,” and struggled to define the dish to their readers, who imagined “oversized apple-pie crusts stuffed with tomatoes and cheese.” One food critic wrote in “The New York Times,” “The pizza could be as popular a snack as the hamburger, if Americans only knew about it.”
- To appease Americans, others began varying from the true Italian version. In 1943, Chicago became known for its deep-dish pizza with more crust and more toppings. Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo started the deep-dish trend at their bar and grill in Chicago – Pizzeria Uno (which eventually became a chain).
- American soldiers were introduced to plenty of pizza during World War II. Many of them had served on the Italian front. When the soldiers returned to America in 1945 at the end of WW II, they brought back a penchant for pizza – and the pie brought about more entrepreneurial ventures.
- In 1948, Frank A. Fiorello of Worcester, Mass., produced the first commercial pizza pie mix – Roman Pizza Mix.
- Pizza came on strong in the 1950s. Italian celebrities like actors and singers Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Durante and baseball star Joe DiMaggio loved pizza. First introduced in the 1950s, Dean Martin’s song, “That’s Amore,” identified pizza with music and dance – and, as they say, “that’s all she (he) wrote.” Pizza was here to stay.
- In 1956, Celentano’s – the first frozen pizza – was stocked in grocery stores nationwide.
- 1958, the first Pizza Hut opened in Wichita, Kan.
- The first Domino’s Pizza followed two years later in Ypsilanti, Mich.
- By the mid-70s, Chicago pizzerias added a top layer of dough to their deep-dish pie – and they called it “stuffed pizza.” It was gourmet pizza in the 1980s – with toppings like duck and gorgonzola cheese.
- In 1995, Kraft introduced the first self-rising frozen pizza – DiGiorno.
- Less than a year ago in December 2009, the European Union adopted a ruling to protect Naples’ Neapolitan pizza, establishing that particular pizza as part of Europe’s food heritage. Thus, if pizzerias worldwide want to label a pizza “Neapolitan,” they must adhere to the traditional ingredients of the Neapolitan pizza, which are San Marzano tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese.
Pepperoni Please…Or Squid?
The pizza craze has been fueled in the 21st century because it’s easy and fast – whether ordering in or popping it into the oven. Pizza is an easy fix for a quick dinner, a late-night snack or a spur-of-the-moment get together.
Whether it’s homemade, store bought or Domino’s, Americans in general agree on their favorite topping: Pepperoni is the No. 1 choice for pizza toppings in the U.S. Mushrooms and sausage follow.
The pizza is as diverse as various cultures around the world. Preferred toppings in India include pickled ginger, minced mutton and paneer cheese. In Japan, the favorite is eel and squid and a combination of mayonnaise, potato and bacon. Green peas are among the choice toppings in Brazil, and Russians favor red herring.
Slices of Trivia
- Although it’s arguable, the word “pizza” is believed to be from an Old Italian word that means “a point.” Somehow, pizza became pizzicare, which means “to pinch” or “pluck,” but pizza eventually reigned.
- In the 1940s, pizza prompted huge sales of oregano. In eight years, sales of the herb increased by 5,200 percent.
- In 1959, actress Sophia Loren told the “Los Angeles Times” that pizza was considered the food of poverty in her native Italy. When she arrived in the U.S., Loren said she was disheartened by all the pizza joints in the country, believing that everyone was poor. “So I think America not so rich after all,” she said. “Then I find eating pizza here is like eating hot dog – for fun.”
- Columnist Dear Abby urged readers to eat pizza with a fork, but the mother of etiquette, Amy Vanderbilt, said, “Pizza tastes best as a finger food … out of hand.” In 1954, “Look” magazine published an illustrated guide on how to hold pizza and roll it into a log to eat it.
- In 1957, pizza was touted as an ideal snack food for teenagers, and one pizza baker blamed music icon James Dean for the trend. The baker, who remained anonymous, told “The Saturday Evening Post” that “Jimmy loved pizza; his fans knew that, so they loved it, too.”
- In 1985, Carmela Vitale of New York filed for a patent for her invention of the circular cardboard package saver equipped in frozen pizza boxes.
- By 1963, pizza was a staple of the school lunch menu. The American School Foodservice Association deemed it the No. 3 choice of school kids – behind rivals, the hamburger and hot dog.
- On Super Bowl Sunday each year, almost 70 percent of all viewers eat pizza while watching the game.
- In 2005, “Good Morning America” took a poll of Americans, and found that 39 percent had at some point eaten cold pizza for breakfast.
That’s Amore!
Issue 465
SNIPPETZ ASKS OUR READERS TO BEAR WITH US!
“Bears sleep by day. At night, they stay awake to chase away bad dreams.”
- Jesse O’Neil
The teddy bear has chased away not only bad dreams but also tears and fears, and has been a faithful and lovable companion to children – and adults – for centuries. Three “holidays” commemorating the teddy bear are proof of the teddy bear craze. Sept. 9 is “Teddy Bear Day,” Oct. 11 is the worldwide “Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day” and Nov. 14 is “National Teddy Bear Day.”
Teddy crosses all cultures and classes, and has a place in the hearts of the young and the old – and, of course, the toy industry. The teddy bear is in line with the sock monkey as the most popular of all stuffed animals in the United States.
The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. in Vermont’s Champlain Valley is the largest seller of teddy bears by mail order and the Internet and one of the largest producers of teddy bears worldwide. The company handcrafts each bear, producing about 500,000 a year. In 2003, at the end of the first quarter, Vermont Teddy Bear reported net revenues of $14.5 million. In 2005, a private equity firm took the company private.
Teddy R.
President Theodore Roosevelt is the legendary inspiration for the teddy bear. On Nov. 16, 1902, The Washington Post published a cartoon by Clifford Berryman called “Drawing the Line in Mississippi.” The cartoon featured Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear cub. The story behind the cartoon is about Roosevelt’s trip to Mississippi to settle a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. His hosts took Roosevelt, an avid hunter, out to hunt bears, but the bears didn’t show up, and the hunt was a bust. So, someone captured a bear and set him up for Roosevelt to shoot, but the 32nd president of the U.S. refused, drawing the line at shooting a captive target; thus, the cartoon. The title of the cartoon was a play on both activities: the border dispute and the bear situation.
The bear depicted in the cartoon had a look of innocence and sweetness. The cartoon drew widespread attention, and was reprinted in many newspapers across the country. The cartoon inspired Morris and Rose Michtom from Brooklyn, NY, to create a bear honoring Roosevelt’s positive hunting ethics. The Michtoms’ bear was a likeness to the cartoon bear, and they named it “Teddy’s Bear.” When they placed the bear in the storefront window of their candy shop, the happy little bear became wildly popular. The high demand for the bears led the Michtoms to seek help from the Butler Brothers wholesale firm, and the two founded the first teddy bear manufacturer in the U.S.: the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co.
At the same time in Germany, artist Richard Steiff designed a teddy bear for his aunt’s stuffed toy business. Steiff’s bear resembled a real bear cub. In March 1903, the bear was introduced at a European toy fair. Although Europeans didn’t warm up to the bear, an American toy buyer bought 3,000 of them.
A “Beary” Big Craze
In the early 1900s, the teddy bear frenzy took hold. President Roosevelt carried a teddy bear as his mascot in his bid for re-election. High-society women carried teddy bears everywhere; children had their pictures taken with teddy bears, and Seymour Eaton, educator and columnist, wrote a series of children’s books about the Roosevelt Bears. Composer J.K. Bracken also composed the song, “The Teddy Bear Two Step,” which later became “The Teddy Bear’s Picnic.”
Teddy bear manufacturers came out of the woodwork and produced teddy bears in a variety of colors and even added shoes, clothes and roller skates to some. The teddy bear became a symbol of unity throughout the world.
“Bear” Profits
Prior to the 1950s, teddy bear manufacturers hand-finished their bears and always used natural fibers to make their bears. After World War II, synthetic fibers were all the rage – companies began using nylon or acrylic plush, plastic eyes and rubber stuffing. The bears were now washable – a plus for buyers. And then came the mass-produced bear, which was cheaper, from eastern Asia. From the 1950s through the 1960s, American companies, even the well-established ones, faltered because of the massive import of inexpensive teddy bears from overseas. Teddy bears also began taking a back seat to their stuffed furry friends.
America’s love for teddy bears resurfaced in 1969, when British actor Peter Bull wrote a book about his affection for teddy bears. “The Teddy Bear Book” (earlier called “Bear with Me”) boosted the teddy bear to collectable status – adults revived their own affections for the lovable bear.
Five years after Bull’s book was published, American Beverly Port, who made dolls and her own teddy bears, took a teddy bear to a doll show. The teddy, “Theodore B. Bear,” was holding the hand of one of her dolls. The next year, Port put on a slide show she had created about teddy bears for the United Federation of Doll Clubs. The slide show was well-received and prompted other designers and artists to create their own version of the teddy bear. Today, there are thousands of “teddy bear artists” individually producing a variety of teddy bears. And many of their customers are collectors.
In 1999, collectors purchased $441 million worth of teddy bears in the United States alone.
Teddy Bear Snippetz
Bearly Alone
Teddy bears are in a class of their own, but other famous bears include Paddington Bear, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, the Care bears, Smokey the Bear, Fozzie Bear from the Muppet Show, the three little bears – friends of Goldilocks, Gummi bears, Baloo from “Jungle Book” and the Berenstain Bears.
One of the most notable is Winnie the Pooh, designed in England by J.K. Farnell & Co. In 1921, when he turned 1-year-old, Christopher Robin Milne received a Winnie the Pooh bear from his mother. His father, A.A. Milne, began publishing Winnie the Pooh books featuring his son’s adventures with Winnie and other stuffed animals – creating more “bear mania.”
No matter its followers, bear in mind that the teddy bear reigns.
SNIPPETZ ASKS OUR READERS TO BEAR WITH US!
“Bears sleep by day. At night, they stay awake to chase away bad dreams.”
- Jesse O’Neil
The teddy bear has chased away not only bad dreams but also tears and fears, and has been a faithful and lovable companion to children – and adults – for centuries. Three “holidays” commemorating the teddy bear are proof of the teddy bear craze. Sept. 9 is “Teddy Bear Day,” Oct. 11 is the worldwide “Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day” and Nov. 14 is “National Teddy Bear Day.”
Teddy crosses all cultures and classes, and has a place in the hearts of the young and the old – and, of course, the toy industry. The teddy bear is in line with the sock monkey as the most popular of all stuffed animals in the United States.
The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. in Vermont’s Champlain Valley is the largest seller of teddy bears by mail order and the Internet and one of the largest producers of teddy bears worldwide. The company handcrafts each bear, producing about 500,000 a year. In 2003, at the end of the first quarter, Vermont Teddy Bear reported net revenues of $14.5 million. In 2005, a private equity firm took the company private.
Teddy R.
President Theodore Roosevelt is the legendary inspiration for the teddy bear. On Nov. 16, 1902, The Washington Post published a cartoon by Clifford Berryman called “Drawing the Line in Mississippi.” The cartoon featured Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear cub. The story behind the cartoon is about Roosevelt’s trip to Mississippi to settle a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. His hosts took Roosevelt, an avid hunter, out to hunt bears, but the bears didn’t show up, and the hunt was a bust. So, someone captured a bear and set him up for Roosevelt to shoot, but the 32nd president of the U.S. refused, drawing the line at shooting a captive target; thus, the cartoon. The title of the cartoon was a play on both activities: the border dispute and the bear situation.
The bear depicted in the cartoon had a look of innocence and sweetness. The cartoon drew widespread attention, and was reprinted in many newspapers across the country. The cartoon inspired Morris and Rose Michtom from Brooklyn, NY, to create a bear honoring Roosevelt’s positive hunting ethics. The Michtoms’ bear was a likeness to the cartoon bear, and they named it “Teddy’s Bear.” When they placed the bear in the storefront window of their candy shop, the happy little bear became wildly popular. The high demand for the bears led the Michtoms to seek help from the Butler Brothers wholesale firm, and the two founded the first teddy bear manufacturer in the U.S.: the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co.
At the same time in Germany, artist Richard Steiff designed a teddy bear for his aunt’s stuffed toy business. Steiff’s bear resembled a real bear cub. In March 1903, the bear was introduced at a European toy fair. Although Europeans didn’t warm up to the bear, an American toy buyer bought 3,000 of them.
A “Beary” Big Craze
In the early 1900s, the teddy bear frenzy took hold. President Roosevelt carried a teddy bear as his mascot in his bid for re-election. High-society women carried teddy bears everywhere; children had their pictures taken with teddy bears, and Seymour Eaton, educator and columnist, wrote a series of children’s books about the Roosevelt Bears. Composer J.K. Bracken also composed the song, “The Teddy Bear Two Step,” which later became “The Teddy Bear’s Picnic.”
Teddy bear manufacturers came out of the woodwork and produced teddy bears in a variety of colors and even added shoes, clothes and roller skates to some. The teddy bear became a symbol of unity throughout the world.
“Bear” Profits
Prior to the 1950s, teddy bear manufacturers hand-finished their bears and always used natural fibers to make their bears. After World War II, synthetic fibers were all the rage – companies began using nylon or acrylic plush, plastic eyes and rubber stuffing. The bears were now washable – a plus for buyers. And then came the mass-produced bear, which was cheaper, from eastern Asia. From the 1950s through the 1960s, American companies, even the well-established ones, faltered because of the massive import of inexpensive teddy bears from overseas. Teddy bears also began taking a back seat to their stuffed furry friends.
America’s love for teddy bears resurfaced in 1969, when British actor Peter Bull wrote a book about his affection for teddy bears. “The Teddy Bear Book” (earlier called “Bear with Me”) boosted the teddy bear to collectable status – adults revived their own affections for the lovable bear.
Five years after Bull’s book was published, American Beverly Port, who made dolls and her own teddy bears, took a teddy bear to a doll show. The teddy, “Theodore B. Bear,” was holding the hand of one of her dolls. The next year, Port put on a slide show she had created about teddy bears for the United Federation of Doll Clubs. The slide show was well-received and prompted other designers and artists to create their own version of the teddy bear. Today, there are thousands of “teddy bear artists” individually producing a variety of teddy bears. And many of their customers are collectors.
In 1999, collectors purchased $441 million worth of teddy bears in the United States alone.
Teddy Bear Snippetz
- Many of the original teddy bears were made with real bear fur, and fine wood shavings were used to stuff the bears. The crème of the crop teddy bear had eyes made of glass. The original teddy’s glass eyes were attached to a long, sharp hat pin and then thumb-tacked into the head. However, parents were not keen about the glass eyes – fearing injury to their children. Glass eyes have been replaced with a variety of safer materials.
- Police and firefighters often carry teddy bears to comfort children who are lost or victims of car accidents, fires or other hazardous situations.
- Some hospitals allow their young patients to bring along their teddy bears for a free checkup by a nurse or doctor.
- Forty-percent of all adults still have their childhood teddy bear.
- A collection of teddy bears is referred to as a “hug of bears.”
- A teddy bear survived the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, but its owner, Gaspare Gatti, did not survive.
- A bear designed by Steiff once sold for $86,000 at an auction.
- Bear wear: Well-loved bears have plenty of bare spots. The worn out parts on the bear include the tummy, where little hands have been holding on to the bear all night long; missing ears that are used to carry teddy bear; hands and feet that might have been chewed on (human or animal); dirt and food stains.
Bearly Alone
Teddy bears are in a class of their own, but other famous bears include Paddington Bear, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, the Care bears, Smokey the Bear, Fozzie Bear from the Muppet Show, the three little bears – friends of Goldilocks, Gummi bears, Baloo from “Jungle Book” and the Berenstain Bears.
One of the most notable is Winnie the Pooh, designed in England by J.K. Farnell & Co. In 1921, when he turned 1-year-old, Christopher Robin Milne received a Winnie the Pooh bear from his mother. His father, A.A. Milne, began publishing Winnie the Pooh books featuring his son’s adventures with Winnie and other stuffed animals – creating more “bear mania.”
No matter its followers, bear in mind that the teddy bear reigns.
Issue 464
SNIPPETZ IS ALL ABOUT THE TOUCH
“The physician must be experienced in many things, but most assuredly in rubbing.”
- Hippocrates, The "Father of Modern Medicine"
The word “massage” is from the French word of the same, meaning “friction of kneading.” Massage therapists press, rub and manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body – most often using their hands and fingers. Some actually use their elbows and feet.
Hippocrates wrote about the friction of rubbing, and said that healers must incorporate rubbing as part of their practices. Massage therapy was widely used in ancient Greece and other countries, gaining in popularity during the Renaissance period. In the 1850s, two American physicians brought massage therapy to the United States after studying the techniques in Sweden. At the end of World War I, massage therapy became a beneficial mode of treatment for American soldiers who had suffered from “shell shock.”
A Fall from Grace
During the 1930s and 1940s, massage therapy took a back seat to scientific and technological advances in medical treatment. And when “massage parlors” (so-called cover-up for illegal sex trade and practices) cropped up, massage therapy became somewhat of a pariah.
It would take 30 years before massage therapy would regain its popularity. In the 1970s, athletes were instrumental in bringing massage therapy its due in modern times. Today, millions of Americans receive a variety of massage therapy techniques every year.
The Facts
Here’s what the American Massage Therapy Association 2009 annual consumer survey reported.
Types of Massage
There are more than 80 types of massage; some are more well-known than others for relieving everything from headaches to sore feet. The following techniques are among the most popular, according to About.com, a division of The New York Times Co. (Some might wonder why Reiki is not included; however, Reiki is not considered massage by definition. Although massage is used, Reiki is a specific healing system involving the transfer of the flow of energy.)
Swedish
The most common of all massage therapy techniques in the U.S.; Swedish massage is basic techniques – long, smooth strokes, kneading and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle. Therapists use massage lotion or oil as well. It’s a good practice for first-time users.
Aromatherapy
This type of massage adds essential plant oils to the stroke therapy. The oils are selected to address specific needs like lavender oil for relaxation.
Hot Stone
This technique uses smooth stones that are heated and then placed on certain points of the body to warm and loosen tight muscles. Hot stones also balance energy centers in the body. Some massage therapists apply light pressure with the stones. This therapy is good for people with sore muscles who don’t want a heavier massage.
Deep Tissue
Speaking of heavier massage techniques, deep tissue focuses on deeper layers of the muscle and the connective tissue. The therapist uses slower strokes, and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on chronically tight or painful muscles. This type of massage is good for recovering from injuries or repetitive strain. Because of the pressure applied, patients can feel sore for a day or two after the technique.
Shiatsu
With shiatsu massage – a form of Japanese body work – the therapist uses finger pressure in a localized area on acupuncture meridians. Each “point” is held for a few seconds to balance the body and improve energy flow.
Thai
Thai massage also uses gentle pressure on specific points of the body. The difference is the patient is moved and stretched in a variety of postures. Thai massage is energizing and improves flexibility and range of motion.
Prenatal Massage
Pregnant women are using massage therapists who are certified in prenatal massage to reduce stress and anxiety, decrease swelling and relieve aches and pains. The trained therapist knows the proper techniques for positioning the woman’s body, and customizes massage techniques for individual women.
Reflexoloy
Reflexology is often thought of as an alternative medicine of its own. Although one thinks of foot massages, reflexology is much more. Practitioners must understand the system of the body and how it relates to certain points on the foot. Each point corresponds to an organ in the body. Reflexology is relaxing, and it can relieve a number of medically related issues.
Sports Massage
A variety of athletes, from golfers to swimmers to football players, use sports massage to enhance their performance and prevent injury. And it’s not just professional athletes; all people who are active and regularly work out can benefit from the techniques used in sports massage. The strokes are faster, and stretching is incorporated.
Medical Massage
Medical massage can be prescribed by a doctor to improve the health of a patient. Therapy involves manual techniques targeted at specific areas.
The Business of Massage
Read Out And Touch Someone
SNIPPETZ IS ALL ABOUT THE TOUCH
“The physician must be experienced in many things, but most assuredly in rubbing.”
- Hippocrates, The "Father of Modern Medicine"
The word “massage” is from the French word of the same, meaning “friction of kneading.” Massage therapists press, rub and manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body – most often using their hands and fingers. Some actually use their elbows and feet.
Hippocrates wrote about the friction of rubbing, and said that healers must incorporate rubbing as part of their practices. Massage therapy was widely used in ancient Greece and other countries, gaining in popularity during the Renaissance period. In the 1850s, two American physicians brought massage therapy to the United States after studying the techniques in Sweden. At the end of World War I, massage therapy became a beneficial mode of treatment for American soldiers who had suffered from “shell shock.”
A Fall from Grace
During the 1930s and 1940s, massage therapy took a back seat to scientific and technological advances in medical treatment. And when “massage parlors” (so-called cover-up for illegal sex trade and practices) cropped up, massage therapy became somewhat of a pariah.
It would take 30 years before massage therapy would regain its popularity. In the 1970s, athletes were instrumental in bringing massage therapy its due in modern times. Today, millions of Americans receive a variety of massage therapy techniques every year.
The Facts
Here’s what the American Massage Therapy Association 2009 annual consumer survey reported.
- Between July 2008 and July 2009, about 48 million adult Americans had a massage at least once.
- Thirty-two percent get massages for medical reasons.
- Fifty-two percent who discussed massage therapy with their doctors reported that their doctors strongly recommended or encouraged them to get a massage.
- Massage can be effective in reducing pain, according to 86 percent.
- Massage is beneficial to overall health and wellness, as reported by 85 percent of Americans.
- More than half of adult Americans (59 percent) think massage therapy should be covered under their insurance.
- Massage has had positive effects for cancer-related fatigue, chronic lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, headaches, post-operative pain and osteoarthritis of the knee.
- In 2009, 49 percent of consumers have considered massage to manage stress; up from 38 percent in 2008.
Types of Massage
There are more than 80 types of massage; some are more well-known than others for relieving everything from headaches to sore feet. The following techniques are among the most popular, according to About.com, a division of The New York Times Co. (Some might wonder why Reiki is not included; however, Reiki is not considered massage by definition. Although massage is used, Reiki is a specific healing system involving the transfer of the flow of energy.)
Swedish
The most common of all massage therapy techniques in the U.S.; Swedish massage is basic techniques – long, smooth strokes, kneading and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle. Therapists use massage lotion or oil as well. It’s a good practice for first-time users.
Aromatherapy
This type of massage adds essential plant oils to the stroke therapy. The oils are selected to address specific needs like lavender oil for relaxation.
Hot Stone
This technique uses smooth stones that are heated and then placed on certain points of the body to warm and loosen tight muscles. Hot stones also balance energy centers in the body. Some massage therapists apply light pressure with the stones. This therapy is good for people with sore muscles who don’t want a heavier massage.
Deep Tissue
Speaking of heavier massage techniques, deep tissue focuses on deeper layers of the muscle and the connective tissue. The therapist uses slower strokes, and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on chronically tight or painful muscles. This type of massage is good for recovering from injuries or repetitive strain. Because of the pressure applied, patients can feel sore for a day or two after the technique.
Shiatsu
With shiatsu massage – a form of Japanese body work – the therapist uses finger pressure in a localized area on acupuncture meridians. Each “point” is held for a few seconds to balance the body and improve energy flow.
Thai
Thai massage also uses gentle pressure on specific points of the body. The difference is the patient is moved and stretched in a variety of postures. Thai massage is energizing and improves flexibility and range of motion.
Prenatal Massage
Pregnant women are using massage therapists who are certified in prenatal massage to reduce stress and anxiety, decrease swelling and relieve aches and pains. The trained therapist knows the proper techniques for positioning the woman’s body, and customizes massage techniques for individual women.
Reflexoloy
Reflexology is often thought of as an alternative medicine of its own. Although one thinks of foot massages, reflexology is much more. Practitioners must understand the system of the body and how it relates to certain points on the foot. Each point corresponds to an organ in the body. Reflexology is relaxing, and it can relieve a number of medically related issues.
Sports Massage
A variety of athletes, from golfers to swimmers to football players, use sports massage to enhance their performance and prevent injury. And it’s not just professional athletes; all people who are active and regularly work out can benefit from the techniques used in sports massage. The strokes are faster, and stretching is incorporated.
Medical Massage
Medical massage can be prescribed by a doctor to improve the health of a patient. Therapy involves manual techniques targeted at specific areas.
The Business of Massage
- It is estimated there are 280,000 massage therapists and 320,000 massage therapy students in the U.S.
- The U.S. Department of Labor states that employment for massage therapists is expected to increase 20 percent from 2006 to 2016 (faster on average than any other occupation).
- Massage therapy is a billion-dollar industry; it was projected to bring in $6 to $11 billion a year from 2005 on. The American Massage Therapy Association estimated that in 2009, the massage therapy industry brought in between $16 and $20 billion.
- Massage therapists are predominantly female – 85 percent.
- The average charge for a massage is $63 per hour.
- In 2009, the average yearly income for a massage therapist (including tips) providing about 16 hours of massage per week was $37,123.
- In 2009, there were more than 300 accredited massage schools and programs in the U.S.
- In 1998, 7.7 percent of hospitals offered alternative therapies. In 2007, 37.3 percent of hospitals offered alternative therapies; of those, 70 percent offered massage therapy.
- Massage in hospitals is used for pain management (66 percent), cancer patients (57 percent), pregnancy (55 percent), physical therapy treatment (53 percent), mobility/movement training (45 percent) and palliative care (41 percent).
Read Out And Touch Someone
- Touch is the first sense to develop in humans and may be the last to fade.
- There are about 5 million touch receptors in human skin – 3,000 in one finger tip.
- Skin is the largest organ in the body.
- There are more living organisms on the skin of one human being than there are human beings on the surface of Earth.
- Any kind of touch can reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure.
- Touch stimulates endorphins – the body’s natural pain killers.
- Massage before an athletic event provides more flexibility, enhanced speed and power and injury protection to the athlete.
- Muscles are made up of bundles from about five in the eyelid to about 200 in the buttocks.
- There are 640 muscles in the human body.
- Bob Hope lived to be 100 years old; it’s believed that massage therapy was part of his everyday health routine.
Issue 463
SNIPPETZ WANTS THE WHOLE TRUTH... IN E-MAIL
“The history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal."
- Mark Twain
July 2009: Journalist Betsy McCaughey reported that the “proposed Health Care bill requires that seniors be given euthanasia counseling every five years.” Lie.
Maureen Dowd, well-known syndicated columnist, said that more than $200 million of Barack Obama’s campaign donations came from foreign investors via the Internet from the likes of China and Saudi Arabia. Lie.
There’s an old saying: Don’t believe everything you hear – or, more likely today – don’t believe everything you read in your e-mails. Since 1988, on the third Saturday of September, people in the small town of New Harmony, Ind., gather for a Big Whopping Lie Contest. Contestants line up on stage and get about four minutes each to spin a big, tall tale. To piggyback on the Hoosier fib-fest, Snippetz investigated the world of Internet lies – those questionable e-mails with everything from President Obama’s religious affiliation to Mr. Rogers’ military career. Read on for a good dose of enlightenment.
Hoaxes to Urban Legends
It’s best to clarify the type of fictional e-mails that could cause one to ponder, or pass on to unsuspecting recipients.
Hoax: an act or document that is intended to deceive the public. April Fool’s pranks and chain letters are in this category. The word “hoax” is thought of as a contraction of “hocus pocus” – a phrase used by magicians to invoke magic spells.
Rumor: the definition is not about falsehoods but a lack of proof. A rumor could be a report of statements that haven’t been verified, an opinion represented as fact, a bite of truth misrepresented or misunderstood so much that it creates a falsehood, exaggerations or intentional lies.
Urban legend: a second-hand story – a tale believed to be true about a horrific or embarrassing or over-the-top, heart-stopping story that supposedly happened to one or more individuals. Although there is nothing to back up the story, the storyteller relies on “trustworthy” sources. “This really happened to my friend’s sister’s husband,” i.e. the ditzy grandmother who tried to dry her wet poodle in a microwave; of course, the dog exploded. This urban legend is false, but the legends can be true as well.
Whom To Believe
Snopes.com is probably the best known Web site for discerning fact from fiction in the vast number of e-mails that bombard one’s inbox. About 300,000 people a day peruse the Snopes Web site to determine the authenticity of many an e-mail.
David and Barbara Mikkelson run the site from their home in California. In an interview published in the New York Times, David Mikkelson said most of the rumors start out with a “kernel of truth” but somewhere along the way the truth gets increasingly distorted. Some people pass on e-mails, whether rumor or urban legend, because they want to prove their point about something or someone, prove someone wrong; or they want to share their fears and anxieties with others. More times than not, the rumor reinforces prejudices against political parties and cultures.
Far too many people don’t care about the truth. If an e-mail reflects a person’s belief system, he or she is likely to pass it on without checking further.
Recent E-mail Lies
E-mail: All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies, which will allow them to make sales calls. Call the National Do Not Call Registry to add your cell number to the list.
Truth: Not necessary – the Federal Trade Commission regulates telemarketers, and they are prohibited from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers.
E-mail: Do not answer calls from these numbers:
9888308001, 9316048121, 91+, 9876266211, 9888854137, 9876715587
The numbers have extremely high wave length and frequency. If a call is received on a mobile from these numbers, the high frequency can cause brain damage or even death. “It's not a joke rather, it’s TRUE. 27 persons died just on receiving calls from these numbers.”
Truth: Engineers say not true. This rumor started out in Pakistan, and was spread throughout India, the Middle East and Africa. It began as a Friday the 13th hoax.
E-mail: Pepsi (or Coke) has a new line of patriotic soda cans with a picture of the Empire State Building, a flag and the words from the Pledge of Allegiance, however, the words “under God” have been omitted. The e-mails were calling for all Christians to boycott the bottling companies and send letters to them.
Truth: False. The rumor started years ago when Dr. Pepper came up with a new can featuring the Statue of Liberty and these three words from the Pledge of Allegiance: “One Nation … Indivisible.” The cans were circulated right after Sept. 11 through March 2002. The words were chosen, according to Dr. Pepper, as they best represented a patriotic, bipartisan message promoting a united nation. Note: “Under God” was not an original part of the Pledge of Allegiance, written in 1892 by Frances Bellamy; it was added by an Act of Congress in 1954. The rumor has resurfaced lately in response to the anniversary of 9/11.
E-mail: Hotel key cards contain all kinds of personal information, including credit card numbers. They can easily be scanned by employees, who in turn go shopping for free!
Truth: The origin of this rumor came from an actual police officer in California, who heard another officer in another precinct say that he had run across a hotel key card from a major hotel with all kinds of personal information on it. Without verifying the information or checking with major hotels, the officer sent out an e-mail to other officers warning them of the possibility of identity theft through hotel key cards. From the mouths of hotel managers and front desk clerks to an investigation by Computerworld magazine, there is no such thing as a hotel key embedded with any kind of personal information.
You Gotta be Kidding Me
Ridiculous e-mails that are or have been in circulation:
Finally …
Mr. Rogers was not a trained marine assassin!
SNIPPETZ WANTS THE WHOLE TRUTH... IN E-MAIL
“The history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal."
- Mark Twain
July 2009: Journalist Betsy McCaughey reported that the “proposed Health Care bill requires that seniors be given euthanasia counseling every five years.” Lie.
Maureen Dowd, well-known syndicated columnist, said that more than $200 million of Barack Obama’s campaign donations came from foreign investors via the Internet from the likes of China and Saudi Arabia. Lie.
There’s an old saying: Don’t believe everything you hear – or, more likely today – don’t believe everything you read in your e-mails. Since 1988, on the third Saturday of September, people in the small town of New Harmony, Ind., gather for a Big Whopping Lie Contest. Contestants line up on stage and get about four minutes each to spin a big, tall tale. To piggyback on the Hoosier fib-fest, Snippetz investigated the world of Internet lies – those questionable e-mails with everything from President Obama’s religious affiliation to Mr. Rogers’ military career. Read on for a good dose of enlightenment.
Hoaxes to Urban Legends
It’s best to clarify the type of fictional e-mails that could cause one to ponder, or pass on to unsuspecting recipients.
Hoax: an act or document that is intended to deceive the public. April Fool’s pranks and chain letters are in this category. The word “hoax” is thought of as a contraction of “hocus pocus” – a phrase used by magicians to invoke magic spells.
Rumor: the definition is not about falsehoods but a lack of proof. A rumor could be a report of statements that haven’t been verified, an opinion represented as fact, a bite of truth misrepresented or misunderstood so much that it creates a falsehood, exaggerations or intentional lies.
Urban legend: a second-hand story – a tale believed to be true about a horrific or embarrassing or over-the-top, heart-stopping story that supposedly happened to one or more individuals. Although there is nothing to back up the story, the storyteller relies on “trustworthy” sources. “This really happened to my friend’s sister’s husband,” i.e. the ditzy grandmother who tried to dry her wet poodle in a microwave; of course, the dog exploded. This urban legend is false, but the legends can be true as well.
Whom To Believe
Snopes.com is probably the best known Web site for discerning fact from fiction in the vast number of e-mails that bombard one’s inbox. About 300,000 people a day peruse the Snopes Web site to determine the authenticity of many an e-mail.
David and Barbara Mikkelson run the site from their home in California. In an interview published in the New York Times, David Mikkelson said most of the rumors start out with a “kernel of truth” but somewhere along the way the truth gets increasingly distorted. Some people pass on e-mails, whether rumor or urban legend, because they want to prove their point about something or someone, prove someone wrong; or they want to share their fears and anxieties with others. More times than not, the rumor reinforces prejudices against political parties and cultures.
Far too many people don’t care about the truth. If an e-mail reflects a person’s belief system, he or she is likely to pass it on without checking further.
Recent E-mail Lies
E-mail: All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies, which will allow them to make sales calls. Call the National Do Not Call Registry to add your cell number to the list.
Truth: Not necessary – the Federal Trade Commission regulates telemarketers, and they are prohibited from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers.
E-mail: Do not answer calls from these numbers:
9888308001, 9316048121, 91+, 9876266211, 9888854137, 9876715587
The numbers have extremely high wave length and frequency. If a call is received on a mobile from these numbers, the high frequency can cause brain damage or even death. “It's not a joke rather, it’s TRUE. 27 persons died just on receiving calls from these numbers.”
Truth: Engineers say not true. This rumor started out in Pakistan, and was spread throughout India, the Middle East and Africa. It began as a Friday the 13th hoax.
E-mail: Pepsi (or Coke) has a new line of patriotic soda cans with a picture of the Empire State Building, a flag and the words from the Pledge of Allegiance, however, the words “under God” have been omitted. The e-mails were calling for all Christians to boycott the bottling companies and send letters to them.
Truth: False. The rumor started years ago when Dr. Pepper came up with a new can featuring the Statue of Liberty and these three words from the Pledge of Allegiance: “One Nation … Indivisible.” The cans were circulated right after Sept. 11 through March 2002. The words were chosen, according to Dr. Pepper, as they best represented a patriotic, bipartisan message promoting a united nation. Note: “Under God” was not an original part of the Pledge of Allegiance, written in 1892 by Frances Bellamy; it was added by an Act of Congress in 1954. The rumor has resurfaced lately in response to the anniversary of 9/11.
E-mail: Hotel key cards contain all kinds of personal information, including credit card numbers. They can easily be scanned by employees, who in turn go shopping for free!
Truth: The origin of this rumor came from an actual police officer in California, who heard another officer in another precinct say that he had run across a hotel key card from a major hotel with all kinds of personal information on it. Without verifying the information or checking with major hotels, the officer sent out an e-mail to other officers warning them of the possibility of identity theft through hotel key cards. From the mouths of hotel managers and front desk clerks to an investigation by Computerworld magazine, there is no such thing as a hotel key embedded with any kind of personal information.
You Gotta be Kidding Me
Ridiculous e-mails that are or have been in circulation:
- The largest dog in the world: Neapolitan Mastiff (not English as claimed) who appeared in a photo as the size of a horse. False: Photo Shop
- Lady Gaga is a hermaphrodite – someone born with both male and female genitalia. Lady Gaga reportedly said, “I’m not ashamed of it.” False: Lady Gaga set the rumor straight in an interview with Barbara Walters.
- After the December 2004 tsunami in India, the carcass of a mermaid washed up on shore. False: Photo Shop
- An 80-year-old grandmother beat up six airport security guards. From a fictitious story spoof
- Saddam Hussein once starred in gay porn films. (tabloid story)
- Access a link that will clean the inside of your computer. False: practical joke
- A man starved to death because he refused to leave his computer to eat. He wouldn’t take time to eat even when his wife brought dinner to him. Apparently, the man was afraid of missing any online discussion. False: taken from a piece on online satire
- Online magic trick reads minds and removes card chosen by subject from pack. False: Those fooled by the “magic” believe the card they choose is the only card removed from the layout. Not so. All cards displayed in the first layout disappear. None are repeated on the second layout. Cards similar to the first grouping all disappear – not repeated on the second layout. Cards similar to the first set appear on the second screen but they’re not the same. (Write down the identities of all six cards first shown and compare this list to the five remaining revealed later in the sequence.)
Finally …
Mr. Rogers was not a trained marine assassin!
Issue 462
SNIPPETZ HONORS GRANDMA MOSES: FOLK ART LEGEND
“A primitive artist is an amateur whose work sells.”
- Grandma Moses
Anna Mary Robertson Moses was born Sept. 7, 1860, but not until her 70s would she become a legendary American folk artist, known as Grandma Moses. On her 100th birthday in 1960, then New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller proclaimed Sept. 7 "Grandma Moses Day.”
Moses began painting late in life after arthritis ended her ability to embroider. The hand movement involved with painting was less painful and manageable. Although she began her artistic career around age 76, she had many years ahead of her to perfect her medium. Moses died in 1961 at age 101.
In 1938, art collector Louis J. Caldor discovered Moses’ paintings collecting dust in a drugstore window in Hoosick Falls, N.Y. Caldor bought all of the paintings, priced from $3 to $5, then drove to Moses’ home and purchased 10 others.
In 1939, she grabbed the attention of Otto Kallir, an art dealer and gallery owner, and in 1940, Kallir began exhibiting Moses’ work in his Galerie St. Etienne in New York, where she gained international fame. Eventually, Moses’ art was shown in galleries throughout Europe and Japan; she was considered by some the best known American artist in Europe.
The Galerie St. Etienne established the Grandma Moses Properties Co. in 1951 to control copyrights and trademarks of Moses’ work. Today, the Moses Co. remains a sister company to Galerie St. Etienne, where the two share the premises and staff.
Anna Mary
Before she was Grandma Moses, Anna Mary Robertson was the third oldest of 10 children. Because her parents were farmers and poor, at age 12, Robertson took on a job as a hired girl for a family and was allowed to attend school with her employer’s children. Young Anna also worked the family farm.
In her 20s, Robertson married Thomas Salmon Moses. They eventually moved to Virginia, where they rented a homestead and farmed the land. A few years later, they returned to upstate New York and bought their own farm, which they called Mt. Nebo.
Mrs. Moses became known as Mother Moses, not only because she had 10 children (five died at birth) but also because she was skilled in many areas, especially talented in needlework, sewing and embroidery.
Much later, when Mother Moses transitioned to painting and became Grandma Moses, she was on her way to achieving greatness as a folk artist – an art form all to itself.
American Folk Art
Folk art originates “among the common people of a nation or region and usually reflecting their traditional culture, especially everyday or festive items produced or decorated by unschooled artists,” according to freedictionary.com.
Collector Scott Blackwell writes on his Web site
(www.immaculatebakery.com/folkart) that the style is “more than just bright colors and crude renderings, more than just gathered materials or an untrained sketch. … What we're really looking at is the rawest form of self-expression, the exposed soul of the artist and their passionate stories of life.”
In the 19th century, folk art did not exist as a genre and was often referred to as “primitive.” Folk artists were self-taught and considered incompetent in the art world; there were often ridiculed.
At the turn of the century, schooled artists began rebelling against academic traditions, which helped bring “folk art” to the forefront of the art world. But recognition as an art form would be a tough journey.
When folk art came to America in the 1920s, trained artists were incensed that they would have to share gallery space and accolades with amateur (folk art) painters.
Modern America’s first folk artist painter was John Kane. His work was admitted to the Carnegie International in 1927, amidst loud protests from schooled artists whose work had been rejected. Along came Moses and a couple of her contemporaries – Horace Pippin and Morris Hirschfield – and by the mid-1940s, folk art blossomed.
The popularity of Moses’ work still drew indignation from the cultural elite, who perceived folk art as unsophisticated and simple. As folk art’s popularity soared, other artists took up the genre; and, in time, even the avant-garde accepted the art form.
The Paintings
Moses created many masterpieces in her makeshift studio, which was a utility room. She didn’t have an easel – just an old wooden kitchen table. She painted five or six hours a day and enjoyed watching old westerns on television in the evenings – only because she loved watching the horses.
She had a style of her own. Certainly self-taught, she occasionally added other materials like glitter to enhance snow scenes in her paintings (which further angered the avant-garde). Moses’ scenes were simple: families and neighborhood communities depicting colorful stories of rural life in America.
Most of the scenes she emulated artistically were set in areas of upstate New York and Vermont.
Moses enjoyed painting landscapes and nature scenes, adding a sprinkling of tiny looking humans to the mix. Her paintings were born from memories of her life as a farm girl, a hired girl and a farmer’s wife.
Grandma Moses created more than 3,600 paintings over three decades. Paintings that she first sold for anywhere from $2 to $5 would garner $8,000 to $10,000 after Moses became a celebrated artist.
Beyond the Canvas
In her autobiography, Grandma Moses expressed her basic philosophy:
"I look back on my life like a good day's work, it was done and I feel satisfied with it. I was happy and contented; I knew nothing better and made the best out of what life offered. And life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."
SNIPPETZ HONORS GRANDMA MOSES: FOLK ART LEGEND
“A primitive artist is an amateur whose work sells.”
- Grandma Moses
Anna Mary Robertson Moses was born Sept. 7, 1860, but not until her 70s would she become a legendary American folk artist, known as Grandma Moses. On her 100th birthday in 1960, then New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller proclaimed Sept. 7 "Grandma Moses Day.”
Moses began painting late in life after arthritis ended her ability to embroider. The hand movement involved with painting was less painful and manageable. Although she began her artistic career around age 76, she had many years ahead of her to perfect her medium. Moses died in 1961 at age 101.
In 1938, art collector Louis J. Caldor discovered Moses’ paintings collecting dust in a drugstore window in Hoosick Falls, N.Y. Caldor bought all of the paintings, priced from $3 to $5, then drove to Moses’ home and purchased 10 others.
In 1939, she grabbed the attention of Otto Kallir, an art dealer and gallery owner, and in 1940, Kallir began exhibiting Moses’ work in his Galerie St. Etienne in New York, where she gained international fame. Eventually, Moses’ art was shown in galleries throughout Europe and Japan; she was considered by some the best known American artist in Europe.
The Galerie St. Etienne established the Grandma Moses Properties Co. in 1951 to control copyrights and trademarks of Moses’ work. Today, the Moses Co. remains a sister company to Galerie St. Etienne, where the two share the premises and staff.
Anna Mary
Before she was Grandma Moses, Anna Mary Robertson was the third oldest of 10 children. Because her parents were farmers and poor, at age 12, Robertson took on a job as a hired girl for a family and was allowed to attend school with her employer’s children. Young Anna also worked the family farm.
In her 20s, Robertson married Thomas Salmon Moses. They eventually moved to Virginia, where they rented a homestead and farmed the land. A few years later, they returned to upstate New York and bought their own farm, which they called Mt. Nebo.
Mrs. Moses became known as Mother Moses, not only because she had 10 children (five died at birth) but also because she was skilled in many areas, especially talented in needlework, sewing and embroidery.
Much later, when Mother Moses transitioned to painting and became Grandma Moses, she was on her way to achieving greatness as a folk artist – an art form all to itself.
American Folk Art
Folk art originates “among the common people of a nation or region and usually reflecting their traditional culture, especially everyday or festive items produced or decorated by unschooled artists,” according to freedictionary.com.
Collector Scott Blackwell writes on his Web site
(www.immaculatebakery.com/folkart) that the style is “more than just bright colors and crude renderings, more than just gathered materials or an untrained sketch. … What we're really looking at is the rawest form of self-expression, the exposed soul of the artist and their passionate stories of life.”
In the 19th century, folk art did not exist as a genre and was often referred to as “primitive.” Folk artists were self-taught and considered incompetent in the art world; there were often ridiculed.
At the turn of the century, schooled artists began rebelling against academic traditions, which helped bring “folk art” to the forefront of the art world. But recognition as an art form would be a tough journey.
When folk art came to America in the 1920s, trained artists were incensed that they would have to share gallery space and accolades with amateur (folk art) painters.
Modern America’s first folk artist painter was John Kane. His work was admitted to the Carnegie International in 1927, amidst loud protests from schooled artists whose work had been rejected. Along came Moses and a couple of her contemporaries – Horace Pippin and Morris Hirschfield – and by the mid-1940s, folk art blossomed.
The popularity of Moses’ work still drew indignation from the cultural elite, who perceived folk art as unsophisticated and simple. As folk art’s popularity soared, other artists took up the genre; and, in time, even the avant-garde accepted the art form.
The Paintings
Moses created many masterpieces in her makeshift studio, which was a utility room. She didn’t have an easel – just an old wooden kitchen table. She painted five or six hours a day and enjoyed watching old westerns on television in the evenings – only because she loved watching the horses.
She had a style of her own. Certainly self-taught, she occasionally added other materials like glitter to enhance snow scenes in her paintings (which further angered the avant-garde). Moses’ scenes were simple: families and neighborhood communities depicting colorful stories of rural life in America.
Most of the scenes she emulated artistically were set in areas of upstate New York and Vermont.
Moses enjoyed painting landscapes and nature scenes, adding a sprinkling of tiny looking humans to the mix. Her paintings were born from memories of her life as a farm girl, a hired girl and a farmer’s wife.
- Many holidays – Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween – were depicted in her scenes, and some of her paintings illustrated nursery rhymes or children’s stories, such as Little Boy Blue.
- Some of her paintings revealed a penchant for cooking (her raspberry jam won a ribbon at the county fair). Apple Butter Making is one of Moses’ pieces.
- Hoosick Valley (From the Window) is one of her most famous paintings. She painted the view (upstate New York – her home and where she is buried) from her window; white drapes framed the painting.
- Checkered House was dated back to the Revolutionary War. The painting featured a checkerboard house – it has been said that the house is a replica of an old inn (painted like a checkerboard) that had its heyday in Monroe, N.Y. The painting was purchased in the 1940s for less than $10. Today, the piece was assigned an insurance value of $60,000 by appraiser Alan Fausel.
- Otto Kallir gave Moses’ painting, the Fourth of July, to the White House, where it remains today.
- Moses’ painting, The Quilting Bee, represented all the women who gathered to have quilting parties.
Grandma Moses created more than 3,600 paintings over three decades. Paintings that she first sold for anywhere from $2 to $5 would garner $8,000 to $10,000 after Moses became a celebrated artist.
Beyond the Canvas
- Grandma Moses painted her scenes on tiles as well, and many have been reproduced. All of her original tiles are housed with the Grandma Moses Properties archives.
- Hallmark has reproduced Moses’ artwork on several greeting cards.
- The New York Graphic Society published a silk-screen reproduction of The Old Oaken Bucket by Grandma Moses in 1946.
- From 1950 to 1967, the Riverdale Fabric Co. manufactured drapery fabrics with images of many of Moses’ tiles and paintings. Moses had created pictures out of yarn, and a textile painting of Mt. Nebo also was made into fabric. Later, pieces of the fabrics were often cut and mounted on a wall, much like a painting.
- Grandma Moses appeared on the Edward R. Murrow TV show and provided painting lessons for viewers.
- “My Life's History," Moses’ autobiography, was published in 1951 by Harper & Brothers.
- "Grandma Moses, American Primitive," a biography by Otto Kallir was published in 1947 by Doubleday & Co.
In her autobiography, Grandma Moses expressed her basic philosophy:
"I look back on my life like a good day's work, it was done and I feel satisfied with it. I was happy and contented; I knew nothing better and made the best out of what life offered. And life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."
Issue 461
SNIPPETZ IS LOOKING UP TO SEE IF THE SKY IS REALLY FALLING
“The sky is falling, the sky is falling!”
- Chicken Little
Breaking News: A space shuttle has been destroyed by a meteor shower, killing everyone on board. According to NORAD, Denver and other parts of the world are in the midst of a major meteorite shower. Scientists at NASA have just learned that a large asteroid will collide with Earth in only 18 days. Basically, folks, our planet will be destroyed.
No, it’s not 2012, the year some predict will be the end of the world. Nor is it 2029, the year the big asteroid will hit Earth. It’s 1998 and the release of the movie, “Armageddon.”
That same year just two months earlier, another movie about a huge comet destroying Earth hit theatres nationwide titled “Deep Impact.”
Both movies were popular and financially successful. “Deep Impact” grossed more than $349 million worldwide and Armageddon did even better at the box office.
Is it Hollywood hype, or do Americans have a fascination or fear or both that someday a remnant from the solar system the size of a football field will plummet to Earth at lightening speed and destroy us all?
To better understand the “sky is falling” spectacle, read on.
First, A Few Definitions
Meteor: bits of space debris coming from the solar system that fall through the earth’s atmosphere. Meteor is the term used for the actual streaks of light that can be seen in the sky as the debris enters the atmosphere. Meteor is from the Greek word “meteoron,” which means a “phenomenon in the sky.”
Meteor Shower: a number of meteors radiating from one point in the sky. They’re caused by a stream of meteoroids.
Meteoroid: the small rocky debris that is “flying around” in space or the atmosphere.
Meteorite: a piece of rock that is strong and large enough to survive the journey through space and then land on the surface of Earth. Stony meteorites make up about 93 percent of all meteorites found on Earth. They can be divided into chondrites and achondrites. Chondrites are made up of the same dust and debris that formed the earth at the beginning of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. Achondrites have been geologically processed. Meteorites are smaller than asteroids or comets.
Asteroid: small planetary bodies that revolve around the sun. Scientists state that most asteroids are located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter – the asteroid belt. They vary in size. According to NASA, more than 200 asteroids are larger than 60 miles in diameter in the “belt.” More than 750,000 asteroids in the belt have diameters larger than 3/5 of a mile. There are millions of smaller ones.
Comet: an icy body that releases gas or dust. Comets travel around the sun in long, oval orbits. The center of the comet is a ball of ice and rocky dust particles (resembling a dirty snowball). The ice is mainly frozen water but can include other frozen substances like ammonia, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane.
Meteorites For Sale and Other Phenomena
From the Sky to Fame
There are a few meteors, comets and asteroids that are stars in their own right.
Perseid meteors are fast, entering Earth’s atmosphere at about 133,200 mph. Most are the size of sand grains; some are as big as peas or marbles. Almost none of these hit the ground. The Perseids come from the debris of the comet Swift-Tuttle, which is the largest object that is known to make repeated passes near Earth. Its nucleus is about 6 miles, which is the size that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Rumors of comets hitting Earth were fueled in the early 1990s by astronomer Brian Marsden, who determined that Swift-Tuttle could hit Earth. Further observation concluded it could not happen. However, Marsden predicted that the comet and Earth could experience a near miss in the year 3044.
The Swift-Tuttle was first discovered in 1862 and last viewed in 1992, seen only through binoculars. It is due to return in 2126 and hopefully observers will be able to see it via the naked eye.
Hoba is the largest meteorite ever found on Earth. It is made of iron and weighs more than 60 tons. It was discovered in 1920 near a farm in Namibia in South Africa. Although it was huge, it didn’t create a crater in the earth’s surface. It entered the earth’s atmosphere at a shallow angle, supposedly slowed by the atmospheric drag.
The largest meteorite ever discovered in the United States is the Willamette meteorite, now housed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The meteorite, found in Oregon, weighs about 32,000 lbs. or 15.5 tons and is more than 91 percent iron and 8 percent nickel, with traces of cobalt and phosphorus. It is 10 feet tall by 6.5 wide and 4.25 feet deep.
Halley’s Comet has been known since 240 BC, at least. It was seen in 1066 AD before the Battle of Hastings. Edmund Halley calculated its orbit; thus, the name. Halley’s showed up brightly in 1834 and 1910. In 1986, five spacecraft from the USSR, Japan and Europe were launched to meet up with Halley’s Comet. One of NASA’s deep space satellites was redirected to monitor the solar wind upstream from Halley. Halley’s Comet is one of only three that has been monitored by spacecraft. Its nucleus measures about 10 by 5 by 5 miles.
Ceres was the first asteroid discovered and is the largest in the main asteroid belt. A monk in Italy, Guiseppe Piazzi, discovered the asteroid. Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of the harvest, of growing plants and motherly love. Astronomers have said that Ceres’ interior is loaded with frozen water. It is 580 miles in diameter – about the size of Texas – and accounts for 25 percent of the asteroid belt’s total mass.
Meteor Showers
Leonids is the largest meteor shower known. The Leonids shower is debris from the comet 55P/Temple-Tuttle. The comet returns to the vicinity of the earth every 33 years, but its effects vary. In 1966, this meteor shower measured 150,000 (40 per second) over two hours – the heaviest shower ever recorded.
In February 1998, the comet Tempel-Tuttle crossed Earth’s orbit again and the Leonids were highly anticipated. Scientists expected a great showing, but it was light – about 1,000 meteors per hour.
And More
• On March 23, 1989, scientists recorded an asteroid with a kinetic energy of more than 1,000 one-megaton hydrogen bombs – about 50,000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The asteroid has passed extremely close to Earth, and it was detected only after the point of its closest approach – which brought near-Earth asteroids into the realm of politics and national safety.
• Arizona is home to a meteorite impact site near Winslow. About 50,000 years ago, a meteorite traveling at 26,000 mph collided with Earth. The result of the collision is a meteor crater that is today 1 mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and more than 550 feet deep. Touted as the world’s best preserved meteorite impact site, the area has become an international tourist stop, with a gift and rock shop, wide-screen movie theatre and outdoor observation trails.
Ready for 2029?
On Friday, April 13, 2029, asteroid 2004 MN4 will pass Earth only 18,600 miles above the ground. The asteroid will be visible to the naked eye in Africa, Europe and Asia – even through city lights. It’s a close encounter, one that occurs on average every 1,000 years.
The 2004 MN4 asteroid is about 320 meters wide; and, if it hit land, it would devastate a region the size of Texas. If it hit the ocean, there would be widespread tsunamis. Asteroid 2004 MN4 was discovered in June 2004 and rediscovered again six months later. Astronomers first thought the asteroid might hit Earth – NASA’s Near Earth Object Program office gave it a 1 in 60 chance of an impact with the earth. Approaches this close are thought to occur at 1,000-year intervals.
Although it’s Friday the 13th in 2029, further tracking has indicated this asteroid will be an “eye-popping close encounter” but nothing to fear.
SNIPPETZ IS LOOKING UP TO SEE IF THE SKY IS REALLY FALLING
“The sky is falling, the sky is falling!”
- Chicken Little
Breaking News: A space shuttle has been destroyed by a meteor shower, killing everyone on board. According to NORAD, Denver and other parts of the world are in the midst of a major meteorite shower. Scientists at NASA have just learned that a large asteroid will collide with Earth in only 18 days. Basically, folks, our planet will be destroyed.
No, it’s not 2012, the year some predict will be the end of the world. Nor is it 2029, the year the big asteroid will hit Earth. It’s 1998 and the release of the movie, “Armageddon.”
That same year just two months earlier, another movie about a huge comet destroying Earth hit theatres nationwide titled “Deep Impact.”
Both movies were popular and financially successful. “Deep Impact” grossed more than $349 million worldwide and Armageddon did even better at the box office.
Is it Hollywood hype, or do Americans have a fascination or fear or both that someday a remnant from the solar system the size of a football field will plummet to Earth at lightening speed and destroy us all?
To better understand the “sky is falling” spectacle, read on.
First, A Few Definitions
Meteor: bits of space debris coming from the solar system that fall through the earth’s atmosphere. Meteor is the term used for the actual streaks of light that can be seen in the sky as the debris enters the atmosphere. Meteor is from the Greek word “meteoron,” which means a “phenomenon in the sky.”
Meteor Shower: a number of meteors radiating from one point in the sky. They’re caused by a stream of meteoroids.
Meteoroid: the small rocky debris that is “flying around” in space or the atmosphere.
Meteorite: a piece of rock that is strong and large enough to survive the journey through space and then land on the surface of Earth. Stony meteorites make up about 93 percent of all meteorites found on Earth. They can be divided into chondrites and achondrites. Chondrites are made up of the same dust and debris that formed the earth at the beginning of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. Achondrites have been geologically processed. Meteorites are smaller than asteroids or comets.
Asteroid: small planetary bodies that revolve around the sun. Scientists state that most asteroids are located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter – the asteroid belt. They vary in size. According to NASA, more than 200 asteroids are larger than 60 miles in diameter in the “belt.” More than 750,000 asteroids in the belt have diameters larger than 3/5 of a mile. There are millions of smaller ones.
Comet: an icy body that releases gas or dust. Comets travel around the sun in long, oval orbits. The center of the comet is a ball of ice and rocky dust particles (resembling a dirty snowball). The ice is mainly frozen water but can include other frozen substances like ammonia, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane.
Meteorites For Sale and Other Phenomena
- A meteoroid heading toward Earth can be redirected by exploding a nuclear device near it. The radiation “pulse” from the explosion pushes the meteorite off course.
- Some meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere at 130,000 mph.
- Meteorites contain the oldest known rocks in the solar system.
- In 1985, a study by the science journal “Nature” concluded that the rate of a meteorite hitting humans was .0055 per year – once in every 180 years.
- As many as four billion meteoroids fall to Earth each day – most are very tiny.
- In 2004, a 30-foot wide meteoroid hit the atmosphere over Antarctica and left 2 million lbs. of dust in its wake – enough to affect the climate on the other side of the planet.
- More than 24,000 meteorites have landed on Earth, but only 34 are believed to have originated on Mars.
- The International Space Station is covered with a foot-thick layer of Kevlar to protect it from an estimated 100,000 meteoroids that have or will hit the station.
- When a meteorite is found, the Antarctic Search for Meteorites team records its location, size, color, amount of fusion crust, probable type and anything else of importance. Meteorites collected by the ANSMET team in Antarctica are packed in dry ice to mimic conditions in the field and shipped to the Antarctic Meteorite Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
- Meteorites are for sale on eBay.
From the Sky to Fame
There are a few meteors, comets and asteroids that are stars in their own right.
Perseid meteors are fast, entering Earth’s atmosphere at about 133,200 mph. Most are the size of sand grains; some are as big as peas or marbles. Almost none of these hit the ground. The Perseids come from the debris of the comet Swift-Tuttle, which is the largest object that is known to make repeated passes near Earth. Its nucleus is about 6 miles, which is the size that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Rumors of comets hitting Earth were fueled in the early 1990s by astronomer Brian Marsden, who determined that Swift-Tuttle could hit Earth. Further observation concluded it could not happen. However, Marsden predicted that the comet and Earth could experience a near miss in the year 3044.
The Swift-Tuttle was first discovered in 1862 and last viewed in 1992, seen only through binoculars. It is due to return in 2126 and hopefully observers will be able to see it via the naked eye.
Hoba is the largest meteorite ever found on Earth. It is made of iron and weighs more than 60 tons. It was discovered in 1920 near a farm in Namibia in South Africa. Although it was huge, it didn’t create a crater in the earth’s surface. It entered the earth’s atmosphere at a shallow angle, supposedly slowed by the atmospheric drag.
The largest meteorite ever discovered in the United States is the Willamette meteorite, now housed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The meteorite, found in Oregon, weighs about 32,000 lbs. or 15.5 tons and is more than 91 percent iron and 8 percent nickel, with traces of cobalt and phosphorus. It is 10 feet tall by 6.5 wide and 4.25 feet deep.
Halley’s Comet has been known since 240 BC, at least. It was seen in 1066 AD before the Battle of Hastings. Edmund Halley calculated its orbit; thus, the name. Halley’s showed up brightly in 1834 and 1910. In 1986, five spacecraft from the USSR, Japan and Europe were launched to meet up with Halley’s Comet. One of NASA’s deep space satellites was redirected to monitor the solar wind upstream from Halley. Halley’s Comet is one of only three that has been monitored by spacecraft. Its nucleus measures about 10 by 5 by 5 miles.
Ceres was the first asteroid discovered and is the largest in the main asteroid belt. A monk in Italy, Guiseppe Piazzi, discovered the asteroid. Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of the harvest, of growing plants and motherly love. Astronomers have said that Ceres’ interior is loaded with frozen water. It is 580 miles in diameter – about the size of Texas – and accounts for 25 percent of the asteroid belt’s total mass.
Meteor Showers
Leonids is the largest meteor shower known. The Leonids shower is debris from the comet 55P/Temple-Tuttle. The comet returns to the vicinity of the earth every 33 years, but its effects vary. In 1966, this meteor shower measured 150,000 (40 per second) over two hours – the heaviest shower ever recorded.
In February 1998, the comet Tempel-Tuttle crossed Earth’s orbit again and the Leonids were highly anticipated. Scientists expected a great showing, but it was light – about 1,000 meteors per hour.
And More
• On March 23, 1989, scientists recorded an asteroid with a kinetic energy of more than 1,000 one-megaton hydrogen bombs – about 50,000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The asteroid has passed extremely close to Earth, and it was detected only after the point of its closest approach – which brought near-Earth asteroids into the realm of politics and national safety.
• Arizona is home to a meteorite impact site near Winslow. About 50,000 years ago, a meteorite traveling at 26,000 mph collided with Earth. The result of the collision is a meteor crater that is today 1 mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and more than 550 feet deep. Touted as the world’s best preserved meteorite impact site, the area has become an international tourist stop, with a gift and rock shop, wide-screen movie theatre and outdoor observation trails.
Ready for 2029?
On Friday, April 13, 2029, asteroid 2004 MN4 will pass Earth only 18,600 miles above the ground. The asteroid will be visible to the naked eye in Africa, Europe and Asia – even through city lights. It’s a close encounter, one that occurs on average every 1,000 years.
The 2004 MN4 asteroid is about 320 meters wide; and, if it hit land, it would devastate a region the size of Texas. If it hit the ocean, there would be widespread tsunamis. Asteroid 2004 MN4 was discovered in June 2004 and rediscovered again six months later. Astronomers first thought the asteroid might hit Earth – NASA’s Near Earth Object Program office gave it a 1 in 60 chance of an impact with the earth. Approaches this close are thought to occur at 1,000-year intervals.
Although it’s Friday the 13th in 2029, further tracking has indicated this asteroid will be an “eye-popping close encounter” but nothing to fear.
Issue 460
SNIPPETZ LOVES BARGAIN HUNTING
One Man’s “Trash” is Another Man’s Treasure.
A ceramic kangaroo from the movie “Pulp Fiction” for $8, a half-carat diamond in a 14K leaf-shaped broach for $1, a sterling silver bowl for nothing – what do these items have in common?
They were all found at thrift stores. Not exactly one man’s “trash.”
The above-mentioned gems are rare finds, but thrift stores, resale shops and consignment stores offer the savvy shopper a smorgasbord of people’s throwaways, from vintage clothing to antique furniture to bicycles.
A Heyday
Driven by a downbeat economy, thrift stores are looking good, even to some people once too snooty to be seen shopping for “leftovers.” The economic disaster of the 21st century has affected bottom lines nationwide and humbled many.
Members of the National Association of Resellers and Thrift Shops reported increases in sales in 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2009, 71.4 percent of resellers’ sales increased. Many realized an increase in inventory as well – 62.4 percent. The entire industry is seeing a 5 percent increase in stores each year.
All for Charity
Although it’s not set in stone, the resale industry divides itself into three categories: the resale shop, the thrift shop and the consignment shop.
Thrift shops are usually run by nonprofit organizations to raise money to fund their causes. Many are run independently of the organization and most operate through donations.
Thrift stores benefit the shopper and the cause.
The Salvation Army has had thrift stores for more than 100 years. Founder Gen. William Booth created the Household Salvage Brigade, a group of people designated to collect unwanted household items. Booth was a visionary for the recycling industry. “We all know what a number of articles there are which are not quite bad enough to be thrown into the dust head, and yet are no good to us,” Booth said.
There are more than 2,300 independently owned and operated Goodwill stores in the United States and Canada. Goodwill Industries reported that annual revenue from those stores is more than $2 billion. The majority of Goodwill stores introduce more than 2,000 items every day to their inventory. Some of the Goodwill stores operate high-end boutiques and specialty stores that feature designer clothes, jewelry, etc. And Goodwill Industries operates an online auction-based shopping opportunity, much like E-bay: www.shopgoodwill.com.
St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic-run charity, opened its first thrift store in 1958. As of June 2009, the organization operated 421 thrift stores in the U.S. In 2008, store revenues were more than $97 million.
Another high-profile organization that focuses on thrift shops is Arc. The National Arc of the U.S. was founded in 1950 to advocate for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families. The Arc has a large presence in Colorado, with 11 chapters and 18 thrift stores.
Habitat for Humanity; hospice, church and pet rescue organizations are examples of other groups that establish thrift stores to advance their causes.
Consignment & Resale Shops
People who bring their wares to consignment or buy-sell (resale) trade stores are paid in two ways. Most of the shops will price an item at about one-third of its retail value and give a percentage – anywhere from 25 to 50 percent – to the original owner.
Other stores give cash or store credit upfront.
Regardless of the method, one thing is required: the items must be in excellent condition.
For Profit
Resale is big business in the U.S. According to the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops, the industry has grown 7 percent a year in the last two. Including for-profit and nonprofit, more than 30,000 resale, consignment or thrift shops currently exist nationwide.
The Buffalo Exchange thrift store chain has been featured in magazines like “Women’s Day.” The owners started with a 450-square-foot shop in 1974, and today they can boast 39 stores in 14 states, generating $60.5 million in 2009. Crossroads Trading Co. operates 25 stores nationwide and earned more than $20 million.
Considering there are thousands of single-location shops, hundreds of chain thrift shops, franchises and nonprofit thrift stores, the industry is gaining ground.
Many of the consignment and resale stores partner with nonprofit organizations, purchasing part or their entire inventory from their thrift shops.
The Shopper
About 18 percent of Americans shop at thrift stores each year; 12 to 15 percent purchase at consignment shops. In comparison, 11.4 percent of Americans shop in factory outlet malls, 19.6 percent in apparel stores and 21.3 percent in department stores.
Retail stores are going with the flow in today’s world and clumping together in certain areas for the convenience of the shopper – thrift store junkies just can’t resist checking them all out.
There is no particular profile of the thrift store shopper; it’s all about saving money and the opportunity to buy quality items for lower prices. Many shoppers talk about the “thrill” of finding a “treasure” for 80 to 95 percent less than regular retail.
The resale shopper also sees the environmental value of thrift shops – a great way to support recycling.
Tips on resale shopping: Women’s Day
More Tips from the Thrifters
Thrift store groupies know how to shop. Here are a few more tips from the diehards.
• Bring cash.
• Leave kids at home.
• Bring friends and make it a day out.
• Think creatively about how to use the item.
• Test things out – like toys and electronics.
• Be patient and take your time looking around.
The Fakes
When it’s too good to be true, it usually is. Counterfeit goods – reproductions, knockoffs, replicas, fakes – it’s big business. The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that losses to U.S. businesses from counterfeit products are estimated at $200 billion a year. Counterfeit goods can be dangerous, too. Replicas of children’s clothing might not be flame retardant. Counterfeit toys can be choking hazards to children.
How to spot a fake:
• Look for torn or scribbled out labels.
• Beware of misspelled or altered product names.
• Check out changes in product content, color, smell or packaging.
• Look for missing codes, trademarks or 800 numbers.
No cheap decor
As more thrift and consignment stores open throughout the country, the competition breeds attention to details – about inventory and appearances. Resale stores are not dingy, badly lit, clustered little holes in the wall. Snappy storefronts, bright and inviting interior lighting and colors, and creative and organized displays have brought the resale store up to snuff to any retail store.
Happy Shopping!
SNIPPETZ LOVES BARGAIN HUNTING
One Man’s “Trash” is Another Man’s Treasure.
A ceramic kangaroo from the movie “Pulp Fiction” for $8, a half-carat diamond in a 14K leaf-shaped broach for $1, a sterling silver bowl for nothing – what do these items have in common?
They were all found at thrift stores. Not exactly one man’s “trash.”
The above-mentioned gems are rare finds, but thrift stores, resale shops and consignment stores offer the savvy shopper a smorgasbord of people’s throwaways, from vintage clothing to antique furniture to bicycles.
A Heyday
Driven by a downbeat economy, thrift stores are looking good, even to some people once too snooty to be seen shopping for “leftovers.” The economic disaster of the 21st century has affected bottom lines nationwide and humbled many.
Members of the National Association of Resellers and Thrift Shops reported increases in sales in 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2009, 71.4 percent of resellers’ sales increased. Many realized an increase in inventory as well – 62.4 percent. The entire industry is seeing a 5 percent increase in stores each year.
All for Charity
Although it’s not set in stone, the resale industry divides itself into three categories: the resale shop, the thrift shop and the consignment shop.
Thrift shops are usually run by nonprofit organizations to raise money to fund their causes. Many are run independently of the organization and most operate through donations.
Thrift stores benefit the shopper and the cause.
The Salvation Army has had thrift stores for more than 100 years. Founder Gen. William Booth created the Household Salvage Brigade, a group of people designated to collect unwanted household items. Booth was a visionary for the recycling industry. “We all know what a number of articles there are which are not quite bad enough to be thrown into the dust head, and yet are no good to us,” Booth said.
There are more than 2,300 independently owned and operated Goodwill stores in the United States and Canada. Goodwill Industries reported that annual revenue from those stores is more than $2 billion. The majority of Goodwill stores introduce more than 2,000 items every day to their inventory. Some of the Goodwill stores operate high-end boutiques and specialty stores that feature designer clothes, jewelry, etc. And Goodwill Industries operates an online auction-based shopping opportunity, much like E-bay: www.shopgoodwill.com.
St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic-run charity, opened its first thrift store in 1958. As of June 2009, the organization operated 421 thrift stores in the U.S. In 2008, store revenues were more than $97 million.
Another high-profile organization that focuses on thrift shops is Arc. The National Arc of the U.S. was founded in 1950 to advocate for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families. The Arc has a large presence in Colorado, with 11 chapters and 18 thrift stores.
Habitat for Humanity; hospice, church and pet rescue organizations are examples of other groups that establish thrift stores to advance their causes.
Consignment & Resale Shops
People who bring their wares to consignment or buy-sell (resale) trade stores are paid in two ways. Most of the shops will price an item at about one-third of its retail value and give a percentage – anywhere from 25 to 50 percent – to the original owner.
Other stores give cash or store credit upfront.
Regardless of the method, one thing is required: the items must be in excellent condition.
For Profit
Resale is big business in the U.S. According to the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops, the industry has grown 7 percent a year in the last two. Including for-profit and nonprofit, more than 30,000 resale, consignment or thrift shops currently exist nationwide.
The Buffalo Exchange thrift store chain has been featured in magazines like “Women’s Day.” The owners started with a 450-square-foot shop in 1974, and today they can boast 39 stores in 14 states, generating $60.5 million in 2009. Crossroads Trading Co. operates 25 stores nationwide and earned more than $20 million.
Considering there are thousands of single-location shops, hundreds of chain thrift shops, franchises and nonprofit thrift stores, the industry is gaining ground.
Many of the consignment and resale stores partner with nonprofit organizations, purchasing part or their entire inventory from their thrift shops.
The Shopper
About 18 percent of Americans shop at thrift stores each year; 12 to 15 percent purchase at consignment shops. In comparison, 11.4 percent of Americans shop in factory outlet malls, 19.6 percent in apparel stores and 21.3 percent in department stores.
Retail stores are going with the flow in today’s world and clumping together in certain areas for the convenience of the shopper – thrift store junkies just can’t resist checking them all out.
There is no particular profile of the thrift store shopper; it’s all about saving money and the opportunity to buy quality items for lower prices. Many shoppers talk about the “thrill” of finding a “treasure” for 80 to 95 percent less than regular retail.
The resale shopper also sees the environmental value of thrift shops – a great way to support recycling.
Tips on resale shopping: Women’s Day
- Scout a variety of areas for thrift stores. Check out college areas for trendy items, high-priced neighborhoods for classy pieces and even travel a bit to the nearest major city.
- When buying clothes, purchase familiar brands and always try them on. Same with appliances, etc. – familiar brands are best.
- Know when to shop. Mondays are good because people clean out their closets and garages over the weekend.
- Don’t hesitate if it’s something you really want. Chances are if you walk away and come back later, the item will be gone.
- Inspect the piece carefully, whether it’s clothes, furniture or appliances.
- It’s where you can bargain. You can’t bargain with the sales person at Macy’s, but you can barter with a reseller. Maybe your treasure has been in the store for awhile or maybe there is just one scratch or a pulled thread.
More Tips from the Thrifters
Thrift store groupies know how to shop. Here are a few more tips from the diehards.
• Bring cash.
• Leave kids at home.
• Bring friends and make it a day out.
• Think creatively about how to use the item.
• Test things out – like toys and electronics.
• Be patient and take your time looking around.
The Fakes
When it’s too good to be true, it usually is. Counterfeit goods – reproductions, knockoffs, replicas, fakes – it’s big business. The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that losses to U.S. businesses from counterfeit products are estimated at $200 billion a year. Counterfeit goods can be dangerous, too. Replicas of children’s clothing might not be flame retardant. Counterfeit toys can be choking hazards to children.
How to spot a fake:
• Look for torn or scribbled out labels.
• Beware of misspelled or altered product names.
• Check out changes in product content, color, smell or packaging.
• Look for missing codes, trademarks or 800 numbers.
No cheap decor
As more thrift and consignment stores open throughout the country, the competition breeds attention to details – about inventory and appearances. Resale stores are not dingy, badly lit, clustered little holes in the wall. Snappy storefronts, bright and inviting interior lighting and colors, and creative and organized displays have brought the resale store up to snuff to any retail store.
Happy Shopping!
Issue 459
SNIPPETZ JUST WANTS TO CLOWN AROUND
“I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.”
- Charlie Chaplin
Clowns have been making the world laugh – and sometimes cry – for centuries. Dwarf clowns, court jesters, circus clowns, rodeo clowns: funny creatures dressed in colorful, comical, showy costumes with faces made up like the icing on a birthday cake.
So popular had clowning around become that in 1971, President Richard Nixon signed into law “National Clown Week.” Today, it’s grown to International Clown Week, celebrated throughout the universe during the month of August.
Who Thought of That?
As early as 2500 B.C., pygmy clowns performed as court jesters during Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty. Chinese court jesters were around beginning in 1818 B.C.
In 1520 A.D., after Cortez won the battle against Montezuma and the Aztec Nation, he discovered that Montezuma’s court included jesters like dwarf and hunchbacked clowns, similar to those in Europe.
Clowns played a vital role in many Native American tribes. Some Native Americans believed the clowns cured diseases.
Some clowns have altered the wrath of dictatorship. Only a clown was allowed the freedom to use sarcasm and humor in the presence of kings and emperors.
In 300 B.C., Chinese Emperor Shih Huang-Ti oversaw the construction of the Great Wall of China. Thousands of laborers were killed during the building of the wall. The emperor wanted to paint the wall, which would have resulted in more deaths. However, his court jester, Yu Sze, in a joking manner, convinced him to abandon the idea of painting the wall. Yu Sze became a national hero.
One of the great tales about a famous European court jester involved a Rodney Dangerfield-type standup gig. When one of the kings looked in the mirror and began crying at his aging image, other members of the court, including jester Nasir Ed Din, cried along with him. When the king stopped crying, everyone stopped their tears except for Nasir. The king asked him why he was still crying and Nasir said, “Sire, you looked at yourself in the mirror but for a moment and you cried. I have to look at you all the time.”
Not Just a Clown
There are all types of clowns.
The Auguste Clown
Clowns take on many different characters. One of the most popular is the Auguste clown. Playing a zany, clumsy, whimsical role; the Auguste clown dons colorful costumes and makeup that exaggerates and enhances facial features. Think of a wide white smile with black lipstick, eyelids caked in white extending to the forehead and that oversized red nose.
Auguste is a German word for “fool.” Legend has it that an American clown by the name of Tom Belling was performing with a circus in Germany in 1869. Off stage, he entertained his circus colleagues by putting on mix-matched clothes that mocked his manager. When the manager caught Belling in the act one day, Belling ran and ended up in the circus arena where he fell over the curb of the ring, not once but twice. The audience laughed and yelled “you auguste” and the manager insisted that Belling continue the “act.”
The Hobo Clown
The hobo or tramp is a catch-all for a variety of clown personas. The tramp clown is rooted in America, but there are a few versions of where and who started the character. Some say James McIntyre and Tom Heath created the tramp clown in 1874, when they portrayed African Americans homeless because of the Civil War. Basing their character on the black-face minstrel clowns, the two studied black culture to accurately portray African Americans. McIntyre introduced an African American dance called the “buck and wing,” which eventually became “tap dancing.”
Another version is that traveling “hoe boys” – itinerant farm workers – rode the railways town to town, constantly engulfed in soot, which they wiped away from their eyes and mouth – leaving the face a contrast of white on black, black on white.
The hobo or tramp is also a character clown, embracing a variety of roles, from cowboys to little old ladies.
Red Skelton as Clem Kaddiddlehopper or Freddy the Freeloader exemplified the tramp and hobo clown with a down-on-his-luck character as Clem – torn, grubby clothes and a painted-on sad face – and a hobo “whatever happens, happens” attitude as Freddie, often in the same garb but with a big smile painted on his face.
The White-Faced Clown
The court jester was a model for the white-faced clown. Picture a chalk-white face with black lines drawn below and above the eyes or perhaps one or two colorfully painted teardrops. The white face is the oldest style of clowns.
In Greek theatres, poor lighting led to the actors wearing white makeup as a base, with black markings to brighten their features. White-faced clowns often have more exaggerated makeup highlighting one facial feature like a mouth or the eyes. They often wear balding caps or partial hair pieces like one of the most famous clowns of all time – Bozo.
The white-faced clown also acts as the most intelligent clown, often leading other types like the klutzy Auguste clowns.
Rodeo Clowns
Rodeo clowns take their lives in their hands when they put on their happy masquerade. The primary function of the rodeo clown is to fend off the bull when the bullfighter has been bucked off or has jumped off the massive animal.
If the clown has lived through that experience, he also entertains the crowd between rodeo events.
Circus Clowns
The first-ever circus clown debuted in England in 1768. Philip Astley was the creator of the clown act known as Billy Buttons or Tailor’s Ride to Brentford. The circus clown act was based on a tale about a tailor, inept at riding a horse, who tried to ride to Brentford to vote in an election.
The impersonation showed the tailor trying to mount the horse correctly but failing over and over. Once the clown succeeded in getting on the horse, the horse took off so fast that the clown (aka tailor) fell off again.
Clown of Glory
More than 60 clowns have been inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in Baraboo, Wisc. (near Milwaukee). The hall of fame represents professional and amateur town associations and recognizes outstanding clowns. It’s also home to a living museum of clowns, complete with resident clowns, special events and a national archive of clown history and artifacts.
The ICHOF was founded in 1987 in Delvan, Wisc. – the birthplace of the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Various clown organizations became affiliated with the ICHOF; and, a year later, the induction process was under way.
Some of the affiliated members were given the task of selecting the first nominees for the hall of fame. The membership of the ICHOF then voted on the candidates, which resulted in the April 1989 induction of Red Skelton, Lou Jacobs, Emmett Kelly, Mark Anthony, Felix Adler and Otto Griebling.
FAMOUS CLOWNS
Dan Rice
One of the first professional clowns in America was born out of the Civil War era. Dan Rice began his gig commenting on current events. He also wrote songs and campaigned for Zachary Taylor for president.
Rice encouraged Taylor to ride with him on the circus bandwagon in the circus parades. Local politicians wanted to ride on the bandwagon to boost their popularity as they aligned with Taylor. Onlookers often commented, “Look who’s on Taylor’s bandwagon,” which led to the phrase “jump on the bandwagon.”
Rice dressed up in a red, white and blue patriotic suit, which he called his “flag suit.” He also wore a goatee. The image of “Uncle Sam” is based on Rice’s character.
At one point in history, Rice was the highest paid person in the U.S. – he earned more than Abe Lincoln. With his wealth, he gave generously and was the first to erect a monument to soldiers killed in the Civil War.
Bozo
Most Americans today were introduced to clowns through circuses and television. Who could forget Bozo?
Created in 1946 by Alan Livingston, Bozo’s character was first introduced in a record album and illustrative read-along book called “Bozo at the Circus” for Capitol Records. Bozo’s popularity with the kids soared, and Bozo became a mascot for the record company.
In 1949, a television station in Los Angeles began broadcasting the first live TV show, “Bozo’s Circus.”
Pinto Colvig was the original Bozo for both the albums and the TV show. His iconic costume included red and blue garb, a bushy half-head of red hair, a big red nose and white-face clown makeup.
Larry Harmon, a Bozo imitator for promotional purposes, bought the licensing rights to the character in 1956 and called him “Bozo, the World’s Most Famous Clown.”
Harmon became the sole owner of the licensing rights to Bozo in 1965 and took the show to a national audience. From 1965 to 1967, he produced 130 half-hour shows called “Bozo’s Big Top.” Bozo was now syndicated but some smaller TV stations still preferred their own Bozo adaptations.
Throughout the country, there were many “actors” portraying Bozo, including the long-time weatherman of the “Today Show,” Willard Scott, who played Bozo from 1959 to 1962 on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.
One of the sponsors of the WRC-TV Bozo show was McDonald’s restaurant franchisees John Gibson and Oscar Goldstein. After Scott’s three-year run with the TV show, they hired him to portray Ronald McDonald, who became the Bozo cousin in charge of pushing hamburgers on McDonald’s commercials.
The Granddaddy of Clowns
Remember the clown who persistently swept the spotlight at each of his performances? Emmett Kelly Jr.(see photo above), became well-known for that shtick, which is a pantomime classic. Kelly performed nationwide until he died in 2006 at the age 83. Throughout his years as a clown, he donated his time to numerous charities and children’s foundations.
Born Nov. 13, 1923, in Dyersburg, Tenn., to a circus family, Kelly traveled the circus circuit in his earlier years. His father worked as a clown/mime known as “Weary Willie” for the John Robinson Circus.
When Kelly was old enough for school, he was sent to live with his grandparents but returned to his parents’ roadie lifestyle during the summers.
After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served three years in World War II. At the war’s end, he began a career as an auto mechanic and railroad switch tender. But life under the Big Top was in his blood.
Fifteen years later in 1960, Kelly apprenticed with his father and the circus manager and made his debut as another “Weary Willie” at the Circus Festival in Peru, Ind. In 1964, he got his big break when Eastman Kodak hired him to represent them during the New York World’s Fair. He became one of the fair’s top attractions, and Eastman Kodak kept Kelly on as their ambassador of goodwill.
During his six-year period with Kodak, Kelly earned the title, “America’s most photographed and recognized clown.”
In 1972, Kelly and his manager launched the Emmett Kelly Jr., Circus. It was the only circus ever to be invited to perform at the White House.
Clowning Around
SNIPPETZ JUST WANTS TO CLOWN AROUND
“I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.”
- Charlie Chaplin
Clowns have been making the world laugh – and sometimes cry – for centuries. Dwarf clowns, court jesters, circus clowns, rodeo clowns: funny creatures dressed in colorful, comical, showy costumes with faces made up like the icing on a birthday cake.
So popular had clowning around become that in 1971, President Richard Nixon signed into law “National Clown Week.” Today, it’s grown to International Clown Week, celebrated throughout the universe during the month of August.
Who Thought of That?
As early as 2500 B.C., pygmy clowns performed as court jesters during Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty. Chinese court jesters were around beginning in 1818 B.C.
In 1520 A.D., after Cortez won the battle against Montezuma and the Aztec Nation, he discovered that Montezuma’s court included jesters like dwarf and hunchbacked clowns, similar to those in Europe.
Clowns played a vital role in many Native American tribes. Some Native Americans believed the clowns cured diseases.
Some clowns have altered the wrath of dictatorship. Only a clown was allowed the freedom to use sarcasm and humor in the presence of kings and emperors.
In 300 B.C., Chinese Emperor Shih Huang-Ti oversaw the construction of the Great Wall of China. Thousands of laborers were killed during the building of the wall. The emperor wanted to paint the wall, which would have resulted in more deaths. However, his court jester, Yu Sze, in a joking manner, convinced him to abandon the idea of painting the wall. Yu Sze became a national hero.
One of the great tales about a famous European court jester involved a Rodney Dangerfield-type standup gig. When one of the kings looked in the mirror and began crying at his aging image, other members of the court, including jester Nasir Ed Din, cried along with him. When the king stopped crying, everyone stopped their tears except for Nasir. The king asked him why he was still crying and Nasir said, “Sire, you looked at yourself in the mirror but for a moment and you cried. I have to look at you all the time.”
Not Just a Clown
There are all types of clowns.
The Auguste Clown
Clowns take on many different characters. One of the most popular is the Auguste clown. Playing a zany, clumsy, whimsical role; the Auguste clown dons colorful costumes and makeup that exaggerates and enhances facial features. Think of a wide white smile with black lipstick, eyelids caked in white extending to the forehead and that oversized red nose.
Auguste is a German word for “fool.” Legend has it that an American clown by the name of Tom Belling was performing with a circus in Germany in 1869. Off stage, he entertained his circus colleagues by putting on mix-matched clothes that mocked his manager. When the manager caught Belling in the act one day, Belling ran and ended up in the circus arena where he fell over the curb of the ring, not once but twice. The audience laughed and yelled “you auguste” and the manager insisted that Belling continue the “act.”
The Hobo Clown
The hobo or tramp is a catch-all for a variety of clown personas. The tramp clown is rooted in America, but there are a few versions of where and who started the character. Some say James McIntyre and Tom Heath created the tramp clown in 1874, when they portrayed African Americans homeless because of the Civil War. Basing their character on the black-face minstrel clowns, the two studied black culture to accurately portray African Americans. McIntyre introduced an African American dance called the “buck and wing,” which eventually became “tap dancing.”
Another version is that traveling “hoe boys” – itinerant farm workers – rode the railways town to town, constantly engulfed in soot, which they wiped away from their eyes and mouth – leaving the face a contrast of white on black, black on white.
The hobo or tramp is also a character clown, embracing a variety of roles, from cowboys to little old ladies.
Red Skelton as Clem Kaddiddlehopper or Freddy the Freeloader exemplified the tramp and hobo clown with a down-on-his-luck character as Clem – torn, grubby clothes and a painted-on sad face – and a hobo “whatever happens, happens” attitude as Freddie, often in the same garb but with a big smile painted on his face.
The White-Faced Clown
The court jester was a model for the white-faced clown. Picture a chalk-white face with black lines drawn below and above the eyes or perhaps one or two colorfully painted teardrops. The white face is the oldest style of clowns.
In Greek theatres, poor lighting led to the actors wearing white makeup as a base, with black markings to brighten their features. White-faced clowns often have more exaggerated makeup highlighting one facial feature like a mouth or the eyes. They often wear balding caps or partial hair pieces like one of the most famous clowns of all time – Bozo.
The white-faced clown also acts as the most intelligent clown, often leading other types like the klutzy Auguste clowns.
Rodeo Clowns
Rodeo clowns take their lives in their hands when they put on their happy masquerade. The primary function of the rodeo clown is to fend off the bull when the bullfighter has been bucked off or has jumped off the massive animal.
If the clown has lived through that experience, he also entertains the crowd between rodeo events.
Circus Clowns
The first-ever circus clown debuted in England in 1768. Philip Astley was the creator of the clown act known as Billy Buttons or Tailor’s Ride to Brentford. The circus clown act was based on a tale about a tailor, inept at riding a horse, who tried to ride to Brentford to vote in an election.
The impersonation showed the tailor trying to mount the horse correctly but failing over and over. Once the clown succeeded in getting on the horse, the horse took off so fast that the clown (aka tailor) fell off again.
Clown of Glory
More than 60 clowns have been inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in Baraboo, Wisc. (near Milwaukee). The hall of fame represents professional and amateur town associations and recognizes outstanding clowns. It’s also home to a living museum of clowns, complete with resident clowns, special events and a national archive of clown history and artifacts.
The ICHOF was founded in 1987 in Delvan, Wisc. – the birthplace of the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Various clown organizations became affiliated with the ICHOF; and, a year later, the induction process was under way.
Some of the affiliated members were given the task of selecting the first nominees for the hall of fame. The membership of the ICHOF then voted on the candidates, which resulted in the April 1989 induction of Red Skelton, Lou Jacobs, Emmett Kelly, Mark Anthony, Felix Adler and Otto Griebling.
FAMOUS CLOWNS
Dan Rice
One of the first professional clowns in America was born out of the Civil War era. Dan Rice began his gig commenting on current events. He also wrote songs and campaigned for Zachary Taylor for president.
Rice encouraged Taylor to ride with him on the circus bandwagon in the circus parades. Local politicians wanted to ride on the bandwagon to boost their popularity as they aligned with Taylor. Onlookers often commented, “Look who’s on Taylor’s bandwagon,” which led to the phrase “jump on the bandwagon.”
Rice dressed up in a red, white and blue patriotic suit, which he called his “flag suit.” He also wore a goatee. The image of “Uncle Sam” is based on Rice’s character.
At one point in history, Rice was the highest paid person in the U.S. – he earned more than Abe Lincoln. With his wealth, he gave generously and was the first to erect a monument to soldiers killed in the Civil War.
Bozo
Most Americans today were introduced to clowns through circuses and television. Who could forget Bozo?
Created in 1946 by Alan Livingston, Bozo’s character was first introduced in a record album and illustrative read-along book called “Bozo at the Circus” for Capitol Records. Bozo’s popularity with the kids soared, and Bozo became a mascot for the record company.
In 1949, a television station in Los Angeles began broadcasting the first live TV show, “Bozo’s Circus.”
Pinto Colvig was the original Bozo for both the albums and the TV show. His iconic costume included red and blue garb, a bushy half-head of red hair, a big red nose and white-face clown makeup.
Larry Harmon, a Bozo imitator for promotional purposes, bought the licensing rights to the character in 1956 and called him “Bozo, the World’s Most Famous Clown.”
Harmon became the sole owner of the licensing rights to Bozo in 1965 and took the show to a national audience. From 1965 to 1967, he produced 130 half-hour shows called “Bozo’s Big Top.” Bozo was now syndicated but some smaller TV stations still preferred their own Bozo adaptations.
Throughout the country, there were many “actors” portraying Bozo, including the long-time weatherman of the “Today Show,” Willard Scott, who played Bozo from 1959 to 1962 on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.
One of the sponsors of the WRC-TV Bozo show was McDonald’s restaurant franchisees John Gibson and Oscar Goldstein. After Scott’s three-year run with the TV show, they hired him to portray Ronald McDonald, who became the Bozo cousin in charge of pushing hamburgers on McDonald’s commercials.
The Granddaddy of Clowns
Remember the clown who persistently swept the spotlight at each of his performances? Emmett Kelly Jr.(see photo above), became well-known for that shtick, which is a pantomime classic. Kelly performed nationwide until he died in 2006 at the age 83. Throughout his years as a clown, he donated his time to numerous charities and children’s foundations.
Born Nov. 13, 1923, in Dyersburg, Tenn., to a circus family, Kelly traveled the circus circuit in his earlier years. His father worked as a clown/mime known as “Weary Willie” for the John Robinson Circus.
When Kelly was old enough for school, he was sent to live with his grandparents but returned to his parents’ roadie lifestyle during the summers.
After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served three years in World War II. At the war’s end, he began a career as an auto mechanic and railroad switch tender. But life under the Big Top was in his blood.
Fifteen years later in 1960, Kelly apprenticed with his father and the circus manager and made his debut as another “Weary Willie” at the Circus Festival in Peru, Ind. In 1964, he got his big break when Eastman Kodak hired him to represent them during the New York World’s Fair. He became one of the fair’s top attractions, and Eastman Kodak kept Kelly on as their ambassador of goodwill.
During his six-year period with Kodak, Kelly earned the title, “America’s most photographed and recognized clown.”
In 1972, Kelly and his manager launched the Emmett Kelly Jr., Circus. It was the only circus ever to be invited to perform at the White House.
Clowning Around
- Coulrophobia is a fear of clowns. Rodney Blackwell claimed he was afflicted with the phobia and set up a Web site for people with the same affliction. He also sold merchandize such as “I Hate Clowns” stickers. The main cause of the phobia is the heavy makeup worn by the clowns, along with the giant nose and orange hair, which is daunting to some.
- There are about 40 clown colleges in the United States.
- The Internet newspaper for clowns is called “Clownville News” based in New York City.
- “Cathy’s Clown” was a No. 1 hit for the Everly Brothers in 1960.
- There are numerous clown organizations throughout the world. In Denver, Colo., Clowns Alley meets every month.
Issue 458
SNIPPETZ IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR IDENTIFICATION THIEVES
“I know a baseball star who wouldn't report the theft of his wife's credit cards because the thief spends less than she does.”
- Joe Garagiola
Although it’s been a hot topic in the news media; with plenty of law enforcement officers, banks and other financial institutions providing a wealth of information on the subject; fraud-related crimes, particularly identity theft, continue to be a huge concern for consumers.
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that each year about nine million Americans have their identities stolen. A large portion of those Americans end up as victims of identity theft, which, according to the FTC, is a “theft that occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.”
Not Your Average Burglary
Those who commit identity theft are unscrupulous con artists and savvy thieves. The crime is not the average stolen-purse situation, where cash and credit cards are snatched for drugs or impulsive shopping. Identity theft thugs apply for credit cards, establish telephone accounts, rent a place to live, transfer money, to name a few fraudulent acts – all in the name of their victims. Because the ID thieves are masters at the game, the victims might not realize what has happened until they view the next credit card statement or they’re contacted by their bank or a collection company.
The Story Of A Real Thief
By the time Shiva Brent Sharma was 20 years old, he had received well-above $150,000 in cash and merchandise as an identity thief. After investigators arrested him in 2006 for the third time, they had stopped counting Sharma’s take, according to a New York Times article written that same year.
Sharma – the first identity thief charged under the New York identity theft statute – served a prison term for his crimes and during his stay provided insight to law enforcement officers about the life of an identity thief.
His crime spree included gaining access to stolen credit cards online and changing the cardholder information and wiring money to himself. He also used false identities and learned how to create the perfect fake driver’s license.
And it’s not an 8-to-5 job – more like three hours or less. He once made $20,000 in three hours.
Sharma studied computer programming at Brooklyn Tech, a prominent high school in New York. In his earlier years, he downloaded MP3’s; and, as time went on, he began hanging out on Internet chat rooms that dealt with bootleg software. Later, he found sites that dealt in credit cards, banks and account numbers.
As he gained a strong knowledge of online commerce, Internet security and human nature through his Internet-based comrades in crime, Sharma used common-day methods to steal data – e-mail and phony Web sites. The robberies took place in his middle-class home in Queens, N.Y.
Sharma began phishing – sending e-mails to entice people to give him their personal or financial information. He used a program for access to AOL e-mail addresses. Because AOL is popular for people new to e-mail, he stuck with it. He gathered almost 100,000 addresses from AOL and sent an e-mail telling recipients the AOL system had crashed and the billing information was deleted. Recipients then followed a link to a Web page to reconstruct their information.
The Web page mirrored AOL’s look and contained form fields, including Social Security numbers; birth dates; credit card numbers, expiration dates and banks; the mother’s maiden name, etc. All they had to do was complete the fields and use the “submit” button to send in the information – and guess who was at the other end of “submit?” Sharma told investigators he had 250 to 300 responses.
Eventually, his expertise led him to more lavish operations. He became well known for cashing out stolen credit accounts through large wire transfers to himself.
Sharma knew he was committing a crime, but in his words, the lifestyle became “addictive” and “easy.” He admitted the temptation to go back to it when he is out of prison. And, while serving his term behind bars, Sharma won several scholastic awards from a school for inmates – one for Outstanding Achievement in Computer Technology.
Identity Theft Cross-Country
The Consumer Sentinel Network is an online database for consumer complaints available only to law enforcement. It was started in 1997 in response to fraud and identity theft claims.
Agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Better Business bureaus report complaints to the site, making them available to law officers for coordinating and enhancing investigations.
The CSN has received 5.4 million complaints from 2005 through 2009. The figures do not account for all crimes in the country related to fraud and identity theft. The U.S. Census Bureau retains information on fraud based on the CSN.
Between January and December 2009, the CSN received more than 1.3 million consumer complaints – sorted into 30 categories. Data for 2009:
Fraud
• The CSN received 721,418 fraud-related complaints. Eighty-seven percent of those complaints included monetary damages of more than $1.7 billion. The median amount per victim was $399.
• Credit card fraud is on the rise. Forty percent of the consumers reported their credit cards were used for fraudulent purchases – an increase of 7 percentage points from 2007.
• The most popular method of fraud was e-mail (48 percent) and another 12 percent cited an Internet Web site. Only 10 percent reported that they had received phone calls initiating fraud.
• Colorado is the second highest per capita state reporting fraud and other related complaints. Nevada is No. 1.
Identity Theft
• Credit card theft was the most common way to steal an ID, followed by government documents/benefits, phone or utilities, employment, banks and loans.
• Florida has the highest per capita rate of reported identity theft complaints. Arizona follows with Texas as No. 3. Colorado was No. 9.
Overall
• Of all complaints, identity theft was at the top. Third party and creditor debt collection came in second and Internet Services followed at No. 3.
• Fraudulent bank account debit was the No. 1 method of payment. Cash and cash advances, checks, credit cards, money orders, telephone bills and wire transfers followed.
• The highest percent of victims were in the 40-49 and 50-59 age groups (25 percent each).
• In relation to the top 50 metropolitan areas reporting fraudulent crime, Greeley, Colo., and northern neighbor Boulder were No. 3 and No. 4. Colorado Springs came in No. 11 and Fort Collins No. 13. Denver was No. 39. Mount Vernon, Wash., held the No. 1 spot. The information covers cities with populations over 100,000, and the rankings are based on the number of fraudulent-type complaints per 100,000 inhabitants.
• Greeley ranked ninth in reported identity-theft related crimes; Denver, No. 50.
• Colorado complaints regarding identity theft totaled 4,775 for 2009. The top five complaints: employment fraud, credit card fraud, government documents, phone or utilities and bank.
Phishing – Not a Day on the River
Phishing is a popular scam where spam or pop-up messages are set up to lure personal or financial information from potential victims.
Avoiding phishing:
• Don’t reply to e-mail or pop-up messages asking for financial information and don’t click on links in the messages or cut and paste a link to the Web browser.
• Don’t respond to e-mails that appear to be from legitimate businesses asking you to call a phone number to update an account or access a refund.
• Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software as well as a firewall – keep them updated.
• Don’t e-mail personal or financial information.
• Be cautious about opening any and all attachments from e-mails or downloading files, regardless of who sent them.
Don’t Be a Victim
• Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write the number on your check. If the state in which you live uses the SS number as the ID on the driver’s license, ask to substitute another number. Do the same with your insurance policy.
• If you do need to provide your SS number, ask questions: Why and how will the company use the number; how do they protect your number and what happens if you don’t provide the number.
• Avoid dumpster divers: Shred receipts, credit applications – any important piece of paper that has any identifier about you. To opt out of prescreened offers of credit via postal mail, call 1-888-567-8688. (It’s OK to provide your SS number, which they need.)
• Deposit outgoing mail that contains important information at the post office. Remove mail from your mailbox as soon as you can.
• Be careful with the Internet. For information on how to avoid Internet fraud and protect your information, go to www.OnGuardOnline.gov.
• Avoid using obvious information as passwords, such as your birth date, the last four digits of your SS number, a series of consecutive numbers or a common dictionary word.
• Do not give out personal information on the phone. When using the Internet for purchases, verify that the site is legitimate by typing its URL in the address line – don’t cut and paste it.
• Protect your purse – be alert and aware.
• Store your important information in secure locations at your home.
SNIPPETZ IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR IDENTIFICATION THIEVES
“I know a baseball star who wouldn't report the theft of his wife's credit cards because the thief spends less than she does.”
- Joe Garagiola
Although it’s been a hot topic in the news media; with plenty of law enforcement officers, banks and other financial institutions providing a wealth of information on the subject; fraud-related crimes, particularly identity theft, continue to be a huge concern for consumers.
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that each year about nine million Americans have their identities stolen. A large portion of those Americans end up as victims of identity theft, which, according to the FTC, is a “theft that occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.”
Not Your Average Burglary
Those who commit identity theft are unscrupulous con artists and savvy thieves. The crime is not the average stolen-purse situation, where cash and credit cards are snatched for drugs or impulsive shopping. Identity theft thugs apply for credit cards, establish telephone accounts, rent a place to live, transfer money, to name a few fraudulent acts – all in the name of their victims. Because the ID thieves are masters at the game, the victims might not realize what has happened until they view the next credit card statement or they’re contacted by their bank or a collection company.
The Story Of A Real Thief
By the time Shiva Brent Sharma was 20 years old, he had received well-above $150,000 in cash and merchandise as an identity thief. After investigators arrested him in 2006 for the third time, they had stopped counting Sharma’s take, according to a New York Times article written that same year.
Sharma – the first identity thief charged under the New York identity theft statute – served a prison term for his crimes and during his stay provided insight to law enforcement officers about the life of an identity thief.
His crime spree included gaining access to stolen credit cards online and changing the cardholder information and wiring money to himself. He also used false identities and learned how to create the perfect fake driver’s license.
And it’s not an 8-to-5 job – more like three hours or less. He once made $20,000 in three hours.
Sharma studied computer programming at Brooklyn Tech, a prominent high school in New York. In his earlier years, he downloaded MP3’s; and, as time went on, he began hanging out on Internet chat rooms that dealt with bootleg software. Later, he found sites that dealt in credit cards, banks and account numbers.
As he gained a strong knowledge of online commerce, Internet security and human nature through his Internet-based comrades in crime, Sharma used common-day methods to steal data – e-mail and phony Web sites. The robberies took place in his middle-class home in Queens, N.Y.
Sharma began phishing – sending e-mails to entice people to give him their personal or financial information. He used a program for access to AOL e-mail addresses. Because AOL is popular for people new to e-mail, he stuck with it. He gathered almost 100,000 addresses from AOL and sent an e-mail telling recipients the AOL system had crashed and the billing information was deleted. Recipients then followed a link to a Web page to reconstruct their information.
The Web page mirrored AOL’s look and contained form fields, including Social Security numbers; birth dates; credit card numbers, expiration dates and banks; the mother’s maiden name, etc. All they had to do was complete the fields and use the “submit” button to send in the information – and guess who was at the other end of “submit?” Sharma told investigators he had 250 to 300 responses.
Eventually, his expertise led him to more lavish operations. He became well known for cashing out stolen credit accounts through large wire transfers to himself.
Sharma knew he was committing a crime, but in his words, the lifestyle became “addictive” and “easy.” He admitted the temptation to go back to it when he is out of prison. And, while serving his term behind bars, Sharma won several scholastic awards from a school for inmates – one for Outstanding Achievement in Computer Technology.
Identity Theft Cross-Country
The Consumer Sentinel Network is an online database for consumer complaints available only to law enforcement. It was started in 1997 in response to fraud and identity theft claims.
Agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Better Business bureaus report complaints to the site, making them available to law officers for coordinating and enhancing investigations.
The CSN has received 5.4 million complaints from 2005 through 2009. The figures do not account for all crimes in the country related to fraud and identity theft. The U.S. Census Bureau retains information on fraud based on the CSN.
Between January and December 2009, the CSN received more than 1.3 million consumer complaints – sorted into 30 categories. Data for 2009:
Fraud
• The CSN received 721,418 fraud-related complaints. Eighty-seven percent of those complaints included monetary damages of more than $1.7 billion. The median amount per victim was $399.
• Credit card fraud is on the rise. Forty percent of the consumers reported their credit cards were used for fraudulent purchases – an increase of 7 percentage points from 2007.
• The most popular method of fraud was e-mail (48 percent) and another 12 percent cited an Internet Web site. Only 10 percent reported that they had received phone calls initiating fraud.
• Colorado is the second highest per capita state reporting fraud and other related complaints. Nevada is No. 1.
Identity Theft
• Credit card theft was the most common way to steal an ID, followed by government documents/benefits, phone or utilities, employment, banks and loans.
• Florida has the highest per capita rate of reported identity theft complaints. Arizona follows with Texas as No. 3. Colorado was No. 9.
Overall
• Of all complaints, identity theft was at the top. Third party and creditor debt collection came in second and Internet Services followed at No. 3.
• Fraudulent bank account debit was the No. 1 method of payment. Cash and cash advances, checks, credit cards, money orders, telephone bills and wire transfers followed.
• The highest percent of victims were in the 40-49 and 50-59 age groups (25 percent each).
• In relation to the top 50 metropolitan areas reporting fraudulent crime, Greeley, Colo., and northern neighbor Boulder were No. 3 and No. 4. Colorado Springs came in No. 11 and Fort Collins No. 13. Denver was No. 39. Mount Vernon, Wash., held the No. 1 spot. The information covers cities with populations over 100,000, and the rankings are based on the number of fraudulent-type complaints per 100,000 inhabitants.
• Greeley ranked ninth in reported identity-theft related crimes; Denver, No. 50.
• Colorado complaints regarding identity theft totaled 4,775 for 2009. The top five complaints: employment fraud, credit card fraud, government documents, phone or utilities and bank.
Phishing – Not a Day on the River
Phishing is a popular scam where spam or pop-up messages are set up to lure personal or financial information from potential victims.
Avoiding phishing:
• Don’t reply to e-mail or pop-up messages asking for financial information and don’t click on links in the messages or cut and paste a link to the Web browser.
• Don’t respond to e-mails that appear to be from legitimate businesses asking you to call a phone number to update an account or access a refund.
• Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software as well as a firewall – keep them updated.
• Don’t e-mail personal or financial information.
• Be cautious about opening any and all attachments from e-mails or downloading files, regardless of who sent them.
Don’t Be a Victim
• Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write the number on your check. If the state in which you live uses the SS number as the ID on the driver’s license, ask to substitute another number. Do the same with your insurance policy.
• If you do need to provide your SS number, ask questions: Why and how will the company use the number; how do they protect your number and what happens if you don’t provide the number.
• Avoid dumpster divers: Shred receipts, credit applications – any important piece of paper that has any identifier about you. To opt out of prescreened offers of credit via postal mail, call 1-888-567-8688. (It’s OK to provide your SS number, which they need.)
• Deposit outgoing mail that contains important information at the post office. Remove mail from your mailbox as soon as you can.
• Be careful with the Internet. For information on how to avoid Internet fraud and protect your information, go to www.OnGuardOnline.gov.
• Avoid using obvious information as passwords, such as your birth date, the last four digits of your SS number, a series of consecutive numbers or a common dictionary word.
• Do not give out personal information on the phone. When using the Internet for purchases, verify that the site is legitimate by typing its URL in the address line – don’t cut and paste it.
• Protect your purse – be alert and aware.
• Store your important information in secure locations at your home.
Issue 457
SNIPPETZ GETS THE SUMMERTIME MUNCHIES
Happiness is a bowl of cherries and a book of poetry under a shade tree.
-Astrid Alauda
When we think of summer, we often think of hot summer afternoons by the pool, campouts and tending the garden. Then there are the foods of the season. We flock to the farmer’s markets and produce departments of the grocery store for the best the year offers. Summer means grilling, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, thirst quenching drinks and watermelon juices dripping down your arms. And there’s so much more.
The Ice Pop
No sooner does winter make its exit and we start thinking of cold and refreshing food and drink. Take popsicles for instance. One of the first known popsicles was invented in 1905 by an 11-year-old boy, Frank Epperson, who mistakenly left a water and powdered soda mixture on his porch overnight with a stir stick placed inside. It froze during that cold night in San Francisco, hence a fruit flavored icicle. Once Epperson grew up and caught the entrepreneurial fever, he dubbed his invention the “Epsicle Ice Pop,” changed the name to popsicle at the urging of his children and introduced it at an amusement park in Alameda, Calif. He sold his rights in 1925 to the Joe Lowe Co. out of New York. The Joe Lowe Co. eventually sold the rights to Good Humor in 1989.
Not only are popsicles refreshing to eat on a hot summer day, but building structures of all shapes and sizes with the leftover sticks can provide hours of entertainment for the kids. A bonus for the environment. The popsicle stick also has a riddle stamped on it for additional entertainment value.
Get Rid Of The Snow And Bring In The Snow Cone
The snow cone, crushed ice topped with sweetened and flavored water, made its debut in the United States in 1919 when Samuel Bert introduced them during the State Fair in Texas. He invented the first ice-crushing machine in 1920 and continued to sell them until he died in 1984. A New Orleans resident, Ernest Hansen, invented an ice shaving machine in 1934 which gave the snow cone a more snow-like consistency versus Bert’s crunchy ice. This style of machine is still popular today and the Hansen family continues to work in the snow cone industry.
Shaved ice treats have been popular since the 19th century in Asia. When the Japanese migrated to Hawaii for work, they brought along their steel blades for ice shaving with them. This became known as Hawaiian shaved ice with a consistency so fine that it is almost powder-like and very similar to that of real snow.
Even before, Emperor Nero would send slaves to collect snow from the mountains in the mid 1500’s to then flavor with fruit juice and honey. The Greeks also made snow cones as early as the fifth century with ice, fruit and honey.
Icy Cold Beer
There are many non beer drinkers who will admit to finding themselves craving a cold brew on a hot summer day. Think ballpark and thank the ancient Sumerians.
Near the ancient cities of Babylon and Ur, the Sumerians accidentally discovered the fermenting process once the hunters and gatherers started farming grain. According to pictograms, it appears that baked bread was mixed into water, eventually fermenting and making a drink that would make people feel “exhilarated, wonderful and blissful.” Thus, the Sumerians are thought to be the first civilized culture to brew beer and even named a goddess of brewing “Ninkasi.”
Today, beer can be found everywhere in multiple varieties. There are estimated to be about 1,500 breweries in the United States alone. That’s a lot of foam. Snippetz thinks there’s so much to say about beer that you beer fans deserve even more. Stay tuned for a future beer exposé.
Don’t Tell ‘Em It’s Healthy
Watermelon – it’s not just water. That melon is chock full of useful nutrients like lycopine, Vitamins A, B6, C and loads of potassium. Watermelon is also great for cardiovascular functioning as it releases the amino acids citrulline and arginine, both great for a healthy heart.
And if you don’t like those pesky black seeds, these days it’s quite common to find the seedless variety. The seedless watermelon was invented about 50 years ago by crossing male watermelon pollen containing 22 chromosomes (per cell) with female watermelon pollen that has 44 chromosomes to produce a melon with only the small white seed “coats” that are easily swallowed and won’t grow a watermelon in the stomach of small children.
A Peach of an Idea
In Colorado, we can’t think of summer without our Palisades peaches. Where did it all begin?
Luther Burbank from Lancaster, Mass. invented eight varieties of peaches including the Freestone peach during the late 19th century. He spent 55 years devoting his life to horticulture and may be most known for his development of the Burbank potato, which was used to fight the potato blight epidemic in Ireland. In order to get to Santa Rosa, California to open his experimental farm, Burbank sold the rights to the potato for $150. With his new farm, Burbank can be credited for 113 varieties of plums and prunes; 10 varieties each of cherries, strawberries, and apples; four varieties of both grapes and pears; 13 raspberries and 16 blackberries; as well as several varieties of cacti, chestnuts, nectarines, grapes, almonds, figs, walnuts as well as the peaches. He was awarded patents for his work posthumously only after the U.S. patent laws were extended to include plants in 1930.
Palisade, Colo. will host the 42nd Annual Palisade Peach Festival Aug. 19-22 this year. Bring baskets for hauling and loads of napkins.
It’s a Lemon
Lemons are synonymous with summer and lemonade is considered a staple in many households to help beat the heat. That mixture of lemon, water and sugar is not as simple as one might think. There are several variations depending on what country you’re in.
• In France, “fizzy lemonade” is any sweet carbonated beverage, referred to as “limonade.” Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. also refer to their carbonated citrus drinks as limonade.
• There is also “cloudy lemonade” found mostly in Canada, the U.K. and India that is a mixture of lemon juice, sugar and uncarbonated water.
• The “clear lemonade” version is found mostly in Western Europe and is a mixture of carbonated soda water or unsweetened water with some lemon juice added.
The American version of pink lemonade was originally made with sumac berries and maple syrup for sweetener. Now it’s mainly pink food coloring and sugar. There are a couple of other theories about the start of pink lemonade. One was that Henry E. Sanchez Allot invented it when at the age of 15 he ran away with the circus and became enchanted with the lemonade sold there. He accidentally dropped some red cinnamon candies into the lemonade mixture one day and it became a popular pink seller. The other theory involved a man by the name of Pete Coklin who invented pink lemonade in 1857 by using water dyed pink from a horse rider’s red tights to make it. Very appetizing.
The lemon itself was first grown in northern India and found to have great value in enhancing foods. Lemons were such a sought after commodity that they were called “golden apples” and traded for valuable goods.
Turn Up the Heat (And Oil)
Does summertime make you think of the Colorado State Fair and all its food offerings – turkey legs, fresh squeezed lemonade, funnel cakes, nachos, deep fried Snickers bars, pizza, porch chops on a stick, blooming onions and roasted corn?
Here are some extreme fair food items to harden your arteries with:
• In Minnesota, fairgoer favorites include deep fried spaghetti and meatballs … on a stick, of course. These little delights are smashed up meatballs and cooked spaghetti formed into balls, dipped in a garlic batter before being deep fried and served with marinara sauce.
• Iowa calls their hot beef sundae “comfort food at its finest.” It’s a mound of very buttery mashed potatoes covered with slow roasted beef and gravy, sprinkled with cheddar cheese and topped with a cherry tomato.
• Who would believe this one? When healthy Californians rebel, they feast on the Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich. This is a fried (of course) chicken patty topped with a slice of Swiss cheese and served inside of a sliced Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut. And to make it a little sweeter, folks dip these in a side of honey sauce.
• We only expect the biggest from Texas. They serve chicken fried bacon and deep fried Coca-Cola. Yep, pardner, this is Coke-flavored batter fried all by itself, then covered with Coca-Cola syrup, a nice dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar.
• Indiana fairgoers love deep fried Twinkies. Well, who wouldn’t?
S’mores Around The Campfire
There’s a reason s’mores are synonymous with the Girl Scouts. The first recorded recipe for those graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow delights were found in the Girl Scout’s manual, “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts,” published in 1927. It’s said that the name is a shortened version of “some more” because either with a sticky mouth it was hard to say it in two full words or there were the constant requests for more of the sweet treat, so it was easier to shorten the name. S’mores aren’t just for campfires anymore. Anyone with a microwave can be a happy camper by assembling the chocolate bar and marshmallow sandwiched between two graham crackers and popping it into the microwave for a few seconds.
SNIPPETZ GETS THE SUMMERTIME MUNCHIES
Happiness is a bowl of cherries and a book of poetry under a shade tree.
-Astrid Alauda
When we think of summer, we often think of hot summer afternoons by the pool, campouts and tending the garden. Then there are the foods of the season. We flock to the farmer’s markets and produce departments of the grocery store for the best the year offers. Summer means grilling, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, thirst quenching drinks and watermelon juices dripping down your arms. And there’s so much more.
The Ice Pop
No sooner does winter make its exit and we start thinking of cold and refreshing food and drink. Take popsicles for instance. One of the first known popsicles was invented in 1905 by an 11-year-old boy, Frank Epperson, who mistakenly left a water and powdered soda mixture on his porch overnight with a stir stick placed inside. It froze during that cold night in San Francisco, hence a fruit flavored icicle. Once Epperson grew up and caught the entrepreneurial fever, he dubbed his invention the “Epsicle Ice Pop,” changed the name to popsicle at the urging of his children and introduced it at an amusement park in Alameda, Calif. He sold his rights in 1925 to the Joe Lowe Co. out of New York. The Joe Lowe Co. eventually sold the rights to Good Humor in 1989.
Not only are popsicles refreshing to eat on a hot summer day, but building structures of all shapes and sizes with the leftover sticks can provide hours of entertainment for the kids. A bonus for the environment. The popsicle stick also has a riddle stamped on it for additional entertainment value.
Get Rid Of The Snow And Bring In The Snow Cone
The snow cone, crushed ice topped with sweetened and flavored water, made its debut in the United States in 1919 when Samuel Bert introduced them during the State Fair in Texas. He invented the first ice-crushing machine in 1920 and continued to sell them until he died in 1984. A New Orleans resident, Ernest Hansen, invented an ice shaving machine in 1934 which gave the snow cone a more snow-like consistency versus Bert’s crunchy ice. This style of machine is still popular today and the Hansen family continues to work in the snow cone industry.
Shaved ice treats have been popular since the 19th century in Asia. When the Japanese migrated to Hawaii for work, they brought along their steel blades for ice shaving with them. This became known as Hawaiian shaved ice with a consistency so fine that it is almost powder-like and very similar to that of real snow.
Even before, Emperor Nero would send slaves to collect snow from the mountains in the mid 1500’s to then flavor with fruit juice and honey. The Greeks also made snow cones as early as the fifth century with ice, fruit and honey.
Icy Cold Beer
There are many non beer drinkers who will admit to finding themselves craving a cold brew on a hot summer day. Think ballpark and thank the ancient Sumerians.
Near the ancient cities of Babylon and Ur, the Sumerians accidentally discovered the fermenting process once the hunters and gatherers started farming grain. According to pictograms, it appears that baked bread was mixed into water, eventually fermenting and making a drink that would make people feel “exhilarated, wonderful and blissful.” Thus, the Sumerians are thought to be the first civilized culture to brew beer and even named a goddess of brewing “Ninkasi.”
Today, beer can be found everywhere in multiple varieties. There are estimated to be about 1,500 breweries in the United States alone. That’s a lot of foam. Snippetz thinks there’s so much to say about beer that you beer fans deserve even more. Stay tuned for a future beer exposé.
Don’t Tell ‘Em It’s Healthy
Watermelon – it’s not just water. That melon is chock full of useful nutrients like lycopine, Vitamins A, B6, C and loads of potassium. Watermelon is also great for cardiovascular functioning as it releases the amino acids citrulline and arginine, both great for a healthy heart.
And if you don’t like those pesky black seeds, these days it’s quite common to find the seedless variety. The seedless watermelon was invented about 50 years ago by crossing male watermelon pollen containing 22 chromosomes (per cell) with female watermelon pollen that has 44 chromosomes to produce a melon with only the small white seed “coats” that are easily swallowed and won’t grow a watermelon in the stomach of small children.
A Peach of an Idea
In Colorado, we can’t think of summer without our Palisades peaches. Where did it all begin?
Luther Burbank from Lancaster, Mass. invented eight varieties of peaches including the Freestone peach during the late 19th century. He spent 55 years devoting his life to horticulture and may be most known for his development of the Burbank potato, which was used to fight the potato blight epidemic in Ireland. In order to get to Santa Rosa, California to open his experimental farm, Burbank sold the rights to the potato for $150. With his new farm, Burbank can be credited for 113 varieties of plums and prunes; 10 varieties each of cherries, strawberries, and apples; four varieties of both grapes and pears; 13 raspberries and 16 blackberries; as well as several varieties of cacti, chestnuts, nectarines, grapes, almonds, figs, walnuts as well as the peaches. He was awarded patents for his work posthumously only after the U.S. patent laws were extended to include plants in 1930.
Palisade, Colo. will host the 42nd Annual Palisade Peach Festival Aug. 19-22 this year. Bring baskets for hauling and loads of napkins.
It’s a Lemon
Lemons are synonymous with summer and lemonade is considered a staple in many households to help beat the heat. That mixture of lemon, water and sugar is not as simple as one might think. There are several variations depending on what country you’re in.
• In France, “fizzy lemonade” is any sweet carbonated beverage, referred to as “limonade.” Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. also refer to their carbonated citrus drinks as limonade.
• There is also “cloudy lemonade” found mostly in Canada, the U.K. and India that is a mixture of lemon juice, sugar and uncarbonated water.
• The “clear lemonade” version is found mostly in Western Europe and is a mixture of carbonated soda water or unsweetened water with some lemon juice added.
The American version of pink lemonade was originally made with sumac berries and maple syrup for sweetener. Now it’s mainly pink food coloring and sugar. There are a couple of other theories about the start of pink lemonade. One was that Henry E. Sanchez Allot invented it when at the age of 15 he ran away with the circus and became enchanted with the lemonade sold there. He accidentally dropped some red cinnamon candies into the lemonade mixture one day and it became a popular pink seller. The other theory involved a man by the name of Pete Coklin who invented pink lemonade in 1857 by using water dyed pink from a horse rider’s red tights to make it. Very appetizing.
The lemon itself was first grown in northern India and found to have great value in enhancing foods. Lemons were such a sought after commodity that they were called “golden apples” and traded for valuable goods.
Turn Up the Heat (And Oil)
Does summertime make you think of the Colorado State Fair and all its food offerings – turkey legs, fresh squeezed lemonade, funnel cakes, nachos, deep fried Snickers bars, pizza, porch chops on a stick, blooming onions and roasted corn?
Here are some extreme fair food items to harden your arteries with:
• In Minnesota, fairgoer favorites include deep fried spaghetti and meatballs … on a stick, of course. These little delights are smashed up meatballs and cooked spaghetti formed into balls, dipped in a garlic batter before being deep fried and served with marinara sauce.
• Iowa calls their hot beef sundae “comfort food at its finest.” It’s a mound of very buttery mashed potatoes covered with slow roasted beef and gravy, sprinkled with cheddar cheese and topped with a cherry tomato.
• Who would believe this one? When healthy Californians rebel, they feast on the Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich. This is a fried (of course) chicken patty topped with a slice of Swiss cheese and served inside of a sliced Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut. And to make it a little sweeter, folks dip these in a side of honey sauce.
• We only expect the biggest from Texas. They serve chicken fried bacon and deep fried Coca-Cola. Yep, pardner, this is Coke-flavored batter fried all by itself, then covered with Coca-Cola syrup, a nice dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar.
• Indiana fairgoers love deep fried Twinkies. Well, who wouldn’t?
S’mores Around The Campfire
There’s a reason s’mores are synonymous with the Girl Scouts. The first recorded recipe for those graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow delights were found in the Girl Scout’s manual, “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts,” published in 1927. It’s said that the name is a shortened version of “some more” because either with a sticky mouth it was hard to say it in two full words or there were the constant requests for more of the sweet treat, so it was easier to shorten the name. S’mores aren’t just for campfires anymore. Anyone with a microwave can be a happy camper by assembling the chocolate bar and marshmallow sandwiched between two graham crackers and popping it into the microwave for a few seconds.
Issue 456
SNIPPETZ HAILS TO THE BLUE
Did you pull me over because of the drugs under the seat, the dead body in the trunk or the burned out tail-light? I can explain the tail-light!
They can be daunting when they hide behind a tree with an eye out for speeders. They can be a pain in the neck when the red lights are flashing and you’re the one they’re pulling over. However – they can be a bright star in the dark of the night when you’re alone on the side of the road with a stalled car. And they can be a godsend when a burglar is rattling the living room doorknob.
The police are the only human beings in America who can wreak havoc with lives – or save them.
As well as rescuing a puppy left to fend for itself in the middle of the night, in below zero weather, off a busy highway in Monument Colorado.
In 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reported there were 883,600 police officers and detectives in the United States. About 79 percent were employed by local governments; state police agencies employed 11 percent and federal agencies employed the others.
From the early watchmen to today’s undercover cops, law enforcement in the United States has dramatically evolved over the years.
Early Law Enforcement
England’s common law system, which included sheriffs, constables and watchmen, was the basis for the development of law enforcement in the United States. Although the American people were leery of creating police forces, they established a watchmen organization in Boston in 1631.
In 1835, the Texas Rangers were formed under the state and federal government to combat outlaws like horse stealers and protect citizens from the Indian tribes at war with the settlers.
Some historians say that the first actual police department was organized in Boston in 1845, but others say it was New York City, noting that Boston’s police department started in 1854 – nine years later.
In 1844, a night watch, 100 city marshals, 31 constables and 51 municipal police officers were organized to establish the New York City Police Department. The Big Apple’s population was 320,000 at the time, and the Common Council proposed the creation of a police force of 1,200 officers that would mirror the style of the military. The state Legislature approved the proposal, and in 1845, the NYPD was reorganized, modeled after the Metropolitan Police Service in London. New York City was divided into three districts, complete with courts, magistrates, clerks and station houses.
In the earlier days, many policemen throughout the country carried clubs instead of guns.
Just the Facts Ma’am
The Toll
More than 20,000 police officers have been killed in the line of duty in the United States throughout the centuries. In 2009, 127 officers were killed; and so far in 2010, about 88 deaths have occurred.
Police officers and their families sacrifice their time, emotions, lifestyle – and lives – to protect American citizens.
Statistics on divorce rates by occupation have not been well-defined, but arguably police officers are at the top of the scale. Divorce rates among police officers have been known to be as high as 75 percent.
Stress is an inherent part of being a police officer. Suicide is estimated in law enforcement at 18.1 per 100,000. The Centers for Disease Control report that Americans in general commit suicide at a rate of about 12 per 100,000 residents (late 1990s).
Alcoholism is an all-too-common malady.
Colorado’s Toll
Total deaths in the line of duty to date:
Colorado – five females and 249 males (more than half of the total 254 were killed by gunfire)
Of those deaths:
The T.V. Cop
Uniformed officers, undercover officers, detectives, forensic experts – there’s all kinds of cops on the little and big screen! Maybe it’s a fascination with law enforcement that perpetuates a few new “cop” shows every year. But there are a few icons. Among the top 20 favorites:
Baretta
“Don’t do the crime unless you can do the time.” That was the mantra of Robert Blake – aka Tony Baretta – a tough undercover cop who went home to his beloved pet cockatoo.
Starsky and Hutch
With a guy named Huggy Bear as their informant, these two detectives played by David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser rose to fame chasing the bad guys in Starsky’s red Torino convertible.
The Andy Griffith Show
Barney Fife of Mayberry was one of the funniest cops on T.V. As a sidekick to Sheriff Andy, Don Knots played a gangly and scattered-brained role but his ineptness and crazy antics ignited a lovable character.
Police Woman
Angie Dickinson was one the first successful female actors in a cop role on T.V. Pepper Anderson was often undercover as a hooker.
Kojak
Who could forget that bald-headed lawman famous for his lollipops and the phrase, “Who loves ya, baby?” Telly Savalas played an edgy cop, not afraid to push the limits.
Hawaii Five-O
How could a police drama filmed on the beautiful island go wrong? Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) added to the show’s charm as a pretty boy fearless of the bad guy. Remember, “Book ‘em Dano.”
Columbo
Peter Falk played Detective Colombo as a regular, kind of sloppy guy, deceiving the criminals by pretending to be off course and confused most of the time. But Colombo fooled them all.
NYPD Blue
Then there was Andy Sipowicz, a character who appeared on every show of the 12-year NYPD T.V. run. Dennis Franz played a colorful, controversial alcoholic detective, who eventually got sober and married the defense attorney.
In Reality
National Police Week is held every year in the spring. But every day, hundreds of police officers are rescuing motorists, mediating a domestic dispute, going undercover to seek out the drug lords and cruising the streets to make them safe from the bad guys. Every day is a day to salute the men and women who make life a lot easier for Americans.
Colorado Springs PD (as of June 6, 2010)
SNIPPETZ HAILS TO THE BLUE
Did you pull me over because of the drugs under the seat, the dead body in the trunk or the burned out tail-light? I can explain the tail-light!
They can be daunting when they hide behind a tree with an eye out for speeders. They can be a pain in the neck when the red lights are flashing and you’re the one they’re pulling over. However – they can be a bright star in the dark of the night when you’re alone on the side of the road with a stalled car. And they can be a godsend when a burglar is rattling the living room doorknob.
The police are the only human beings in America who can wreak havoc with lives – or save them.
As well as rescuing a puppy left to fend for itself in the middle of the night, in below zero weather, off a busy highway in Monument Colorado.
In 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reported there were 883,600 police officers and detectives in the United States. About 79 percent were employed by local governments; state police agencies employed 11 percent and federal agencies employed the others.
From the early watchmen to today’s undercover cops, law enforcement in the United States has dramatically evolved over the years.
Early Law Enforcement
England’s common law system, which included sheriffs, constables and watchmen, was the basis for the development of law enforcement in the United States. Although the American people were leery of creating police forces, they established a watchmen organization in Boston in 1631.
In 1835, the Texas Rangers were formed under the state and federal government to combat outlaws like horse stealers and protect citizens from the Indian tribes at war with the settlers.
Some historians say that the first actual police department was organized in Boston in 1845, but others say it was New York City, noting that Boston’s police department started in 1854 – nine years later.
In 1844, a night watch, 100 city marshals, 31 constables and 51 municipal police officers were organized to establish the New York City Police Department. The Big Apple’s population was 320,000 at the time, and the Common Council proposed the creation of a police force of 1,200 officers that would mirror the style of the military. The state Legislature approved the proposal, and in 1845, the NYPD was reorganized, modeled after the Metropolitan Police Service in London. New York City was divided into three districts, complete with courts, magistrates, clerks and station houses.
In the earlier days, many policemen throughout the country carried clubs instead of guns.
Just the Facts Ma’am
- Only police beacons (flashing lights) are two-colored. Red has long been a symbol of warning, danger and a signal to stop. Police added blue because it is easier to see during the day and is associated with the blue uniform. Not all police departments, however, use the two colors. Some use red only. The most common beacon is red on the left, blue on the right.
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average yearly salary of a police officer was $52,480 in 2008. State police earned $58,180 on average. However, salaries are wide-ranging depending on location.
- The anticipated growth for jobs for police officers is average among all careers through 2018. Opportunities are best in high-crime areas.
- The word “cop” is a shortened version of copper, which, in turn, is actually derived from “cop” as a verb. The first reference to a police officer as a cop was found in print in 1846. The best explanation for calling a police officer “cop” is that as a verb “cop” means to seize, capture or snatch. The first police badges were made of copper, and some argue that “cop” is the result of the initial badges.
- The first African American police officer was appointed in Boston on Dec. 24, 1878. Sgt. Horatio Julius Homer served 41 years and retired in 1919.
- Alice Stebbin Wells was the first female police officer who could arrest criminals. Before applying via a petition to the Los Angeles Police Department, Wells was a minister in Kansas. She was hired by the LAPD Sept. 12, 1910 and retired in 1940.
The Toll
More than 20,000 police officers have been killed in the line of duty in the United States throughout the centuries. In 2009, 127 officers were killed; and so far in 2010, about 88 deaths have occurred.
Police officers and their families sacrifice their time, emotions, lifestyle – and lives – to protect American citizens.
Statistics on divorce rates by occupation have not been well-defined, but arguably police officers are at the top of the scale. Divorce rates among police officers have been known to be as high as 75 percent.
Stress is an inherent part of being a police officer. Suicide is estimated in law enforcement at 18.1 per 100,000. The Centers for Disease Control report that Americans in general commit suicide at a rate of about 12 per 100,000 residents (late 1990s).
Alcoholism is an all-too-common malady.
Colorado’s Toll
Total deaths in the line of duty to date:
Colorado – five females and 249 males (more than half of the total 254 were killed by gunfire)
Of those deaths:
- Colorado State Police – 24
- Colorado Department of Corrections – 14
- Colorado Department of Natural Resources; wildlife division – 2
- Colorado Mounted Rangers - 1
- Denver – 58
- Colorado Springs – 11
- El Paso County Sheriff’s Department – 2
The T.V. Cop
Uniformed officers, undercover officers, detectives, forensic experts – there’s all kinds of cops on the little and big screen! Maybe it’s a fascination with law enforcement that perpetuates a few new “cop” shows every year. But there are a few icons. Among the top 20 favorites:
Baretta
“Don’t do the crime unless you can do the time.” That was the mantra of Robert Blake – aka Tony Baretta – a tough undercover cop who went home to his beloved pet cockatoo.
Starsky and Hutch
With a guy named Huggy Bear as their informant, these two detectives played by David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser rose to fame chasing the bad guys in Starsky’s red Torino convertible.
The Andy Griffith Show
Barney Fife of Mayberry was one of the funniest cops on T.V. As a sidekick to Sheriff Andy, Don Knots played a gangly and scattered-brained role but his ineptness and crazy antics ignited a lovable character.
Police Woman
Angie Dickinson was one the first successful female actors in a cop role on T.V. Pepper Anderson was often undercover as a hooker.
Kojak
Who could forget that bald-headed lawman famous for his lollipops and the phrase, “Who loves ya, baby?” Telly Savalas played an edgy cop, not afraid to push the limits.
Hawaii Five-O
How could a police drama filmed on the beautiful island go wrong? Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) added to the show’s charm as a pretty boy fearless of the bad guy. Remember, “Book ‘em Dano.”
Columbo
Peter Falk played Detective Colombo as a regular, kind of sloppy guy, deceiving the criminals by pretending to be off course and confused most of the time. But Colombo fooled them all.
NYPD Blue
Then there was Andy Sipowicz, a character who appeared on every show of the 12-year NYPD T.V. run. Dennis Franz played a colorful, controversial alcoholic detective, who eventually got sober and married the defense attorney.
In Reality
National Police Week is held every year in the spring. But every day, hundreds of police officers are rescuing motorists, mediating a domestic dispute, going undercover to seek out the drug lords and cruising the streets to make them safe from the bad guys. Every day is a day to salute the men and women who make life a lot easier for Americans.
Colorado Springs PD (as of June 6, 2010)
- The total number of officers sworn in is 643 or 1.5 personnel for 1,000 citizens. The national average is 2.1 per 1,000 in cities over 250,000 people.
- The total staff at the CSPD is 932 or 2.2 per 1,000 citizens. The national average is 2.7 per 1,000 in cities over 250,000.
- The population for the CSPD response area is 418,076.
- The violent crime rate in 2009 in the above area was 4.8 per 1,000 citizens. The national average is 8.6 in cities with populations between 250,000 and 499,999.
- The property crime rate in 2009 was 35.9 per 1,000 citizens. The national average is 45.9 in cities with populations between 250,000 and 499,999.
Issue 455
SNIPPETZ GOES HEAD OVER HEALS ABOUT CLICHÉS
“It is a cliché that most clichés are true, but then like most clichés, that cliché is untrue. “
-Stephen Fry
When it rains, it pours. But if it hasn’t rained for a while in July in Colorado, the sidewalk is hot enough to fry an egg on. The weatherman had egg on his face the other day when he predicted a sunny weekend; instead, it rained cats and dogs.
The cliché: We use them incessantly. Clichés are all over the map.
Enough Already
In simple terms, the cliché is a trite or obvious remark, a saying, expression – an element of word artistry. The cliché has been overused so much that it has lost its original meaning or effect, according to many sources of definitions. Creative writers, reporters, business writers – they are all told to avoid them like the plague. The cliché has become a broken record.
Brain Drain
It’s possible the widespread use of clichés is causing a brain drain in the world.
The Long and Short of It
Clichés began as playful expressions that evolved from the use and misuse of the English language. Some might be surprised that the tried and true clichés have different twists and turns to their meanings – varying from what you might think.
There are thousands of clichés; thus, the following roots and meanings of some are just the tip of the iceberg.
Take a back seat: Nope, this isn’t about cars. This cliché means little involvement in something and was originally derived from the low influence of persons who sat on the back benches of the House of Commons. The leaders of government sat on the front benches. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Bury the hatchet: stop arguing or feuding. This cliché is from the Native American Indian custom where they buried all of their weapons while smoking the peace pipe. It was a requirement from their spirit gods. The saying began in America and was picked up in Britain in the 1700s. Go figure.
It’s a piece of cake; a cakewalk: easy. In 1870, the slaves would walk in a procession in pairs around a cake at the social gatherings. The most graceful pair was awarded the cake. It was thought of as an easy achievement – an ace in the hole win.
Let the cat out of the bag: give away a secret. Here’s proof that humans are sometimes a few cans short of a six-pack. In the old days, storekeepers thought it was a fun trick to put a cat, instead of the usual suckling pig, in the shopper’s bag; thus, the phrase.
Holy mackerel: element of surprise. Holy mackerel began as a blasphemous reference to the Catholic tradition of eating meat on Fridays. It’s not clear why they coined the “mackerel” fish for the phrase, but it does have a better ring to it than “Holy cod” or “Holy bluegill.”
Kick the bucket: to die. Slaughtered pigs or oxen were hung by their feet by a “bucket,” which meant beam or pulley in early English. This one’s about as clear as mud.
In a nutshell: summarized. In the early 19th century, there were many debates about long literary works like “Homer’s Iliad” and the “Koran” having been written on such a small piece of parchment paper that each would fit into the shell of a common nut. One man, George Marsh, claimed to have seen the entire Koran written on a parchment roll 4 inches by half an inch. Well, by George!
Rule of thumb: a general, well-known rule. The phrase was taken from an English law that made it illegal for a man to beat his wife with anything thicker than the width of his thumb. Ah, the wisdom of the ages.
Put a sock in it: be quiet. In the late 1800s, wind-up gramophones for records were introduced. They used a horn to amplify the sound from the needle on the record and controlled the volume by putting a sock in the horn. Now, that’s taking the bull by the horn to create sound for the masses.
Toe the line: conform to policy/rules. This phrase was derived from the military. During a drill, the soldiers’ foot positions had to align with an imaginary line on the ground. This day and age, it’s often spelled “tow the line,” which is incorrect.
Pipe dream: unrealistic hope or plan. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hedonists and many of the rich smoked opium in a pipe. Some of the smokers came up with imaginative writings, songs, whatever. Anyone under the influence of opium was referenced as “on the pipe.”
Chomping at the Bit
OK, that chapter’s over. Whew, you say? Are all of these clichés getting your goat? Clichés are more than phrases. Take all of the “words” that have been used to ad nauseam. Here are a few words that could drive you up the wall.
“I got you a new car for your birthday. NOT”
“I made a mistake. MY BAD.”
“I got tickets to the Denver Broncos. SWEET.”
“I don’t want to go. WHATEVER.”
“Tom got fired the other day. GET OUT.”
A Horse of a Different Color
“That’s cliché” gives a whole other meaning to the word. Cliché also refers to actions – actions that are overused and abused.
The movies are perfect examples of “what’s cliché.”
And then there’s politics
Is it not cliché for a candidate to pick a cute, little baby out of the crowd and coo and smile and hold the baby in the air? There are a slew of clichés in politics but some can’t be discussed in print.
The End
By now, we could be walking on ice to continue this run on clichés. Readers are probably knee high to a grasshopper in clichés. However, let it be said: The King’s English is going to the dogs!
SNIPPETZ GOES HEAD OVER HEALS ABOUT CLICHÉS
“It is a cliché that most clichés are true, but then like most clichés, that cliché is untrue. “
-Stephen Fry
When it rains, it pours. But if it hasn’t rained for a while in July in Colorado, the sidewalk is hot enough to fry an egg on. The weatherman had egg on his face the other day when he predicted a sunny weekend; instead, it rained cats and dogs.
The cliché: We use them incessantly. Clichés are all over the map.
Enough Already
In simple terms, the cliché is a trite or obvious remark, a saying, expression – an element of word artistry. The cliché has been overused so much that it has lost its original meaning or effect, according to many sources of definitions. Creative writers, reporters, business writers – they are all told to avoid them like the plague. The cliché has become a broken record.
Brain Drain
It’s possible the widespread use of clichés is causing a brain drain in the world.
The Long and Short of It
Clichés began as playful expressions that evolved from the use and misuse of the English language. Some might be surprised that the tried and true clichés have different twists and turns to their meanings – varying from what you might think.
There are thousands of clichés; thus, the following roots and meanings of some are just the tip of the iceberg.
Take a back seat: Nope, this isn’t about cars. This cliché means little involvement in something and was originally derived from the low influence of persons who sat on the back benches of the House of Commons. The leaders of government sat on the front benches. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Bury the hatchet: stop arguing or feuding. This cliché is from the Native American Indian custom where they buried all of their weapons while smoking the peace pipe. It was a requirement from their spirit gods. The saying began in America and was picked up in Britain in the 1700s. Go figure.
It’s a piece of cake; a cakewalk: easy. In 1870, the slaves would walk in a procession in pairs around a cake at the social gatherings. The most graceful pair was awarded the cake. It was thought of as an easy achievement – an ace in the hole win.
Let the cat out of the bag: give away a secret. Here’s proof that humans are sometimes a few cans short of a six-pack. In the old days, storekeepers thought it was a fun trick to put a cat, instead of the usual suckling pig, in the shopper’s bag; thus, the phrase.
Holy mackerel: element of surprise. Holy mackerel began as a blasphemous reference to the Catholic tradition of eating meat on Fridays. It’s not clear why they coined the “mackerel” fish for the phrase, but it does have a better ring to it than “Holy cod” or “Holy bluegill.”
Kick the bucket: to die. Slaughtered pigs or oxen were hung by their feet by a “bucket,” which meant beam or pulley in early English. This one’s about as clear as mud.
In a nutshell: summarized. In the early 19th century, there were many debates about long literary works like “Homer’s Iliad” and the “Koran” having been written on such a small piece of parchment paper that each would fit into the shell of a common nut. One man, George Marsh, claimed to have seen the entire Koran written on a parchment roll 4 inches by half an inch. Well, by George!
Rule of thumb: a general, well-known rule. The phrase was taken from an English law that made it illegal for a man to beat his wife with anything thicker than the width of his thumb. Ah, the wisdom of the ages.
Put a sock in it: be quiet. In the late 1800s, wind-up gramophones for records were introduced. They used a horn to amplify the sound from the needle on the record and controlled the volume by putting a sock in the horn. Now, that’s taking the bull by the horn to create sound for the masses.
Toe the line: conform to policy/rules. This phrase was derived from the military. During a drill, the soldiers’ foot positions had to align with an imaginary line on the ground. This day and age, it’s often spelled “tow the line,” which is incorrect.
Pipe dream: unrealistic hope or plan. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hedonists and many of the rich smoked opium in a pipe. Some of the smokers came up with imaginative writings, songs, whatever. Anyone under the influence of opium was referenced as “on the pipe.”
Chomping at the Bit
OK, that chapter’s over. Whew, you say? Are all of these clichés getting your goat? Clichés are more than phrases. Take all of the “words” that have been used to ad nauseam. Here are a few words that could drive you up the wall.
“I got you a new car for your birthday. NOT”
“I made a mistake. MY BAD.”
“I got tickets to the Denver Broncos. SWEET.”
“I don’t want to go. WHATEVER.”
“Tom got fired the other day. GET OUT.”
A Horse of a Different Color
“That’s cliché” gives a whole other meaning to the word. Cliché also refers to actions – actions that are overused and abused.
The movies are perfect examples of “what’s cliché.”
- Ever notice in a horror film that the person running from someone or something always trips and the fall is always complete and dramatic – never a stumble and run type situation. The predator is right behind them and the victim never gets up, just sorts of scoots backward with an expression of the kiss of death.
- In thrillers, the car never starts when the good guy needs a quick get-a-way.
- In horror films and thrillers, someone always walks into a situation alone – setting the scene for a scary encounter. Then, all of sudden a friend walks up and puts a hand on the person’s shoulder. The person jumps and turns around and says, “Oh, it’s only you.” Never does the friend say “hello” before he or she taps a shoulder.
- When someone is trying to secretly talk to someone on the phone while there is someone else in the room, both parties are always in earshot of each other. No one walks into another room – the person on the phone just lowers his or her voice, but anyone can hear the conversation.
- In classroom scenes, the bell always rings while the teacher is in the middle of something. In real life, teachers know when the bell rings so they can wrap up their lessons ahead of time.
- Here’s another way overdone cliché. When the bad guy has the good guy against the wall without a defense, the bad guy never shoots him. Instead, he talks to him – for a long time. Of course, the good guy always comes up with a way out: a third party shooting the bad guy, a hidden gun or some wild distraction like a monkey swinging from the ceiling (OK, so not so much).
- In movies featuring a scene in a bar, one real bartender noticed this cliché. “In the eight years I’ve been a bartender, I have never seen anyone drink a shot by jerking back their head as if they were taking an aspirin.”
- Whenever anyone asks the bartender for a beer in a movie, the bartender pours and gives the beer to the customer – never asking what kind. Of course, the long and short of it is that the movies can’t cater to a specific brewer.
And then there’s politics
Is it not cliché for a candidate to pick a cute, little baby out of the crowd and coo and smile and hold the baby in the air? There are a slew of clichés in politics but some can’t be discussed in print.
The End
By now, we could be walking on ice to continue this run on clichés. Readers are probably knee high to a grasshopper in clichés. However, let it be said: The King’s English is going to the dogs!
Issue 454
SNIPPETZ STANDS UP FOR "MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO CHILDREN MONTH"
“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
- John Crosby
According to the experts in child development and child outcomes, it truly does take a village to raise a child. Research tells us it’s not just parents and teachers who have a great impact on children. It’s a whole lot more – from long-term mentoring relationships to small acts of kindness by a neighbor or community member – that makes a difference in a child’s life.
A Month and More
July is designated as National Make a Difference to Children Month. This month-long event is sponsored by the Hugs and Hope Foundation, founded by Marsha Jordan. Jordan, an author, started the charitable organization in 2000 after her grandchild suffered from a severe burn. The Hugs and Hope Foundation provides an avenue for people to give a simple gift to a child who is suffering from a critical illness. Their Web site, www.hugsandhope.org, provides a listing of children who are in need of prayers and contact in the form of wish granting, gifts, balloons and letters. Hugs and Hope calls these letters “happy mail,” and they can make a difference in the life of an ailing child.
There are many ways – small, big, formal or informal – to make a difference to a child.
Why All The Effort?
Children today have a lot to face – drug and alcohol addiction, neglect and poverty, to name a few. The organization MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership estimates there are 3 million children in formal mentoring programs right now; but another 14.6 million youth are still at risk of falling through the cracks and not becoming successful members of society when they reach adulthood. Risk factors they cite include substance abuse, delinquent behavior, dropping out or performing poorly in school and having sex at an early age.
Mentoring
Formal mentoring programs are very successful, especially if the relationship is of a longer term, such as a year or more. Shorter term relationships within a formal program are not quite as successful in changing a child’s future outlook.
There are numerous organizations offering formal mentoring programs for children:
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters
• The Buddy System
• Boys and girls clubs (i.e., scouts)
• Career Beginnings
• BELONG
• Church youth programs
Seventy-one percent of mentoring is done informally through teachers, coaches, church leaders, friends and neighbors without guidelines or specific mentoring programs. These relationships are also deemed successful.
Measuring Success
It was Lady Bird Johnson who said that “children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.”
Successful mentoring has been proven to foster positive development in many areas:
• More positive attitudes towards parents and elders
• Increased helping behavior
• Better attitude toward school and education along with fewer absences from school
• Increased interest in the pursuit of higher education
• Less substance use and other negative behavior
• Less violent behavior
Who Are The Mentors?
According to a 2005 study conducted by MENTOR, the majority of both formal and informal mentors tend to be in the baby boomer age range with the next highest percentage in the 35-44 range. The 18-24 age group attracts mostly the informal mentor. Along with the 18-24 age range, the 65 and older group are generally the least likely to mentor a child.
About 60 percent of informal mentors report some type of other relationship with their mentees, i.e., friends, neighbors or family members; and only about 21 percent of the formal mentors had a prior relationship with their mentees.
The same study gives insight into what motivates a mentor:
• 82 percent want to help young people succeed
• 76 percent want to make a difference in someone’s life
• 43 percent want to give back to the community
• 27 percent cite religious and spiritual reasons
• 22 percent were helped by someone in their youth
And, 96 percent of those who mentor would recommend mentoring to others.
It’s All About Who You Know
Mentors don’t always specifically seek out opportunities to mentor. They usually know someone who is a mentor, participate in an organization that provides mentoring or know someone who mentors.
About 44 million current non-mentors report they are willing to mentor given the right circumstances – mostly time and support. The MENTOR survey found that potential mentors would give serious consideration to mentoring a child if they could meet the person close to home or work; get expert help when they needed it, as well as some training; have a variety of interests and scheduling possibilities; and have an employer who encourages mentoring and allows time away from work for mentoring activities.
Now For Those Little Things
Little things do make a big difference. Many of us can recall someone in our childhood who may have taken an interest in our lives, even in a small way, such as a kind word or deed or a listening ear.
There are hundreds of small ways to make a big difference.
About MENTOR, The Organization
MENTOR was founded in 1990 by Raymond G. Chambers and Geoffrey T. Boisi who found in conversation with children that they felt no one cared about them and they were cut off from our economic system. Chambers and Boisi vowed to make a difference by connecting caring adults with children in need of mentors. On their Web site at www.mentoring.org, a mentor can search for mentoring opportunities in their geographic area.
SNIPPETZ STANDS UP FOR "MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO CHILDREN MONTH"
“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
- John Crosby
According to the experts in child development and child outcomes, it truly does take a village to raise a child. Research tells us it’s not just parents and teachers who have a great impact on children. It’s a whole lot more – from long-term mentoring relationships to small acts of kindness by a neighbor or community member – that makes a difference in a child’s life.
A Month and More
July is designated as National Make a Difference to Children Month. This month-long event is sponsored by the Hugs and Hope Foundation, founded by Marsha Jordan. Jordan, an author, started the charitable organization in 2000 after her grandchild suffered from a severe burn. The Hugs and Hope Foundation provides an avenue for people to give a simple gift to a child who is suffering from a critical illness. Their Web site, www.hugsandhope.org, provides a listing of children who are in need of prayers and contact in the form of wish granting, gifts, balloons and letters. Hugs and Hope calls these letters “happy mail,” and they can make a difference in the life of an ailing child.
There are many ways – small, big, formal or informal – to make a difference to a child.
Why All The Effort?
Children today have a lot to face – drug and alcohol addiction, neglect and poverty, to name a few. The organization MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership estimates there are 3 million children in formal mentoring programs right now; but another 14.6 million youth are still at risk of falling through the cracks and not becoming successful members of society when they reach adulthood. Risk factors they cite include substance abuse, delinquent behavior, dropping out or performing poorly in school and having sex at an early age.
Mentoring
Formal mentoring programs are very successful, especially if the relationship is of a longer term, such as a year or more. Shorter term relationships within a formal program are not quite as successful in changing a child’s future outlook.
There are numerous organizations offering formal mentoring programs for children:
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters
• The Buddy System
• Boys and girls clubs (i.e., scouts)
• Career Beginnings
• BELONG
• Church youth programs
Seventy-one percent of mentoring is done informally through teachers, coaches, church leaders, friends and neighbors without guidelines or specific mentoring programs. These relationships are also deemed successful.
Measuring Success
It was Lady Bird Johnson who said that “children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.”
Successful mentoring has been proven to foster positive development in many areas:
• More positive attitudes towards parents and elders
• Increased helping behavior
• Better attitude toward school and education along with fewer absences from school
• Increased interest in the pursuit of higher education
• Less substance use and other negative behavior
• Less violent behavior
Who Are The Mentors?
According to a 2005 study conducted by MENTOR, the majority of both formal and informal mentors tend to be in the baby boomer age range with the next highest percentage in the 35-44 range. The 18-24 age group attracts mostly the informal mentor. Along with the 18-24 age range, the 65 and older group are generally the least likely to mentor a child.
About 60 percent of informal mentors report some type of other relationship with their mentees, i.e., friends, neighbors or family members; and only about 21 percent of the formal mentors had a prior relationship with their mentees.
The same study gives insight into what motivates a mentor:
• 82 percent want to help young people succeed
• 76 percent want to make a difference in someone’s life
• 43 percent want to give back to the community
• 27 percent cite religious and spiritual reasons
• 22 percent were helped by someone in their youth
And, 96 percent of those who mentor would recommend mentoring to others.
It’s All About Who You Know
Mentors don’t always specifically seek out opportunities to mentor. They usually know someone who is a mentor, participate in an organization that provides mentoring or know someone who mentors.
About 44 million current non-mentors report they are willing to mentor given the right circumstances – mostly time and support. The MENTOR survey found that potential mentors would give serious consideration to mentoring a child if they could meet the person close to home or work; get expert help when they needed it, as well as some training; have a variety of interests and scheduling possibilities; and have an employer who encourages mentoring and allows time away from work for mentoring activities.
Now For Those Little Things
Little things do make a big difference. Many of us can recall someone in our childhood who may have taken an interest in our lives, even in a small way, such as a kind word or deed or a listening ear.
There are hundreds of small ways to make a big difference.
- Volunteer on the children’s floor at a hospital
- Read to children at a library
- Help children feel connected to the community by making eye contact, saying hello or smiling at them in the neighborhood, grocery store or other public places
- Encourage your employer to adopt a school, a classroom or set up a scholarship fund
- Talk to your children’s friends; ask them about their interests and their goals
- Donate blood for children who have serious illnesses
- Offer to speak at a school when they have a career day
- Teach a class or skill at a local organization such as a YMCA, or for a scout troop or Sunday school at church
- Coach an athletic team
- Host a block event, i.e., ice cream social, dessert night or barbeque for the neighbors
- Tutor an academic subject, such as math, reading, science or a foreign language at the middle or high school level
- Volunteer time at a school
- Donate money to programs that help children
- Communicate with elected officials that children should be a priority in matters of legislation, education and budgets
About MENTOR, The Organization
MENTOR was founded in 1990 by Raymond G. Chambers and Geoffrey T. Boisi who found in conversation with children that they felt no one cared about them and they were cut off from our economic system. Chambers and Boisi vowed to make a difference by connecting caring adults with children in need of mentors. On their Web site at www.mentoring.org, a mentor can search for mentoring opportunities in their geographic area.
Issue 453
SNIPPETZ SAYS "HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU..."
“Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and numbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail; and when I hear the coyote wailing to the yellow dawn, my cares fall from me - I am happy.” - Hamlin Garland (1860-1940), American novelist
On June 5, America’s trail enthusiasts celebrated National Trails Day 2010. More than 1,500 events like trail maintenance, biking, hiking, horseback riding, running and bird watching took place throughout the country. This year, the celebratory theme was “Find Your Happy Place.” Everyone’s “happy place” was defined as a favorite outdoor spot to find peace and quiet and just feel good – sans cars, cell phones and iPods.
Lucky for Americans, their “happy place” choices are vast. Because of the National Trails System Act of 1968, a network of trails that offer scenic views, a flavor of history and plentiful opportunities for recreational activities have been set aside throughout the country.
Three national trails intercept areas of Colorado: Santa Fe, Old Spanish and Continental Divide trails.
The Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail extends almost 1,200 miles across five states: New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.
A Gateway for Commerce
In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail became a commercial highway that ran from Missouri to New Mexico. Also, from 1821 until 1846 (the year the Mexican-American War began), the trail was used as an international commercial highway that provided trade between Mexico and America.
However, Spain had control of New Mexico in those days and fiercely guarded its borders. But that changed after the Mexican Revolution of 1821. Mexico’s revolt against the Spaniards was successful in allowing travel throughout New Mexico, and trade on the trail flourished
When the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, the Santa Fe Trail became a national road that connected the United States to its new southwest territories, such as New Mexico.
• William Becknell from Missouri is touted as the “father” of the Santa Fe Trail, as the first pioneer to reach Santa Fe, N.M., via the trail.
• Thousands of people crossed the Santa Fe, from the military to emigrants – in stagecoaches, on foot and on horses. Many traveled the trail west to Colorado in search of gold.
• During the Civil War, a major battle was fought at Glorieta Pass, N.M., on the Santa Fe Trail. Union soldiers were victorious in holding on to the Southwest and the valuable supply trail after they set fire to a Confederate supply train.
Traveling the Santa Fe Trail Today
In Colorado, the Santa Fe Trail extends a little east of Lamar to Trinidad. Besides the incredible views along the trail, there are a myriad of historic sites, from Lamar’s Kit Carson Museum and his home to the Santa Fe Trail Museum in Trinidad. Museum visitors can learn about famous and infamous trail travelers like Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid and Mother Jones.
• In La Junta, Colo., there’s the Koshare Indian Museum and Kiva and Bent’s Old Fort, where Native Americans and mountain trappers traded goods and took a break and relaxed – the Wild West version of the truck stop.
• One of the most scenic stops is the Sierra Vista Overlook, just 13 miles south of La Junta on Highway 350. A short walk up the bluff features beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains, the Spanish Peaks and the prairies.
• The trail offers a variety of wildlife and activities: fishing, camping, biking and hiking. John Martin Reservoir is nearby – it’s the largest body of water in southeastern Colorado. Visitors swim, camp, fish and water ski.
Old Spanish Trail
In 1993, then Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Rep. Scott McInnis introduced a bill authorizing a study of the Old Spanish Trail as a preliminary step to include it in the National Trail System. Senators from New Mexico, Utah and California jumped on board to keep the legislation at the forefront of government business. After a scrupulous study of the significance of the trail’s history, Campbell introduced Senate Bill 1946 in 2002 to include the trail in the system. The bill passed unanimously.
Connecting to the Coast
In 1829, Antonio Armijo, a merchant from Santa Fe, N.M., blazed a new path from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, opening up trade opportunities between California and inland areas and inland areas and foreign markets – because of coastal seaports.
With the new trail, annual visits between New Mexico and California took place, mainly for trade. Still, some migrated to California in the 1830s, in search of gold and prosperity. Others used the path to raid California “ranchos” and take part in human trafficking. Many of the residents along the trail “captured” Native Americans as slaves, even though the practice had been officially condemned by the government.
The Old Spanish Trail has been noted as the most arduous for mule caravans. Covering 2,700 miles, mules swam and dragged their handlers through dozens of river crossings; they crossed dunes in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and California; and they skirted the Grand Canyon and trekked over the cruel desert of Death Valley.
A year after Armijo’s iconic journey, two other mountain men carved another path of the Old Spanish Trail. William Wolfskill and George Yount followed a route along the Colorado River to Needles and up the Mojave River to Cajon Pass. Some on the trail ventured as far north as Salt Lake City and followed what became the North Branch of the trail, which led to Grand Junction, Colo.
All of the varied routes came together in southern Utah and again at the Mojave River.
The North Branch extends from San Luis, Colo., to Crestone to Gunnison and all the way to Grand Junction. The main route of the Old Spanish trail in Colorado runs from Durango to Moab, Utah.
In 1848, as other routes opened up between New Mexico and California, the early settlers no longer used the Old Spanish Trail. Much later, interest in the trail was rejuvenated; and, in 1987, it became part of the National Trails System.
There are few designated hiking trails along the Old Spanish Trail but much of the route borders federal land. Exploring the trail by automobile is the best option. Besides rivers, canyons and national parks, artifacts and a bundle of trail information along the way make the Old Spanish Trail worth the trip.
The North Branch of the trail winds through the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado and across the Continental Divide and the Gunnison National Forest.
Speaking of … the Continental Divide
No one was packing a mule along the Continental Divide Trail in the days of the Wild West, but many early discoverers and Native Americans crossed over the Divide. Native Americans deemed it the “road to buffalo,” according to writings by Lewis (of Lewis and Clark). The pioneers of the actual trail started a quest in 1960 to create a trail near the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains – a trail that would offer spectacular wide-angle views and a “challenging stretch of country” (1966 Bureau of Outdoor Recreation report).
Five years later, modern-day mountain man and attorney Jim Wolf walked the Divide from the Canadian border to Rogers Pass, Mont. He published a guidebook to that section of the trail and formed the Continental Divide Trail Society in the late 70s. In November 1978, the committee of the National Trails System designated the Divide trail as a National Scenic Trail.
More
A bipartisan bill (HR 4671) has been introduced this year to create a new category of trails: National Discovery Trail. The American Discovery Trail, the first coast-to-coast nonmotorized trail, will add another first as a National Discovery Trail under the National Trails System, if the legislation passes.
Just one more “happy place.”
SNIPPETZ SAYS "HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU..."
“Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and numbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail; and when I hear the coyote wailing to the yellow dawn, my cares fall from me - I am happy.” - Hamlin Garland (1860-1940), American novelist
On June 5, America’s trail enthusiasts celebrated National Trails Day 2010. More than 1,500 events like trail maintenance, biking, hiking, horseback riding, running and bird watching took place throughout the country. This year, the celebratory theme was “Find Your Happy Place.” Everyone’s “happy place” was defined as a favorite outdoor spot to find peace and quiet and just feel good – sans cars, cell phones and iPods.
Lucky for Americans, their “happy place” choices are vast. Because of the National Trails System Act of 1968, a network of trails that offer scenic views, a flavor of history and plentiful opportunities for recreational activities have been set aside throughout the country.
Three national trails intercept areas of Colorado: Santa Fe, Old Spanish and Continental Divide trails.
The Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail extends almost 1,200 miles across five states: New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.
A Gateway for Commerce
In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail became a commercial highway that ran from Missouri to New Mexico. Also, from 1821 until 1846 (the year the Mexican-American War began), the trail was used as an international commercial highway that provided trade between Mexico and America.
However, Spain had control of New Mexico in those days and fiercely guarded its borders. But that changed after the Mexican Revolution of 1821. Mexico’s revolt against the Spaniards was successful in allowing travel throughout New Mexico, and trade on the trail flourished
When the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, the Santa Fe Trail became a national road that connected the United States to its new southwest territories, such as New Mexico.
• William Becknell from Missouri is touted as the “father” of the Santa Fe Trail, as the first pioneer to reach Santa Fe, N.M., via the trail.
• Thousands of people crossed the Santa Fe, from the military to emigrants – in stagecoaches, on foot and on horses. Many traveled the trail west to Colorado in search of gold.
• During the Civil War, a major battle was fought at Glorieta Pass, N.M., on the Santa Fe Trail. Union soldiers were victorious in holding on to the Southwest and the valuable supply trail after they set fire to a Confederate supply train.
Traveling the Santa Fe Trail Today
In Colorado, the Santa Fe Trail extends a little east of Lamar to Trinidad. Besides the incredible views along the trail, there are a myriad of historic sites, from Lamar’s Kit Carson Museum and his home to the Santa Fe Trail Museum in Trinidad. Museum visitors can learn about famous and infamous trail travelers like Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid and Mother Jones.
• In La Junta, Colo., there’s the Koshare Indian Museum and Kiva and Bent’s Old Fort, where Native Americans and mountain trappers traded goods and took a break and relaxed – the Wild West version of the truck stop.
• One of the most scenic stops is the Sierra Vista Overlook, just 13 miles south of La Junta on Highway 350. A short walk up the bluff features beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains, the Spanish Peaks and the prairies.
• The trail offers a variety of wildlife and activities: fishing, camping, biking and hiking. John Martin Reservoir is nearby – it’s the largest body of water in southeastern Colorado. Visitors swim, camp, fish and water ski.
Old Spanish Trail
In 1993, then Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Rep. Scott McInnis introduced a bill authorizing a study of the Old Spanish Trail as a preliminary step to include it in the National Trail System. Senators from New Mexico, Utah and California jumped on board to keep the legislation at the forefront of government business. After a scrupulous study of the significance of the trail’s history, Campbell introduced Senate Bill 1946 in 2002 to include the trail in the system. The bill passed unanimously.
Connecting to the Coast
In 1829, Antonio Armijo, a merchant from Santa Fe, N.M., blazed a new path from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, opening up trade opportunities between California and inland areas and inland areas and foreign markets – because of coastal seaports.
With the new trail, annual visits between New Mexico and California took place, mainly for trade. Still, some migrated to California in the 1830s, in search of gold and prosperity. Others used the path to raid California “ranchos” and take part in human trafficking. Many of the residents along the trail “captured” Native Americans as slaves, even though the practice had been officially condemned by the government.
The Old Spanish Trail has been noted as the most arduous for mule caravans. Covering 2,700 miles, mules swam and dragged their handlers through dozens of river crossings; they crossed dunes in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and California; and they skirted the Grand Canyon and trekked over the cruel desert of Death Valley.
A year after Armijo’s iconic journey, two other mountain men carved another path of the Old Spanish Trail. William Wolfskill and George Yount followed a route along the Colorado River to Needles and up the Mojave River to Cajon Pass. Some on the trail ventured as far north as Salt Lake City and followed what became the North Branch of the trail, which led to Grand Junction, Colo.
All of the varied routes came together in southern Utah and again at the Mojave River.
The North Branch extends from San Luis, Colo., to Crestone to Gunnison and all the way to Grand Junction. The main route of the Old Spanish trail in Colorado runs from Durango to Moab, Utah.
In 1848, as other routes opened up between New Mexico and California, the early settlers no longer used the Old Spanish Trail. Much later, interest in the trail was rejuvenated; and, in 1987, it became part of the National Trails System.
There are few designated hiking trails along the Old Spanish Trail but much of the route borders federal land. Exploring the trail by automobile is the best option. Besides rivers, canyons and national parks, artifacts and a bundle of trail information along the way make the Old Spanish Trail worth the trip.
The North Branch of the trail winds through the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado and across the Continental Divide and the Gunnison National Forest.
Speaking of … the Continental Divide
No one was packing a mule along the Continental Divide Trail in the days of the Wild West, but many early discoverers and Native Americans crossed over the Divide. Native Americans deemed it the “road to buffalo,” according to writings by Lewis (of Lewis and Clark). The pioneers of the actual trail started a quest in 1960 to create a trail near the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains – a trail that would offer spectacular wide-angle views and a “challenging stretch of country” (1966 Bureau of Outdoor Recreation report).
Five years later, modern-day mountain man and attorney Jim Wolf walked the Divide from the Canadian border to Rogers Pass, Mont. He published a guidebook to that section of the trail and formed the Continental Divide Trail Society in the late 70s. In November 1978, the committee of the National Trails System designated the Divide trail as a National Scenic Trail.
- The Continental Divide Trail transverses five states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
- The CDT is a remote backcountry trail for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing, hunting and viewing wildlife. The area offers more extreme outdoor experiences for sports zealots.
- In 1995, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance was established as a nonprofit organization for the completion, maintenance and protection of the CDT.
- About 71 percent of the trail is available for use today, but much of it is in need of repair and rerouting for environmental purposes.
- In Colorado, the Continental Divide Trail includes 800 miles (209 miles are not completed, as of January 2009). The CDT winds through the wilderness areas of south San Juan, Weminuche and La Garita, which is about 70 miles of the trail at 11,000 feet above sea level. The CDT also includes the Collegiate Peaks near Leadville and Grays Peak, the highest point on the trail. The CDT covers a portion of Rocky Mountain National Park and the valleys and glacial lakes of the Mount Zirkel wilderness area. The trail also encompasses the cities of Silverthorne, Copper Mountain and Twin Lakes and borders Aspen.
- The CDT is the most challenging of all trails included in the National Trails System.
More
A bipartisan bill (HR 4671) has been introduced this year to create a new category of trails: National Discovery Trail. The American Discovery Trail, the first coast-to-coast nonmotorized trail, will add another first as a National Discovery Trail under the National Trails System, if the legislation passes.
Just one more “happy place.”
Issue 452
SNIPPETZ PLANS A STAYCATION IN OUR OWN BACK YARD
“If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard.
- Dorothy in “Wizard of Oz”
Whether it’s city, suburbia or farm country; summer “staycations” are becoming more popular as high gasoline prices and rising airline fares continue to dampen travel plans. But staying home on vacation doesn’t have to be a bust. For entertainment, look no farther than the backyard and some easy games.
From croquet to hide ‘n’ seek, backyard games have been around for centuries. In the age of high technology, however, backyard games have taken a back seat to electronic playtime devices like the Wii. But why not step outside, enjoy the sunshine, soak in some Vitamin D and get a bit of exercise with some family friendly outdoor games? They’re inexpensive and plentiful.
Take croquet, for example
Croquet is one of the oldest backyard games around. It made its debut in the British Isles in mid-19th century; and, for more than 100 years, Americans have played croquet at garden parties, outdoor wedding receptions or simple Sunday family gatherings.
Its popularity prompted Jack Osborn to organize the United States Croquet Association in 1977. There’s even a World Croquet Federation Championship and a World Croquet Championship. There are more than 600 croquet greens in the U.S. and Canada.
Croquet is played with nine wickets, two stakes, mallets and balls. Hitting the balls with the mallets in an attempt to get them through the wickets is the gist of the game.
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is another game that goes way back – to ancient Greece. Many believe the game descended from the Greek sport of discus throwing. The Greeks developed a game where the discus was thrown at a stake; however, only the rich could afford the discus. Those with little income opted to use a horseshoe instead. At the time, the horseshoes were round with a hole in the middle and the game was called quoits.
As the game evolved, it was renamed horseshoes and brought to the U.S. by English settlers. The Union soldiers made it popular as they spread it around the country after the Civil War. But the soldiers used the discarded shoes of mules, which could have changed history. It might have been called “muleshoes.”
In 1910, the city of Bronson, Kan., hosted the first world championship of horseshoe pitching. With the birth of an organized horseshoe organization in 1914, now called the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association, standards were set regulating the size and weight of horseshoes (2 lbs. to 2 lbs. and 2 oz). The stake had to stick 8 inches out of the ground. In 1920, the stake was raised to 10 inches; a decade later, the stake went to 15 inches above ground.
Also in the roaring 20s, the game of horseshoes was referred to as “barnyard golf” because it was a favorite in rural communities.
Pitching the horseshoe to the stake is the basis of the game – with a mandatory 40 feet between “toss and land” distance for men and 30 feet for women. The game is played to 40 points. The NHPA estimates that more than 15 million people in the U.S. and Canada play the game.
Battledore and Shuttlecock
Believe it or not, the origin of badminton came from a children’s game played in China, Japan, India and Greece called battledore and shuttlecock. The kids used the battledore as a paddle to hit the shuttlecock back and forth.
In the 1860s in India, a net was added and the game was called Poona. The British Army picked up the game in the 1870s in India and brought it to England.
In 1873, the Duke of Beaufort in England hosted a lawn party at his country place, which was called Badminton. They played Poona at the party, and the sport became popular among the British elite. Soon, the game was referred to as “the Badminton game.” In 1877, the Bath Badminton Club was formed. In 1934, nine founding members formed the International Badminton Federation. And there it is – a paddle, a net and a shuttlecock. They still call the badminton ball a shuttlecock, a feather light ball.
Volleyball
It doesn’t take much to set up a volleyball “court” in the backyard. A net, some stakes and a ball, a little smaller than a basketball. The United States is home to volleyball’s roots.
In 1895, William Morgan, an instructor with the YMCA in Holyoke, Mass., invented volleyball by blending parts of basketball, baseball, tennis and handball. First called “mintonette,” the game was renamed volleyball when an observer told Morgan that the players seemed to volley the ball back and forth.
In 1922, the first national YMCA championship game took place in Brooklyn, N.Y., where 27 teams representing 11 states participated. Six years later, the United States Volleyball Association was formed, which spawned the first U.S. Open volleyball match.
In 1930, the two-man beach game became popular. In the 1990s, it became an Olympic sport.
Years earlier, however, the U.S. Olympic Committee designated volleyball as an Olympic sport (1957). The Americans first showing at the Olympics took place at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Twenty years later, the U.S. teams finally received their first medals – gold for the men; silver for the women.
Bolo Toss
If this game isn’t recognized by the name “bolo toss,” perhaps it is known by its other 40-plus names like Norwegian Horseshoes, Ladder Golf, Snakes, Hillbilly Golf, Polish Golf, Tower Ball, Bolo Golf, Gladiator, Bola, Snake Toss, Blongo Ball, Ladder Toss, Bolo, Rodeo Golf, Dingle Balls, Bolo Polo, Cowboy Golf, Redneck Golf, Pocca Bolo.
Regardless what it’s called, bolo toss is a lawn game that can be constructed using PVC tubing, string and a few golf balls. The bolo is actually a rope that has weights tied on each end. Ladders are placed a certain distance from the “thrower’s mound.” The ladders need to have three rungs, spaced far enough apart to accommodate the bolos. The object of the game: get the bolo to hook around each rung.
Cornhole
Cornhole is a game that all family members can play – from little ones to seniors. The game originated in 1999 in Ohio and is a favorite in the Midwest.
All that’s needed for cornhole is some duck cloth (canvas cloth), a board and corn, sand or beans. First, carve out a hole in a 4 ft. by 2 ft. board. The hole should be cut in the upper center of the board and large enough for the bags to go through. Fill the duck cloth bags with the corn, sand or beans – about 6 inches by 6 inches. The object of the game is to get the bag through the hole – points are scored for each successful toss, and the player who reaches 21 first is the winner.
More …
Bocce ball (a bit like outdoor bowling), tetherball (kind of like volleyball, only the ball is tied to a pole), Frisbee, baseball – there are a zillion ways for families to have some fun under the summer sun.
More for the Kids
Many of the aforementioned games provide outdoor entertainment for adults and families with adolescents or teenagers, but what about the little kids? Get them engaged in simple yard play.
Remember tag? Tag is all about who’s it and who’s it next and running to a predetermined base before getting tagged. And there are many versions of tag.
T.V. Tag, for example
When someone is about to be tagged, he sits down on the ground and yells out the name of a television program. The plan is to yell it out fast before the person is tagged. If everyone sits down at once, at least one person has to get back up and run, or everyone is out.
Blind Man’s Bluff
In this dizzying game, one kid puts on a blindfold and the others spin him around a few times. Then, the blindfolded kid is led around the yard until he reaches a destination determined by his leaders. The blindfolded kid has to guess where he is.
Scavenger Hunt
Compose a list of about 10 “things” one might find outside (this game is great to teach kids about littering). The list could include items like plastic containers, a bottle cap, flowers, a purple flower, an acorn, a leaf, etc. Give the list to all of the kids – the first one to return with all 10 items wins.
Ghosts in the Graveyard
This is hide 'n' seek, only it’s played at night or dusk. All players establish a base and one person is elected “it.” The “it” person has to count out loud like the following: one o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock, ROCK; four o’clock, five o’clock, six o’clock, ROCK; seven o’clock, eight o’clock, nine o’clock ROCK; 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock, 12 o’clock, MIDNIGHT. When Midnight is hollered out, that person must find the ghosts – who are hiding. But watch out – the ghosts try to jump out and scare whoever is it while running to the base before they are tagged.
Other kids games: sprinkler tag, hopscotch, green light/red light, red rover, kickball, dodge ball (using a light weight ball) and jump rope
Just Do It
All it takes for a homemade backyard game is a bit of imagination and a desire for fresh air. If the brain is lacking ideas, game manufacturers have created something for everyone.
So, bag the computer, the T.V. the iPod and all those other gadgets; grab sisters and brothers and mom and dad. Just step outside – and PLAY BALL!
SNIPPETZ PLANS A STAYCATION IN OUR OWN BACK YARD
“If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard.
- Dorothy in “Wizard of Oz”
Whether it’s city, suburbia or farm country; summer “staycations” are becoming more popular as high gasoline prices and rising airline fares continue to dampen travel plans. But staying home on vacation doesn’t have to be a bust. For entertainment, look no farther than the backyard and some easy games.
From croquet to hide ‘n’ seek, backyard games have been around for centuries. In the age of high technology, however, backyard games have taken a back seat to electronic playtime devices like the Wii. But why not step outside, enjoy the sunshine, soak in some Vitamin D and get a bit of exercise with some family friendly outdoor games? They’re inexpensive and plentiful.
Take croquet, for example
Croquet is one of the oldest backyard games around. It made its debut in the British Isles in mid-19th century; and, for more than 100 years, Americans have played croquet at garden parties, outdoor wedding receptions or simple Sunday family gatherings.
Its popularity prompted Jack Osborn to organize the United States Croquet Association in 1977. There’s even a World Croquet Federation Championship and a World Croquet Championship. There are more than 600 croquet greens in the U.S. and Canada.
Croquet is played with nine wickets, two stakes, mallets and balls. Hitting the balls with the mallets in an attempt to get them through the wickets is the gist of the game.
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is another game that goes way back – to ancient Greece. Many believe the game descended from the Greek sport of discus throwing. The Greeks developed a game where the discus was thrown at a stake; however, only the rich could afford the discus. Those with little income opted to use a horseshoe instead. At the time, the horseshoes were round with a hole in the middle and the game was called quoits.
As the game evolved, it was renamed horseshoes and brought to the U.S. by English settlers. The Union soldiers made it popular as they spread it around the country after the Civil War. But the soldiers used the discarded shoes of mules, which could have changed history. It might have been called “muleshoes.”
In 1910, the city of Bronson, Kan., hosted the first world championship of horseshoe pitching. With the birth of an organized horseshoe organization in 1914, now called the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association, standards were set regulating the size and weight of horseshoes (2 lbs. to 2 lbs. and 2 oz). The stake had to stick 8 inches out of the ground. In 1920, the stake was raised to 10 inches; a decade later, the stake went to 15 inches above ground.
Also in the roaring 20s, the game of horseshoes was referred to as “barnyard golf” because it was a favorite in rural communities.
Pitching the horseshoe to the stake is the basis of the game – with a mandatory 40 feet between “toss and land” distance for men and 30 feet for women. The game is played to 40 points. The NHPA estimates that more than 15 million people in the U.S. and Canada play the game.
Battledore and Shuttlecock
Believe it or not, the origin of badminton came from a children’s game played in China, Japan, India and Greece called battledore and shuttlecock. The kids used the battledore as a paddle to hit the shuttlecock back and forth.
In the 1860s in India, a net was added and the game was called Poona. The British Army picked up the game in the 1870s in India and brought it to England.
In 1873, the Duke of Beaufort in England hosted a lawn party at his country place, which was called Badminton. They played Poona at the party, and the sport became popular among the British elite. Soon, the game was referred to as “the Badminton game.” In 1877, the Bath Badminton Club was formed. In 1934, nine founding members formed the International Badminton Federation. And there it is – a paddle, a net and a shuttlecock. They still call the badminton ball a shuttlecock, a feather light ball.
Volleyball
It doesn’t take much to set up a volleyball “court” in the backyard. A net, some stakes and a ball, a little smaller than a basketball. The United States is home to volleyball’s roots.
In 1895, William Morgan, an instructor with the YMCA in Holyoke, Mass., invented volleyball by blending parts of basketball, baseball, tennis and handball. First called “mintonette,” the game was renamed volleyball when an observer told Morgan that the players seemed to volley the ball back and forth.
In 1922, the first national YMCA championship game took place in Brooklyn, N.Y., where 27 teams representing 11 states participated. Six years later, the United States Volleyball Association was formed, which spawned the first U.S. Open volleyball match.
In 1930, the two-man beach game became popular. In the 1990s, it became an Olympic sport.
Years earlier, however, the U.S. Olympic Committee designated volleyball as an Olympic sport (1957). The Americans first showing at the Olympics took place at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Twenty years later, the U.S. teams finally received their first medals – gold for the men; silver for the women.
Bolo Toss
If this game isn’t recognized by the name “bolo toss,” perhaps it is known by its other 40-plus names like Norwegian Horseshoes, Ladder Golf, Snakes, Hillbilly Golf, Polish Golf, Tower Ball, Bolo Golf, Gladiator, Bola, Snake Toss, Blongo Ball, Ladder Toss, Bolo, Rodeo Golf, Dingle Balls, Bolo Polo, Cowboy Golf, Redneck Golf, Pocca Bolo.
Regardless what it’s called, bolo toss is a lawn game that can be constructed using PVC tubing, string and a few golf balls. The bolo is actually a rope that has weights tied on each end. Ladders are placed a certain distance from the “thrower’s mound.” The ladders need to have three rungs, spaced far enough apart to accommodate the bolos. The object of the game: get the bolo to hook around each rung.
Cornhole
Cornhole is a game that all family members can play – from little ones to seniors. The game originated in 1999 in Ohio and is a favorite in the Midwest.
All that’s needed for cornhole is some duck cloth (canvas cloth), a board and corn, sand or beans. First, carve out a hole in a 4 ft. by 2 ft. board. The hole should be cut in the upper center of the board and large enough for the bags to go through. Fill the duck cloth bags with the corn, sand or beans – about 6 inches by 6 inches. The object of the game is to get the bag through the hole – points are scored for each successful toss, and the player who reaches 21 first is the winner.
More …
Bocce ball (a bit like outdoor bowling), tetherball (kind of like volleyball, only the ball is tied to a pole), Frisbee, baseball – there are a zillion ways for families to have some fun under the summer sun.
More for the Kids
Many of the aforementioned games provide outdoor entertainment for adults and families with adolescents or teenagers, but what about the little kids? Get them engaged in simple yard play.
Remember tag? Tag is all about who’s it and who’s it next and running to a predetermined base before getting tagged. And there are many versions of tag.
T.V. Tag, for example
When someone is about to be tagged, he sits down on the ground and yells out the name of a television program. The plan is to yell it out fast before the person is tagged. If everyone sits down at once, at least one person has to get back up and run, or everyone is out.
Blind Man’s Bluff
In this dizzying game, one kid puts on a blindfold and the others spin him around a few times. Then, the blindfolded kid is led around the yard until he reaches a destination determined by his leaders. The blindfolded kid has to guess where he is.
Scavenger Hunt
Compose a list of about 10 “things” one might find outside (this game is great to teach kids about littering). The list could include items like plastic containers, a bottle cap, flowers, a purple flower, an acorn, a leaf, etc. Give the list to all of the kids – the first one to return with all 10 items wins.
Ghosts in the Graveyard
This is hide 'n' seek, only it’s played at night or dusk. All players establish a base and one person is elected “it.” The “it” person has to count out loud like the following: one o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock, ROCK; four o’clock, five o’clock, six o’clock, ROCK; seven o’clock, eight o’clock, nine o’clock ROCK; 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock, 12 o’clock, MIDNIGHT. When Midnight is hollered out, that person must find the ghosts – who are hiding. But watch out – the ghosts try to jump out and scare whoever is it while running to the base before they are tagged.
Other kids games: sprinkler tag, hopscotch, green light/red light, red rover, kickball, dodge ball (using a light weight ball) and jump rope
Just Do It
All it takes for a homemade backyard game is a bit of imagination and a desire for fresh air. If the brain is lacking ideas, game manufacturers have created something for everyone.
So, bag the computer, the T.V. the iPod and all those other gadgets; grab sisters and brothers and mom and dad. Just step outside – and PLAY BALL!
Issue 451
SNIPPETZ SAYS, "LET THE SUMMER BEGIN!"
“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”
-James Dent
The summer solstice is the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer.
The word “solstice” is a combination of Latin words meaning “sun” and “stand still.”
This year, the celestial event takes place June 21 at 7:28 EDT. In the UK, the time is 11:28 UT.
June is a time to refresh and reconnect – and get married?
Frank Sinatra sang about June love. “Winds of January sigh and moan, and yet it’s June. I can see a sky of blue … the miracle is you – just you. It’s June in January.”
June Wedding Bells
The Druids celebrated summer solstice as the “wedding of heaven and Earth.” Thus is the basis for the modern-day belief that a June wedding brings good luck to the bride and groom.
Pagans called the midsummer moon the “honey moon,” which represented the mead made from fermented honey that was used in the wedding ceremonies around the summer solstice.
When dark did come, Pagans kept the celebration going with bonfires so they could stay up all night to the light of the moon. As a ritual to encourage the growth of their crops, couples would leap through the flames, hoping their crops would grow as high as they could jump.
During the summer solstice, evil spirits appeared, according to Pagan folklore. To fend them off, the Pagans wore garlands of herbs and flowers, which trickled down as a traditional part of the bridal ceremony.
June weddings were customary with the Aboriginal people as well. It was a joyous time of year for the tribes – the snow had melted, flowers were in bloom, leaves had returned and the sun was warm. Between the planting and harvesting of their crops, the Aboriginal people married. They believed that the “grand union” of the goddess and god occurred in May; so, in respect for the gods, young couples waited until June to marry.
They also referred to the first full moon as the “honey moon” – a time for harvesting honey. The newlyweds used honey in most of their food and beverages for the first month of their marriage to encourage love and fertility.
Not Just for Weddings
Although the celebration of the summer solstice began with pagan rituals and ancient people’s traditions, many cultures began honoring the longest day of the year with a myriad of activities.
Past and Present
Although not much has been written about their celebrations of the solstice, the Native Americans left testimonials of how they paid homage to the solstice. They built a monument to the sun in the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming, and Native Americans in Chaco Canyon, Colo., left markings on the Fajada Butte highlighting their worship of the solstice sun.
Today, many people – Native Americans and others – flock to those areas during the summer solstice. The inscriptions have changed over time on the monuments because of weather and shifts in the ground, but followers of the Native American culture believe in the mystical powers that inhabit the mountains.
Wisteria
One of the largest celebrations of the solstice in the United States takes place in Wisteria, Ohio. Beginning June 20, it’s a weeklong event – touted as a “magical village celebrating eco-spiritual culture.” A few of the numerous activities include sweat lodges (a Native American tradition), drumming and dancing around the bonfire, fire spinners, concerts and nature walks. Speakers like doctors, natural healers and teachers provide insight on spiritual, emotional and physical health. Yoga and meditation classes are available as well.
Another highlight at the celebration is the Turtle Mound – the site of ceremonies, meditation, weddings and concerts. People in Wisteria built a turtle effigy mound over three summer solstices. The turtle is 60 feet long, from his head to the tip of his tail, and 40 feet wide.
Celebrate at Home
Is it too far to drive to Wisteria? No worries. There are all kinds of ways to honor the sun and its bounty on June 21.
Plan a bonfire. Create a campsite; build a fire and share stories and songs with friends and family. Do it on the evening of the 20th to welcome the solstice or bid farewell to the solstice on the night of June 21. Just don’t forget the s’mores.
Or, host a barbeque. Add another reason for a summer barbecue. It’s not just about Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day.
Sunrise; sunset: Commemorate the sun by getting up early to watch the sun rise on the longest day of the year. Or, stay up later and soak in that beautiful sunset.
Summer Solstice Celebrity Birthdays
A few famous people, born June 20 and June 21, might extend their birthday celebrations on the longest day of the year.
June 20
Actor Nicole Kidman
Songster Lionel Richie
Actor Martin Landau
Beach Boys Brian Wilson
June 21
Actor Meredith Baxter
Prince William
Songstress Cyndi Lauper
Actor Robert Pastorelli
June Folklore from Farmer’s Almanac
The summer solstice kicks off the summer season, while June is a magnet for all kinds of weather, from days filled with sunshine to hurricanes to hail.
Summer Fun Facts
June is a fun month for most kids (and teachers). Prior to the solstice, the school year ends. June begets vacations, watermelon and ice cream. Speaking of watermelon, did anyone know it’s a vegetable? Here are some more fun facts about summer activities.
June is Also
Maybe June is best-known for the summer solstice, but it’s also a time to recognize an assortment of “stuff.”
Sun Joke
Q: What did the pig say at the beach on a hot summer's day?
A: I'm bacon!
A Poem
This is for June and all the summers it brings
For the chiming of bells – from a steeple ring
Olde songs of wedlock over top hat and lace
'Fore June passes torch, to July's scarlet face
Trees are full jackets, in multi-shades of green
The last pink magnolia leaf – still can be seen
There’s a breeze in the air that carries a scent
Of her sweet honeysuckle – full efflorescence
Still nights cast a chill, but June has its motives
An inviting warm flame, bright amorous votive
Moonlit romance, 'neath a nautic June breeze
Makes love in June sparkle, by shore or by sea
- Frank James Ryan, Jr.
SNIPPETZ SAYS, "LET THE SUMMER BEGIN!"
“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”
-James Dent
The summer solstice is the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer.
The word “solstice” is a combination of Latin words meaning “sun” and “stand still.”
This year, the celestial event takes place June 21 at 7:28 EDT. In the UK, the time is 11:28 UT.
June is a time to refresh and reconnect – and get married?
Frank Sinatra sang about June love. “Winds of January sigh and moan, and yet it’s June. I can see a sky of blue … the miracle is you – just you. It’s June in January.”
June Wedding Bells
The Druids celebrated summer solstice as the “wedding of heaven and Earth.” Thus is the basis for the modern-day belief that a June wedding brings good luck to the bride and groom.
Pagans called the midsummer moon the “honey moon,” which represented the mead made from fermented honey that was used in the wedding ceremonies around the summer solstice.
When dark did come, Pagans kept the celebration going with bonfires so they could stay up all night to the light of the moon. As a ritual to encourage the growth of their crops, couples would leap through the flames, hoping their crops would grow as high as they could jump.
During the summer solstice, evil spirits appeared, according to Pagan folklore. To fend them off, the Pagans wore garlands of herbs and flowers, which trickled down as a traditional part of the bridal ceremony.
June weddings were customary with the Aboriginal people as well. It was a joyous time of year for the tribes – the snow had melted, flowers were in bloom, leaves had returned and the sun was warm. Between the planting and harvesting of their crops, the Aboriginal people married. They believed that the “grand union” of the goddess and god occurred in May; so, in respect for the gods, young couples waited until June to marry.
They also referred to the first full moon as the “honey moon” – a time for harvesting honey. The newlyweds used honey in most of their food and beverages for the first month of their marriage to encourage love and fertility.
Not Just for Weddings
Although the celebration of the summer solstice began with pagan rituals and ancient people’s traditions, many cultures began honoring the longest day of the year with a myriad of activities.
Past and Present
Although not much has been written about their celebrations of the solstice, the Native Americans left testimonials of how they paid homage to the solstice. They built a monument to the sun in the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming, and Native Americans in Chaco Canyon, Colo., left markings on the Fajada Butte highlighting their worship of the solstice sun.
Today, many people – Native Americans and others – flock to those areas during the summer solstice. The inscriptions have changed over time on the monuments because of weather and shifts in the ground, but followers of the Native American culture believe in the mystical powers that inhabit the mountains.
Wisteria
One of the largest celebrations of the solstice in the United States takes place in Wisteria, Ohio. Beginning June 20, it’s a weeklong event – touted as a “magical village celebrating eco-spiritual culture.” A few of the numerous activities include sweat lodges (a Native American tradition), drumming and dancing around the bonfire, fire spinners, concerts and nature walks. Speakers like doctors, natural healers and teachers provide insight on spiritual, emotional and physical health. Yoga and meditation classes are available as well.
Another highlight at the celebration is the Turtle Mound – the site of ceremonies, meditation, weddings and concerts. People in Wisteria built a turtle effigy mound over three summer solstices. The turtle is 60 feet long, from his head to the tip of his tail, and 40 feet wide.
Celebrate at Home
Is it too far to drive to Wisteria? No worries. There are all kinds of ways to honor the sun and its bounty on June 21.
Plan a bonfire. Create a campsite; build a fire and share stories and songs with friends and family. Do it on the evening of the 20th to welcome the solstice or bid farewell to the solstice on the night of June 21. Just don’t forget the s’mores.
Or, host a barbeque. Add another reason for a summer barbecue. It’s not just about Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day.
Sunrise; sunset: Commemorate the sun by getting up early to watch the sun rise on the longest day of the year. Or, stay up later and soak in that beautiful sunset.
Summer Solstice Celebrity Birthdays
A few famous people, born June 20 and June 21, might extend their birthday celebrations on the longest day of the year.
June 20
Actor Nicole Kidman
Songster Lionel Richie
Actor Martin Landau
Beach Boys Brian Wilson
June 21
Actor Meredith Baxter
Prince William
Songstress Cyndi Lauper
Actor Robert Pastorelli
June Folklore from Farmer’s Almanac
The summer solstice kicks off the summer season, while June is a magnet for all kinds of weather, from days filled with sunshine to hurricanes to hail.
- If June is sunny, the harvest will come early.
- A cold and wet June spoils the rest of the year.
- June, damp and warm, does a farmer no harm.
- An early harvest is expected when the bramble blossoms early in June.
- When it is hottest in June, it will be coldest in the correlating days of the following February.
- A wet June makes a dry September.
- Rain on St. Barnabas’ Day (June 11) is good for grapes
- Calm weather in June sets corn in tune.
Summer Fun Facts
June is a fun month for most kids (and teachers). Prior to the solstice, the school year ends. June begets vacations, watermelon and ice cream. Speaking of watermelon, did anyone know it’s a vegetable? Here are some more fun facts about summer activities.
- The first Olympic Games were held in Greece more than 2,000 years ago.
- Sharks are one of the oldest living creatures in the sea – evidence has shown the shark species has been lurking in the waters for more than 400 million years. In the dinosaur age, sharks grew up to 80 feet long! Today, the Great White is a mere 25 feet.
- Mosquitoes have been around for 30 million years. They have chemical sensors that detect mammals from 100 feet away. They have heat sensors to detect warm-blooded creatures and visual sensors that detect movement and contrast in colors. The adult male mosquito dies after mating. Females lay their eggs and can live for months.
- Watermelon is a vegetable and closely related to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. Watermelon is 92 percent water – early explorers hollowed out the watermelon and used it as a canteen.
- In 1905, Frank Epperson, just 11 years old, invented the first Popsicle – by accident. He left a mixture of powdered soda and water, with a stir stick, on his porch. The next morning, he found a frozen pop! He first named his frozen pop an “epsicle.” However, as he aged, kids always asked for “Pop’s sickle” – and the name stuck. The cherry Popsicle is No. 1 in favorite flavors.
- The average American eats around 5 1/2 gallons of ice cream a year, more than any other nationality.
- The first bathing suits for women were introduced in the early 1800s. Because a tan was not proper in those days, the first suits for women were long-sleeved bathing dresses with woolen bloomers to weight the dress down. The only real swimming for women involved jumping into waves at water’s edge or dipping their feet.
- In the 1870s, the Frisbee was designed as a tin pie plate, with the name “Frisbee” on the plate for marketing purposes. The ploy was used to entice women to think about Mr. Frisbee’s pies when they were baking one of their own. How much easier it was to buy one. It worked, and Mr. Frisbee’s pies became famous, especially in Connecticut.
- In the 1940s, students from Yale University started tossing the pie tins to one another as a game of catch. It caught on around campus and elsewhere. Ten years later, the president of Wham-O created the plastic disc.
June is Also
Maybe June is best-known for the summer solstice, but it’s also a time to recognize an assortment of “stuff.”
- Dairy Month
- Great Outdoors Month
- Adopt a Cat Month
- Drive Safe Month
- Fruit and Vegetable Month
- Ice Tea Month
- Rose Month
- Potting Training Month (for real)
- National Safety Month
- Tennis Month
- Zoo and Aquarium Month
- Turkey Month (November would not be a good month for turkeys.)
Sun Joke
Q: What did the pig say at the beach on a hot summer's day?
A: I'm bacon!
A Poem
This is for June and all the summers it brings
For the chiming of bells – from a steeple ring
Olde songs of wedlock over top hat and lace
'Fore June passes torch, to July's scarlet face
Trees are full jackets, in multi-shades of green
The last pink magnolia leaf – still can be seen
There’s a breeze in the air that carries a scent
Of her sweet honeysuckle – full efflorescence
Still nights cast a chill, but June has its motives
An inviting warm flame, bright amorous votive
Moonlit romance, 'neath a nautic June breeze
Makes love in June sparkle, by shore or by sea
- Frank James Ryan, Jr.
Issue 450
SNIPPETZ TAKES A RETRO TOUR
“It's never safe to be nostalgic about something until you're absolutely certain there's no chance of its coming back.”
-Bill Vaughn
Retro: Fashionably nostalgic or old fashioned, according to the Webster Merriam online dictionary.
Anything from any past decade can be considered retro, but it’s the 1950s, 60s and 70s that are the most popular eras for nostalgia. Second-hand shops and vintage clothing stores are thriving in an economy that isn’t – think Retrospect Dry Goods in Monument. Drive-in restaurants and diners are back and going strong – think Rosie’s Diner in Monument. Those three decades – 1950s, 1960s and 1970s – were wild when it came to fashion, cars and design in general. From avocado refrigerators to flowered wallpaper to bell bottoms, the trends cascaded in every which way.
In-house Retro
Going retro in any room of the house? All that’s needed to start is a bit of color, something vinyl and maybe some shag carpeting. Don’t be shy about bold colors and lots of textures. Mix ‘em up and swirl them around. Options include (not all for the same room) a purple, vinyl chair; a mustard yellow fabric chair, a pink shag throw rug, an avocado refrigerator and stove; a room done in black and white, with a hint of red; a bright blue lamp shade – anything or anywhere that denies color coordination. Add a lava lamp, door beads or a few abstract art pieces; and, presto, you’ve got retro. After all, the 60s and 70s were the decades of peace, love and anything goes. Say “funky.”
Retro Pets
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Pets - You can still purchase those little plants that sprout from a terracotta figurine today. They first arrived on the scene in 1982 in the shape of a ram and have added many other animal shapes over the years. They can be found in more recent years shaped like characters including Sponge Bob and Shrek.
Pet Rock – Who would have thought that a bar conversation about the trouble with having pets would spring forth the idea of a rock as a perfect pet? In 1975, you could spend $3.75 for a Pet Rock and rest assured that there were no added expenses of vet bills, obedience training or toys. Gary Dahl’s little invention made him a millionaire. Go figure.
Retro-fit Fashion
Jiving 50s
Fitted suits for mom and dresses with a tight waste and wide skirt (stiffed, starched petticoats) for their teenage daughter commanded the fashion runway in the 50s. It was the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll and those looped skirts played into those jump-jiving days. It was also “cool” in those days to own a fur coat. Although highly retro, wearing a real fur today isn’t so politically correct among many groups. But then there’s faux fur.
Hairstyles were all about updos and pageboys.
Mod 60s
Mod, hippie, mini: Many styles born in the 60s are retro-popular or back today. A somewhat fitted shift dress about 8 inches above the knee found its way to fashion in the baby boomer adolescent and teen years. Wild prints and colors donned the 60s as well. After Cher began baring her midriff, gypsy-like clothing sprung up on the scene. Big, wide pants with a loud print pattern and a matching blouse that often tied above the midriff became a daring but favorite look. The pill box hat and suit (think Jackie Kennedy) was “happening” for the dressed-up look. Velvet formals were in style, too.
Some of the “cool” guys (think Fonzie in “Happy Days”) elected to wear leather jackets, white Ts and jeans (and oil-slick-like hair). Other “cool” guys like the Beatles opted for the fitted or mod look.
Eventually, the mini got smaller – shorts were in – and tan, smooth legs. Welcome Schick. Hairstyles shortened as well. Welcome the pixie cut.
70s Midi, Mini or Maxi
Disco brought a loose set of rules to the fashion industry. Hot pants, spandex tops, shiny and clingy Lycra stretch pants and halter jumpsuits and that John Travolta-in-Saturday-Night-Fever-suit all made it to the dazzling, dizzying disco dance floor.
And who can forget men who wore satin shirts with high collars that they unbuttoned practically to their waist, showing off a deeply tanned chest and a gaudy gold medallion.
As the mini got shorter, women also decided that long dresses and midi skirts were in vogue as well.
The halter-top-pant-suit look was “hot.” Wide legs and naked shoulders oozed glamour yet casual. The granny dress was not about granny. Almost all 70s girls and women had a granny dress: long, flowered-print, high neckline with a bit of lace and long sleeves – straight or puffed. The empire dress showed up in the 70s: a fitted high waste – whether short or long.
Hairstyles of the 70s included the bob, and lest we not forget the shag, which made its way through the millennium.
They’re Back…
Fashion designers get plenty of their modern-day design ideas from the 50s, 60s and 70s; and, because of its popularity, the retro look has been reproduced for major retailers as well. Take a gander at the old-come-back-as-new fashion trends.
Skinny ties for men - The skinny tie was originally worn in the 50s – bright colors included bright blues, greens and pinks. Just watch the T.V. show “Mad Men” for proof. In this era, the slim-Jim tie was always understated – patterns were simple and deep reds were popular.
Sunglasses - Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses came on the scene in the 50s. They were big glasses, but petite actress Audrey Hepburn brought them to fame when they just about concealed her face in the 1961 film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In the 60s, polarized glasses were introduced. The 70s sunglasses had large lenses as well, with angles of all sorts shaped as frames.
Retro Wheels
For many, cars of the 50s, 60s and 70s were equally important to fashion trends. What good is the look without the wheels?
Whether it’s 50s, 60s or 70s, convertibles have always been favorites among car lovers.
1950s cars were colorful, to say the least. How about a Pepto Bismol-pink Cadillac convertible? The Cadillac (and other makes) also came in turquoise, cranberry red, bright blue, sunny yellow and so on. It was the norm to have a different colored body and a different colored top in those days; and, no matter the colors, cars of the 50s were big and boxy and some had wings jetting out the back.
Car manufacturers began toning it down in the 60s and 70s. Smaller cars – and less flair.
Circling those drive-ins every Friday and Saturday night in the 60s and early 70s were corvettes (status cars), MGBs, corvairs, the Pontiac GTO and Grand Prix, the Chevy Impala and that 1965 Ford Mustang.
Who didn’t have a VW Bug at one time or another? And for the hippie traveler, it was a VW Bus – often adorned with graffiti-like messages of peace and love. Some called these “muscle cars” – the Camaro and the Shelby Cobra from the UK.
Many of the sought-after cars of the mid to late 70s were foreign like the Honda Civic and the Datsun 510.
Drive It In
You’ve got the clothes, you’ve got the car…where to next? Fortunately, you never have to get out of that Ford T-bird if you don’t want to because you can head out for a drive-in dinner and drive-in movie.
First, dinner. Pull up to the neighborhood drive-in with your date or a car full of friends and get waited on by a carhop on skates. A Dallas man, J.G. Kirby may have been the first to come up with the drive-in theme in the early 1920s when he opened The Pig Stand, specializing in barbeque. Over the next few decades, the drive-in slowly gained popularity and really hit its stride in the 1950s when that Chevy Bel Air convertible also became cool.
The drive-in restaurant was a place to see and be seen, as was the drive-in-theater. Drive-in theaters came onto the scene in 1933, started by New Jersey’s Richard M. Hollingshead who hung up a sheet in his backyard and strapped a Kodak projector onto the hood of his car. Hollingshead lined up cars in his driveway and put them on various sizes of blocks so that the inhabitants of each car could see the “screen.” There are still about 500 drive-in theaters remaining around the country today. Most have been lost to increasing real estate values and developers snapping up the land. But, the drive-in is still a great entertainment avenue for families with a carload of kids to entertain for the evening at a low cost.
Retro Sugar
Remember any of these? Some have made a comeback and can be found on store shelves today.
50’s candy:
• Candy cigarettes
• Bubble gum cigars
• Abba-Zaba Taffy Peanut Butter
• Candy buttons
• Nik-L-Nip Wax (wax sticks with liquid in them)
60’s candy:
• Chuckles Jelly Candy
• Fizzies Drink Tablets
• Necco Wafers
• Marshmallow Cones
• Razzles
70s candy:
• Boston Beans
• Astronaut Ice Cream
• Goobers
Time to Play … Many Still Here Today
• Mr. Potato Head
• Pick up stix
• Slinky dog
• Sock Monkey
• Play-doh
• Etch a Sketch
• Twister
• Battleship
• Fisher Price Chatter phone
• Mousetrap
• Booby Trap
Retro Not-So-Politically Correct
Much of retro is about material things – cars, clothes, décor – but there are some collectables from those decades that would today be lawsuits in waiting. Here are a few laughable – or cringe-inducing – advertisements from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
How about ads citing happiness is a … for the little woman.
Aaaahh, the good old days.
SNIPPETZ TAKES A RETRO TOUR
“It's never safe to be nostalgic about something until you're absolutely certain there's no chance of its coming back.”
-Bill Vaughn
Retro: Fashionably nostalgic or old fashioned, according to the Webster Merriam online dictionary.
Anything from any past decade can be considered retro, but it’s the 1950s, 60s and 70s that are the most popular eras for nostalgia. Second-hand shops and vintage clothing stores are thriving in an economy that isn’t – think Retrospect Dry Goods in Monument. Drive-in restaurants and diners are back and going strong – think Rosie’s Diner in Monument. Those three decades – 1950s, 1960s and 1970s – were wild when it came to fashion, cars and design in general. From avocado refrigerators to flowered wallpaper to bell bottoms, the trends cascaded in every which way.
In-house Retro
Going retro in any room of the house? All that’s needed to start is a bit of color, something vinyl and maybe some shag carpeting. Don’t be shy about bold colors and lots of textures. Mix ‘em up and swirl them around. Options include (not all for the same room) a purple, vinyl chair; a mustard yellow fabric chair, a pink shag throw rug, an avocado refrigerator and stove; a room done in black and white, with a hint of red; a bright blue lamp shade – anything or anywhere that denies color coordination. Add a lava lamp, door beads or a few abstract art pieces; and, presto, you’ve got retro. After all, the 60s and 70s were the decades of peace, love and anything goes. Say “funky.”
Retro Pets
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Pets - You can still purchase those little plants that sprout from a terracotta figurine today. They first arrived on the scene in 1982 in the shape of a ram and have added many other animal shapes over the years. They can be found in more recent years shaped like characters including Sponge Bob and Shrek.
Pet Rock – Who would have thought that a bar conversation about the trouble with having pets would spring forth the idea of a rock as a perfect pet? In 1975, you could spend $3.75 for a Pet Rock and rest assured that there were no added expenses of vet bills, obedience training or toys. Gary Dahl’s little invention made him a millionaire. Go figure.
Retro-fit Fashion
Jiving 50s
Fitted suits for mom and dresses with a tight waste and wide skirt (stiffed, starched petticoats) for their teenage daughter commanded the fashion runway in the 50s. It was the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll and those looped skirts played into those jump-jiving days. It was also “cool” in those days to own a fur coat. Although highly retro, wearing a real fur today isn’t so politically correct among many groups. But then there’s faux fur.
Hairstyles were all about updos and pageboys.
Mod 60s
Mod, hippie, mini: Many styles born in the 60s are retro-popular or back today. A somewhat fitted shift dress about 8 inches above the knee found its way to fashion in the baby boomer adolescent and teen years. Wild prints and colors donned the 60s as well. After Cher began baring her midriff, gypsy-like clothing sprung up on the scene. Big, wide pants with a loud print pattern and a matching blouse that often tied above the midriff became a daring but favorite look. The pill box hat and suit (think Jackie Kennedy) was “happening” for the dressed-up look. Velvet formals were in style, too.
Some of the “cool” guys (think Fonzie in “Happy Days”) elected to wear leather jackets, white Ts and jeans (and oil-slick-like hair). Other “cool” guys like the Beatles opted for the fitted or mod look.
Eventually, the mini got smaller – shorts were in – and tan, smooth legs. Welcome Schick. Hairstyles shortened as well. Welcome the pixie cut.
70s Midi, Mini or Maxi
Disco brought a loose set of rules to the fashion industry. Hot pants, spandex tops, shiny and clingy Lycra stretch pants and halter jumpsuits and that John Travolta-in-Saturday-Night-Fever-suit all made it to the dazzling, dizzying disco dance floor.
And who can forget men who wore satin shirts with high collars that they unbuttoned practically to their waist, showing off a deeply tanned chest and a gaudy gold medallion.
As the mini got shorter, women also decided that long dresses and midi skirts were in vogue as well.
The halter-top-pant-suit look was “hot.” Wide legs and naked shoulders oozed glamour yet casual. The granny dress was not about granny. Almost all 70s girls and women had a granny dress: long, flowered-print, high neckline with a bit of lace and long sleeves – straight or puffed. The empire dress showed up in the 70s: a fitted high waste – whether short or long.
Hairstyles of the 70s included the bob, and lest we not forget the shag, which made its way through the millennium.
They’re Back…
Fashion designers get plenty of their modern-day design ideas from the 50s, 60s and 70s; and, because of its popularity, the retro look has been reproduced for major retailers as well. Take a gander at the old-come-back-as-new fashion trends.
Skinny ties for men - The skinny tie was originally worn in the 50s – bright colors included bright blues, greens and pinks. Just watch the T.V. show “Mad Men” for proof. In this era, the slim-Jim tie was always understated – patterns were simple and deep reds were popular.
Sunglasses - Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses came on the scene in the 50s. They were big glasses, but petite actress Audrey Hepburn brought them to fame when they just about concealed her face in the 1961 film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In the 60s, polarized glasses were introduced. The 70s sunglasses had large lenses as well, with angles of all sorts shaped as frames.
Retro Wheels
For many, cars of the 50s, 60s and 70s were equally important to fashion trends. What good is the look without the wheels?
Whether it’s 50s, 60s or 70s, convertibles have always been favorites among car lovers.
1950s cars were colorful, to say the least. How about a Pepto Bismol-pink Cadillac convertible? The Cadillac (and other makes) also came in turquoise, cranberry red, bright blue, sunny yellow and so on. It was the norm to have a different colored body and a different colored top in those days; and, no matter the colors, cars of the 50s were big and boxy and some had wings jetting out the back.
Car manufacturers began toning it down in the 60s and 70s. Smaller cars – and less flair.
Circling those drive-ins every Friday and Saturday night in the 60s and early 70s were corvettes (status cars), MGBs, corvairs, the Pontiac GTO and Grand Prix, the Chevy Impala and that 1965 Ford Mustang.
Who didn’t have a VW Bug at one time or another? And for the hippie traveler, it was a VW Bus – often adorned with graffiti-like messages of peace and love. Some called these “muscle cars” – the Camaro and the Shelby Cobra from the UK.
Many of the sought-after cars of the mid to late 70s were foreign like the Honda Civic and the Datsun 510.
Drive It In
You’ve got the clothes, you’ve got the car…where to next? Fortunately, you never have to get out of that Ford T-bird if you don’t want to because you can head out for a drive-in dinner and drive-in movie.
First, dinner. Pull up to the neighborhood drive-in with your date or a car full of friends and get waited on by a carhop on skates. A Dallas man, J.G. Kirby may have been the first to come up with the drive-in theme in the early 1920s when he opened The Pig Stand, specializing in barbeque. Over the next few decades, the drive-in slowly gained popularity and really hit its stride in the 1950s when that Chevy Bel Air convertible also became cool.
The drive-in restaurant was a place to see and be seen, as was the drive-in-theater. Drive-in theaters came onto the scene in 1933, started by New Jersey’s Richard M. Hollingshead who hung up a sheet in his backyard and strapped a Kodak projector onto the hood of his car. Hollingshead lined up cars in his driveway and put them on various sizes of blocks so that the inhabitants of each car could see the “screen.” There are still about 500 drive-in theaters remaining around the country today. Most have been lost to increasing real estate values and developers snapping up the land. But, the drive-in is still a great entertainment avenue for families with a carload of kids to entertain for the evening at a low cost.
Retro Sugar
Remember any of these? Some have made a comeback and can be found on store shelves today.
50’s candy:
• Candy cigarettes
• Bubble gum cigars
• Abba-Zaba Taffy Peanut Butter
• Candy buttons
• Nik-L-Nip Wax (wax sticks with liquid in them)
60’s candy:
• Chuckles Jelly Candy
• Fizzies Drink Tablets
• Necco Wafers
• Marshmallow Cones
• Razzles
70s candy:
• Boston Beans
• Astronaut Ice Cream
• Goobers
Time to Play … Many Still Here Today
• Mr. Potato Head
• Pick up stix
• Slinky dog
• Sock Monkey
• Play-doh
• Etch a Sketch
• Twister
• Battleship
• Fisher Price Chatter phone
• Mousetrap
• Booby Trap
Retro Not-So-Politically Correct
Much of retro is about material things – cars, clothes, décor – but there are some collectables from those decades that would today be lawsuits in waiting. Here are a few laughable – or cringe-inducing – advertisements from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
- Kellogg’s Pepp vitamins: “The harder a wife works, the cuter she looks.” This billboard-type ad also features a male with the words, “Gosh, honey, you seem to be thriving on cooking, cleaning and dusting. The wife: “Vitamins, darling, I always get my vitamins.”
- A 70s ad by Mazola Oil: “Bill Warner’s new wife promised to love, honor and polyunsaturate.”
- The sugar industry had a heyday decades ago with ads touting the benefits of their product. This line is a killer, especially today: “If sugar’s so popular, how come so many kids are thin?” The ad shows a close up of a glass of Coke or Pepsi and a diatribe of words promoting sugar for good health. This ad debuted in the 70s.
- Another ad from Sugar Information features a woman holding a pop bottle, sipping through a straw. The caption: “Have a soft drink before your main meal. Sugar just might be the willpower you need to curb your appetite.” Hmmmm …
- You won’t see this one on a billboard today. The tag line: “Tired of being skinny?” Pictured is a bare-chested, well-built male surrounded by two bikini-clad women. This is a 60s ad promoting a weight-gain drink.
- Another one you won’t see today. “If you want to be popular, you can’t be skinny.” Wate-ON product
How about ads citing happiness is a … for the little woman.
- “Christmas morning, she’ll be happy with a Hoover.” 1969
- “How a Hamilton washer and dryer can get a marriage off on the right foot … and keep it that way.” The guy on the advertisement is in checkered pants (and a Beatle’s haircut) and the wife is wearing fishnet stockings. The washer and dryer is, of course, avocado.
Aaaahh, the good old days.