Thursday, April 30, 2009

Creative Minds- The First Toy Advertised on Television

What was the first toy to be advertised on television?

Slinky? Silly Puddy? Barbie? G.I. Joe? Red Rider B.B. Gun? Radio Flyer Wagon?

What do you think?

Here's some mindless trivia!

On April 30, 1952, Mr. Potato Head was the first toy advertised on television. This was well before I was born and many years before my family even owned a color television set. Yet I still remember receiving my first Mr. Potato Head as a gift. It was a birthday present and I was a bit confused. What on earth would I do with a potato head? It couldn't fight; or catch or even kick a ball. Pretty useless I thought..... Nonetheless, I was thrilled to receive the gift. And I spent hours entertaining myself with the funny looking potato dude.

Today when I learned about Mr. Potato Head's birthday I decided to do some research. Per Wikipedia.com:

Mr. Potato Head was born on May 1, 1952. The original toy cost $.98, and contained hands, feet, ears, two mouths, two pairs of eyes, four noses, three hats, eyeglasses, a pipe, and 8 felt pieces resembling facial hair. The Original Mr. Potato Head kit did not come with a "Potato Body," so parents had to supply their own potatoes for face-changing fun. His debut into the toy scene sent him straight to the top, becoming the first toy to ever be advertised on television.



Original Mr. Potato Head Box set


Over one million kits were sold in the first year. (Not a bad year huh?) In 1953, Mrs. Potato Head was added, and soon after, Brother Spud and Sister Yam (Sister Yam?? You think I'm kidding?) completed the Potato Head family with accessories reflecting the affluence of the fifties that included a car, a boat trailer, a kitchen set, a stroller, and pets called Spud-ettes. Although originally produced as separate plastic parts to be stuck into a real potato or other vegetable, a plastic potato was added to the kit in 1964.

So there you have it. You can still walk into a toy store today and buy a Mr. Potato Head. In an age of interactive technical gaming and so much virtual stimulation, I wonder if there's still a market for such basic toys. Do young kids today still play with Potato Heads? Maybe adults are reliving childhood fantasies. I suppose If you're too embarrassed to be seen buying a spud toy, you can order one of the many different kits on-line and have it secretly delivered to you where you can play dress up in the privacy of your own home.

Have fun: http://www.hasbro.com/playskool/mrpotatohead/default.cfm?page=browse

At the time, it was a very creative idea!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Music Monday - Baby Can I Hold You?

I've missed a few Music Monday's - It's not easy being held captive. But here Goes:
I once heard a colleague describe the following two people as;


"two folks he would not like to meet in a dark alley."







And




Tracy Chapman


I wasn't as intimidated by their looks as he was but we at least agreed on one thing - They are/were (Pavarotti died of pancreatic cancer in 2007) very talented. Both artist are also noted for being very socially conscious and contributing to many charitable organizations. I genuinely appreciate that.

Tracy Chapman is slightly unconventional in her music but there is strength and knowledge in her lyrics. Pavorotti.... Well, He's just Pavorotti. I enjoy listening to this song.

I guess I'll just have to close my eyes, stroll through the alley and listen by myself......



Enjoy!








Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.



Friday, April 24, 2009

Erotic Love Making Ideas!

I'm getting Erotic Lovemaking ideas - Until "My cup runneth over And my e-mailbox filleth Upeth!"

I reached a new milestone today

- I set a personal best record

- I shattered my best prior attempts!

- I won the gold medal and walked away with the crown for the all time highest level of STUFF in my e-mail box.


Today I reached the "Oh @#$&" level.


Just two days ago, I made a concerted effort to whittle my number down to a "Just way too much" level. After taking some time off on vacation and just getting behind with life in general, my box swelled a bit so I spent some time earlier in the week deleting junk and spam that had slipped through my filters. Surprisingly, I woke up this morning and realized I had somehow blown through the "way too much number" and reached the panic level!


Where does all this crap come from? Some of it is truly important. And yeah, some of it is absolute junk. Those two categories I can deal with right away. Read it, download it, act on it, file it, or delete it. It's all the stuff in between that is starting to get me a bit riled. Stuff I've got to think about and come back to. And what about those dear friends and family members who send me every joke, anecdote, and piece of political humor that comes across their monitor? (Are you one of those people?) I've managed to find my way onto several of those lists. I'm sorry uncle Al, I don't really want to read another email that requires me to forward it to another 100 friends and family. Many of these folks who send me email junk are retired and semi-retired and I get it..... They've got time to read, laugh at, and then forward all that junk to me! They don't want me to miss out on the laughs. Don't worry guys and dolls, I get enough humor laughing at my own dumb antics.





And lately, I must be on every newsletter list in the world. Jeez! I don't have time to read these things. And If I get another notice about a great golf tournament that I can't play in I think I'll blow a gasket!





But the truth be known, my cover is blown. Someone has acquired my email address and now I'm getting tons more spam. That's what's killing me. Most of it goes to my spam folder but some of it is sneaking through. Just for giggles, I browsed through some of the subject lines in my spam folder. Here are a few:






  • Discover your flat sexy stomach

  • Oprah's amazing diet

  • Find foreclosures in your area fast

  • Rid your colon of weight and toxins (tempting)

  • 3 Sex positions for Pregnant women (Don't need that one)

  • Boost your energy Now- the natural way

  • Sex and Kung Fu- learn to control your mind and body

  • Your credit score may have changed

  • Tribbulus Terrestris Extract -( What the heck is that?)

  • Ooops- This one is not spam - Better read it!

  • And of course - 4 Erotic Love making ideas!




I think curiosity killed my cat when I opened an email with a catchy title. I won't say which one but I'm sure you can guess. You know me by now, I'm a sucker for a good idea. Someone (or some computer program) figured out that they had a live fish on the other end of the line. Or at least a dumb one. Now I'm getting spammed to death.



No more SPAM!

Spam

Enough Already!



I've got blogging to do!

Narly! - Courageous or Dumb!

Listen for these key phrases:

"If you mess up, Big consequences"

"Mental Toughness"




I've always wondered about people who use the word "Narly" more than once! I figure the first time it could be a mistake.

Anyway -

  • Great Scenery
  • Great Skill
  • Great Snow
  • Great Technique
  • Great Helicopter Pilot
  • Great Photo Opportunity

Great Idea?????????


Maybe! Maybe Not!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Bobby Collins - You're just Funny!

Hey Bobby... Remember me?

I had a chance to see Bobby Collins live and then chat with Bobby and his wife a bit after the show. He's funny! He spent some time in St. Martin/Sint Maarten and the Caribbean making people laugh.

And he has absolutely perfect teeth! See his site for more information: Bobby Collins

I loved your jokes.....


"On the inside"

Anyone who has seen Bobby will know what I mean.



Here's a clip from YouTube. Catch him when you can. You'll laugh!



Sunday, April 19, 2009

Shanghaied In the P.R.

Okay - It was a simple plan.....




Sail into Puerto Rico and take some time to look around; grab a bite to eat - snag a drink - and blast on to my next destination!


Simple - Right?




So I took the opportunity to snap a few shots of "El Morro."






It was a beautiful day! Not too hot and not wet, windy, or cold!




"El Morro"-- or Fort San Felipe del Morro —or El Castillo San Felipe del Morro in Spanish— is a sixteenth-century citadel which lies on the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's an ominous site as you approach San Juan from the sea. The fort was named in honor of King Philip II of Spain. The fort, also referred to as "promontory", was designed to guard the entrance to San Juan bay, and defend the city of San Juan from seaborne enemies. It performed quite well in this capacity defending and repelling numerous invasion attempts by the Dutch, French, British, and even marauding pirates. The fort last saw action during a naval bombardment in 1898, during the Spanish-American War. It is easily one of the most notorious tourist attractions on Puerto Rico. El Morro rises almost 150 feet in the air and features a number of garitas – dome covered sentry outposts that have become one of the defining icons of the island itself. And you can see all of this up close and personal for a mere $5 U.S. So be sure to do that and don't do what I did...........




I bumped into a gentleman holding a glass of cold beer. I quickly asked him where he got it....

He replied: The "Old Harbor Brewery!" A microbrewery? I queried.
(You know I'm a sap for a cold fresh beer.)

Yes! - the stoic figure replied.


So off I went on my Quest.







It was easy to find. I could literally follow the aroma of fresh hops as I found my way to the entrance.






I walked in and introduced myself as a beer connoisseur. ( A small exaggeration) I was immediately siphoned away and introduced to a young man named - Wolfgang. A.K.A.

" The Brew Master!"








I met and chatted with "Wolfgang" - This guy knows his stuff.








He offered me a sample of his work and I accepted. I love to enjoy a Stout or Porter when I visit a microbrewery but Wolfgang informed me that they didn't have a Porter. He suggested that I try the Stout. I found it to be good - but not exceptional. So on a whim, I decided to taste the seasonal beer. Wow! It went down like a body shot of tequila bathed in salt and showered with lime on a sweltering summer evening.




I was ruined.
The beer was called Taina and it was nearly perfect! Cool, fresh, and smooth!
So good that I had two!
That's when it happened. I was Shanghaied by Two Tainas! That's right! Seduced and held captive and forced to work for my food and water. Tortured in ways you can only imagine. Removed from all modern conveniences including Internet capability! It was horrible.
My only consolation - I was occasionally allowed to visit other exotic Caribbean islands.
It wasn't easy but I eventually found a way to escape from my captors.
That's another exciting post - please come back and read that tale!
Anyway, I'm back! I'm free! And I'm full of stories!
But number one my "to do list" was to discover who/what were these voracious "Tainas" that were able to snatch me from reality and take me deep into a world of fantasy and make believe.
I came home and immediately did research on the meaning of Taina.
From what I could find -
Taíno Indians were thought to be a subgroup of the Arawakan Indians (a group of American Indians in northeastern South America), inhabited the Greater Antilles (comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola [Haiti and the Dominican Republic], and Puerto Rico) in the Caribbean Sea at the time when Christopher Columbus' arrived to the New World. (follow this Link)


The origin of the Taínos was not proven until 1950 when scientists were able to trace them through their unique white-on-red pottery. Their origins are in the Orinoco and Amazon River basins - what is now Venezuela and Guianas. The Taínos began their migration, in waves, through the Caribbean Islands in approximately 900 BC. Their origins have been traced to the Village of Saladero in Venezuela. (follow this Link)


So a Taina is a female Taino.
Legend has it that they still walk the earth today and sometimes they travel in groups of two or more. They have a pack mentality and have great strength in numbers. It's said that they have special powers over men and women traveling alone. They prey on the strong and feed off of their power. They sometimes will sacrifice one Taino to separate a potential victim from the group. Once they are isolated, there's usually no escape. So be careful out there. Stay in your groups!


For some reason I'm feeling a bit thirsty.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Where's Intrepid?

Lost in Space?
Or
Lost at Sea?




Stay tuned! The adventure continues......

Friday, April 3, 2009

When It Hurts To Laugh!

Where's the Joke?


Kong Lin, 27, was using a pair of scissors to clean his teeth after eating a meal when a friend told a pretty funny joke. Kong couldn't stop laughing and he ended up swallowing a pair of 4-inch scissors.



"A picture is worth a thousand words."







Apparently, Kong Ling tried to cough up the scissors but the points got stuck. He was rushed to a hospital in Putian, China where surgeons were able to extract the scissors in about 30 minutes. See Daily Mail for more.

Confucius Says - "Man who picks teeth with scissors while laughing at funny joke ends up as Joke!"

Intrepid Says - "I want to hear the joke that was so Funny it made him swallow 4-inch scissors."

Logic Says - "If he was using the pointed end to pick his teeth wouldn't the scissors be facing the other way? Downward?


(Don't let this happen to you!)