Apr 9, 2010

Remote Beer Opener

Here is one of those, 'I wonder who thought of that' inventions. It is actually available on the web for $25. A nine function universal remote control with built in beer opener. Hmmm.

Beer Opener Cuff Links


If that is not good enough, here are some bottle opener cuff links. How many folks do you know that wear cuff links to drink beer?

Apr 6, 2010

What's in a Name

The use of an additional 'middle name' started in 17th century aristocracy, and didn't become popular among the masses until the 19th century. Only three of the first seventeen US presidents had middle names. John Quincy Adams was the first.

Odd Book Prize Awarded

The winner for 2010 is 'Crocheting Adventures With Hypberbolic Planes'.

The Diagram Prize was founded in 1978 and is run by trade magazine The Bookseller. The winner of the Diagram Prize for year's oddest book title, decided by public vote, was announced March 26.

The six finalists are "Afterthoughts of a Worm Hunter;" "Collectible Spoons of the Third Reich;" "Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots;" "The Changing World of Inflammatory Bowel Disease"; "Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes;" and "What Kind of Bean is This Chihuahua?"

The shortlist was narrowed down from 90 entries, including "The Origin of Feces" and "Bacon: A Love Story."

Previous champions include "Bombproof Your Horse" and "Living With Crazy Buttocks." Maybe I should have submitted my original book series, 'Terrible Tommy's Titillating Tidbits of Turpitude and Trivia.'

New From KFC

It's "Double Down" bacon and cheese sandwiched between two pieces of fried chicken. Even KFC is getting in on the bacon phenomenon. Even calorie conscious Subway has a double bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich.

Apr 2, 2010

White House Easter Egg Roll

The White House announced that the theme of this year’s highly anticipated Easter event is “Ready, Set, Go!” with a goal of promoting health and wellness.

The roll will take place Monday, April 5, one day after Easter Sunday, on the South Lawn of the White House. According to a statement, there will be live music, sports, cooking stations where children can learn how to make healthy food, storytelling and egg-rolling.

George Washington's Teeth

He did not have wooden teeth as commonly believed. According to a study of Washington's four known dentures performed by a forensic anthropologist from the University of Pittsburgh in collaboration with the National Museum of Dentistry, the dentures were made of gold, hippopotamus ivory, lead, human and animal teeth, including horse and donkey teeth. Oh, and he didn't really cut down that cherry tree.

Washing the White Lions

In the middle ages lions really were kept in the Tower of London.  By Victoria's reign in 1837 all the lions had been moved to safer accommodation in Regents Park.  In 1860 April Fool's day fell on a Sunday, so a prankster had an idea to invite 'all and sundry' to the Tower of London to see the annual washing of the white lions.

The invitation said: Admit the bearer and friend to view the annual ceremony of 'Washing the white lions' on Sunday, April 1st, 1860.  Thousands of people turned up and waited, until one-by-one, it dawned on them that they had been hoaxed.

Apr 1, 2010

Color TV Hoax

Another April Fool's Day joke was played in 1962 when there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that, thanks to a new technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen. Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process. Thousands of people were taken in. Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1, 1970.