All good things must end; so too the BBB. With 2030 entries off-and-on over five years (the anniversary was last Monday), it has served as an excellent vehicle for surfing and sharing BB web journeys. Thanks to all for checking in. The BBB is dead, long live the BBB!Wyatt and I are on to new adventures! See you along the path.
BBB Geeky Novelty
Two to beam up! Get ready for the ultimate Star Trek adventure with this original series Communicator! With sound effects and clips from the ground-breaking classic series, each of these limited collectibles features a pop-open design and deluxe window-box packaging. Don't be caught on your next away mission without one of these handy life-savers!
Today in History - 1959
Your Hit Parade ended after a nine-year run on television and many more years on radio. The show debuted in 1935. On the final show, these were the top five songs:1 - Come Softly to Me2 - Pink Shoelaces3 - Never Be Anyone Else but You4 - It's Just a Matter of Time5 - I Need Your Love Tonight
News from all over - Leuven
It was to be one of the biggest science experiments ever seen yet there was not a bunson burner or test tube in sight. Around 1,500 students kitted out in waterproof ponchos discovered exactly what happens when you drop a mint sweet into a bottle of Coca Cola, in an attempt to break a world record. The students, from Belgium, tried to out-fizz the previous record for so-called Mentos fountains by
BBB Swell Site
Two words ... Aquatic Archeology. Sounds intriguing, right? Explore the depths at this cool site.
News from all over - Holyhead
Arwel Wynne Hughes, 27, from Holyhead, Anglesey, admitted assaulting Barney Jones and cousin Michael with a metal crutch. Hughes, who was drunk and dressed in a black bin bag, shouted "Darth Vader!"Earlier, when Hughes failed to arrive on time, District Judge Andrew Shaw issued an arrest warrant, adding: "I hope the force will soon be with him."Hughes turned up and the case at Holyhead
Today in History - 1951
The Associated Press began use of its new Teletypesetter circuit. The AP provided a perforated, paper-tape message to a news bureau in Charlotte, North Carolina. The message was then fed to a monitor for preparation into a printer. From there, the newspaper copy was completed.
Quotable Quote
The thing that makes this archeology and not treasure-hunting or salvage is the scientific approach, which includes precision navigation and mapping.-Brendan Foley
BBB Etymology - Home Sweet Home
The title of an immensely popular song taken from the melodrama Clari, or the Maid of Milan (1823) written by the American John Howard Payne (1791-1852) - who never had a home in his life - with six musical numbers composed by Sir Henry Bishop (1786-1855). The words do not actually occur in the body of the song, though 'home, sweet sweet home' does.
News from all over - New York
Mayor Bloomberg has been encouraged by advisers in his inner circle to consider making a bid for The New York Times after he leaves office, Newsweek magazine reports.A source with close ties to the billionaire media magnate told the magazine that a friendly Bloomberg News-New York Times merger appealed to the mayor's sense of "civic-mindedness." "It is clearly a brand that Bloomberg could help
Today in History - 1931
A contraption known as the autogyro received publicity when veteran Pitcairn pilot Jim Ray landed on the White House lawn and took off again for the ceremony at which President Herbert Hoover presented the Collier Trophy to manufacturer Harold Pitcairn "for the greatest achievement in aviation, the value of which has been demonstrated by actual use in the preceding year." Pitcairn built 51
So Now You Know
The song Home Sweet Home is famous in Japan as "Hanyu no Yado" ("A Lodging"). It has been used in such movies as The Burmese Harp and Grave of the Fireflies and is also used at Senri-Chuo Station on the Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway.
BBB Pulp Pick - Elija's Manna
Cereal boxes are their own pulp art form, right? Back in 1904, Elijah's Manna corn flake cereal was created by CW Post. The name came from "Elijah" of Biblical fame. The cereal was renamed Post Toasties in 1908 reportedly due to pressure from Fundamentalists.
News from all over - Sheboygan
Police say a man left a Pick N' Save store around 4:10 p.m. Saturday carrying a three-foot-tall, yellow M&M statue but an employee saw him and followed him to his vehicle. The man put the statue in his back seat and the employee confronted him.The thief offered the employee $5 for the statue, which is actually worth about $50. Police say the employee grabbed the statue out of the vehicle and the
Today in History - 1949
The prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for Broadcasting was presented to You Bet Your Life star, "The one, the only, Groucho Marx." This was the first time the honor had been awarded to a comedian.
So Now You Know
Groucho's greasepaint mustache and eyebrows originated spontaneously prior to a vaudeville performance when he did not have time to apply the pasted-on mustache he had been using (or, according to his autobiography, simply did not enjoy the removal of the mustache every night because of the effects of tearing an adhesive bandage off the same patch of skin every night). After applying the
BBB Destination - Hanksville
Is it too late to think about my trip to Mars? Age *is* a state of mind, right? While I contemplate these age-old (ha) questions, I'm also planning my stint* at the "Mars Desert Research Station". You can witness the missions (photos, journals and the like) from this site.OK, it's a virtual "stint" but a guy's gotta dream!
News from all over - Tallahassee
The Florida Senate today debated and passed an amendment to impose a $60 fine, charges of a moving violations, and points against a driver license for displaying reproductions of bull genitalia on a vehicle or trailer. The ban was proposed by Sen. Cary Baker, R-Eustis, who said the items are "not appropriate," even though he sees a lot of them in his district. Other members agreed on their
Today in History - 1775
On this night, the British army began its move across the Charles River toward Lexington, and the Sons of Liberty immediately went into action. At about 11 PM, Paul Revere was sent across the Charles River to Charlestown where he could begin a ride to Lexington, while another patriot, William Dawes was sent the long way around, via the Boston Neck and the land route to Lexington.Riding through
So Now You Know
Revere certainly did not shout the famous phrase later attributed to him ("The British are coming!"), largely because the mission depended on secrecy and the countryside was filled with British army patrols; also, most colonial residents at the time considered themselves British as they were all legally British subjects. Revere's warning, according to eyewitness accounts of the ride and Revere's
News from all over - Dortmund
Three days after stealing a rare collection of coins, a thief in Germany took them to the bank for safe keeping - and delivered them into the hands of the man he had robbed."I don't think the thief was expecting that," said a spokesman for police in the western city of Dortmund on Tuesday.Soon after the thief made the deposit, a bank worker handling the coins recognized them as the set worth some
So Now You Know
The origin of Daffy Duck's voice is a matter of some debate. One oft-repeated "official" story is that it was patterned after producer Schlesinger's tendency to lisp. However, in Mel Blanc's autobiography, That's Not All Folks!, he contradicts that conventional belief, writing "It seemed to me that such an extended mandible would hinder his speech, particularly on words containing an s sound.
BBB Swell Site
There's miniature and then there's really really tiny Click the image above to go to the web page. You can see this slide show in full screen by clicking "Full" in lower right of the SlideShare window.
News from all over - McLean
Robyn Hooker, principal of Kent Gardens Elementary School, has told students they may no longer play tag during recess after determining that the game of chasing, dodging and yelling "You're it!" had gotten out of hand. Hooker explained to parents in a letter this month that tag had become a game "of intense aggression."The principal said that her goal is to keep students safe and that she hopes
Today in History - 1900
The two cent stamp was first issued in booklets. It was of what is officially designated as the "Series of 1894," but known to collectors as the issue of 1898. Not quite 50,000,000 leaflets were issued, but this stamp is scarcer than the first one cent, of which only about a half as many were delivered. When the stamp was issued, 240 were hand-stamped, together with their cover, "Specimen." These
So Now You Know
The most popular US postage stamp was the 1993 stamp of rock singer Elvis Presley. It sold over 124 million copies.
Today's Chuckle
[BBB Admin note - this is the 2,001 published post - "The BBB, over 2,000 entries" has a nice ring to it, eh?]
BBB Etymology - Tax
As a verb, circa 1290, from Old French taxer "impose a tax", from Latin taxare "evaluate, estimate, assess, handle," also "censure, charge," probably a frequentative form of tangere "to touch". Sense of "burden, put a strain on" first recorded 1672; that of "censure, reprove" is from 1569. The noun is recorded from 1327.
Today in History - 1955
The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave the United States Congress the legal authority to tax individuals' income in 1913. The filing deadline was March 1 in 1913 and was changed to March 15 in 1918 and again to April 15 in 1955.
So Now You Know
The first known system of taxation was in Ancient Egypt around 3000 BC - 2800 BC in the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Records from the time document that the pharaoh would conduct a biennial tour of the kingdom, collecting tax revenues from the people.
BBB Pulp Pict - Mechanix Illustrated reveals ...
I love not having to worry about possible space invaders while I build my very own tiled table-studio couch!
News from all over - Eureka Springs
Sitting on the lower floor of the convention center at the Inn of the Ozarks, author Don Ray Walton said his book, The Coming Human Aliens needs to be rewritten because beings from outer space gave him new information when they picked him up outside of Stephensville, Texas, earlier this year. He related the aliens’ most recent message: Our solar system is heading toward a massive black hole.In
Today in History - 1902
The year was 1902 and a 27 year old man arrived by train in Kemmerer, Wyoming to start a new business. He couldn't afford the train fare twice, so he made a committment in dollars before seeing the town. A scattered mining community, Kemmerer had about one thousand residents, a company store that operated on credit and 21 saloons where a good deal of spare cash was spent.Two revolutionary ideas -
So Now You Know
In 1940, 22 year old Sam Walton (future billionaire and founder of Wal-Mart) began working at JC Penney's Des Moines, Iowa store.
BBB Destination - Eldon
A trip to the corn belt of the central US would be incomplete without a visit to a little white house in the Des Moines river valley where Grant Wood was inspired by its unusual Gothic window. You can celebrate Gothic Day in Eldon the second Saturday in June every year. The home-cooked meals at nearby Jones Cafe are not to be missed any time of the year.
News from all over - Boise
Sen. John Goedde, sponsor of the bill to sharply increase Idaho’s fines for speeding in school zones, was caught speeding in a Boise-area school zone Feb. 28 — the day his bill was being debated in the state Senate.“There was some irony there,” Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, acknowledged Wednesday after news surfaced of his $141.50 ticket.Source
Today in History - 1938
The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, or SPEBSQSA was held at the Roof Garden of the Tulsa Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa tax attorney Owen C. Cash ran into a fellow Tulsan, investment banker Rupert I. Hall, in the lobby of the Muehlebach Hotel in Kansas City, stranded when a storm closed the airport. Striking up a few chords (after tipping
So Now You Know
The original intention of the name SPEBSQSA was a lampoon on the New Deal alphabet agencies. Because of name's length and the difficult-to-pronounce acronym, society staff and members often refer to SPEBSQSA as The Society. In reference to the acronym SPEBSQSA, The Society has said "attempts to pronounce the name are discouraged".
BBB Geeky Novelty
Working television sets so small that they can be installed in dolls’ houses were unveiled at the weekend by a miniature enthusiast.Brett Foster designed the equipment, which is built to a 1:12 scale with a 2in (6cm) screen, to operate using a freeview box. The televisions can also be linked to DVD players.“I’ve had a lot of jaws drop to the floor. People were amazed,” Mr Foster, of Doks Emporium
News from all over - Easton
The Crayola 64 box announced earlier this week will have some awesome new colors including Awesome. The newly named colors are aimed at appealing to a new generation of children, more than 20,000 of whom picked the names in an online poll.Here are the other old names followed by the new names: laser lemon, super happy; wild tangerine, fun in the sun; screamin' green, giving tree; beaver, bear hug
Today in History - 1849
Walter Hunt patents the safety pin. Hunt's other inventions include a forerunner of the Winchester repeating rifle, a flax spinner, knife sharpener, streetcar bell, hard-coal-burning stove, artificial stone, road sweeping machinery, velocipedes, ice ploughs and mail making machinery. In 1834, Walter Hunt built America's first sewing machine, which was also the first eye pointed needle sewing
So Now You Know
The Crayola 64 box made its television debut in 1958 on the Captain Kangaroo Show.America's favorite Crayola color? Blue
BBB Swell Site
If you've ever been to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, you likely were amazed at how big the Assembly Building and it's contents are. Here's a nice pictorial essay of "Space Shuttle Processing: Rarely seen by the general public".Cool.
News from all over - Mt Everest
Scott Parazynski is a man with many talents. This 47-year-old NASA astronaut has been to space five times, has a doctorate of medicine from Stanford University, lived overseas most of his adolescence, is an experienced pilot, has two children, and now, he is climbing Mt. Everest.He left Houston on March 23 for a 24-hour flight to Nepal. He stopped in Denver, Los Angeles, Bangkok and Katmandu
Today in History - 1959
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduces America's first astronauts to the press: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton. The seven men, all military test pilots, were carefully selected from a group of 32 candidates to take part in Project Mercury, America's first manned
So Now You Know
Kennedy Space Center's "Crawlers" are huge. Each the size of a baseball diamond weighs 3,000 tons; two diesel engines produce a total of 5,500 horsepower; and it takes a crew of more than a dozen to operate. Crawlers even have their own road, about the width of an eight-lane highway.It has one job: to transport the space shuttle, mounted on a Mobile Launcher Platform -- combined, they weigh 5,500
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
Here devil is nautical slang for a seam between planks that was difficult to caulk, i.e. make watertight by hammering oakum (fibers of rope) into the gap and then adding tar. The word was particularly used for the long seam of the first plank on the outer hull next to the keel, and for the seam along the edge of the deck where only the thickness of the hull was between this devil and the sea. No
News from all over - Digital One airwaves
Listeners and Birdsong enthusiasts should note the transmission of Birdsong could cease at any time and that the recording is not commercially available.Since the beginning of April 2008, the Birdsong channel has been upgraded to stereo and currently broadcasts 24 hours a day.For sponsorship opportunities please contact info@digitalone.co.uk and include the word "Twitcher" in the subject line.
So Now You Know
On the April 1984 Challenger flight, 3,300 bees, housed in a special but confining box, adapted perfectly to zero gravity and built a nearly normal comb. But they didn’t relieve themselves. Since bees excrete only outside the hive, they held it in for seven days.
