Crackers and Poppers and Presents, oh my!

Morrison here,

Had a heck of holiday vacation this last week and can't wait to get right back into it this weekend. It's always hard to crawl through the week between Christmas and New Years; regardless of how much I have to do. Which is plenty. But, I had to mention these great little party trinkets that someone at the Christmas dinner handed out this year. I couldn't find the darn things on the internet because I kept looking under 'poppers'. Seems the little buggers are called crackers. Whatever you call them, they are a lot of fun.

Before you actually dig into your meal you and the person sitting next to you each grab an end of a popp...er...cracker and pull. A little charge inside goes off and blows the paper apart. When that happened, I thought the excitement was over. Explosives before your meal? Right on! But no! There's more. They are filled with a paper crown (of varying colors) a joke or riddle to share with the group and a random toy, game or useful item. I got this sweet pen. My daughter got a Parcheesi game about the size of two thumbnails placed side by side.

We went out and scored some more to hand out to friends this New Years. Yeah, these are the type of things that excite me. Carry on.

Morrison out.

Digging Deeper Into: Pocket Protectors

Morrison here,

So I'm starting a new segment here at HRY while my brother takes an extended leave of absence. It's called Digging Deeper Into. There are a ton of objects, movements, people, things and ideas that we pass by everyday because we are too busy to stop and learn more. I mean take doorknobs for instance. There are millions of billions of doorknobs in the world. Every country you go to has doorknobs. All different shapes and sizes. And yet, have you ever seen a doorknob factory in your travels? Where the heck are they making those things? Shoot, maybe I should have researched door knobs instead. Next time.

We are talking about Pocket Protectors. Let's get started shall we.

The original pocket protector was invented by a man named Hurley Smith during World War II. He was born in Michigan in 1908 and spent his first few years there. He received his high school diploma by mail, moved to Ontario where he enrolled at Queens University earning a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1933. His first job was marketing the newly invented Popsicle to retailers in Ontario. He said that his diet consisted mostly of Popsicles that first summer. 1933 was not a good time to be graduating from college.

When he did finally land a job in Buffalo, New York as an electrical engineer designing electrical transformers, Smith found that his short sleeved, white shirts were becoming ruined from the pens and pencils that he used in his trade. The white shirts were a mandatory uniform at his company so he couldn't change to a darker color. He set his mind to thinking of a way to easily carry his pens and pencils.

During the World War II era, plastic was all the rage so Smith began to take small pieces and melt them together with his wife's iron. A few variations and experimentation and Smith had created the pocket protector as we know it today. After finding that others envied his invention he quickly set up shop, hired some employees and started making and marketing the little devils complete with company logos. So there you have it. A quick overview of how the pocket protector came about. What you were expecting a 12 page thesis on its evolution and social impacts. Sorry.


Pocket protectors today have become the badge of the nerd--not so much the geek, which is the older, cooler brother of the nerd (thanks Best Buy). If your looking for random distractions of all things pocket protectors, well your in luck. . Enjoy

Revenge of the Nerds. The classic 80s romp that shows us how cool keytars really are! Anthony Edwards stars--way before ER hit the scene.


These guys are not doing the pocket protector legacy any good at all.

For nerds who make too much money, a leather pocket protector.

Here is a great article on how to make your own pocket protector from one of the best DIY websites ever; Instructables

A sweet, sweet collection of 911 logo emblazoned protectors that will never let you down

And for some reason, this.


p.s. If you have something that you would like me to research for the next Digging Deeper Into, leave a comment or contact me at missoulakid@gmail.com

Morrision out.

Play that Funky Music White Boy...

This link is a bit old, but it still...er...rocks? When I first looked at the guitar I thought there was no way in the world it would sound decent. In about the middle of the video he plugs it in and starts to play some theme songs. It's pretty much awesomesauce. With double sauce.

Nintendo Guitar

The Slumbering Astronauts

Last year marked the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) 50th year of wowing mankind. NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958. Wow. Since then a lot has happened. But one of the craziest events to me is the development of a space station in which a revolving cadre of humans from all over the globe spend large amounts of time in a seriously rural neighborhood. And like most humans they sleep. So, as a tribute to both NASA and the men and women who work (and play?) 220 miles up above our head, I give you this song. Rough yes. But where is your rough song? Ok then.

I can't embed music on this technology so I have to route you to a wonderful site, Older Hipster|Aging Musician.

I mumble a lot, so here are the words. Feel free to sing along. Now get back to work.

Astronauts

321,
now the blast off has begun
grab your blankets everyone
telescopes are set to stun
the imagination--its the culmination

of three long years
spinning bodies overspun
G-forces overcome
training manuals read and done
we have the knowledge--let us sit and ponder--our eyes cast yonder

And all the astronauts are sleeping in their beds
220 miles up above our heads

T-minus now
As the rockets scorch the ground
and the shuttle shakes and shimmies as its moving to a fro and then the mass
is lifted--skyward

and as it goes
all the boys and girls will show
through their gestures and their pose
that the astronauts have rose
yes they have risen--yes they have risen
from this earthly prison

And all the astronauts are sleeping in their beds
220 miles up above our heads.

Earlier this morning...

At a grocery store in the aisle with cereal...

Business Woman: Heels, Gray suit coat, matching skirt, thick-ish and wintry. Yellow, ruffled blouse. Dangling jewelry from wrists. Somewhat pointed nose. Estimation: Probably has never seen, nor heard of Monty Python. Only eats things with utensils.

Store Clerk: Young, slightly overweight. Ill fitting clothes. Brown, dry, pony tail. Thin goatee. Black tennis-shoes. Estimation: Could walk a complete stranger through a Tivo set-up from memory, over the phone while playing Modern Warfare II on the X-box 360. That is, if he ever talked to complete strangers.

BW: Excuse me
SC: (turning slowly) Yeah?
BW: Do you have dry cereal? (they are surrounded by dry cereal varieties)
SC: (pointing) Yeah.
BW: (looking at where he is pointing) No, I need dry cereal.
SC: What kind of dry cereal?
BW: I don't know, I was just asked to pick up dry cereal.
SC: All our dry cereal is right there (pointing again)
BW: (Looking at her list for a moment) Are you sure this is dry cereal?
SC: Yeah (he pauses) Do you mean oats?
BW: Oats?
SC: Oatmeal?
BW: No, definitely not oatmeal. I know he doesn't want oatmeal, he said dry cereal.
SC: But he didn't say what kind?
BW: No.
SC: Well this is all dry cereal.
BW: But don't you put milk in it?
(Pause)
(Pause)
SC: You can...if you want to...you don't...
BW: But its made to have milk in it...
SC: I guess.
BW: (staring at her list for a moment) He said he wanted dry cereal. He said specifically to make sure it was dry.
SC: Maybe he just didn't want milk in it.
BW: He doesn't drink milk
SC: Oh, well there you go.
BW: He's lactose intolerant.
SC: Sure.
BW: It runs in the family.
SC: Ok.
BW: You didn't need to know that.
SC: (shrugs and goes back to work)
BW: (walks over to shelves and begins to look at cereal)(Sighs)
(pause)
BW: Excuse me.
SC:(turning) Yes.
BW: What kind is good?
SC: I don't eat cereal much. I used to eat Cherrios (pointing again)
BW: Oh, (grabbing the box off the shelf to look at it) you like these?
SC: No. just all my room-mate would buy.
BW: Oh. (putting the box back on the shelf)
SC: (Realizing she is not going away) Does he like healthy cereal or sugar cereal?
BW:Who?
SC: (pause-confused) The person who wants the cereal!
BW:(flustered) Oh, healthy I would think.
SC: Cherrios are healthy, Raisin Bran, Life, Chex, Corn Flakes...
BW:  (picking up a box of Coco Puffs off the shelf) He likes chocolate.
SC: Those have chocolate in them.
BW: Healthy?
SC: Good for your soul I guess. Taste better with milk though.
BW: He doesn't like milk.
SC: (under his breath) So I hear. (walking a few feet away and reaching out to grab) Grapenuts! I hear these are good--and healthy.
BW: And its dry cereal.
SC: Until you put milk on them.
BW:(smiles) Thank you for your help.
SC: No problem, have a nice day mam. (turns around to go back to work)
BW: (after putting the box in her cart) Oh, do you have corned beef?

Fun Art

The life of a superhero is a thrilling, middling dream--all capes and crusaders, one-liners, flexing muscles and daring-do. For those of you not comic savoy or who could really care less about stories of men and women who dress up in tights to save the world on a daily basis--you are really missing out. Comics are character driven stories, at least the good ones. And some of those stories are very interesting. The superhero part is just bonus material! Anyway, I ran across this artist and thought these pictures were a very curt example of their thoughts, life and opinions. Aww, who am I kidding. They are just awesome. Here is the website where you can see the others.

It's not an Adult Onsie, they are footed pajamas...and I want some.

Morrison here,

Every year, for some reason, after summer fades like a hangover headache on a Sunday afternoon, it gets cold here in Montana. And every year as I sit in my uninsulated house I dream of a pair a pajamas that will keep me warm. Footed pajamas to be exact. Now, I've looked for footed PJs before, usually only finding the red kind with the keister flap in the back. Classic, outdoor, rugged, manly red, the ones we all know and love. But after further inspection I found a whole new array of footed PJ's that really aim to catch your attention.

Here's a nice pair for those of you who are always excited to go to bed! Don't just be excited to go to bed. Go to bed with an action pose that says, "I was an extra in Die Hard Three before landing this modeling gig".

Ladies, you know you can't resist a man in a full PJ outfit, so what better way to have the big question sprung on you then when your man is on one knee in his new racecar PJs. For those off you gals who prefer a more adult look.

This man seems to be looking for his career which is running away from him as fast as it can.

Umm....at least it looks natural.

I think I'll stick with red.

Still from Deleted Scene from When Harry Met Sally

Morrison here,

So I have this friend who knows this person who lives in Hollywood. They told me that back in 1989 when Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal were working on the script for 'When Harry Met Sally', that the script was originally different. Instead of the movie that we all saw, it instead had a more fantasy like theme. Rumor has it that Rob was not happy with the way the special effects worked out and scraped the idea. Instead choosing to make the movie as we know it today. Here is a still from a scene in the original movie. Remember, the special effects probably added a bit more to it.

Apple did not beat World of Warcraft.

This is Morrison,

My brother, Apple, in case you don't know, is the real proprietor of this blog. I'm here, in the words of my mother, "to make sure he doesn't go make a damn fool of himself". Thankfully, for me, my mother does not use the internet. So, she will never have to know how big of a failure I really am. At least not when it comes to this job that she has foisted on me.

I don't plan on interjecting on here much. Go figure. But today, Apple locked himself in his room. It wasn't until Wheel of Fortune had ended that I bothered to find out why. It seems that my older brother is a bit distraught at the fact that this man has beaten World of Warcraft. You see, Apple was very close to beating World of Warcraft. Unlike my brother--and hundreds of thousands like him-- I don't know what World of Warcraft is. I know WHAT it is, but I don't know what it IS. And frankly, I don't care.

But Apple does care. And in response he wanted me to post a few links on his behalf to express how he feels about this Taiwanese man. This WoW beater. I'd tell you to enjoy, but really, I'm not sure why you would.

--Morrison.

Things Apple would like to see happen to the man who beat WoW
Things Apple would like to force the man who Beat WoW to eat.
A ritual that Apple would like to perform on the WoW Beater
And for some reason...this..

Dragon Age meets Brokeback Mountain

Pop culture hesitates on lessons of fact. Those ideas known, not shared. The 1950's provide an example primary. The early 1970's not as much. But with media diversity in taste and transmission come illumination to corners before dark or shadowed. Never before today or earlier could we see in distractions of mashing buttons and pixel designed heros a scene like below is shown. I didn't know seducer was a class skill.

It's a mad world, just make sure you don't step in it.

hat rabbit yellow,

Can the madness please get off the plane for just a fraction of the time it takes to hit the head. Absolute seriousness. I've wanted to encourage myself enormously enough to placate the desires to post. But, the fractions never added up. Until yesterday--of course. I'm acting on it today. So it flies now. And you see.

What to expect? Clear, concise verbiage with nouns and semaphores--culminating in a breakfast for the mind, soul and community. Real--is that sarcasm will abound with such a fervor that you will not sit still for longer than a moment. But a moment will be enough. Contamination will grow. You will smile.

hat rabbit yellow

Art meets the real world

hat rabbit yellow,

Peter Beard--might take a cake in art, or perhaps two or more. Very old now, but retrospectives endure in many forms. Artful is he in photography. Not shameful, but triumphant and gallant. Crusades he leads against the opposition of elephant and the men of Africa. A diary of social meanderings, meant to capture and express worlds away and far. But, don't get to close Peter. Sometimes subjects bite. I guess they didn't get the memo.

hat rabbit yellow