Speedy The Alka-Seltzer Icon

Alka-Seltzer has revived Speedy, its icon back in the 1950′s.  Take a look.  Then keep it in mind the next time you see one of the current commercials.  Enjoy Buster Keaton from the times as well.

Vintage Alka-Seltzer Commercial – Funny Buster Keaton

April 2, 2008

Old Black and White Vintage Alka-Seltzer commercial featuring Buster Keaton.

Bob Watkins and Chuck Tenant became army pals during World War II.  Watkins the artist was enlisted by Tenant the agency for Alka-Seltzer, to come up with a character to help sell the product.  Three hours of sketching and many advertising runs later, Speedy remains a top advertising icon.

Approximately 30 different facial expressions were used with a filmmaking technique at the time so secret, the tape was kept in a Hollywood studio vault.

Speedy appeared in 212 commercials.

Campaigns such as “Speedy is its Middle Name” and Plop, Plop Fizz Fizz, Oh, What a Relief it is” has made Speedy one the most award-winning advertising icons ever.

Alka-Seltzer FunFacts.

• Alka-Seltzer sold over 300 million tablets in 2005, enough of the one-inch tablets to stretch all the way from New York City to Moscow, Russia.
• The original Speedy puppet was lost en route to the Philippines in 1971, but was found in an Australian warehouse five years later.
• Speedy is so famous that the puppet was insured for $100,000 and is currently kept in the vault of a Beverly Hills bank.
• Speedy appeared in 212 commercials from 1954 to 1964.
• Searching for Speedy’s voice took over 400 auditions to find.
• Twenty-four year old radio actor Dick Beals landed the role, and Speedy’s voice was created.
• Father of actress Julianna Margulies (of TV show ER fame), Paul Margulies, wrote the “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz” theme song in 1953.
• Kim Basinger, Morgan Freeman, and Sammy Davis Jr. are a few celebrities that have appeared in Alka-Seltzer commercials.
• Alka-Seltzer used to be sold in glass tubes, which were discontinued to reduce costs and eliminate breakage problems in 1984.

See:

• http://advertisingiconmuseum.org/inside/c5/3249039.html
• http://www.alkaseltzer.com/75/index.html

Duct Tape Production

Duct tape.  What would we do without it?  An absolute utilitarian tool for any home or business.

CoolStuffBeingMade.com: How Duct Tape Is Made

August 22,2006

Snowball Launcher For Cold Weather Play

Hammacher Schlemmer has a new toy out for the serious snowball fight enthusiast.  The 50 foot snowball launcher.  Hand held with 3 chambers you place snow into, and out come 3 perfect spheres for launching at your target.   And since the blaster is powered by elastomers instead of batteries, there is quicker launching.  By Wham-O.  Click here to get an up close interactional view.

Image courtesy of http://www.hammacher.com/publish/z76244.asp.

See:

• http://www.hammacher.com/publish/76244.asp?source=News1209&cm_ven=WC&cm_cat=20090205_News12&cm_pla=INQ&cm_ite=76244_The_50_Foot_Snowball_Launcher
• http://www.hammacher.com/publish/z76244.asp

Make My Friday

Classic Clint Eastwood.  Dirty Harry from 1983.

Clint Eastwood in Sudden Impact

December 5, 2008

Stimulus Bill Encourages Gluttony

There seems to be no end in sight to the massive gluttony being served in Washington, D.C. these days.  The Stimulus Bill H.R. 1, in all of its gargantuan glory, for anyone to peruse while snacking.  With mega sized million and billion dollar morsels galore, for the detail oriented.

“Howdy”

Before the ugly fattening details of how Americans will become indebted are revealed below, an excellent question was posed at The Corner of the National Review.  Seeing that this money pit proposal will swallow wads before the stimulus actually comes to fruition,

According to Sen. Ensign’s Republican Policy Committee, for the cost of the Democrat’s spending bill Congress could provide every American taxpayer a rebate check for $9,460. If you gave the rebate to every tax filer (including those who do not actually pay income taxes – a key Obama constituency) Congress provide a check of $6,336. That would do more stimulate the economy than wasteful Washington spending that won’t take effect for years. Republicans can ask the American people, which would you prefer: a check for $9,460?

Cow Struck By Lightning Continues to Graze

Pictured: The cow that was zapped by lightening – and survived at the Daily Mail.

It has certainly been flame grilled but this extraordinary cow is still standing.

The poor creature was struck by lightening and left with blistering burns. You would expect it to have been cooked alive.

But the cow miraculously survived, apparently unperturbed by the ordeal, and is already back roaming the meadows.

Image courtesy of http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1136542/Pictured-The-cow-zapped-lightening–survived.html.

British Nurse Suspension Cleared After Offering To Pray With Patient

Nurse suspended for offering to pray for patient now told she can return to work at the Daily Mail. See the previous story on the suspension.

In essence, the nurse had gone to the patient’s home and performed her usual care.  At the conclusion, she offered to pray with the patient for her health.  The 79-year old woman declined.  The next day, the elderly patient commented to another nurse about the offer.

But she told another nurse that she found it strange and that it might be deemed upsetting or offensive by others if they were of different faiths or felt it implied they were so sick they needed praying for.

The other nurse relayed the information to her superiors who then set the dominoes of an investigation in motion.  The nurse has always held she does not force her beliefs upon anyone.

The nurse

was accused of failing to show a commitment to ‘equality and diversity’ after the incident and faced a disciplinary hearing.

But her supporters claimed she was a victim of religious discrimination.

Baby’s Well Developed 12 Fingers and 12 Toes

Baby Born In Bay Area With 12 Functioning Fingers, 12 Toes at KTVU TV in San Francisco brings us the story of an infant born with some extremely well developed extra fingers and toes.  Polydactyly is not uncommon.  Most cases involve extra nubs of tissue that do not have much, if any function.  They are often removed because of interference with function or cosmesis.  This baby’s anatomical extras are unusual because of the highly developed state.  The parents have no plans for removal.

See the slide show here.  Learn more here at Medline.

Image courtesy of http://www.ktvu.com/news/18608582/detail.html.

Some famous people with extra digits include the Florida Marlins’ pitcher Antonio Alfonseca, and blues guitarist Hound Dog Taylor.

Unusual Cuisine Across The Globe

Having a little trouble sticking to your diet?

Think you might like to expand your dietary fare?

Well, then head on over to Reuters at the Strange Meats photo collection.  A delightful global food excursion.  May make you think about your next meal a little differently.

• Bush meat
• Rattlesnake
• Swifts’ nests
• Bull penis and testicles
• Ox and dog penis
• Locusts,grubs,crickets, worms,
• Camel sausage
• Shark fins
• Dog meat
• Grilled rats
• Scorpion and centipede
• Bison and ostrich
• Guinea pig

This is but one image of 32.  For your viewing delight, click here for more.

“An Andean woman cooks ‘cuy’, or guinea pigs, during a guinea pig festival in Huacho, northern Lima, July 20, 2008. Cuy is also known as a traditional fried or roasted guinea pig dish which dates back at least fifteen centuries to pre-Incan times. “
Image courtesy of http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/rpSlideshows?articleId=USRTXB8DX#a=32.

See:

• http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/rpSlideshows?articleId=USRTXB8DX#a=1

Daschle On Tax Cheats In 1998

Oh.  The utter hypocrisy.

Don’t do as I do, do as I say. Let’s see what the honorable Mr. Daschle  had to say about tax cheaters back in 1998.

From thine own lips.

Senator Tom Daschle.  Democrat.  South Dakota.  Minority Leader.  May 07, 1998.  On C-Span2.

Make no mistake.  Tax cheaters cheat us all.  And the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter.

taxes

February 2, 2009

Will Daschle live by his own words now that he was found out?

Hat tip Red Dragon and Uppity Woman.