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Issue 600
ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH. SNIPPETZ DELVES INTO THE MAGICAL WORLD OF DR. SEUSS by Lindsey Harrison “I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cell. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living; it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” – Dr. Seuss Tonight, before they go to bed, millions of children all over the world will listen to a story about a fox in socks or perhaps a tree-loving creature called the Lorax. Or maybe they’ll hear about Yertle the Turtle. The man responsible for such fantastical stories is Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Arguably one of the most influential and creative writers of the 20th century, Dr. Seuss had the incredible ability to create worlds within worlds that have entertained the young and old alike. So how does the childless son of Bavarian immigrants become a global children’s literature icon? That’s where Snippetz comes in; we’ve done the hard work for you so read on and get to know a little more about Dr. Seuss! You say potato, I say potahto… First off, let’s set the record straight. The name “Seuss” was the writer’s middle name and his mother’s maiden name. But all this time, people have been pronouncing it incorrectly. It’s actually pronounced “zoice,” as in voice with a z. Dr. Seuss used his name in several different variations over the course of his life, including Dr. Theophrastus Seuss, Theo LeSieg (which is Geisel spelled backwards) T. Seuss, and Seuss. Obviously, the one that stuck was his faux-doctoral title which he adopted in 1927 and then shortened to just Dr. Seuss in 1928. When his work became popular, the mispronunciation was never corrected and Dr. Zoice became Dr. Soose. Not your ordinary doctor Born on Mar. 2, 1904, in Springfield Mass., Theodor “Ted” Seuss Geisel had a relatively run-of-the-mill upbringing. He graduated high school in 1921 and went to Dartmouth College. Geisel began writing and drawing for the school’s humor magazine called the “Jack-O-Lantern” and worked his way up to editor-in-chief. Everything seemed to be going well for the young writer/artist. But this was the time of Prohibition and the future Dr. Seuss wasn’t above the law. When he got caught drinking gin in his dorm room with nine other friends, the dean of students, Craven Laycock, banned Geisel from participating in any extracurricular activities including the “Jack-O-Lantern.” Not to be so easily dismissed, he continued to write and submit cartoon drawings for the magazine under the name “Seuss.” Geisel graduated from Dartmouth in 1925 and headed to Oxford where he intended to study for a Doctorate of Philosophy in English. It’s said that although Geisel sincerely attempted to take his studies seriously, his notebooks were often filled more with drawings and sketches than with notes from the lectures. Apparently, his doodlings caught the eye of a fellow classmate, Helen Palmer who is said to have commented, “You’re crazy to be a professor. What you really want to do is draw. That’s a very fine flying cow!” Geisel agreed and dropped out of Oxford. By 1927, Palmer had finished her Master of Arts degree and moved with Geisel to the United States where the couple married. In a small apartment in New York, Geisel worked on his cartoons, hoping to make a living for himself and his new bride. A year went by without much success. Then, in 1928, officially drawing cartoons under the name Dr. Seuss, he submitted a cartoon to Judge magazine which referenced an insecticide called Flit. The cartoon was of a knight who said, “Darn it all, another dragon. And just after I’d sprayed the whole castle with Flit!” Piggybacking off the initial cartoon, Dr. Seuss created an entire campaign for Flit, incorporating the phrase, “Quick, Henry, the Flit!” This campaign marked the first major ad campaign based on humorous cartoons, wrote Robert Cahn in his 1957 Dr. Seuss profile. And with that, Dr. Seuss began his 30-year career writing and drawing advertisements. His achievements included ads for NBC, General Electric and Holly Sugar among others. Introducing the new Dr. Seuss It wasn’t until 1936 when Dr. Seuss was on a trans-Atlantic boat ride back from Europe that he was able to put together a children’s story that pleased publishers. The text in “And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street” was his way of entertaining himself while on the trip; he put together the entire story to coincide with the rhythms of the ship’s engines. The Mulberry Street he wrote about was actually a street that was just a few blocks away from where Dr. Seuss grew up in Springfield, Mass. Although Dr. Seuss has been less than forthcoming with the exact number of publishers that initially rejected his new book, the general consensus is that the number is somewhere between 20 and 29. It’s said that Dr. Seuss was literally about to throw the book away as he wandered down Madison Avenue when a former classmate, who just happened to have been promoted to juvenile editor of Vanguard Press, bumped into him. Mike McClintock immediately took Dr. Seuss and his book to the Vanguard offices where he drafted a contract for the book. By 1941, Dr. Seuss had written and published four children’s books and was working on his fifth. But with the onset of World War II, Dr. Seuss set his sights on a different type of writing. He began writing and drawing political cartoons for the New York newspaper PM. Dr. Seuss spent 21 months in that position, where he developed a strong political point of view. Dr. Seuss made his opinions most obvious in several stories that he wrote after WWII ended. In 1958, he wrote “Yertle the Turtle,” the inspiration for which he supposedly took from Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. Having experienced some racial prejudice while he was in college, Dr. Seuss also had strong feelings about discrimination, which he illustrated in 1961 in “The Sneetches.” It is said that those experiences, in addition to the anti-Semitism that raged during the war, helped him create a world where “Sneetches are Sneetches / And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches.” He picked up on the political theme when he wrote “The Butter Battle Book” which it is said shows his concern about President Ronald Reagan’s contribution to the progression of the nuclear arms race. Leaving a legacy… By 1960, he and his wife, along with Phyllis Cerf founded Beginner Books, a division of Random House. Through this company, Dr. Seuss published “Green Eggs and Ham,” his best-selling title to date. In total, Dr. Seuss published 46 children’s books over the course of his lifetime. He has been called America’s best-known reading teacher, although it’s said that Dr. Seuss didn’t intend to teach children to read through his books; he wanted them to think. He said, “Children’s reading and children’s thinking are the rock-bottom base upon which this country will rise. Or not rise. In these days of tension and confusion, writers are beginning to realize that books for children have a greater potential for good or evil than any other form of literature on earth.” Dr. Seuss died on Sept. 24, 1991 at the age of 87 after succumbing to throat cancer. He left behind his second wife, Audrey and her two adult children Lark and Lea. Seuss Snippetz
Issue 601
THINK YOU'VE SEEN IT ALL? GUESS AGAIN! SNIPPETZ HAS A FEW UNUSUAL MUSEUM IDEAS FOR YOU! by Lindsey Harrison “If you haven’t found something strange during the day, it hasn’t been much of a day.” – John Archibald Wheeler Summer is right around the corner and many people are making plans to get out of town on a vacation. But where to go? Anyone could go to exotic places like the Louvre in Paris or the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. or perhaps something local like the Pioneers Museum in Colorado Springs. Why waste your vacation going to the same old museums? This year, consider something a little more…out there. As always, Snippetz has compiled a list of some pretty interesting places. On a scale of one to awesome, these places are awesome. So enjoy perusing our list, dear friends and maybe one of these unusual locations will tickle your fancy and inspire a vacation to rival all other vacations! Avanos Hair Museum Avanos, Turkey is an area more commonly known for its earthenware pottery made from mud from the Red River. However, the Avanos Hair Museum has created a new point of interest for the town. And just how does one come into possession of over 16,000 samples of hair from women across the globe? It’s said that owner Chez Galip, a well-known potter, built the museum underneath his pottery shop roughly 30 years ago when a female friend had to leave Avanos. Galip was very distraught at her impending departure so his friend cut a piece of her hair off as a memento by which he could remember her. In the years that followed, other women who visited his shop heard the story and decided to add their locks to his collection, along with their complete address. The hair samples completely cover the walls, ceiling and any other surface besides that floor inside the cave below the workshop. If you are afflicted with chaetophobia, the fear of hair, this museum should not be on your must-see list of museums. But why does each sample contain an address? Well, every year in June and December, the first customer to enter Galip’s shop is taken down to the Hair Museum to choose 10 samples off the wall. The women who donated those samples receive a week-long all-expenses-paid trip to Cappadocia, Turkey. They are also invited to participate in Galip’s pottery workshops, free of charge. It’s said that this is his way of thanking all the women who have contributed to his hair museum over the years, which has helped bring customers into his pottery shop. There is no charge to visit the Hair Museum but women are provided the means to leave their own hair sample, should they choose to do so. The Dog Collar Museum In the Gatehouse of Leeds Castle in Kent, England, canine accessories is the name of the game. The Dog Collar Museum features over 100 different and unique collars and other neckwear, dating from as far back as the 15th and 16th centuries. The location of the museum is significant considering the last person to own the estate was Lady Baillie. Still unclear on the significance? Well, born Olive Cecilia Paget in the United States in 1899, Lady Baillie became owner of Leeds Castle following her marriage and subsequent divorce to Arthur Wilson Filmer, with whom she purchased the estate in the late 1920s. It’s said that Lady Baillie was a great dog lover, described as always having several dogs at any given time. One of the most popular pieces in the museum is one of the oldest: a collar adorned with spikes, intended to protect the wearer from other animals. Is it wrong to assume that this is where modern day punk rockers got their sense of style? Punk rock did originate in England, after all. Way to go Dog Collar Museum! British Lawnmower Museum In keeping with our European theme, we move on to the British Lawnmower Museum, located in Southport, Merseyside, England. This museum highlights the history of this device from the last 200 years and even has a lawnmower owned by Prince Charles and Princess Diana on display. The first modern lawnmower is attributed to Edwin Beard Budding who designed a machine to trim the hems of Guardmen’s uniforms back in 1830. Apparently, his machine doubled as a lawnmower. Also included in the more than 300 lawnmowers in the museum’s collection are the patent and blueprints for a lawnmower dating back to 1799. The collection ranges from the world’s most expensive lawnmower, a commercial grade mower costing about $90,000 to the world’s smallest lawnmower, measuring less than five centimeters high. And let’s not forget the first solar-powered robot lawnmower. Thank you, Britain, for keeping the lawnmower’s history alive. The SPAM® Museum Leave it to Americans to build a museum devoted entirely to a manufactured meat product. Located in Austin, Minn., the 16,500 square foot museum is known by several different names: The Guggenham, Porkopolis, or M.O.M.A (Museum Of Meat-Themed Awesomeness). Initially introduced by the Hormel Foods Corporation in 1937, SPAM® is canned, precooked spiced ham. The name is actually just a shortened version of spiced ham. Since its inception, several different offshoots of the original flavor have been debuted: Hot & Spicy with Tabasco, Jalapeño, Garlic, Bacon and spreadable to name a few. Besides a variety of different SPAM®- specific historical facts included in the more than 400-item collection, visitors can replenish their SPAM® supply at the SPAM® store. The Washington Banana Museum If meat-themed awesomeness isn’t quite your cup of tea, perhaps The Washington Banana Museum is. Located in Auburn, Wash., the museum boasts close to 4,000 banana-related items. Ann Mitchell Lovell runs the museum and also proudly advertises the online version of the museum for those banana lovers that can’t make the journey to her museum in person. Lovell’s knowledge of the banana is somewhat staggering. It makes sense since the average American is said to eat about 150 bananas per year, while she claims to average 365. If it weren’t for the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, she might not have ever been able to enjoy this particular fruit. The banana was introduced to the average American citizen at this exposition, alongside such lesser-known items like Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone. Not to be forgotten is the 1944 song by Louis Prima, Jack Zero and Ben Jaffe called, “Please No Squeeza da Banana,” clearly illustrating the banana’s importance in America at the time. Other Museums of Note
Issue 602
SNIPPETZ IS GREEN ABOUT SPRING CLEANING! by Mona Sullivan 
Whether you want to reduce chemicals in your home because of the toxic load it is having on your health or you care about our ecosystem, there are many safe alternatives to using standard household cleaners. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on environmentally friendly cleaning products either. Chances are you already have most of the ingredients needed for cleaning your home right in the kitchen or laundry room. You will be amazed at how enjoyable it is to clean your home without inhaling all those toxic fumes.
First, Get Some Basics All you need for cleaning and disinfecting your home is borax, baking soda, liquid dish soap, vinegar, lemon and olive oil. These items coupled with some proper utensils such as spray bottles, rags (cut from 100% cotton old t-shirts), sponges, bucket and mop with a terry cloth cover, are all that you need to make your house shine. There are a few things to remember before putting together your own cleaning products. First, spray bottles have a tendency to clog if using minerals in them such as borax and baking soda. Dissolve minerals completely with very hot water. Secondly, always take into consideration whether the water in your home is hard or soft. Hard water requires more soap for sudsing and more minerals for cleaning. Soft water has a low mineral content, requiring less soap and minerals. Vinegar and lemon juice are good acids for cleaning mineral buildup, so add more of these to your recipes if you have hard water. Thirdly, make sure that you wash your rags separately from the rest of your laundry and do not use any type of fabric softener in the washer or dryer. Mirror, Mirror Cleaning mirrors and glass without leaving streaks is usually a nightmare for most people. Bathroom mirrors can be cleaned with straight water from the sink. Wet a rag, wipe the entire mirror making sure to get off any stuck-on toothpaste or hairspray and dry completely with a clean rag. When drying, it’s important to make sure you are using a completely dry rag at the end of the wiping. This helps to buff out any streaks you may see. Looking at the mirror from different angles and going over with a dry rag again will help to remove streaking. You will be surprised at how many mirrors clean up quite well with just plain water. If you prefer to use a glass cleaner out of a spray bottle, a really good recipe is to mix 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon liquid dish soap. It’s a Dirty Job But Somebody’s Gotta Do It Bathrooms can be one of the most difficult places to clean in the house. Not many people enjoy cleaning bathrooms due to the mineral buildup, soap scum, mold, mildew and germs. Let’s face it, unless you squeegee the tile and glass after every shower, you are bound to get mineral deposits, especially if you have hard water. For those of you who refuse to squeegee or your partner refuses, there is hope on eliminating most buildup. For a good scouring paste, mix 1/3 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup borax with 1 teaspoon dish soap; then add tiny amounts of water until you have a paste. Scoop this mixture onto a “Dobie” or cellulose sponge and scrub. Rinse thoroughly with water and a sponge or rag, as the paste will leave a residue. This paste is very effective on sinks and countertops as well. You will be impressed at how your faucets will shine. Showers/tubs made out of fiberglass scratch very easily, and it is recommended that a Dobie sponge or soft cloth be used for this application. Toilets are a beast all in themselves. Those plastic brushes just do not get up under the rim. The only cleaning tool that can get every nook and cranny of your toilet is the good old-fashioned hand. So slap a pair of gloves on and go to it. Borax is a great disinfectant! Take ½ cup of borax and mix it with 1/8 cup water and 5 drops of dish soap. Using one paper towel, dip into the mixture and apply to the toilet starting at the tank top, moving downward until you have covered the entire outside including the seat, finishing off with putting the remaining mixture into the bowel and rubbing it in entirely under the rim, not leaving one area untouched. Throw away the paper towel and get two new ones and start wiping dry the entire toilet and seat. While flushing the toilet, swish the paper towel in the bowl to get rid of any residue. Leaving the borax in your toilet overnight will help get rid of stains as well as disinfect. Make sure you close the lid if you have a pet who likes to drink out of the toilet. You can also dump a bucket of water down the toilet to get rid of all the water before you start to clean. This will allow the borax mixture to cover more surface area inside the bowl. By using borax in the bathroom, it helps prevent mold and mildew from forming. However, once mold gets into the caulking of your shower, the only way to get rid of it is by replacing the caulk. A great cleaner for the bathroom floor is to add 1/2 cup borax with a few drops of dish soap to a bucket (2 gallons) of hot water. Before you start washing the floor, go around the bathroom and wash the towel racks and toilet paper holder with this solution and wipe dry. A Bit More Than The Feather Treatment Wood furniture care can be a bit tricky depending on the type of wood and finish. For a general dusting, mix 1/2 teaspoon olive oil with a 1/4 cup lemon juice. Dab a soft rag into the solution and dust, polish and shine your wooden furniture. You can reuse this rag over and over again. Don’t Touch That Chicken! Everyone is always worried about bacteria in the kitchen. Mix 1 teaspoon borax, 3 tablespoons vinegar with 2 cups very hot tap water in a spray bottle. Spray down counters and wipe dry. Always remember that borax is a disinfectant and is much safer for you and the environment than bleach. For an all-purpose floor cleaner for the kitchen, mix 1 cup vinegar to one pail hot water with a couple of drops of dish soap. A great mop to use is called “ShMop.” It has a rectangular flat surface in which you put a terry cloth cover over. Dunk the terry cloth cover in your bucket of floor cleaner, ring out well, put on mop and away you go. It is a very efficient and effective way to clean all your flooring. The best feature about this mop is that it does not leave a lot of standing water on your floor and it dries extremely fast. Your hardwood floors will love you for it. Benefits For All We live in a time of conveniences. We want everything done quickly. However, we don’t think about the effect all those conveniences have on our life or the ecosystem of our planet. Using less chemicals and more natural cleaners means we may have to work a little harder. However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. If we all began using one homemade non-toxic product, our environment would be greatly improved. Implementing inexpensive ingredients to clean our homes is not only a safer method but it makes sense economically as well. Challenge yourself to find a better way to help clean up our environment, our bodies and our pocketbooks! Issue 603
SNIPPETZ SAYS HERE COMES THE BRIDE: WEDDING SEASON HAS ARRIVED! by Lindsey Harrison 
“Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage.”
– William Shakespeare It’s supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life. You are starting a life with that special someone, expressing your love for each other and vowing to stay together through good times and bad. But what does it take to make that big day perfect? And better yet, what does it cost? In the grand scheme of things, does planning and stressing out for months over picking the right color of the flowers that will be on the guests’ tables really make the day better? There’s no guarantee that your marriage will be successful, no matter how much or how little money you pump into the festivities. Nevertheless, Snippetz had to take a glimpse into the world of weddings to find out what some people are willing to go through for the sake of pulling off that perfect day…even if it all falls just a bit short. The Numbers Don’t Lie As of October 2012, the average wedding cost $28,082. Really?! That’s a decent down payment on a house! With reception food costs averaging over $4,000, it’s enough to make anyone consider rounding up some family to pitch in and work out a potluck-type affair. Gifts for the bride and groom’s parents average $148. Did you even know you were supposed to buy gifts for the parents? Hair services cost about $71. Flowers and decorations cost about $1,800. A DJ costs about $748 but a live band could cost you about $1,751. Invitations, save the date cards, place cards, etc. altogether could cost about $800 total. Naturally, all those costs vary depending on where your nuptials take place. For a wedding set in Manhattan (New York, not Kansas) the average wedding costs about $65,824; West Virginia’s average wedding costs about $14,203. So how long does it take for the bride and groom to actually take the plunge once they have gotten engaged? The averages, yet again, vary depending on your location. New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania top the charts with the longest engagements at about 16 months, while couples from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi have the shortest average engagements at an average of 12 months. Now here’s a shocker for you: The states with the smallest number of wedding guests are (drumroll please) Hawaii and Nevada! Both average less than 80 guests. Perhaps gamblers who happen to wander in off the streets and Elvis impersonators don’t count as guests. The prize for the largest average number of guests goes to Iowa with 215. Wedding “Do’s” Weddings are no exception to the changing trends. So what’s in? For starters, brides and grooms…aw, who are we kidding? The brides really get the final say in the wedding details. And flowers are just one of those details that changes with the times. This year, the fresh-picked, natural, under-stated look is in. Gone are the mile-high centerpieces of years past, inhibiting conversation and tempting anyone with a mischievous streak to knock them over. Another “do” is incorporating “green.” And by that, we mean recycled or tree-free papers used for invitations. And what about seeds or organic snacks instead of the traditional wedding favors? Looks like pastel mints and miniature bottles of bubbles are on their way out. Sad. In the age of iPods, it seems logical that couples are choosing to personalize their reception music using playlists straight from their personal electronic devices. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a DJ who is just going to play the same cliché wedding songs over and over when you can just push “Play” and get your dance on? Wedding “Don’ts” It’s sometimes hard to keep up with the trends but there are some wedding “don’ts” that aren’t likely to change anytime soon. For example, it’s a major no-no to marry someone whom you have already married and divorced once before…and who has taken out a restraining order on you. Timothy Cole didn’t get the memo. He was arrested during his wedding in New York when police arrived after receiving reports that he was arguing with one of the guests. When police realized who was involved, they arrested Cole and charged him with first-degree criminal contempt for being too close to his bride, otherwise known as the woman he wasn’t to come within 300 feet of. Don’t play Russian roulette at your reception. In 2010, a couple who married in Astrakhan, Russia had a guest who thought it would be fun to show how dangerous he could be by pretending to shoot himself in the head after a friend supposedly emptied the pistol’s chamber of all the bullets. Perhaps the unsuspecting man should’ve checked the chamber himself because with one squeeze of the trigger, he shot a rubber bullet into his temple. Don’t say “I don’t.” At least, not if you’re getting married in Styr, Austria. Apparently, that’s what Tina Albrecht did when the official asked her that all-important question. She said it was a joke and immediately corrected herself, but according to Austrian law, if either party replies in the negative to said question, the wedding must be cancelled and can’t be rescheduled for 10 weeks. The law is intended to prevent forced marriages but it would appear it also serves as a great deterrent for anyone with a slightly warped sense of humor. Don’t set your wedding location on fire. Just don’t, unless you’re like Tatsuhiko Kawata of Japan. This particular groom really did not want to go through with his wedding so he set the resort hotel on fire. He was quoted as saying, “I thought if I set a fire, I wouldn’t have to go through with the wedding.” And why was he so hesitant? Well, Mr. Kawata already had a Mrs. Kawata. That’s definitely a good reason not to get married. It certainly won’t solve the problem he likely had to face, though, when he called his wife to have her bail him out of jail for committing arson at his own wedding. Don’t throw your bouquet at an airplane. Here’s why: The bouquet could get sucked into the plane’s engine, causing it to explode. Bride Isidoro Pensieri of Italy hired a microlight plane to fly past the crowd at their wedding so she could throw the bouquet to the eager single ladies in the crowd. And guess what happened to her bouquet? You guessed it. The plane crashed into a hostel and Pensieri had to be taken to a hospital to be treated for multiple fractures. Don’t choose a random person to fill in as your best man. Why? He might decide to rob your DJ. In 2009, Nadia Clay and Terrance Simmons were happily celebrating at their reception when their best man, Johnny Smith, decided to pull a gun on DJ Kendrick Shepherd. Smith stole an expensive crystal decanter full of liquor and took off, but not before shooting a couple rounds into the air for effect. Perhaps it would’ve been better just to promote another groomsman to fill in as the best man if he was out of commission. They Said It Wouldn’t Last… And It Didn’t!
Issue 604
TAKE A RIDE WITH US: WE'RE OFF TO THE AMUSEMENT PARK! by Lindsey Harrison “If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.” – Herodotus Whether it’s a traveling carnival with creaky old rides and fat-laden treats or stationary amusement parks packed with thrill-seekers standing in line for hours to feel an adrenaline rush, there’s no denying that people all over the world love amusement parks. And not just ones with fast rides either. So what is it about a theme park that keeps people coming back again and again? Perhaps it’s the fact that you are literally entering another world when you walk through the gates. Gone are thoughts about bills, work, deadlines and arguments with your spouse. There’s only the feel of the wind as it rushes past your face and the way your stomach feels like it drops to your feet on that first big roller coaster hill. With so much excitement at your fingertips, it’s no wonder amusement parks are so popular. And of course, Snippetz has to check out what all the fuss is about. “The Best Amusement Park in the World” Since 1998, at the birth of Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards, Cedar Point amusement park and resort in Sandusky, Ohio has been voted the “Best Amusement Park in the World.” In addition, the park was awarded the “Best Steel Roller Coaster in the World” award for its coaster, Millennium Force, for the past two years. But that’s not all. Cedar Point rounded out its winning streak by being awarded the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World.” It’s not just the roller coasters that bring people back year after year and earn this park such high esteem. Thanks to additions such as Luminosity, a light show held just after sundown, and Dinosaurs Alive!, an attraction set in pre-historic times touting 50 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, the park brings in enthusiasts for all sorts of reasons. And Cedar Point doesn’t seem to be slowing its “roll” down by any means. In fact, in May of this year, the park is set to reveal its newest world-record-breaking roller coaster called the GateKeeper. This coaster runs over 4,100 feet long, making it the longest “winged” roller coaster in the world. So what is a winged coaster? The seats of the coaster are set to either side of the track so the there is nothing above or below the riders. And then there’s the 164-foot drop. It might be best to ride this roller coaster prior to eating lunch… World’s Largest Indoor Theme Park When you think of Abu Dhabi, you probably don’t think about theme parks. But you should because Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the largest indoor theme park in the world to date, is located there. And yes, it is just as it sounds: all about Ferraris. It took three years to build the massive 256,000 square foot structure that houses more than 20 different rides and attractions, including the Formula Rosso. This particular ride is the fastest roller coaster in the world, topping out at almost 150 miles per hour, pulling 4.8 Gs (basically almost five times the force of gravity) in the process. Finishing off with a 156-foot climb before coming to a stop, this ride is pretty intense…riders are required to wear safety goggles. Disney Theme Parks A discussion about amusement parks wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t include the Disney theme parks. With 11 parks, resorts and cruise lines around the world, Disney parks are arguably the most universally-known parks. The most recent addition to the list is the Shanghai Disney Resort, which is currently still under construction. The expected open date is December, 2015. Within each resort complex lie multiple parks to provide a wide variety of entertainment opportunities for guests. Disneyland Paris has Golf Disneyland park; Tokyo Disney Resort has Tokyo DisneySea; and Walt Disney World Resort has the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon to name a few. With such a multitude of parks and adventures to choose from, it seems nearly impossible to single out any one particular ride. But let’s just say that a certain contributing writer had a nasty experience on the Big Thunder Mountain Train ride at Disneyland when she was five. She has since recovered from her trauma. Other Noteworthy Amusement Parks Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park – speaking of Disneyland, this amusement park seems very familiar. In fact, just about every Disney character can be found at this park although they go by names like “Duck” for Donald Duck or “Elephant Ride” for the Dumbo ride. The costumes the characters wear is remarkably similar (well, actually almost identical) to the costumes the Disney characters wear. When the Walt Disney Company opened Hong Kong Disneyland, the wanna-be theme park suffered a big hit to their patronage. The solution? A new slogan reading “Disney is too far, so please come to Shijingshan.” Well played. Diggerland – located in the United Kingdom, this amusement park features modified excavation equipment. That’s right. Back hoes, mini loaders and the like. Under strict supervision, Diggerland-goers get to drive and operate construction equipment, uncovering buried boulders, pushing around piles of dirt. Sounds like a 4-year-old boy’s dream come true. If you find yourself headed to Diggerland, make sure to catch the “Dancing Diggers,” a 30-minute show composed entirely of diggers of different sorts, which dance (somehow), perform stunts and even do comedy. Seagaia Ocean Dome – located in Miyazaki, Japan, this theme park is the world’s largest indoor water park. Sounds great, right? Complete with a beach, a fully-functioning volcano that erupts hourly and a retractable roof that can be closed in inclement weather, what’s not to love about this park? Perhaps the price…$50 each. It wouldn’t be too bad if it weren’t located less than 1,000 feet from an actual ocean. This park has been closed and reopened several times, perhaps due to the steep price and Mother Nature’s stiff competition. Suoi Tien Cultural Amusement Park – never before has good old fashioned amusement park fun been merged with religion in such a beautiful manner…or perhaps, at all. Located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, this park has all the rides and attractions you would expect from a typical amusement park. But thrown in just for fun are plenty of Buddhist attractions as well. For example, you could take a boat ride that takes you through the 12 torments of hell, with the use of animatronic depictions. Or if that isn’t quite your speed, you could always relax by the crocodile pond and feed them with meat hooked onto a fishing pole. What’s not to love? Bon Bon Land – if you were to guess what this amusement park was all about, you’d probably be wrong. Located in Denmark, Bon Bon Land’s concept is of a candy maker whose candy animal characters populate his fantasy world. So far so good. But the characters aren’t exactly cute. They’re more like dysentery sufferers. One of the park’s most popular rides is called the “Hundeprutterutchebane,” meaning Dog-Fart-Coaster. Riders are literally treated to fart sounds throughout the duration of the ride. Everywhere you look, an animal is vomiting or passing gas or performing some other bodily function that would be better handled in the restroom. Yet the park is still in operation today…don’t you all rush to book your trips, now. Issue 605
SNIPPETZ GETS IT'S KICKS: THE WORLD CUP by Lindsey Harrison “Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly. Taste the relish to be found in competition – in having put forth the best within you.” – Henry J. Kaiser Fast-paced athletics at its finest. That’s what you can expect from the World Cup soccer tournament. But you can also expect theatrics that could rival any Broadway play and unruly crowds that have literally killed each other in their excitement or frustration. As a worldwide competition, this event garners a lot of attention from countries on every continent (minus Antarctica for obvious reasons). How did such a massive competition come to be? Snippetz has got your covered. Read on to find out the scoop behind the World Cup! FIFA…What? First off, it’s important to note that the World Cup is formally called the Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup or the FIFA World Cup. Why is that important? There are many other types of World Cup tournaments, ranging from baseball and softball tournaments to canoe slalom and boxing. In all, there are about 62 different World Cup competitions; however, the FIFA World Cup is arguably the most popular World Cup tournament. And it’s also important to remember that in just about every other country besides the United States, soccer is called football. That explains the football part of FIFA. In the interest of alleviating any confusion between American football and football everywhere else, we’ll just call it soccer from here on. History of the World Cup International soccer dates back to 1872, when Scotland played England in Glasgow. About 12 years later, the first international tournament was held in the United Kingdom, called the British Home Championship. By the 1900 and 1904 Summer Olympic Games, soccer matches were held purely for demonstration and entertainment; no teams were awarded medals. By 1904, the world realized how popular soccer was becoming and FIFA was formed. The idea was to create a place outside of the Olympics where international soccer matches could be held and the first FIFA tournament was held in Switzerland in 1906. It’s said, however, that FIFA’s initial tournament was a complete flop. Soccer made an official debut as a competition sport in the 1908 Summer Olympic Games in London. England’s national amateur soccer team won the gold medal in both that Olympic Games and the one in 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden. Sandwiched in between these two major competitions was a tournament organized by Sir Thomas Lipton in 1909. It was called the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy tournament and was held in Turin, Italy. This tournament differed from all others because individual soccer clubs, one from each country, competed rather than amateur players mashed together on a team. The World Cup would come to be defined by this format, setting it apart from other international (and eventually intercontinental) competitions. Other Noteworthy Dates
Where in the World is the World Cup? At the outset, the World Cup tournament awarded the winning team with a trophy, originally known as the World Cup. In 1946, the trophy was renamed after the FIFA president, Jules Rimet. In 1970, after Brazil claimed its third tournament title, it was decided that the team could keep the trophy permanently. Apparently, someone other than the Brazilian team members felt the trophy was valuable because in 1983, it was stolen. Gone for good, the trophy is presumed to have been melted down by the culprits. But that wasn’t the first time thieves stole the World Cup. The trophy was stolen in 1966 right before the World Cup tournament was to begin. It was housed in a display case in a stamp exhibition in London and even though it was under 24-hour surveillance, the crooks managed to make off with it. This time, however, the trophy was recovered, thanks to David Corbett and his dog Pickles. Pickles and his owner were on a walk through London when Pickles became intensely interested in a package wrapped in newspaper. The package turned out to be the World Cup. Goooooaaaaallll….d! With Brazil hanging on to the Jules Rimet Trophy, a new trophy has to be commissioned to give to the winners of the subsequent tournaments. Fifty-three different ideas were presented for approval and the FIFA committee charged with making the decision finally settled on a design submitted by Silvio Gazzaniga from Italy. Measuring 14.2 inches tall, the trophy is crafted of solid 18 carat gold and weighs in at 13.6 pounds. The trophy is given to the winning team for that particular tournament and is handed over to the winning team from the last World Cup tournament. The previous winners get a gold-plated replica trophy which they keep…perhaps FIFA learned its lesson after the highly valuable Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen…twice. Meeting All the Qualifications The world is broken up into six FIFA continental zones: Africa, Asia, North and Central America and Caribbean, South America, Oceania, and Europe. Qualifying tournaments help narrow down the field of teams hoping to participate in the World Cup tournament. Tournaments frequently start in each zone as early as almost three years before the actual World Cup tournament. Starting in 1938, the hosting nation of the previous World Cup tournament was automatically granted a spot in the final qualifying tournament for the following World Cup tournament. Defending champions were also given a spot. That privilege was revoked in 2006 so each team, no matter whether they won or hosted the last World Cup tournament or not, had to qualify just like any other team. More World Cup Snippetz
Issue 606
SNIPPETZ SAYS, SOMETIMES BIGGER REALLY IS BETTER! by Lindsey Harrison “Size counts. That’s all.” – Gina Gershon For some people, size isn’t just something to consider; it’s the only thing. When we dine out, not only are we typically served food in portions that are larger than the recommended size, but we even have options to “supersize” those meals. We have TVs that measure 90 inches from one corner diagonally to the other. We have not only king size beds, but California kings which are bigger, and Alaska kings which are even bigger than that. And let’s not forget those magnificent wine glasses that can hold an entire bottle of wine. So in keeping the mentality that bigger is better, we at Snippetz have compiled a wonderful list full of the world’s largest things. World’s Largest Spider Let’s jump right in with the creepiest thing on our list…the world’s largest spider. While most people have probably heard urban legends about spiders so large that they attack and eat camels from the inside out, those truly are just urban legends. The fact is, the largest spider, when considering its leg span, is the giant huntsman spider (pictured above) found in Laos. The giant huntsman has a leg span of up to 12 inches, and a body length of almost 2 full inches. The species was discovered in 2001 and is thought to be primarily a cave dweller. Given its size, you would think a species like this wouldn’t have remained undiscovered for quite so long. In fact even the World Wide Fund for Nature commented on that exact situation…and said, “Some of these species really have no business being recently discovered.” World’s Largest Rope Swing While at the outset this particular “world’s largest” might sound like a barrel of fun, and it likely is, but it isn’t without its share of tragedy. It all began with a new fad called “pendulum” swinging and it truly is not for the faint of heart. Pendulum swinging has recently taken the Moab, Utah area by storm. It involves climbing to ridiculous heights on natural structures like Corona Arch in Moab, then jumping from them and swinging along while tethered to climbing ropes. The rope swing isn’t a stationary fixture; anyone wanting to try it has to rig up their own swing but recently viral videos have circulated touting Corona Arch as the highest place from which to swing. The 110-foot-tall sandstone arch has attracted people for a few years but recently was the site of a devastating event. A young Utah man miscalculated the length of the rope he needed in order to safely complete the jump and hit the ground, dying instantly. Commercial trips to attempt this particular stunt have been banned, although private climbers can still get away with it if they choose. World’s Largest Tree Most people have heard of the giant sequoia tree in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in Tulare County, Calif. named General Sherman. For many years, it was thought to be the largest tree in the world. But in fact, there are two trees that can take the title away from the General: Hyperion and Del Norte Titan. For different reasons, each of these trees can be considered the largest tree in the world. Hyperion is located in the Redwood National Forest in California and measures a staggering 379 feet 4 inches. It towers 10 feet higher than the next tallest tree, the Stratosphere Giant located in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, also in California. Del Norte Titan, while not the tallest, is the largest tree by volume, based on a single-stem measurement. Located in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in (surprise!) California, Del Norte Titan contains an estimated 37,000 cubic feet of wood and measured at least 23.7 feet in diameter at about 4.5 feet above the ground. One expert described the tree as having a mass “equivalent to 15 adult blue whales” and that if the entire tree were cut into planks 12 feet long and one inch thick and then all the planks were laid end to end, the line would top out at over 100 miles. World’s Largest Dog It’s probably no surprise that the largest dog in the world happens to be a Great Dane. They are said to be a cross between the English mastiff and the Irish Wolfhound. Originally bred to hunt deer and wild boar, these massive dogs are unusual in that they continue to grow longer than most other breeds (as if they need to). It might come as a shock, however, to find out that the previous world record holder, Giant George, was dethroned this year by Zeus who came in a 7 feet, 4 inches. That might sound intimidating but overall, the breed is considered to be a “gentle giant” and typically don’t display a high level of aggression. World’s Largest Coin Located in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, the Big Nickel is a 30-foot replica of a 1951 Canadian nickel. It was built through the cooperative efforts of Ted Szilva and Bruno Callavo and was constructed of stainless steel panels. Szilva got the idea when he read about a contest in the Sudbury Star, which asked the citizens of Sudbury to offer up suggestions of how the City of Sudbury could celebrate the Canadian Centennial in 1963. His idea was rejected because the sponsors, the Sudbury Canada Centennial Committee, didn’t feel it was useful. Szilva continued working on his idea and eventually pulled it off. The Big Nickel was revealed on July 27, 1964. World’s Largest Sheep The Big Merino, which stands over 49 feet tall, is the world’s largest sheep. And no, it is not a real live sheep. Located in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia, the Big Merino is home to a gift shop and a wool display. If you feel so inclined, you can also climb to the top of the Big Merino and look through its eyes to peek at the local scenery. The Big Merino was opened on Sept. 20, 1985 but was relocated in 2007. Apparently, patronage of the Big Merino dropped off significantly when a highway was built that allowed travelers to bypass the massive ruminant so the entire structure was moved closer to the highway. World’s largest collection of the world’s smallest version of the world’s largest things First off, say that three times fast. Good, now on to the task at hand. In Lucas, Kan., there is a traveling roadside museum that has dubbed itself the “World’s Largest Collection of World’s Smallest Version of World’s Largest Things.” We’ll call it the WLCoWSVoWLT for short. The name literally says it all. This traveling museum was created by artist Erika Nelson and includes miniature versions of things such as the World’s Largest Ball of Video Tape, the World’s Largest Ball of Twine and the World’s Largest Frying Pan. It’s comforting to know that there is a place where you can find the world’s largest of anything, all in one place. Other “World’s Largest” Titles
Issue 607
SNIPPETZ EXAMINES THE POWER OF ADVERTISING: MARKETING 101 by Lindsey Harrison “It takes more than capital to swing business. You've got to have the A. I. D. degree to get by - Advertising, Initiative and Dynamics.” - Isaac Asimov It’s been said that if a product is as good as it claims to be, advertising is unnecessary. That may be true, but don’t tell that to anyone in the multi-billion dollar advertising industry. Surely, we wouldn’t know what brand of deodorant to buy, what presidential candidate to vote for or how to lose 10 pounds in 10 days if it weren’t for advertisements. In an age where people like to think of themselves as in control of their lives and able to make decisions all by themselves, somehow or another, these advertisements manage to persuade us day in and day out. So much so, that ad spots during certain sporting events in the United States that include the words “Super” and “Bowl” have a going rate of up to $3 million for 30 seconds. How did this whole advertising thing even begin in the first place? You can count on Snippetz to find out! In the Beginning… Advertising has definitely changed since its inception. In the 1700s, ads were usually a brief description of some product or good that someone was selling. It was like Craigslist for the colonial times. In the 1800s, ads were often used to announce slave-buying opportunities. Others were soliciting help to find runaway slaves. Ads typically didn’t contain illustrations of any kind. Most ads in newspapers were never wider than a single column and the typeface was very basic, rarely trending towards “fancy.” Magazines usually didn’t print ads in the beginning or middle of the publication but rather were designated to the last pages. A major deviation from the typical ad design was the ads within the “healthcare” industry. Since healthcare in the middle to late 1800s was not well-developed, everyone and their mother was able to come up with a potion or elixir that would cure a variety of ailments. In order to grab the readers’ attention, their ads were often larger than normal, making outrageous claims about what their product could do and sometimes even contained color. With the advent of mass production, manufacturers turned to advertising to catch the attention of audiences nationwide. By about 1920, department stores like Macy’s in New York and Sears Roebuck saw the success of such campaigns and began using advertising to hit their target audiences as well. Sears catered more to the rural population and adjusted their advertisements to appeal to those types of people, while Macy’s highlighted items that people living in the larger, fast-paced cities might need. How Do They Do It? Advertising techniques have evolved over time, bringing with them new and unique ways to convince the average consumer that their product is superior to their competitors.’ So how exactly do they do that? Well, here are a few tricks the ad guys use. Have you ever wondered why the soda in that commercial always looks so good? For starters, the ice cubes are often made of acrylic to withstand the heat of the photography lights so they stay nice and…well, icy. To give it that incredibly bubbly look, detergent is added and diluted with water so the light can filter through the drink better. The food in a typical advertisement is often “styled” so it appears more appetizing than reality could possibly produce. Take a roasted chicken, for instance. The skin is often pulled tight and sewn up and the cavity is stuffed with wet paper towels which helps keep the chicken plump but also produces steam, giving it that nice, freshly-cooked look. After spending a few minutes in the oven to crisp the skin, the chicken is then painted a golden brown to create the perfectly-roasted appearance. The next time you see an ad for a watch, take note of where the hands are pointing. Often, they are set to display the time 10:10. Why? When the hands point to this time, they frame the name of the watch brand and also make a smiley face. Who could resist a watch with a smiley face? It’s no secret that toy makers target kids with their advertisements. But did you know that those particular ads are consciously created to try to create a “nag factor?” These ads inundate children’s channels, encouraging kids to by certain products so they will become more popular. The outcome is that, on average, kids will nag their parents to buy the product about nine times until they finally wear their parents down. Another tactic used by advertisers who target kids is to use child actors that are older than the target audience for that particular product. For example, if a toy is recommended for five-year-old kids, the actors in the ad might be as old as eight. Why? The idea is that the image of an older child playing with that toy will entice younger children to want to be like them and what better way to achieve that than by getting that super-cool toy? Advertisers will often use certain emotions or themes to help sell their products. The most common psychological themes used to motivate consumers to buy a product include self-preservation, sex, self-esteem, authority, imitation and fear. The Future of Advertisement Recently, a new kind of advertisement has emerged called “viral advertising.” This type makes use of blogs, emails, social media or other forms of digital information-sharing to spread the word about and promote a product. Perhaps this represents the next stage in advertising evolution… Marketing Snippetz
Issue 608
SNIPPETZ TAKES A SERIOUS LOOK AT WILDFIRE MITIGATION by Lindsey Harrison 
It’s no secret that Colorado has seen more than its fair share of fires in recent years. One year ago, residents fled the Waldo Canyon fire as it ripped across the face of the foothills we’ve come to know and love. Homes were destroyed, lives were lost and others were turned upside down in a matter of minutes. With the Black Forest fire still smoldering and the memories of last June still fresh in our minds, we at Snippetz decided now was the time to tackle the wildfire topic. What can be done to prevent such destructive and devastating events? Is there something more we should be doing to take care of our homes and property to avoid such tragedies? If they can’t be avoided, can we at least lessen or slow down the impact? Read on and find out some crucial tips to safeguarding yourself, your family, your property and your community.
What is Wildfire Mitigation? Wildfire mitigation is a process by which you take certain precautionary actions to minimize or prevent the devastating effects of a wildfire on or around your property. Think of it like brushing your teeth; take the time to do it and your twice-yearly dentist appointments can often be a breeze. But skip out on those simple preventive steps and you could wind up in an extremely unpleasant situation. When we speak in terms of mitigation, there are different approaches you can take, both of which can be highly important. For instance, some mitigation techniques call for modifying the area within your property so that your house, barn, garage, workshop, etc. are at a lower risk of being harmed. Other techniques require modification of the structure or moving it completely. Obviously that isn’t practical in every instance but it can provide just enough protection from the fire so that the structure doesn’t have to depend on fire suppression services or resources. Mitigation Techniques Before we get into the meat and potatoes of wildfire mitigation techniques, it is extremely important to remember: there is NO guarantee that any of these mitigation techniques will work. So what are these techniques? Here are some to start you off on the right foot:
Naturally, this is by no means a complete list of mitigation techniques but it is a good jumping off point to safeguarding your house. Unusual MitigationTechniques Beyond the standard mitigation techniques, some areas at increased risk of wildfires have come up with creative ways to handle wildfire mitigation. Take the Oakland Hills area of Oakland, Calif. In 2010, the Oakland City Council approved $1.75 million to bring in a herd of goats to graze on the vegetation to reduce the wildfire risk. Now THAT is money well-spent. Unbelievable Blazes
Issue 609
UP, UP AND AWAY! SNIPPETZ EXPLORES THE EXCITING WORLD OF HOT AIR TRAVEL by Lindsey Harrison 
“Lovers of air travel find it exhilarating to hang poised between the illusion of immortality and the fact of death.”
– Alexander Chase Have you ever woken up to the sound of your dog barking like crazy and cowering on your back porch as it stares at what the poor creature must assume is a massive, floating, hissing ball coming to invade its territory? If you have, then you understand the wonder that is a hot air balloon. And you probably haven’t given it much thought. The colors and patterns are wonderful, of course, and the idea of riding along so peacefully is enticing as well. But hot air balloons today are somewhat run-of-the-mill, what with the annual Balloon Classic at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs and all. Those balloons are years, centuries in fact, of hard work, developing technology as well as a passion and persistence to fly. Yes, it’s true. Long before the Wright brothers took to the sky, man developed the ability to fly using hot air. And as always, Snippetz is here to satisfy your curiosity about hot air travel! “And At Last I See the Light…” Long before man decided to give flying a try, the Chinese military had been using hot air to float paper lanterns, called Kongming lanterns, as a way to signal troops in various areas. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Tangled,” then you know what we mean; if you haven’t seen it, you should. Anyway, these lanterns can be traced back as far as somewhere between 220 and 280 AD. Hot Air Balloon Components Typically, hot air balloons have three main components: a bag (called the envelope), a basket (often made of wicker) and a source of heat (usually an open flame). The heated air fills the envelope and since hot air rises, the hot air helps make all the components of the vessel buoyant and up everything goes. The envelope of modern hot air balloons is typically made from nylon fabric while the material closest to the flame put out by the burner is made from a fire resistant material. The difference between hot air balloons and balloons that use helium is that the bottom of the envelope on a hot air balloon is not sealed. Initially, the envelope is filled with cool air from a fan then the burner (usually fueled by propane) heats the air to finish the inflation process. French brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier are attributed with developing the first hot air balloon in Annonay Ardeche, France. Their test flight was unmanned and was set aloft on June 4, 1783. That flight lasted 10 minutes. A Sheep, a Duck and a Rooster Make History The first hot air balloon to carry passengers was launched on Sept. 19, 1783. The balloon, called “Aerostat Reveillon,” was manned (and we use that term very loosely) by a sheep, a duck and a rooster. The balloon’s creator, scientist Pilatre de Rozier, sent the farm animals into the sky beneath his hot air balloon, which stayed aloft for a whopping 15 minutes. But on that fateful day, man realized the possibility of air travel had become a reality. Not To Be Outdone... But of course, the animals couldn’t have all the fun so Etienne Mongolfier took a turn with the hot air balloon on Oct. 15, 1783. His flight was tethered, as was the subsequent flight of de Rozier, who took his own tethered flight later that same day. De Rozier’s flight took him 80 feet into the air, which was as far as the men dared to make the tether. On Nov. 21, 1783, de Rozier and Marquis Franҫois d’Arlandes secured the privilege of taking the first untethered flight to carry human passengers. It’s said that originally King Louis XVI had decided to use condemned criminals as the first test pilots but was convinced otherwise. The brothers stayed aloft for 20 minutes. A new hot air travel record was set in 1785 when a Frenchman named Jean Pierre Blanchard and American John Jeffries, joined together as a team to attempt a trip across the English Channel. Their flight was successful; however, de Rozier’s attempt later that same year was not. He was killed when the two balloons he was using, one filled with hydrogen and one filled with hot air, exploded just half an hour after taking to the air. Other Forms of Hot Air Travel Thermal airships operate using the same principle of heating air within the balloon to create lift. The first recorded public flight of a thermal airship was in January 1973 by Don Cameron in a ship he called the Cameron D-96. It’s said that Cameron spent three years developing his ship. The typical design of a thermal airship is similar to a hot air balloon except that the thermal airship’s envelope is pressurized and the burner is mounted inside the envelope. The high pressure within the balloon prevents denting when traveling at high speeds. Thermal airships also make use of a propeller on the tail end of the ship, allowing for increased speed resulting in improved steering capabilities. Smoke balloons were a popular attraction in traveling fairs in the late 1800s to early 1900s. This method involved the balloonist attaching himself to a parachute and to the balloon. Assistants would help the balloonist position his attached balloon over a fire pit. The air inside the balloon would increase in temperature and as long as the balloon hadn’t caught fire, the assistants would let go and the balloon, et al., would shoot into the air. When the balloon got as high as it would go, the balloonist would detach himself from it and use the parachute to safely return to the ground. More Hot Air Travel Snippetz
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