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Issue 710
SNIPPETZ OFFERS TIPS FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS: SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES by Lindsey Harrison 
“Get lost in nature and you will find yourself quite possibly die.”
– Unknown Nature is a beautiful thing that can evoke feelings of peace and serenity in even the most high-strung, stressed-out person. But looks can be deceiving. Nature is also dangerous and potentially deadly, especially for the unprepared hiker or camper. There’s no possible way to anticipate every scenario that you could face while enjoying the outdoors but it is possible to prepare for some of the more common eventualities. As our valued and loyal Snippetz readers, we felt obligated to provide you all with some tips and techniques about how to be safe in the wilderness. We would be nothing without all of you so we can’t have you wandering off and getting lost in the woods! NO OFFENSE . . . OK, we realize that some of the tips and techniques we talk about in this article seem sort of, well, like just plain old common sense. Please don’t be offended by that! The reality is that, sometimes the simplest, most logical thing to do is that last thing on your mind when you’re in a scary, uncomfortable situation like being lost. That said, giving some seemingly obvious tips might inspire someone to take that extra precautionary step, which could end up saving their life. So, bear with us. BEFORE YOU GO Here are a few simple tips to consider before you head out to explore what Mother Nature has to offer:
OUT AND ABOUT IN THE HEAT
OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COLD
YOU’RE LOST . . . NOW WHAT? No one ever wants to think that they’ll end up lost when they’re out hiking, but it happens. The best thing to do is to be prepared for how to behave. First and foremost, don’t panic. Allowing panic to overtake you severely interferes with how you think, resulting in careless (and sometimes fatal) mistakes. Instead, follow the acronym STOP. S = sit down; T = think; O = observe your surroundings; P = prepare for survival by gathering materials. It may be tempting to just start walking in one direction, assuming that eventually you’ll come across someone or something that can help you. Don’t. If you MUST move, head either up or down. If you head to higher ground, you might have a better vantage point from which to determine your location. If you head lower down, you increase your chances of running into a water source, since water runs downhill. Don’t head into a canyon if you can help it. Canyons may have water but the walls might become so steep that you can’t climb back out and the risk of flash floods is much higher there. Let’s say you’ve resigned yourself to having to make a shelter and stay the night. You see a leaning tree and think that knocking it down might provide some much-needed firewood. Yes, you need firewood, but not from that leaning tree. Why? When a tree is leaning, it is top-heavy and energy is transferred lower into the trunk. When cut or broken, the fibers can split vertically and snap backwards in a quick and violent manner, meaning you could be severely injured. Instead, find branches that are easier to snap off or have already fallen. You’ve collected yourself a nice little pile of firewood and hope it will last you through the night. Well, it probably won’t. Take that first pile and collect three more just that size and you might have enough. Start your fire before you think you need to even if it’s still relatively warm out. It’s much easier to start a fire in the light of day than in a panic at sunset. A small fire is easier to keep burning than a big fire and much easier to control as well. Only start a fire if it’s safe to do so; we don’t need another Waldo Canyon/Black Forest incident! Find a good source of water so you don’t have to deal with dehydration on top of being lost. Look for green vegetation or an area where birds seem to flock to; they like to stick around a fresh water source. A spring is your best source but they’re not always easy to find. A running stream is also a good option but may need purification to be potable. If you must purify your water and don’t have tablets to do so, boiling water for at least three minutes should do the trick. Build a shelter to shield yourself from the elements. You can build an A-frame by stacking branches along both sides of a fallen tree. Cover it with brush, leaves or other plants to help insulate it. You can also stuff leaves inside your clothing to provide additional insulation if necessary. Laying on a bed of leaves, pine needles, or whatever is around can keep the cold from creeping into you from the ground. NOTE: This is not meant to be a comprehensive survival guide so do your research before heading out to stay safe! Issue 711
SNIPPETZ WATCHES THE HISTORY OF WAX SCULPTURES TAKE SHAPE by Lindsey Harrison 
“There are two kinds of artists in this world; those that work because the spirit is in them and they cannot be silent if they would, and those that speak from a conscientious desire to make apparent to others the beauty that has awakened their own admiration.” – Anna Katharine Green, American author
When one thinks of the different mediums an artist can use, it’s highly unlikely that wax is among the first to come to mind. Perhaps because the only wax works of art many people are familiar with are those of celebrities that reside in museums. And those creepy things don’t really look like art. The fact is that wax sculptures have been around since the Middle Ages and possibly earlier. Of course, they weren’t of random celebrities dressed up in fancy clothes, posed in a strange museum for fans to take their picture beside. Instead, they were actually used as offerings made to churches, or to preserve the image of kings and queens, or even to serve as a sort of voo-doo-esque doll to punish in the hopes of causing injury to the person it represented. Yes, wax has been around in different forms and with different purposes for a very long time. With that in mind, Snippetz felt it was time for us to bring the history of wax sculpting to life! WHEN DID WAX SCULPTING BEGIN? As with any type of ancient art form, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment in time when the use of wax for artistic purposes was developed. Some sources indicate that the ancient Romans used wax to make masks of those who had passed away, to memorialize their features. In fact, this practice was fairly common throughout Europe as part of the traditional funereal ceremonies of important people. Additionally, wax models, in the form of figurines, were often presented to churches as offerings. MADAME TUSSAUD Probably the most recognizable name in the realm of wax sculptors, Madame Tussaud was born Anna Maria “Marie” Tussaud on December 1, 1761 in Strasbourg, France. Marie’s father, Joseph Grosholtz, was killed in the Seven Years’ War and so her mother, Anne-Marie Walder took her infant daughter to Bern, Switzerland. There, Anne-Marie worked as a housekeeper for Dr. Philippe Curtius, a physician with a talent for wax modeling. Marie became attached to Curtius, who taught her his unique talent, which he developed as a way to illustrate anatomy and later, to create portraits. Marie took to wax modeling right away, showing a talent that Curtius recognized and fostered to help her grow as an artist. His talents were nothing to scoff at, either. In fact, in 1765, after moving to Paris to establish a wax portrait exhibition, Curtius made a wax model of King Louis XV’s last mistress, Madame du Barry. That cast is the oldest wax-relate work currently on display. In 1777, Marie created her first wax figure, that of François-Marie Arouet, more commonly known as the French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher, Voltaire. She continued her work in wax modeling and from 1780 to 1789, when the French Revolution began, she created some of her most famous celebrity portraits, including Benjamin Franklin. Marie lived an interesting life, getting herself put on the short list for execution during the Reign of Terror, a period of intense violence of the French Revolution. She dodged that bullet (or guillotine) and went on to marry François Tussaud in 1795. The couple had two children and Marie continued her wax modeling career, finally establishing her first permanent exhibition on Baker Street in Great Britain. She died on April 16, 1850 and her son, François, took over as the chief artist for the Tussaud exhibition. In 1884, Madame Tussaud’s museum moved to the Marylebone Road in London. It includes historical figures of both the famous and infamous variety. In fact, a grouping of notorious people and relics from famous crimes are located in the museum’s “Chamber of Horrors.” Some of Marie’s original models still reside there, including the Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin pieces. THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW Wax modeling and sculpting has evolved since the days of Madame Tussuad. Gone are the days of a single artist working to create a figure. Instead, in order to achieve the desired realism for a museum-quality wax sculpture, an entire team of artists work together to bring it to life, figuratively speaking, of course. First, the team must assemble a solid collection of photographs and measurements of the subject. To do this, the museum must determine exactly how they want that subject to m immortalized. Should he or she be smiling, waving, holding a weapon? What type of posture does the person have? And don’t forget the teeth. A person’s smile is an important part of their identity. Oh, and their hair. That’s a biggie too. So, naturally, dentists and barbers are interviewed to get those minute details just right. Using that massive amount of information, the artists can finally begin working to create a plaster mold of the subject’s head, using good old regular clay. Once they have that completed, the artists then pour hot wax into the mold. Often, beeswax is mixed with manufactured petroleum-based wax and then artificial coloring and chemicals are added to the concoction to help the final product stay strong and heat-resistant. After allowing the wax to cool, it is removed from the mold and assembly on the other key features can begin. Prosthetic eyes matching the subject’s eye color as closely as possible are added, along with porcelain teeth (kind of like dentures) and real human hair. Each hair is applied one at a time to the head, eyebrows, eyelashes, and sometimes the arms and chest (depending on where it’s needed based on the subject). As you might guess, this process is done by a trained worker using a tiny needle and can take up to 60 hours to complete. Next, painters apply a thin layer of translucent paint to even out the model’s skin tone and to match any distinguishing marks (like a freckle or mole) from the real person. Finally, the pieces can be assemble together and then it’s off to wardrobe! Seamstresses and costume consultants work together to create the model’s wardrobe and to fit it to the figure’s body. With the sculpture complete, designers then create a scene using backgrounds, props, and furnishings to match the moment in time they intend to capture. The whole process usually takes at least six months to complete but it’s not uncommon for it to take longer. The Royal London Wax Museum’s model of President Bill Clinton took eight months and the model of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien took more than a year. The total cost can anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN . . .? Colorado Springs actually had its own wax museum, once upon a time. It was called The Hall of Presidents Wax Museum and was open from 1969 to 1996. Located just south of Bott Avenue off 21st Street, it held wax sculptures of 42 presidents and various Disney characters, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Possibly the most unnerving sculpture was that of Abraham Lincoln on his death bed: the model’s chest moved up and down as he breathed. Rumor has it that when the museum closed, many of the figures went to a museum in Dallas. Issue 712
SNIPPETZ DIVES INTO THE DEEPEST OF THE DEEP: THE MARIANA TRENCH by Lindsey Harrison “But more wonderful than the lore of old men and the lore of books is the secret lore of ocean.” – H. P. Lovecraft, American novelist Every day, adventure junkies push their bodies to the limit attempting to accomplish something most people cannot. Whether it’s completing the highest skydive in history or sailing around the world all alone. And let’s not forget, scaling the tallest mountain on the planet. It’s pretty safe to say that mankind has essentially conquered the earth. But there’s one part, one HUGE part, which we will probably never be able to conquer, and that’s the ocean. Sure, we’ve studied it and mapped it and measured it and basically gotten a pretty good idea of what it’s all about. The Mariana Trench, however, is the deepest part of any ocean on the face of the planet. And it’s much too deep for humans to risk venturing into at this point. Snippetz didn’t let that stop us from getting our feet wet. So join us as we sink into the mysterious aquatic world of the Mariana Trench. WHAT IS THE MARIANA TRENCH? The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of any ocean in the world and is located in the Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands (hence the name). Fun fact: the Mariana Islands, also called Las Marianas, were named in honor of the Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria, widow of Philip IV of Spain. Anyway, the islands are part of an arc of islands that was indirectly formed by the subduction of the edge of the Pacific Plate beneath the smaller Mariana Plate. The movement of these two plates causes water that is trapped in the Mariana Plate to explode upward, forming the volcanic Mariana Islands. The trench itself was discovered during the Challenger expedition in 1875, in which the recorded depth was 26,850 feet, based on the sounding technology used at the time. As technology advanced, so did the accuracy of the measurements for the trench’s depths that were recorded on subsequent expeditions. On average, the trench is about 43 miles wide but measures 1,580 miles long. The really remarkable part is that, at its deepest, an area called the Challenger Deep, the trench reaches a depth of at least 6.831 miles. Not impressed? Consider this: Mount Everest, as we all know, is the highest point on the earth. It measures 29,035 feet. If Mount Everest were dropped into the Challenger Deep, its summit would still be 7,166 feet below the surface of the ocean. EXPLORING THE MARIANA TRENCH Due to its incredible depth, the Mariana Trench is shrouded in darkness, with frigid water temperatures and crushing water pressure at 8 tons or 16,000 pounds per square inch (psi). To put it into perspective, it takes 300 psi to crack a macadamia nut; 15 psi to crack a human skull; and 5 psi to collapse your windpipe. Yup, the pressure down there is pretty intense. While it was observed in some areas of the Mariana Trench that life could be sustained, many scientists posited that life simply couldn’t handle the intense pressure of the Challenger Deep. But to truly know the answer to such a question, we just had to see for ourselves. The Challenger Deep was first explored in 1960 by Jacques Piccard, a Swiss scientist, who worked in coordination with United States Navy Lt. Donald Walsh. The team used a U.S. Navy submersible, called the Trieste to descend to 35,810 feet into the Challenger Deep. Another fun fact: the Challenger Deep was first located in 1951 by the British survey ship, Challenger II (hence its name). Their expedition was the first and only of its kind for more than 50 years. The descent took the pair five hours to complete and they were only able to spend 20 minutes at the bottom. MARIANA TRENCH MARINE LIFE You’ve probably guessed that the water in the Mariana Trench reaches very cold temperatures the further down you go. At the bottom of the Challenger Deep, the water temperature is about 33-39º Fahrenheit. Knowing that, it might surprise you to learn that the temperature in certain parts of the sea floor in the trench can be as high as 572º Fahrenheit. The reason behind the incredible temperature discrepancy? Hydrothermal vents. These vents are formed by the spreading tectonic plates and release hydrogen sulfide and other minerals into the ocean from below. Consequently, the marine life that resides within the Mariana Trench, especially closer to the trench’s floor, have adapted by developing certain proteins that allow them to eat, process food and reproduce in spite of the radical temperature differences. One such unique species is the vent crab, which actually thrives near hydrothermal vents. Angler Fish, those creepy fish that have the massive teeth and the bioluminescent dangly thing hanging off the front of their heads, also live in the Mariana Trench. One variety of snailfish was found at 26,715 feet, officially setting a new record for the deepest living fish known to man. The fish was a white translucent color with broad wing-like fins and an eel-like tail. It was seen slowly gliding over the bottom of the ocean floor. Although there has been some debate as to the veracity of his claims, Piccard recorded seeing a flatfish of about one foot long and a shrimp during his voyage. However, in July 2011, a research expedition deployed untethered dropcams called landers that were equipped with digital video and lights to explore the ocean floor. The dropcams recorded many living organisms during the expedition, including some gigantic single-cell amoebas, measuring more than 4 inches long. But those are just a few examples of the estimated 5,000 newly-identified species discovered since mankind has ventured into the depths of the Mariana Trench. And while it’s tempting to assume that those lifeforms are the result of years of evolution and adaptability, that’s simply not the case. In fact, scientists have stated that some of the species we’ve discovered in trenches around the world are actually the most prehistoric lifeforms on the entire planet; some of which have remained unchanged for millions of years. MARIANA TRENCH SNIPPETZ
Issue 713
WELCOME TO SHANGRI-LA? SNIPPETZ EXAMINES FAILED UTOPIAN SOCIETIES by Lindsey Harrison “Perhaps the greatest utopia would be if we could all realize that no utopia is possible; no place to run, no place to hide, just take care of business here and now.” – Jack Carroll, Canadian politician Before our founding fathers fled Europe to escape religious persecution and hopefully create a better life for themselves and their families in the New World, do you think they had aspirations of establishing a utopia? Or maybe they had a more realistic view of the world, like our buddy Jack Carroll did as he indicates in the quote above. For years, centuries really, people have had the romanticized idea that utopia exists. Even those who have grown up in our pretty great democratic society, with the freedom of speech, religion, and many other guaranteed rights have sought out something better. As we celebrate the day our country declared its independence in order to ensure those rights we felt were so fundamental to a happy society, Snippetz decided to see what happened when people decided to break away and build their own version of utopia. WHAT DOES “UTOPIA” MEAN? You’ve probably heard the word before and understood the meaning, but you may not know where it came from and what it originally meant. Literally speaking, utopia means “no-place.” In 1516, Sir Thomas More wrote a book called “Utopia” in which he described an imaginary island where everything is perfect all the time. His title is so apt because a true utopia exists “no-place.” But that hasn’t stopped people from trying to create one! NEW HARMONY Robert Owen dreamed up the idea of the “New Harmony” community and set about creating it in Indiana in 1825. His idea was that people living in the community would do whatever they were best at, whether it be shearing sheep or baking bread. Each person’s skill would contribute to the overall good of the community. The problem came when too many people skilled in one trade created a backlog of work in other areas that lacked a tradesman altogether. Without a solid economic plan, New Harmony was far from harmonious. And with five constitutions drafted in the first year alone, it was clear that Owen’s utopia wasn’t up to snuff. OCTAGON CITY The Vegetarian Kansas Emigration Company founded Octagon City in 1856, near Humboldt, Kansas. The initial idea was that the community would be made up entirely of vegetarians, but due to a lack of interest, they eventually began to allow “meat-eaters” to join them. The name Octagon City came from the octagonal city design, inspired by famous phrenologist Orson Squire Fowler, who posited that octagons were the most practical designs for homes because they allowed the most amount of light to enter the dwelling. In the end, the grand plan didn’t pan out so well. When about 60 families showed up to live in the city, they were a bit disappointed to find the “city” was just a single 16 x16 windowless log cabin. Many left, but the few who tried to stick it out ran into numerous problems, including lack of water, mosquito invasions and disease. BROOK FARM Similar to the idea behind “New Harmony,” Brook Farm was founded on the idea that everyone would pitch in and share the workload, allowing the community members to escape the confines of capitalist life. George Ripley set up the farm in 1841 on 200 acres in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. His followers believed that, by sharing the various jobs throughout the farm, they would have more time to enjoy intellectual and cultural pursuits, but found that the reality was far from ideal. The farm failed to turn a profit from its agricultural produce. Additionally, Ripley steered his community in a direction that essentially required the younger people to do the “dirty work,” which they didn’t particularly like having to do. A smallpox outbreak in 1845, followed by a fire in 1846 and growing dissatisfaction with the overall situation eventually led to the demise of Brook Farm. FRUITLANDS COMMUNE Bronson Alcott (father of Louisa May) and Charles Lane visited Brook Farm but found it to be “too worldly” and decided in start their own utopian society, the Fruitlands Commune, in Harvard, Massachusetts in 1843. All 11 adult members and the scattering of children who accompanied them to the commune were against property ownership, were political anarchists, believed in free love and were vegetarians. They were even forbidden to use any animal products like honey, wool, beeswax and manure, to name a few. They couldn’t use animals for labor and only planted produce that grew up out of the soil so that worms and other living organisms within the soil weren’t disturbed. Thanks to a popular belief among the members that manual labor was spiritually inhibiting, the commune couldn’t provide enough food to feed its members. Many became malnourished and fell ill, causing the general collapse of the commune in January 1844, about six months after its inception. THE MOUNTAIN COVE COMMUNITY The Mountain Cove Community was founded by a group called the Spiritualists whose idea of utopia led them to a spot in Virginia in 1851. They considered the area to be the Garden of Eden and in it, they determined that they would live entirely without any individual having the power to dictate to any other. If direction was needed, it would come from the “spirits,” they thought. In order to be accepted into the community, members needed to give up all their possessions because everything, including finances, would be handled by the spirits. Clearly, the spirits couldn’t be bothered with creating a budget or helping the members find a way to support themselves because the community lasted less than two years. ONEIDA If that name sounds familiar, it’s because the Oneida company began manufacturing silverware in 1877, in the midst of attempting to maintain a successful utopian community. The Oneida community was founded by John Humphrey Noyes in Oneida, New York in 1848, based on the belief that Jesus had already made his grand reappearance in the year 70, so the ability to bring about his perfect kingdom fell squarely on their shoulders. At its peak, the community had about 300 members and relied on the “complex marriage” principle, in which every member was married to every other member and the children were raised communally. While it represents one of the utopian societies that lasted the longest, from 1848 until 1881, the only thing about the Oneida that’s still around today is their cutlery. Apparently, it wasn’t quite the utopia it was cracked up to be. JONESTOWN By far one of the most depressing attempts at a utopian society, the People’s Temple Agricultural Project (or Jonestown) was established on 3,800 acres of leased land in Guyana by leader Jim Jones in 1974. The idea was to leave behind all the bad things of the American society and set up their own little happy world in Guyana. But the living conditions weren’t up to par and one survivor even said it reminded him of a concentration camp. When it became clear that things weren’t working out in Jonestown, several members decided to try to get back to the United States by traveling along with congressman Leo Ryan, who was visiting at that time in 1978. But Jones thought the members were trying to destroy his utopia and ordered the other members to commit “revolutionary suicide,” resulting in the death of 907 Temple members from cyanide poisoning. Issue 714
SNIPPETZ CELEBRATES AMERICA'S BIG BEN: THE LIFE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN by Lindsey Harrison 
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
– Benjamin Franklin, The Man As we celebrate the anniversary of our country’s independence, it’s easy to forget the people who made it all possible. Yes, our military fight constantly to maintain those certain unalienable rights that our forefathers spoke of in the Declaration of Independence and for that, we should be eternally and openly grateful. But, we’re talking about those first individuals who had the courage and determination to fight for the rights they felt they had been denied while under England’s rule. We’re talking about the men who put their heads together and drafted a document so profoundly important, it literally changed the course of history. And one such man just happens to be Benjamin Franklin. In case you didn’t know, Benjamin Franklin basically did a little bit of everything, including helping to draft the Declaration of Independence. So while we eat our hotdogs and hamburgers and enjoy fireworks displays, Snippetz felt it was necessary to take some time to chronicle some of the great things Benjamin Franklin. EARLY LIFE Benjamin Franklin started life as the 15th of 17 children, born on January 17, 1706. His father, Josiah Franklin, was a soap and candle maker, which would become his son’s trade as well at the ripe old age of 10. Benjamin had attended and done very well at Boston Latin School but his father needed Benjamin’s help dipping wax and cutting wicks. Two years later, Benjamin was sent to apprentice with his brother James, who owned a print shop. The atmosphere intoxicated the young apprentice, who immediately began submitting his own writings for publication. However, James didn’t want to publish any of his younger brother’s pieces, so Benjamin submitted new ones under the pseudonym, Mrs. Silence Dogood. The letters Mrs. Dogood drafted were a hit and soon, not only James’ paper was publishing them, but The New England Courant did as well. James was none too thrilled when he found out who the true author was and Benjamin left his apprenticeship shortly after, setting out for New York but ending up in Philadelphia. Benjamin lodged at the home of John Read while he continued his education in the printing trade and in 1723, met Read’s daughter, Deborah. The pair became an item but in 1724, Benjamin left for London, following the advice of the Pennsylvania Governor William Keith, leaving Deborah behind. Supposedly, the governor would help Benjamin set up his own print shop if he traveled across the Atlantic to purchase fonts and printing equipment. But when he got there, Benjamin realized that the governor hadn’t sent word of what his purpose in England was. Benjamin was forced to spend several months working in print shops in England to support himself. When he returned to Philadelphia, he learned that Deborah had married another man. BECOMING SOMETHING BIGGER Benjamin once again threw himself into his work and was soon a better printer than the man he worked for. He borrowed some money and set up his own print shop. Business took off and people took notice. In 1729, Benjamin bought a newspaper called the Pennsylvania Gazette. He printed the paper himself and often published his own works under various pseudonyms and the paper became the most successful in the colonies. In fact, his paper was the first to print a political cartoon, which Benjamin created himself. Aside from his obvious talent in printing and writing, Benjamin Franklin earned a name for himself as an inventor. We’ve all heard the story about the kite and the key and how he determined that lightning was, in fact, electricity. Well, he also happened to have created swim fins, a musical instrument called the armonica, bifocal glasses, the odometer, the rocking chair and the flexible urinary catheter, among other things. Benjamin Franklin never patented his inventions, feeling it was thanks enough to know that other people benefited from something he created. In the 1750s, Benjamin took an active interest in politics. Initially, he considered himself a loyal Englishman, but in 1765, he began to reconsider when England passed the Stamp Act, which imposed a tax that required printed materials be printed on stamped revenue paper from England, who profited from the entire deal. THE BIG BREAK Benjamin dissolved his alliance to England following what would be known as the “Hutchinson Affair.” England had appointed Thomas Hutchinson as governor of Massachusetts, and while he pretended to be on the side of the Massachusetts citizens, he was still working for the King of England. Benjamin blew the whistle on Hutchinson and never again offered allegiance to the king and actively pushed for colonial independence. SAY WHAT? You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” This was actually a favorite phrase of Benjamin Franklin’s who was known to be particularly frugal and displayed an incredible work ethic. Along that same vein, Franklin coined the phrase, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Franklin was adamantly against debt, concluding that a man is no longer free if he is indebted to anyone; thus, this phrase is pretty apt for his whole way of thinking and living. What about, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Hearing that, you’d likely assume it was a phrase invented by a famous doctor, referring to the human body. Actually, it was Benjamin Franklin’s phrase and he was referencing fire-fighting advice. Franklin helped organize Philadelphia’s Union Fire Company in 1736. When he came up with the above phrase, he was talking about preventing fires, which were a very dangerous threat to the city at the time. The damage from fires was often so incredible that people who were impacted by it couldn’t bounce back economically. Knowing this, Franklin helped to found the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance Against Loss by Fire in 1752. Insurance policies such as this kept people from being completely financially devastated after a fire. SAY WHO? Benjamin Franklin had a great sense of humor and a quick wit, which can be clearly seen in his eclectic choice in the aliases he used for his writing: Richard Saunders (used for his popular Poor Richard’s Almanac, which he published annually from 1732 to 1758); Silence Dogood; Anthony Afterwit; Alice Addertongue; Caelia Shortface; Martha Careful; Polly Baker; Busy Body; and Benevolous. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SNIPPETZ
Issue 715
SAY WHAT? SNIPPETZ SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON MISHEARD SONG LYRICS by Lindsey Harrison “Lyrics are always misleading because they make people think that that’s what the music is about.” – Brian Eno, British musician It’s happened to all of us. You’re sitting in your car, rocking out to a great song when suddenly there’s a part of the lyrics that don’t quite fit with the rest of the song. They don’t make sense but you can’t for the life of you figure out what is really being said. So you belt out those utterly and completely incorrect lyrics and go on with your day. But have you ever had the embarrassing experience of singing those super wrong lyrics in front of someone who actually knows the words to the song? It’s awful. But it can be pretty funny. And funny is something we at Snippetz really enjoy. So read on to learn some of the most popular misheard lyrics and what the REAL words of the songs are! LET’S GET ONE THING CLEAR It’s not uncommon for an artist to intentionally rephrase the lyrics of a song, whether it’s their own or now. Consider Weird Al Yankovich who has had many such songs produced over the years. They’re parodies of the original and aren’t what we’re focusing on here. In fact, there’s a term for misheard song lyrics and it’s “mondegreen.” The term was actually coined by writer Sylvia Wright. And now you have a new word to incorporate into your vocabulary. You’re welcome. MONDEGREEN IN THE NEWS It’s not often that misheard song lyrics make their way into the news. But apparently, when you’re as famous as Taylor Swift and have had as many public romances as she has, it’s nearly impossible not to talk about it. So here’s what happened. Miss Swift released her song “Blank Space” off her album “1989” and almost immediately, people took to social media sites to ask why she was singing about Starbucks. Well, she wasn’t. People all over the world claimed she was singing, “Got along with Starbucks lovers” or some variation thereof. But the REAL lyrics are, “Got a long list of ex-lovers” which totally makes sense when you consider she’s talking about writing someone’s name on her list of people she used to date. The whole Starbucks lovers thing? Not so much. But it just goes to show you the power that singers have at their disposal when they perform a song; they can literally change the meaning of the song by simply singing too quickly or not enunciating. Although, to be fair, the public’s lack of common sense to think, “Hey, maybe those words don’t make sense and I should investigate before I jump to a conclusion, especially on a worldwide social media site” plays its part in the whole mondegreen situation. THAT’S NOT QUITE RIGHT Mishearing a song isn’t exactly an earth-shattering mistake. Often, it can be quite funny, especially if you aren’t the one singing those ridiculously-wrong lyrics! And so, without further ado, we bring you some of our favorite misheard song lyrics . . . and their correct counterparts! Eurythmics - 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) · Wrong: “Sweet Dreams Are Made of Cheese” · Right: “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising · Wrong: “There’s a bathroom on the right” · Right: “There’s a bad moon on the rise” Jimi Hendrix – Purple Haze · Wrong: “Excuse me while I kiss this guy” · Right: “Excuse me while I kiss the sky” The Eagles – Life in the Fast Lane · Wrong: “Bikes in the fast lane” OR · Wrong: “Life in the vast plain” · Right: “Life in the fast lane” Smokey Robinson – I Second That Emotion · Wrong: “I suck at that emotion” · Right: “I second that emotion” Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now · Wrong: “I can see all icicles in my way” · Right: “I can see all obstacles in my way” The Monkees – I’m a Believer · Wrong: “Then I saw her face, now I’m gonna leave her” · Right: “Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer” Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit · Wrong: Here we are now in containers” · Right: ‘Here we are now entertain us” Madonna – Like a Virgin · Wrong: Like a virgin, touched for the 31st time” · Right: “Like a virgin, touched for the very first time” Prince – Little Red Corvette · Wrong: “Miracle whip, baby you’re much too fast” · Right: “Little red Corvette, baby you’re much too fast” Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue · Wrong: “Doughnuts make my brown eyes blue” · Right: “Don’t it make my brown eyes blue” The Clash – Rock the Kasbah · Wrong: “Drop the pasta. Drop the pasta” · Right: “Rock the Kasbah. Rock the Kasbah” Eddie Money – Two Tickets to Paradise · Wrong: “I’ve got two chicks and a pair of dice” · Right: “I’ve got two tickets to paradise” Elton John – Rocket Man · Wrong: “Rocket man, burning up his shoes with aerosol” · Right: “Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone” Bon Jovi – Living on a Prayer · Wrong: “It doesn’t make a difference it we’re naked or not” · Right: “It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not” Elton John – Tiny Dancer · Wrong: “Hold me closer Tony Danza” · Right: “Hold me closer tiny dancer” Psy – Gangnam Style · Wrong: “Oprah got no style” · Right: “Oppa Gangnam style” Shania Twain – You’re Still the One · Wrong: “Looks like we mated” · Right: “Looks like we made it” ABBA – Dancing Queen · Wrong: “See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen” · Right: “See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen” OneRepublic – Apologize · Wrong: “It’s too late to order fries” · Right: “It’s too late to apologize” 5th Dimension – Aquarius · Wrong: “This is the dawning of the age of asparagus, age of asparagus” · Right: “This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius, age of Aquarius” Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time · Wrong: “Suitcase, Dramamine” · Right: “Suitcases of memories” Berlin – Take My Breath Away · Wrong: “In all that body lotion, somewhere there’s a loving flame” · Right: “Haunted by the notion, somewhere there’s a love in flames” Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive · Wrong: “Ah, ah, ah, ah, sayin’ a lie, sayin’ a lie” · Right: “Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive” R.E.M. – Losing My Religion · Wrong: “Let’s pee in the corner, let’s pee in the spotlight” · Right: “That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight” Jefferson Starship – We Built This City · Wrong: “We built this city on logs and coal” · Right: “We built this city on rock and roll” Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Blinded by the Light · Wrong: “Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche, another runner in the night” · Right: “Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night” Van Halen – Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love · Wrong: “Ain’t Taco Bell Love” · Right: “Ain’t talkin’ ‘bout love” Commodores – Brick House · Wrong: “Yeah, she’s the one, the only one built like a mastodon” · Right: “Yeah, she’s the one, the only one built like an Amazon” Chaka Kahn – I’m Every Woman · Wrong: “I’m Terry Wogan” · Right: “I’m every woman” Devo – Secret Agent Man · Wrong: “Secret Asian man, secret Asian man” · Right: “Secret agent man, secret agent man” Journey – Don’t Stop Believing · Wrong: “Don’t stop believing, hold onto that fetus” · Right: “Don’t stop believing, hold onto that feeling” Issue 716
SNIPPETZ SPELLS OUT NEW WORDS THAT WEREN'T WORDS BEFORE by Lindsey Harrison “Language is a process of free creation; its laws and principles are fixed, but the manner in which the principles of generation are used is free and infinitely varied. Even the interpretation and use of words involved a process of free creation.” – Noam Chomsky, American activist Languages are weird things, if you think about it. Somewhere along the line, a bunch of people got together and agreed that certain combinations of sounds made certain words. And it’s not like it was just one language that developed. There are lots. The interesting thing is that languages continue to evolve over time. Words that were used centuries ago are no longer used today. Likewise, words that no one had invented yet are commonplace today. For example, you’ve probably heard the term “ginormous” before. Well, before the movie “Elf” debuted in 2003, no one had heard of it. Less than five years later, ginormous was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an official word. Naturally, Snippetz got curious: what other new words are out there that weren’t words before? Here’s what we found! CREATION TREND NO. 1 There have been a few trends in how new words are created, especially in recent years. One such trend is to take a word that sounds similar to another and use it in place of that original word. That new word has a meaning that can generally be ascertained by understanding the original word. Here are a few examples of some interesting replacement creations.
CREATION TREND NO. 2 This next trend is what that wonderful word “ginormous” can be considered. It consists of taking two words and mashing them together to make a new one that can essentially be explained by using the two words in a sentence together. Ginormous is defined as extremely large or humongous. It’s the combination of gigantic and enormous. Pretty straight-forward, right? They are often so straight-forward in fact, that there’s a word to describe the ability to create them: eloquacious, which is “eloquent” and “loquacious.” Eloquacious means being able to create brand new words that sound as if they’ve always, truly existed and mean exactly what you think they would mean.” Here are examples of some mash-up creations made by some seriously eloquacious people.
CREATION TREND NO. 3 This trend consists of taking a brand name or person’s name and turning it into an action based on something that correlates to that brand name or person’s name. Basically, you turn a name into a verb. Here are a few example of this verbing word creation trend.
Issue 717
LAWYER, VINTNER, SINGER, SNIPPETZ IS IMPRESSED: ANDREA BOCELLI HAS DONE IT ALL! by Lindsey Harrison “The nature of music is mysterious and so much so that it generates strong emotions within us. It moves along passages that reach the most intimate areas of our psyche without being tried by prejudices or influences of any kind,” – Andrea Bocelli, Italian musician There have been plenty of one-hit-wonders storming concert stages across the world who eventually faded into oblivion. Maybe they chose a different career path that was more suited to their lifestyle. Or maybe they just couldn’t dig deep enough to make singing a career rather than a passing hobby. But rarely do you find someone with the dedication and determination to become a singer that Andrea Bocelli possesses. Yes, he’s blind. That definitely sets him apart from the vast majority of famous singers in the world. He’s so much more than that, though. He’s a musician through and through, with obvious skill but an intelligence that allowed him to establish himself in various other facets of the business world. With such an intriguing man just wandering around out there, Snippetz felt it was our duty to find out all we could about him and bring it to you, our dear readers, to enjoy! EARLY LIFE Andrea Bocelli was born on September 22, 1958 in Lajatico, Tuscan, Italy. His parents, Alessandro and Edi Bocelli, raised their family on a farm, selling farm machinery and making wine. Andrea was born with congenital glaucoma and he and his family came to accept the fact that his eyesight would never be what it should. That did stop the young boy from pursuing his passions. At six years old, Andrea started taking piano lessons and eventually translated his obvious musical talent to the flute, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, trombone and drums. Of course, he sang as well. Reportedly, Andrea had a nanny who gave him a record of Franco Corelli, an Italian tenor and from then on, Andrea knew he wanted to become a tenor as well. He studied up on his music and learned to identify and mimic famous singers by their voices alone. His studying paid off and Andrea held his first concert in a village not far from where he was born. He began participating in singing competitions and at 14, he won his first competition, the Margherita d’Oro in Viareggio, where he sang “O sole mio.” It was always a fact that Andrea would have eyesight issues and could eventually lose his sight altogether. But no one expected what happened during a soccer game when Andrea was just 12 years old; while playing goal keeper, he was hit in the eye and suffered a brain hemorrhage. The doctors attempted to treat the hemorrhage with various methods, including using leeches, but nothing could be done to restore his eyesight. From then on, Andrea was completely blind. FROM LAWYER TO TENOR It isn’t every day that a man can go from practicing law to becoming a famous singer. But that’s what Andrea Bocelli did. After finishing high school, he attended the University of Pisa and studied law. He graduated from law school and spend a year as a court-appointed lawyer. But his heart was never completely in it. During his years in law school, to earn money, Andrea sang in piano bars. Andrea may never have become the insanely successful singer his is today if it weren’t for a lucky break he caught in 1992. Zucchero Fornaciari, an Italian rock start, acquired a demo tape of him singing “Miserere,” which was co-written by Bono from the band U2. Fornaciari managed to hand the tape off to Luciano Pavarotti, an Italian singer and the intended performer for which the song was written. Even though Pavarotti was the most famous tenor at the time, he urged Fornaciari to use Andrea instead. When the discussions were all said and done, Pavarotti agreed to share the spotlight with Andrea and the pair performed the song together. “Miserere” soared to the top of the charts and became a Europe-wide sensation. Pavarotti, who died in 2007, supported Andrea during the early part of his budding career as a professional singer. In fact, Andrea was invited to perform at Pavarotti’s annual charity gala concert, the “Pavarotti International.” ANDREA ARRIVES ACROSS THE ATLANTIC Andrea Bocelli had already been a best-selling artist in Europe for several years before he finally made his appearance in the United States. Following his success with Pavarotti in “Miserere,” he went on to win first prize at the San Remo Music Festival by singing “Il Mare Calmo della Sera.” The festival was so massively popular, it’s estimated that one in every three people in Italy watched it. And Andrea profited from the exposure. After releasing his single “Con Te Partiro” in 1995, which was incredibly successful on its own, Andrea released his album “Romanza” in 1997. It was with this album that Andrea managed to reach audiences in the United States. His concert, “Romanza in Concert: A Night in Tuscany” was aired on PBS as a special fund-raising event later that same year and he not only burst on the scene in America but his popularity in other places took off as well. In fact, the PBS special was so well-received that it ran three times rather than the one time for which it had been scheduled. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC Andrea Bocelli has often been dubbed a pop music star and according to him, he isn’t particularly pleased with that distinction. He has said that he prefers opera to pop music but that he is aware that to be noticed, he needed to sing those pop songs. However, deep down, Andrea always knew that singing was the really important thing; it didn’t matter what it was. Here’s what he said: “I believe we all have a destiny that we can perceive. Mine was singing. I always sang for my friends at school, for birthdays, so I knew inside what my destiny was.” Even though Andrea was trained as an opera singer, had always wanted to be an opera singer and prefers singing opera to other musical forms, his talent has transcended the boundaries of mere opera or pop singing. In fact, his versatility and romantic sound was recognized by many people in the music industry, and he was even described as someone who could sing want ads and make them sound romantic. Now that’s talent! BOCELLI SNIPPETZ
Issue 718
SNIPPETZ SERVES UP SOME OLD-SCHOOL DINER LINGO by Lindsey Harrison 
“Slang is a language that rolls up its sleeves, spits on its hands and goes to work.”
– Carl Sandburg, American poet When you picture a diner in your mind, what do you see? Do you see a long counter with chrome around the edges and red pleather-topped stools? Do you see a waitress in a pink outfit with a little white apron on and pencils shoved into her bun on top of her head? Maybe she’s chewing gum and looking bored. Maybe there’s a spattering of working-type men leaning over steaming cups of coffee and huge plates of food. Or perhaps there’s a guy named Ernie back in the kitchen banging his spatula on a bell, yelling, “Order up!” Of course, we have movies to thank for that image but there’s definitely some truth behind that stereotypical image of a diner. And probably one of the most iconic elements of the diner is that crazy diner lingo. Instead of saying, “I’ll take two poached eggs on toast, please,” you can say, “I’ll take Adam and Eve on a raft.” Why? Because that’s just how cool diner lingo is. It may not make sense, but it sure is fun to say! And with that in mind, we’re putting our order in for some old-school diner lingo, with a side of history and maybe some fun to go! HISTORY OF THE DINER The origin of the word “diner” actually comes from the term “dining car,” which refers to the designated eating car on a train. Most diners are actually modeled after the design of a dining car from a train, which is why they are often long and skinny. But where did the idea of taking that dining car off the train tracks and transforming it into a stand-alone restaurant come from? Well, we have Walter Scott to thank for that flash of brilliance. Scott worked part-time as a pressman and type compositor in the town of Providence, Rhode Island in the mid-1800s. In order to help bolster his income, Scott began selling sandwiches and coffee from a basket to night workers for the newspapers or clients who frequented gentlemen’s clubs. For a 17-year-old living in the 1850s, he made a pretty decent living. Around 1872, Scott was able to completely abandon his print job and focus solely on selling his food, which he piled into a horse-drawn covered wagon that he parked outside the Providence Journal newspaper office. Without realizing it, Scott had set the stage for one of the most popular places for the blue-collar working class patrons to get a good meal and hot cup of coffee. As time went on, the covered wagon idea was improved upon and new lunch wagons were made that allowed customers to stand inside out of the weather, rather than waiting outside for their food. Stools were added so people could take a load off while they waited. These lunch wagons were popular during the day but especially at night because most restaurants closed at 8:00 p.m. Because of their obviously lucrative business model, lunch wagons popped up all over the place. Ordinances were passed in many towns and cities to restrict operations of these moveable lunch wagons. To get around those new rules, lunch wagon owners set up in semi-permanent locations. During this time, horse drawn street cars were being phased out in favor of the new electrified models. Those old street cars were bought up and turned into the iconic diners we’ve all seen in the movies. The diner business took on a seedy appearance because owners were often more concerned about turning a profit than maintaining their diners. To combat the problem, many diners chose to appeal to the female customers by cleaning up their facilities, installing indoor bathrooms, booths and tables, and even adding the word “Miss” to their names. Because their food was more affordable than most other restaurants, diners managed to make it through the Depression and were even more popular after World War II, when many Americans stuck to eating at home rather than spending money at a restaurant. Flash forward a decade or so and diners retained the shape of a dining car, but began installing huge windows and using lots of stainless steel to attract passing motorists. The advent of fast food cut into their market share but diners have withstood the test of time and aren’t likely to disappear any time soon. ORDER UP! Now that you know the history behind the diner, how about we teach you some diner lingo? The next time you happen upon a quaint little diner, you can order like a pro!
Issue 719
SNIPPETZ REVEALS OUR SUPER POWER: UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT COMIC BOOKS by Lindsey Harrison “If Shakespeare and Michelangelo were alive today, and if they decided to collaborate on a comic, Shakespeare would write the script and Michelangelo would draw it. How could anybody say that this wouldn’t be as worthwhile an art form as anything on earth?” – Stan Lee, American writer There’s no denying that comic books have had an effect on American culture. Seriously, we have an entire convention dedicated to everything comic book-related. But they’re not exactly the typical thing that comes to mind when someone talks about artwork or good literature. The truth is, they have become an important part of the arts and entertainment world. Comic books have inspired movies galore, television shows, toys, clothing; you name it, there’s probably a version of it out there that is some sort of comic book spinoff. So how did this obsession with comic books come about? Where did it all begin? That’s what Snippetz set out to discover and here’s what we found! ONCE UPON A NEWSPAPER . . . Comic books are really a modified and extended version of the comic strips that became popular in newspapers in the 1920s and 1930s. Their popularity often eclipsed other sections of the newspaper and were frequently reprinted in book form. The books, including so-called “little big books” and “pulps,” were inexpensive and sold at newsstands or given as incentives to purchase other goods like cereal and gasoline. Various formats were tried to see which worked best for the combination of art and text that makes comic books so unique. In 1933, what is considered to be the first true comic book was printed by the Eastern Color Printing Company, hailing from Waterbury, Connecticut. Called “Famous Funnies: A Carnival of Comics,” it featured reprints from comic strips like “Mutt and Jeff.” The company didn’t make any money on the comic book but they realized they had something special, so in 1934, they published “Famous Funnies #1,” a 68-page comic book which went out to newsstands across the country and cost $.10. The book was a hit and the demand for reprinted strips began to far exceed the amount of strips available for reprint. To keep up with consumers, publishing companies began creating original material and printing that in their books instead. But original content was not very easy to come by; publishers began actively searching for talented writers and artists to make comics for them. One such writer/artist duo named Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, respectively, had been trying to break into the newspaper comic strip business for years with their story about an invincible hero sent to Earth from another planet. They reformatted their strips into a comic book and they were ready to present their hero, Superman, in “Action Comics #1,” published in June 1938. You probably won’t be surprised to hear that it was a huge success and ushered in the “Golden Age” of comic books. THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMIC BOOKS Lasting from 1938 to 1956, the Golden Age saw the introduction of several popular comic book heroes, including Wonder Woman, Captain America, The Flash and Batman. Of them all, Batman has remained in print ever since his first appearance in “Detective Comics #27” in May 1939. His appeal was essentially the polar opposite of what Superman brought to the table. Created by Bob Kane, Batman was rough and raw. He didn’t have super powers and he wasn’t a particularly stand-up guy. Sure, he fought crime; but when the villain in the first comic fell into a vat of acid and died, Batman remarked, “A fitting end for his kind.” He relied on his detective abilities to solve and stop crimes so his stories felt more like mysteries than comic books. But he got to wear a really cool outfit, had brains and some pretty cool gadgets, all of which have helped bolster his popularity throughout the years. Batman got his sidekick, Robin the Boy Wonder, in April, 1940. The pair later became known as the “dynamic duo.” Other sidekicks were to follow, but none were ever as popular as Robin. In 1941, Wonder Woman appeared in “All Star Comics #8.” In a time when the comic book world was very clearly dominated by men, Wonder Woman was a refreshing twist on the superhero and held her own against the male superheroes just fine. That same year, Captain America was introduced. Instead of being presented in another comic book before earning one for himself, he was given his own comic book right out of the gate. At the time, this was a huge risk. Comic books were never created with a character who had yet to be shown as a good money-maker. “SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT” We’ve all heard the various theories about why kids do what they do. Blame turns to the music they listen to, the games they play, and yes, even the books they read. In this instance, comic books weren’t immune to the finger-pointing as to the cause of juvenile delinquency. The guiding force behind the movement that focused in on comic books was a psychologist named Dr. Fredric Werthham. He thought comic books were bad for children and made concerted efforts to have them censored. In 1948, Werthham was interviewed by Collier Magazine for an article titled “Horror in the Nursery” in which he described what he thought the effects of comic books on children really was. In the weeks following the article’s publication, other people jumped on the bandwagon of Werthham’s train of thought and began pinpointing themes in the comic books like communist teachings, sex, and racial discrimination that may or may not have truly been there. In 1954, Werthham came out with his book called “Seduction of the Innocent.” This was by far, his most inflammatory public outcry against comic books, stating that he had been studying children for several years and found that comic books were a major and direct cause of juvenile delinquency. He didn’t stop there, though. Werthham went as far as to say that Superman was giving children the wrong idea about physics because he could fly, and that Wonder Woman was giving young girls the wrong idea about a woman’s true place in society. Werthham’s research was called into question when it was discovered that he had only studied juvenile delinquents, without comparing them to other children. But the damage had been done and the United States Senate led an investigation into the relationship between comic books and delinquency. The results of the investigation ultimately called for comic book companies to “self-police” the content of their publications. Following that, the Comics Code Authority was formed on Oct. 26, 1954. They put their stamp of approval on every comic that met their standards; but not all did. COMIC BOOK RECOVERY The CCA is all but abandoned in today’s comic book world. Warnings that the content of certain comic books may not be suitable for all readers have been placed on ones that have raised eyebrows and the superhero world has rebounded beautifully. Movies featuring some of the most iconic superheroes, like Spider-Man, Superman, the Avengers and the Fantastic Four are becoming box office smashes. So grab your favorite comic book and remember all that went into bringing that unique piece of literature to the point it is today! |
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