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Issue 360 - 9/22/2008
SNIPPETZ WONDERS ABOUT ONE-HIT WONDERS by Deborah Stumpf 
"Fame is a fickle food – Upon a shifting plate."
-Emily Dickinson We at Snippetz love to reminisce and today we’re thinking back on those music’s “one-hit wonders” of long ago and some from more recent times. Do you remember any or all of these? Can you get through the day today without humming a few of these oldies? Oh, life could be a dream (sh-boom) If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom) In 1954, the song “Sh-Boom” was recorded by a doo-wop group that called themselves The Chords. The song was on both the rhythm & blues as well as the pop charts that year. It was so popular that other publishing companies were clamoring to purchase the rights. After The Chords began appearing on television, it was discovered that there was another group calling themselves by the same name. This prompted The Chords to change their name to the Chordcats. The group’s 15 minutes of fame was soon over and after many more attempts and a name change to The Sh-Booms, the group never returned to the hit charts. However, “Sh-Boom” lives on. The song was used in Disney/Pixar’s “Cars” in 2006. It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater In 1958, actor, cowboy, rodeo rider and country-western singer Sheb Wooley (1921-2003) ventured into the pop charts with “Purple People Eater.” Although well known for his purple hit, he was also a successful actor, playing in western films such as “The Outlaw Josey Wales” and “High Noon,” as well as TV’s “Rawhide” and “Hee Haw.” He also wrote the theme song for the TV hit show “Hee Haw” and played the character of Ben Colder. Under the name Ben Colder, he produced parody recordings such as “Shaky Breaky Car” (“Achy Breaky Heart”) as well as one of his own with “Purple People Eater 2.” The day my momma socked it to the Harper Valley PTA Jeannie C. Riley was best known for her simultaneous appearance on both the country-western and pop charts in 1968 with her No. 1 hit, “Harper Valley PTA.” She was the first woman to achieve this milestone. It was 1981 before Dolly Parton repeated this achievement with her No. 1 hit, “9 to 5.” “Harper Valley PTA” was hugely popular, winning the Single of the Year Award from the Country Music Association, as well as earning Riley Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the Grammy awards. And that’s not all. The song launched Riley’s career into television and movies. She was the first female country-western singer to host her own variety show, “Harper Valley USA,” which she hosted with country singer and guitarist Jerry Reed. Tired of her mini skirt and go-go boot image, she donned more conservative attire in the 1970’s when she became a born again Christian and focused her attention on gospel music. She describes her career in her 1980 autobiography, “From Harper Valley to the Mountain Top.” They're coming to take me away, Ho ho, hee hee, ha ha, To the funny farm Where life is beautiful all the time It was 1966 when Jerry Samuels, a record producer and songwriter recording under the name Napoleon XIV, produced “They’re Coming To Take Me Away Ha-Haaa.” The song climbed to No. 1 on the pop charts within a week of release, but dropped off the charts almost as quickly. There was much pressure put on the radio stations from advocacy groups for the mentally ill to pull the plug on this novel hit. Samuels’ career was not over, as he continued to write and record songs, never again making the Top 40. In the summer time when the weather is high You can chase right up and touch the sky Mungo Jerry is the name of an English folk music/rock group, not a person, lead by musician Ray Dorset. It was 1970 when “In The Summertime” hit the pop charts in both the U.K. and the U.S., as well as many other countries around the world. Although Mungo Jerry never had another No. 1 hit in the U.S., their popularity remained strong in the U.K. and Europe, as well as behind the iron curtain where the group performed on television, the first western band to break that barrier. Over the years, the group evolved and changed with many new members and styles, always headed by Ray Dorset. They also recorded the first reggae version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” Mungo Jerry is still producing music, more recently releasing a single “Mr. Midnight” from “Phantom of the Opera on Ice,” as well as two new albums in 2007. Do the hustle…Do the hustle… Yes, those are all the words in this song – the same three repeated over and over. Wish you came up with this snappy tune and lyrics? Van Allen Clinton McCoy (1940-1979) was sure happy he did so in 1975 and the song is still playing for dancers today. “The Hustle” was his one and only hit; however, his real life’s work was as a music producer, songwriter and orchestra conductor. He produced records for many famous recording artists such as Aretha Franklin, Peaches & Herb, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Melba Moore and the Stylistics. Lay down the boogie and play that funky music til you die Rob Parissi led his band Wild Cherry (named after a cough drop flavor) to stardom for the one hit wonder, “Play That Funky Music” in 1976. The No. 1 hit made it on the pop, R&B and Billboard charts that year and the group received Top R&B Single of the Year, an American Music Award, and received two Grammy nominations. The group made three more albums with limited success and the group eventually disbanded. “Play That Funky Music” is still a requested song on dance floors everywhere. 'Cause I got Pac-Man Fever It's driving me crazy The duo Buckner (Jerry) and Garcia (Gary) recorded “Pac-Man Fever” in 1982, followed by an entire album of songs about arcade video games. And if that’s not enough, the song was re-recorded in 1999. Enough said. Don't worry, be happy Bobby McFerrin was enjoying a career as a pianist and singer in the 1970’s and 1980’s when he produced the 1988 album “Simple Pleasures,” which spawned the No. 1 hit “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” The single was also featured in the movie “Cocktail.” McFerrin is best known for his musical talent with vocal range, switching from falsetto to normal to perform melody and the accompanying portions of songs. He also uses his mouth and taps his chest to make music. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” won McFerrin acclaim for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance. I’m too sexy for my love…shirt…car…cat In 1992, Right Said Fred, an English pop band hit the charts with “I’m Too Sexy,” a fun song about a very confident male fashion model. The band leaders, Fairbrass brothers Richard and Fred, appeared in the Daz Detergent’s (a U.K. product) advertising campaign, renaming the song, “I’m Too Sexy For My Whites,” as new band name “White Said Fred.” The No. 1 hit also had the distinction of being named by Blender as No. 49 on the “Run for Your Life! It’s the 50 Worst Songs Ever!” list. A little bit of Monica…Erica…Rita…Tina… Sandra…Mary…Jessica…Angela…Pamela Lou Bega, a West German born Latin-pop musician, remade Mambo No. 5 in 1999 from the early 1950’s Perez Prado instrumental. The song became a hit on the European charts almost instantly and was No. 3 on the American pop charts. Mambo No. 5 has prompted many versions and remakes since it’s 1999 debut including a Radio Disney version which replaced the ladies’ names with Disney Character names, as well as replacing some lyrics such as the “liquor store around the corner” with the “candy store around the corner.” The ladies’ names were replaced with types of cars in a CarMax commercial, as well as with New York Yankee player names during a version written for the 2000 World Series. The song was also awarded 6th place in Rolling Stone Magazine’s 10 most annoying songs. Don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart Today, Billy Ray Cyrus may be more famous for being the father of Miley Cyrus, but the country singer and actor has enjoyed great success of his own. His most notable on the pop charts was his crossover tune, “Achy Breaky Heart” recorded in 1992. Cyrus has also starred in movies and TV shows such as Love Boat, The Nanny and co-starred with his daughter Miley in Disney’s Hannah Montana. Although cited as a one-hit wonder on the pop charts due to “Achy Breaky Heart,” Cyrus’ career may be far from finished and the future may hold more pop chart hits, eliminating his place on the one-hit wonder list. “Fame is like a shaved pig with a greased tail, and it is only after it has slipped through the hands of some thousands, that some fellow, by mere chance, holds on to it!” Davy Crockett 
Issue 361 - 9/29/2009
SNIPPETZ IS ALL SMILEYS CELEBRATING WORLD SMILE DAY® by Deborah Stumpf 
"Everyone smiles in the same language."
Author Unknown October 3, 2008 marks World Smile Day®, and the motto is “Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile.” The holiday began in 1999 and is recognized by U.S. Congress and included in the Congressional Record. As you probably already know, we at Snippetz love to smile and love helping others smile even more. World Smile Day® was invented by Harvey Ball, a commercial artist who invented the original smiley face, the now familiar round yellow image with two dots for eyes and a curved line for a mouth. He spent only minutes designing the smiley for the Worcester Mutual Insurance Company in 1963 in order to boost employee morale at the company. SMILEYS GONE WILD! Harvey Ball could have never imagined the popularity of his smiley face. In fact, he never even bothered to trademark it at the time. The company received a $240 fee for his work. In 1967, David Stern, an advertising agency owner in Seattle, used his version of the smiley for a University Federal Savings & Loan ad campaign. They produced 150,000 buttons, coin purses and piggy banks for this promotion. The savings & loan’s walls were even adorned with smiley faces. The smiley face peaked in popularity in the early 1970’s when two brothers from Philadelphia, Bernard and Murray Spain, added the saying, “Have a happy day,” to the yellow icon. They mass produced it on novelty items such as t-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers, buttons, key chains and anything else you can imagine a smiley face slapped onto. CAN YOU TRADEMARK A SMILE? The smiley face became a registered trademark in 1971 when Franklin Loufrani, a Frenchman, started “Smiley World” in order to sell the image in Europe and the U.K. Wal-Mart attempted to trademark the smiley as their own in 2006 while they were using the icon on their signs and employee uniforms. Loufrani fought Wal-Mart’s use of his trademark. It was no laughing matter for Wal-Mart when their trademark request was denied. They’ve since reverted to a “no smiling” campaign. Harvey Ball felt that the smiley face should remain in the public domain, so declared in 1999 that the first Friday in October would always be World Smile Day® and registered the name. Ball wanted the spirit of the smiley to remain intact by encouraging others to do acts of kindness. NOT SUCH HAPPY SMILEYS It should be no surprise that once the smiley became a popular positive icon, it soon spiraled into sinister and cynical use in movies, literature and computer games. • Randall Flagg, a Stephen King villain wears a smiley badge. • Smiley the Psychotic Button is a sidekick for Evil Ernie, a Chaos! Comics character. The smiley button has a sinister face with crossbones behind it. • Several other comic book series love to use the smiley in sinister ways – “Watchmen,” “Transmetropolitan,” “The Tick,” The Sandman,” and “Solus.” At least Batman is not on the list. • TV and movies were not to be outdone with their depiction of smileys. In the movie “Evolution” produced in 2001, the smiley (three-eyed) symbolizes aliens. • In the horror film “The Howling,” the werewolf leaves smiley face stickers behind with his victims. INTERESTING SMILEYS • A Hawaiian spider, called the “Theridion grallator,” is also known as the Happyface Spider because it has a yellow body and sometimes appears to have a smiley face on it. • A mars crater has been photographed that holds a striking resemblance to a smiley face. • A smiley is a term to describe a piercing of the webbed area located in the mouth between the upper lip and the upper gums. The piercing can only be seen when the person is smiling, hence the name. WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THESE SMILEYS • Popular singer and actress Miley Cyrus became Miley from “Smiley,” a nickname she had as a small child. Her real name is Destiny Hope. • A smiley face is painted on the side of a water tower In Hammond, Ill. • The Microsoft Bob software sports a smiley logo. • Think Pac-man. • “Tetravex,” a Micrsoft Windows game changes tiles to smileys if the player can solve the puzzle without receiving hints. • The image is seen in the movie “Forrest Gump.” COMMUNICATING WITH A SMILEY Although many have used their own renditions of the smiley in communications since the 1970’s, it appears that the Internet has influenced yet another comeback of the little guy. Scott Fahlman, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, is given credit for the development of the symbols or emoticons of smileys and other images that denote feelings. Fahlman started this trend when online billboards became popular among his peers at the University. The problem, he felt, was that without body language and tone of voice that is picked up in personal conversation, writing on these billboards lacked the usual signals when comments were deemed to be funny, sarcastic or something otherwise. Hence, the symbols to make communications easier. Graphic renditions of some of these emoticons are easily located for use in e-mail correspondence, but certain keystrokes together make the smiley (or a frown) by viewing sideways. And in some software programs, these keystrokes will automatically convert to its colorful symbol: :) smiley :-) smiley with a nose :( sad :-( sad with a nose ;-) wink HARVEY BALL WORLD SMILE FOUNDATION Harvey Ball formed the World Smile Corporation in 1999 in order to sell licensing opportunities and other products. Ball had no desire to receive any profits from the sales, as his goal was to use the icon to spread kindness throughout the world. He deemed that all after tax profits would go to charities. The Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, was formed after his death in 2001 in order to disseminate profits from smiley licensing and product sales to small, little known charities who receive limited funding from other sources. INTERESTING SMILEY FACTS • By 1971, over 50 million smiley face buttons had been sold. • In 1986, the USS Reeves navy ship used smiley face covers on its missile fire control radars during a visit to China. • If you spoke to a telephone operator in the 1970’s, each call was concluded by the operator with “Have a happy day.” • Each year since 1999, the U.S. Postal Service issues a stamp in honor of World Smile Day. • In 2008, you can send a smiley cookie to a member of the armed forces serving overseas. Eleni’s Bakery in Manhattan is providing the yummy treats and the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation is organizing the project. (Go to www.worldsmileday.com for more information.) Ready to make someone smile? According to Harvey Ball, that can be accomplished with anything from sharing a smile to doing a good deed for another. “A smile is what we want to see when we look at another human being…We start to believe that we are too small to make a difference…The truth is that every one of us has the ability to make a difference every day.” Harvey Ball 
Issue 362 - 10-6-2008
SNIPPETZ GETS ORGANIZED FOR NATIONAL WORK FROM HOME WEEK by Deborah Stumpf 
"Organization is not an option; it is a fundamental survival skill and distinct competitive advantage."
Pam N. Woods About 49 percent of U.S. businesses are operated out of the home according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Add to that the rise in telecommuting and the number of us working at home is skyrocketing. Are you one of them? With home offices come challenges finding space and getting organized. If you feel there is never enough time to organize, think about the time wasted looking for things in the office. The time you take to clean out and organize can be used to your advantage, and if self-employed, to make more money! If you could use a little more of that, read on… PILES, PILES EVERYWHERE The more clutter in the office, the less productive and happy we are. However, don’t expect to completely clean out and reorganize the office in one day. It will feel too overwhelming and you are less likely to do anything. Take baby steps. If possible, schedule short blocks of time from 30 minutes to an hour each day or every other day – whatever works best. Then stick to the schedule and get started. Start with one area of the room, one drawer or one pile. If the problem is finding where to put things, then start with cleaning out one file cabinet drawer. Just because it’s filed away doesn’t mean that it needs to be there forever. Pull everything out at once and go through each file and piece of paper to see what can be thrown out, shredded or recycled. Chances are you will find new space for more “stuff.” Once filing cabinets are cleaned out and you’re feeling liberated (and you will), use the same tactic for desk drawers and closet shelves. OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND Does that describe the inside of your desk drawers? It seems like everything winds up in a desk drawer in an effort to get it put away so we can deal with it “later.” Before you know it, one good old fashioned junk drawer turns into the whole desk. Just like with file cabinet drawers, take everything out and make a gigantic pile. Rather than start an illegal bonfire, pick up each item and make a decision as to whether it really needs to go back in the desk, in the trash or needs another home in your home. Who really needs 14 key chains even if they were freebies from trade shows? Do we need to discuss rubber bands and business card magnets? WILL IT STAY, OR WILL IT GO? A good rule of thumb for record detention is to keep most things for six to seven years for tax purposes. Although audits usually take place within three years, better to be safe than sorry. Then shred the rest. If not sure, set the item or papers aside in a box to check again in a couple of weeks. Some records should become permanent fixtures in the files: • Articles of incorporation, stock and bond records, bylaws and minutes, contracts/agreements and legal correspondence; • Annual financial statements, general ledger, auditors’ reports and journals (cash receipts, disbursements, general and purchase journals); • Copyrights, trademarks, patents and servicemarks; • Mortgage deeds; and • Profit sharing/pension records. Most employee and insurance records should be kept for six years, and employee accident reports and injury claims should be kept for 11 years. Any employee medical records involving toxic substance exposure should be kept for 40 years. Keep in mind that most magazines, journals and research materials can be accessed online, so no need to keep those dust collectors and space eaters around for eternity. And chances are you won’t need 12 yogurt containers to store extra pens, pencils and paperclips. LET'S GET ORGANIZED! First, take everything off the desk except for your computer and telephone. Grab a dust cloth and apply to the desktop. Wouldn’t it be nice if it looked like this all the time? If you can, try to keep everything off the desk for a few days and just take out what you need when you need it. Once you pick up a piece of paper, file or office supply and use it, think about where it makes sense to store it. You might want your scissors, stamps and stapler in the desk drawer. But, paperwork could be put in a file folder and placed in the file cabinet if not used daily; or, if it is used daily, the file drawer in the desk might be the most efficient place. HOPE FOR PROCRASTINATORS This is where you can put off this organization ordeal and leave the office to go shopping for important supplies. Invest in a label maker. It will be great for setting up filing systems and you can drive the rest of your household crazy when you put labels on everything that doesn’t move. Now is the time to decide if you want color-coded files because you’ll need to purchase plenty of file folders. How about those desk drawer dividers for storing paper clips, pens and a limited number of rubber bands? For the desktop, do you need an in-basket, a stacking basket set and/or a Bose docking station for your ipod? FILING SYSTEMS... YUK! Filing systems don’t need to be complicated. Think about how you do your work. Do you think of your job as working on various projects or by different clients? Does it make more sense to file by client name, project name or subject? Maybe it’s a combination of different types of systems. There are no rules here – do what works for your work style. It’s all about you and you get to decide. If there was a rule, it would be to keep it simple and easy to manage growth within the system. THAT BURNING QUESTION What do you do with all those stickies and notes? Some evening during “Monday Night Football” or “Dancing With the Stars,” sit down with your stickies and your planner and transfer everything you can into that planner. A good planner can be used for more than jotting down the kids’ orthodontist appointments. It’s a great place for phone numbers, project notes and to-do’s. If you’re worried about remembering where you put an important file during your reorganization, jot that down in your planner as well. Speaking of to-do’s, a few minutes spent every evening or at the end of the work day making notes in your planner will go a long way to ensuring a good night’s sleep. NO MAN (OR WOMAN) IS AN ISLAND Get help! Ask a family member or friend to help. Everybody loves to use a label maker, so take advantage of that. If you’re too embarrassed to ask for help from people who know you, then pay a stranger. Many people you do business with will know a friend of a friend of a friend who is a good organizer or office support person. The two hundred bucks or so will be well worth it to be on your way to impressing your clients with your organization prowess and earning more income. Most importantly, remember that offices are dynamic places with changing and evolving systems and needs. Set your office up to change and expect it to change. If you keep up with the change as you go along, there will be less and less need for major reorganizations. 
Issue 363 - 10/13/2008
SNIPPETZ DONS ITS THINKING CAP: BRAIN POWER! by Deborah Stumpf 
"I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells."
-Dr. Seuss Do you forget why you walked into a room? Or can’t remember where you put the ice cream but wonder why you put your wallet in the freezer? Well, you’re not alone. What we consider normal slip-ups in mental capacity during our youthful years becomes a source of full-blown panic as we age. For decades we have been told to keep our minds active by reading, writing and learning new things. Now it’s a multimillion dollar business referred to as brain training for brain fitness. The business of brain training is not just targeting those with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, but is catching the attention of the aging baby boomer generation who might be having difficulty finding their car keys in the morning. The average number of neurons housed in the human brain is about 100 billion, each of which can connect with up to 30,000 other neurons. It was once thought that the number of neurons and brain activity in general decreased as we grow older; however, the good news is that our brains continue to produce new neurons as well as form connections between neurons well into old age. This is referred to as brain plasticity or neuro-plasticity. Neurons can’t do all of this on their own. They need a bit of help. NOT JUST KEEPING BUSY MINDS Albert Einstein said, “I never came upon any of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking.” The latest research indicates Einstein was right. It’s not just being intellectually active by reading newspapers, working crossword puzzles and playing chess. It’s introducing a variety of novel experiences and challenging activities into daily life. And that’s not all. LIFE'S A TREADMILL And here’s another good reason to exercise – it plays an important role in good brain health. Not only is exercise good for the heart, it is also good for the mind. The act of exercise releases the “pleasure” chemicals of serotonin and dopamine, bringing about a calm, happy feeling. Exercise also aids in clear thinking and better overall performance. Some research has shown that exercise stimulates nerve growth factors and growth of stem cells. As in mental stimulation, here again variety in an exercise routine will make the biggest impact on brain health. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT We’re heard it before – balanced diet, balanced diet, balanced diet. Add to that certain brain healthy foods that give a boost to brain function. • Vegetables and fruits are full of vitamins and antioxidants. Green leafy and cruciferous vegetables are the most brain healthy, e.g., cauliflower, spinach and broccoli. Fruits high in antioxidants include blueberries, prunes, strawberries and raisins. • Foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids are the perfect brain food. Omega-3s can be found in wild salmon, tuna, sardines, herring and anchovies. • Chocolate! But not the ordinary milk chocolate found in the grocery store aisle. It is the pure cacao bean that houses theobromine, antioxidants, catechins and flavonoids. The less processing of the bean, the better. Try to eat chocolate bars that have at least 75% cacao content. It may be harder to find and a bit costlier, but the benefits are well worth it. • Coffee, like chocolate, in a purer form as close to the coffee bean as possible is also rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. Good quality coffee, especially an espresso style, is the most beneficial, particularly when the flavorings, whip cream and sugars are eliminated. • Green tea is also good brain food, particularly matcha tea, a stone-ground Japanese green tea, which can be somewhat difficult to find in the local grocery store. However, a substance called EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) found in green teas has been indicated to fight cancer and aging. A little internet research can help locate the best quality of these products to obtain the best benefits. IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES! There is much that we can do to offset the effects of aging and exercise our minds. If you’re having difficulty coming up with novel and challenging ideas, here are a few to consider:
BRAINIAC FACTS • The human brain weighs about 3 lbs. and consists of about 75 percent water. • The brain uses approximately 20 percent of the blood that flows from the heart and 20 percent of the oxygen we breathe in. • Yawning helps us become more alert by allowing more oxygen to enter the bloodstream. No one really knows why yawning seems to be contagious, but we’ve all experienced the phenomena. • Because the brain does not sense pain, most brain surgeries are performed without general anesthesia so the patient can respond to manipulation in order to identify problem areas. • Reading aloud to children stimulates brain development. • It is impossible to tickle yourself. Your brain is wired to alert you to new and important things going on around you. Things like your own touch or the clothes on your body do not demand attention by the brain. • Sunlight can make you sneeze because the bright light that triggers pupil constriction may also affect a close-by neuron that triggers the olfactory reflex of sneezing. The neurons are packed a little tight in some areas of the brain. • High levels of stress are bad for everything including the health of the brain. BRAIN TEASERS We at Snippetz would be remiss if we didn’t offer a brain teaser or two to help challenge your brain. Try a couple of these and check your answers at the end. 1) A man has to get a fox, a chicken, and a sack of corn across a river. He has a row boat, and it can only carry him and one other thing. If the fox and the chicken are left together, the fox will eat the chicken. If the chicken and the corn are left together, the chicken will eat the corn. How does the man do it? 2) A man was outside taking a walk when it began to rain. He did not have an umbrella and he wasn't wearing a hat. His clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this happen? 3) There are 20 people in an empty, square room. Each person has full sight of the entire room and everyone in it without turning his head or body, or moving in any way (other than the eyes). Where can you place an apple so that all but one person can see it? 4) The Smith family has both girl and boy children. Each of the boys has the same number of brothers as he has sisters. Each of the girls has twice as many brothers as she has sisters. How many boys and girls are there in the Smith family? ANSWERS 1) The man carries the chicken, leaves chicken and comes back. The man then gets the fox, leaves the fox and gets chicken. The man next leaves the chicken and gets the corn. He then leaves the fox and the corn to get the chicken; he gets the chicken. 2) The man is bald. 3) The apple can be placed on one person’s head. 4) The Smith family has 4 boys and 3 girls. 
Issue 364 - 10/20/2008
SNIPPETZ GETS INTO THE SPIRIT: HAIL TO THE CHIEF! by Deborah Stumpf 
"As to the Presidency, the two happiest days of my life were those of my entrance upon the office and my surrender of it."
Martin Van Buren 1837-1841 Tired of political campaigns and negative smear ads? An election year doesn’t always bring out the best in our politicians and future presidents, but we find their lives fascinating just the same. Snippetz dug up a little trivia about our past presidents to share. IT'S ALL RELATIVE The Kennedy’s may be one of the most well known families in politics, but there have been a few related presidents:
IT'S ONLY MONEY In the U.S. we love to put our presidents on money and 14 have been given the honor of appearing on coins and paper – Grover Cleveland, Ulysses Grant, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, James Madison, Franklin Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, William McKinley, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Washington and Jefferson hold the honors of being on both coin and paper forms of currency. NOT JUST PRESIDENTS Past presidents have had interesting and varied occupations both before and after their presidential careers. It’s no surprise that 12 presidents were military generals and 26 were lawyers, but did you know that…
After holding office, many presidents become writers, political activists and lecturers. William Howard Taft was the only president to become Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, a position for which he was more proud of than being president. MEN OF MANY TALENTS
THANKS MIGHT BE IN ORDER
BELIEVE IT OR NOT
SOME FIRSTS
U.S. PRESIDENTS TERMS
Issue 365 - 10/27/2008
SNIPPETZ GETS SPOOKED OVER HALLOWEEN TRADITIONS by Deborah Stumpf 
"When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, ‘tis near Halloween." ~Author Unknown When we think of celebrating Halloween, what comes to mind are parties, costumes, candy and trick-or-treating. For the kids, what could be more fun than donning a costume, becoming your favorite character and scooting around the neighborhood as fast as you can knocking on doors and demanding candy? For adults, same costuming situation, but instead heading out to a party (or several) and pretending to be someone else for one night. Now, that’s fun. Too bad we can only legitimately do this one night each year! THANKS TO THE IRISH It was the Irish who brought Halloween to North America in the 19th century. However, it originated during the festival of Samhain, the Celtic New Year when the Celts celebrated the end of the harvest season in October. The Celts believed that the spirits of the dead would return on the eve of Samhain in order to inhabit live bodies. Since this was rather undesirable, the Celts would dress in ghoulish costumes so as to scare off the spirits. They would parade around noisily in the streets, enjoying food and drink. Legend has it that at such times human and animal sacrifices were offered up to the spirits. It was believed by some that the Irish townsfolk would visit their neighbors and ask for food for the town feast, thus beginning the tradition of trick-or-treat. SYMBOLIC JACK The pumpkin carved with a scary or funny face with a candle inside is commonly called the jack-o-lantern. The name can be traced back to the legend of a farmer named Jack who was known for his trickery, greediness and gambling, not to mention he rather enjoyed excessive tipping of the bottle. The tale has it that one night Jack tricked the devil into climbing up a tree after which Jack carved the symbol of a cross into the tree trunk in order to keep the devil from coming down from the tree. The devil being the devil, of course, placed a curse on Jack so that he could not go to either heaven or hell upon his death. Jack’s spirit was forced to roam the countryside holding a hallowed out turnip with a lit candle inside to light the way. Once Halloween traditions came to America, the turnip was replaced by the pumpkin, a larger and easier to carve ‘lantern.’ KEEPING THE ECONOMY GOING Halloween is the second biggest spending holiday next to Christmas.
SCARY MOVIES, ANYONE? What would Halloween be without a few scary movies? Grab some popcorn and a body guard and rent one of these: “Arachnophobia” (1990), “The Blob” (1988), “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968), “Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984), “War of the Worlds” (1953), “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), “Jaws” (1975), “The Exorcist” (1973), “The Shining” (1980), “Halloween” (1978), and “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978). Aahhh, they just don’t make ‘em like they used to. FOR THOSE WHO REALLY LOVE HALLOWEEN Haunted houses, hayrides and corn mazes are popular in many neighborhoods around the country, but some serious enthusiasts plan vacations around All Hallows’ Eve. Try one of these:
SCARY TRIVIA
IT WOULDN'T BE HALLOWEEN, WITHOUT A GHOST OR TWO!
A COLORADO HALLOWEEN Coloradoans who say that that it snows on Halloween every year may be partially correct in their observations. Records for Halloween snow activity have only been kept since 1954. In looking at just Halloween day, snow has fallen only 10 times in the past 53 years and only eight of those times have been measurable. However, snow has been on the ground for Halloween 11 times during those years. Taken together, that equates to snow being on the ground about 42 percent of the time. Factoring in the 20 times it has snowed on Nov. 1 that would equate to having snow events around Halloween about 79 percent of the time. No wonder we think that it always snows on Halloween! The worst of those snow events? Well, that was on October 31, 1972 when Denver saw eight inches of snow with an additional six inches the next day. The warmest Halloween was in 1990 when the average temperature during the prime trick-or-treat hours of 5 to 8 PM was 63 degrees. BOO! 
Issue 366 - 11/3/2008
SNIPPETZ BREAKS WORLD RECORDS FOR GUINNESS WORLD RECORD DAY by Deborah Stumpf 
"Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance."
Samuel Johnson Guinness World Records recently released the 2009 edition of their book last month. After 54 years in business, Guinness is still going strong as a recognized authority on record-breaking around the world. More than three million copies of the book are sold each year and are published in 25 languages in over 100 countries. Guinness now has a day each November honoring world records. This year, Guinness World Records Day will be Nov. 13 and enthusiasts around the world will be working hard to break new ground and records. IT BEGAN INNOCENTLY ENOUGH The managing director of the Guinness Brewery, Sir Hugh Beaver, was involved in a dispute during a 1951 shooting party in Country Wexford, Ireland over the golden plover. Was the game bird Europe’s fastest? Beaver couldn’t find the answer, so on the advice of Chris Chataway, an employee at the brewery in London, he turned to Norris and Ross McWhirter, twin brothers and journalists who loved researching facts. It took until 1955 for the first edition of the “Guinness Book of Records” to be published and it was an instant success, quickly migrating around the globe. Guinness is no longer owned by the Guinness Brewery but is now part of the Jim Pattison Group, a privately owned Canadian company. The name of the company and the book has changed somewhat over the years, but is now “Guinness World Records.” SO, YOU WANT TO BE A RECORD HOLDER? First of all, Guinness no longer accepts records involving consumption of alcohol, as well as dangerous maneuvers such as sword swallowing. Although exceptions are occasionally made, this generally leaves many of us out. No records are accepted involving chain letters via U.S. mail or e-mail. However, if you think you can beat the record for World’s Fastest Clapper, Ugliest Dog, Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Gorillas, Largest Tumor Removed Intact, Most Bubbles Blown With a Tarantula in Mouth, Most Cockroaches in a Coffin or Most Tattooed Senior Citizen, then you still have a chance. A visit to the Guinness website is the first step whereby an application is submitted to make a record attempt. A Standard Application can take approximately four to six weeks to process and has no cost associated with it. Why so long? Because Guinness receives about 65,000 applications each year. A Fast Track Application will be responded to within three working days, but at the hefty price of a nonrefundable $600. If accepted, the applicant is given specific guidelines and a Records Breakers Pack. A record attempt must be made using the Guinness guidelines. And there’s more. Once the evidence is submitted back to Guinness, it will take another six to eight weeks to assess the evidence and award the certificate of recognition. In many cases, a representative from Guinness will attend the event and award a plaque on-site for the world to see. SOME NOTEWORTHY RECORDS • Best Selling Copyright Book – you guessed it – “Guinness World Records” made this record as of November 2003, selling 100 million copies. The Harry Potter books have sold over 100 million copies when all books are combined. • Most Tennis Balls Held in the Mouth – Golden retriever Augie from Dallas, Texas held five tennis balls in his mouth on July 6, 2003. • Tallest Sandcastle – measured 31 ft. 6 in., made by the folks at Camp Sunshine in Casco, Maine on Sept. 1, 2007 • Longest Running TV Drama – Guiding Light, first aired June 30, 1952 and still running • Oldest Message in a Bottle – Spent 92 years, 229 days at sea; released on April 25, 1914 and found on Dec. 10, 2006 IT'S ONLY HUMAN • Most Spoons Balanced on the Face – Joe Allison of Devon, U.K. balanced 16 spoons on April 1, 2008. • Heaviest Weight Dangled From a Swallowed Sword – Matthew Henshaw of Australia balanced a 44 lb. 4.96 oz. sack of potatoes from a 15.9 in. long sword that he had swallowed on April 16, 2005 (one of those exceptions to the no sword swallowing rules). • Longest Ear Hair – 7.12 in. by Anthony Victor of Madural, India, Aug. 26, 2007 • Most Tattooed Person – Lucky Diamond Rich from Australia spent over 1,000 hours having his entire body tattooed including such areas as between his toes, gums and eyelids. • Tallest Man – Robert Pershing Wadlow of Alton, Ill. measured 8 ft. 11.1 in. tall on June 27, 1940. He died on July 15, 1940. • Heaviest Car Balanced on the Head – John Evans of the U.K. balanced a 352 lb. Mini on his head on May 24, 1999. • Sat with Most Snakes – Jackie Bibby of Dublin, Texas sat in a bathtub with 87 snakes on Nov. 5, 2007 in celebration of Guinness World Record Day. • Most Basketballs Spun Simultaneously – Michael Kettman of St. Augustine, Fla. spun 28 basketballs on May 25, 1999 • Most Consecutive Skateboard Frontside Ollies (halfpipe) – Rob Dyrdek of Los Angeles, Calif. performed 46 on Sept. 17, 2007 during MTV’s “The Rob & Big Show.” • Swimming Relay, Most Participants, One Length Each, 24 Hrs – 3,168 swimmers participated in Spain June 1-2, 2007. FASCINATING SCIENCE • Largest Plate Inserted in Human Skull – The record goes to Tom Thompson of Decatur, Ga. who had a titanium plate measuring 5.9 x 4.33 in. inserted into the left side of his head on April 30, 1971 after a car accident. • Largest Mobile/Cell Phone – No, it’s not the first one you ever purchased. It’s actually a Sony/Ericsson W810i measuring 8.2 x 3.9 x 1.7 ft. (yes, feet) and displayed at the MTN Sciencentre in Cape Town, South Africa Sept. 20, 2007. FOR THE MUSICALLY AND ARTISTICALLY INCLINED • Largest Guitar Ensemble – KYYS in Kansas City, Kan. coordinated an ensemble of 1,721 guitar players for a rendition of “Smoke on the Water” on June 3, 2007. • Largest Irish Dance – Not to be outdone by the Kansas City folks, 10,036 danced together in Dublin, Ohio on Aug. 4, 2007. • Individual Drumming Marathon – Gery Jallo of Belgium drummed for 85.5 hrs. Feb. 22-25, 2007. • Largest Ballet Class – 578 dancers in Eugene, Ore. on April 20, 2008. • Fastest Rap MC – Rebel XD (Seandale Price) of Chicago, Ill. rapped 852 syllables in 42 seconds on July 27, 2007. BIG STUFF • Largest Cut Diamond – 555.55 carats of Fancy Black created by Ran Gorenstein of Belgium in June 2004 • Largest Collection of Penguins – Birgit Berends of Germany had collected 5,098 of the tuxedoed waddlers as of April 2006. • Largest Collection of Model Cars – Michael Zarnock of Deerfield, N.Y. owned 8,128 Hot Wheels® model cars as of Feb. 14, 2007. • Largest Slab of Fudge – Chantelle Gorham of Ontario, Canada made 5,050 lb. of the delicious confection on May 24, 2007. Certainly enough to share. • Largest Sandwich – The folks at Wild Woody’s Chill and Grill in Roseville, Mich. made a sandwich weighing 5,440 lb. on March 17, 2005. • Longest Wedding Dress Train – Andreas Evstratiou of Cyprus created 4,468 ft. 5.94 in. of wedding dress train. EVERYBODY LOVES A PARADE • Largest Parade of Horse-Drawn Carriages – On Aug. 1, 2004, 208 horse-drawn carriages participated in a parade in Lingen, Germany. • Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars – Cornes & Company Ltd. placed 490 in a parade in Shizuoka, Japan on May 11, 2008. • Largest Parade of Tow Trucks – The Washington Tow Truck Association pranced 83 tow trucks through a parade in Wenatchee, Wash. on Aug. 20, 2004. FUN AND GAMES • Fastest Game of Operation – one minute, two seconds by Isa Isaa of Dublin, Ireland on June 28, 2001. The event was sponsored and held by the British Association of Urological Surgeons. Part of their continuing education? • Largest Twister Board – 130 ft. 11 in. x 84 ft. 1 in. by Colegio Campoverde in Colima, Mexico on June 6, 2008 MORE FAME FOR THE ALREADY FAMOUS • Most Searched Person on the Internet – Britney Spears • The Most Successful Songwriter – Sir Paul McCartney • Highest Demand for Tickets for One Music Concert – Led Zeppelin • Most Powerful Actor and Actress in the World – Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie • Highest Grossing Actor – Samuel L. Jackson for 68 movies at a gross of $7.42 billion • Most Lucrative Movie Partnership – Tim Burton and Johnny Depp • Most Downloadable Show – “Lost” (ABC) • Most Popular TV Show – “House” (Fox) UPDATE TO A MEATY RECORD (2021 editor insertion) Here's a world record recently achieved by Joey Chestnut. He ate his way to fame, eating 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes! His impressive world record was accomplished at the 2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, and he will return in 2022 to defend, and hopefully beat his record. Joey, who is a California native and resides in Westfield, Indiana, is considered by many, the world's greatest eater. 
Issue 367 - 11/10/2008
SNIPPETZ GETS SUPERSTITIOUS: WE'RE KNOCKING ON WOOD AND CROSSING OUR FINGERS by Deborah and Emily Stumpf 
“The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.”
Francis Bacon, Sr. Superstitions have been around for centuries, first thought of as believing in magic or beliefs outside of Christianity. And in many cases, superstitions were part of religious practices. For instance, during the time of the plague in Europe, it became customary to say “God bless you” to anyone who sneezed in hopes that this would ward off spreading the plague. It was also common to cover the mouth with a handkerchief or a hand to stop the spread of the plague. However, some believed that covering the mouth would keep the soul intact, for if you sneezed into the air then your soul could escape and death would soon follow. Up until the time of the plague, the opposite held true in that sneezing into the air would expel evil. Webster’s Dictionary says that superstition is a “belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.” Whatever the case, many of us act upon superstitions without even thinking about it. Do you knock on wood when you state that something positive is going to happen? Knocking on wood came about before Christianity when people believed that spirits lived in trees and knocking on wood would be like asking the spirits for protection from harm and bad luck. Do you throw salt over your left shoulder? It is believed that spilling salt is unlucky and causes arguments during the day. This may come from the belief that Judas spilled salt during the Last Supper. Tossing salt over your shoulder is thought to be like throwing salt into the eye of evil spirits who are waiting for an opportunity to strike. There are many superstitions involving both good luck and bad luck. GOOD LUCK SUPERSTITIONS • Carrying a rabbit’s foot • An apple a day keeps the doctor away • Finding a four-leaf clover • Finding a horseshoe; hanging a horseshoe over a door in the shape of a “U” brings about good luck also • Clothes worn inside out bring good luck • Wearing your birthstone; but don’t wear an opal if it’s not your birthstone, because it is bad luck! • An itchy palm means money is coming; but if you scratch that itch, money won’t come after all. • A cricket in the house • An acorn in the window keeps lightening out of the house; carrying an acorn brings good luck and longevity • Finding a penny heads up • Good luck will come to you if the first butterfly you see in the spring is white. BAD LUCK SUPERSTITIONS Probably one of the most prominent superstitions is the number 13. Friday the 13th is unlucky and is rooted in both Scandinavian and Christian beliefs. Scandinavians thought that the 12 mythological demigods were joined by an evil 13th. And for Christians, the 13th guest at the Last Supper was the traitor Judas. In honor of the unlucky number 13, airplanes do not have a 13th aisle, more than 80 percent of high-rises do not have a 13th floor, hotel rooms and hospitals usually do not have a room number 13 and Italians do not have a number 13 in their lottery. There is a superstition that if you have 13 letters in your name you will have the devil’s luck. And for proof, count the letters in Jack the Ripper, Theodore Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson. MORE SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT BAD LUCK: • Walking under a ladder • A black cat crosses your path • Breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck • Opening an umbrella indoors • Step on a crack, break your mother’s back • Sing at the table, sleep on a table or put your keys or new shoes on a table; it is also bad luck to put new shoes on a bed • A bird in the window • Refusing a kiss while under mistletoe • Goldfish in the house, whereas goldfish in a pond brings good luck • Chasing someone with a broom • Giving someone a purse or wallet without money in it • Rocking an empty rocking chair • Leaving a house through a different door than the one used to come into it • Cutting your fingernails on a Friday or Sunday • Wishing someone good luck for a theater performance is bad luck. We tell them to “break a leg” instead. It is also bad luck to paint the green room green. REVERSING BAD LUCK • Remember to knock on wood when speaking of good luck so you don’t jinx the good luck you speak of. What? • If you break a mirror, take the pieces outside and bury them under moonlight to reverse seven years of bad luck. • If you walk under a ladder, simply walk back out the way you came. • If you receive a two-dollar bill, thought to bring bad luck, tear off one of the corners of the bill to reverse the bad luck. If the two-dollar bill has no corners left when it comes into your possession, you must tear the entire bill up. SOME MISFORTUNE FOR THE CLUMSY • To drop a fork means a woman will visit • To drop a knife means a man will visit • To drop a spoon means a child will visit • To drop a dishcloth means bad luck is coming • Dropping an umbrella on the floor inside the house means a murder will happen • Dropping a pair of scissors means a lover is unfaithful • Dropping a comb while combing your hair means disappointment is coming WEDDING AND MARRIAGE • To make a happy marriage, the bride must wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. • The wedding veil protects the bride from the evil eye. • The marriage is bound to be a failure if the groom drops the bride’s ring during the ceremony. • Some days of the week are better than others for weddings – Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday best of all, Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses and Saturday for no luck at all. Hey, what about Sunday? • Everything a bride says while opening her gifts at the bridal shower should be repeated on the wedding night. • The person who gives the third gift opened at the shower will have a baby soon after. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE One of the most recent types of superstition to occur is wishing on the time 11:11 or the date 11/11. Superstition has it that when a person looks at a clock that reads 11:11 and makes a wish, the wish will come true if you truly believe. Several theories on 11:11 have been conjured. Astrologers claim that times like 11:11 and 1:11 go hand in hand with epiphanies. Many people say they have experienced a revelation while looking at the clock at exactly 11:11, and do not even realize it. A couple spiritual theories have been based off of 11:11 as well. It is often believed that when you see the times of 11:11, 12:12, 12:34, 1:11 2:22, 3:33, 4:44, 5:55, or any repetition of numbers, an angel above has made you look at that time. Consequently, if you believe in angels, then you may make a wish and the wish will come true. Another spiritual theory says that looking at the clock and seeing 11:11 is an indication that you are in fact an “Earth Angel.” An Earth Angel is someone who has a mission to spread as much light as possible on Earth, almost a peacemaker. Parallel to the Angel theory, it is believed that the Angels are telling you that you are an Earth Angel when you see 11:11. So the next time you catch yourself looking at the clock at exactly 11:11, or another repeated time, you might want to think twice. And who knows, you may want to make a wish at 11:11 on Nov. 11 just in case. But don’t forget to knock on wood and do NOT drop anything! 
Issue 368 - 11/17/2008
SNIPPETZ SALUTES WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS by Deborah Stumpf 
"The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work."
-Oprah Winfrey Women-owned businesses are commonplace today, but it is generally believed that women didn’t start entering the workforce until they had to go to work in the factories during World War II. However, women have been business owners for well over a century and are now some of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs. SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES • Women-owned businesses represent 50 percent or more of the companies in the U.S. and they employ more than 13 million people. • Women-owned businesses represent $1.9 trillion in sales. • One in five businesses generating $1 million or more in revenue is woman owned. NOTABLE CHARACTERISTICS • Women emphasize relationship building as a management style. • Women are more likely than men to consult with experts, other business owners and their employees when gathering facts before making decisions. • Women in successful businesses ($1 million or more in revenue) are more likely to belong to networking associations. • Women tend to embrace technology to increase productivity and flexibility. NOTABLE BUSINESS WOMEN Lydia Estes Pinkham In 1873, Lydia Estes Pinkham founded the Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Company for the sole purpose of marketing her Vegetable Compound developed for treating women with menstrual cramps and common menopause symptoms of hot flashes and depression. The Vegetable Compound was made up of unicorn root, pleurisy root, fenugreek seed, black cohosh, life root and 20% alcohol. Her company enjoyed immediate success and by the time of her death in 1883, it was grossing $300,000 per year. The company continued on and eventually had annual profits of $3.8 million by 1925. Pinkham protected the remedy by filing for and receiving a U.S. Patent. At a time when little attention was paid to women’s health issues, Pinkham took advantage of this slight by publishing her Pinkham Pamphlets, answering women’s questions about medical issues pertaining to themselves. Eventually the company had to reveal their compound included 20% alcohol by order of the Food and Drug Act of 1906. However, “Lydia Pinkham Herbal Compound” can still be purchased today. Pinkham was also a nurse, midwife, school teacher, anti-slavery activist and active in the women’s temperance movement. Madame CJ Walker Sarah Breedlove McWilliams Walker, a.k.a. Madame CJ Walker, was born the daughter of former slaves in 1867. She became orphaned at the age of seven and worked in the cotton fields with her sister. She married at the age of 14, had a daughter and became widowed two years after that. She moved to St. Louis to work for her brothers who were barbers. She put her daughter through school with the money she earned and eventually became involved in the National Association of Colored Women. Walker began experiencing hair loss which prompted experimentation with skin products that were both homemade and those invented by her friend, Annie Malone, a female African-American entrepreneur. Walker moved to Denver, Colo. and began selling her product. She started with a door-to-door sales model and eventually employed 3,000 women selling her cosmetics, providing employment and educational opportunities for young African-American women. She died a self-made millionaire at the age of 52, known as the first African-American women to achieve that level of success. Ruth Moskowicz Handler During World War II, Ruth Handler, her husband Elliott and their business partner Harold Matson started the company Mattel, which manufactured toy furniture out of Lucite and Plexiglas. They also made toy pianos, ukuleles and music boxes. While on a visit to Europe in 1956, Ruth Handler was inspired by a doll that looked like a real woman. Upon her return she developed the Barbie doll, named after her daughter Barbara, which debuted in 1959. Her son’s name was Kenneth and he became the subject of the Ken doll later on. The doll and its line of clothing and accessories was a huge success. The Handlers and Mattel had many other notable successes: • The first to market toys directly to children when they purchased a full year of advertising time as the sole sponsor on the “Mickey Mouse Club” TV show. • Introduced the Hot Wheels miniature vehicles in 1968, producing two billion cars by 1998. • Diversified by acquiring other companies such as Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus; Circus World (theme park), Radnitz/Mattel Productions (motion picture production company; Western Publishing (Golden Books); and Turco (playground equipment). • After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1970, Handler resigned as president of Mattel in 1973. She then developed a breast prosthesis and created the “Nearly Me” line of prosthetics for women, which is still being produced today. Olive Ann Beech Olive Ann Beech, with her husband Walter, co-founded Beech Aircraft. The company was a major manufacturer of aircraft during World War II, producing more than 7,000 planes. When Walter Beech became ill in 1940 and died in 1950, Olive ran the company on her own. Later she was honored with the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy in 1980 and by her induction into the American National Business Hall of Fame in 1983. Debra (Debbi) J. Fields In 1977, at the age of 20, Debbi Fields convinced a bank to finance her idea of opening a store that served chocolate chip cookies called Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chippery. The business soon grew to more than 600 franchised and company-owned stores across the U.S. and in 10 foreign countries. And that’s not all. Starting in 1989, she embraced the computer age, using it to its full advantage. Her business model became so successful that it is now taught at Harvard Business School. Fields authored three cookbooks, “100 Recipes from the Kitchen of Debbi Fields,” “I Love Chocolate” and her most recent “Debbi Fields Great American Desserts.” She hosted a weekly show on public television with the same title, ”Great American Desserts.” She has since sold her business and sits on the Boards of a radio station and theater. Her motto is “Good Enough Never Is” and she prides herself and her business on providing excellent customer service and the highest product quality. Oprah Winfrey Probably few people around the world have not heard of Oprah Winfrey. Oprah was born in Mississippi in 1954 and raised in Nashville, Tenn. Her career started in 1971 and she doesn’t appear to be slowing down yet. As a female entrepreneur she’s accomplished many firsts: • First Africa-American woman and the youngest woman to anchor a news show at the age of 19 • Highest-rated talk show in TV history, The Oprah Winfrey Show • Launched “O Magazine” in 2000 in partnership with Hearst Magazines, prompting “Fortune” magazine’s title of the most successful startup in the publishing industry. • Oprah’s Book Club is the largest book club in the world boasting more than a half million members. • First African-American woman to become a billionaire Along with her well-known talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah’s company, Harpo Studios employs about 250 people in publishing, film production, television and online media. She co-founded Oxygen Media, a cable network for women; publishes “O Magazine,” a lifestyle magazine for women; and has a popular web site, Oprah.com, also the home of “Live Your Best Life” which features life’s stories and lessons and an interactive workbook. She also created the Oprah Winfrey Foundation in 1987, a charity which awards millions of dollars to improve education and health care. She also founded Oprah’s Angel Network in order to promote giving and volunteerism from her audience. HONORABLE MENTIONS
Issue 369 - 11/24/2008
THE INSIDE SCOOP ON GONE WITH THE WIND by Deborah Stumpf 
"Tara! Home. I'll go home. And I'll think of some way to get him back. After all... tomorrow is another day."
Scarlett in “Gone With The Wind” After three long years of writing her first novel, “Gone With The Wind,” Margaret Mitchell had an instant success on her hands. Mitchell was a reporter for “The Atlanta Herald” when she sustained an injury due to a fall from her horse. After that, she became an avid reader until one day her husband brought home a typewriter and suggested she start writing her own novel. She met the challenge and spent from 1926 to 1929 writing the now famous epic novel about the Civil War and Reconstruction. Mitchell kept her writing a secret, except to her husband, although many of her friends were suspicious. During a visit from New York, her friend Lois Cole who worked for Macmillan Publishing discovered chunks of the book in various places in their small cramped apartment. With some prompting, Mitchell eventually gave her manuscript to Howard Latham, Cole’s boss. Mitchell’s epic won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1937 after building enormous popularity in the summer of 1936. Like the Harry Potter books of now, people couldn’t put “Gone With The Wind” down. Except for the Bible, the book has sold more copies than any other in history. Hollywood took notice immediately, purchasing the rights to the story and the rest, as they say, is history. AN AWARD WINNER “Gone With The Wind” won a total of eight Academy Awards:
IT WAS NOMINATED FOR FIVE MORE:
FRANKLY, ME DEAR… Touted by the American Film Institute as the #1 movie quote, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” took a little work to pass the Motion Picture Association’s production code standards. The Association board passed an amendment to the code banning the use of the words “damn” and “hell” except when using them “shall be essential and required for portrayal, in proper historical context, of any scene or dialogue based upon historical fact or folklore…or a quotation from a literary work, provided that no such use shall be permitted which is intrinsically objectionable or offends good taste.” But “frankly, my dear, I just don’t care” doesn’t have the same ring. OH, THE DRAMA Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Ronald Colman and Errol Flynn were the only serious contenders for the role of Rhett Butler. Gary Cooper was offered the role and turned it down, saying, “’Gone With The Wind' is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history," and, "I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper." Many more actresses were considered for the role of Scarlett, including Lucille Ball, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Carole Lombard, Olivia de Havilland, Barbara Stanwyck and Tallulah Bankhead. The vomiting sounds heard by Scarlett while digging up a radish in her garden at Tara before she gives her famous line, “As God is my witness, they’re not going to lick me,” were not from Vivien Leigh but dubbed in by Olivia de Havilland. Two possible reasons were given – either Leigh could not produce the retching sound well enough or she would not produce the sound as it was not lady-like. Clark Gable nearly quit when he was required to cry during the scene after Scarlett’s miscarriage when Melanie was trying to comfort him. Olivia de Havilland convinced him otherwise. IT'S ONLY MONEY David O. Selznick purchased the rights to Margaret Mitchell’s best seller for $50,000, an amount never before paid for a first novel. Mitchell eventually received another $50,000 as a bonus in 1942. After much negotiating with MGM’s head and Selznick’s father-in-law, Louis B. Mayer, Warner Brothers and United Artist, Selznick eventually chose to do business with MGM. The deal maker was that MGM had Clark Gable and $1.25 million to pitch in for production costs. MGM had the distribution rights and 50 percent of the profit. Although Clark Gable was not interested in the “Gone With The Wind” story, he was eventually persuaded with a $4,500 per week paycheck and a $50,000 bonus which gave him the ability to divorce Maria, his second wife and marry Carole Lombard. The film was a huge success at the box office, grossing more than $20 million in its first release. If the box office receipts alone were adjusted for inflation, the movie would be the highest grossing of all time at a total of $3,785,107,801. Selznick earned $4 million for the picture and then sold his rights to John Hay Whitney for only $400,000 in order to keep his independent production company in the black. Whitney eventually sold the rights back to MGM for a mere $2.4 million. Sidney Howard wrote the screenplay and was paid $2,000 per week. Along with David Selznick who contributed significantly to the writing, other writers were also hired to work on the screenplay, bringing the total sum for writing to $126,000. The cost to make the film was $3.9 million, which surprisingly did not exceed “Ben-Hur” or “Hell’s Angels.” Vivien Leigh received $25,000 for her role; Clark Gable received $120,000. GWTW SNIPPETZ
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