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Things You May Not Have Known

Dan finds a Yankee Doodle Dandy microphone

This Off the Beaten Path contains things you may not have known. From info on ticks to movie information, it’s a collection of strange links that are fun to investigate.

Bizarre Things
We know of a lot of things that have changed over time. Some may remember when doctors endorsed cigarettes, while others remember when using asbestos was a great way to insulate. Over time we find out that some things we believe may simply have been bizarre. From the Grunge web site, comes bizarre things people believed 50 years ago.

Spectacular Movies
As a movie fan and someone who studied film production in college, I’m always looking for a good movie that people may not have seen. We all know of movies like “Gone With The Wind,” “Star Wars,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Titanic” and the rest of the “big movies,” but there are so many less-known movies that are really worth seeing. For instance, in 1981 there was a horror movie called “Ghost Story.” The cast starred Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Houseman, Patricia Neal, Craig Wasson and Alice Krige (the Borg queen from Star Trek). To me, it’s the best old-fashioned “Boo!”-type scary movie made. And then there’s the British import starring a young Sting called “Brimstone & Treacle,” which has shades of “The Game” in it (since you really don’t see what’s coming until the end). And if you see “Brimstone & Treacle,” watch all the way past the credits. Like the movie “Jingle All The Way,” the funniest scene occurs AFTER the credits!

Ticks Away
Summer is here, and so are the summer pests. As a former Boy Scout (and from survival training in the Air Force), one of the many friendly “woods creatures” are nasty blood-sucking ticks. Besides mosquitos and leaches, there are few more annoying woods creatures you’ll stumble upon. Well, maybe a bear. But this link provides a few ideas on helping keep annoying bugs away in the woods.

Homemade Air Conditioning
Anyone who has ever been poor enough to look for alternative means to enjoy comforts that are slightly beyond the paycheck, has found creative ways to enjoy some “creature comforts.” For instance, ice in front of a fan to blow cold air is a simple way to stay cool. But this do-it-yourself was pretty clever, so I thought I’d share this “home-made air conditioner.”

Emergency Spare Key
This would make MacGyver proud. If you need a spare key for a pad lock or a simple temporary key, if you have a lighter, tape, and a tin can lid, you can make your own key. Of course, spending a few dollars at a home improvement store is easier, but if you happen to have the need (or desire) to do-it-yourself, this is pretty clever.

Patriotic Microphone
I never knew this existed, but stumbled onto it one day. With the 4th of July coming up, maybe you were hoping to “standout” at your patriotic remote or special event. I have no idea how good this is, but it is certainly patriotic in looks. It’s the Patriot limited edition mic by MXL.

The Future
No one knows the future. Well, maybe a few people claim to know the future, but this website looks at interesting technology that may impact the future. It’s a fun website to explore for a little while. It’s Futurism.com.

And finally …
Here’s one for “the old rockers.” You might enjoy this if you are a rock fan, like Ozzy Osbourne, or a musician. From the Society of Rock comes a bunch of kids doing a cover of Ozzy’s “No More Tears.”

If you stumble across a good or unusual web site that might be of interest, please don’t hesitate to send me the link and any info you might have about it. My email address is [email protected].

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