(Photo by Jean-Etienne Poirrier) The next time you need to mend a ripped paper or wrap a gift, offer a little thanks to Richard Drew, the father of adhesive tape. Drew's contributions to the field of adhesives came when he was working for what was then known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company -- a corporation known nowadays as 3M. Back in the early 1920s, 3M manufactured only sandpaper, but when Drew visited a local auto body shop in 1923, he noticed the painters having a problem: they weren't able to create clean dividing lines while painting two-tone cars. It took two years to get it right, but Drew's simple yet revolutionary idea -- adding adhesive to paper -- eventually solved the problem. Five years later, in 1930, Drew created a clear, waterproof, cellulose product to which adhesive could be added, and Scotch Tape was born. Drew's simple idea has become one of the most popular -- and most used -- products ever invented. Over the years, 3M has rolled out tape for all types of uses. The 400+ varieties can be found in desks, kitchen drawers, and garages throughout the land. Most folks use it to wrap presents or fix torn pages, but some artists have gotten really creative. Sure, Richard Drew dreamed up the idea for tape, but we bet he never imagined that someone would make a giraffe out of the stuff. Suggested Sites... 3M Scotch Tape - fixing the world with tape. Inventors: Richard Drew - the man who started it all. The History of Scotch Tape - background and history for the little tape that could. 75 Uses for Scotch Tape - try them all. MIT Lemelson Program - celebrating innovation.

Directory categories: Inventors, Inventions, Patents, Industrial Design, Adhesives

Archived under: History, Invention, Science, Scotch Tape, Technology

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(Photo by BohPhoto) Under normal circumstances, we'd be spending today celebrating National Gorilla Suit Day with millions of others. It's a day dedicated not only to simian impersonation, but also to the work of Don Martin -- also known as Mad Magazine's "Maddest Artist" -- who created the holiday. Unfortunately, Mr. Martin's widow has requested that the holiday go unrecognized this year. Far be it from us to override Mrs. Martin's wishes, but for those who grew up with his cartoons, the chance to celebrate the man who created such characters as Fester Bestertester and Captain Klutz is irresistable. From 1956 to 1988, hardly an issue of Mad went by without Martin's cartoons, always accompanied by his trademark sound effects, ranging from "Fagroon Klubble Klubble" (to represent a food market falling down) to "Stoopft!" (the sound of a man in a bird suit crashing to the ground). So what are we to do? While we'd never want to deny the Martin family the right to celebrate this day in their own way, we also feel a need to commemorate it -- somehow. Our best solution? Perhaps either a day duck hunting or, better yet, a fine meal at a fancy restaurant. Suggested Sites... Don Martin Shrine - posters, galleries, and biography. Don Martin Dictionary - every sound effect used by the Master, from "Aaagh!" to "Zzz Glap!" Salon People: Don Martin - obituary for Mad-man. Mad Magazine - official site for Martin's longtime home. TV Squad: National Gorilla Suit Day - history of the holiday -- with video of the ultimate celebrators: The Nairobi Trio.

Directory categories: Don Martin, Mad Magazine, Comic Book Artists, Cartoonists, Costuming

Archived under: Artists, Cartoons, Comics, Costumes, Don Martin, Holidays, Humor, National Gorilla Suit Day

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Oliver Cromwell's Death Mask Britons have always been a vengeful people. Their punishment of innocent peas stands testament to their fanaticism, a mushy warning to anyone -- man or vegetable -- who dares stand against them. And in January, 1661, that wrath was posthumously visited upon Oliver Cromwell, remembered by history as both hero and villain. Cromwell might have learned a little about British revenge from the story of Guy Fawkes, the almost-terrorist who planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Fawkes was hanged, drawn, quartered, and then burned in effigy each November for 400 years. Of course, young Master Oliver was only six years old when Fawkes was (first) punished -- and too young to guess what his own fate might be. When Cromwell died (painfully) in 1658, of malaria complicated by bladder and kidney infections, that just wasn't enough for the jolly old English. Apparently Cromwell's behavior -- from his execution of King Charles I to his brutal tyranny across the British Isles -- just wasn't their cup of tea. And so, on January 30, 1661 -- three years after his death -- Oliver was exhumed, beheaded, and hanged in chains in Tyburn Village, London. "Has he had enough, Britons?" cried the newly restored Charles II. "NO!" cried the rabid masses. They went on to post Ollie's head on a pole outside Westminster Abbey for 14 aromatic years, until said head was taken down, sold, and finally reburied in 1960. Now that's a grudge! Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: Oliver Cromwell - the whole story, told as only Wikipedia can tell it. The Oliver Cromwell Website - the Cromwell Association herein provides a pro-Cromwell collection of all things Cromwell, including a genealogy, timeline, and list of distinctly Cromwellian places to visit in England. A Brief History of the English Civil War - the story of a noble battle, just as Cromwell would have liked to remember it. Plagiarist.com: W.B. Yeats' "The Curse of Cromwell" - the Irish -- who were massacred and sold into slavery by Cromwell's army -- do not remember him quite so fondly. YouTube: The Ulster Plantations and Cromwellian Genocide - documentary outlining the way the Irish remember it. The battle rages on in the comments.

Directory categories: Oliver Cromwell, History of England, Charles I, Christian Reformation, History of Ireland

Archived under: Anniversaries, Death, England, History, London, Oliver Cromwell, U.K. History, United Kingdom

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WGA picket line (Photo by myyearofnewthings) When the Writers Guild of America stopped turning out new scripts twelve weeks ago, TV audiences may have felt the immediate absence of late night comedians, talk shows, and soaps, but unless you live in Los Angeles or New York, you'd be excused if you weren't aware that a strike was happening. To fill the void of scripted dramas and sitcoms, networks have turned more and more to reruns or writerless replacement shows, but viewers are beginning to feel the pain. TiVos across America are running on empty or filling with hastily produced "reality" shows, unscripted game shows, or professional wrestling, which is penned by non-union writers (er, we mean which is real). TV junkies need a fix -- but luckily for viewers, the strike has provided plenty of fodder as thousands of creative, out-of-work minds have turned to the Internet to express themselves. Fans of procedurals can follow the stressful contract negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Horror buffs got an exorcism-themed picket line. For character-driven drama, there are essays from striking writers and short, unscripted films from WGA members and supporters. Comedy fans can enjoy mock debates, alternate versions of shows, and unlikely union boosters. And we think everyone can appreciate a big, bushy strike beard. Suggested Sites... Writers Guild of America - includes a strike FAQ, photo gallery, and the latest news on negotiations. United Hollywood - industry folks show their support for striking writers. Speechless - actors stand by the WGA. Writers Strike Swag - all profits go to the Writers Guild Foundation's Industry Support Fund, helping non-WGA members of the industry who are affected by the strike. Fans4Writers - fans picket alongside WGA screenwriters to show solidarity.

Directory categories: 2007-2008 WGA Strike, Writers Guild of America, Screenwriting, Labor Unions, Entertainment Unions

Archived under: Business, Employment, Entertainment, Unions, Writers, Writing

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Teams race in the 2007 NYC Idiotarod (Photo by Matthew David Powell) The first Idiotarod -- an urban Iditarod-esque race with humans instead of huskies and shopping carts instead of sleds -- was held in San Francisco in 1994. Since then, the havoc has spread across the country, from Washington, D.C to Phoenix to Seattle -- but no city has embraced the spirit of mayhem and sabotage like New York City. Gotham's fifth annual shopping cart race will run rampant on January 26, 2008, and residents may want to look both ways before venturing off of the sidewalks. Teams of five "idiots" -- four sled dogs and one musher -- will take to the streets with costumes, props, and pimped-out shopping carts. The rules say that carts can be decorated and modified in any way, so long as all original parts are included, and they must be pushed and pulled by team members, not towed or propelled by any other means. Teams are given a starting point, a finish line, and several checkpoints in-between, but otherwise have no set course to follow. Adding to the chaos, teams are allowed -- in fact, encouraged -- to sabotage one another along the route. While navigating the obstacles of city streets, racers also need to dodge thrown eggs and various gross substances, plus watch for fake checkpoints and other tricks. And what do they race for? The glory of winning (except when coming in first is discouraged) and arbitrary prizes assigned at the whims of the organizers. Who's the idiot now? Suggested Sites... Idiotarod NYC - this Saturday, January 26, the streets of New York City will be even weirder than usual. Portland Urban Iditarod - Portland gets rolling on March 1. Chiditarod Urban Iditarod - Chicagoans have until March 1 to get their carts tuned up, too. YouTube: Idiotarod Videos - see the mayhem for yourself. Missing Shopping Carts - it's also "Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month"... though they may not accept your cart once you've welded a fire-breathing cobra head to it.

Directory categories: Idiotarod, Running Competitions, Running, Iditarod Dog Sled Race

Archived under: Dogs, Events, Exercise, Idiotarod, Races, Running, Sports

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