Sunday 14 November 2010

Sunday November 14th, 2010 Quirky

I often talk about the Circle of Life. If you wait long enough everything comes full circle. My first Library Detective column dealt with the fact that I’ve been called quirky and covered various quirky subjects. Almost four years later I’m ready to revisit quirky.

An Uncommon History Of Common Things by Bethanne Patrick

This book refers to itself as a quirky compendium. It has amazing stories about everyday objects and customs. If you’ve ever wondered - Who invented underwear? Why do we say gesundheit when someone sneezes? Where can I go to see actual items from Julia Child’s kitchen? –this is the book for you. Here’s a sampling of what you can find:

TV Dinners

It all began in 1953 when Swanson and Sons found themselves left with an abundance of frozen turkey. Staff member Gerry Thomas had been experimenting with aluminum trays and came up with the 3 compartment design, which happened to look like a television set. He filled it with turkey and trimmings and the rest is a quick, yet tasty, history.

Vacuum Cleaners

In 1908, James Murray Spangler, a department store janitor from Ohio, obtained a patent for the first vacuum cleaner. His previous experiments in the design included a fan motor, a soapbox and a broom handle. He sold one of his first finished products to his cousin, William H. Hoover. The name Hoover is so connected to vacuum cleaners, that in the United Kingdom, people such as my friend Doreen often include hoovering in their household chores.

And in answer to the first three questions – men’s briefs were first produced in 1935 by Coopers Inc. , gesundheit is a German word for healthiness or good health; and you can find Julia Child’s kitchen at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived by Allan Lazar

Through the years we’ve been influenced by characters from television, movies and legends. This book contains a few of the big influences that I’ve had in my life, including Barbie, Santa Claus and Bambi. I’m still surprised to see that real deer are on the move when it snows; in Bambi they stay in the thicket. Someone keeps reminding me that Bambi wasn’t a real deer. Here are a couple of the interesting characters in the book.

Godzilla

Between 1954 and 1995 Godzilla starred in 30 movies and helped to revitalize the Japanese movie industry. These low budget films, known for their overacting and silly dialogue, were bad enough to become cult hits. I prefer the original movies over the ones produced in the nineties. They influenced me enough that in 1987 we called our new puppy Godzilla. At the time we thought it was funny, but naming your dog Godzilla is just asking for trouble. It’s akin to the name Marley.

Kermit the frog

Born in a swamp in Georgia, this little green frog has touched the lives of people around the world. In his quest to be accepted, he teaches children about being an individual and accepting you heritage. His interspecies relationship with Miss Piggy is to be admired and is a message for us all about tolerance, especially since she is described as a lady-pig with an attitude. If you’re ever at the Smithsonian to visit Julia Child’s kitchen, stop by to see Kermit. He’s been on display in the Legacies collection since 1994.

Why Do Violets Shrink? By Caroline Holmes

This book contains answers to 280 questions about the plant world. Here are a couple of examples.

Do dandelions make you wet the bed?
They can if you eat their leaves, since they are a diuretic. The roots however are great for your liver.

Why should you plant fennel by a kennel?
The smell of fennel is said to deter fleas.

How can Abyssinian kale help you at the supermarket checkout?
The oil from it acts as a slip agent, to help open supermarket bags. Too bad the kale couldn’t help carry the bags into the house.

Well that’s enough quirky facts for today. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.


Karen Craib is a Library Technician

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