Predictions

 Today's post looks back to 1925 at the predictions made for 2025, they didn't get a lot of them right. Life expectancy would be at least 150, H. G. Wells said there would a global power with no independent countries only 3 great masses of people, the United States of America, the United States of Europe and China. A British scientist expected television machines, breakfast tubes, automatic sleep beds, wireless banking and moving sidewalks. The airport of the future would be in the center of the city, have a well appointed lobby with an elevator that would take you to the roof where the plane waited on a turntable to be catapulted off at 300 mph. San Francisco and Oakland would overtake New York City as the world's greatest city with a population of 15 million. Oh well, back to the drawing board.  

Old Words

 As words go these really aren't that old, in fact they're just turning 50 though it's still surprising to learn they've been around that long. Of course as to be expected some have aged better than others but that's mostly true of newly coined words they lose their impact quickly. Without further ado the list of 50 year old words. 

1. 800-Pound Gorilla
2. Ableism
3. Athleisure
4. Aviophobia
5. Butterfly Effect
6. Cool-Down
7. Couch Potato
8. Digital Camera
9. Drum Machine
10. Ethernet
11. Exit Poll
12. French Press
13. Meme
14. Out-There
15. Radical
16. Skeevy
17. Skill Set
18. Trail Mix
19. Wannabe
20. Wuss
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Wild Cards

 To say this collection of vintage New Year's cards is odd is and understatement at the very least. My only comments are that the Fums Up one took me a minute to realize it meant thumbs up and the one with the pig and the spiderweb is from 1907 well before Charlotte's Web in case anyone was wondering. 

Drop It II

Today's post features the top 5 New Year's Eve drops, enjoy! 

 

#5 Ludington, Michigan a ball drop clad in thousands of flashing lights.

#4 MoonPie Over Mobile, Alabama Indulge in the world's largest MoonPie cake, the watch the 600lb electric MoonPie descend. 

No. 4: Best New Year's Eve

#3 Tallapoosa, Georgia Possum Drop, no possums are harmed in the event. Spencer a stuffed possum who met his fate as roadkill is used instead of a living possum. 

#2 Boise, ID Potato Drop, a glowing potato is dropped at midnight.

#1 Pierogi Drop Whiting, Indiana a giant pierogi is dropped 50 feet into a boiling cauldron at midnight. 

Drop

Drop It I

 New Year's Eve is right around the corner which calls for a variety of celebrations depending on your location. Today's post will feature #10-6 of New Year's Eve drops around the country. 

At #10  is the Pickle Drop of Mount Olive, NC where a glowing pickle drops into a giant jar.

#9 is the Shrimp Drop at Amelia Island, FL 

#8 is the Beach Ball Drop at Panama City, Fl. One ball drops at 8pm and another at midnight.

#7 is the Great Pinecone Drop at Flagstaff, AZ a 70lb 6 ft. metallic pinecone drops at 3 different times.

#6 is the Peeps Chick Drop at Bethlehem, PA a 400lb Peeps Chick is dropped at 5:35 on both 12/30 and 12/31.

Oh, the Vanity!

 Vanity plates are amusing although what some states reject on the plates for reasons like, inflammatory, profane, offensive or too difficult to read stretches the definitions of those reasons. Maybe the most surprising part about vanity plates is that they are allowed at all since they can be a distraction which is not ideal when driving. Here are some ones that are fun to figure out. 

It's a Sign

 People in Christchurch, New Zealand were left slightly baffled by seemingly official looking signs with odd messages. One signs simply read, "Don't", another said, "This area is slightly haunted, but manageable." One sign warned, "Walking speed limit 2.83 km/h (1.75 mph)." Though the signs were official looking on closer examination they revealed the words "Christchurch City Confusion" instead of "Christchurch City Council". The signs are the work of a local artist who said the idea was to make the signs look real but with absurd messages to cause a moment of confusion followed by a burst of joy.