Originally intended to be sold as wallpaper when it was invented in the 1950s, bubble wrap is now both a popular packing material and annoying habit enabler for the perpetually-fidgety.
In fact, within minutes of the new wall-covering’s invention by Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, Fielding’s five year-old son started popping it. (You can read the entire story on The Smithsonian website.) The company founded by Fielding and Chavannes (and built on the success of bubble wrap) is now listed on the Fortune 500 and serves customers in over 120 countries.
Five more ways to use the wrap
Besides packing and protecting your stuff (or annoying friends and family with incessant popping), there are other uses for bubble wrap. (MentalFloss.com, in fact, includes 25 alternative uses) Those include:
- Keep your fridge’s drawers clean by using bubble wrap as a drawer liner. You’ll also keep your fresh fruits and veggies from bruising.
- Taking your food on the go? You can keep your frozen foods extra-frosty (or roasty-toasty) by lining your cloth grocery bags with bubble wrap which will insulate the bag.
- Keep your toilet from sweating. Those insulating properties of bubble wrap also work when you glue the wrap to line your toilet tank (not the bowl). Be sure to use a waterproof, silicone sealant.
- Keep your fine china scratch-free by using a little square of bubble wrap between plates and saucers.
- Wrapping tool handles with bubble wrap can cut down on blisters from over-use. Hiring teenagers to do your yard work will do the same, although may lead to other kinds of irritation.
A dream job … or just a job of dreams?
You need to know one of the true “wizards” of Disney’s Imagineering department. He’s made a real-life lightsaber and now he’s creating the technology that could put a Holodeck experience in every home. Find out more …
So long Leap Day, see you in 4 years (or so) …
Oh sure, it seems obvious. Every four years, we’ll just add an extra day to the calendar. Unless the year ends in a 00, then … well … read this post and you’ll know all you really need to know about “Leap Days.”
Gone but not forgotten – favorite automotive trends from the past
America (and much of the world) has had a century-long love affair with automobiles – of all shapes and sizes. But just like that person you dated back in high school, a second look few decades after the fact may result in a raised eyebrow or two.
Leaping back into the DAILY SPAM … and much more.
It’s well preserved in its own juices and fresh out of the can. The DAILY SPAM is back.
Celebrating the best underwater photography of the year
The online gallery showcasing the best entries of the 2024 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition is absolutely stunning. I’ve posted a few samples and a link to the online exhibit.
Nothing to watch on HULU? Not exactly …
Overwhelmed with options when it comes to finding a new series to stream or a movie to watch? If you’ve got a subscription to HULU, I might have a few suggestions …
How Godzilla found his voice
There’s something delightfully nostalgic about the unforgettably corny schreech of a roar coming from the original King of the Monsters (Godzilla) in the original 1954 production. Here’s the story behind the sound …
Additions for your “ttrbyd” list
What’s this? Just another one of those lists of things to do, read, watch, experience before you leave this mortal coil? Maybe, but it’s worth the read.
A little walk can take us miles
How many steps do you take in a day? Believe it or not, there are physiological, mental, and emotional benefits to literally “taking a hike” whether your wife asks you to or not.
Apple’s big bet on the MLS
How does Apple view its 10-year, $2B+ deal between Apple TV+ and Major League Soccer? It’s a way to reinvent sports for a streaming environment and get in on the ground floor of what could be the freshest source of “reality television” on the planet.
Animal stories … and much more.
Whether it’s a rampaging bear, a happy dog, or the return of the woolly rhino … it’s all good in today’s DAILY SPAM.
Still turning heads at 50 … happy birthday to THE EXORCIST.
Everything from celebrating fifty years of head-spinning thrills to the health benefits of ice cream. It’s all part of today’s nutritious meal of email delights.
Have you had your SPAM today?
Introducing a new column … Daily Spam is what I serve up after digging through the hundreds of emails I get every day … just so you don’t have to. I’ll provide links to interesting articles, videos, podcasts and more with no offers for winning lotto numbers, inheritances from African princes, or the latest NFTs. It’s free content worth every penny. Guaranteed.
You’ll never guess where I found the biggest obstacle to my recovery journey …
It turns out that the mind-body connection works both ways. Sometimes the biggest barrier keeping you from your success is located between your ears – which is why its important to understand how physical trauma can bring on depression and how your mental health affects your recovery.
The patient can go on vacation, but the therapy can’t.
Even when you intentionally “get away from it all” you don’t get away from it ALL. Blogger Mike Bawden explains how to manage travel, touring foreign countries, chasing grandchildren, and rehabbing an injured shoulder simultaneously.
