BB 2/16/16

Good morning Phoenix and welcome to Trivia Tuesday! Today, we’re going to have some trivia about Niko, or Matchstick, as his brothers refer to him. *grins*

Niko was born approximately 83 years ago in Siberia. He’s obsessed with things that go boom, so he is responsible for custom crafting most of the Order’s ammunition, and whenever we need a prank pulled that goes boom. :)

Trivia about Siberia:
• By the broadest definition is also known as North Asia. Siberia has been historically part of Russia since the 17th century.
• With an area of 13.1 million square kilometers, Siberia accounts for 77% of Russia's land area, but it is home to just 40 million people – 27% of the country's population. This is equivalent to an average population density of about 3 inhabitants per square kilometer (approximately equal to that of Australia), making Siberia one of the most sparsely populated regions on Earth.
• At least three species of humans lived in Southern Siberia around 40,000 years ago: H. sapiens, H. neanderthalensis, and the Denisovans. The last was determined in 2010 by DNA evidence to be a new species.
• The first great modern change in Siberia was the Trans-Siberian Railway, constructed during 1891–1916.
• At 7:15 a.m. on 30 June 1908, millions of trees were felled near the Podkamennaya Tunguska (Stony Tunguska) River in central Siberia in the Tunguska Event, which most scientists believe to have been the air burst of a meteoroid or a comet.
• Siberia covers almost 10% of Earth's land surface.
• The climate of Siberia varies dramatically, but all of it basically has short summers and long winters of very cold climate. On the north coast, north of the Arctic Circle, there is a very short (about one-month-long) summer.
• Most Siberians are Russians and russified Ukrainians.
• About seventy percent of Siberia's people live in cities, mainly in apartments.
• Novosibirsk is the largest city in Siberia, with a population of about 1.5 million.

And now you know! Have a fangtastic day my friends! <3 Brock V"""V

BB 2/15/16

*Yawns* Good Morning Phoenix friends, and welcome to Movie Monday. Today’s Oscar nominated selection is Brooklyn, starring Saoirse Ronan and Domhnall Gleeson.

Plot: Based on a novel by Colm Tóibín, Eilis Lacey leaves small town Ireland for a better life in New York, arranged by an Irish priest in Brooklyn. Working in a shop she takes a bookkeeping course and participates in the Irish community. There she meets an Italian, and falls in love. They marry but she wants to see her mother after the death of her sister in Ireland. Returning home, she falls into the life of the small town, meets a local guy, but also a nasty neighbor who knows she was married in the US.

Trivia:
• Rooney Mara was originally cast in the lead role. However, her eventual replacement, Saoirse Ronan, was a front-runner for the part since the film began development, but she was too young to portray Eilis. The production was stalled for years, Mara backed out and when the project was ready to resume, Ronan had aged properly to fit the character and won the part.
• The city of Brooklyn in the film was actually shot in Montreal for budgeting reasons, as the production was unable to turn 2015 Brooklyn back to 1950s Brooklyn. Only two days of production were spent in Brooklyn, one in order to create the brownstone exterior shots and a second to film at Coney Island.
• Eilis is pronounced "Ay-lish".
• Second collaboration between Domhnall Gleeson and Julie Walters. He played Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter movies and she played his mother, Molly Weasley.
• The ending of the film differs from the ending of the novel. Nick Hornby created the new ending from scratch when adapting the novel.

Goofs:
• The film takes place in 1951-1952. As Eilis is walking down a street in Brooklyn, there is a 1955 Buick in the background.
• The characters go for a 1951 date to see the movie "Singing' in the Rain" - that movie did not come out until 1952.
• When returning to America, she stands in the customs line for US Citizens.
• In the dinner scene when Eilis meets Tony's family the food changes from spaghetti to a different meal after Frankie is yelled at.
• In scene where an Irish singer serenades an audience, at the top of a frame is an air conditioning duct that would not have existed in such a space in1952.

Have a fangtastic day, and remember -chocolate is half price now!
<3 Brock V"""V

BB 2/14/14

Good morning Phoenix and Happy Valentine's Day! Spend your day with your significant other, or, if you're single, with a child, a beloved pet, a book, or whatever makes you happy! It's day to do something you love with someone or something you love!

I hear tell the single Breeds have something cooked up for later, so stay tuned.

Have a fangtastic Valentine's Day! <3  Brock V"""V

BB 2/13/16

Good morning Phoenix friends! It's Saturday and you know what that means - it's Sippin' Saturday. In honor of Valentine's Day tomorrow, here's the perfect drink to get stuff started. Just don't drink it all at once, or things will end before they start if you get my drift.

What's your plans for Valentine's Day? <3  Brock V"""V

Pillow Talk

BB 2/12/16

Good morning Phoenix! As we count down the days to Valentine’s Day, I thought we could use a little Valentine humor!

Jim asked his friend, Tony, whether he had bought his wife anything for Valentine's Day.
'Yes,' came the answer from Tony who was a bit of a chauvinist, 'I've bought her a belt and a bag.'
'That was very kind of you,' Jim added, 'I hope she appreciated the thought.'
Tony smiled as he replied, 'So do I, and hopefully the vacuum cleaner will work better now.'

Roger, who was 19 years old, was buying an expensive bracelet, to surprise his girlfriend on Valentine's Day, at a very smart jeweler’s shop.
The jeweler inquired, 'Would you like your girlfriend's name engraved on it?'
Roger thought for a moment, grinned, then answered, 'No, instead engrave "To my one and only love".'
The jeweler smiled and said, 'Yes, sir; how very romantic of you.'
Roger retorted with a glint in his eye, 'Not exactly romantic, but very practical. This way, if we break up, I can use it again.'

I’m sure Tony and Roger had nice funeral services the following week.

Don’t forget to wish Aric and Carys a Happy Birthday!
Have a fangtastic day my friends! <3 Brock V"""V

BB 2/11/16

Good morning Phoenix and welcome to Throwback Thursday. Instead of the news, how about some famous birthdays on this day?

• 1934 – Mary Quandt – the designer behind the miniskirts and hot pants of the 1960’s
• 1934 – Tina Louise – Ginger in Gilligan’s Island
• 1936 – Burt Reynolds – of Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, and Boogie Nights fame
• 1953 – Jeb Bush – Governor of Florida and candidate for President
• 1962 – Sheryl Crow – singer
• 1964 – Sarah Palin – Governor of Alaska who sometimes says the silliest things
• 1969 – Jennifer Aniston – Actress
• 1979 – Brandy – Singer and actress
• 1992 – Taylor Lautner – Actor of Twilight fame

Diverse bunch of peeps. Amazing to think that the person that invented the miniskirt would be 82?
Have a fangtastic day my friends! <3 Brock V"""V

BB 2/10/16

Good morning Phoenix! Hope everyone is staying nice and toasty warm on this frigid Wacky Wednesday.

Speaking of Wacky Wednesday, let’s take a look at the wackiest vending machines in the world. You can’t make this stuff up.

• Lettuce vending machines – Japan. When you absolutely, positively gotta have a salad
• Rhinoceros Beetle vending machines – Japan. Kids buy them for pets, and for racing against each other. Ewww
• Japan strikes again with Canned Bread vending machines. The bread comes in all different flavors.
• Singapore chimes in with Mashed Potato vending machines in convenience stores. Guess it beats the usual day old hot dogs on the rotating grill?
• Vancouver Canada chimes in with a 25 cent Crack Pipe Vending Machine. When you absolutely gotta have a fresh one, I guess.
• Japan chimes in again with Bra vending machines. I would assume these are for when you have a wardrobe malfunction? Who knows? Anyway, a size chart is posted on the machine. The bras cost an average of $30 US.
• China enters the list with live Crab vending machines. The temperature inside is at a cool 5 degrees to keep the crabs in hibernation, but they are live.
• Japan – again. Good luck charm vending machines.
• Birth Control Vending Machines – a college in Pennsylvania has installed these on campus. The items inside range from condoms, spermicidal foam, to the morning after pill and pregnancy tests.
• Proactiv Acne Treatment vending machines – being installed in malls all across America. We’ve all seen the commercials. Now you can get some dispensed from a machine.
• Diaper Vending Machines – Across the US. Included is everything you need to clean up and change your baby – diaper, wipe, disposal bag. Gas mask not included.
• Caviar vending machines – in Los Angeles, of course. When the rich and famous just gotta have it. Price ranges from $50 to $500 according to the type you want. I assume it takes credit cards, because putting $500 worth of change in a coin slot is going to take awhile.
• Medical Marijuana Vending Machines – Seattle WA. A user has to swipe their medical marijuana ID card to purchase.
• Porn magazine vending machines – Japan. The covers of the mags are hidden by a curtain during the day, and opened at night.
• Used Schoolgirl Panties vending machines – Japan. Sorry, but it seems to me that the Japanese are more than just a little bit kinky.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen in a vending machine? I've seen french fries and pizza vending machines.
Have a fangtastic day my friends! <3 Brock V"""V