Sonic the Hedgehog vs Mario

In the early 90’s, as they are today, Sega and Nintendo stood neck to neck in the endless race to produce new and inventive gaming for their ever-growing fan base. Sega had one problem though. It needed a mascot that would sufficiently rival the beloved little Italian brother that was Nintendo’s popular branded character, Mario? and so, an artist, designer and programmer at Sega got together and created Sonic the Hedgehog. He is a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog with blue hair. Sonic is 15 years old. He has a penchant for travelling beyond the speed of sound and defending himself from his enemies by curling up into a ball, making his body the projectile of choice. The initial idea was to release a game that would sell more that 1 million copies worldwide. With the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game in 1991, the executives at Sega must have been blown away when, after just 14 years (2005) their mascot had sold over 50 million copies.

Little known facts about Sonic the Hedgehog:

– Sonic was designed by three men. Yuji Naka, Hirokazu Yasuhara and Naoto Ōshima.

– Before settling on a hedgehog, team Sonic reviewed proposals for a rabbit, an armadillo and a dog

– In the first release of the game, Sonic was shorter, rounder and fatter. Later permutations had him becoming longer and thinner, with longer quills.

– Sonics’ red shoes (added later) are a tribute to Santa Clause.

– Sonic is 15 years old (The character, not the game)

– Various actors who voiced sonic include; Takeshi Kusao, Junichi Kanemaru, Ryan Drummond and Jason Anthony Griffith.

– The original Sonic had a band and a girlfriend by the name of Madonna. These were dropped for the US release though and never really brought back.

– Sonic can’t swim because Yuji Naka mistakenly believed that hedgehogs can’t swim.

– His boots (added later) were inspired by a design of Michael Jackson’s boots.

– The original theme music was written specifically for Sonic and is the only part of the game that has not really been re-vamped in almost 20 years.

The meteoric rise in popularity can be seen in the countless spin off releases of this strange, lovable character including comics, books and an extremely successful cartoon series. The game play of Sonic the Hedgehog remains the classic video game modus operandi. There are various levels, increasing in difficulty which Sonic traverses at various points with speed and agility. Enemies or attacks are quickly dispensed with when Sonic curls up in a ball and uses his body to attack them. Increasingly creative releases of the game include Sonic in Mario land. This is a cute nod to the inspiration that his corporate nemesis mascot, Mario invoked. It is believed that the success of Sonic the Hedgehog comes from Sega’s ability to upgrade and re-invent the character and his environment constantly. For this reason, new generations of gamers continue to discover and enjoy this nifty little video game superstar.

How The Teddy Bear Got His Name

In 1902, the famous Steiff Company of Germany invented the great teddy bear that the world has come to love and to cherish.  However, do we know how the Teddy got his name ?

We all know that the teddy bear was invented by Richard Steiff and that originally he was referred to as Petsy (after Meister Petz, an old fashioned term for a bruin).  The name ‘Teddy’ however, came from the United States from Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919), who was known as ‘Teddy’ to his friends. 

Roosevelt as a child suffered from asthma and as a young man, possibly because of his weakened childhood, became a bit of a fitness fanatic.  After studying at Harvard, he spent some time working on a cattle ranch in Dakota.  He soon became a rather dedictaed big-game hunter.  Roosevelt’s great passion for hunting was very well known and indeed, by the time he became President he had even written a number of books on the subject.

In November 1902, (funnily enough the same year the teddy bear was invented by Steiff), Roosevelt travelled to South America to arbitrate a dispute between the states of Louisiana and Mississipi. Of course, whilst there he went on a bear hunting trip.  After days of hunting, Roosevelt still had no kill and so on the 14 November 1902, the hosts of his hunt searched for a bear for him to shoot, as they simply could not let him return home without a trophy.  Eventually they found an old bear which they then tethered up for the President to shoot.  Roosevelt however, refused to shoot the bear.

This incidence was reported by Clifford K. Berryman, who was a cartoonist for the famous Washington Post.  He drew a cartoon of Roosevelt and the bear and called it ‘Drawing the Line in Mississipi’.  This cartoon depicted Roosevelt with his hand raised, refusing to shoot the bear.  Just two days later this cartoon was printed in the Washington Post and it immediately attracted major publicity.  Clifford K. Berryman also drew a portrait of Roosevelt and a small bear, next to this sketch Berryman wrote ‘Teddy Bear Nov. 1902’, so this makes it more than likely that Berryman first came up with the term ‘Teddy’ Bear.  However, no-one is really certain who actually came up with the name Teddy Bear as yet another version of this story is, Morris Michtom and his wife Rose, who ran a novelty store in Brooklyn, New York saw Berryman’s cartoon and, the story goes, made a stuffed bear which they put in their shop window and beside this bear they placed a card which read ‘Teddy’s Bear’.  It is said that almost immediately the bear sold and so did several others that Rose had made.

It is very difficult to know if the Michtoms’ little bear resembled the bears produced by the Steiff Company in Germany as all Michtoms bears seem to have become lost.  However, it seems highly unlikely that the Michtoms Bears were of the same design as those of Steiff or that they were even jointed, let alone jointed like the Steiff bears.  Indeed there is no evidence to substantiate the Michtoms calling their bears ‘Teddy’.  A Brooklyn based company called Butler Brothers bought the right to use Michtoms Bears however, and this collaboration resulted in the start of the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company – the very first American teddy bear manufacturer.

Anyway, back to Roosevelt.  The president was extremely quick to recognise the appeal of the teddy bear and so he used him as a mascot for the rest of his political life.  The Ideal Novelty and Toy Co. actually produced some teddy bears to ‘hand out’ during the 1904 presidential Elections.  These bears were only 15 cms tall and had rather large ‘googly’ eyes.

In 1906 the teddy bear became independent of Roosevelt when the term ‘teddy bear’ was used in the American trade journal Playthings.  It was also during this year that the teddy bear craze really took off in the United States.  In 1907, John Bratton wrote the famous ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’ (the lyrics were not added until 1930).  This music was often played when Roosevelt entered official functions.

From then on, reports came in from all over the United States reporting that shops could simply not keep up with the enormous demand for these cuddly toys called Teddy Bears.

And the rest as they say – is HISTORY!

Discover How to Play Bingo at Online Bingo

The Bingo game used to be associated with dear old womens with blue tinted hair who would jump up from their chairs shouting out “Bingo!” But those days are long gone. Bingo today is a game that attracts players of all ages who are almost addicted to the game. They wouldn?t miss a single game for anything.
So what exactly is Bingo? Traditionally, Bingo was a land based game which used to be played in club houses or bars. It helped people to make new partners and socialize. In the process they also had the opportunity to win prizes. Since the advent of the Internet, it has now evolved to become a very popular online game which reaches out to people all over the planet. Players can still make partners, socialize and win prizes ? online. They can do all this from the comfort of their homes.
The basic principle of Bingo was that numbers were called out at random. Players were given cardboard cards printed with a unique set of numbers in five columns and five rows. The numbers would have to form a pattern, which was called out. Players had to strike off the corresponding numbers on their cards. Who ever cancelled out all the numbers on their card first in a predetermined order and called out “Bingo!” would be the winner.
Bingo was also used with Bingo machines where the numbers were electronically drawn and matched to the Bingo cards. The advantage was that you could play a lot of games in a short period of time.
So how is Online Bingo any different from traditional Bingo? It?s very similar actually. It?s a cross between live Bingo and the machines. The numbers are drawn by a random number generator as was done by the Bingo machine earlier… The matching numbers on the Bingo cards are marked automatically. If two players finish simultaneously they share the prize money. When you play a multiplayer game you have as much fun as with live Bingo.
The great thing about online Bingo is that you can chat in Bingo rooms, play with your partners and socialize online. Similar to live Bingo, Online Bingo is also used in two different ways. The difference lies in the layout of the Bingo cards and in the number of Bingo balls that you draw when you play. The two forms are:
US Bingo ? online players have to match the numbers drawn with numbers set out in a 5 x 5 matrix. This can take anything between seconds to minutes depending on the internet sequence.
UK Bingo – online players have to match the numbers drawn with numbers set out in a 3 x 9 matrix. This can take between four to four and a half minutes.
If you want to match free Online Bingo, there are games that offer small prizes. You just have to find the right website to play on. Once you have decided on the one you like, there will be no stopping you. So go ahead and pleasant. Bingo!

All About Autopen Shortcuts in Autograph Collecting

Many celebrities use different methods for autographing in place of the real signature. Most autograph collecting is done solely for the real autograph of these people that are famous and well thought of. As we all know, celebrities of all kind are busy people, so a lot of the signature signing when not in person is done in a variety of ways. That is why, you can only be sure of an authentic signature or autograph in autograph collecting when you get it in person.

In autograph collecting by mail and other exchanges, you need to know that you may get an autograph but it may be done not by hand or the celebrity‘s hand but by autopen or some other method. One of the most popular ways famous people have for sending out autographs for autograph collecting is by using a staff member to sign for them. Some famous people have a staff, so call PR staff, for the expressed purpose of signing autographed photo and distributing them or mailing them to individuals who are autograph collecting. In other words, if you receive an autograph via mail, it may not be the real thing. But at least you have something; it depends on the focus of your autograph collecting.

If your autograph collecting is simply a hobby, a copied photo signature may serve your purpose. If your autograph collecting is an investment, then you want the real signature and need to pursue autograph collecting avenues that will provide you with the real signature. When you receive a non-authentic autograph from a celebrity, it should not be perceived as disrespect for fans or how they feel about their fans. Some celebrities may be too old, sick, filming a new movie or on the road touring to have time to give you a real signature. That is why some famous people use the autopen autograph. John Isaac Hawkins, an Englishman developed the first autopens. He received a US patent in 1803. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first to start using the device in 1804 for autograph collecting. The autopen is a machine that can duplicate a signature over and over. A signature is copied onto a template that is inserted into the machine. This mechanism will copy the signature onto an item such as a photo, 3×5 cards, or letter for autograph collecting. For the most part you can tell if an autopen has been used by it’s lack of natural flow, the signature is shaky as the autopen vibrates and the flow of ink is consistent, plus an ink blotch that looks like a period is at the end of the signature.

The blotch/period is a result of the marker in the autopen machine coming to an abrupt halt at the end and resting in one spot of the item too long before being lifted off. It goes without saying that each autopen signature will look exactly alike. Another way to tell if you have an autopen signature is to write for another autograph. Compare the signatures by laying them atop each other and hold up to a light source. If they coincide with each other, you have an autopen signature. Harry Truman is believed to be the first President to use the autopen in a business way for mail and signing checks. Today this device is used by politicians and fundraisers to sign letters. If you are autograph collecting, you need to try and verify the origin of the signature.

The Advancement Of Free Online Games

A lot of people do not have the money to purchase computer games that they can play on their computer. This is when Online Games come into play. There are sites that you can go to and be able to play a variety of games. Some of the most common varieties that you can choose from include Action games, Adventure, Arcade games, Board, Puzzle Games, Poker, Casino, Card, Fighting, Shooting, Defense Games, Typing Games, Sport Games, and many other kinds of games.

There are sites that have free online games for toddles and young school children and there are others that will have more mature games for older children and then some for adults. Some site have all these types of games mixed in together so you will have to find games on the site that are close to your age and the type of games that you want to play. If you have children you might want to monitor what games site they are playing on because there are some online game sites where they have adult games mixed in with the kid games all on the same site as I mentioned above.

Action Games can be fun to play because they will test your speed and your reaction times. These games also include challenges, some puzzle solving, and may involve some violence.

Adventure games are sort of similar to action games but also involve one to explore, interact with other online game players, investigation, and can include fantasy games, science fiction, mystery, comedy, and horror games.

Arcade games can include those similar to what you will find in businesses and pubs. These games include air hockey, ping-pong, pool, pin-ball, and some racing games.

Board Games are games that include pieces that are actually moved from the board, placed on the board, to the right and left on the board to win the game. Come popular board games and they can also be found online includes Monopoly, Scrabble, Checkers, Chess, etc

Puzzle games are similar to board games but they contain solving a lot of problem solving skills such as word completions, patterns recognition, strategy, logic, and sequence games.

There are also games that you can choose to download onto your computer that you can play also. Most of these games come with a free trial such as a day free, 60 minutes free, and some are actually even free so you can keep them on your computer as long as you chose. If you do come across one that lets you download a free version you might have to purchase the complete game later. Most online games do not cost over $20. If I were you I would search another site first to see if you can find that game for free before downloading it.