Hands up: how many of you have seen the Zimmer Twins website? I’m hoping lots of you have, because it’s super fun. You can create web videos and share them with your friends and, well, everyone else on the internet.
Check out the cool clip I just received from an OWL blog reader (thanks, girl-girl!), and then head over to the website to make your own clip. It’s easy. They start you off, and then you get to finish the story however you want.
Also: three cheers for people sending me things! It’s summer: that means you’ve got lots of time to email me your cool art, stories, comics… and I’ll try to post all of them on the blog.
Wow. Last week’s reverse mailbag rocked. We got tons of responses and a lot of good debate. You guys should be writing “Hot Topic” for OWL!
This week I’m going to crunch the numbers and find out the most popular answer to each of the five questions, and then I’m going to weigh in with my own responses. Ready? Here we go:
Question #1: Do you believe in Bigfoot?
Popular response: No. A whopping 61 percent believe Bigfoot (AKA Sasquatch) does not exist.
Craig’s response: I once worked at a newspaper in northwestern British Columbia (a shout out to all my dawgs in Terrace, BC!), and interviewed a bona-fide Sasquatch enthusiast. He’d spent years collecting tales of Sasquatch sightings from people. He was pretty convinced, but in the end, no, I don’t think Bigfoot actually exists. However, I’m positive there are a huge number of weird-looking bears and other animals out there in the wilderness. Something has to explain all those sightings!
Question #2: Which country has the best flag?
Popular response: Canada, of course. Fun fact: Brazil and China were the only other flags to get multiple votes.
Craig’s response: This is a tough question. No flag can officially be “best.” However, seeing as it’s almost Canada Day, I’m feeling patriotic and going with the crowd (again) and saying Canada. Nice colours, central image, etc. You really can’t go wrong.
Question #3: What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Popular response: A lot of different responses to this question. “Kung Fu Fighting” received multiple mentions, as did songs by Rihanna and Anne Hathaway.
Craig’s response: I’m not a Britney Spears fan by any measure, but I often get the song “Gimme More” stuck in my head. Just a terrible song. It’s like a curse. Then again, as soon as blog readers Katie and Frank started talking about “Kung Fu Fighting,” I was finished — that song is a suction cup for the brain.
Here’s an article from Exploratorium about why songs get stuck in your brain. Interesting stuff!
Popular response: Baby pandas by a country mile. Did I say a whopping percentage of people don’t believe in Bigfoot? An even greater percentage (71!) prefer baby pandas to baby skunks.
Craig’s response: Baby skunks. I had to go against the grain sooner or later, didn’t I? I’ve never had a problem with skunks. Then again, unlike blog reader Ashley’s dog, I’ve never been sprayed.
Hey, speaking of the word “dog,” check out this goofy YouTube clip to get up close and personal with a dramatic prairie dog:
Question #5: Would you rather have all your meals taste like dog food or completely lose your sense of taste?
Popular response: Most of you would rather lose your sense of taste, but the few dog food fans were much more vocal and posted multiple times. I declare this one a tie.
Craig’s response: I have to go with dog food. The key to it, I think, is variety. Some dog food is going to be awful, no doubt about it. But other dog food is going to be all right. For example, in a recent “Weird Zone” article, we talked about a Japanese company that makes boxed lunches for dogs. The lunches came complete with chicken, bread, and vegetable soup. Sounds like a lunch you’d get at Tim Horton’s, huh? (You know, except for the lid that can be used as a water bowl…) If that counts as dog food, sign me up!
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That’s it for this week, guys. Thanks for the HUGE participation on the reverse mailbag. We’ll definitely have to do it again real soon. As for next week’s regular mailbag, start sending in your questions! What do you want to know about OWL Magazine? I’ll do my best to give you the answer.
Here’s an awesome idea from OWL blog reader Tyler. Instead of you asking me questions for this week’s mailbag, I’m going to ask you the questions. Then you post a comment below with your answers.
Rock on? Rock on:
1. Do you believe in Bigfoot?
2. Which country has the best flag? (Here is a website to help you decide).
3. What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
4. Which do you prefer: baby pandas or baby skunks?
5. Would you rather have all your meals taste like dog food or completely lose your sense of taste?
That’s it, guys! If you like this “reverse mailbag” we can do it again really soon. Thanks to Tyler for the idea and to Mandy for helping me come up with questions.
Any Naked Brothers Band fans in the blogosphere? I thought so. Apparently, the brothers are big into saving the environment and are putting out a DVD that has a global-warming storyline to it. Sounds darn good, right? You betcha.
The DVD is called Polar Bears. It hits stores later this week, but you can win a copy right now.
Send an email to owlblog@owlkids.com and let us know what YOU are doing to go green and help the environment this summer. The best five entries will receive a free DVD complimentary of Paramount Home Entertainment.
The deadline for entries is July 20, so start sending your emails!
What time is it?! It’s Mailbag Time! We’re going to try something new for next Friday’s mailbag (see the last question below), but this week I’m going to power through another batch of great questions. Keep ’em coming, guys!
Q: Do you like golf?
— Isabelle
CB: I took lessons as a kid and I’m sure my dad wishes I liked golf more, but I’m afraid the answer is: not really. (Sorry, dad!) Mini golf, though, is a totally different thing. There’s a mini golf course in Parksville, BC — near where I grew up — that’s just awesome. Windmills, water hazards, pirate ships… the whole deal. Oh yeah, I could play mini golf all day. Furthermore, here is a fun online mini golf game. I could play that all day too.
Q: 45 DEGREES?! Out here in Alberta it’s just warming up!
— Margaret
CB: Well, not exactly. In my last mailbag I said it was 1,000,000°C here in Toronto and others commented temperatures in their cities were as high as 45°C. But I did some research and found in most parts of Southern Ontario anyway it was only about 32 or 33. Still, with the humidity, it felt like 45! Nutty, huh?
Speaking of crazy-hot weather, did you know the hottest place on Earth is the Lut Desert in Iran? Temperatures there have reached 71°C! That’s 159°F. The hottest area of the desert is known as Gandom Beriyan, or “the toasted wheat.” Weird.
Q: What’s your fave movie that has been inspired by a book OR a true event?
— Madison
CB: Wow, Madison! That’s a seriously tough question. So many movies have been inspired by books and true events. To narrow it down, I’ll try to think of pretty recent movies. And, since most fictional movies based on true events are usually so gritty, I’ll give you my favourite documentary. My picks are Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (book-based) and Spellbound (true event-based).
I’m betting you guys are all familiar with Charlie, but maybe not Spellbound. It’s a really funny documentary about a bunch of genius kids who go to the American national spelling bee in Washington, DC.
Here’s the trailer:
Q: What do you like to do in the summer? I like to swim, ride my bike, and play outside!
— Isabelle
CB: Well, as I said above, when the weather gets nice I can definitely go in for a round of mini golf. Aside from that, I like to swim, play basketball, throw the Frisbee around, and do a little reading outdoors. I usually try to avoid TV in the summer for three reasons: 1) there’s lots of stuff to do outside; 2) it’s hot and uncomfortable inside; and 3) there’s nothing on but re-runs. A perfect time to ditch the ’tube for a couple months! In fact, I propose we move “TV Turnoff Week” from April to July, and make it “TV Turnoff Two Months.” Anyone with me?
Q: Hey, I have an idea for your next mailbag. How about you ask the readers questions and they answer them?
— Tyler
CB: Done and done. Check back next Friday for the first-ever reverse mailbag! I’ll post a bunch of questions and you guys respond to them in the comments. Sounds cool, right?
