Blast from the Past: Scratch N' Sniff...

As a child, a good Scratch N' Sniff sticker collection was more valuable than money.
(*True story: The original script for "Scarface" read "In this country, you gotta get the stickers first. Then when you get the stickers, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the woman." This was later changed by Pacino, who loves to improvise.)

From howstuffworks.com:
Scratch and sniff is created through the process of micro-encapsulation. The desired aroma is surrounded by tiny micro-capsules that break easily upon scratching. Because of the micro-encapsulation, the aroma can be preserved for extremely long periods of time.

Below, magnified 1000 times, is Scratch N' Sniff Paper.

These tiny glass capsules contain a liquid scent and are glued onto paper. When the paper is scratched, some of the capsules are ruptured and the scent is released.
And now you know...

What was YOUR favorite scent?

Know your Daemon

I am a big fan of Phillip Pullman's "The Golden Compass" trilogy.
With the movies due out soon, the website has launched.

In the world of The Golden Compass, people wear their souls on the outside, in the form of animal familiars, called "Daemons".

You can see what your Daemon is by clicking on the picture of Iorek, the ice bear.


My Daemon, by the way, is named Artemis, and she is a tiger.

My favorite new phrase...

Want to sound brilliant and confusing?
Try this old Russian phrase while rolling your eyes:

Myne etoh nadoh kahk zoobee v zadnetze.

The way we say "I need that like I need a hole in my head",
Russian people say "I need that like I need teeth in my asshole."