letters, we get letters..

July 4th fireworks takes over the current photo series... I have quite a few so we'll be doubling up for awhile... these were the first two I took... that first one might have been the best one I took all night, while the 2nd... I'm not really sure what was going on by that building.. but it needed to be photographed, no??

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Just like the Post Office our mailbag fills up from time to time and needs to be emptied... unlike the Post Office we won't have to worry about anyone stepping into our lobby and shooting people randomly... let's get to it, shall we??


>>I really liked the inaugural "I Had No Idea"... I didn't know what those circles were either... when's the next one?
--Al****TU****@***.com

TVGuy: Funny you should ask... (the first "I Had No Idea" can be found here if you don't know what we're talking about...)

As I was wandering in the grocery store a few days ago I saw a candy display for M&M's candies and wondered why such a pedestrian yet unusual name for such an enjoyable popular candy...

seems like a perfect time for yet another installment of...

I Had No Idea #2

Q: How did M&M's get their name?

A: The New York Times reports that Forrest Mars, Sr.'s inspiration for M&M's was a lentil-shaped, candy-coated chocolate that he saw soldiers eating while on a visit behind the lines during the Spanish Civil War. The chocolate pellets that the soldiers were eating were coated in sugar to prevent chocolate from sticking to their fingers. Forrest Mars was traveling with a member of the Rowntree family, ...and Rowntree went on to make Smarties, a candy similar to M&M's. After the rights were purchased by Forrest Mars Sr. and R. Bruce Murrie in 1939, they had to reintroduce them to the domestic market with a different name because there was already a candy product sold in the U.S. under the name Smarties. To identify their new brand, they combined the first initials of their last names: M & M.

And there you have it.. join us again for yet another in a series of puzzling conundrums that can only be solved by the behind the scenes folks of I Had No Idea Headquarters... we now join the mailbag, already in progress...

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>>Have you gotten any more of those Nigerian Scam Emails?? My mailbox is infected with them... I hate them so much.. at least I can read your humorous comments when you mock them. I just want to throw my computer out of my office window.
--t134**@***.net

TVGuy: Funny you should mention that...

(received Monday)
From: ABBA DuPont
To: TVGuy

--Do accept my apologies contacting you through this medium.

No problem! I always love getting emails from strangers from foreign lands... how can I help?

--But that notwithstanding, I will still go ahead with my proposal.

Now that I think about it, what other "medium" would you have tried contacting me through? Newsletter? Smoke Signals? Paper Airplane? Semaphore? Well, let's not quibble.. you clearly have a lot on your mind.. what's up "ABBA" (??)

--I am Jim Nicholas ...

Wait, I thought this was ABBA... hmm.. you'd better be a consultant or something here Jim or I'm going to have to.....

--a consultant based here in Johannesburg..

oh.. okay... that's my bad... please continue...

--and one of the accredited auditors of ABSA.

wait.. so you aren't the European Pop Supergroup?? I have to say Jim I'm mildly disappointed here.. but go on...

--I have a client, who has indicated her interest to invest in your country.

Well, shouldn't she be, I don't know... emailing "our country" then??

--Preferably on properties, stock and what you think might be better in your country.

I'd go with a little company called "Starbucks" here "Jim".. they seem to be doing okay...

--Upon your acceptance to assist, I will give you details concerning the amount disposable for investment and your compensation as the case may be.

Yeah, cause I'm not doing this for free "Jim"...

--Contact me on any of this e-mails for details if this proposal interests you.

Look, I know you're not from "our country", but you did go to high school right? "This Emails For Details"?? Really? I expect better from, you know, "A Consultant"...

--Presently I am in London for an off-shore assignment...

Umm.. I haven't looked at a map in awhile... but I'm pretty sure that London is.. you know.. not on the coast of England... wouldn't you have to be in the Atlantic Ocean to be "Off-shore"...?

--and you can reach me on 07***030553.
--jim*****38@*****.co.uk

Tell you what... instead of calling you, why don't I just raise both of my middle fingers up in the air towards the East where you're, you know, "off-shore"... and we'll call it a draw, capiche??

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>>Ok Greg, the next time you run across Strawberry Oreos, buy every one they have. Our troops overseas are begging for them. I'll give you an address to donate all you buy to our troops. You can even write it off as a tax deduction since it will be going through Soldiers Angels Organization. A Non profit organization that supports our troops with 10s of thousands Soldiers angels adopting soldiers and letting them know they are not forgotten. Just let me know how many you bought and when you are ready to ship them out. You are the best and the troops will love you. --prissy78@*********.net

TVGuy: Umm.. "the next time I run across Strawberry Oreos???" I don't understand... who is this anyway??

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>>On your TV show it said you had tried Strawberry Oreos while traveling. I figure a TV Celebrity might run across some more in your travels. They are very limited and only on a trial basis now. Never hurts to ask for help when trying to help the troops. I'm just a housewife.. no one important....just a member of Soldiers Angles who are looking out for our troops overseas. Do I have the wrong Greg?
--prissy78@*********.net

TVGuy: Well, there's obviously a misunderstanding here because...

1. I don't have a TV show...
2. I've never tried Strawberry Oreos while traveling...
3. I'm not a TV Celebrity..
4. I'm pretty sure you mean "Angels,", not "Angles".. unless the troops are really into Geometry...
5. Yes, you have the wrong Greg...

Tell you what, I just donated 20 bucks to a Troop Support Website where hopefully they'll buy them something more substantial than fatty preservative-filled cookies, you know, like beef jerky, nuts, vitamins.. hell anything better than "Strawberry Oreos"... and exchange, you never write me again.. is it a deal??

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>>I do apologize. I swear I thought I saw a segment on Greg who traveled around for a TV show and broadcasted his adventures. Please forgive an old woman and just chalk it up to senility. Thanks for writing me back..
--prissy78@*********.net

TVGuy: Well, don't I feel like crapola... When I'm done writing this I'll donate another $20, okay? But no Oreos... (regardless how most of us feel towards this ridiculous "war" and our current President, what these guys overseas are going through is just beyond imagination.. and they have my undying thanks.. but I'm still not sending them Strawberry Oreos...)

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>>We all know that wearing sunscreen is a must to keep skin looking young and prevent skin cancer, but if you don't know your sunscreen and understand the difference between UVB and UVA rays, you may not be getting enough protection. Always wear a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen. A great option is available at www.sunessencesunscreen.com Another great option is sun protective clothing, which can be found at www.shadysun.com Stay safe in the hot sun..
--Anonymous@****.net


TVGuy: It's the summer, so I thought I'd let this one pass through... it's always nice to hear from the marketing guys at Coppertone.. thanks for stopping by fellas...

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>>I bet you won't use this letter in your mailbag!
--and********@***.com

TVGuy: What do I win?

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>>Ugliest female celebrity??
--mtow******@******.com

TVGuy: For years now there has been only one answer to this question... ladies and gentlemen, I present Ms. Sandra Bernhard...














And now that she has taken up boxing apparently, the choice is even easier...

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New in Theatres This Week:

>>"Captivity" (Elisha Cuthbert); supposed to be virtually unwatchable... sounds like "Hostel II" just got a Double Feature roommate... you know.. if you're Satan...

Rating (out of 100)
Rotten Tomatoes: 13
Metacritic: n/a
Nat'l Society of Film Critics: n/a


>>"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (Daniel Radcliffe); the 5th in the Harry Potter franchise may or may not have something to do with Arizona... (I've never read a page of these books, but the movies are always at the very least watchable.. I'll rent it at some point...)

Rating (out of 100)
Rotten Tomatoes: 74
Metacritic: 72
Nat'l Society of Film Critics: 75


New on DVD This Week:

>>"The Astronaut Farmer" (Billy Bob Thornton); A movie about a farmer that wants to be an astronaut.. or is it about an astronaut who wants to be a farmer? Puzzling indeed...

(I'd like to see the movie though...)

Rating (out of 100)
Rotten Tomatoes: 59
Metacritic: 55
Nat'l Society of Film Critics: 49


>>"The Last Mimzy" (Rainn Wilson); Well, I hated "The Second-To-Last Mimzy" so I'm sure I won't enjoy this one...

By the way, what's a "Mimzy" anyway? Anyone?

Rating (out of 100)
Rotten Tomatoes: 54
Metacritic: 59
Nat'l Society of Film Critics: 57

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Tom Servo: Well, I'll say one thing about that movie: it was really, really bad...
--"Mystery Science Theater 3000" (Comedy Central)