Archive for August, 2008
Balloon Rides
Saturday, August 30th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments
I stumbled across an interesting web site recently. HotAirBallooning.com is a great resource for ballooning. I went with my family to a balloon race last year, and I was surprised at all the different balloons. They are made in all kinds of shapes and colors, and even though they are all huge, the baskets are different. Some looked like they were one-person balloons, while others were large enough for 6-8 people in the basket.
I always wondered how to go for a balloon ride. I’ve seen balloons in the distance since that festival, but never thought much more about it until I came across this site. It’s got everything - how to become a pilot, where to find festivals, how balloons fly, a great FAQ section. But the two things I really enjoyed was the information about how to crew for a balloon, and the directory of balloon rides that lists approved ride companies all over the world. There are even some listed in France, where ballooning began over 200 years ago!
How was I to know that balloons require a pilot license to fly one? I guess that makes sense since they share the sky with airplanes, jets and helicopters - I just never thought about it! I also found out that balloons only fly in the early morning or just before sunset since that’s when the wind is the calmest. This website will tell you everything you wanted to know about hot air balloons.
If you’ve been drawn to balloons like I have you’ll learn a lot. When you go there, don’t miss the section about balloon festivals. It lists a whole bunch of festivals around the world.
So check it out — www.hotairballooning.com
A Slight History of the Barbie Doll
Saturday, August 30th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments
When most people hear the phrase Barbie dolls for sale their hearts beat a little faster and their wallets open a little more quickly. There may not be another toy that is as popular with young and old alike, and for some this small piece of molded plastic in the female shape holds an enormous amount of personal and public sentiment.
Indeed, her true rush to stardom itself is a large part of the reason she is held in such high regard by her admirers. In no small way, Barbie’s history itself is responsible for the thrill her fans feel when they hear Barbie dolls for sale.
Barbie Vintage Dolls
March 9, 1959 is the official birthday of the vintage Barbie dolls. Ruth Handler and her husband Eliot Handler, co-founder of the toy company Mattel, decided to release Barbie to the public on that date after Ruth brought back a prototype Barbie from a buying trip to Germany. The Handlers allowed their daughter to play with the prototype, named Lilli, and their daughter’s delight in the toy was so overwhelming that a quick and unanimous decision was made to make the prototype available to everyone by arranging for the purchase of the distribution rights in the United States.
The Barbie vintage dolls were an overnight success at an original price of $3.00. Today, Barbie vintage dolls can fetch many times more from collectors.
Barbie Bride Dolls
Barbie bride dolls are one of the most eagerly purchased dolls in the entire collection. Market research demonstrated that more boys preferred the bride doll than girls. The clothes made for this particular Barbie are the result of Mattel designer Robert Best, and his dramatic trapeze silhouettes and sweeping cape-like backs produces a vision of unsurpassed loveliness.
Today, Barbie dolls can be found in almost every part of the world, and children and adults are still in love with her cute face and fantastic wardrobe. It is estimated that a million Barbie dolls are sold each week, and the celebrated success of the African American and Hispanic Barbie dolls inspired an entire International Collection. Eventually, nearly every ethnic and national variation on earth has been represented in the Barbie dolls for sale line.