Friday Snippets and Soundbites

Ready to get your weekend started off right?

(We are, too!)

So here are a few of the stranger news stories we've run across this week. And as always, if today's online edition of "Snippets and Soundbites" isn't enough, check out page 38 of this month's (and every month's) issue of ec. You won't be bored!

Silly bandz are anything but silly

We've seen students of all ages wearing silly bandz in the last few months. You know them: the little rubber band-like bracelets shaped like animals, objects, and pretty much anything else you can think of. And when we say students, that ranges from second graders to high schoolers. But what's life like for the guy who came up with the idea for the silly bracelets? Well, it's a whole lot busier than he expected. See why when you watch this video. Then let us know your thoughts on silly bandz in the comments. Are they just for elementary school kids?

What's in a name?

Last week, the Social Security Administration released the top baby names of 2009, and names, they are a-changin'. Emma had been the top name for baby girls for the past two years, but this year was replaced by Isabella. Jacob maintained its 11-year run as the top name for baby boys. The funny part about the report is that some people say it reflects the "Twilight"-effect. In the popular teen novels, the lead character is named Bella, a popular nickname for Isabella, and Cullen, Edward's last name in the books, moved 300 spots up the list, settling in as the 485th most popular name for boys. To learn more about the list (and find out where your name ranks), go here and here. To check out the top names for the year you were born, go here.

Around the world in 80 days. . . or something like that

On Saturday morning in Australia (Friday night in the U.S.), 16-year-old Jessica Watson will dock her boat in Sydney Harbor. Watson has lived on the boat for 210 days, alone, and has spent the last seven months sailing around the world. Watson had hoped that when she completed the feat she'd get be officially recognized as the youngest person to sail around the world alone, nonstop and unassisted. She did exactly that, but she won't get the title or her name in the record books. Why? The World Sailing Speed Record Council, the group that declares such titles, recently stopped recognizing “youngest” record-setting attempts because they're so controversial. The last person to be officially recognized for the feat is Australian Jesse Martin who completed the feat in 11 months and was 18 years old. Martin also followed a more drawn-out circumnavigation for his journey, another issue that calls Watson's attempt into question with sailing purists who say she didn't sail far enough north of the equator or log enough nautical miles (the criteria to earn credit for a full circumnavigation) during her voyage carried out largely in the Southern Ocean. No matter what, Jessica's journey seems like a feat to us! To read more about Jesse and her journey, go here.