Press releases of the day: Mr. Bubble, a barbershop legend, and unlimited spam

by Jay Gabler | 6/29/09"He looks exactly the same as he always has."

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So said Daily Planet editor Mary Turck with respect to Mr. Bubble when I opened the box from the Village Company and pulled out several bottles featuring his bubbly visage. He may look exactly the same, but in fact Mr. Bubble has been given "a make-over that includes new product introductions and pediatrician approved formulas." Were the formulas in use when I was a kid not pediatrician-approved? The new products certainly smell the same as the bubble bath I remember, and the next generation of li'l bathers seem to enjoy the Chaska company's wares just as much. Mr. Bubble, the Village Company's Web site proudly declares, is still the top-selling brand of bubble bath; and my sister says my one-year-old niece Madeline loves the Mr. Bubble Foam Soap. Maybe when Maddy gets big she'll follow Mr. Bubble on Twitter. In other news, Roseville resident Jim Richards has been inducted into the Barbershop Harmony Society's "legendary Hall of Fame." (When you're legendary enough get into a hall of fame that is itself legendary, that's about as legendary as you can get.) Richards has been a member of the society for 56 years and one of its leaders for almost all of those years, serving in roles including president, vice president, and treasurer. He's also taught the physics of sound for 35 years at Harmony University, and claims to have persuaded 27 people to "experience the joy of barbershop singing." The society's press release describes Richards as a "major force in the barbershop contest system" and "a beacon of excellence to all." If you're wondering how to pay tribute to Richards while supporting the work of his favorite organization, you may want to visit the Harmony Marketplace and consider investing in a music is my bag chip clip or a here comes treble t-shirt. Finally, and most ominously, uSocial—the Australian company that proudly describes itself as being "famous for causing controversy over being the first company to heavily market the fact they sell votes on social bookmarking sites like Digg and Yahoo! Buzz”—wrote announcing (in the third person) "what they claim is the world’s first truly unlimited press release distribution service." By "unlimited," the press release goes on to clarify, they actually mean 560,000: the number of journalists on their worldwide mailing list. Can we knock that down to 559,999? Please? Photo by Kazbad (Creative Commons)

Previous Press Releases of the Day: • The edge of Tomato • Nothing scandalous, just some booze and Jenga • Robots fish for prostates • The Rake Angel • Listening to dirt • Reindeer games at the Red Stag • Does St. Paul owe the Pope $3.4 million? • Tonic Sol-fa visit the Don Shelby Radio Show • Rybak proclaims Tonic Sol-fa Day in Minneapolis • Ruddy ducks, Autoharp warriors, boozing ladies, YogaSoul, Quincy Jones, and the hateful warmongers who are Tonic Sol-fa • A post-pop Pocahontas • There will be dogs • Feather ticklers and seduction sashes • Black mold and Spud Too Tight • Faux-tinis and Canada's culinary queen • Nienstedt got game • Keith Urban grills white bread, exclusively for the Daily Planet • Your #1 exotic animal Christian presentation • Via Tania, by the book • Guess who's coming to dinner with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit • Is that a giant lipstick in your lap, or are you just happy to see me?

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