In a pretty far out story making the rounds in cyberspace and particularly at the “Total Eclipse of the Bite” contest website, Bagel Bites has launched a raffle promotion that offers terrestrials a chance to win a plot of land on the Moon. That’s right, a piece of the natural satellite revolving around good old planet Earth.
While one has to wonder where in the world authentic deeds to parcels of this extraterrestrial estate are legitimately issued. Maybe the legal beagles at Kraft Heinz, which owns the manufacturer of Bagel Bites (a frozen mini bagel with pizza topping snack sold in supermarkets and other retail stores in North America) have been in touch with America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which engineered man’s first landing on the Moon in 1969 followed by six more successful mission to the surface by 11 astronauts through 1972, or perhaps they have reached to the stars to contact authorities in a higher heavenly realm to figure it out.
Bagel Bites’ raffle has been timed to coincide with the “Super Flower Blood Moon” lunar eclipse on May 26. Beginning as the Moon touches the Earth’s shadow at 4:47 AM EDT to initiate the penumbral phase of the event. “From within this zone, Earth blocks part but not the entire disk of the sun. Thus, some fraction of the sun’s rays continues to reach the most deeply eclipsed parts of the Moon during a penumbral eclipse,” explained a NASA spokesman.
Next comes the umbra phase, when the Earth’s dark shadows begins covering the Moon, heralding the beginning of the partial lunar eclipse. Finally, the total eclipse will begin at 7:11 AM EDT and for the next 14 minutes and 31 seconds the Moon will be completely overtaken by the Earth’s dark umbral shadow, which will be visible across large swaths of the USA, Australia, western South America and Southeast Asia. That space of time, according to the www.totaleclipseofthebite.com website, “is exactly the time it takes to cook Bagel Bites,” so in honor of the occasion it’s “celebrating by giving away acres of the moon.”
Those interested in trying their luck to become on of 100 winners to divide up an acre of Moonscape, are directed to tweet #bbsweepstakes as soon as the eclipse begins. There’s no way of knowing how astronomical the odds of winning may be, nor whether non-winners may be eligible for a consolation prize. Perhaps a section of the Brooklyn Bridge would be apropos.
Win or loose, an afternoon snooze may well be in order for early risers watching the only total eclipse of the year in 2021. Those up in the wee hours to witness the celestial event may want to munch a few Bagel Bites before and after they experience totality. The product is available with a choice of toppings, including Three Cheese Pizza and Cheese & Pepperoni weighing in at 88 grams per four piece serving.
Bagel Bites was founded by Bob Mosher and Stanley Gakzysnki of Fort Meyers, Florida, though the pizza bagel concept preceded the Bites rollout. The company was sold to John Labatt Co. and later to Heinz in 1991, reportedly for $500 million.
The product was and still is a favorite after school snack with children, and is enjoyed by grownups as well. It was popularized with youngsters watching television in the 1990s, as they were exposed to commercials featuring a jingle with lyrics adapted from The McGuire Sisters’ 1957 hit “Sugartime” that delivered the following pitch:
Pizza in the morning,
Pizza in the evening,
Pizza at suppertime!
When pizza’s on a bagel,
You can eat pizza anytime!
Who knows, maybe the next ad campaign will be more attuned to a lyrically-tweaked version of “That’s Amore” or “Fly Me to the Moon.”
