History
Party Prep
Whether you are braving the bar scene or settling in at home tonight, it’s likely that you’ll be around people and have some interesting conversations, especially the closer you get to midnight and the closer your bottle gets to empty. Among the topics you might discuss are Tiger Woods, Charlie Sheen, Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, George [...]
Origin of Veterans Day
Today is Veterans Day, an American holiday to honor our military veterans. How long has this tradition been taking place? Veterans Day began in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 a day to celebrate World War I veterans. It didn’t become a legal holiday until 1938. Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day to [...]
Explaining Anglicans
With recent tension mounting among Anglican churches, the Vatican is attempting to pounce on the religion’s current dissention and make it easier for Anglicans to convert to Catholicism. You can read the whole story and the Vatican’s plan in the link below, but many of you may not be aware of what constitutes an Anglican [...]
Columbus Day and Controversy
Today is Columbus Day. This is one of those federal holidays that most of us take for granted, but there’s a whole lot to it. Here’s what you need to know. U.S. History The first recorded celebration honoring the discovery of America by Europeans (and in particular, Columbus) took place on October 12, 1792 in [...]
Nobel Prize is the best kind of Prize ($$)
This year’s Nobel Prizes were announced over the past week or so. Prizes are awarded for Literature, Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and of course the most famous of all, the Nobel Peace Prize. In a shocker, it was just announced that President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. An appointed committee of [...]
Yom Kippur
Yesterday evening at sundown began Yom Kippur, and for those of us who are not Jewish, that may not mean a lot. While it may not affect you, it’s always good to understand the basics of other religions, so here is a quick briefing. Yom Kippur is known as the most holy Jewish holiday. At [...]
35 Yrs Ago, Tommy John has Self-Titled Surgery
35 years ago today, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John underwent an elbow surgery that now bears his name. Dr. Frank Jobe repaired the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) by taking a tendon from John’s other forearm and surgically weaving it into place (with the help of holes drilled in the bones). At the time, it was [...]
Defining Gypsies
Madonna, decades removed from being a “material girl,” still manages to find ways to get herself in the news. This time, the pop star is popping up in headlines because she defended Gypsies at her concert in Bucharest. Many Americans associate the word “gypsy” with a deragatory meaning, thinking back to wandering groups of people moving across the [...]
