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History of Veteran’s Day

Veteran’s Day as a US federal and State public holiday honoring service men and women who served in defense of the nation. November the 11^th every year is designated Veteran’s Day and involves religious services, veterans marches, and family get togethers. The history of Veteran’s Day begins with Armistace Day.

The 11^th of November is a day of remembrance outside of the US such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and France amongst others, but the US is the only nation to name it Veteran’s Day. Unlike other nations who honor their dead, in the US all service men and women who served their nation are honored.

Armistace Day was created by President Wilson after the end of World War I, in those days known only as the Great War, and originally the day wasn’t a holiday but just a solemn moment of 2 minutes silence to remember the fallen from WWI.

In 1921 Congress authorizes the construction of the Tomb of Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery just across the Potomac River in Virginia. In the same year the US Veterans Bureau was formed as a Federal department under Colonel Charles Forbes, it’s first director.

Sadly Forbes was arrested and relieved of duty after only two years on the job and charged with conspiracy to defraud the Federal government. He was replaced by Brigadier General Frank Hines who was instrumental in reorganizing the Bureau to better serve the needs of veterans and historically has been seen as the man who most brought Armistace Day to the forefront of the national consciousness.

By the 1950s, the US had been involved in two further wars, World War II, and the Korean War, both of which produced a great many heroes and veterans and who were not being honored or remembered on Armistace Day, so the Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) responsible for them requested a change of name to Veteran’s Day.

In 1954 Congress duly passed the amendment, and president Eisenhower appointed Harvey Higley the Chairman of the Veteran’s Day National Committee. If Veteran’s Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday or Monday, whichever is closest to the 11^th is also designated a public holiday.

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History of Soccer

The world’s most popular sport, the game of soccer, is widely considered to have been a British invention, mostly because the rules that established the game were written in England in the 1800s, yet in fact the game has been played in various styles throughout civilized history.

The ancient Japanese are known to have played a game similar to soccer, but perhaps also akin to American style football as far back as 1000BC. Not much is known about this game other than the ball was quite large and round, and kicked between two teams within a small field.

A later game known as cuju developed in China with a leather ball filled with hair or feathers and was a kicking game of two teams who were required to get the ball through a small hoop rather than a set of goal posts. Cuju is believed to have been played almost continuously for close to 2,000 years, dying out in the 1600s.

The Chinese version of the game became popular in Japan and Korea with some differences, and many historians believe renaissance period versions of soccer may have been influenced by Asian games, since at the time trade with the far east had begun.

Opponents of this version of the history of soccer point out that the ancient Greeks and then the Romans also played a form of football which could more accurately be described as a cross between soccer and rugby, but with a great deal more brutality involved.

Air filled balls have been known in Europe since at least 100BC and probably before then since they were the type of ball used in the Roman game of follis, which by all accounts was more similar to modern rugby than to soccer.

During the middle ages in Europe, a form of soccer was developed that in England was banned several times for being dangerous and a public nuisance, and was closely related to the Roman game of harpastum. Known as mob football the game was characterized by having no set rules and violence against other players was acceptable, although taken in good spirit by all accounts.

Soccer hooliganism, something that is dealt with globally in today’s game, was also felt back in the 1300s and 1600s in England and the game of football was banned several times due to the noise and unruly behavior of players. Drunk players would rampage through towns and villages picking fights and breaking windows.

In Australia some indigenous tribes played a game of football that involved the lead player kicking a ball into the air for other team members to catch and whilst this isn’t directly related to modern soccer it can be seen that football games are not a Chinese or Greco-Roman invention, probably ball sports and games have been invented by almost every society.

Modern soccer has it’s history firmly in England with the codification of Association Football, actually the name soccer is derived from the word association. In 1848 the Cambridge rules were written that allowed some of England’s most famous schools to hold competitions under a common set of rules. These rules were partly used by the Football Association in 1863.

The codification of soccer took an interesting twist shortly afterwards, many clubs had been using their own rules and had allowed players to pick up and throw the ball, but after 1863 the rules of soccer made the sport a kicking game and in 1871 the clubs that hadn’t joined the association formed the Rugby Football Union. American and Canadian football is derived from the rules of rugby.

As professional soccer has developed leagues were formed to provide a competitive playing environment which also had the advantage of turning soccer into a spectator sport. The history of soccer as a spectator game is where most of the growth in club numbers and global players has come from.

Major soccer leagues such as those found in the UK, Germany, Italy, Brazil and other countries encouraged the formation of clubs and international squads in almost every country around the world. So popular is soccer now that the World Cup competition is regularly watched live on TV by hundreds of millions of people.

From 1900 soccer has been a represented sport at the Summer Olympic games, with teams from all around the globe competing for the title of world champion. The games of 1900 saw the England champions ‘Upton Park FC’ beat a team from France to be crowned world champions.

These days world soccer championships are played by national squads rather than the best team within a nation’s league, and over the last fifty years the FIFA World Cup has come to dominate as international soccer championship unrivaled even by the larger Olympic Games.

FIFA World Cup games often achieve record crowds and in recent history have achieved television viewing numbers in the billions over the duration of the competition. National squads that have won the FIFA World Cup include Brazil, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, England, Argentina, and France.

In 2000 the very first FIFA Club World Cup was held, an event which is gaining popularity and helping promote soccer as the most played and watched sport on the planet. Qualifying club teams compete for the chance to play the finals against another world club team.

The first FIFA Club World Cup was won by Corinthians of Brazil who beat Vasco de Gama, also of Brazil. After a rocky start to the competition because of funding concerns it is now scheduled to become an annual event, perhaps even rivaling the major regional competitions for viewing numbers.

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History of Cosmetology

Thru the last several thousand years people have been using cosmetics to improve their appearance, mimic animals, or just to look scary for religious festivals. The history of cosmetology is actually older than civilization with ancient nomadic peoples being known to have made up pastes of mud and ash that they applied to their bodies for disguise or to intimidate other tribes.

In the early 21^st century it is easy to think of cosmetics as only being used by women, in fact cosmetology has probably been used by both genders throughout its history, although the oldest actual confirmed use of makeup dates to 4000BC from ancient Egypt. Nobility in ancient Egypt used combinations of mercury, lead, ash, and other substances to create black eyeliner and was used to accentuate the shape of the eye.

Deodorants such as ground carob pellets were used by priests and nobility alike in ancient Egypt, which was rubbed directly onto the skin such as under the armpits and between the thighs. In the history of cosmetology Egyptian hieroglyphics have provided a wealth of information that helps us understand how cosmetics were used in ancient times.

A few hundred years later mixtures of gum, beeswax, gelatin, and egg with a range of colors were used by Chinese noble families on their fingernails. The brighter colors were only allowed to be worn by nobility as a mark of status, with commoners forbidden from wearing nail polish that was too bright or colorful.

By Roman times cosmetology had advanced considerably with oils and lotions available and used in perfumes, cleansers, and makeup, as well as in the hair to help keep it in shape. Greasy lotions made from animal fat were often applied to the face and other parts of the body to hide imperfections.

Roman cosmetic manufacturers were amongst the most prolific of the ancient world, with female slaves (known as cosmetae) being used to dissolve various substances in their own saliva. Roman preparations were known even in those times for being highly toxic yet vanity was a curse and an obligatory pass-time in Roman society.

At the same time advances in wigs and hair dyes allowed anyone with the means to alter their appearance almost immediately and in most cases very satisfactorily. Roman wig makers were in special demand from aging senators and generals for whom public appearance was of paramount concern and where baldness was considered a sign of weakness with too many competitors being younger.

In other parts of the world, notably India and the Middle East, henna has been used ever as a decorative covering in often complex designs more reminiscent of a tattoo than modern ideas of makeup application.

By the medieval ages Arab chemists developed the distillation process allowing perfumed oils to be made, amongst other worthy products, yet human vanity first used this process in scale for the pleasure of nobility and wealthy merchants who demanded sweet smelling bodies and clothes.

The reformation period in Europe stands out as one of the highlights of the modern history of cosmetology with the invention of eau to toilette (also known as eau de cologne) which for the first time allowed subtle fragrances that could be sprayed rather than thickly brushed onto the skin.

By the time of the late reformation makeup was being used extensively by almost anyone with goals of being accepted by their peers and the nobility, with whitening creams made from white lead in great demand as gentry vainly tried to convince each other they had never seen the light of day.

The 20^th century and the advent of Hollywood movies and television has driven cosmetology to new heights of acceptance and availability as people of all ages and types try to emulate their favorite stars. The mass market for cosmetics has never faltered since, and continues to grow as an industry with more and more nations becoming developed.

Significant developments in the 20^th century saw the introduction of skin coloring agents such as tanning solutions, chemical based skin lighteners, and multiple colors of old faithfuls such as blush, eye shadow, lipstick, or nail polish.

Perhaps the most significant development in the history of cosmetology has been the growth and comparative affordability of cosmetic surgery, initially to correct deformities such as burns, but more recently as a simple demonstration of the power of human vanity of nature. Breast enlargements and reductions continue to be amongst the most popular procedures, but with growing trends even amongst men for botox treatments to hide the signs of aging.

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History of Sesame Street

Sesame Street is a pre-school TV show produced and filmed in the USA by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), although the show is very popular outside of the US as well. The show features a group of human actors who interact with puppet characters created by Jim Henson to educate and entertain young children.

Sesame Street’s history began back in 1966 when Joan Cooney, a children’s TV education producer, Lewis Freedman, Cooney’s boss, and Lloyd Morisett, a psychologist working as grants officer for the Carnegie Trust met to discuss the development of a new educational show for pre-schoolers.

Lloyd Morisett was most interested in providing educational materials to children from low income and minority homes. Television had already reached a 97% saturation level in the USA and amongst pre-schoolers was very highly watched. This seemed like an ideal platform to use in the Carnegie Trusts goal.

Taking three years to research and come up with the eventual concept, the researchers tested their content and presentation to produce a formula almost guaranteed to keep a child’s interest, and at the same time add some subtlety that would appeal to their parents. Jim Henson’s puppets were instrumental in making Sesame Street a success.

Filmed in New York, the producers also made a daring decision to use a brownstone street background which they believe was more realistic to the majority of children being targeted. Sadly the good intention had the effect of alienating some parents at the time who considered Sesame Street too low class and didn’t want their children exposed to ghetto accents although the brownstone look did allow the show to connect with inner city kids.

Sesame Street finally had it’s full debut in 1969 on National Education Television (NET) and featured Ernie and Bert, Big Bird, Gordon, Susan, Bob and Mr Hooper. A few months later NET was merged with a local station and it’s best shows such as Sesame Street were transferred to PBS where it has stayed to this day.

Over the years since 1969 Sesame Street has seen numerous lineup changes and the introduction of a full family of Muppets, some of the most popular being Elmo, Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, and Frazzle.

In the history of children’s television Sesame Street is now one of the longest running and currently produced shows, second only to the Disney Anthology. The show has also won the Emmy for most outstanding pre-school series several times.

Check out the 1993 Sesame Street intro music:

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History of Bossa Nova

The Bossa Nova is a Brazilian style of music that is closely related to Jazz and is known for its off key interpretations where the melody is often sung at a higher range than the instrument. Bossa Nova is known for it’s swaying motion rather than the swinging motion of Jazz or Samba.

Brazil is a Portuguese speaking country in the tropics of South America and was settled by Portuguese and slaves from Africa and both groups brought with them very distinctive cultural norms that together make Brazilian music unique on the world stage.

The Samba is the style most often associated with Brazil, and from which the Bossa Nova evolved, although it has been described as less percussive and more harmoniously complex. The name Bossa Nova is generally considered to mean ‘New Trend’ and in brazil the word bossa was synonymous with anything that was cool and hip.

During the 1950s Brazil was developing economically and becoming a progressive nation, music had developed a commercial following so new bands and singers were being sought out, especially those with a different sound. Amongst the middle and upper classes in Brazil styles such as the Bossa Nova were incredibly popular in clubs.

João Gilberto is credited with being the inventor of the Bossa Nova style, but the first Bossa Nova released song wasn’t performed by Gilberto, instead he only played the guitar in accompaniment to Elizete Cardoso, a famous Brazilian actress. The song “Chega de Saudade” was written by Vinícious de Moraes and Tom Jobim, but truly became a sensational hit when Gilberto recorded it a year later as the lead single of his debut album.

While the Bossa Nova craze only lasted six years (1958-1963) in Brazil, by the end of this time it had made it’s way to the US and was picked up by such big name artists as Frank Sinatra, Herbie Mann, Charlie Byrd, and Stan Getz. In the history of music the Boss Nova had now arrived and a willing global audience was ready to buy into it.

It was at this time that Bossa Nova’s biggest hit and signature tune “The Girl from Ipanema” was released, with Gilberto on guitar and Portuguese vocals, Getz on saxophone, and the English verse sung by Gilberto’s wife Astrud.

Not long after this Bossa Nova started to be replaced by other forms of music in the hit parade, but the legacy left by Bossa Nova’s greatest acts regularly inspires new fusions of Bossa Nova with other styles of music.

Check out the following video for a Bossa Nova song example. (“Chega de Saudade” by João Gilberto)

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History of Niagara Falls

The Niagara Falls lies on the border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the state of New York in the US, and is one of the most impressive and visited water falls in the world. Over 4 million cubic feet of water tumbles over the falls every minute, making it one of the most impressive natural wonders known to humans.

The Niagara falls is actually a misnomer since there are in fact three falls at the same position on the Niagara river, two of them, the American falls and the Bridal Veil falls on the US side between mainland New York and Goat Island, a small island in the Niagara river, and the third falls known as Horseshoe falls which split between America and Canada and lies on the main river course.

During the last ice age the ice shelf extended all the way past the Great Lakes and the current location of the falls, geologists believe the ice was as thick as 2-3 miles, but as the the ice retreated the Niagara river was created from melted river flow which carved it’s own course on the way down to the Atlantic. It is considered one of the youngest rivers in the world at only 12,000 years old.

The falls were created only a few thousand years ago thru erosion, the riverbed and falls are a mixture of limestone and Lockport Dolostone, whilst the riverbed directly below the falls is made of softer shale and sandstone which has eroded much faster. They are the second largest water fall in the world after the Victoria falls in Africa.

Before British and American settlers arrived in the vicinity of the falls the local Indian tribe, the Iroquois, named the falls Onguiaahra, and historians believe this is where the name Niagara comes from. A french priest and explorer Louis Hennepin is believed to have been the first European person to see the falls in December 1678 although a few other explorers had seen the great lakes before him.

As more people have had the opportunity to get to the falls, a few have attempted to defy nature and survive the punishing trip over the edge using barrels, life vests, and customized capsules, and whilst most have survived a few have drowned or been dashed against the rocks at the base of the falls. The first person to go over the falls into the pool below was a Michigan school teacher by the name of Annie Taylor in 1901, at the not so young age of 63.

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History of Mcdonald’s

McDonald’s pioneered the concept of fast food and are best known for their hamburgers and strong branding which is known in 119 nations around the planet. The Golden Arches are their most recognizable brand closely followed by the Ronald McDonald clown character.

Two brothers Dick and Mac Mcdonald started the McDonald’s brand in California in 1940 after moving their hotdog stand known as Airdrome from Monrovia Airport to a section of Route 66 at San Bernadino.

Noticing the hamburgers were their most popular product, the brothers reinvented their restaurant in 1948 using their Speedee Service System, a concept that pioneered the fast food industry by creating a production line of hamburgers that were prepared before being ordered, in complete contrast to most diners that only prepared food after the customer had placed their order.

The McDonald’s system created history and allowed them to undercut competitors by as much as 50%. Increasing volumes allowed the brothers to further reduce costs from economies of scale, an advantage that continues to work for McDonald’s today.

A significant development in the history of McDonald’s was the entry of Ray Kroc into the business who bought the rights to expand the McDonald’s concept outside of California and Arizona, and quickly built the restaurant chain and by 1959 over 100 restaurants were in operation.

In 1961 Ray Kroc buys out the McDonald brothers, but the negotiation doesn’t go well and the McDonald brothers lose all rights and royalties to the brand they started. The parting of ways between Kroc and the McDonald brothers was acrimonious, leading to Kroc building and then officiating at the opening of a new McDonald’s diner very close to the last remaining store owned by the McDonald brothers.

This move has been perceived by historians and biographers as incredibly petty, and likened to kicking a man when he’s down. The McDonald’s Corporation denies any vindictive behavior on the part of Kroc, preferring to write the McDonald brothers out of the corporate history. McDonald family members have written about the brothers deal with Kroc and appeared on talk shows to promote their side of the story.

Sometime in 1961 McDonald’s Corporation pioneers the training of it’s franchise owners with the opening of Hamburger University, an innovation that is credited with maintaining manager and franchisee loyalty despite a highly competitive market.

The rest of the 1960s saw the introduction of Ronald McDonald as the face of the McDonald’s brand, and the release of the Big Mac burger which has grown to become McDonald’s most popular burger. By the 1970s McDonald’s Corporation had begun giving back to the community with the founding of the Ronald McDonald House charity.

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History of Basketball

Basketball is quite a young sport that has taken the world by storm for it’s athleticism and accessibility, almost anyone can hang a hoop against a wall and practice alone or with a small group of friends.

Originally basketball was invented by a Canadian athletics coach, Dr James Naismith who was asked to create an activity that would keep a group of trainees instructors at the YMCA Training College active and entertained during the cold winter months. The original 13 rules of the game are still used to this day with minor modifications and additions.

Inspiration for the game came not from similar indigenous games found in China or Central America, but instead from a childhood game called “duck on a rock” which involved throwing a rock at another rock on top of which was an object, which could be anything, but which was called the duck.

The very first game of basketball in 1892 was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets suspended from the walls of the YMCA gym. Slight modifications to the peach baskets were made after, but it wasn’t until ten years later that the open ended basket was designed, it had been tiring work for the umpire to retrieve the ball after every goal.

The YMCA in Springfield Massachusetts is known as the home of basketball because it was at their training school that Naismith worked, and through the YMCA that basketball spread across the USA. Naismith was also a chaplain and proponent of clean living so it’s fitting that first basketball competition between two teams was one by a YMCA team.

The ball used was redesigned in 1929 for more bounce than a soccer ball, and was also made bigger and lighter for easier handling than the soccer ball which is smaller and less bouncy. In 1949 the National Basketball Association was formed from the merger of the National Basketball League and the Basketball Association of America.

In the history of basketball the most famous team ever is a team that in fact doesn’t compete, instead the team, known as the Harlem Globetrotters, are a showcase team who entertain crowds with their ball handling skills and on-court antics.

Competitive basketball has been played almost since it’s invention, but it was college basketball in the middle of the 20^th century that really attracted the most interest, and made it possible for pro basketball to develop into the franchise it is today, one of the highest earning games on the planet.

So popular had basketball become after the second world war that the FIBA World Championship was created in 1950, originally with just 10 national teams which has now grown to 26 teams in 2009 and is expected to increase further. The first World Championship was won by Argentina, and it wasn’t until 2002 that team USA finally won the coveted trophy.

Netball and Korfball are derived from Basketball but the rules are changed making allowances for the physical capabilities of women or mixed teams.

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History of Halloween

The evening and night of the 31^st October which we call Halloween, is a magical time celebrated by people of all faiths these days, and none more so than by children who delight in dressing up as ghosts and skeletons going from door to door trick or treating. Carrying hollowed out pumpkin lanterns and singing ghoulish songs they are rewarded for their efforts with candy and sometimes a few coins to spend the next day.

A lot of the meaning behind the history of Halloween has been lost as we celebrate our modern version but its roots are still well known and make a great story to tell children before they set off on their mission to frighten and entertain. Originally Halloween was known by the Celtic name Samhain, which some historians believe might be how we get the word ‘summer’.

Halloween Folklore

Thousands of years ago the Celtic people of Western Europe, particularly the British Isles and Western France believed that on the last day of summer, roughly the same day as our 31^st October, the barriers between the world of the living and the kingdom of the dead would open allowing spirits and saints to pass amongst the living.

Evil spirits would go from door to door frightening the people, and anyone unlucky enough to be out had to hurry back before the spirits caught them and took them back to the kingdom of the dead. It was a terrifying night and to protect themselves the people would turn to the druids who were the priests and protectors of the Celts, and would light great fires and offer sacrifices to appease the evil spirits until the barriers had closed again the next day.

The gods and other good spirits would often battle the evil spirits but they needed the help of the living world to keep the evil spirits from tearing down completely the barrier separating the two worlds. Sacrifices of animal bones were thrown into the fire leading to them being called the bone fires, which is how the bonfire came to be part of the history of Halloween.

In return for helping the gods fight the evil spirits on Samhain night, the gods would make it possible for the druids to see the future and predict the weather and the health of their king for the next year, so allowing the Celts to prepare their seeds or stockpile foods to carry them thru the seasons.

The druids would also recite poems to the sun who they believed was a god so that it would return the following year and warm the earth. The winter months were cold, dark, and nothing much would grow. Celtic people of the time also believed that if the sun didn’t return they would be too weak to help the saints fight the evil spirits, and that ultimately the devil would win and the earth would perish.

Roman and Christian Halloween

After the Romans invaded the Celtic lands many of the Celts converted to Roman pagan rituals but still kept many of their own Celtic festivals, Samhain being one of these, however the celebrations were merged with Roman festivities that happened at around the same time. One of these was the festival of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees.

Pomona’s symbol was the apple, which gave rise to the tradition of bending over a barrel and trying to bite the bobbing apple with our hands behind our backs, a tradition which has survived into the 21^st century in the British Isles and is making a comeback in other parts of the world that celebrate Halloween and it’s history.

When the Christian faith finally found it’s way to Ireland and the people converted to the Roman Catholic church from their traditional Pagan beliefs, many of the old celebrations and feasts became Christian celebrations, and Samhain was no different, becoming instead All Hallows Eve, also known as All Saints Day.

Sacrifices were no longer allowed, and instead of druids reciting poems, monks and priests would chant hymns honoring the Saints of Christendom. The Saints would be asked to keep looking over the people, and in some masses are begged not to forsake the living and continue performing miracles.

The first of November, known as All Souls Day, is a day of remembrance for the dearly departed and in many parts of the world is a day when families will visit the graves of their loved ones to place flowers and tell them all that has happened in the world for the last year. It is a time of celebration to many rather than a time of sadness.

Jack o’lantern

In the 19^th and 20^th centuries Halloween has changed from being a religious celebration to an annual holiday mostly for children who dress up in costumes and wander from house to house singing songs in small groups. A favorite tradition that started in the USA and is now spreading to other parts of the world is the carved pumpkin lantern with a scary face and a candle inside known as jack o’lantern.

The story behind jack with the lantern is another old favorite, about a man in Ireland who had stolen from the villagers and as he was being chased out of town he met the devil who had come to claim Jack’s soul. Jack managed to strike a deal with the devil, the villagers souls in exchange for Jack’s freedom.

The devil would turn into a silver coin that Jack would give to the villagers as payment for his crimes, and then when the villagers were tucked in their beds the devil would return to normal form and take the villagers one by one. Jack cunningly put the coin into a purse that also contained a cross, thus trapping the devil and allowing Jack to escape.

Many years later Jack died but for his sins is turned away from Heaven, but the devil still remembers his treatment at Jack’s hands and forbids him entrance to Hell, thus Jack was forever doomed to wander the dark nights. the devil’s parting gift to Jack for besting him is a sliver hot coal from the fires of hell, which Jack places in a lantern to aid his travels.

The pumpkin lantern we use today reminds us of the deal Jack did, and originally was made from any large vegetable that was available, which in the USA was a large orange or yellow pumpkin. The top is cut off and the flesh scraped out then a face carved into the side. The light from the candle reflects off the yellow flesh giving the lantern a suitably scary look.

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