Archive for June, 2009
Why Did Kodak Stop Making Kodachrome Film?
June 22nd, 2009 | No Comments »Why did Kodak stop making Kodachrome film?
Paul Simon’s song about Kodachrome was a huge hit in 1973. In the song, Simon extolled the virtues of the world’s first mass market color film.
“Kodachrome, they give us those nice bright colours / They give us the greens of summers / Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day.”
The world’s a little less sunny today, as the Eastman Kodak Company announces the end of Kodachrome film. Eastman’s Kodachrome film was the first commercially available color film that achieved success. First developed in 1935, Kodachrome film was long the…
What Is Juneteenth?
June 19th, 2009 | No Comments »What is Juneteenth?
Every June 19th, African Americans in as many as forty states across the country celebrate Emancipation Day. Sometimes called Freedom Day or simply Juneteenth (which is a mashup of June and Nineteenth), the day is set aside to remember the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Though President Lincoln’s emancipation proclaiming the end of slavery in the United States was “effective” on January 1, 1863, news of the emancipation moved slowly, due to lack of communication (there was no CNN, no national newspapers) and because white slave owners who may have heard about the emancipation were not…
What Can I Get My Dad for Father’s Day . . . that Won’t Break the Bank?
June 18th, 2009 | 1 Comment »What can I get my dad for Father’s Day . . . that won’t break the bank?
We are all suffering to some degree from the economic crisis. It isn’t just Americans — countries around the world are feeling the belt tighten.
Unfortunately, Dads appear to be yet another victim of the falling value of our money. A recent survey by the National Retail Federation suggests that the average consumer is going to spend $90.89 on Father’s Day gifts, down from last year’s $94.54. If you’re like me, you looked at that number and wondered who is buying their…
What Is Happening in Iran?
June 18th, 2009 | No Comments »What is happening in Iran?
If you’ve managed to find a source of news from Iran, you’re probably not watching the mainstream media. Networks like CNN and Fox have been criticized for their lack of coverage of the crisis in Iran, a crisis that began when millions of Iranian citizens heard the results of their recent Presidential election and felt their vote had been stolen, that the results were rigged.
It is still unclear why most major American media outlets are avoiding Iran coverage — CNN spent most of the week focusing on domestic issues, such as President Obama’s…
Did the FDA Recall the Cold Remedy Zicam?
June 17th, 2009 | No Comments »Did the FDA recall the cold remedy Zicam?
Shares of Matrixx Initiatives Inc. plummeted 70 percent on Tuesday as the makers of the popular Zicam cold remedy products were slapped with something akin to an FDA recall.
According to the FDA, use of Zicam (the main ingredient of which is zinc) can lead to temporary or even permanent loss of smell. Still, the FDA stopped short of officially recalling the product.
Cold sufferers should stop using Zicam Cold Remedy, both their popular nasal gel and other zinc containing products, because of the threat of permanent loss of the sense…
What Is Bunker Hill Day?
June 17th, 2009 | No Comments »What is Bunker Hill Day?
Bunker Hill Day is an official holiday in some parts of Massachusetts. Some state employees in Masachusetts, including many in Boston, the state’s largest city, get the day off from work, and schools and local groups commemorate the battle of Bunker Hill with parades, receptions, and other events.
Every June 17th, the people of Boston and Suffolk County, where the battle that launched America’s war for Independence took place, take time out to remember that battle, to honor those who died, and to celebrate America’s freedom.
To celebrate Bunker Hill Day, many people will…
Did Sammy Sosa Use Performance Enhancing Drugs?
June 17th, 2009 | No Comments »Did Sammy Sosa use performance enhancing drugs?
If only Sammy Sosa had been warned about the ides of March.
It was the middle of March, 2005, when Sosa stood before Congress and told what we now know was a series of lies. Sosa, who seemed to be struggling with English, spoke through a lawyer, saying that he had “never taken performance enhancing drugs”, had never “injected himself with anything” nor had anyone else ever injected him with anything. Many sports writers and other analysts found Sosa’s sudden “difficulty” with English little more than a smokescreen, but his statement was…
What Is Bloomsday?
June 16th, 2009 | No Comments »What is Bloomsday?
Every June 16th, people gather in Dublin, Ireland to celebrate the life and works of Irish writer James Joyce. The day, known as Bloomsday, is a chance for fans of Joyce and his novel Ulysses to relive the events of that novel, all of which took place on June 16th in Dublin in the year 1904. The name “Bloomsday” comes from Leopold Bloom, the protagonist of the novel Ulysses. Interestingly enough, June 16th was also the date of Joyce’s first lengthy date with his future wife Nora Barnacle. On June 16th, the young couple walked to…
What Is Behind the Colorado Rockies’ Recent Success?
June 16th, 2009 | No Comments »What is behind the Colorado Rockies’ recent sucess?
On Sunday, June 14, 2009, the streaking Colorado Rockies won a franchise record tying 11th game in a row. This is a stunning turnaround for a team that fired its popular manager after a dismal 18 – 28 starting record. In fact, the Rockies fired their manager just seventeen days ago, on May 29. Obviously, the change in leadership had some kind of impact on the team, as it took only five days apart from their old manager to start this incredible winning streak.
The Rockies new manager, Jim Tracy, is…
What Is Hunch?
June 15th, 2009 | No Comments »What is Hunch?
Hunch.com is another new search engine designed to meet a need that the developers feel isn’t currently met by the wide range of search options now available. What does Hunch do that the other search engines don’t?
According to the brains behind Hunch, the search engine (which has been in development for over a year) helps users search for answers based on the individual making the search. Rather than returning generic results available to anyone who asks a given question, Hunch first learns all about the user’s preferences, dislikes, and internet traffic behavior.
Hunch is launching…