“to deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”
-nelson mandela
—
image credit: princeton university, african american studies
Jun19
Tag Archives: history
Jan25
b.r.
why is it that my children were shocked
when i told them that i was born ‘before ranch’ (b.r.)?
shock and awe that i was alive when
cap’n crunch, doritos, $100,00 bars, pop tarts, ding dongs, cool whip, count chocula, and more
came to be
back in the day when food fell into the
quick, easy, greasy, crunchy, sweet, and fun category
and lived to tell.
—
“my mouth doesn’t want to be quiet.”
-greta, age 4
Dec28
the jetsons.
while filling up my car with gas
a man walked over to me saying
how it would have been great
if one of the inventions from ‘the jetsons’ show had come to be –
a warm air pad that you walked on, so you were never cold
i reminded him of their version of the microwave
where you pushed a button and your food was cooked in seconds
from there it continued on, back and forth
with inventions remembered from the show
until we both of our cars were filled up
going on our merry way
what an interesting conversation to have with a random stranger at the gas pump
perhaps he recognized a fellow jetsons fan
not your usual small talk, but rather refreshing
triggering memories of my favorite childhood cartoon.
—
the jetsons premiered when i was 5 years old on abc tv (their first color show!) on sunday nights. i loved it instantly; the characters, the banter, the clothes, and all the cool space-age stuff. unfortunately it only ran for one season and then quickly disappeared from the airwaves, except in reruns and later movies.
here’s smithsonian’s take on the show:
It was 50 years ago that the Jetson family first jet-packed their way into American homes. The show lasted just one season (24 episodes) after its debut in 1962, offering television viewers a rather sunny and optimistic view of the future. Flying cars, moving sidewalks, and flat-screen TVs were the norm. Even the Jetson family’s sky home was considered envious. ABC set The Jetsons in 2062, exactly 100 years from the year that the show premiered. Based on the Jetson family’s phone number, one could argue that they didn’t live on Earth or just above it. The family’s phone number was VENUS-1234, meaning they were most likely residents on Venus.
Regardless of its short-running timeframe, the show remains a point of pop culture reference all these years later. Some of the inventions that existed on The Jetsons are available today, and they did predict current technologies. Some examples include; interactive newspapers, robotic help, holograms, and drones. The most widespread Jetson-inspired invention is the Apple Watch. It closely resembles the device George wore on his wrist to call work, make appointments, handle doctor visits, and much more.
Tesla is teasing us with self-autonomous vehicles, but people are still waiting for the highly-accessible flying cars used by the Jetsons. We may not have to wait another 50 years as a Slovakian company is currently working on a flying car prototype. Smithsonian Magazine said, “The Jetsons stands as the single most important piece of 20th-century futurism.” They claim the show “has had a profound impact on the way that Americans think and talk about the future.”
—
image credit: hanna-barbera productions, abc tv, warner brothers archives,smithsonian magazine
Dec20
memories gather and dance.
Toy Department during Christmas season in the J.L. Hudson store, Detroit – 1957
loved this view of the toy department at the store during the Christmas season.
toys were displayed on shelves, tables, and display cases,
with decorations featuring elves, a sleigh, and reindeer in background.
—
this is where i went every year
all dressed up fancy
to buy little gifts (with help from the elves) for my family
to see santa
to have a special lunch
always, always amazed
by the glamour and magic of it all.
—
“like snowflakes, my christmas memories gather and dance –
each, beautiful, unique, and gone too soon.
-deborah whipp
—
credits: detroit memories, linda yates rudnicki, j.l. hudson’s
Dec4
almost edible.
Almost Edible, 106-Year-Old Fruitcake Found in Antarctica
Even the original owners didn’t want to eat it.
Fruit cake found at Cape Adare thought to be from Scott’s Northern Party (1911)
IT’S NOT THAT UNCOMMON RE-FINDING forgotten holiday fruitcake months after the event. More surprising, though, is when it’s over a century old. Conservators from the New Zealand-run Antarctic Heritage Trust found themselves faced with this kind of a figgy phenomenon while recently excavating an abandoned hut some 2,500 miles from the South Pole. Cape Adare, at Antarctica’s northeastern tip, was an important landing site and base camp used by early Antarctic explorers.
Made by the British brand Huntley & Palmers, which still exists today, the cake was wrapped in its original paper and stored in a tin-plated iron alloy box. While the tin had begun to deteriorate, the cake was in near-perfect condition and, according to the researchers, still looked “almost edible”.
In a statement, Lizzie Meek, the Trust’s Programme Manager-Artefacts, described the cake as “an ideal high-energy food for Antarctic conditions, and still a favorite item on modern trips to the Ice.” Despite that, researchers manage to hold off snacking on their discovery, which apparently smelled like “rancid butter”. In fact, the hut contained the best part of a picnic: sardines, “badly deteriorated” meat and fish and some more appealing “nice looking” jams.
In 1910, the British explorer Robert Falcon Scott made an ill-fated expedition to reach the South Pole and, on the way, explore the continent’s uncharted wastelands. The Heritage Trust believes the cake dates from his endeavor, known as the Terra Nova Expedition after the supply ship.
Conservators from the Trust have been working on restoring and documenting almost 1500 artifacts from the Cape for the past year. Once they’ve finished their conservation efforts, everything will be returned to the Ice for future explorers to find and enjoy—though they may want to avoid sampling the fruitcake.
—
“this is true; virtually all edible substances, and many automotive products,
are now marketed as being low-fat or fat- free. americans are obsessed with fat content.
-dave barry
—
credits: antarctic heritage trust, natasha frost, gastro obscura
Nov29
of books and brews.
Ann Arbor Book History: “Hold my beer,” 1875.
The Michigan Argus revealed tricks of the trade for preserving books,
one of which involved beer.
Books and brews have always made a great combination .
—
(note: the closest i’ve come to this is when spilling a beer on a book
and unsure if it actually helped to preserve it)
—
“books and beer are the best and worst defense.”
-sherman alexie
—
credits: ann arbor district library, ann arbor book society, the michigan argus
Oct29
creeping.
Creep into the Halloween weekend with this patent model from the Smithsonian National Museum of History.
It’s George Pemberton Clarke’s 1871 “Natural Creeping Baby Doll.”
The original patent office tag is still attached with red tape.
—
“Well, that’s just all kinds of creepy,” Puck muttered at my side, giving the doll a look of alarm.
“If you see any clowns, do me a favor and don’t point them out, okay? i’d rather live without the nightmares.”
–Julie Kagawa
–Julie Kagawa
—
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Oct10
gichi-gami.
Ojibwe entering the gichi-gami
(artist unknown)
In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day
City of Ann Arbor Land Acknowledgment:
Equity and justice are at the center of our city’s critical principles. In that light, we’d like to take a moment to honor the geographic and historic space we share. We acknowledge that the land the City of Ann Arbor occupies is the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – (including Odawa, Ojibwe and Boodewadomi) and Wyandot peoples. We further acknowledge that our City stands, like almost all property in the United States, on lands obtained, generally in unconscionable ways, from indigenous peoples. The taking of this land was formalized by the Treaty of Detroit in 1807. Knowing where we live, work, study, and recreate does not change the past, but a thorough understanding of the ongoing consequences of this past can empower us in our work to create a future that supports human flourishing and justice for all individuals.
Lake Michigan is named after the Ojibwe word “mishigami” which means “large water” or “large lake.”
Also known as Michigamme/”mishigamaa” meaning “great water“, also etymology for state of Michigan.
The Great Lakes were called “gichi-gami” (from Ojibwe gichi “big, large, great”; gami “water, lake, sea”).
—
“man belongs to the earth, the earth does not belong to man.”
-ojibwe saying
—
credits: project.geo.msu.ed, city of ann arbor, ann arbor public libraries
Sep27
“well, i didn’t vote for you.” – peasant to king arthur (monty python and the holy grail)
an adventurous visit to the michigan renaissance festival
way back when
in days of yore
i took my daughters
to this very shire
all of us dressed up
now my grandsons
have picked up where we left off
as brave knights
“look, it’s my duty as a knight to sample as much peril as I can.”
– Sir Galahad (Holy Grail)
people enjoying the day
being whoever they imagine themselves to be
villagers from far and wide are all welcomed here
no matter their dress or look or form
and what could be better than spying a kilted warrior brave enough to pick up his own hot latte?
—
“live every day as if it’s a festival. turn your life into a celebration.”
-shri radhe maa
Sep18
creature comfort.
one of the many beautiful and curious creatures at the belle isle aquarium
The Belle Isle Aquarium was designed by famed Detroit architect, Albert Kahn, and opened in August, 1904. It is the oldest aquarium in the country and has served the Detroit community as a beloved attraction for generations. In 2005, the city of Detroit announced that the Aquarium was to be closed due to lean economic times for the city. The building remained closed to the public until the Belle Isle Conservancy reopened it on September 15, 2012. Since its reopening, the aquarium has exploded in popularity, evident by the attendance numbers that have soared over the course of the last decade. “Momentum” is truly the best term for what is happening in this historic building. A work-in-progress, the aquarium continues to grow and flourish as new exhibits and fish are added, tanks are restored, and history is preserved for generations to come.
“the universe is full of the lives of perfect creatures.”
-konstantin tsiokovsky
I didn't have my glasses on.... 