Class Reflections
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Tuesday, October 2, 2007
   
1836: British naturalist Charles Darwin returns to Falmouth, England, aboard the HMS Beagle.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Darwin.
1955: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, a suspense series introduced by (and in part directed by) the British film director, appears on American television.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Alfred Hitchcock.
1967: Thurgood Marshall, solicitor general of the U.S. Court of Appeals, is sworn in as the first African-American justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Thurgood Marshall.
1985: The AIDS crisis gains widespread public attention following the death of American actor Rock Hudson, the first celebrity to publicly announce that he had AIDS.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the AIDS crisis.
1986: The U.S. Senate votes to impose economic sanctions on South Africa, overturning a presidential veto.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about apartheid.
1990: The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) ceases to exist at midnight, and on October 3, East and West Germany are formally reunited.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Germany.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
  
1586: English poet and courtier Sir Philip Sidney, author of the sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella, is fatally wounded in a raid against Spanish forces in Zutphen, the Netherlands.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Sir Philip Sidney.
1862: U.S. president Abraham Lincoln issues a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, warning that on January 1, 1863, he will declare all slaves in rebel states to be free.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Emancipation Proclamation.
1927: In the famous "long count" fight, boxer Jack Dempsey's delay in returning to his corner after knocking down Gene Tunney allows Tunney to recover and knock Dempsey out, retaining his heavyweight title.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Gene Tunney.
1961: The U.S. Congress formally authorizes the Peace Corps, which were created in March by an executive order of U.S. president John F. Kennedy.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Peace Corps.
1969: San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays hits his 600th career home run, becoming the first National League player to do so.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Willie Mays.
1989: American songwriter Irving Berlin, born in Russia in 1888, dies at the age of 101, having written about 1,500 songs.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Irving Berlin.
Mystery Person of the Day
 Who am I? I was born on this day in 1791. My discoveries provided the basis for electric motors.
4:28AM
1586: English poet and courtier Sir Philip Sidney, author of the sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella, is fatally wounded in a raid against Spanish forces in Zutphen, the Netherlands.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Sir Philip Sidney.
1862: U.S. president Abraham Lincoln issues a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, warning that on January 1, 1863, he will declare all slaves in rebel states to be free.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Emancipation Proclamation.
1927: In the famous "long count" fight, boxer Jack Dempsey's delay in returning to his corner after knocking down Gene Tunney allows Tunney to recover and knock Dempsey out, retaining his heavyweight title.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Gene Tunney.
1961: The U.S. Congress formally authorizes the Peace Corps, which were created in March by an executive order of U.S. president John F. Kennedy.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Peace Corps.
1969: San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays hits his 600th career home run, becoming the first National League player to do so.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Willie Mays.
1989: American songwriter Irving Berlin, born in Russia in 1888, dies at the age of 101, having written about 1,500 songs.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Irving Berlin.
Mystery Person of the Day
Who am I? I was born on this day in 1791. My discoveries provided the basis for electric motors.
Monday, September 17, 2007
  
1630: English Puritans led by John Winthrop establish a settlement on the Shawmut peninsula in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The settlement is later named Boston, after the town of Boston in Lincolnshire, England.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the founding of Boston, USA.
1787: At the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the delegates sign the new Constitution of the United States.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Constitutional Convention.
1796: U.S. president George Washington gives his Farewell Address, in which he declines to stand for a third term as president and warns the new nation to avoid entanglements with foreign governments.
For Extra Credit: Learn rmore about George Washington's presidential policies.
1862: At Antietam, one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, Union troops led by General George McClellan halt the northward drive of General Robert E. Lee's Confederate army.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Battle of Antietam.
1978: Egyptian president Anwar al-Sadat, Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, and United States president Jimmy Carter agreed on the Camp David Accords.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Anwar al-Sadat.
2003: New York Stock Exchange chairman Richard Grasso resigns his post due to controversy surrounding his compensation, estimated at $140 million.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Stock Exchange.
Mystery Person of the Day
 Who am I? I was born on this day in 1883. While practicing as a physician, I wrote influential poetry in such books as Paterson.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Friday, June 8, 2007
 
1869: Inventor Ives McGaffey receives a U.S. patent for a "sweeping machine," the first vacuum cleaner.
Extra Credit: Learn more about vacuum cleaners.
1915: U.S. secretary of state William Jennings Bryan resigns, believing that President Woodrow Wilson's response to the sinking of the Lusitania will lead the United States into World War I.
Extra Credit: Learn more about William Jennings Bryan.
1948: The Texaco Star Theatre debuts on NBC. Its host, Milton Berle, goes on to become one of the biggest stars of early television.
Extra Credit: Learn more about Milton Berle.
1969: James Earl Ray, later convicted for the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr., is arrested at London Airport while traveling under the name Ramon George Sneyd.
Extra Credit: Learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr. or James Earl Ray.
1978: A Nevada jury decides that a will in which reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes allegedly left his fortune to a medical institute, four universities, and a number of individuals, is a forgery.
Extra Credit: Learn more about Howard Hughes.
632: Muhammad, the founder of Islam, dies in Medina.
Extra Credit: Learn more about the Prophet Muhammad (i.e.: his early years as a warrior or his teachings).
Mystery Person of the Day
Who am I? I was born on this day in 1867. I designed Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum building.
Reel News Weekly Trivia  With the release this week of the complete eight year run of the "Andy Griffith Show" to DVD we thought it would be a good time to test your knowledge of the career of Andy Griffith. Let's see just how much you know about the man from Mount Airy, North Carolina.
1. In the early years of Andy Griffith's career, he gained fame as a raising comic making numerous appearances on the "Ed Sullivan Show" and the "Steve Allen Show." However, Griffith made his film début in a dramatic role. Can you name the 1957 drama that introduced Griffith to movie audiences? Answer: "A Face in the Crowd." 2. The comedy team of Don Knotts as Deputy Barney Fife and Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor is ranked as one of the greatest in TV history but did you know that this wasn't the first time the two had worked together. Can you name the 1958 film that marked the first time that the team of Knotts and Griffith produced laughs? |
Reel Weekly Trivia  With "Ocean's Thirteen" opening this weekend we thought it would be a good time to focus on the career of George Clooney and test your knowledge of this Oscar winning actor.
1. In 2006, George Clooney received the first Oscar nominations of his long career. Can you name the three Oscar categories he was nominated for and identify which one he won? 2. In 1984, Clooney received his first starring role in a TV sitcom that ended after four episodes. Ten years later he would land a starring role in a TV drama that would launch him to stardom. Can you name the two series that share the same name and played such a key role in George Clooney's career? What do Bonnie & Clyde, Cool Hand Luke and Dirty Harry have in common? They are "Looking Good!" There is a new term being thrown around the high tech hallways of the companies that transfer films to digital formats that are then turned into DVD and downloadable films. The new buzz word is 4k resolution and you will be hearing a lot about it soon. With all the talk of HD formats, the one fact that is often not pointed out is that HD is only as good as the copy it is showing. The current format is a 2k resolution process that does not make a complete copy of what has been captured on the negative. The new format will capture four times more information from the original negative giving the viewer more detail and clarity. The new 4k process is perfect for capturing older films that have been selected for preservation. The transfer gives restorers a more detailed copy of the original work and a view of the film that is closer to looking just like it did when it was first released in theaters. Warner Brothers has selected a few of its classic films to be captured in the new 4k format for preservation. They include, "Blade Runner," "Bonnie & Clyde," "Cool Hand Luke" and two Dirty Harry films; "Magnum Force" and "Sudden Impact." The new process will also work on new releases giving an even better HD experience to viewers. 
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
  
1703: Work begins on the city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, meant by Tsar Peter I (the Great) to be a “window on Europe.”
Extra Credit: Learn more about Saint Petersburg.
1884: The group of Republican Party dissidents known as the Mugwumps leaves the party convention, refusing to support its nominee for president, James G. Blaine.
Extra Credit: Learn more about the Mugwumps.
1925: Under Walter P. Chrysler, a former General Motors executive, the Maxwell Motor Corporation becomes the Chrysler Corporation.
1944: In the largest seaborne invasion in history, known as D-Day, over 120,000 Allied troops land on the beaches of Normandy in German-occupied northern France.
Extra Credit: Learn more about D-Day.
1978: California voters overwhelmingly approve Proposition 13, which cuts local property taxes by more than two-thirds, sending many local governments into financial crisis.
Extra Credit: Learn more about Proposition 13.
1984: The Indian army attacks the sacred Golden Temple in Amritsar, killing hundreds of Sikh separatists headquartered there. Four months later, outraged Sikhs assassinate Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Extra Credit: Learn more about Indira Gandhi.
Mystery Person of the Day
 Who am I? I was born on this day in 1956. I won five consecutive Wimbledon tennis titles.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
1431: After being captured by Burgundian troops and then handed over to English troops, French military leader Joan of Arc is burned as a heretic in Rouen, France. For Extra Credit: Learn more about Saint Joan of Arc. 1783: The Pennsylvania Evening Post and Daily Advertiser is the first daily newspaper to be published in the United States. For Extra Credit: Learn more about the first U.S. Newspapers. 1911: Ray Harroun wins the first Indianapolis 500 automobile race. For Extra Credit: Learn more about the Indianapolis 500. 1971: The U.S. space probe Mariner 9 was launched on its mission to Mars; it becomes the first artificial satellite of another planet when it orbits Mars the following November. For Extra Credit: Learn more about Mariner 9 Mystery Person of the Day  Who am I? I was born this day in 1903. I was a prominent member of the Harlem Renaissance, and the poet John Keats influenced my poetry.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Weekly Trivia This week the first season of "Wanted Dead or Alive," Steve McQueen's western TV series is being released to DVD. Seemed an excellent time to test your knowledge of this outstanding leading man.  1. Steve McQueen starred in some of Hollywood's highest budgeted films. However, he received his big break in a low budget sci-fi film. Can you name the drive-in cult classic in which he made his big screen début?
2. During his long career McQueen received one Oscar nomination for his work. Can you name the film and the role that earned him his Best Actor nomination?
A bit of movie news in addition to the extra credit.
The Terminator may be back, but there will be no Arnold in sight! There was big news this week for "Terminator" movie fans. The Halcyon Company has purchased the rights to the "Terminator" franchise and has announced plans to release a trio of new films. However, don't expect to see everyone's favorite cyborg, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in any of them. The reason is that Arnold has just a bit of a scheduling conflict since he will be holding the office of Governor until 2011 and the target release date for the first of the new series is the summer of 2009.  The new series of films will pick up soon after the end of "T3" and focus on John Connor and his efforts to organize mankind's resistance to the rise of the machines. The new films will complete a full cycle ending where the first series of films began with mankind about to defeat the machines. The new Terminator masters aren't concerned with not having a major name attached to the project or with the missing Schwarzenegger. They feel that the new films can and will stand apart from the original films and that fans of the films will embrace the focus shift from Connor being protected from the cyborgs to him taking on and defeating them. The price that Halcyon paid for the "Terminator" franchise was not released but most insiders estimate that it will run in the eight figure range and the deal included the rights to all future merchandising and licensing rights which could prove more profitable than the films themselves.
 More Terminator News..... Warner Brothers, the former owners of the "Terminator" franchise, has reportedly filmed a pilot for a TV series called "The Sarah Connor Chronicles," an hour long show based around the Terminator character and mythology surrounding the movies. According to Variety, Fox has already expressed interest in the project and could pick up the series as part of their fall prime-time schedule.
REMEMBER: You will NOT get credit for simply going to a site and printing out the information there. You must actually put your answers in YOUR OWN words to get credit.
18 May 1980 – Mount St. Helens, a volcanic peak in southwestern Washington, suffers a massive eruption, killing 57 people and devastating some 210 square miles of wilderness.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about what happened when Mount St. Helens erupted.
24 May 1543 – Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus dies in what is now Frombork, Poland. The father of modern astronomy, he was the first modern European scientist to propose that Earth and other planets revolve around the sun.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Nicolaus Copernicus.
27 May 1999 – The International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands indicts Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Slobodan Milosevic's war crimes.
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Monarch butterflies reportedly have a sense of taste about 12,000 times more sensitive than humans. Which of the following statements about butterflies is also true?
a. There are about 115,000 species of butterflies and moths.
b. Butterflies use their antennae to taste.
c. Though it depends on the species, the male butterfly is usually larger.
d. If you touch a butterfly's wings, it will die.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Reel Weekly Trivia This week, the actor whose first big break came from playing TV's Vinnie Barbarino is back on the big screen in "Wild Hogs." Thought it was time to test your knowledge of the acting career of John Travolta. 1) John Travolta has been in films since he made his feature film debut in the 1975 "B" horror film "The Devil's Rain." However, he went on to more serious roles and two Oscar nominations. Can you name the two films and roles that have earned him his Best Actor Oscar nominations? 2. "The Devil's Rain" wasn't Travolta's last horror film. In fact, to get the opportunity to work with director Brian De Palma, Travolta accepted a small role in the first film that was based on a Stephen King novel. Can you name the 1976 film AND the character Travolta played?
1:37PM
1791: The United States Congress passes the nation's first tax law. The law divides the country into 14 tax zones and levies a duty on, among other items, distilled spirits.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about taxation.
1875: The opera Carmen, written by French composer Georges Bizet, opens in Paris, France.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about Georges Bizet.
1913: A gender war erupts in Washington, D.C., when 5,000 suffragists led by Alice Paul, are treated to abuse by crowds of scornful men. Some 40 people are wounded in the clash.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the women's suffrage movement.
1931: The United States Senate makes the song "Star-Spangled Banner,” written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key, the national anthem of the United States.
For Extra Credit: Learn more about the anthem "Star-Spangled Banner."
1965: The motion picture The Sound of Music, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, premieres in American movie theaters.
Mystery Person of the Day
 Who am I? I was born on this day in 1962. A track-and-field athlete, I've won several Olympic medals, including the gold medal in the heptathlon in 1988 and again in 1992.
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Who am I? I was born on this day in 1916. I helped direct the American involvement in Vietnam.
Who am I? I was born on this day in 1736. In my famed speech to the Virginia convention I declared, "Give me liberty or give me death!"
Who am I? I was born on this day in 1848. A frontiersman and law enforcement officer, I participated in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona.