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November 21, 2008

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Wikipedia: List of Common Misconceptions

Misconceptions abound. Many of them are widely assumed to be true. They have been repeated over and over and have become part of human history. Yet, they are still misconceptions. Conversely, there are also what have long been considered misconceptions, or possibly urban legends, which are in fact TRUE. Today's... Read the story »

October 22, 2008

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Wikipedia: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

Man is fascinated by best-of lists. And man also loves music. The two factors lead to many combinations of lists of great tunes, but one of the most renowned lists of great music is 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It is a musical reference book edited by... Read the story »

October 3, 2008

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Wikipedia: Bernie Taupin

He was born in a farmhouse in England. He grew up on the farm, and as a child developed a passion for the American Old West. He enjoyed writing poetry, and if you have never heard of Bernie Taupin, the poet, you have surely heard of the man who has... Read the story »

October 1, 2008

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Wikipedia: Roman Gladiator Types

The Roman world was at once decadent, advanced, complicated, and organized. Take gladiators, for instance. Gladiatorial bouts were the ultimate blood sport. A gladiator may well be giving up his life in full public view. On the other hand, successful gladiators enjoyed a life of vast luxury and public adulation.... Read the story »

September 19, 2008

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Wikipedia: Drop Bear

Australia is a country that is at once beautiful and dangerous. The beauty of the continent can not be denied, from the Great barrier Reef to Ayers Rock to Sydney Harbor. But the dangers lurk there as well, including crocodiles, box jellyfish, ringed octopi, poisonous snakes, and drop bears. What,... Read the story »

September 13, 2008

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Wikipedia: Mozilla Firefox

Today's FamilyFirst pick will combine two of my favorite things: Wikipedia, and Firefox. Wikipedia, YOUR encyclopedia, is the source for much of the research that I use for my Boomer nostalgia blog. If you type a search subject into Google, odds are that Wikipedia's entry on the subject will come... Read the story »

September 9, 2008

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Wikipedia: 3753 Cruithne

The universe is a mind-boggling place. Our own solar system is pretty amazing, too. Astronomers have spent untold hours spotting and mapping objects out there that are orbiting our sun. One such object, which I'm willing to bet that you've never heard of, is called 3753 Cruithne. This chunk of... Read the story »

August 16, 2008

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Wikipedia: Cy Young

Every year, one t6he most coveted major league baseball awards goes to the pitcher in each league who has proven himself head and shoulders above the rest. Starting pitchers generally have two annual goals: win 20 games, and win a Cy Young award. Just who was this Cy Young, anyway?... Read the story »

August 11, 2008

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Wikipedia: Common Misconceptions

So, have you ever heard that China's Great Wall is thwe only manmade object visible from space? Or how about that marie Antoinette said "Let them eat cake" about her rebellious subjects? Or that fingernails continue to grow after one's death? Well, the statements above are all misconceptions. That's right.... Read the story »

July 28, 2008

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Wikipedia: The Antikythera Mechanism

Certain archaeological finds have redefined history. For instance, the Rosetta Stone allowed for the translation of languages previously unknown. Pontius Pilate was assumed to be a fictional character until his name was unearthed from 2,000 year old ruins. And ancient Mediterranean mariners were shown to be much more sophisticated in... Read the story »

July 1, 2008

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Wikipedia: The Olive

Behold, the humble olive. Such an unassuming, quiet fruit (that's right. It's a FRUIT!), yet entire civilizations have held it in the highest esteem. Today's FamilyFirst pick is Wikipedia's article on the olive. Olives go WAY back in man's history. In the Biblical account of Noah, what did the dove... Read the story »

June 29, 2008

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Wikipedia: Miracle Fruit

Have you ever heard of miracle fruit? An explorer named Marchais made the first western observation of miracle fruit during a trip to west Africa in 1725. Marchais noticed that local tribes picked the berry from shrubs and chewed it before meals. The miracle part of miracle fruit is what... Read the story »

June 24, 2008

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Wikipedia: Extremes on Earth

Hey, friends. We're going to make a few Wikipedia selections this week as we begin filling out our new category. Today's FamilyFirst pick is the Wikipedia entry on earth's extremes. When we talk about extremes, we're talking about the highest, the lowest, the hottest, the coldest, you get the idea.... Read the story »

June 23, 2008

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Wikipedia: Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here

Ladeeees and genetlemen.... Introducing FamilyFirst's First Wikipedia Pick! Wikipedia is the 200 lb. gorilla on the web. Reviled by some, praised by many, many more, its nicely represents the summation of human knowledge. It's chock full of articles, but anything you find here (especially anything controversial) should be taken with... Read the story »