Blood, Whipping, and Chaucer: The Truth Behind St. Valentine’s Day (RE-POST)

**Recently, my kids asked me about the origins of Valentine's Day so, as a nod to the upcoming holiday, I thought it appropriate to re-hash this article I wrote a few years ago. It's not all candy hearts and roses, folks. Enjoy! The ancient Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia in mid-February, usually from the … Continue reading Blood, Whipping, and Chaucer: The Truth Behind St. Valentine’s Day (RE-POST)

I *maybe* Claim This Land for Russia

On this day in 1820, a Russian expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen spotted an ice shelf attached to Antarctic land now known as Queen Maud Land, making them the first to see the long-sought-after Terra Australis Incognita (“unknown southern land”) many explorers before had tried--and failed--to locate. It should have been a major … Continue reading I *maybe* Claim This Land for Russia

Following the Bouncing…Mouse?

On November 18, 1928, the world of animation changed forever with the introduction of a certain cartoon mouse bopping along to fully synchronized sound and music in what would become an instant classic (and studio boon): Steamboat Willie. The brainchild of relative newbie Walt Disney, the eight-minute film premiered at the Broadway Theater in New … Continue reading Following the Bouncing…Mouse?