Unless you’re an American history buff or student of American Presidential history, you may never have heard the name Edith Bolling Galt Wilson. But for all intents and purposes, she served as the first de facto female President of the United States, from October 1919 to March 1921. She was the second wife of President […]
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson: America’s First Female President Read More »
By the latter half of the 1800s, the primary question among astronomers around the world was, “What are stars actually made of?” In the 1880’s, a team of Harvard researchers believed they’d answered this question. They had created a classification system whereby stars are rated according to their surface temperature. Using this rating system, the
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: the Most Important Astronomer You Never Heard Of Read More »
The Carbon County Museum, in Rawlins, Wyoming may never be as famous as the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, or the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Houston, TX. But it does have one thing those other museums do not: An “Outlaws” exhibit featuring a
Outlaw Who Was Turned into a Pair of Shoes: “Big Nose” George Parrott Read More »
The universal relationship between religion and the use of mind-altering drugs is, of course, well documented in oral history. There is also plenty of physical evidence. According to J. M. Allegro, author of The Scared Mushroom and the Cross, the Judeo-Christian belief system was heavily influenced by altered states of consciousness. This was produced through
Did Joseph Smith Found His Church on Drug-Induced Visions? Read More »
When most people hear the name “Liberace,” certain images come to mind. Perhaps the image of a flamboyantly dressed man in a sequined cape. He would be seated at a rhinestone-studded Grand piano playing an almost schizophrenic combination of Classical, Pop, and Show Tunes. A man whose garish appearance easily calls into question his standing
Liberace: The Virtuoso Behind the Glitz and Glamour Read More »
According to Harley-Davidson lore, William Harley and Arthur Davidson met in the late 1890s. They became fast friends because of their shared interest in mechanics and design. By the turn of the century, one was working as a draftsman, the other a pattern-maker. But they still hadn’t hit upon an idea to combine their interests
William Harley and Arthur Davidson: Men Behind the Iconic Motorcycle Read More »
In the 1940s, the American television and film-making industries began experimenting with a psychological approach. It aimed to sell products where single-frame product endorsements were embedded in film. These were undetectable to the eye, but hopefully, acknowledged by the viewer’s brain. One of the earliest examples of this technique was a 1943 cartoon short featuring
The Use of Subliminal Messages in Film and Advertising Read More »
Paul Reubens, aka “Pee-wee Herman,” was a man of profound contradictions. On one hand, he was the quirky-but-talented creator of the phenomenally successful cult classics, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-wee. Also, the highly successful TV series, Pee-wee’s Playhouse. But on the other hand, he was the infamous celebrity caught masturbating in an adult
Paul Reubens: the Man Behind “Pee-wee Herman” Read More »
Today, Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh is considered second only to Rembrandt in raw talent and sheer genius. His striking use of color, forceful brushwork, and the contoured forms of his work effectively redefined Expressionism in modern art. In short, he is considered the master painter’s master. Ironically, Van Gogh sold only one painting in
The World’s Most Famous Synesthete: Vincent Van Gogh Read More »
Billie Holiday was gifted with one of the most identifiable voices in the history of recorded music. It was a voice that throughout her 26-year career (and since her untimely death in 1959) has indisputably placed her among the all-time “greats.” Songs like, “Them There Eyes” (1939), “Loverboy” (1941), “Good Morning, Heartache” (1946), and “T’ain’t
“Lady Day,” the Turbulent Life of Billie Holiday Read More »
