question
stringlengths 18
1.2k
| facts
stringlengths 44
500k
| answer
stringlengths 1
147
|
|---|---|---|
What American folk hero was “Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, Greenest state in the land of the free. Raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree, Killed him a bear when he was only three.” | Why Are We Named “Crockett”? - Crockett Log & Timber Frame Homes
Why Are We Named “Crockett”?
“Born on a mountain top in Tennessee,
Greenest state in the land of the free.
Raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree,
Killed him a bear when he was only three …
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier.”
From the song, Battle of Davy Crockett, theme song for the Disney series. For the complete lyrics to this 1950s song, click here .
Davy Crockett (or David, as he liked to call himself) was a larger-than-life American folk hero that was forever immortalized by Disney in the 1950s.
The song exaggerates a bit: He never killed a bear when he was three years old (although Crockett wrote that he killed as many as 105 bears in one year), or ride on a streak of lightening. But still, Davy Crockett’s legendary bravery and exploits are forever burned in our collective memories.
In truth, Davy Crockett lived his motto: “Be sure you’re right, then go ahead.”
Crockett Log Homes® was named in 1973 after this American hero and legend. The name embodies a spirit of America that many of us still aspire to: hard work, honesty, a dedication to family and country, and a sense of adventure.
These are also the qualities that we, at Crockett Log and Timber Homes®, also aspire to. Our log homes — made from 100% home-grown timber – are rugged, sustainable and made with old-fashioned American values and craftsmanship.
(Living in one may even inspire you to wear a coonskin hat.)
Read more about Davy Crockett, below:
Davy Crockett, a Short Biography
Davy (David) Crockett, born in Tennessee in 1786, was a frontiersman and military scout known for his skill in marksmanship, hunting and storytelling. He ran away from home at the age of 13 and chose a life of work over schooling and was proud of what he accomplished. While he fought in the Indian Wars, he later became a Tennessee congressman and opposed American Indian removal and land grabbing policies of Jackson administration. He lost his third term in 1831 because of his passionate opposition. But that did not stop him from doing what he through was right.
He volunteered to serve as a member of the Texas rebel militia fighting for independence from Mexico. He died in Texas in the historic siege at the Alamo in 1836, fighting to the bitter end, a hero and legend. Read more at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/p_crockett.html
| Davy Crockett |
As part of a purification ritual, what do sumo wrestlers traditionally throw into the ring prior to a bout? | Fads of the '50s: What Was Popular in the '50s? | Owlcation
Fads of the '50s: What Was Popular in the '50s?
Fads of the '50s: What Was Popular in the '50s?
Updated on July 25, 2016
Joined: 5 years agoFollowers: 691Articles: 194
26
World Countries Under Soviet Influence in The 50s
Source
The 1950s
The 1950s were a cherished unforgettable period of my life. During this period I grew from a short, chubby young boy to a strong well-conditioned football player. There were other changes. I moved from the city to the countryside in 1954 and started to experience farm life. Very much was happening around me. In this hub I recollect popular fads around me as I was growing up.
Advertisement
Civil Defense Drill - Duck and Cover (1951)
Survival Under Atomic Attack
A Man Deformed By Polio
Source
The Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers
Source
Fess Parker as Davy Crockett
Source
1950s Fads: 1954-1956
After moving to a farm, my parents put me into a Catholic School in Mukwonago, a small village about four miles away. Every day my younger sister and I walked a quarter of a mile to the main road to catch our school bus. From fourth through the seventh grade, I can still remember the following fads as popular culture of the day:
1. The Red Scare And Civil Defense Drills
There was a big "Red Scare" all over the country, because the United States' chief adversary, the Soviet Union, now had nuclear weapons as of 1949. This meant that nuclear war could break out at any time. As a fourth or fifth grader, I can recall practicing civil defense drills in the classroom. I remember hearing Sister say that when we heard the loud sirens, we were to duck and cover under our desks. From time to time we also saw movies about the evil tentacles of the Soviet Union slowing grasping all countries of the world and making its way to North America.
2. Goiter Pills
Occasionally also while I was in the fourth or fifth grade, everyone in my class had to take a goiter pill. At the time, many people had been developing goiter problems or swelling of the thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency. This was one way of making sure all kids got their iodine if they didn't get it in iodized salt at home.
3. Holy Hours
Every Thursday afternoon for three years while I attended Saint James School, all students had to spend an hour in church kneeling and saying a lot of prayers during a Holy Hour. In Roman Catholic tradition, a Holy Hour entails engaging in adoration of God who is present in the Blessed Sacrament or Eucharist for one hour.
4. Polio Epidemics
Until polio vaccines developed by Drs. Salk and Sabin were distributed to the population, poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis hit the country hard usually every summer. In the summer of either 1955 or 1956 polio hit my school and one of my classmates died. I remember having to serve Mass for him on the day after he died.
5. The Mickey Mouse Club and Mouseketeers
The Mickey Mouse Club, a variety show for kids produced by Walt Disney, ran on national TV during the years 1955-1957. Every day after school I can recall watching the Mouseketeers, as the kids on the show were called. This show was hosted by Jimmie Dodd, and each program had an opening march followed by musical and dance performances by the Mouseketeers. Annette Funicello, Cubby O'Brien, and Karen Pendleton were my favorite Mouseketeers. I will always remember the ending of each show where Karen and Cubby would first jointly sing, "Now it's time to say good-bye to all our company," and then everyone would sing, "M-I-C-K-E-Y," followed by Jimmie Dodd saying, "Y (Why), because we like you." And then the ending would follow by everyone singing, "M-O-U-S-E."
6. Davy Crockett And Coonskin Cap
In 1954 Walt Disney produced a miniseries about the American folk hero and frontiersman, Davy Crockett. We all had to tune into this show about the adventures of Davy Crockett played by Fess Parker. I memorized the song from the miniseries which went as follows: "Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, greenest state in the land of the free. Raised in the woods till he knew every tree. Killed him a bear when he was only three. Davy, Davy Crockett. King of the wild frontier." Davy Crockett lived during the early 19th century and was well-known for his coonskin cap.
7. Elvis Presley and Rockabilly
I will never forget when I first heard Elvis Presley sing on the radio in January of 1956. He was belting out tunes like "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Love Me" which I quickly took a liking to and often tried to sing. Elvis was one of the pioneers of rockabilly, a combination of country music and rhythm and blues music. He was also famous for greased- back hair and sideburns. When he swayed his hips while singing, he really got the girls screaming.
Advertisement
Dick Clark, The Star of American Bandstand
Source
Source
1950s Fads: 1957-1959
During the years 1957-1959 my folks bought a farm and moved from the Mukwonago to the Burlington area of Wisconsin. I was now attending a new Catholic school and getting ready to start the eighth grade. New trends were continuing to develop in music, dance, and other areas of popular culture. I recall the following from this period of my life:
8. American Bandstand And The Jitterbug Dance
American Bandstand produced by the legendary Dick Clark had its initial showing on national TV in 1957. On this daily show hosted by Dick Clark, teenagers would dance to the top 40 hits of the day. The most popular dance in the beginning years of the show was the jitterbug or swing which had its origins in the 30s. Kids would dance this way to the rockabilly of Presley and other popular singers like Buddy Holly and the Everley Brothers. At a Halloween party with eighth grade classmates in 1957, I failed miserably and almost broke a girl's arm while trying to do the jitterbug.
9. Hula Hoop
The hula hoop fad started in America in July of 1958. According to Wikipedia, Carlton Products Corporation was the first manufacturer of hula hoops. 25 million were sold in less than four months. At our freshman class initiation party in the fall of 1958, hula hoops could be seen everywhere. I can still see many of my classmates masterfully swinging the hoops around their waists.
10. Sox (Sock) Hops
In the late 1950s informal high school dances were often held in the school gym or cafeteria. Students would all take off their shoes and dance in their socks to the pop music played by a jukebox.
11. Poodle Skirts And Bobby Socks
Poodle skirts and bobby socks were popularly worn by girls in the late 50s. The bobby socks were short and white. The poodle skirt which came down to the knees could sway while dancing. There was no such thing as a miniskirt.
12. Diners and Jukeboxes
McDonald's restaurant had just been founded in 1953, but it wasn't that popular. Teeenagers, instead, preferred to go to small diners or greasy spoons where there were jukeboxes and soda fountains. On an eighth grade trip to Washington D.C. in 1958, a number of my classmates and I sought out the first diner we could find in the vicinity of our hotel. Most of us had hamburgers and listened to Elvis tunes on the jukebox.
13. Drive-in Movies
Drive-in movies were really a hit during the late 50s. Teenagers liked cruising with their wheels and also taking in movies. A drive-in movie was one way to do both. A lot of the guys took their girls to the drive-in not for the movie, but for smooching and making out.
14. Panty Raids And Telephone Booth Stuffing
Panty raids and telephone booth stuffing were two fads popular on college campuses in the late 50s. In panty raids, a group of college men would storm a woman's dormitory and demand panties from the coeds who would willingly oblige. For telephone booth stuffing, students would try to set the record for the number of people who could fit inside a public phone booth.
Fads in the 1950s are not forgotten. It was really an interesting time while I was growing up, and I had some memorable experiences. I have undoubtedly not touched on every popular fad, but only note the ones I clearly remember.
Advertisement
| i don't know |
What noted comic book writer and former head of Marvel Comics, co-created such institutions as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and even had an appearance on The Simpsons? | Stan Lee - Superhero Wiki Encyclopedia
Stan Lee
Stan Lee and Spider-Man
Stan Lee and Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno
Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922 is an American writer , editor , creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics .
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko , he co-created Spider-Man , the Fantastic Four , the X-Men , Iron Man , the Hulk , Daredevil , the Silver Surfer , Dr. Strange , and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books . He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
Contents
Biography
Early life and career
Stan "The Man" Lee was born in New York City, New York, in the apartment of his Romanian-born Jewish immigrant parents at the corner of West 98th Street and West End Avenue in Manhattan. His father, trained as a dress cutter, worked only sporadically after the Great Depression, and the family moved further uptown to Fort Washington Avenue, Lewine, Edward, "Sketching Out His Past", The New York Times Key Magazine Slide Show (Sept. 4, 2007), Image 1 in the cheaper Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights. When Lee was nearly 9, his only sibling, brother Larry Lieber , was born. By the time Lee was in his teens, the family was living in a one-bedroom apartment at 1720 University Avenue in The Bronx . Lee described it as "a third-floor apartment facing out back", with he and his brother sharing a bedroom and his parents using a foldout couch.
Lee attended DeWitt Clinton High School in The Bronx. StanLeeWeb.com: Biography where his family had moved next. A voracious reader who enjoyed writing as a teen, he worked such part-time jobs as writing obituaries for a news service and press releases for the National Tuberculosis Center; delivering sandwiches for the Jack May pharmacy to offices in Rockefeller Center; working as an office boy for a trouser manufacturer; ushering at the Rivoli Theater on Broadway; and selling subscriptions to the New York Herald Tribune newspaper . He graduated high school early, at age 16½ in 1939, and joined the WPA Federal Theatre Project.
A text filler in Captain America Comics #3 (May 1941) was Lee's first published work. Cover art by Alex Schomburg .
With the help of his uncle, Robbie Solomon, the brother-in-law of pulp magazine and comic-book publisher Martin Goodman ,Per Timely Comics' wartime editor Vincent Fago in interview, Alter Ego vol. 3, #11 (Nov. 2001) Lee became an assistant at the new Timely Comics division of Goodman's company. Timely, by the 1960s, would evolve into Marvel Comics. Lee, whose cousin Jean Lee and Mair, Excelsior, p.22 was Goodman's wife, was formally hired by Timely editor Joe Simon .Lee's account of how he began working for Marvel's predecessor, Timely, has varied. He has said in lectures and elsewhere that he simply answered a newspaper ad seeking a publishing assistant, not knowing it involved comics, let alone his cousin's husband:
"I applied for a job in a publishing company ... I didn't even know they published comics. I was fresh out of high school, and I wanted to get into the publishing business, if I could. There was an ad in the paper that said, "Assistant Wanted in a Publishing House." When I found out that they wanted me to assist in comics, I figured, 'Well, I'll stay here for a little while and get some experience, and then I'll get out into the real world.' ... I just wanted to know, 'What do you do in a publishing company?' How do you write? ... How do you publish? I was an assistant. There were two people there named Joe Simon and Jack Kirby – Joe was sort-of the editor/artist/writer, and Jack was the artist/writer. Joe was the senior member. They were turning out most of the artwork. Then there was the publisher, Martin Goodman... And that was about the only staff that I was involved with. After a while, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby left. I was about 17 years old [sic], and Martin Goodman said to me, 'Do you think you can hold down the job of editor until I can find a real person?' When you're 17, what do you know? I said, 'Sure! I can do it!' I think he forgot about me, because I stayed there ever since". IGN FilmForce (June 26, 2000): Stan Lee interview part 1 of 5
However, in his above-cited, 2002 autobiography, Excelsior! The Amazing Life of Stan Lee, he says:
"My uncle, Robbie Solomon, told me they might be able to use someone at a publishing company where he worked. The idea of being involved in publishing definitely appealed to me. ... So I contacted the man Robbie said did the hiring, Joe Simon, and applied for a job. He took me on and I began working as a gofer for eight dollars a week...."
Joe Simon , in his 1990 autobiography The Comic Book Makers (cited under References, below), gives the account slightly differently:
"One day [Goodman's relative known as] Uncle Robbie came to work with a lanky 17-year-old in tow. 'This is Stanley Lieber, Martin's wife's cousin,' Uncle Robbie said. 'Martin wants you to keep him busy.'"
In an appendix, however, Simon appears to reconcile the two accounts. He relates a 1989 conversation with Lee:
Lee: I've been saying this classified-ad story for years, but apparently it isn't so. And I can't remember because I've said it so long now that I believe it."
...
Simon: "Your Uncle Robbie brought you into the office one day and he said, 'This is Martin Goodman's wife's nephew.' ... You were seventeen years old."
Lee: "Sixteen and a half!"
Simon: "Well, Stan, you told me seventeen. You were probably trying to be older.... I did hire you."
Young Stanley Lieber's first published work, the text filler " Captain America Foils the Traitor's Revenge" in Captain America Comics #3 (May 1941), used the pseudonym "Stan Lee", which years later he would adopt as his legal name. Lee later explained in his autobiography and numerous other sources that he had intended to save his given name for more literary work. This initial story also introduced Captain America's trademark ricocheting shield-toss, which immediately became one of the character's signatures. Thomas, Roy , Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Universe ( Sterling Publishing , New York, 2006), p. 11. ISBN-10 1-4027-4225-8; ISBN-13 978-1-4027-4225-5
The line reads: "With the speed of thought, he sent his shield spinning through the air to the other end of the tent, where it smacked the knife out of Haines' hand!" It became a convention starting the following issue, in a Simon & Kirby's comics story depict the following: "Captain America's speed of thought and action save Bucky's life — as he hurls his shield across the room".
He graduated from writing filler to actual comics with a backup feature, "'Headline' Hunter, Foreign Correspondent", two issues later. Lee's first superhero co-creation was the Destroyer , in Mystic Comics #6 (Aug. 1941). Other characters he created during this period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books include Jack Frost , debuting in USA Comics #1 (Aug. 1941), and Father Time , debuting in Captain America Comics #6 (Aug. 1941).Thomas, Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Universe, pp. 12-13
When Simon and his creative partner Jack Kirby left late in 1941, following a dispute with Goodman, the 30-year-old publisher installed Lee, just under 19 years old, as interim editor. The youngster showed a knack for the business that led him to remain as the comic-book division's editor-in-chief, as well as art director for much of that time, until 1972, when he would succeed Goodman as publisher.
Lee entered the U.S. Army in early 1942 and served stateside in the Signal Corps, writing manuals, training films, and slogans, and occasionally cartooning. His military classification, he says, was "playwright"; he adds that only nine men in the U.S. Army were given that title. Vincent Fago, editor of Timely's "animation comics" section, which put out humor and funny animal comics, filled in until Lee returned from his World War II military service in 1945. From then through 1947, he and his wife, Joan, rented the top floor of a brownstone in the East 90s in Manhattan. Lewine, The New York Times, Image 3 They later bought two-story, three-bedroom home at 1084 West Broadway, in Woodmere, New York, on Long Island, living there from 1949 to 1952. Lewine, The New York Times, Images 4-5 The family, which by this time included daughter Joan Celia, bought a home at 226 Richards Lane in the Long Island town of Hewlett Harbor, New York, living there from 1952 to 1980, Lewine, The New York Times, Images 6-7 including the 1960s period when Lee and his artist collaborators would revolutionize comic books.
In the mid-1950s, by which time the company was now generally known as Atlas Comics , Lee wrote stories in a variety genres including romance, Western , humor, science fiction, medieval adventure, horror and suspense. By the end of the decade, Lee had become dissatisfied with his career and considered quitting the field.
The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961). Cover art by Jack Kirby ( penciller ) and unconfirmed inker
Some sources give George Klein, who's generally considered the interior inker, while others gives Dick Ayers, Sol Brodsky, or Christopher Rule
Marvel revolution
In the late 1950s, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz revived the superhero genre and experienced a significant success with its updated version of the Flash , and later with super-team the Justice League of America . In response, publisher Martin Goodman assigned Lee to create a new superhero team. Lee's wife urged him to experiment with stories he preferred, since he was planning on changing careers and had nothing to lose. Jack Kirby also suggested creating heroes with flaws, ones whose superpowers would not enable them to overcome personal problems such as relationships and money.
Lee acted on that advice, giving his superheroes a flawed humanity, a change from the ideal archetypes that were typically written for pre-teens. His heroes could have bad tempers, melancholy fits, vanity, greed, etc. They bickered amongst themselves, worried about paying their bills and impressing girlfriends, and even were sometimes physically ill. Before him, most superheroes were idealistically perfect people with no serious, lasting problems: Superman was so powerful that nobody could harm him, and Batman was a billionaire in his secret identity.Noted comic-book writer Alan Moore described the significance of this new approach in Comic Book Resources (Jan. 27, 2005): "Chain Reaction" : "The DC comics were ... one dimensional characters whose only characteristic was they dressed up in costumes and did good. Whereas Stan Lee had this huge breakthrough of two-dimensional characters. So, they dress up in costumes and do good, but they've got a bad heart. Or a bad leg. I actually did think for a long while that having a bad leg was an actual character trait".
The first superhero group Lee and artist Jack Kirby created was the family of the Fantastic Four . Its immediate popularity led Lee and Marvel's illustrators to produce a cavalcade of new titles. With Kirby, Lee created the Incredible Hulk , Iron Man , the Mighty Thor and the X-Men ; with Bill Everett , Daredevil ; and with Steve Ditko , Doctor Strange and Marvel's most successful character, Spider-Man .
Comics historian Peter Sanderson wrote that in the 1960s, "DC was the equivalent of the big Hollywood studios: After the brilliance of DC's reinvention of the superhero ... in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it had run into a creative drought by the decade's end. There was a new audience for comics now, and it wasn't just the little kids that traditionally had read the books. The Marvel of the 1960s was in its own way the counterpart of the French New Wave.... Marvel was pioneering new methods of comics storytelling and characterization, addressing more serious themes, and in the process keeping and attracting readers in their teens and beyond. Moreover, among this new generation of readers were people who wanted to write or draw comics themselves, within the new style that Marvel had pioneered, and push the creative envelope still further.Sanderson, Peter. IGN.com (Oct. 10, 2003): Comics in Context #14: "Continuity/Discontinuity" }}
Stan Lee's Marvel revolution extended beyond the characters and storylines to the way in which comic books engaged the readership and built a sense of community between fans and creators. Lee introduced the practice of including a credit panel on the splash page of each story, naming not just the writer and penciller but also the inker and letterer. Regular news about Marvel staff members and upcoming storylines was presented on the Bullpen Bulletins page, which (like the letter columns that appeared in each title) was written in a friendly, chatty style.
Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), the first appearance of Spider-Man. Cover art by Jack Kirby (penciller) & Steve Ditko (inker).
Throughout the 1960s, Lee scripted, art-directed, and edited most of Marvel's series; moderated the letters pages; wrote a monthly column called "Stan's Soapbox"; and wrote endless promotional copy, often signing off with his trademark phrase, " Excelsior! " (which is also the New York state motto). To maintain his taxing workload yet still meet deadlines, he used a system that was used previously by various comic-book studios, but due to Lee's success with it, became known as the " Marvel Method " or "Marvel style" of comic-book creation. Typically, Lee would brainstorm a story with the artist and then prepare a brief synopsis rather than a full script. Based on the synopsis, the artist would fill the allotted number of pages by determining and drawing the panel-to-panel storytelling. After the artist turned in penciled pages, Lee would write the word balloons and captions, and then oversee the lettering and coloring. In effect, the artists were co-plotters, whose collaborative first drafts Lee built upon.
Because of this system, the exact division of creative credits on Lee's comics has been disputed, especially in cases of comics drawn by Kirby and Ditko. Although Lee has always effusively praised the Marvel artists, some historians argue that their contribution was greater than for which they are given credit. The dispute with Ditko over Spider-Man has sometimes been acrimonious, although he and Lee are formally credited as co-creators in the credits of the 2000s Spider-Man films . Similarly, Lee shares co-creator credit with Kirby on the two Fantastic Four films.
Lee's superheroes captured the imagination of teens and young adults who were part of the population spike known as the post World War II baby boom. Sales soared and Lee realized that he could have a meaningful and successful career in the medium after all.
In 1971, Lee indirectly reformed the Comics Code . The US Department of Health, Education and Welfare asked Lee to write a story about the dangers of drugs and Lee wrote a story in which Spider-Man's best friend becomes addicted to pills. The three-part story was slated to be published in Amazing Spider-Man #96-98, but the Comics Code Authority refused it because it depicted drug use; the story context was considered irrelevant. With his publisher's approval, Lee published the comics without the CCA seal. The comics sold well and Marvel won praise for its socially conscious efforts. The CCA subsequently loosened the Code to permit negative depictions of drugs, among other new freedoms.
Lee also supported using comic books to provide some measure of social commentary about the real world, often dealing with racism and bigotry. "Stan's Soapbox," besides promoting an upcoming comic book project, also addressed issues of discrimination, intolerance or prejudice. In addition, Lee took to using sophisticated vocabulary for the stories' dialogue to encourage readers to learn new words. Lee has justified this by saying, "If a kid has to go to a dictionary, that's not the worst thing that could happen."
Later career
In later years, Lee became a figurehead and public face for Marvel Comics. He made appearances at comic book conventions around America, lecturing at colleges and participating in panel discussions, and by now owning a vacation home on Cutler Lane in Remsenburg, New York Lewine, The New York Times, Image 8 and, from 1975 to 1980, a two-bedroom condominium on the 14th floor of 220 East 63rd Street in Manhattan. Lewine, The New York Times, Image 10 He moved to California in 1981 to develop Marvel's TV and movie properties. He has been an executive producer for, and has made cameo appearances in Marvel film adaptations and other movies. He and his wife bought a home in West Hollywood, California previously owned by comedian Jack Benny's radio announcer, Don Wilson. Lewine, The New York Times, Image 11 Lee was briefly president of the entire company, but soon stepped down to become publisher instead, finding that being president was too much about numbers and finance and not enough about the creative process he enjoyed.
Lee befriended a former lawyer named Peter Paul, who supervised the negotiation of a non-exclusive contract with Marvel Comics for the first time in Lee's lifetime employment with Marvel. This enabled Paul and Lee to start a new Internet-based superhero creation, production and marketing studio, Stan Lee Media , in 1998. It grew to 165 people and went public, but near the end of 2000, investigators discovered illegal stock manipulation by Paul and corporate officer Stephan Gordon.SEC Litigation Release No. LR-18828, August 11, 2004. Stan Lee Media filed for bankruptcy in February 2001, and Paul fled to São Paulo, Brazil."Stan Lee Holder Peter Paul Flees to South America, According to Cohort's Affidavit", Inside.com, March 5, 2001"Accusations Against Peter Paul Retracted and Corrected in Court Filing", MarketWatch.com, May 7, 2001 He was extradited back to the U.S., and pled guilty to violating SEC Rule 10b-5 in connection with trading of his stock in Stan Lee Media.United States Attorney's Office, "Peter Paul, co-founder of Stan Lee Media, Inc., pleads guilty to securities fraud; Fraud scheme caused $25 million in losses to investors and financial institutions" , press release, March 8, 2005 . Lee was never implicated in the scheme.
Some of the Stan Lee Media projects included the animated Web series The 7th Portal where he voiced the character Izayus; The Drifter; and The Accuser. The 7th Portal characters were licensed to an interactive 3-D movie attraction in four Paramount theme parks.
In the 2000s, Lee did his first work for DC Comics, launching the Just Imagine series, in which Lee reimagined the DC superheroes Superman , Batman , Wonder Woman , Green Lantern and the Flash .
Lee created the risqué animated superhero series Stripperella for Spike TV. In 2004, he announced plans to collaborate with Hugh Hefner on a similar superhero cartoon featuring Playboy Playmates. He also announced a superhero program that would feature Ringo Starr, the former Beatle, as the lead character. Additionally, in August of that year, Lee announced the launch of Stan Lee's Sunday Comics, hosted by Komikwerks.com, where monthly subscribers could read a new, updated comic and "Stan's Soapbox" every Sunday. The column has not been updated since Feb. 15, 2005.
In 2005, Lee, Gill Champion and Arthur Lieberman formed POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment to develop film, television and video game properties. The first film produced by POW! was the TV movie Lightspeed (also advertised as Stan Lee's Lightspeed), which aired on the Sci Fi Channel on July 26, 2006.
In 2005, Lee filed a lawsuit against Marvel for his unpaid share of profits from Marvel movies, winning a settlement of more than $10 million.
In 2006, Marvel commemorated Lee's 65 years with the company by publishing a series of one-shot comics starring Lee himself meeting and interacting with many of his creations, including Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, The Thing, Silver Surfer and Dr. Doom. These comics also featured short pieces by such comics creators as Joss Whedon and Fred Hembeck , as well as reprints of classic Lee-written adventures.
In 2007, POW! Entertainment started a series of direct-to-DVD animated films under the Stan Lee Presents banner. Each film focuses on a new superhero, created by Stan Lee for the series. The first two releases were Mosaic and The Condor.
In June 2007, Walt Disney Studios entered into an exclusive multi-year first look deal with Stan Lee and POW! Entertainment. "It's like the realization of a dream. Ever since I was a young boy, Disney represented the best and most exciting film fare to me. ... I look forward with indescribable enthusiasm to being a part of that world and contributing whatever I can to keep the legend alive and growing," said Lee.
On March 15, 2007 , Stan Lee Media's new President Jim Nesfield filed a lawsuit against Marvel Entertainment for $5 billion, claiming that the company is co-owner of the characters that Lee created for Marvel.
On June 9, 2007 , Stan Lee Media sued Stan Lee, his newer company, POW Entertainment , subsidary QED Entertainment, and other former Stan Lee Media staff at POW.
Personal life
On December 5, 1947, Lee married Joan Clayton. Joan Lee gave birth to Stan's two daughters: Joan Celia "J.C." Lee in 1950 and Jan Lee, who died three days after delivery in 1953.
Interests
Lee's favorite authors include H. G. Wells , Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Harlan Ellison .Stan's Soapbox, Bullpen Bulletins, October 1998
Awards and honors
Lee has received several awards for his work, including being formally inducted into the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1995.
He is among the celebrities scheduled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008.
Fictional portrayals
| Stan Lee |
What famed science fiction writer, who celebrates an august birthday, is perhaps best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles? | Superhero - encyclopedia article - Citizendium
This editable Main Article is under development and not meant to be cited; by editing it you can help to improve it towards a future approved , citable version. These unapproved articles are subject to a disclaimer .
[ edit intro ]
The content on this page originated on Wikipedia and is yet to be significantly improved. Contributors are invited to replace and add material to make this an original article.
A superhero is a fictional character who is noted for feats of courage and nobility and who usually has a colorful name and costume and abilities beyond those of normal human beings. Since the definitive superhero, Superman , debuted in 1938, the stories of superheroes - ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas - have become an entire genre of fiction, one that has dominated American comic books and crossed over into other media.
By most definitions, characters need not have actual superhuman powers to be deemed superheroes, although sometimes terms such as costumed crimefighters [1] are used to refer to those without such powers who have many other common traits of superheroes.
Since the 1938 debut of Superman , the character who inspired the term superhero and did much to define it, the stories of superheroes — ranging from episodic adventures to decades-long sagas — have dominated American comic books and crossed over into several other forms of media.
Contents
10 References
Common traits
Extraordinary powers and abilities , relevant skills, and/or advanced equipment. Although superhero powers vary widely, superhuman strength, the ability to fly and enhancements of the five senses are all common. Some superheroes, such as Batman , The Question and Captain America , possess no superpowers but have mastered skills such as martial arts and forensic sciences . Others have special equipment, such as Iron Man ’s powered armor suits and Green Lantern ’s power ring .
A strong moral code, including a willingness to risk one’s own safety in the service of good without expectation of reward. Such a code often includes a refusal to kill .
A motivation, such as a sense of responsibility (e.g. Spider-Man ), a formal calling (e.g., Wonder Woman ), a personal vendetta against criminals (e.g., Punisher ), a strong belief in justice and humanitarian service (e.g. Superman ).
A secret identity that protects the superhero’s friends and family from becoming targets of his or her enemies (exceptions such as the Fantastic Four notwithstanding), although many superheroes have a confidant (usually a friend or relative who has been sworn to secrecy). Most superheroes use a descriptive or metaphoric code name for their public deeds.
A flamboyant and distinctive costume, often used to conceal the secret identity (see Common costume features ).
An underlying motif or theme that affects the hero's name, costume, personal effects, and other aspects of his or her character (e.g., Batman resembles a large bat , calls his specialized automobile, which also looks bat-like, the " Batmobile " and uses several devices given a "bat" prefix).
A trademark weapon , such as Wonder Woman’s " Lasso of Truth " or Captain America ’s shield .
A supporting cast of recurring characters, including the hero's friends, co-workers and/or love interests, who may or may not know of the superhero's secret identity. Often the hero's personal relationships are complicated by this dual life, a common theme in Spider-Man and Batman stories in particular.
A number of enemies that he/she fights repeatedly, including an archenemy who is more troubling than the others. Often a nemesis is a superhero's opposite or foil (e.g., Sabretooth embraces his savage instincts while Wolverine tries to control his).
Independent wealth (e.g., Batman or the X-Men 's benefactor Professor X ) or an occupation that allows for minimal supervision (e.g., Superman's civilian job as a reporter ).
A headquarters or base of operations, usually kept hidden from the general public (e.g., Superman's Fortress of Solitude , Batman's Batcave ).
An "origin story" that explains the circumstances by which the character acquired his or her abilities as well as his or her motivation for becoming a superhero. Many origin stories involve tragic elements and/or freak accidents that result in the development of the hero's abilities.
Most superheroes usually work independently. However, there are also many superhero teams. Some, such as the Fantastic Four and X-Men, have common origins and usually operate as a group. Others, such as DC Comics ’s Justice League and Marvel ’s Avengers , are "all-star" groups consisting of heroes of separate origins who also operate individually. The shared setting or "universes" of Marvel, DC and other publishers also allow for regular superhero team-ups.
Some superheroes, especially those introduced in the 1940s, work with a young sidekick (e.g., Batman and Robin , Captain America and Bucky ). This has become less common since more sophisticated writing and older audiences have made such obvious child endangerment seem implausible and lessened the need for characters who specifically appeal to child readers. Sidekicks are seen as a separate classification of superheroes.
Superheroes most often appear in comic books , and superhero stories are the dominant form of American comic books , to the point that the terms "superhero" and "comic book character" have been used synonymously in North America . With the rise in relative popularity of non-superhero comics, as well as the popularity of Japanese comics ( manga ), this trend is slowly declining . Superheroes have also been featured in radio serials , prose novels , TV series , movies , and other media. Most of the superheroes who appear in other media are adapted from comics, but there are exceptions.
Marvel Characters, Inc. and DC Comics share ownership of the United States trademark for the phrases "Super Hero" and "Super Heroes" and these two companies own a majority of the world’s most famous and influential superheroes. Of the "Significant Seven" chosen by The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History (1989), Marvel owns Spider-Man, Captain America, The Fantastic Four, The Hulk , and Iron Man and DC owns Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and Plastic Man . Although, like many non-Marvel characters popular during the 1940s, the latter two were acquired by DC from defunct publishers. [2] However, there have been significant heroes owned by others, especially since the 1990s when Image Comics and other companies that allowed creators to maintain trademark and editorial control over their characters developed. Hellboy , Spawn and Invincible are some of the most successful creator-owned heroes. Although superhero fiction is considered a form of fantasy / science fiction , it crosses into many genres. Many superhero franchises resemble crime fiction (Batman, Daredevil ), others horror fiction (Spawn, Spectre ) and others more standard science fiction (Green Lantern, X-Men). Many of the earliest superheroes, such as The Sandman and The Clock , were rooted in the pulp fiction of their predecessors.
Within their own fictional universes, public perception of superheroes varies greatly. Some, like Superman and the Fantastic Four, are adored and seen as important civic leaders. Others, like Batman and Spider-Man, meet with public skepticism or outright hostility. A few, such as the X-Men and the characters of Watchmen defend a populace that misunderstands and despises them.
Common costume features
A superhero's costume helps make him or her recognizable to the general public. Costumes are often colorful to enhance the character's visual appeal and frequently incorporate the superhero's name and theme. For example, Daredevil resembles a red devil , Captain America 's costume echoes the American flag and Spider-Man 's costume features a web pattern. The convention of superheroes wearing masks and skintight unitards originated with Lee Falk 's comic strip crimefighter The Phantom . Many features of superhero costumes recur frequently, including the following:
Superheroes who maintain a secret identity often wear a mask , ranging from the domino masks of Green Lantern and Ms. Marvel to the full-face masks of Spider-Man and Black Panther . Most common are masks covering the upper face, leaving the mouth and jaw exposed. This allows for both a believable disguise and recognizable facial expressions.
A symbol, such as a stylized letter or visual icon, usually on the chest. Perhaps the most recognizable are uppercase "S" of Superman and the bat emblem of Batman .
Form-fitting clothing, often referred to as tights or spandex , although the exact material is usually not identified. Such material displays a character’s athletic build and heroic sex appeal and allows a simple design for illustrators to reproduce.
While a vast majority of superheroes do not wear capes , the garment is still closely associated with them, likely due to the fact that two of the most widely-recognized, Batman and Superman, wear capes. In fact, police officers in Batman’s home of Gotham City have used the word "cape" as a shorthand for all superheroes and costumed crimefighters. The comic book series Watchmen and the animated movie The Incredibles humorously commented on the sometimes-lethal impracticality of capes.In Marvel Comics The term "cape killer" has been used to describe anti-superhuman conventional forces.
While most superhero costumes merely hide the hero’s identity and present a recognizable image, parts of some costumes have functional uses. Batman's utility belt and Spawn ’s " necroplasmic armor" have both been of great assistance to the heroes. Iron Man's armor , in particular, protects him and provides technological advantages.
When thematically appropriate, some superheroes dress like people from various professions or subcultures. Zatanna , who possesses wizard -like powers, dresses like a magician , and Ghost Rider , who rides a superpowered motorcycle , dresses in the leather garb of a biker .
Several heroes of the 1990s, including Cable and many Image Comics characters, rejected the traditional superhero outfit for costumes that appeared more practical and militaristic. Shoulder pads, kevlar -like vests, metal-plated armor, knee and elbow pads, heavy-duty belts, and ammunition pouches were common features.
Superheroes outside the United States
There have been successful superheroes in other countries most of whom share the conventions of the American model. Examples include Cybersix from Argentina , Captain Canuck from Canada and the heroes of AK Comics from Egypt . Japan is the only country that nears the US in output of superheroes. The earlier of these wore scarves either in addition to or as a substitute for capes and many wear helmets instead of masks . Ultraman , Kamen Rider , Super Sentai , Metal Heroes and Kikaider have become popular in Japanese tokusatsu live-action shows, and Science Ninja Team Gatchaman , Casshan , The Guyver , and Sailor Moon are staples of Japanese anime and manga . However, most Japanese superheroes are shorter-lived. While American entertainment companies update and reinvent superheroes, hoping to keep them popular for decades, Japanese companies retire and introduce superheroes more quickly, usually on an annual basis, in order to shorten merchandise lines. Japanese superhero franchises are also more closely connected to general Japanese science fiction/fantasy, containing more complex technological and mystical ideas than most American superhero stories. They also more often feature more lethal violence on the part of the hero. In addition, Japanese manga often targets female readers, unlike U.S. comics, and has created such varieties as " magical girl " which is aimed at a female audience. [see also Henshin ]
In 1947, Filipino writer/cartoonist Mars Ravelo introduced the first Asian superheroine, Darna , a young Filipina country girl who found a mystic talisman-pebble from another planet that allows her to transform into an adult warrior-woman. She was the first solo superheroine in the world to get her own feature-length motion picture in 1951 and has become a cultural institution in the Philippines.
British superheroes began appearing in the Golden Age shortly after the first American heroes became popular in the UK . [3] Most original British heroes were confined to anthology comics magazines such as Lion , Valiant , Warrior , and 2000AD . Marvelman , known as Miracleman in North America , is probably the most well known original British superhero (although he was based heavily on Captain Marvel ). Popular in the 1960s, British readers grew fond of him and contemporary UK comics writers Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman have revived Marvelman in series that display a jaundiced and cynical slant on heroism, an attitude prevalent in newer British heroes, such as Zenith .
In France , where comics are known as Bande Dessinée , literally drawn strip, and regarded as a proper art form, Editions Lug began translating and publishing Marvel comic books in anthology magazines in 1969. Soon Lug started presenting its own heroes alongside Marvel stories. Some closely modeled their U.S. counterparts, while others indulged in weirder attributes, such as the shape-changing alien Wampus . Many were short-lived, while others rivaled their inspirations in longevity and are now the subject of reprints and revivals.
In India , Raj Comics , founded in 1984, owns a number of superheroes, such as Nagraj , Doga and Super Commando Dhruva , that, while somewhat akin to Western superheroes, carry Hindu ideas of morality and incorporate Indian myths .
See also: Manga , Komiks , Canadian comics , and History of the British comic
Types of superheroes
In superhero role-playing games , such as Hero Games ' Champions , Green Ronin Publishing 's Mutants and Masterminds or Cryptic Studios ' online Massively Multiplayer game City Of Heroes , superheroes are informally organized into categories or archetypes based on their skills and abilities. Since comic book and role-playing fandom overlap, these labels have carried over into discussions of superheroes outside the context of games:
Armored Hero: A gadgeteer whose powers are derived from a suit of powered armor , e.g. Iron Man , Steel .
Blaster: A hero whose main power is a distance attack, usually an " energy blast " e.g., Cyclops , Starfire , Static .
Brick/Tank: A character with a superhuman degree of strength and endurance and usually an oversized, muscular body, e.g., Robotman , Hercules , The Thing , The Hulk , Colossus , and Savage Dragon . Almost every superhero team has one member of this variety, a fact X-Factor 's Guido Carosella noted when he took the codename "Strong Guy" at a reporter's suggestion that that was his role in the team.
Dominus: A hero who controls a giant robot , a subtype common in Japanese superhero and science fiction media, e.g. Megas XLR , Big Guy , the Power Rangers . S.T.R.I.P.E. from the series Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. is a good example of an American comics Dominus.
Elementalist: A hero who controls some natural element or part of the natural world, e.g., Storm (weather), Polaris (magnetism), the Human Torch (fire).
Gadgeteer: A hero who invents special equipment that often imitates superpowers, e.g., Forge , Nite Owl .
Mage: A hero who is trained in the use of magic e.g., Doctor Strange , Zatanna , most Magical Girls.
Speedster : A hero possessing superhuman speed and reflexes, e.g., The Flash , Quicksilver .
These categories often overlap. For instance, Batman is both a skilled martial artist and gadgeteer and Hellboy has the strength and durability of a brick and the mystic arts abilities of a mage. Very powerful characters, such as Superman , Captain Marvel , Dr. Manhattan and the Silver Surfer can be listed in many categories.
See also: List of comic book superpowers
Character examples
While the typical superhero is described above, a vast array of superhero characters have been created and many break the usual pattern:
Wolverine has shown a willingness to kill and behave anti-socially. He belongs to an underclass of morally ambivalent anti-heroes who are coarser and more violent than classic superheroes, which often puts the two groups at odds. Others include Green Arrow , Black Canary , Blade and, in some incarnations, Batman . Namor, the Sub-Mariner is the earliest example of this archetype, originally appearing in 1939. Some, such as Wolverine and Daredevil , are often repentant about their actions, while others, such as The Punisher and Rorschach , are unapologetic.
Some superheroes have been created and employed by national governments to serve their interests and defend the nation. Captain America was outfitted by and worked for the United States Army during World War II and Alpha Flight is a superhero team formed and usually managed by an arm of the Canadian Department of National Defence . The Ultimates , in particular, work directly under the U.S. government and are used as a metaphor for U.S. military and political power. The Savage Dragon is virtually unique in that he began his superhero career as police officer, rather than a costumed vigilante.
Many superheroes have never had a secret identity , such as Luke Cage or the members of The Fantastic Four . Others who once had secret identities, such as Captain America and Steel , later made their identities public. The third Flash is a rare example of a "public" superhero who regained his secret identity.
The Hulk is usually defined as a superhero, but he has a Jekyll/Hyde relationship with his alter ego. When enraged, scientist Bruce Banner becomes the super-strong Hulk, a creature of little intelligence and self-control. His actions have often either inadvertently or deliberately caused great destruction. As a result, he has been hunted by the military and other superheroes.
While most superheroes traditionally gained their abilities through accidents of science, magical means or rigorous training, the X-Men and related characters are genetic mutants whose abilities naturally manifest at puberty . Mutants more often have difficulty controlling their powers than other superheroes and are persecuted as a group.
Some superhero identities have been used by more than one person. A character (often a close associate or family member) takes on another's name and mission after the original dies, retires or takes on a new identity. The Flash , Blue Beetle and Robin are notable mantles that have passed from one character to another. Green Lantern is a standard title for the thousands of members of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps and several individuals have been the Green Lantern of Earth. The Phantom and the Black Panther both adopted personas and missions that have lasted several generations.
Because the superhero is such an outlandish and recognizable character type, several comedic heroes have been introduced, including The Tick , The Flaming Carrot , The Great Lakes Avengers , Herbie Popnecker , The Powerpuff Girls and The Simpsons ’ Radioactive Man . Early, Harvey Kurtzman -edited issues of Mad Magazine featured several parodies of superheroes and count as some of the first satiric treatments of this subject matter.
Trademark status
Most dictionary definitions [4] and common usages of the term are generic and not limited to the characters of any particular company or companies. However, the terms "Super Hero," and "Super Heroes," have been jointly trademarked by DC Comics and Marvel Comics (U.S. Trademark Serial Nos. 72243225 and 73222079).
According to former Mego Toys CEO Marty Abrams , the company owned toy licenses for both Marvel and DC characters in the early 1970s and released dolls in a series called "World's Greatest Superheroes", in packaging that stated "Superhero is a trademark of Mego". Both Marvel and DC objected, as they had used the term for decades. Mego sold its alleged trademark to both companies for one dollar apiece.
Marvel and DC have maintained the trademark since. Others have sometimes used "super-hero," with a hyphen, as a spelling covering all such heroes. In March 2006, DC and Marvel attempted to register "super-hero" as well.
America's Best Comics , originally an imprint of Wildstorm , used the term science hero , coined by Alan Moore .
Warren Ellis has suggested that the term "underwear perverts" may be applied to superheros; Cory Doctorow and other bloggers at boingboing frequently use the term as a way to point out what they see as Marvel and D.C.'s unreasonable trademark. [5]
History of superheroes in comic books
Antecedents
The origins of superheroes can be found in several prior forms of fiction, dating to at least the superhuman exploits of the warrior-king Gilgamesh in the Babylonian epic poem " Epic of Gilgamesh ". Many share traits with with more historically recent protagonists of Victorian literature , such as The Scarlet Pimpernel and Sherlock Holmes . Penny dreadfuls , dime novels and other popular fiction of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries featured mysterious, swashbuckling heroes with distinct costumes, secret identities and altruistic missions. These include Zorro , the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh and Spring Heeled Jack , who first emerged as an urban legend . Likewise, John Carter of Mars and Tarzan were heroes with unusual abilities who fought larger-than-life foes.
Pulp magazine crime fighters, such as Doc Savage , The Shadow and The Spider , and comic strip characters, such as Hugo Hercules , Popeye and The Phantom were later, more direct influences. Many historians consider the first appearance of Superman the point at which superhero literature began.
Golden Age
For more information, see: Golden Age of Comic Books .
In 1938, writer Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster , who had previously worked in pulp science fiction magazines, introduced Superman . The character possessed many of the traits that have come to define the superhero: a secret identity , superhuman powers and a colorful costume including a symbol and cape. His name is also the source of the term "superhero," although early comic book heroes were sometimes also called "mystery men" or "masked heroes".
DC Comics , which published under the names National and All-American at the time, received an overwhelming response to Superman and, in the years that followed, introduced Batman , Wonder Woman , Green Lantern , The Flash , Hawkman , Aquaman and Green Arrow . The first team of superheroes was DC's Justice Society of America , featuring most of the aforementioned characters. Although DC dominated the superhero market at this time, companies large and small created hundreds of superheroes. The Human Torch and Sub-Mariner from Marvel Comics (then called Timely Comics ) and Plastic Man and Phantom Lady from Quality Comics were also hits. Will Eisner 's The Spirit , featured in a comic strip , would become a considerable artistic inspiration to later comic book creators. The era's most popular superhero, however, was Fawcett Comics ' Captain Marvel , whose exploits regularly outsold those of Superman during the 1940s. During World War II , superheroes grew in popularity, surviving paper rationing and the loss of many writers and illustrators to service in the armed forces. The need for simple tales of good triumphing over evil may explain the wartime popularity of superheroes. Publishers responded with stories in which superheroes battled the Axis Powers and the patriotically themed superheroes, most notably Marvel's Captain America .
After the war, superheroes lost popularity. This led to the rise of genre fiction , particularly horror and crime . The lurid nature of these genres sparked a moral crusade in which comics were blamed for juvenile delinquency . The movement was spearheaded by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham , who famously argued that "deviant" sexual undertones ran rampant in superhero comics. [6]
In response, the comic book industry adopted the stringent Comics Code . By the mid-1950s, only Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman retained a sliver of their prior popularity, although effort towards complete inoffensiveness led to stories that many consider silly, especially by modern standards. This ended what historians have called the Golden Age of comic books .
Silver Age
For more information, see: Silver Age of Comic Books .
In the 1950s, DC Comics , under the editorship of Julius Schwartz , recreated many popular 1940s heroes, launching an era later deemed the Silver Age of comic books . The Flash , Green Lantern , Hawkman and several others were recreated with new origin stories. While past superheroes resembled mythological heroes in their origins and abilities, these heroes were inspired by contemporary science fiction . In 1960, DC banded its most popular heroes together in the Justice League of America , which became a sales phenomenon.
Empowered by the return of the superhero at DC, Marvel Comics editor/writer Stan Lee and the artists/co-writers Jack Kirby , Steve Ditko and Bill Everett launched a new line of superhero comic books, beginning with The Fantastic Four in 1961 and continuing with the Incredible Hulk Spider-Man , Iron Man , Thor , the X-Men , and Daredevil . These comics continued DC’s use of science fiction concepts ( radiation was a common source of superpowers) but placed greater emphasis on personal conflict and character development. This led to many superheroes that differed from predecessors with more dramatic potential. For example, the Fantastic Four were a superhero family of sorts, who squabbled and even held some unresolved acrimony towards one another and Spider-Man was a teenager who struggled to earn money and maintain his social life in addition to his costumed exploits.
While the superhero form underwent a revival, the rise of television as the top medium for light entertainment and the effects of Comics Code Authority obliterated genres such as westerns , romance , horror , war and crime . In the coming decades, non-superhero comics series would occasionally rise to popularity but superheroes and comic books would be forever intertwined in the eyes of the American public.
Deconstruction of the superhero
In the 1970s, DC Comics paired Green Arrow with Green Lantern in a ground-breaking, socially conscious series. Writer Dennis O'Neil portrayed Green Arrow as an angry, street-smart populist and Green Lantern as good-natured but short-sighted authority figure. This is the first instance in which superheroes were classified into two distinct groups, the "classic" superhero and the more brazen anti-hero . In the 1970s, DC returned Batman to his roots as a dubious vigilante and Marvel introduced several popular anti-heroes, including The Punisher , Wolverine , and writer/artist Frank Miller 's dark version of the longtime hero Daredevil . Batman, The Punisher, and Daredevil were driven by the crime-related deaths of family members and continual exposure to slum life, while X-Men 's Wolverine was tormented by barely controllable savage instincts. The trend was taken to a higher level in the 1986 miniseries Watchmen by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons , which was published by DC but took place outside the " DC Universe " with new characters. The superheroes of Watchmen were emotionally unsatisfied, psychologically withdrawn, sexually confused, and even sociopathic .
Another story, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1985-1986) continued Batman’s renovation/reinterpretation. This miniseries, written and illustrated by Frank Miller, featured a Batman from an alternate/non-continuity future returning from retirement. The series portrayed the hero as an obsessed vigilante, necessarily at odds with official social authority figures, illustrated both by the relationship between Batman and retiring police commissioner James Gordon, and by the symbolic slugfest between the Dark Knight and Superman , now an agent/secret weapon of the U.S government. Both Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns were acclaimed for their artistic ambitiousness and psychological depth, and became watershed series.
Miller continued his seminal treatment of the Batman character with 1987's Batman: Year One (Batman issues #404-407) and 2001's The Dark Knight Strikes Again (also known as DK2). DK2, the long-awaited follow-up to Dark Knight Returns, contrasts the traditional superhero-crimefighter character with the more politically conscious characters that evolved during the 1990s (perhaps epitomized by The Authority and Planetary, both written by British author Warren Ellis). In DK2, Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor is the power behind the throne, controlling a tyrannical American government, as well as Superman himself. Superman's submission to Luthor's twisted power structure, in the name of saving lives is contrasted with Batman's determined attack against the corrupted institutions of government; the message is that crime can occur at all levels of society, and the heroes are responsible for fighting both symptoms and causes of societal dysfunction and corruption.
Struggles of the 1990s
By the early 1990s, anti-heroes had become the rule rather than the exception, as The Punisher , Wolverine and the grimmer Batman became popular and marketable characters. Anti-heroes such as the X-Men ’s Gambit and Bishop , X-Force 's Cable and the Spider-Man adversary Venom became some of the most popular new characters of the early 1990s. This was a financial boom time for the industry when a new character could become well-known quickly and, according to many fans, stylistic flair eclipsed character development. In 1992, Marvel illustrators Todd McFarlane , Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld — all of whom helped popularize anti-heroes in the Spider-Man and X-Men franchises — left Marvel to form Image Comics . Image changed the comic book industry as a haven for creator-owned characters and the first significant challenger to Marvel and DC in thirty years. Image superhero teams, such as Lee’s WildC.A.Ts and Gen¹³ , and Liefeld’s Youngblood , were instant hits but were criticized as over-muscled, over-sexualized, excessively violent, and lacking in unique personality. McFarlane's occult hero Spawn fared somewhat better in critical respect and long-term sales.
In this decade, Marvel and DC made drastic temporary changes to iconic characters. DC's " Death of Superman " story arc across numerous Superman titles found the hero killed and resurrected, while Batman was physically crippled in the " KnightFall " storyline. At Marvel, a clone of Spider-Man vied with the original for over a year of stories across several series. All eventually returned to the status quo.
Throughout the 1990s, several creators deviated from the trends of violent anti-heroes and sensational, large-scale storylines. Painter Alex Ross , writer Kurt Busiek and Alan Moore himself tried to "reconstruct" the superhero form. Acclaimed titles such as Busiek's, Ross' and Brent Anderson 's Astro City and Moore's Tom Strong combined artistic sophistication and idealism into a super heroic version of retro-futurism . Ross also painted two widely acclaimed mini-series , Marvels (written by Busiek) for Marvel Comics and Kingdom Come for DC, which examined the classic superhero in a more literary context, as well as satirizing antiheroes. Magog , Superman’s rival in Kingdom Come was partially modeled after Cable.
Reception
Almost since the inception of the superhero in comic books, the concept has come under fire from critics. Most famously, the psychiatrist Fredric Wertham ’s Seduction of the Innocent (1954) alleged that sexual subtext existed in superhero comics, and included the infamous accusations that Batman and Robin were gay and Wonder Woman encouraged female dominance fetishes and lesbianism .
Writer Ariel Dorfman has criticized alleged class biases in many superhero narratives in several of his books, including The Emperor's Old Clothes: What the Lone Ranger, Babar, and Other Innocent Heroes Do to Our Mind (1980). Contemporary critics seem to be more focused on the history and evolving nature of the superhero concept, as in Peter Coogan 's Superhero: The Secret Origin of a Genre (2006).
The idea of the superhero has also been explored in several well-received contemporary graphic novels . Daniel Clowes ' "The Death Ray" (2004) examines the idea of the superhero as a non-costumed delusional misanthrope and serial killer and Chris Ware 's Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth (2000) reimagines the Superman archetype as a mercurial god -like figure.
Growth in diversity
For the first two decades of their existence in comic books, superheroes largely conformed to the model of lead characters in American popular fiction of the time, with the typical superhero a white, middle- to upper- class, heterosexual, professional, 20-to-30-year-old male. A majority of superheroes still fit this description as of 2007, but beginning in the 1960s many characters have broken the mold.
Superheroines
See also: List of superheroines
The first known female superhero is writer-artist Fletcher Hanks 's minor character Fantomah , [7] an ageless, ancient Egyptian woman in the modern day who could transform into a skull-faced creature with superpowers to fight evil; she debuted in Fiction House 's Jungle Comics #2 (Feb. 1940), credited to the pseudonymous "Barclay Flagg".
Another seminal superheroine is Invisible Scarlet O'Neil , a non-costumed character who fought crime and wartime saboteurs using the superpower of invisibility; she debuted in the eponymous syndicated newspaper comic strip by Russell Stamm on June 3, 1940. A superpowered female antihero , the Black Widow — a costumed emissary of Satan who killed evildoers in order to send them to Hell — debuted in Mystic Comics #4 (Aug. 1940), from Timely Comics , the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics .
Though non-superpowered, like the Phantom and Batman, the earliest female costumed crimefighters are The Woman in Red , [8] introduced in Standard Comics ' Thrilling Comics #2 (March 1940); Lady Luck , debuting in the Sunday- newspaper comic-book insert The Spirit Section June 2, 1940; Miss Fury , [9] debuting in the eponymous comic strip by female cartoonist Tarpé Mills on April 6, 1941; the Phantom Lady , introduced in Quality Comics Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941); and the Black Cat , [10] introduced in Harvey Comics ' Pocket Comics #1 (also Aug. 1941). The superpowered Nelvana of the Northern Lights debuted in Canadian publisher Hillborough Studio's Triumph-Adventure Comics #1 (Aug. 1941).
The first widely recognizable female superhero is Wonder Woman , from All-American Publications , one of three companies that would merge to form DC Comics . Co-created by psychologist William Moulton Marston and his wife Elizabeth , she debuted in All Star Comics #8 (Jan. 1942).
Starting in the late 1950s, DC introduced Hawkgirl , Supergirl , Batwoman and later Batgirl , all female versions of prominent male superheroes. Batgirl would eventually shed her "bat" persona and become Oracle , the premiere information broker of the DC superhero community and leader of the superheroine team Birds of Prey In addition, the company introduced Zatanna and a second Black Canary and had several female supporting characters that were successful professionals, such as the Atom 's love-interest, attorney Jean Loring .
As with DC's superhero team the Justice League of America , with included Wonder Woman, the Marvel Comics teams of the early 1960s usually included at least one female, such as the Fantastic Four 's Invisible Girl , the X-Men 's Marvel Girl and the Avengers ' Wasp and later Scarlet Witch . In the wake of second-wave feminism , the Invisible Girl became the more confident and assertive Invisible Woman, and Marvel Girl became the hugely powerful destructive force called Phoenix.
In subsequent decades, Elektra , Catwoman , Witchblade , and Spider-Girl became stars of popular series. The series Uncanny X-Men and its related superhero-team titles included many females in vital roles. [11]
The idealized physiques of female superheroes have led to accusations of sexism . [12] [13]
Non-Caucasian characters
In the late 1960s, superheroes of other racial groups began to appear. In 1966, Marvel Comics introduced the Black Panther , an African king who became the first non- caricatured black superhero. The first African-American superhero, the Falcon , followed in 1969, and three years later, Luke Cage , a self-styled "hero-for-hire", became the first black superhero to star in his own series. In 1971, Red Wolf became the first Native American in the superheroic tradition to headline a series. [14] In 1974, Shang Chi , a martial artist , became the first prominent Asian hero to star in an American comic book. ( Asian-American FBI agent Jimmy Woo had starred in a short-lived 1950s series named after " yellow peril " antagonist , Yellow Claw .)
Comic-book companies were in the early stages of cultural expansion and many of these characters played to specific stereotypes ; Cage often employed lingo similar to that of blaxploitation films, Native Americans were often associated with wild animals and Asians were often portrayed as martial artists.
Subsequent minority heroes, such as the X-Men 's Storm (the first black superheroine) and The Teen Titans ' Cyborg avoided the patronizing nature of the earlier characters. Storm and Cyborg were both part of superhero teams, which became increasingly diverse in subsequent years. The X-Men, in the particular, were revived in 1975 with a line-up of characters culled from several different nations, including the Kenyan Storm, German Nightcrawler , Russian Colossus and Canadian Wolverine . Diversity in both ethnicity and national origin would be an important part of subsequent X-Men-related groups, as well as series that attempted to mimic the X-Men’s success. In the modern age, minority headliners are still rare but almost all teams feature at least a few minority characters.
In 1993, Milestone Comics , an African-American -owned imprint of DC, introduced a line of series that included characters of many ethnic minorities, including several black headliners. The imprint lasted four years, during which it introduced Static , a character adapted into the WB Network animated series Static Shock .
In addition to the creation of new minority heroes, publishers have filled the roles of once-Caucasian heroes with minorities. The best known example is perhaps John Stewart who debuted in 1971 in the socially conscious series Green Lantern / Green Arrow . Stewart was a black and somewhat belligerent architect who Green Lantern’s alien benefactors chose as Hal Jordan ’s standby, an idea that initially discomforted Jordan and was meant to discomfort some readers. In the 1980s , Stewart became the Green Lantern permanently, making him the first black person to take the mantle of a classic superhero. The creators of the 2000s-era Justice League animated series selected Stewart as the show’s Green Lantern, boosting his profile.
DC has recently passed some other long-established superhero mantles to ethnic minorities. These include the new Firestorm (an African-American), Atom (an Asian) and Blue Beetle (a Latino ). Alternatively, Marvel Comics revealed in an acclaimed 2003 limited series that the " Supersoldier serum" that empowered Captain America was first tested on an African American .
See also: List of black superheroes
Religious minorities
The religious attitudes of superheroes are rarely discussed. Generally characters' religious backgrounds are common to their regional origins, e.g. the Midwestern Superman is a Methodist , the English Captain Britain is an Anglican and the Kenyan Storm practices a vaguely defined African religion —although, like a majority of superheroes, they are rarely seen practicing.
A few superheroes, however, proudly show themselves as members of minority faiths in their nations of origin. The X-Men ’s Shadowcat was one of the first recognizably Jewish superheroes, followed by the Justice League ’s Atom Smasher . The Legion of Superheroes' Colossal Boy wears a Star of David and his mother was prime minister of Israel. The Fantastic Four 's Thing was raised Jewish as well. Daredevil , Nightcrawler and Hellboy are all practicing Catholics , contrasting the demonic attributes or appearances of each. The first Captain Canuck was a Mormon and Wolverine practices Buddhist meditation .
Dust , an X-Men trainee is a devout Sunni Muslim raised in Afghanistan and conflict between her religion and new setting has been explored.
Non-heterosexual characters
See also: LGBT comic book characters
In 1992, Marvel revealed that Northstar , a member of Alpha Flight , was homosexual , after years of implication. [15] This ended a long-standing editorial mandate that there would be no gay characters in Marvel comics. [16] Although some secondary characters in DC Comics ' mature-audience miniseries Watchmen were gay, Northstar was the first openly gay superhero. Other gay superheroes have since emerged, such as Gen¹³ 's Rainmaker , and The Authority 's gay couple Apollo and Midnighter .
In the mid-2000s, some characters were revealed gay in two Marvel titles: The Ultimate Marvel incarnation of the X-Men ’s Colossus and Wiccan and Hulkling of the superhero group Young Avengers . In 2006, a new incarnation of Batwoman was introduced as a " lipstick lesbian " to some media attention. [17] [18]
In other media
For more information, see: Superhero film .
Superhero films began as Saturday movie serials aimed at children during the 1940s. The decline of these serials meant the death of superhero films until the release of 1978‘s Superman which was a tremendous success. Several sequels followed in the 1980s. A popular Batman series lasted from 1989 until 1997. These franchises were initially successful but later sequels in both series fared poorly, stunting the growth of superhero films for a time. In the early 2000s, blockbusters such as 2000’s X-Men , 2002’s Spider-Man , and 2005's Batman Begins have led to dozens of superhero films. The improvements in special effects technology and more sophisticated writing that both respects and emulates the spirit of the comic books has drawn in mainstream audiences and caused critics to take superhero films more seriously.
Live-action television series
File:Ferrigno as Hulk.jpg
Lou Ferrigno in the 1978 episode "Married"
Several popular but, by modern standards, campy live action superhero programs aired from the early 1950s until the late 1970s. These included Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves , the psychedelic-colored Batman series of the 1960s starring Adam West and Burt Ward and CBS ’s Wonder Woman series of the 1970s starring Lynda Carter . The popular Incredible Hulk of the late 1970s and early 1980s, however, had a more somber tone.
In the 1990s, the syndicated children's program Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , adapted from the Japanese Super Sentai , became exceptionally popular. Other shows targeting teenage and young adult audiences that decade included Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman , and Buffy the Vampire Slayer . In 2001, Smallville retooled Superman 's origin as a teen drama. The 2006 NBC series Heroes tells the story of several people who "thought they were like everyone else, until they woke with incredible abilities".
In Japan, superhero TV series are rather common. See Tokusatsu .
Animation
For more information, see: Superheroes in Animation .
In the 1940s , Fleischer / Famous Studios produced a number of groundbreaking Superman cartoons, which became the first examples of superheroes in animation .
Since the 1960s , superhero cartoons have been a staple of children’s television, particularly in the U.S. . However, by the early 1980s, US broadcasting restrictions on violence in children’s entertainment led to series that were extremely tame, a trend exemplified by the series Super Friends . Meanwhile, Japan's anime industry successfully contributed to the genre with their own style of superhero series, most notably Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.
In the 1990s , Batman: The Animated Series and X-Men led the way for series that displayed advanced animation, mature writing and respect for the comic books on which they were based. This trend continues with Cartoon Network ’s successful adaptation of DC's Justice League and Teen Titans .
The comics superheroes mythos itself received a nostalgic treatment in the acclaimed 2004 Disney / Pixar release The Incredibles , which utilized computer animation . Original superheroes with basis in older trends have also been made for television, such as Cartoon Network 's Ben 10 and Nickelodeon 's Danny Phantom .
Radio
In the late 1930s and throughout the 1940s, Superman was one of the most popular radio serials in the United States . Along with The Green Hornet and The Shadow , the series helped popularize superheroes during their earliest years. By the early 1950s, the rise of television ended radio serials, including superhero shows.
Prose
Adaptations
Popular superheroes have occasionally been adapted into prose fiction, starting with the 1942 novel Superman by George Lowther . Elliot S! Maggin also wrote two popular Superman novels, Last Son of Krypton and Miracle Monday , in the 1970s.
The Phantom also has an extensive history in prose format, starting with 1943's Son of the Phantom. In 1972, Avon Books started a 15-installment series of Phantom novels, written by people like creator Lee Falk and Ron Goulart . Moonstone Books recently announced it would release two collections of Phantom short stories.
Juvenile novels featuring Batman , Spider-Man , the X-Men , and the Justice League have also been published, often marketed in association with popular TV series.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Marvel and DC released novels based on important stories from their comics, such as The Death of Superman and the year-long Batman: No Man’s Land .
Original characters
The 1930 novel Gladiator , by Philip Gordon Wylie featured a man granted super-strength and durability through prenatal chemical experimentation. He tries to use his abilities for good but soon becomes disillusioned, making him an early example of both the superhero and its latter day deconstruction. DC Comics' Superman is commonly thought to be based partially on the novel. [2]
Robert Mayer 's 1977 Superfolks tells of a retired hero who has married and moved to the suburbs being drawn back into action. It was a precursor of efforts to 'deconstruct' superheroes, and was a direct influence on writers Alan Moore and Kurt Busiek ; its most recent edition carries an introduction by Grant Morrison .
The Wild Cards books, created and edited by George R. R. Martin launched in 1987, were a non-comic book-based science fiction series that dealt with super-powered heroes. The characters in the series follow many of the superhero archetypes.
Science fiction author Michael Bishop parodied superheroes in his 1992 novel Count Geiger's Blues in which a pop culture -hating art critic plunges into a pool of toxic waste and transforms into a costumed superhero and gains an allergy to high art.
Novels
Superheroes have also appeared in many novels, including adaptations of such story lines as The Death of Superman and Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane. The most famous novel to deal with superheroes is the Pulitizer Prize winner The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon . It focuses in on the early history of the comic book industry and the creation of superheroes The Escapist and Luna Moth by two New York Jewish boys, Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay.
Computer games
While many popular superheroes have been featured in licensed computer games, up until recently there have been few that have revolved around heroes created specifically for the game. This has changed due to two popular franchises: The Silver Age -inspired Freedom Force (2002) and City of Heroes (2004), a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game , both of which allow players to create their own superheroes.
Internet
In the 80s and 90s , the Internet allowed a worldwide community of fans and amateur writers to bring their own superhero creations to a global audience. The first original major shared superhero universe to develop on the Internet was Superguy , which first appeared on a UMNEWS mailing list in 1989. In 1992, a cascade on the USENET newsgroup rec.arts.comics would give birth to the The Legion of Net.Heroes shared universe. In 1994, LNH writers contributed to the creation of the newsgroup rec.arts.comics.creative , which spawned a number of original superhero shared universes. The Internet has also helped in distributing superhero fan fiction to a large audience.
The World Wide Web has also given writers and artists the ability to display webcomics and webanimation of their superhero creations. Original works of superhero prose, comics, or animation can be posted cheaply on the Internet, giving creators a new canvas in which to tell superhero stories. With the freedom of community-based sites such as YouTube and Google Video, it has been possible to create new superheros with modest followings and cult status, with some popular characters being viewed thousands of times a week.
References
| i don't know |
Which herb is usually used as the main ingredient in traditional pesto? | Ratio of Fresh Herbs to Dry Herbs | Martha Stewart
Ratio of Fresh Herbs to Dry Herbs
Watch The Video
Martha talks about her GE Dream Kitchen Contest and the ratio of fresh to dried herbs.
1.8 k Shares
Comment Twitter Google+
The Martha Stewart Show, January 2007
When cooking with fresh and dry herbs, there is a general rule when it comes to the ratio of fresh to dry. Because dried herbs are generally more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you'll need less -- typically three times the amount of fresh herbs as dry. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, you need only 1 teaspoon of dried, since 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon.
Storing Herbs
Fresh-cut herbs can be wrapped in a paper towel, stored in resealable plastic bags, and then put into the refrigerator. Dried herbs should be stored out of the light and in a cool, dry place. Keep an eye on how long your herbs have been open -- if they've been open for too long, they'll smell and taste less potent.
Common Herbs and How They're Used
Rosemary
The sprigs of this Mediterannean herb are known for thier woody fragrance and are great when used on meats -- especially barbecued meats. In fact, their fragrance is so appealing that you can hold rosemary sprigs over burning coals on your barbecue to infuse your meats with their distinct flavor. In addition to being a tasty addition to a meal, rosemary also has antifungal, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, so they can be natural healers, too. And, of course, because they grow in a very structural way, they can be pruned into decorative rosemary topiaries . Some of our favorite recipes that include rosemary are Rosemary Meatballs , Rosemary Potatoes , and Rosemary Bread .
Oregano
Another herb that goes well with red meats -- and fish -- oregano is often used in Italian recipes. Though often used in the dry form, oregano can (and should) be used in fresh form too, and is readily available. The flavor is gentle but the fragrance is distinct. Like rosemary, oregano has antiviral, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. Some of our favorite recipes that use oregano are Snapper with Oregano , Pizza with Anchovies, Red Onion, and Oregano , and Clams Casino Crostini .
Bay Leaves
Bay leaves are often used whole in soups, stews, and sauces. They have a dark, floral scent and should be used sparingly, as their flavor goes a long way. For this reason they're often used in curries, too. Another great use for bay leaves? To ward off bugs in your pantry. Dried bay leaves wil keep pests at bay. Some of our favorite recipes using bay leaves are Prime Rib and Oven-Roasted Potatoes with Bay Leaves and Sage , Herb-Infused Potatoes , and in an Herb Sachet for cooking soups and stews.
Basil
Fresh basil is known for its aromatic appeal. Basil is the main ingredient in pesto, and is often used to add fresh flavor to dishes ranging from sauces to fish. This member of the mint family is available year-round but at its peak in summer. When choosing basil, make sure the leaves are uniform and don't have black spots. Wrapped loosely in paper towels and a plastic bag, fresh basil will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Some of our favorite recipes using fresh basil are Almond-Herb Pesto , Beet Gazpacho with Shrimp , and Provencal Stuffed Tomatoes.
| Basil |
Introduced in the episode The Cage, who was the original captain of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek world? | Herbal Remedies | Which Herbs to Use for Health Benefits
WHY USE HERBS?
• Taste
Fresh herbs add fantastic flavour to food and are essential in many dishes where dried versions simply wouldn’t work. Imagine pesto without fresh fragrant basil, tabbouleh without vibrant green parsley, carrot and coriander soup without the pungency of fresh leaves, or new potatoes with dried mint.
Dried herbs however are essential for the storecupboard and vital through the winter months when some tender herbs aren’t available.
Make the most of fresh herbs when you can get – or grow – them.
Fresh herbs freeze well, either as whole sprigs or chopped in ice cube trays with a little water.
• Health
Herbal remedies have been used through the ages. Herbs are renowned for their medicinal benefits – to protect against germs, to heal and as disinfectants.
They do contain ‘traditional’ nutrients such as vitamin C, but unless you’re eating huge amounts of them (potentially possible with parsley, basil and coriander) this is not the main health benefit.
It is the volatile oils and phytochemicals they contain which are thought to have the most impact on health and be the most important factor in herbal remedies.
Using any fresh herb will give you some valuable antioxidants and many will also reward you with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties as well as digestive support
HERBAL REMEDIES: WHICH HERBS FOR WHAT?
There are thousands of herbs around the world, some of which can be grown in England and others which need to be imported.
Getting a fresh herb from ground to plate as quickly as possible is important for maintaining maximum flavour and health properties, so focus on culinary herbs which are grown seasonally in England.
Better still, grow your own. Growing herbs is easy!
| i don't know |
What hair style, often ridiculed as lowbrow and unappealing, was famously described as "business in the front party in the back"? | mullet hairstyle : définition de mullet hairstyle et synonymes de mullet hairstyle (anglais)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Mullet (hairstyle))
Jump to: navigation , search
This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
(August 2007)
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can.
(September 2007)
This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page.
(November 2008)
A front and side view of a mullet.
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. [1] Often ridiculed as a lowbrow and unappealing hairstyle, and facetiously referred to as "business in the front, party in the back",[citation needed] the mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s. It continued to be popular until the early 1990s and has enjoyed a partial return to favor as a retro look in the 2000s.[citation needed]
Contents
3 References
Etymology
According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the term mullet was "apparently coined, and certainly popularized, by U.S. hip-hop group the Beastie Boys ", [1] who used "mullet" and "mullet head" as epithets in their 1994 song "Mullet Head". [2] Their fanzine , Grand Royal Magazine , was the first to use the term in print. [1]
Mullet, denoting the hairstyle, does not derive etymologically from either the derogatory 19th century mullethead, a dolt, or the freshwater fish mullet . [3]
History
First popular appearance
The modern mullet began to appear initially in the late 1960s, Welsh pop singer Tom Jones sporting one. Glam rock artist David Bowie wore a proto-mullet in the early 1970s. Florence Henderson featured a mullet in the opening sequence of the television sitcom The Brady Bunch (1973–4 season), Paul McCartney sported a mullet throughout the 1970s. The hairstyle achieved further popularity in the late 1970s and 1980s among entertainers with receding hairlines such as Anthony Geary of "Luke and Laura" fame from the soap opera General Hospital , and the rock performers Michael Bolton and Phil Collins .
1980s
As the 1980s progressed, big and bouffant mullets increased in popularity, and like other popular hairstyles at the time, often included spiking or blond highlights. Popular bands such as Rush , Guns N' Roses and Mötley Crüe probably contributed to the popularity of the hairstyle. Australian Rules footballers were instrumental in establishing the popularity of the mullet in Australia . Notable players included Warrick Capper and Dermott Brereton . The mullet is well known and widely remembered in Germany, where it is known as the "Vokuhila", which is an acronym for "vorne-kurz-und-hinten-lang" or "short in front and long in back". The stereotypical German image of the mullet is epitomized by 1980s soccer teams and their fans, as well as by the ubiquity of the hairstyle in images dating from the fall of the Berlin Wall. This fact has led to an unfortunate tendency to associate the mullet with negative stereotypes of the former East Germany, which is probably not fair, as the hairstyle was also popular in West Germany and elsewhere at the time. The zenith of the mullet's popularity in 1980s continental Europe has been described as an "age of singing tattooed Swedish Flokati Rugs " [4] .
1990s
In the mid to late '90s the "tail" of the mullet was occasionally "permed" with loose or tight curls adding even more internal composition contrast to the hairstyle.[citation needed] Punk rock band The Vandals sang of country music singers and Jerry Springer Show guests sporting mullets, and listed regional names for the style in the 1998 song "I've Got an Ape Drape". [5]
2000s
The mullet and its associated lifestyle have been central themes in movies such as Gummo (1997) Joe Dirt (2001) and the television show The Mullets (2003-2004).
Despite its negative reputation, [6] the mullet remains a moderately popular hairstyle among certain social groups in various Western countries . In Spain it can be widely identified in the streets of cities like Barcelona . [7] The Spanish mullet is generally shorter and lighter than a classic mullet, only using the last inch or so of hair above the hairline. It rarely extends beyond the neck. Also in Spain, the mullet is associated with two different ethnic groups: young Gypsies and young separatists from the Basque Country .
In the U.S. and Canada , the mullet is particularly associated with blue collar men, fans of country and heavy metal music , and ice hockey players, as well as lesbians. In the United Kingdom the mullet is most commonly associated with thugs, David Shales, Pat Sharp or with professional footballers . In Australia the haircut is associated with Bogans and Australian rules football players, particularly those from the 1980s, as well as Lebanese-Australian youths.
Singer Billy Ray Cyrus was known for his distinctive mullet and frequently jokes about on Hannah Montana . One episode had his character "impersonating" his real-life counterpart by donning a fake mullet.
References
| Mullet |
An average shoe consists of the upper, tongue, heel, and what other part that gets walked on? | mullet hairstyle : définition de mullet hairstyle et synonymes de mullet hairstyle (anglais)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Mullet (hairstyle))
Jump to: navigation , search
This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
(August 2007)
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can.
(September 2007)
This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page.
(November 2008)
A front and side view of a mullet.
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. [1] Often ridiculed as a lowbrow and unappealing hairstyle, and facetiously referred to as "business in the front, party in the back",[citation needed] the mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s. It continued to be popular until the early 1990s and has enjoyed a partial return to favor as a retro look in the 2000s.[citation needed]
Contents
3 References
Etymology
According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the term mullet was "apparently coined, and certainly popularized, by U.S. hip-hop group the Beastie Boys ", [1] who used "mullet" and "mullet head" as epithets in their 1994 song "Mullet Head". [2] Their fanzine , Grand Royal Magazine , was the first to use the term in print. [1]
Mullet, denoting the hairstyle, does not derive etymologically from either the derogatory 19th century mullethead, a dolt, or the freshwater fish mullet . [3]
History
First popular appearance
The modern mullet began to appear initially in the late 1960s, Welsh pop singer Tom Jones sporting one. Glam rock artist David Bowie wore a proto-mullet in the early 1970s. Florence Henderson featured a mullet in the opening sequence of the television sitcom The Brady Bunch (1973–4 season), Paul McCartney sported a mullet throughout the 1970s. The hairstyle achieved further popularity in the late 1970s and 1980s among entertainers with receding hairlines such as Anthony Geary of "Luke and Laura" fame from the soap opera General Hospital , and the rock performers Michael Bolton and Phil Collins .
1980s
As the 1980s progressed, big and bouffant mullets increased in popularity, and like other popular hairstyles at the time, often included spiking or blond highlights. Popular bands such as Rush , Guns N' Roses and Mötley Crüe probably contributed to the popularity of the hairstyle. Australian Rules footballers were instrumental in establishing the popularity of the mullet in Australia . Notable players included Warrick Capper and Dermott Brereton . The mullet is well known and widely remembered in Germany, where it is known as the "Vokuhila", which is an acronym for "vorne-kurz-und-hinten-lang" or "short in front and long in back". The stereotypical German image of the mullet is epitomized by 1980s soccer teams and their fans, as well as by the ubiquity of the hairstyle in images dating from the fall of the Berlin Wall. This fact has led to an unfortunate tendency to associate the mullet with negative stereotypes of the former East Germany, which is probably not fair, as the hairstyle was also popular in West Germany and elsewhere at the time. The zenith of the mullet's popularity in 1980s continental Europe has been described as an "age of singing tattooed Swedish Flokati Rugs " [4] .
1990s
In the mid to late '90s the "tail" of the mullet was occasionally "permed" with loose or tight curls adding even more internal composition contrast to the hairstyle.[citation needed] Punk rock band The Vandals sang of country music singers and Jerry Springer Show guests sporting mullets, and listed regional names for the style in the 1998 song "I've Got an Ape Drape". [5]
2000s
The mullet and its associated lifestyle have been central themes in movies such as Gummo (1997) Joe Dirt (2001) and the television show The Mullets (2003-2004).
Despite its negative reputation, [6] the mullet remains a moderately popular hairstyle among certain social groups in various Western countries . In Spain it can be widely identified in the streets of cities like Barcelona . [7] The Spanish mullet is generally shorter and lighter than a classic mullet, only using the last inch or so of hair above the hairline. It rarely extends beyond the neck. Also in Spain, the mullet is associated with two different ethnic groups: young Gypsies and young separatists from the Basque Country .
In the U.S. and Canada , the mullet is particularly associated with blue collar men, fans of country and heavy metal music , and ice hockey players, as well as lesbians. In the United Kingdom the mullet is most commonly associated with thugs, David Shales, Pat Sharp or with professional footballers . In Australia the haircut is associated with Bogans and Australian rules football players, particularly those from the 1980s, as well as Lebanese-Australian youths.
Singer Billy Ray Cyrus was known for his distinctive mullet and frequently jokes about on Hannah Montana . One episode had his character "impersonating" his real-life counterpart by donning a fake mullet.
References
| i don't know |
In math, what is defined as a portion of a line which starts at a point and goes off in a particular direction to infinity? | Ray - math word definition - Math Open Reference
Ray
Definition: A portion of a line which starts at a point and goes off in a particular direction to infinity.
Try this Adjust the ray below by dragging an orange dot and see how the ray AB behaves. Point A is the ray's endpoint.
One way to think of a ray is a line with one end. A ray starts at a given point and goes off in a certain direction forever, to infinity. The point where the ray starts is called (confusingly) the endpoint.
On its way to infinity it may pass through one or more other points. In the figure above, the ray starts at A and also passes through B.
A ray is one-dimensional. It has zero width. If you draw a ray with a pencil, examination with a microscope would show that the pencil mark has a measurable width. The pencil line is just a way to illustrate the idea on paper. In geometry however, a ray has no width.
A ray has no measurable length, because it goes on forever in one direction.
Drawing a ray
You can draw a ray as a line that just goes off the edge of the page, as in the figure above. More commonly it shown as a line with an arrow head on one end as shown below. The arrow head means that the line goes off to infinity in that direction.
Naming of rays
Rays are commonly named in two ways:
By two points.
In the figure at the top of the page, the ray would be called AB because starts at point A and passes through B on its way to infinity. Recall that points are usually labelled with single upper-case (capital) letters. There is a shorthand way of writing this:
This is read as "ray AB". The arrow over the two letters indicates it is a ray, and the arrow direction indicates that A is the point where the ray starts.
By a single letter.
The ray above would be called simply "q". By convention, this is usually a single lower case (small) letter. This is normally used when the ray does not pass through another labeled point.
Coordinate Geometry
In another branch of mathematics called coordinate geometry, the points that define a ray are located on the plane using their coordinates - two numbers that show where the point is positioned.
| Ray |
Founded in 1777, what is paired with half a pint of Guinness to make a traditional black and tan? | Mathematics Powerpoint Presentation |authorSTREAM
Mathematics PowerPoint Presentation
Does not support media & animations
Automatically changes to Flash or non-Flash embed
The presentation is successfully added In Your Favorites .
Views:
This Presentation is Public Favorites:
0
Lines and Angles, Triangles Prepared and presented by: Mohammed Mutahar Mujahid
Contents:
Contents 1. Lines and angles 1.1Basic terms and definitions 1.2 Intersecting lines and non-intersecting lines 1.3 Pairs of angles 2. Triangles 2.1 Congruence of triangles 2.2 Some properties of triangle 2.3 Inequalities in a triangle
1. Lines and angles:
1. Lines and angles A line is a narrow mark or band which extends on both the sides. The space (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet .
1.1 Basic terms and definitions:
1.1 Basic terms and definitions Line segment: In geometry, a line segment is a part of a line that is bounded by two end points, and contains every point on the line between its end. Ray: A portion of a line which starts at a point and goes off in a particular direction to infinity .
1.2 Intersecting lines:
1.2 Intersecting lines In geometry , a line is a straight curve. When geometry is used to model the real world, lines are used to represent straight.
1.3 Pairs of angles:
1.3 Pairs of angles Vertical angles- a=d, b=c, e=h, f=g Corresponding angles- a=e, b=f, c=g, d=h Alternate interior angles- c=f, d=e Alternate exterior angles- a=h, b=g Consecutive interior angles- 1. c +e =180 2. d +f =180
2. Triangles:
2. Triangles A plane figure with three straight sides and three angles.
2.1 Congruence of triangles:
2.1 Congruence of triangles Triangles are congruent when all corresponding sides and interior angles are congruent. The triangles will have the same shape and size, but one may be a mirror image of the other. There are five rule in which you can show the triangle congruent. They are: SSS (side side side ) SAS (side angle side ) ASA (angle side angle ) AAS (angle angle side ) HL (hypotenuse leg of a right triangle )
2.1 Some properties of triangle:
2.1 Some properties of triangle Vertex: Vertex is a corner of the triangle. Every triangle has three vertices Base: The base of a triangle can be any one of the three sides, usually the one drawn at the bottom. Altitude: The altitude of a triangle is the perpendicular from the base to the opposite vertex. (The base may need to be extended) Median: The median of a triangle is a line from a vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. The three medians intersect at a single point, called the centroid of the triangle. Perimeter: The distance around the triangle. The sum of its sides. Interior angles The three angles on the inside of the triangle at each vertex. Exterior angles The angle between a side of a triangle and the extension of an adjacent side.
2.3 Inequalities in a triangle:
2.3 Inequalities in a triangle In mathematics, the triangle inequality states that for any triangle, the sum of the lengths of any two sides must be greater than the length of the remaining side (and, if the setting is a Euclidean space, then the inequality is strict if the triangle is non-degenerate ). In Euclidean geometry and some other geometries the triangle inequality is a theorem about distances. In Euclidean geometry, for right triangles it is a consequence of the Pythagorean theorem, and for general triangles a consequence of the law of cosines, although it may be proven without these theorems.
THANK YOU:
| i don't know |
With an atomic number of 79, what elements symbol Au comes from the Latin aurum? | Gold - Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table
Chemistry in its element: gold
(Promo)
You're listening to Chemistry in its element brought to you by Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
(End promo)
Chris Smith
Hello, in this week's episode of Chemistry in its element, we're taking a flight on Concorde, dropping by Buckingham Palace and finding out what could form a film just 230 atoms thick. Going for gold for us this week, here's the legendary science broadcaster and populariser Johnny Ball.
Johnny Ball
The element gold. Gold is element 79 and its symbol is Au. Though the name is Anglo Saxon, gold originated from the Latin Aurum, or shining dawn, and previously from the Greek. It's abundance in the earth's crust is 0.004 ppm.
100% of gold found naturally is isotope Au-197. 28 other isotopes can be produced artificially and are all radioactive.
Gold along with silver and copper, form a column in the periodic table. They are found naturally and were the first three elements known to man. They were all used as primitive money well before the first gold coins which appeared in Egypt around 3400 BC.
Most gold is ancient or comes from Central American Aztecs and South American Incas brought to Europe by the Spanish and Portuguese in the 16th century, and which has since been recycled over and over again. In 1830 world output was no more than 12 tonnes per annum. But around that time, new gold discoveries were being made. Finds were discovered in Siberia, California, New South Wales and Victoria, Australia, Transvaal, South Africa, the Klondike and Alaska, and they all produced gold rushes. World production was then around 150 tonnes per year. It is now around 2300 tones per annum.
Because it is found in it's natural state and does not naturally alloy with anything else and because it is the heaviest metal, by sifting rock in water, the gold always falls to the bottom and all less dense impurities are washed away.
The largest nugget was the Welcome Stranger nugget found in Victoria, Australia in 1869. It weighed over 71 kg. This type of nugget occurs naturally, but is very, very rare. Pure gold is 24 karat. 18 karat is 75% and 12 karat is 50% pure gold.
Gold is the most malleable of all metals and soft enough to be cut with a knife. Stone age peoples hammered gold into plates for ornamental purposes. Really quite large amounts were gathered together. Though King Tutankhamun was a minor Pharaoh and died aged 18, his coffin alone contained 112 kg of gold. Egyptians also made thin gold sheets, utensils, vast varieties of jewellery and even gold thread. King Tut when he was buried had over 150 gold ornaments on his body.
Today 1 gram can be beaten into a square metre sheet just 230 atoms thick. 1 cubic centimetre would make a sheet of 18 square metres. Concord's windscreen had a layer of gold to screen pilots from UV light and today it is often used in sky scraper windows to cut down both heat and UV from sunlight. 1 gram can be drawn to make 165 metres of wire 20 um (microns) thick (1/200th of a millimeter)
The gold colour in the Buckingham Palace fence is actually gold covered, as it lasts 30 years, whereas gold paint (which contains no gold at all) lasts in tip top condition, only about a year.
Sea water contains around 3 parts in a billion of gold, but there's never been found an economic means of recovering it. The Germans tried very hard during the second World War but failed miserably.
The largest modern hoard is the 30,000 tons in the US Federal Reserve Bank in New York, which belongs to 18 different nations. It is estimated that all the world's gold gathered together would only make a cube around 18 metres per side - about 6000 cubic metres. And that's gold.
Chris Smith
So now you know why pirates used to bite gold coins to see if they were real. It wasn't just for the camera because it looked good, it was because the metal was soft enough to be marked by teeth. That was Johnny Ball telling the story of gold. Next time on Chemistry in its element Victoria Gill introduces the chemical that founded the science of photography and also helped to launch the careers of successions of Oscar winners.
Victoria Gill
in 1840, Henry Talbot discovered an additional chemical twist, that a so called latent silver image, that had been briefly exposed onto a layer of silver iodide could be revealed using gallic acid. The effect was seen as magical, a devilish art. Hollywood could never have existed without the chemical reaction that gave celluloid film its ability to capture the stars and bring them to the aptly dubbed silver screen.
Chris Smith
And you can hear Victoria Gill crossing your cognitive palm and lining your intellectual pocket with silver on next week's Chemistry in its element. I'm Chris Smith, thank you for listening, see you next time.
(Promo)
Chemistry in its element is brought to you by the Royal Society of Chemistry and produced by thenakedscientists.com . There's more information and other episodes of Chemistry in its element on our website at chemistryworld.org/elements .
(End promo)
| Gold |
Invented by General Foods in 1957, what powdered fruit-flavored breakfast drink was included in the Mercury and Gemini space flights, forever linking it with the space program? | Gold - Elements Database
Gold
Atomic Number: 79
Atomic Weight: 196.96655
Gold (symbol Au, atomic number 79) has it's name from the Latin "Aurum", which means shining dawn. What formed this association is not known, because gold has been known to man since antiquity or about 5,500 years. Perhaps the lustrous, shiny, and attractive metal was found by someone early in the morning glittering somewhere and this person, enticed by what they saw, gave it this name. This is a pity, because "why is gold Au and not G" is the standard question of chemistry students, who are baffled by the odd symbol and even more baffled by what Aurum could... Read More
| i don't know |
What misanthropic hoarder Sesame Street character calls a garbage can home? | Sesame Street: Harmless Kids' Show Or Filthy Liberal Propaganda? - Sabotage Times
TV & Film
Sesame Street: Harmless Kids' Show Or Filthy Liberal Propaganda?
According to Republicans the kids favourite is a Marxist mouthpiece. Sounds mental, but dig a little deeper and they might have a point...
Avatar:
Social count:
13
According to Republicans the kids favourite is a Marxist mouthpiece. Sounds mental, but dig a little deeper and they might have a point...
13
0
Children’s TV might be more annoying than being stuck in an Austin Maxi full of howler monkeys, but it’s fairly innocuous stuff. Simple tunes, bright colours and lots of repetition – all designed to amuse the toddlers long enough for you to come to your senses and put that cap back on the bottle of sleeping pills.
Although most parents I know are on first name terms with the whole of Rastamouse’s Easy Crew, they don’t actually watch any of these shows – they just turn up the volume so the kids won’t hear them screaming into a balled up tea towel. But maybe if the creators of this multi-coloured mogadon put a little more effort into their output, parents would be happy to set aside some time for ‘watch with mother’, without it sounding like quite such a threat.
For some reason, the UK has never been able to replicate the success of Sesame Street, in terms of producing toddler-focused programming that doesn’t make grown-ups feel like they’ve been given a frontal lobotomy with a wooden spoon. Even now, Jim Henson’s brainchild manages to entertain several generations at once, as his ping-pong eyed characters riff on contemporary shows like Mad Men and True Blood.
Despite a forty-year history of teaching kids about letters, numbers and sponsorship deals, not everyone wants to go to where the air is sweet. A book by conservative writer Ben Shapiro peels back the façade to reveal a sinister liberal conspiracy lurking inside the Children’s Television Workshop. ‘ Primetime Propaganda ’ details the insidious way that TV producers have attempted to “shape America in their own leftist image", and it seems that Mr Hooper’s store sits at ground zero. According to Shapiro, Henson’s army of antron-fleeced comrades are attempting to brainwash pre-schoolers into accepting such pinko concepts as tolerance, healthy eating and ‘peaceful conflict resolution’. The evil fuckers.
So is there any truth to Shapiro’s claim, or is he just suffering from that quintessentially American affliction – Conspiracy Theory Syndrome? let's examine the evidence...
Bert and Ernie
Two of Sesame Street’s longest serving residents, Bert and Ernie are supposedly platonic room-mates. They may sleep in separate beds, but their interactions have always been fraught with latent sexual tension. Last year, Bert (the butch one with a unibrow) even Tweeted a reference to being a ‘mo’, which many people interpreted as a coming out declaration. With New York recently legalizing gay marriage, it won’t be too long before Bert and Ernie stop arguing about rubber duckies and misplaced bananas, and come to blows over who’s going to cater their big day.
Cookie Monster
Although he was originally created for an IBM training film, and later a series of ads for Munchos crisps, we know him best as Cookie Monster. For the last four decades he’s been battling a serious dependency problem, regularly losing all control and smashing baked goods into his mouth, despite the fact that he was tragically born without an esophagus, or the ability to swallow. It might be unsettling to watch, but children of substance abusers will no doubt recognise the telltale signs, particularly the unkempt appearance, unintelligible speech patterns and constant rolling of his eyes. Sadly, since cookies are legally available, it seems unlikely that the fuzzy blue addict will ever get the help he needs, at least until he’s ready to admit there’s a problem.
The Count
Like Edward Cullen, Bill Compton and Louis de Pointe du Lac, Count Von Count has managed to suppress his natural bloodlust and find a way to coexist peacefully alongside the living. The downside of suppressing his natural instincts, is that his habitual behaviours have manifested themselves in an extreme form of autism. Thanks to an understanding network of social workers and the occasional visit to an outpatients centre, Count hasn’t hypnotised anyone since the mid-seventies and poses no immediate threat to himself or others. However, due to his high-risk lifestyle, he’s legally prohibited from donating blood.
Oscar The Grouch
Crabby, irascible, and usually found inside a ‘trash can’ which he calls home, Oscar is most likely a Vietnam war veteran who was callously neglected by mental health services. Like many of his street-dwelling peers, Oscar has taken to compulsively hoarding useless items discarded by the rest of society, and has grown increasingly misanthropic over the years. Although he won’t admit it, Oscar occasionally sets pride aside and allows some of the Sesame Street residents to hose him down and cut the dried feces out of his matted fur.
Aside from street’s fuzzy-skinned denizens, the liberal bias of the show could also be detected in some of the interstitial films that regularly broke up the searing social insight.
For instance, the communist principle of collectivism was evidenced time and time again in a popular series of clips, as children were singled out for refusing to conform to majority behaviour. The song’s lyrics were “One of these kids is doing his own thing” - the inference being that viewers needed to finger the perpetrators, so they could be bundled off to a Siberian gulag.
Likewise, Karl Marx’s slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” was given contemporary relevance through the inspiring story of how many peanuts it took to make a jar of peanut butter.
Finally, when all else failed, Sesame Street had one more ace up a sleeve that looked suspiciously like Kermit’s torso. On the surface, it was a perfectly innocent counting song accompanied by an animated pinball machine. But the intermittent psychedelic flashes were actually psychotropic triggers designed to activate sleeper agents. On the fateful day when the show is brought to you by the letters K, G and B, the revolution will begin. And it will be televised.
| Oscar the Grouch |
In the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin, what did the title creature promise to do for the miller's daughter, in exchange for her first born? | After Grouch gaffe, VA head calls for review of training programs
After Grouch gaffe, VA head calls for review of training programs
Updated: August 29, 2014 â 1:09 AM EDT
Tricia L. Nadolny
Inquirer Staff Writer
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald on Thursday ordered a systemwide review of the agency's training programs after the Philadelphia VA benefits office compiled an employee training guide that appeared to depict veterans as Oscar the Grouch.
Mail icon
In a statement, McDonald apologized and said any comparison to the cranky Sesame Street character who lives in a trash can was "clearly contrary" to the agency's mission and the "kind of open culture we want in the new VA." He said use of the training materials, which was first reported this week by The Inquirer, would be discontinued.
McDonald's statement did not address the explanation offered by Diana Rubens, director of the city's VA office, who insisted that dozen Oscar references in the guide pertained not to irate or grumpy vets, but to VA employees who may have had to respond to their concerns at town-hall meetings.
A VA spokeswoman in Washington said McDonald would not elaborate on who was meant to be the misanthropic Muppet, employees or veterans.
"We celebrate feedback, both negative and positive, as an opportunity to improve our service to veterans and accomplish our mission," McDonald said in the statement. "We understand that we will have to earn the trust of veterans and the American people, and we are committed to doing so, one veteran at a time."
His comments followed a surge in news coverage and scrutiny on the Germantown office, which processes benefits claims for more than 825,000 people in the region.
On Wednesday, representatives from the House Committee on Veterans Affairs called the office to seek answers about the document's origins, according to a committee staffer. As word spread, many veterans in the region and beyond said they found it insulting. U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Bucks County, called the materials "tone-deaf."
"Once again, we're forced to ask, 'When will the VA learn?' " he said.
The guide, titled "What to Say to Oscar the Grouch - Dealing With Veterans During Town Hall Claims Clinics," was presented to employees last week in advance of two town-hall events held Wednesday.
It included routine instructions, such as dressing professionally, but also told employees not to "get in the swamp with the alligator" when dealing with angry veterans, and gave advice on sensing an oncoming "outburst" from a claimant, saying veterans could be demanding and unrealistic.
Rubens opened the town halls by addressing the training material, saying it was meant to help employees who did not regularly work with veterans keep their "inner Oscar" from coming out. Rubens, through her office spokeswoman, declined to comment further after McDonald's statement Thursday.
Ramona Joyce, a spokeswoman for the VA in Washington, stood by Rubens' initial characterization of the training material. "I think everybody knows that this training was not intended to call veterans 'grouches,' " she said.
This month, McDonald ordered every VA benefits office and hospital to hold town-hall events as a way to rebuild trust with veterans that has been lost through of the national scandal over substandard services.
In his statement, McDonald said he ordered the review of the training programs "to ensure that they are consistent with the new culture we are working to create."
| i don't know |
Anchored by the star Aldebaran, the constellation Taurus represents what animal? | ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS
Zodiac Constellations
Zodiacal Motion of the Outer Planets
Each year the Sun moves eastward in a complete circle around the sky. The path followed by the Sun is called the ecliptic , and any constellation containing the ecliptic is called a zodiac constellation. The constellations of the zodiac are listed below, in order as the Sun moves eastwardly through them, starting from the constellation containing the Sun at the vernal equinox (thus it is visible overhead at night in the fall, six months later).
Zodiac Constellation
Pisces
(Pie-seez)
Two fish. Venus and her son Cupid escaped from Typhon by swimming through the sea as two fish.
Red star TX Piscium varies in brightness.
Fall
Ram with Golden Fleece, could fly through the air.
A small constellation, with only two easily-visible stars.
Winter
Taurus
(Tore-us)
Bull. Babylonian constellation. Jupiter turned himself into a bull to carry off Europa, daughter of the King of Crete.
Reddish eye the star Aldebaran, one vertex of the Winter Hexagon , in a V-shaped grouping called the Hyades. Look at Pleiades, a jewel-box of stars, with binoculars.
Winter
(Jem-eh-ni)
Twin brothers. Protectors of ships and sailors, who swore oaths by them: "By Jiminy!"
Look for the two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, which together form one vertex of the Winter Hexagon .
Winter
(Kan-ser)
Crab, sent by Juno to kill Hercules, who squashed it with his foot.
Faint stars. Look with binoculars for the Beehive star cluster, faintly visible to the naked eye.
Spring
Lion. Prehistoric constellation, often associated with royalty.
Look for sickle-shaped or backward-question-mark asterism. Bright star Regulus.
Spring
Maiden, goddess of farms and harvest, holding a shock of wheat.
Second-largest constellation in sky. Bright star Spica. Cluster of galaxies. Bright quasar.
Spring
Libra
(Lee-brah)
Scales (balance), because the Sun was in Libra during the autumn equinox when the Romans chopped off the claws of Scorpius to create this constellation.
Two faint stars. Includes the traditional claws of Scorpius. Alpha-Librae is a double-star resolvable by binoculars.
Spring
Scorpius
(Scor-pee-us)
Scorpion sent by Gaia to kill Orion when Orion boasted he would slay all the animals of the Earth; now Orion and Scorpius circle each other on opposite sides of the sky.
Fish-hook to Polynesians; rises right out of water in the SE in the summer. Bright star Antares, the heart of the Scorpion, rivals Mars in its reddish tint.
Summer
Ophiuchus
(Oh-fee-uke-us)
The serpent holder, Oph. ("Gus" for short) represents Aesclepius the healer. Although not traditionally considered part of the zodiac, the sun now is actually within Oph. longer than it is in Scorpius.
Faint stars. Look for Ophiuchus holding the Serpent (Serpens) between Arcturus ( Bootes ; locate with Big Dipper ) and Altair ( Aquila ; cf. Summer Triangle ).
Summer
(Saj-eh-tair-ee-us)
The Archer, a centaur (half man and half horse) archer named Chiron, shooting an arrow.
Look for teapot asterism. In direction of the center of the Milky Way galaxy, rich with many stars. Try binoculars.
Summer
| The Bull |
What are persons who lack any sort of magical ability and are not born into the magical world called in the Harry Potter universe? | Awareness Deconstructing Consciousness, World Trade Towers =DNA= Virtual Reality, All Seeing EYE =Aldebaran (Star) Taurus Constellation=Rothschild’s =Bull on Wall Street = Virgo Constellation = Statue Liberty = Spica (Star) = LibertyTorch | Deconstructing Consciousness
About
Search for:
Awareness Deconstructing Consciousness, World Trade Towers =DNA= Virtual Reality, All Seeing EYE =Aldebaran (Star) Taurus Constellation=Rothschild’s =Bull on Wall Street = Virgo Constellation = Statue Liberty = Spica (Star) = LibertyTorch
Uncategorized kerrace2013
We must remember that there are always countless interpretations from countless angles on countless levels, all depending on what context you apply in your analysis.
The eternal awareness that is you exists beyond any concept of energy yet your essence has been captured in this sea of dynamic energy in which you have your physical life experience. It’s this energetic system of consciousness that causes you to forget who you really are, it is the epic fall into into this low frequency energy of fear that causes all the distortions, it is the splitting of Awareness from it’s state of nothingness into two dynamic forces that forever keeps you a prisoner in this womb matrix forever seeking to return to your original state of nothingness which is the ultimate reality. However in this system of consciousness .Reality is always first a collective reality that is we are born into a culture that is already existing, in essence we are born into a collective reality that is very much in progress, and essentially generations and generations of experience of the people in that culture is passed on to each one of us.
The universal architects the designers of this system of consciousness did the unthinkable they took Awareness from it’s natural state of nothingness and created this system of consciousness which is made up of all your intellectual systems such as science, all religions including the new age movement, astronomy, astrology, and all your language systems and institutional structures and systems, that’s right out of Awareness your natural state of nothingness in order to create a virtual reality matrix upon which you experience your sensory experience believing it is the real deal, forever seducing you to forget your eternal awareness state of nothingness, in order to perpetuate the universal architects that is the creator GOD’s dream.
The power control force along with their Freemason puppets are very familiar with astrology, astronomy and astrotheology. They in fact align all important commemorations, dedications, declarations, ground-breakings, grand-openings, and other events to coincide with astrological phenomena. In essence astrology is their religion of choice and this is why, as we deconstruct consciousness it is important for us to position ourselves to better play the game using the power control forces tool of choice astrology as we construct consciousness as Awareness which is the ultimate reality.
In keeping with history the spiritual and metaphysical consecration of astrology was conceived and implemented using ancient wisdom traditions passed to those Founding Fathers who were Freemasons. These masonic brothers were the architects of everything from their vision of the World as fundamentally spiritual and the charter documents they authored invoking God, Freedom & Equality to the very streets and monuments of the Nation’s Capitol including all supporting government installations.
Now it is important to to know that the USA was ‘born’ on July 4, 1776 under the stars of the Gemini Twins, a sign occultly conferring Brotherhood. The building of the USA was intentionally aligned to certain fixed stars including most notably those of Constellation Virgo and if you are wondering why? just read on and you will see.
The stars of Virgo embody and envelop our individual and collective Consciousness supporting our evolutionary ascension whether we realize it or not. This cosmic energy of the Great Goddess in all of Her forms from Isis to Demeter to the Goddess of All-Health Hygeia, Ishtar, Inanna, the Virgin Mary Mother of Christ, Mary Magdalene and Gaia, the abundant agrarian Earth Mother Herself. She is Maiden and High Priestess. She is Wise Woman, Healer, and virtuous Mother she is the womb matrix herself personified and glorified.
With the statue of liberty lifting her lamp receives a transfusion of Virgo-power as do all the symbols and power places in the USA that are aligned with and dedicated to the stars of Constellation Virgo.
The statue of liberty I believe is the symbol of the the Virgo constellation lifting her lamp receives a transfusion of Virgo-power as do all the symbols and power places in the USA that are aligned with and dedicated to the stars of Constellation Virgo. The Statue of Liberty is mounted on a star of David symbol which respresents the ATOM symbol which is the two forces of energy yin and yang yes symbols in plane sight I also think the torch represents Spica in the virgo constellation, spica lies very close to the center of the Ecliptic Plane within the belt of the zodiac, which keeps the zodiac constellations anchored and aligned with the Celestial Poles of the earth. The pulsations of energy reaching us from “Virgo”, are like the Heartbeat of the Divine Cosmic Mother, aligning our material bodies’ vital signs with those of the Earth Mother. What does this say about our milky way galaxy? Constellation Virgo contains a zone whose intensity rivals that of the junction of Sagittarius-Scorpius-Ophiuchus wherein lies the Milky Way Galaxy Center.
And all that the Great Lady & Mother of all represents for she is ISIS, Ishtar, Eve, the Virgin Mother, Mary Magdalene, and the Great Goddess they are all the same deity to represent one energy the divine feminine, the different names to to describe the same transfiguration is what causes so much distortion and confusion.
Now it is important to note that the Virgo constellation emits Waves of radio-frequency sound from M87, “Virgo A,” a monsterous galaxy relatively close to Earth at the heart of the Virgo Supercluster of Galaxies. It is also important to note that the Virgo Super cluster contains the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies.
It is also important to keep in mind that the Blue-white (young hot), first magnitude, eclipsing binary star Alpha Virginis (Spica) is one of several Alpha stars that lies very close to the center of the Ecliptic Plane within the belt of the zodiac, which keeps the zodiac constellations anchored and aligned with the Celestial Poles. The pulsations of energy reaching us from “Virgo”, are like the Heartbeat of the Divine Cosmic Mother, aligning our material bodies’ vital signs with those of the Earth Mother. What does this say about our milky way galaxy? Constellation Virgo contains a zone whose intensity rivals that of the junction of Sagittarius-Scorpius-Ophiuchus wherein lies the Milky Way Galaxy Center.
According to scientific research, our collective planetary psychic input from and throughput to Galactic Center is maximized at Sidereal Time 13:30. As this meridian passes over you at whatever local time it may be where you are, theoretically your ability to communicate using the Galactic Psychic frequency or Remote Viewing is theoretically enhanced. For more information and research on this see:
http://www.remoteviewers.com/htms/updated/info/general_rv/sidereal.htm
Look online for a sidereal time clock and check out the time for your specific location and tune into the energies at your leisure.
As above so below here I won’t to outline how some of the symbolism of astrology which is really describing the flows of energies, and the harvesting of energy into and out of this system of consciousness as all matter comes into creation through harmonics. When we understand astrology we understand how energy is shaped, molded and manipulated by the power control force (those that presume to run the world) through structures and monuments around the world. For example: if we look at the The new “Ground Zero” symbolism, we can see that it is fundamentally feminine in nature.
The square-shaped sacred geometry symbolizing the Earth element, and the pools of water element negative or feminine thus indicating from the conceptual feminine womb matrix of the mother.
Could the new world trade centre memorial look like a female/male pelvic bone?
Here is another example that may help you to see what I am seeing symbolically. If we look at the reproductive system of the woman do you see a resemblance of the ground zero memmorial above?
Well then try this one this picture of the female reproductive system also looks like the bull on wall street? Do you see a resemblance?
Or maybe the deeper meaning for the reference to the pelvic or reproductive system is the constellation Taurus the bull? take note that not only the pleiades star system is in the constellation Taurus but and the star Aldebaran which makes up one of the bulls eyes.
On to some other connections in turns out that in 1974, David de Rothschild married the Italian Princess Olimpia Anna Aldobrandini, in Reux, Calvados and they have four children.
Now the Aldobrandini are an Italian family from Florence, with close ties to the Vatican. Its Roman fortunes were made when Ippolito Aldobrandini became pope under the name Pope Clement VIII. He arranged the marriage that linked the Aldobrandini with the Roman family of Pamphili. Additionally, they were also linked to marriage alliances with the Farnese (Ranuccio I, duke of Parma, had married Margherita Aldobrandini) and Borghese (since Olimpia Aldobrandini married Paolo Borghese). Olimpia Aldobrandini’s first marriage was to Paolo Borghese; her second was to Camillo Pamphili. Just an example of interbreeding of bloodlines. These family names listed above are some of the original owners/ and builders of the physical world system you now call home.
I believe The star name Aldebaran which sits right in the eye of the Constellation Taurus is named after the Aldobrandini family, and I believe that the Alpha Taurus (Aldebaran, the Eye of the Bull) is the all seeing eye on the us dollar bill.
On the back of the USA’s paper currency we notice the All-Seeing Eye is the red giant fixed star Aldebaran, the Red Eye of the Bull Kerub in Taurus. The Eye being in close proximity to the gate of man that is where soul supposedly enter this physical dimension.
And that bull on wall street is simply a reference to the Constellation Taurus, the all seeing EYE and the flow of Energy =Current= MONEY! remember it’s all about the manipulation of your current=MONEY whoever controls the MONEY controls the CURRENT in and our of this system of Consciousness and the Rothschild’s and the Aldobrandini families are some of the power control force tyrants manipulating your reality through money.
Now also take note that Alpha Taurus (Aldebaran, the Eye of the Bull), a star that is counterbalanced on the other side of the Zodiac Circle by Alpha Scorpius (Antares) — or Ophiuchus’s Southern Serpent of Wisdom According to tradition, the Eye of the Bull, a red giant star just like Antares, has two interpretations. It can be Red (as in “look out for the charging bull!”) or Golden (as in Buddha-Perfect).
The Taurus-Scorpius polarity is significant in that the gate of god where souls are said to leave this physical dimension is between the signs Scorpio and Sagittarius and the gate of man where souls enter this physical world is between Tuarus-Gemini. This all transpires through the mind of consciousness I don’t believe these gates exist materially they are energetic gateways or portals through which consciousness flows into and out of the universe in order to create all that we experience in this virtual reality. The harvesting of the energetic forces of yin and yang are very real for the power control force and astrology is the mechanism upon which they harvest energy in order to create and manipulate reality on the physical world stage and so just like the ancients looked to the star for omens prophecy and knowledge about the future fate of humanity I believe we must look to the solar system for answers we are seeking in order to make sense of what is transpiring on our physical world stage. It only makes sense to use the tools the power control force are using in order to position ourselves to thrive in our change world.
Now let us look at the double-phallic symbolism, the marquee symbol of the USA at New York City’s World Trade Center now expresses the Gemini Twins as a male female equal opposites energetic forces within each of us.
or more importantly the twin towers really are symbols of the double helix strands of DNA except their not twisted. DNA itself is a text, a program, a language or data. In fact DNA could be considered a world of science fiction.
From the Standpoint of molecular biology DNA proteins and enzymes are described as miniature robots, ribosomes are molecular computers, cells are factories. DNA is a text, or a program , or data containing information, which is read and transcribed into messenger-RNA’s. The latter feed into into ribosomes which are molecular computers, that translate the instructions according to genetic code. They build the rest of the cells machinery, namely the proteins , and enzymes which are miniaturized robots that construct and maintain the cell.
The bombing of the world trade center towers was symbolic to the power control force ( those that presume to run the world) as a complete annihilation of the feminine energetic force one world agenda with the new one world trade centre.
When one grows in the truth and knowing of the very essence of who they are one must realize that one has within itself all that it requires. One may accept from others suggestions, advice bits of knowledge as it goes along but each of us can be the only judge of what it requires at each stage. In the end each of us must do our own work in order to stand on our own feet as a sovereign. All the teachings in the world will not help you unless you take matters into your own hands. Whoever controls your mind controls your creations.
Share this:
| i don't know |
What can be a soft drink, a food portion, or backspin? | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions
Page Content
To reach or stay at a healthy weight , how much you eat is just as important as what you eat. Do you know how much food is enough for you? Do you understand the difference between a portion and a serving? The information below explains portions and servings, and provides tips to help you eat just enough for you.
To reach or stay at a healthy weight, how much you eat is just as important
as what you eat.
What is the difference between a portion and a serving?
A portion is how much food you choose to eat at one time, whether in a restaurant, from a package, or at home. A serving, or serving size , is the amount of food listed on a product's Nutrition Facts , or food label (see Figure 1 below).
Different products have different serving sizes, which could be measured in cups, ounces, grams, pieces, slices, or numbers—such as three crackers. A serving size on a food label may be more or less than the amount you should eat, depending on your age, weight, whether you are male or female, and how active you are. Depending on how much you choose to eat, your portion size may or may not match the serving size.
Figure 1. Updated Nutrition Facts Label
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
As a result of updates to the Nutrition Facts label in May 2016, some serving sizes on food labels may be larger or smaller than they had been before (see Figure 2 below). For instance, a serving size of ice cream is now 2/3 cup, instead of 1/2 cup. A serving size of yogurt is 6 ounces rather than 8 ounces. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changed some food and beverage serving sizes so that labels more closely match how much people actually eat and drink.
Figure 2. FDA Serving Size Changes
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Serving Size and Servings Per Container
Go back to the updated food label in Figure 1 above. To see how many servings a container has, you would check “servings per container” listed at the top of the label above “Serving size.” The serving size is 2/3 cup, but the container has eight servings. If you eat two servings, or 1 1/3 cups, you need to double the number of calories and nutrients listed on the food label to know how much you are really getting. For example, if you eat two servings of this product, you are taking in 460 calories:
230 calories per serving x two servings eaten = 460 calories
How much should I eat?
How many calories you need each day to lose weight or maintain your weight depends on your age, weight, metabolism , whether you are male or female, how active you are, and other factors. For example, a 150-pound woman who burns a lot of calories through intense physical activity, such as fast running, several times a week will need more calories than a woman about the same size who only goes for a short walk once a week.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 can give you an idea of how many calories you may need each day based on your age, sex, and physical activity level. Use the Body Weight Planner tool to make your own calorie and physical activity plans to help you reach and maintain your goal weight.
How many calories you need each day depends on your
age, weight, metabolism, sex, and physical activity level.
[ Top ]
How can the Nutrition Facts food label help me?
The FDA food label is printed on most packaged foods. The food label is a quick way to find the amount of calories and nutrients in a certain amount of food. For example, reading food labels tells you how many calories and how much fat , protein , sodium , and other ingredients are in one food serving. Many packaged foods contain more than a single serving. The updated food label lists the number of calories in one serving size in larger print than before so it is easier to see.
Other Helpful Facts on the Food Label
The food label has other useful information about what is included in one food serving. For example, one serving on the food label in Figure 1 above has 1 gram of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat , a type of fat that is unhealthy for your heart.
The updated food label also includes information about “added sugars.” Added sugars include table sugar, or sucrose, including beet and cane sugars; corn syrup; honey; malt syrup; and other sweeteners, such as fructose or glucose , that have been added to food and beverages. Fruit and milk contain naturally-occurring sugars and are not included in the label as added sugars. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 calls for consuming less than 10 percent of calories daily from added sugars.
Because Americans do not always get enough vitamin D and potassium, the updated food label includes serving information for both of these nutrients. Since a lack of vitamin A and vitamin C in the general population is rare, these nutrients are no longer included on the food label. However, food makers may include them if they choose. Most food makers will have to start using the new food label by July 26, 2018. Figure 3 below compares the updated food label with the original label.
Figure 3. Side-by-Side Comparison of Original and New Nutrition Facts Label
Current label Updated label
[ Top ]
How can I keep track of how much I eat?
In addition to checking food labels for calories per serving, keeping track of what you eat—as well as when, where, why, and how much you eat—may help you manage your food portions. Create a food tracker on your cellphone, calendar, or computer to record the information. You also could download apps that are available for mobile devices to help you track how much you eat—and how much physical activity you get—each day.
The Sample Food Tracker in Figure 4 below shows what a 1-day page of a food tracker might look like. In the example, the person chose fairly healthy portions for breakfast and lunch, and ate to satisfy hunger. The person also ate five cookies in the afternoon out of boredom rather than hunger.
By 8 p.m., the person was very hungry and ate large portions of high-fat, high-calorie food at a social event. An early evening snack of a piece of fruit and 4 ounces of fat-free or low-fat yogurt might have prevented overeating less healthy food later. The number of calories for the day totaled 2,914, which is more than most people need. Taking in too many calories may lead to weight gain over time.
If, like the person in the food tracker example, you eat even when you’re not hungry, try doing something else instead. For instance, call or visit a friend. Or, if you are at work, take a break and walk around the block, if work and schedule permit. If you can’t distract yourself from food, try a healthy option, such as a piece of fruit or stick of low-fat string cheese.
Figure 4. Sample Food Tracker
Thursday
Total Calories =
2,916
*Estimates are based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) online tool that measures diet and physical activity.
Through your tracker, you may become aware of when and why you consume less healthy foods and drinks. The tracker may help you make different choices in the future.
[ Top ]
How can I manage food portions at home?
You don’t need to measure and count everything you eat or drink for the rest of your life. You may only want to do this long enough to learn typical serving and portion sizes. Try these ideas to help manage portions at home:
Take one serving according to the food label and eat it off a plate instead of straight out of the box or bag.
Avoid eating in front of the TV, while driving or walking, or while you are busy with other activities.
Focus on what you are eating, chew your food well, and fully enjoy the smell and taste of your food.
Eat slowly so your brain can get the message that your stomach is full, which may take at least 15 minutes.
Use smaller dishes, bowls, and glasses so that you eat and drink less.
Eat fewer high-fat, high-calorie foods, such as desserts, chips, sauces, and prepackaged snacks.
Freeze food you won’t serve or eat right away, if you make too much. That way, you won’t be tempted to finish the whole batch. If you freeze leftovers in single- or family-sized servings, you’ll have ready-made meals for another day.
Eat meals at regular times. Leaving hours between meals or skipping meals altogether may cause you to overeat later in the day.
Buy snacks, such as fruit or single-serving, prepackaged foods, that are lower in calories. If you buy bigger bags or boxes of snacks, divide the items into single-serve packages right away so you aren't tempted to overeat.
Avoid eating while in front of the TV, while driving or walking, or while you
are busy with other activities.
[ Top ]
How can I manage portions when eating out?
Although it may be easier to manage your portions when you cook and eat at home, most people eat out from time to time—and some people eat out often. Try these tips to keep your food portions in check when you are away from home:
Share a meal with a friend, or take half of it home.
Avoid all-you-can-eat buffets.
Order one or two healthy appetizers or side dishes instead of a whole meal. Options include steamed or grilled—instead of fried—seafood or chicken, a salad with dressing on the side, or roasted vegetables.
Ask to have the bread basket or chips removed from the table.
If you have a choice, pick the small-sized—rather than large-sized—drink, salad, or frozen yogurt.
Stop eating and drinking when you’re full. Put down your fork and glass, and focus on enjoying the setting and your company for the rest of the meal.
Order an appetizer such as a salad instead of a whole meal.
Is getting more food for your money always a good value?
Have you noticed that it costs only a few cents more to get the large fries or soft drinks instead of the regular or small size? Although getting the super-sized meal for a little extra money may seem like a good deal, you end up with more calories than you need for your body to stay healthy. Before you buy your next “value meal combo,” be sure you are making the best choice for your wallet and your health.
How can I manage portions and eat well when money is tight?
Eating healthier doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. For instance:
Buy fresh fruit and vegetables when they are in season . Check out a local farmers market for fresh, local produce if there is one in your community. Be sure to compare prices, as produce at some farmers markets cost more than the grocery store. Buy only as much as you will use to avoid having to throw away spoiled food.
Match portion sizes to serving sizes. To get the most from the money you spend on packaged foods, try eating no more than the serving sizes listed on food labels. Eating no more than a serving size may also help you better manage your fat, sugar, salt, and calories.
Remember...
Too many calories can affect your weight and health. Along with choosing a healthy variety of foods and reducing the total calories you take in through eating and drinking, pay attention to the size of your portions. Sticking with healthy foods and drinks and managing your portions may help you eat just enough for you.
[ Top ]
Clinical Trials
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct and support research into many diseases and conditions.
What are clinical trials, and are they right for you?
Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you .
What clinical trials are open?
Clinical trials that are currently open and are recruiting can be viewed at www.ClinicalTrials.gov .
[ Top ]
This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings through its clearinghouses and education programs to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.
The NIDDK would like to thank:
Dr. Carla Miller, Associate Professor, Ohio State University
This information is not copyrighted. The NIDDK encourages people to share this content freely.
December 2016
| Slice |
A butte is a type of what geologic feature? | Serving Sizes and Portions, Eat Right, NHLBI, NIH
Serving Sizes and Portions
Serving Sizes and Portions
Portions and Servings: What's the Difference?
A portion is the amount of food that you choose to eat for a meal or snack. It can be big or small, you decide.
A serving is a measured amount of food or drink, such as one slice of bread or one cup (eight ounces) of milk.
Many foods that come as a single portion actually contain multiple servings. The Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods, on the backs of cans, sides of boxes, etc. tells you the number of servings in the container.
For example, look at the label of a 20-ounce soda (usually consumed as one portion). It has 2.5 servings in it. A 3-ounce bag of chips, which some would consider a single portion, contains 3 servings.
Look at serving sizes on the nutrition label. Click on the NHLBI Serving Size Card
(107 KB) or visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website
.
Portion Distortion
Average portion sizes have grown so much over the past 20 years that sometimes the plate arrives and there's enough food for two or even three people on it. Growing portion sizes are changing what Americans think of as a "normal" portion at home too. We call it portion distortion.
Check out these examples of how larger portions lead to increased calories:
Comparison of Portions and Calories 20 Years Ago to Present Day
20 Years Ago
| i don't know |
What name is given to the original land mass from which the modern continents have developed? | 7 Continents of the World | Interesting Facts, Maps, Resources
Types of Pollution
7 Continents of the World
Seven Continents Video – Enjoy this video presentation reviewing the list of the seven continents along with facts, maps, and other interesting information.
Planet Earth is home to 7.3 billion people and over 1.5 million different species of animals, insects, and plants spread across 7 continents. Earth was not always comprised on seven continents. 175 million years ago the 7 continents were all connected into one supercontinent surrounded by a very large ocean. This supercontinent is known as Pangaea. It slowly began to break apart into 7 different pieces and drift into the positions we find them in the present. But, the continents are not at rest. They are always moving and over time will move and drift into entirely new continents over the next several hundred million years.
What is a Continent?
Though there are many definitions of the term “continent,” it is generally used to identify large distinct land masses that make up planet Earth’s surface. What we know as land are actually the areas which happen to be at a high enough elevation to not be flooded by the lakes, rivers, and oceans of the world which surround them. The continents shapes and boundaries are ever-changing as the water surrounding them defines the land that makes up the continent. It is important to remember the five oceans of the world , as the continents make up just 1/3rd of Earth’s surface.
View 7 Continents Interactive Map
What are the 7 Continents of the World?
Click to Enlarge
Today, we have seven continents on planet Earth surrounded by five oceans . Each of the seven continental land masses is diverse and distinctly unique with their own plants, animals, deserts , mountains, rivers , lakes , cultures, and weather. A continent is larger than an island and is usually made up of multiple countries and span millions of square miles. The 7 continents of the world are North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
How Many Continents Are There?
Some consider the North and South American continent to be just one landmass referred to as the “American Continent.” Europe and Asia continent are also combined at times and referred to as “Eurasia.” The continent of Australia is often confused with the country of Australia. The Australian Continent includes Australia (country), Tasmania, New Guinea and others. This region is also referred to as “Oceania,” which includes the previously listed countries as well as New Zealand, Micronesian, and Polynesian islands. Oceania is generally not considered a continent as it does not make up “a single continuous landmass.”
5 Continents: Depending on when you went through school and the country you were educated, you may have learned that there were just 5 continents. Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. Interestingly, this is why we have five rings to symbolize the Olympic Games
6 Continents: In certain countries it is common for students to learn about just 6 continents. America, Antarctica, Asia, Africa, Australia (Oceania), and Europe. There are some geography experts that acknowledge just 6 continents where the continent of Asia and Europe are combined into a new continent called “Eurasia” as these two continents are one single land mass.
7 Continents: The most commonly accepted number of continents is 7. North America, South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania), Europe, and Asia.
Below you will find a comprehensive 7 continents list exploring each of the continents with a summary. Under each continent you can follow the link below it to learn more!
7 Continents List
| Pangaea |
What serial killer dubbed himself the “Son of Sam”? | What is Gondwana?
What is Gondwana?
By Stephanie Pappas, Live Science Contributor |
June 7, 2013 03:52pm ET
MORE
The breakup of the Pangaea supercontinent.
Credit: U.S. Geological Survey
Gondwana was an ancient supercontinent that broke up about 180 million years ago. The continent eventually split into landmasses we recognize today: Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula.
The familiar continents of today are really only a temporary arrangement in a long history of continental movement. Landmasses on Earth are in a constant state of slow motion, and have, at multiple times, come together as one. These all-in-one supercontinents include Columbia (also known as Nuna), Rodinia, Pannotia and Pangaea (or Pangea).
Gondwana was half of the Pangaea supercontinent, along with a northern supercontinent known as Laurasia.
The creation of Gondwana
Gondwana's final formation occurred about 500 million years ago, during the late Ediacaran Period. By this time, multicellular organisms had evolved, but they were primitive: The few fossils left from this period reveal segmented worms, frond-like organisms and round creatures shaped like modern jellyfish.
In this world, Gondwana conducted its slow grind to supercontinent status. Bits and pieces of the future supercontinent collided over millennia, bringing together what are now Africa, India, Madagascar, Australia and Antarctica.
This early version of Gondwana joined with the other landmasses on Earth to form the single supercontinent Pangaea by about 300 million years ago. About 280 million to 230 million years ago, Pangaea started to split. Magma from below the Earth's crust began pushing upward, creating a fissure between what would become Africa, South America and North America.
As part of this process, Pangaea cracked into a northernmost and southernmost supercontinent. The northern landmass, Laurasia, would drift north and gradually split into Europe, Asia and North America.
The southern landmass, still carrying all those bits and pieces of the future southern hemisphere, headed southward after the split. This supercontinent was Gondwana.
Gondwana's breakup
During Gondwana's stint as the southerly supercontinent, the planet was much warmer than it was today — there was no Antarctic ice sheet , and dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. By this time, it was the Jurassic Period , and much of Gondwana was covered with lush rainforest.
The great supercontinent was still under strain, however. Between about 170 million and 180 million years ago, Gondwana began its own split, with Africa and South America breaking apart from the other half of Gondwana. About 140 million years ago, South America and Africa split, opening up the South Atlantic Ocean between them. Meanwhile, on the eastern half of the once-supercontinent, Madagascar made a break from India and both moved away from Australia and Antarctica.
Australia and Antarctica clung together longer; in fact, Antarctica and Australia didn't make their final split until about 45 million years ago. At that point, Antarctica started to freeze over as Earth's climate cooled, while Australia drifted northward. (Today, the Australian continent still moves north at a rate of about 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) a year.)
Gondwana theory
The exact mechanisms behind Gondwana's split are still unknown. Some theorists believe that "hot spots," where magma is very close to the surface, bubbled up and rifted the supercontinent apart. In 2008, however, University of London researchers suggested that Gondwana instead split into two tectonic plates , which then broke apart.
The existence of Gondwana was first hypothesized in the mid-1800s by Eduard Suess, a Viennese geologist who dubbed the theoretical continent "Gondwanaland." Suess was tipped off by similar fern fossils found in South America, India and Africa (the same fossils would later be found in Antarctica). At the time, plate tectonics weren't understood, so Suess didn't realize that all of these continents had once been in different locations. Instead, he developed a theory of sea level rise and regression over time that would have linked together the southern hemisphere continents with land bridges.
Suess got the name Gondwanaland from the Gondwana region of central India, where geological formations match those of similar ages in the southern hemisphere.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+ . Follow us @livescience , Facebook & Google+ . Original article on LiveScience.com.
Editor's Recommendations
| i don't know |
Sauerkraut, translated from the German as "sour herb", is made from what vegetable? | Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
May-22-2008
Sauerkraut is a traditional German food made from cabbage that is considered to be a nutritious wholesome food; it has a long shelf life and a unique sour taste. It is also common as a food item in many northern European countries and in the continent as a whole. The nutritional properties of sauerkraut as a food mirror many other traditional foods that are all highly regarded as nutritional culinary treasures in their own right. Sauerkraut is almost synonymous with being German and is strongly identified with German culture. The name Sauerkraut is derived from two German words, �Sauer� which is translated as sour English and �kraut�, the German word for cabbage - the vegetable that is used in making it. Thus, in English it can be translated as sour cabbage. Recent research suggests that this preserved food is much better nutritionally than many other vegetable foods; it is high in essential vitamins, many important minerals, and beneficial phytochemicals . It has strong anti-oxidant properties according to recent Finnish studies and is said to contain many beneficial bacteria that strengthen the process of digestion in the stomach. Some research suggest that it may even be an aphrodisiac, all in all, this humble food is considered to be a general nourishing agent and acts as a potent nutritional medicine that can be used in treating many disorders. It is a staple in most German households and is produced by the lactic acid fermentation of cabbages. In fact, while sauerkraut is a German food, preserved cabbages have a long tradition outside as well and are staples in many other cultures across the world including Asia. Sour preserved cabbages, and other preserved vegetables, are a staple food and feature in many other Asian and Eastern European cuisines as well. All of these preserved foods are well known for their medicinal properties and are considered good wholesome foods.
As with many other food items that have been passed by travelers moving from one place to another in the course of human history, the nomadic Tartars are said to have brought the sauerkraut to Europe. These migratory peoples are said to have come across fermented cabbage in ancient China and adopted it and brought it with them to Europe where it found a home. The Chinese have a very ancient tradition of preserving and fermenting different foods and it is likely that this food item originated in that country. In present day Asia, however, the Korean style fermented cabbage known as Kimchi is the most well known food, this fermented Korean food contains cabbages and is spiced with other commonly available vegetables such as radishes and turnips , as well as scallions, other local vegetables and may also include sea food. In Korea, sour cabbages are usually spiced up by the addition of ginger and garlic , as well as hot red chili pepper; it also includes fish sauce in most cases. Koreans are identified with Kimchi, which can be considered to be a national passion and staple food among both the populations of South and North Korea. Traditionally, Kimchi was a way of preserving seasonal vegetables to tide a family over the winter months. Koreans love their Kimchi, and results from a research by the Korean Food Research Institute suggest that an average adult in Korea will consume more than four oz of Kimchi every day, annually. While Kimchi has firm Korean roots, it has been exported as a culinary item to many other countries, for example, the biggest importer of Korean kimchi are the Japanese - who have also taken to the food in recent times. Kimchi has also found aficionados in many other places around the globe and is very much a part of the new international cuisine.
Sauerkraut has also been used in Germany for medicinal purposes, traditionally in many parts of southern Germany, some families would feed the children raw sauerkraut two times every week - this was believed to support and strengthen the intestines of these children. A French version of the sauerkraut also exists, and this fermented cabbage dish is called �Choucroute� in France - it is also a traditional dish in many places in France. At the same time, fermented cabbage dishes similar to sauerkraut are common across Europe - each place has its own style influenced by the culture and culinary practices of the people living there. Whole cabbages are fermented and soured in the Balkan countries of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina - big barrels are used for the fermentation process. The soured and fermented cabbages are sweetened with apples in the Russian style of making this dish. Therefore, it is quite likely that one can come across a variant of fermented cabbage used as food across the globe. It may well be one of the most widespread traditional dishes around.
Natural lactic acid fermentation and the beneficial effects
Food was preserved in the old days before the arrival of refrigeration, using the lactic acid fermentation process - pickling foods by souring them was one of the ways in which seasonal foods could be stored for a rainy day in ancient times. Most fruits and vegetables normally have some lactic acid producing bacteria or LAB's that occur naturally on the surface, these bacteria are found in greatest numbers on fruits or vegetables that grow at ground level. Natural fermentation of ripe fruits and vegetables can occur under certain conditions, in which certain chemical processes are initiated by the bacteria acting on the starches and sugars in the plant chemically converting these compounds to the product lactic acid - this occurs in nature and may help enhance the digestibility of the fruit or the vegetable; even leading to an increase in the nutritional value of the fruit or the vegetable. The action of lactic acid in the process of digestion of food is beneficial in many aspects, as it actively inhibits the growth of putrefying bacteria inside the lumen of the intestinal tract - often directly enhancing the growth of healthy gut flora already present in the body. At the same time, foods that have been fermented by LAB also aid in balancing out the levels of acids in the stomach and actively stimulate the pancreatic secretions - this action tends to strengthen the general digestion process.
The process of fermenting sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is a fermented food and therefore has a sour taste. The fermentation of the cabbage into the product called sauerkraut is not carried out by a single type of microorganism but involves numerous strains that give the food its unique taste - this surprises many lay people who think that a single microbial agent is involved in the production of this food item. Indeed, many different microorganisms take a part in forming the sauerkraut, similar to other foods that also undergo the fermentation process; a succession of several different microbial strains contribute to the final product. The process of fermentation is started by a species of bacteria called the Coli-form bacteria; this is the first stage in the process. This particular strain of bacteria is widely distributed and grows in most environments, which includes soils on which plants are cultivated. Coli-form bacteria are not pathogenic and do not cause diseases ; they are beneficial strains and a major aid in the fermentation of vegetables and fruits. The major role that Coli-form bacteria play in the fermentation process is connected to their capacity to produce acids from starches and sugars in the fruits and vegetables; lactic acid and many other organic acids are produced during this fermentation process. The production of acids increases the acidity of the internal environment making it suitable for Leuconostoc bacteria to multiply and take the fermentation process further along the chain. The culture or the environment turns increasing acidic as the Leuconostoc bacteria become the most abundant strain and the fermentation process can be said to have moved to the next stage. The pH of the culture becomes very low as more acids enter it, and the fermentation process is taken over by the Lactobacillus bacteria which start producing mainly lactic acid, further decreasing the pH . The process of sauerkraut formation will thus be the preserve of these successive process carried out by the three different strains of bacteria, each of which contributes to the process. The pH or the acidity of the culture is the primary pivot around which each stage of the process revolves. The final product is the sauerkraut.
Fermentation and its basis
The biological process of fermentation can be defined as the degradation of base organic compounds like sugar and starches into simpler constituents through the action of bacteria under anaerobic conditions. Therefore fermentation is a natural process and occurs extensively in nature. Humans have harnessed a natural process to manufacture different products. One of the most important consequences of the process of fermentation is that it makes fermented foods readily digestible and allows for the rapid assimilation of the nutrients contained in such foods. The process of fermentation thus aids digestion and can be said to have effected much of the biochemical work involved in digestion beforehand - it is thus a great metabolic aid, and is the reason that cows and other ruminants can eat leaves or grasses rich in cellulose , and carbohydrate that is not digestible by the majority of animals. The process of fermentation retains all the vital enzymes , essential vitamins, and other beneficial nutrients in the food as no heat is involved in the process - these useful nutrients are normally destroyed during the processing of food through other means.
Nutrients are in fact usually generated through the active cultures that result in the pre-digestion of the food, this occurs as the natural result of the fermentation process. This results in an increase in the content of vitamins in the food, the B vitamins in particular as well as essential minerals such as iron - the chemical bonds that prevent these nutrients from assimilation are released during the fermentation process. The positive effect is that the nutritional value of any fermented food item rises.
Finally, food is preserved and is protected from spoilage through the process of fermentation - the chemistry of the food undergoes a change that prevents other pathogenic bacteria or fungi to establish themselves. This is the primary beneficial effect of the process as seasonal vegetables, meats and fruits can be stored for times when they are scarce - in fact, the process of fermentation was the first natural process harnessed by humans as a means of preserving food. All human cultures, ancient and modern, have benefited from the process of fermenting foods, wholesome and raw food items are preserved in a manner that retains the vital nutrients in them - this maintains the health benefits associated with fresh food items even when such fresh food items become scarce.
Sauerkraut and health
Among pickled food items, the sauerkraut is clearly one of the most popular LAB - fermented vegetable dishes. One of its benefits for health is the potent anti-carcinogenic properties in the cabbage due to the presence of many anti-oxidant compounds. This is coupled with the benefits accrued from the process of lactic acid fermentation that is used to make it. The cancer fighting ability of sauerkraut was confirmed by the results from a recent nutritional study conducted at the MTT Agrifood Research in Finland. The researchers noted the abundance of anti-oxidants, which are free radical scavengers useful in offsetting cellular damage that can lead to cancer . Sauerkraut contains large amounts of specific antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin ; these compounds are proven preservers of ocular health in humans. Sauerkraut is also rich in many diverse and vital nutrients include essential minerals such as calcium and potassium , as well as magnesium , and an abundance of the vitamins C and K . The great thing is that, there is no requirement to consume large amounts of sauerkraut to gain health. Eating just a few tablespoons of the pickled cabbage on a daily basis will suffice for most people. The best way to eat sauerkraut has always been in the form of a side dish along with the main meal, it can also be added to vegetable salads - the main thing is to include some of this food item in the daily diet as a potential health booster. Ideally, one must consume the fresh and unpasteurized sauerkraut, which is usually made available in the refrigerated section of most good health food stores; this product is to be preferred over the canned and pasteurized variety sold in many shops. This is because the heat involved in the process of pasteurization tends to degrade many essential enzymes and results in the depletion of all water soluble vitamins including vitamin C, which are found in abundant amounts in the fresh form of cabbage.
The risk
As sauerkraut is a pickled food, it tends to contain large amounts of chemicals compounds called nitrides and amines, similar to other preserves, especially when it is not made in the proper manner. These have health risks including inducing stomach cancers and migraines in humans. Consumers must buy only the best products to preclude such problems.
Sauerkraut manufacture at home
It is quite easy to prepare sauerkraut at home. The traditional German sauerkraut is made from shredded raw cabbage, good quality fresh cabbages are ideal in preparing the sauerkraut. To make the traditional sauerkraut, good quality raw cabbages can be shredded and then mashed. Once this is done, the mashed pulp of the shredded cabbage and the juice should be salted with the addition of water, a glass canning jar can then be used to pack this mixture for the process of fermentation to occur. The mixture in the glass jar must then be left to stand at room temperature for several days, this time period is necessary to let bacteria initiate the process of fermentation. In several days, the sauerkraut will be ready to eat.
Preparation and storage
Sauerkraut was traditionally prepared and stored in a stoneware crock, a small piece of wet linen cloth, a wood board, and a heavy stone were used as a seal for the crock. While this served for traditional purposes in the olden days, it can be seen that this particular sealing arrangement is not necessarily airtight and could easily lead to spoilage of the sauerkraut contained in the crock - spoilage was always a problem in the old days. In Germany before the modern era, spoilage was avoided by skimming the surface of the brine layer on a daily basis to remove the growth of fungal molds and to get rid of other aerobic contaminants that would grow on the surface exposed to the ambient air in the room.
This problem of spoilage was later averted by an alternative method that relied on the use of a type of ceramic jar that had a trough around the lid to avoid exposure of the brine layer to air. This trough of the lid would be filled with some water, resulting in an airtight seal as the water blocked all air from entering once the other seals were in place.
These days, sauerkraut for domestic use is prepared by using glass canning jars that have clamped thread-less lids which are effective at keeping out air. The added advantage is that the transparent glass allows one to look into the jar and notice the changes in the sauerkraut.
Most people rely on sauerkraut prepared by food manufacturers. Sauerkraut production on the commercial scale normally employs many large airtight plastic barrels that have one way air valves that allow the gases produced by fermentation to escape but do not let ambient air into the barrel.
The most important detail is that whatever the type of vessel employed in the preparation of the sauerkraut, it must be capable of letting fermentation gases escape while preventing contamination from the ambient air.
Sauerkraut and digestion
The process of digestion is aided by the many �friendly� lactobacilli that rapidly multiply during the process of fermentation, this leads to an increase in the levels of vitamins and nutrients in the sauerkraut and indeed in any fermented food product. The fermentation process also leads to the production of a wide variety of beneficial enzymes that aid digestion and can boost the population of healthy intestinal flora found in the human digestive tract. Human health and well being is influenced by a good digestive system, this biological process is a vital influence in almost any kind of health problem a person can face - therefore, an agent that can benefit the digestive process is a good thing. Lactic acid and probiotic bacteria are found in high amounts in non-pasteurized and raw, fermented cabbages - these two components found in sauerkraut are an aid to digestion and might possibly help weaken infections . The growth of harmful pathogenic bacteria such as some strains of E.coli and pathogenic yeasts such as Candida albicans in the digestive tract is precluded by the acidic environment due to lactic acid - the acid also keeps populations of other harmless strains of intestinal bacteria such as E.coli under check, some strains of this bacteria can be potentially harmful if the population growth is not checked. Lactic acid is clinically proven to be capable of keeping the bacterial population growth at negligible levels. At the same time, the growth of beneficial probiotic bacterial flora is not inhibited by the lactic acid. The balance of bacterial populations can therefore be regulated by eating sauerkraut, this is the simplest to protect against an imbalance of bacterial populations in the gastrointestinal tract. The beneficial bacterium strain Lactobacilli plantarum is found in only a few food items, this strain is also abundant in sauerkraut. The helpful bacterium L. planatarum is a dominant strain of probiotic bacteria that is known to actively aid the digestive system by keeping pathogens in check. Free radical scavenging compounds called anti-oxidants are created by the action of L. planatarum and other strains of the �good� microorganisms - these compounds include glutathione and superoxide dismutase that scavenge free radicals and avoid cellular damage that can lead to cancer. These helpful beneficial bacteria aid the digesting of milk sugar, or lactose -one of the hardest sugars to digest in the human body. They also actively neutralize anti-nutrients including phytic acid that is found in all grains used as food and keep the trypsin inhibitors found in soy from disrupting trypsin activity. In general, all fermented foods can be said to aid the assimilation and facilitate the digestive degradation of proteins . Sauerkraut and the juice obtained from pressed sauerkraut have been traditionally known to aid the process of digestion; they were historically used as digestive aids in Europe. Sauerkraut and sauerkraut juice are said to have a soothing effect on the nervous system and are believed to calm the mind. These traditional claims are believed to have a basis, and research suggests that the high proportion of the lactic acid obtained from sauerkraut and sauerkraut juice tends to naturally support the digestive action in the stomach, it also actively aids in the maintenance of intestinal flora, and is said to increase general well being and health. Therefore, sauerkraut may well be one of the healthiest food options around.
The importance of vitamins and minerals
History lessons in school tend to include the scourge of scurvy , a disease now almost unknown caused by a deficiency of vitamin C. Scurvy was a major problem for sailors in the old days, many of them would die of scurvy - which is acute vitamin C deficiency - as a result of the prolonged ocean voyages undertaken in the great European Age of Exploration. The British were the first to come to terms with the disease and identified its cause, they found that pickled lemons were the cure for scurvy, this discovery would eventually enable sailors to sail long voyages across uncharted oceans - it would also bring the term �limey� into the language of the world as British sailors would be identified with the pickled lime. Before the discovery of the powers of pickled lime , many thousands of sailors died, however, after the cause of scurvy was identified and a solution found. The British Captain James Cook would be one of the first to make use of pickles and was able to undertake three extensive voyages across the Pacific lasting from 1768 to 1780 without the loss of a single member of the crew to scurvy. The anti-scorbutic agents in the pickles loaded on his ships would enable Cook to keep scurvy at bay. Cook would command his sailors to gather all kinds of fruits, berries and vegetables to turn into pickles whenever his ships struck land. Indeed, lemons were not the only pickles carried on board ships as lime pickles were hard to store for long voyages. In one voyage of discovery, Cook took on a cargo consisting of 7,860 pounds of sauerkraut onboard his ship. This load was sufficient to give each of his seventy sailors at least two pounds of sauerkraut every week for a whole year of endless sailing. Sauerkraut is an excellent source of vitamin C, approximately 30 mg of the vitamin C are contained in every hundred grams of sauerkraut.
Easy access to fresh vegetables and fruits has not always been an option in human history. Society has evolved to a point where fresh fruits and vegetables are available all year round only in the last hundred years - in the pre-modern eras, the only way to avail out of season foods were by preserving them. Thus, fresh cabbage turned into sauerkraut in the summer was one of those preserved foods that were high in vitamin C that could be kept through the winter as a source of nutrients in the old days. Sauerkraut keeps very well, and can last without spoiling for an entire year without requiring heat or further processing. Vitamin C and other water soluble vitamins are very easily degraded by heat.
The importance of vitamin C
The vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins in the body. It is necessary for the formation of collagen in the human body, besides being a highly reducing compound that is capable of a reversible oxidation; it is also a potent antioxidant or free radical scavenger. The vitamin plays an important role in the redox reactions occurring in the body at the cellular level. Some of the other functions of the vitamin C are the promotion of iron absorption in the intestines and the chemical protection of folic acid reductase - an enzyme essential for folic acid utilization. The vitamin C is also notable for its capacity to regenerate other antioxidant compounds including the flavonoids , the vitamin E , and the compound glutathione . Vitamin C also plays an important role in the bio-synthesis of the class of compounds called steroids and participates in the chemical production of the compound carnitine . While all cells require vitamin C, the highest concentrations of this vitamin are lie in the brain, the white blood cells, and the lens of the eye. 1500 mg of vitamin C represent the total pool of the vitamin in the average human body. Any concentration above this level is eliminated through the urine and feces. Vitamin C has a chemical turnover time represented as three percent of the total pool of the vitamin in the body daily. The half-life of this vitamin in the body is thus about eighteen days. This half life period is the reason for the latency period for the appearance of physical symptoms associated with a deficiency once a diet lacking in vitamin C is undertaken.
The efficiency of physiological use of the carbohydrates , fats, and proteins in the body is regulated by the vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient as humans cannot produce it, as it is associated with collagen formation, it is necessary for the proper growth and maintenance of all bones, the teeth and gums, the ligaments , and blood vessels in the body. It is a strong antioxidant compound and scavenges cancer causing free radicals in the cells. By far the most important role is its necessity in the formation of the major structural protein collagen - the disruption of this linkage is connected to scurvy and other symptoms. Therefore, vitamin C is essential for all cells and the integrity of the body itself.
Nutritional facts
As a nutritious food choice, the sauerkraut is a perfect candidate for all round nutrition. Sauerkraut is absolutely free of fats, and gives sixty calories to a cup, which in turn provides about six grams of dietary fiber along with lots of vitamin C and other essential minerals as well. The sole ingredient in sauerkraut, the humble cabbage is rich in vitamins that can bolster the immune system and have other beneficial effects. The high vitamin content of sauerkraut can be gauged from the fact that one cup serving of the dish can give one hundred and two percent of the recommended daily intake of the vitamin K and about sixteen percent of recommended daily intake levels of the vitamin C. Beside the vitamins, sauerkraut is also rich in essential minerals such as calcium and magnesium. It is also rich in fiber content, as well as containing substantial amounts of the vitamin B6 , folate, and traces of potassium and copper - both essential minerals. Due to the taste and dietary preferences, many people do not like consuming sauerkraut or don't want to do it often. However, considered its nutritional content, it is a surprisingly healthy and versatile food and is a recommended for all homes. Sauerkraut is a versatile dish and can be eaten as part of a soup or a salad or as a low calorie side dish - which is the way most people like it served.
As a nutritious side dish, sauerkraut is suggested whenever meat is to be eaten as the main dish. Eating sauerkraut is also highly recommended when a rich evening meal is to be eaten. The evening meal especially if it is rich is the hardest meal of the day to digest of all meals combined. The reason is that towards the end of the day, fatigue sets in on the body the entire enzyme stores in the body are depleted having already been expended on previous meals earlier in the day. The evening meal is hardest on most people suffering from some sort of digestive disorder. Therefore, sauerkraut is advised as an aid to digestion.
| Cabbage |
Born in Weehawken, N.J. on August 19, 1947, who is the current music director of the Seattle Symphony? | sausage and sauerkraut - German translation – Linguee
[...] dishes are marinated eel, blood sausage and sauerkraut stew with pork.
europa.eu
So gehï¿œren zu den traditionellen estnischen Gerichten
[...] marinierter Aal, Blutwurst und Sauerkrauteintopf mit Schweinefleisch.
europa.eu
Also in the parish hall, business was thriving with
[...] boiled pork belly, sausages and "Sauerkraut".
osb-tutzing.it
Das Geschï¿œft blï¿œhte auch im
[...] Pfarrsaal bei Kesselfleisch, Wï¿œrstchen und Sauerkraut.
osb-tutzing.it
In the olden days, at the inn they used to serve sausages and sauerkraut, boiled beef with horseradish and potatoes, pickled beef, pickled saveloys, [...]
aspic and various meat stews like goulash and tripe.
stoletne-gostilne.si
stoletne-gostilne.si
Das kulinarische
[...] Angebot jener Zeit waren Wï¿œrste mit Kraut, gekochtes Rindfleisch mit Kren und Kartoffeln, Rindfleisch im Salat, Knackwurst im Salat, Sï¿œlze und Mahlzeiten [...]
in Form von Gulasch und Kuttelflecken.
stoletne-gostilne.si
stoletne-gostilne.si
This year's German Conference which was held at a modernized Hotel with a middle aged faï¿œade in downtown old Nuernberg from January 30th to 1st February 2009 was accompanied by cold winter sunshine from the "warm-up" with "the special sausages and sauerkraut" until the guided city tour on the final day.
friendshipforce-varel.org
friendshipforce-varel.org
Vom Warm-up" bei gegrillten oder sauren frï¿œnkischen Wï¿œrstchen mit Sauerkraut bis zum abschlieï¿œenden Stadtrundgang begleitete Sonnenschein kalter Wintertage die Deutschland-Konferenz, die vom 30. Januar bis 1. Februar 2009 in einem modernisierten Hotel mit mittelalterlicher Fassade in der Altstadt von Nï¿œrnberg stattfand.
friendshipforce-varel.org
Our sausage salad, the everywhere popular pork sausage with fried potatoes and "sauerkraut", is eaten with pleasure again and again. Not to forget [...]
our "beef roulade" and the "sauerbraten".
grillhuette.com
Gerne gegessen wird immer wieder unser Wurstsalat, die allseits beliebte Schweinsbratwurst mit Bratkartoffeln und Sauerkraut, nicht zu vergessen [...]
unsere Rindsroulade und der Sauerbraten.
grillhuette.com
(Polenta with sausage, mixed mushrooms and sauerkraut)
malgaaloch.com
(Polenta mit gebratener Wurst, gemischten Pilzen und Sauerkraut)
malgaaloch.com
After that they joined in a simple lunch, in
[...] most cases fried sausage with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.
weihnachtsfreu.de
[...] einfaches Essen, meist Bratwurst mit Kartoffelbrei und Sauerkraut.
weihnachtsfreu.de
freshly prepared boiled pork, salted and smoked pork rib, roasted
[...] black-pudding and liver sausage, served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut
pruemtal.de
Fleischspieￜ mit Blut- und Leberwurst,
[...] Rauchfleisch, Schwenksteak und Kasseler auf Kartoffelpï¿œree und Sauerkraut
pruemtal.de
Home-made salami, smoked sausage, home-made cold
[...]
[...] horseradish, blood sausage and fried sausage with sauerkraut (in winter), grilled [...]
dishes (lamb, suckling
[...]
pig), home-made gnocchi and ï¿œtruklji (boiled strudel with filling), home-made strudel, belokranjska pogaï¿œa (flatbread with cumin), crispy home-made white loaf, ...
dobre-gostilne.si
Hausgemachte Salami, Rï¿œucherwurst, hausgemachter
[...]
[...] Rindfleisch mit Kren, Blutwurst und Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut (im Winter), Gerichte [...]
vom Grill (Lamm, Spanferkel),
[...]
are used most often:
[...] Lentils or peas, sauerkraut with fried sausage or roast pork, potato dumplings, potato salad, herring with apple salad, millet gruel and baked plums.
weihnachtsfreu.de
weihnachtsfreu.de
Am meisten dï¿œrften jedoch verwendet worden
[...] sein: Linsen oder Erbsen, Sauerkraut mit Bratwurst oder Schweinebraten, Klￜￜe, Kartoffelsalat, Hering mit Apfelsalat, Hirsebrei und gebackene Pflaumen.
weihnachtsfreu.de
Old Bohemian platter - roasted duck drumsticks,
[...]
roasted smoked pork neck,
[...] roasted wine sausage, Moravian red cabbage, stewed sauerkraut, potato dumplings with butter bread roll, and fluffy dumplings
carlsbad-convention.cz
Altbï¿œhmischer Teller - gebratene Entenkeule,
[...] gebratenes Kassler, Weinbratwurst, mï¿œhrisches Rotkraut, Sauerkraut, Kartoffelknï¿œdel mit Buttersemmeln und zarte Hefeknï¿œdel
carlsbad-convention.cz
carlsbad-convention.cz
The ￜGrandma's Kitchenￜ part of the menu features a selection of traditional dishes like tender beef goulash with rolled bread dumplings, Trieste-style tripe, veal stew with buckwheat mush, barley soup with smoked meat, roast pork in puff pastry served with sautￜ
[...]
potatoes, Farmer's Feast
[...] (black pudding, fried sausage, bacon, ham, sauerkraut, boiled potatoes) and black pudding or fried sausage with sauerkraut served with boiled potatoes.
stoletne-gostilne.si
stoletne-gostilne.si
Aus Groï¿œmutters Kï¿œche, also nach Tradition, kï¿œnnen wir saftiges Gulasch mit Brotroulade, Kuttelflecken nach Triester Art, Kalbseingemachtes mit Heidensterz, Gerstel mit Rauchfleisch, Schweinebraten im
[...]
Blï¿œtterteig mit gerï¿œsteten
[...] Kartoffeln, Bauernfestmahl (Blutwurst, Bratwurst, Schinken, Haxe, Sauerkraut, Salzkartoffel), Blutwurst mit Sauerkraut oder auch Bratwurst wï¿œhlen.
stoletne-gostilne.si
stoletne-gostilne.si
After the fat with cracklings and strong grandmother's beef soup with pancakes so thick you could
[...]
stand a spoon in it, a `koline' followed: a fried
[...] sausage, a boiled sausage, `mavzlje', sauerkraut and a bread dumpling.
skrubi.net
Nach dem Schmalz mit Grieben und der hausgemachten Rindfleischsuppe, mit Pfannkuchen, in der der Lï¿œffel
[...]
von alleine stehen konnte, aï¿œen wir hausgemachte
[...] Bratwurst, gekochte Wurst, `Mavzlji', Sauerkraut und einen Semmelknï¿œdel.
skrubi.net
Roasted gently like that, especially
[...] Cerlyone and Affumato Maxi-sausage slices are delicious with sauerkraut and boiled potatoes.
vegi-service.ch
So angebraten passen besonders die
[...] gerï¿œucherten Maxi-Wï¿œrste Cerlyone und Affumato kï¿œstlich zu Sauerkraut und Salzkartoffeln.
vegi-service.ch
Mashed potatoes (water, potatoes, vegetable fat, whole milk powder, vegetable
[...]
oil, table salt, cream
[...] powder, iodized salt, emulsifier: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids; spices, stabilizer: diphosphate; flavouring, acidifier: citric acid), grilled sausage cooked 21% (pork, bacon, water, iodized salt, spices (with mustard), vegetable oil, seasoning, spice extrakt, edible casing, vegetable powder, lactose), wine sauerkraut (white cabbage, wine, table salt), water, [...]
onions, fried onions
[...] bigos (ein Eintopf aus Sauerkraut, Kohl, Fleisch, gerï¿œucherter Wurst und Pilzen) und go?
raben-group.com
Then the educated engineer entered the
[...]
Kanterbrau brewery?s tent to enjoy being a real Le
[...] Mans race fan with fried sausage, sauerkraut and Bavarian brass band music.
klaus-ewald.de
Der gelernte Diplomingenieur Donohue begab
[...]
[...] Kanterbrï¿œu-Bierzelt und genoss bei Bratwurst, Sauerkraut und Blasmusik die Vorzï¿œge, [...]
in Le Mans ein richtiger Rennfan zu sein.
klaus-ewald.de
klaus-ewald.de
Foods offered
[...] include brats, metts, hot dogs, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, goulash with Spï¿œtzle and boiled potatoes, green beans with ham, suckling pig or chicken with mashed potatoes, and homemade Schwaben sausage with potato salad, as well as desserts such [...]
as homebaked
Klassische Soljanka mit zahlreichen Zutaten wie Weiï¿œkraut, Gurken, Karotten, Fleischwurst,
[...] Zwiebeln, Paprika, und Sauerkraut verfeinert mit Sauerrahm.
die-konserven.com
In spring, the local eateries offer fragrant herb omelettes,
[...]
then in autumn you will
[...] find muset e brovade (cotechino sausage with grated pomace-steeped white turnips), gulasch (in endless spicy variations), kaiserfleisch (smoked pork sprinkled with fresh horseradish and served with sauerkraut or bread dumplings), game with [...]
polenta, shin of pork or baked veal.
cantineaperte.info
Im Frï¿œhling finden wir in den Trattorien herrliche Krï¿œuteromeletts, wï¿œhrend man zu den
[...]
Herbstgerichten Muset
[...] und Brovade (Cotechino mit geriebenen weiￜen und in Trester gegￜrten Rￜben), Gulasch (scharf in zahlreichen Variationen), Kaiserfleisch (gerￜuchertes Schweinefleisch, bestreut mit frischem Meerrettich und mit Sauerkraut oder Brotklￜￜen serviert), [...]
Wild mit Polenta,
| i don't know |
What part of a kola tree is used to flavor soft drinks? | The Kola Nut
“…traditional kolanut is regarded as a sacred nut, which is used to communicate with the gods being that it was chosen by the elders as the head or king of all seeds…”
Origins and History
Kola nut is the seed kernel of a large African tree grown commercially around the world, particularly in Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Brazil and other parts of South America. It is extremely popular amongst the inhabitants as a caffeine-containing stimulant. The nuts are eaten whole or powdered and mixed with liquid for a drink. The kola nut is primarily derived from three species from the cocoa tree family: Cola acuminta, Cola nitida and Cola vera, which originate in tropical West Africa but can also be found in pockets of Brazil and the West Indies, where they were taken by the slave trade. The trees typically reach a height of 25 meters or 60 feet and its waxy oval leaves frame cheerful star-shaped flowers that are white or yellow with purple accents. Its fruit is pod-shaped, with each of which is nestled about a dozen roundish shaped seeds or kola nuts. The kola nuts may be red, white or pinkish of hue. (Once opened, the exposed seedpod’s arrangement looks rather similar in its configuration to an armadillo’s armour!). The nut’s aroma is sweet and rose-like; and the first taste is bitter, but sweetens upon chewing. The nut can be boiled to extract the cola.
The Many Roles of the Kola Nut
Its versatility as a symbol, medicine, food and flavoring has been long been utilized around the world since ancient times and continues to be so applied. Science has isolated certain compounds within it, which can be credited with its medicinal benefits.
Symbolic Uses: As a symbol it is used in West Africa by the Igbos of Nigeria to grace social rituals of hospitality as welcome offerings to guests; as sacred offering in religious rites and prayers; in ancestor veneration; and in important life events such as weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals and memorials. As a mark of respect the kola nut is broken with knife. Prayer follows the presentation of kola nut immediately, which in traditional pattern is libations. In the prayer our forefathers are beaconed to come and participate in the eating of the kola nut and to guide and protect in the mission that brings the people together. After the prayer, the kola nut is broken, shared, every body eats and the ceremony begins.
“…In May of 1886, Dr. John Styth Pemberton, a pharmacist from Georgia, USA, took extracts of the kolanut and coca, mixed them with sugar, carbonated water and caramel coloring to create the first Coca-Cola recipe…”
The presentation of the kola nut is crucial in that even when a visitor comes to someone’s home, the guest will not say his mission until after the kola nut has been presented to him. Traditionally kola nut is regarded as a sacred nut, which is used to communicate with the gods being that it was chosen by the elders as the head or king of all seeds. The Yorubas of Nigeria apply the kola nut in a special form of divination known as Obi divination, in which the diviner asks the spirits a question and throws four pieces of kola nut. The way the kola nuts land are interpreted by the diviner as the answer to his or her question. In the olden days it took awhile before kola is broken. The reason is that kola nut used by tradition is multi-cotyledon. As such every kola nut has meaning despite the fact that the person who presents the kola nut does not check how many divisions a kola nut has by nature. Nonetheless the elder must check each kola nut and interpret their meanings before they are finally broken. As the saying goes “the words of elders are words of wisdom.” While in most cases their interpretation are regarded as superstitious, they are said to turn out correctly.
Medicinal Uses: The kola nut is high in caffeine as well as a number of other phyto-chemical compounds including betaine (a natural red pigment), kola red, phenolics, tannins, theobromine and theophylline. Its bitter astringent flavor is used as digestive aid prior to meals to stimulate gastric juice and bile production; while its caffeine and theobromine content make it a potent neuro-stimulant that is used to combat fatigue. The nut and its extracts have been also successfully used in treating respiratory conditions such as asthma and whooping cough as its caffeine, theobromine and theophylline content act as vasodilators that dilate the blood vessels, allowing for greater circulation of oxygen. Other medicinal uses include the treatment of toothache, diarrhea, exhaustion, headaches, hunger (the caffeine content means it is an effective appetite suppressant), malaria, nausea, poison antidote, sedative, stimulant and tonic.
“…the kolanut is still used as a type of aperitif prior to meals to enhance the taste of the food to follow, as its astringency cleanses the palate…”
As Food and Flavoring For Drinks
You will find often West African manual workers, laborers and farm workers chewing kola as they go about their daily work as a pep-me-up in between meals, although the practice is said to be dwindling amongst the younger generation. Nonetheless, the kola nut is still used as a type of aperitif prior to meals to enhance the taste of the food to follow, as its astringency cleanses the palate and stimulates saliva production. Nutritionally, it is a source of some B-vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin), as well as proteins, starch and sugar. Muslims in Africa often substitute it for alcohol as their religion forbids them to drink and, although it contains 1-3.5% caffeine, it is not addictive. It is the distinctive source of flavor for colas, and certain soft drinks and tonics. In May of 1886, Dr. John Styth Pemberton, a pharmacist from Georgia, USA took extracts of the kolanut and coca, mixed them with sugar, carbonated water and caramel coloring to create the first Coca-Cola recipe. Since then it has been used as flavoring in many other soft drinks - although Coca-Cola purportedly does not used kola nut anymore, but uses instead synthetic derivatives that mimic its flavors.
Regular daily chewing of the kola nut can stain the teeth giving a telling rusty color. According to medical science, kola nut does have a high level of nicotine, which can affect body chemistry negatively. It can lead to insomnia, high blood pressure, high heartbeat, high-level toxicity, over stimulations and locomotive effects. However, despite some of these negative medical reports, the kolanut is a cherished commodity that has blossomed into a huge economic prospect which kolanut trade with exportation to China, North America and India, where it is largely required for the production of cola drinks and pharmaceutical products.
| Nut |
August 19, 1942 saw the birth of the 42nd President of the US. Who is it? | soda - How should I prepare kola nuts for creating a soft drink? - Seasoned Advice
How should I prepare kola nuts for creating a soft drink?
up vote 3 down vote favorite
1
I have recently gotten into making my own soft drinks, and I would like to attempt making a cola. I found an online spice retailer that sells Kola Nut and bought some, but I have no real idea how to prepare them for use. I also don't know how much I should use for a liter or two of soda, but I can figure that out via experimentation if I have to.
But what should I do with the kola nuts? Do they need to be ground before I boil them in a simple syrup, or should the pieces just be dropped in as-is? How much time does it take to extract the flavor from them?
Edit: I have made my own ginger ale using fresh ginger and my own berry soda using a bag of frozen berries, and I am a homebrewer and have a kegging system and a carbonator cap for soda bottles. I really just want to know if there are special considerations for how to treat kola nuts.
| i don't know |
Who's missing: Dorothy, Tin Woodman, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion? | Cowardly Lion | Oz Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
― The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Cowardly Lion is a fictional animal character created by L. Frank Baum , author and inventor of the Oz legacy. He is introduced in Baum's first Oz book titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , published in 1900. He makes his debut appearance in the sixth chapter of the novel titled The Cowardly Lion. He also is the third and final being to join the story's child protagonist and heroine of the tale named Dorothy Gale . When Cowardly Lion encounters Dorothy for the very first time, she is also accompanied by a brainless Scarecrow , a heartless Tin Woodman and her little pet dog named Toto , all of whom became loyal comrades and good friends forevermore. In the end of the story the Cowardly Lion eventually received what he desired only to realize; he had it all along, thus becoming one of the most respected and bravest beast in all of Oz.
"Oh, you oughta be ashamed of yourself, frightening him like that when he came to you for help! "
― Dorothy Gale defending the Cowardly Lion (1939)
Contents
[ show ]
Baums' Description
"...suddenly somewhere deep within the forest, a startling roar, was heard. The next moment a great big Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws. But, to the Lion's surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still. Little Toto, thinking he now had an enemy to face to protect his mistress, ran barking toward the Lion. So the great beast had opened his mouth to bite Toto. Dorothy, fearing her dog would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she cried out: "Don't you dare bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog! "
― The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
The Cowardly Lion with Dorothy and Toto. By W. W. Denslow 1900.
In the Oz books, Baum describes the Cowardly Lion as being grandiose, handsome and nearly as big as a full grown horse in size. He is a rather cuddly animal despite being so large, and also is a gentle giant at heart. He is said to have golden colored eyes that sparkle like fools gold and are full of wit and loyalty. He is warm, plush and soft, having a fluffy, bushy and curly mane that is often adorned with a brightly colored bow of red or green silk.
The Cowardly Lion can sing songs, in a "deep bass voice." ( Glinda of Oz )
A Lion Without Courage
The Cowardly Lion of Oz by Eric Shanower.
"When they came to a good-sized farmhouse, painted a pretty green color, Dorothy walked boldly up to the door and knocked. A woman opened it just far enough to look out, and said, "What do you want, child, and why is that great Lion with you?" "We wish to pass the night with you, if you will allow us," answered Dorothy; "and the Lion is my friend and comrade, and would not hurt you for the world." "Is he tame?" asked the woman, opening the door a little wider. "Oh, yes," said the girl, "and he is a great coward, too. He will be more afraid of you than you are of him." "Well," said the woman, after thinking it over and taking another peep at the Lion, "if that is the case you may come in, and I will give you some supper and a place to sleep. "
― The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
1939.
Because of his gentle nature, the Cowardly Lion is loved by all the Ozians. His best animal friend is another talking beast named The Hungry Tiger . When the two are not in the jungles or forests of Oz, dominating the Animal Kingdom, both the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger spend time in the Emerald City in the Royal Palace of Oz with Princess Ozma and Princess Dorothy.
Since all lions in general are stereotypically known to be fierce, ferocious and expected to be "The Kings of all Beasts," by nature, the Cowardly Lion believes that his insecurities make him inadequate to other lions and beasts. He simply does not understand that courage means acting in the face of fear and facing one's fears head on, which he does frequently throughout the Oz stories. Only during the aftereffects of the Wizard 's gift, when he is under the influence of an unknown green liquid substance that the Wizard orders him to drink out of a small bowl, (perhaps gin) is he not filled with fear anymore. (In the iconic 1939 film by MGM he is given a gold medal that reads COURAGE across it.)
The gift given by the Wizard is a subconsciously physiological thought in the Cowardly Lion's mind as it is clear throughout his journey that he always had courage within himself that he was just unaware of, saving Dorothy and his friends from many near death experiences in Oz. Such as encountering the flesh eating wild beast called Kalidahs , whom the group of travelers encountered while on their way to the Emerald City.
The Cowardly Lion also strongly argues that the courage from the Wizard is only temporary, although he continues to do brave deeds while openly and embarrassedly fearful from time to time.
Oz History: How The Lion Found Courage!
"I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks, I do, I do, I do! "
―Cowardly Lion (1939)
"If I were King of the Forest... not Queen, not Duke, not Prince!"
―The Cowardly Lion. (1939)
The Cowardly Lion was born in the wilderness of Munchkin Country , the eastern quadrant of Oz. He was also born without any courage, (Or so he thinks). Being nearly as large as a horse in size, the other animals around expected Cowardly Lion to be a brave and serious King. So to impress his peers, he bluffed and became a bit of a bully. This went on until the big beast met Dorothy Gale , the Scarecrow , the Tin Woodman , and Toto in the forest while they were journeying on the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to see the great and powerful Wizard . Trying to intimidate and frighten them off, as with previous visitors to the forest, he nearly succeeded, but when a threatened Toto growled at him, he tried to bite the small dog; Dorothy, coming to Toto's defense, slapped him on the nose, causing him to break down and cry uncontrollably. He soon confessed his cowardice to the travellers, and Dorothy invited him to come along; the Lion quickly agreed, hoping the Wizard could confer upon him some courage.mll wizard might be able to confer courage to him-an idea the Lion readily agreed to. After several adventures, such as escaping the flesh eating beast called Kalidahs , encountering a mother Stork , and the Queen of the Field Mice , who helped rescue them from a feild of Deadly Poppies , the group made it the gates of Emerald City. There they were made to wear green tinted spectacles by the Guardian of the Gates , to protect their eyes from the brightness and glory of the city. The group were then escorted to Oz's Royal Palace by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers . When the group spoke to Oz finally, they were ordered to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West who ruled Oz's western quadrant called Winkie Country , if they wanted their wishes granted. When traveling to find her, the Wicked Witch had Dorothy and the Lion captured by her band of Winged Monkeys , and forced Dorothy to do housework for the beautiful yellow castle she lived in, all the while scheming to steal Dorothy's magical Silver Shoes that she'd been wearing since her arrival in Oz. Dorothy did not know how to properly access the pair's magic charm, so she could not use them against the Wicked Witch. Meanwhile, the Lion was locked up in an iron cage in the castle courtyard without food or water. The Wicked Witch had been starving him until he would submit to being a pack animal and drive the Wicked Witch around in her Winkie chariot. Luckily, Dorothy snuck him food and drink at night when everyone was asleep so he would not starve to death and die.
After Dorothy successfully defeated the Wicked Witch by liquidating her with a bucket of water when she stole one of Dorothy's shoes, the Wizard, who come to find out was a mere humbug, gave the Lion a large bowl filled with green liquid (Believed to be Gin), which he drank up, making him fearless and full of courage, at last.
The Wizard gives Lion some Courage. Illustration by W. W. Denslow circa 1900.
After the Wizard left Oz in his hot air balloon to return to America, he accidentally left Dorothy behind in the process after promising to take her home. Before he left, he announced that the Scarecrow was to substitute as the new King of Oz to rule the Emerald City. But Dorothy still wanted to find a way back home to Kansas . So the Scarecrow decided they should all travel with Dorothy to seek out and find Glinda , the beautiful Good Witch of Oz's southern quadrant known as Quadling Country . The party traveled south and encountered a group of Fighting Trees , a little enclave called China Country and the hill of the unfriendly Hammer-Heads . While on these adventures, the travelers also past a dark forest which was home to hundreds of creatures and beasts. These animals were being terrorized by a giant evil spider-like monster who was the size of an elephant, and had many sharp teeth and many big glassy red eyes. The Cowardly Lion agreed to fight this monster, but found it asleep in its cave and snapped its thin neck. The grateful animals made him their king, and after fulfilling his duty to Dorothy, he returned to rule over them after her and Toto's departure. ( The Wonderful Wizard of Oz )
"Take good care of these friends of mine," said the Lion, "and I will go at once to fight the monster. He bade his comrades good-bye and marched proudly away to do battle with the enemy. The great spider was lying asleep when the Lion found him, and it looked so ugly that its foe turned up his nose in disgust. Its legs were quite as long as the tiger had said, and its body covered with coarse black hair. It had a great mouth, with a row of sharp teeth a foot long; but its head was joined to the pudgy body by a neck as slender as a wasp's waist. This gave the Lion a hint of the best way to attack the creature, and as he knew it was easier to fight it asleep than awake, he gave a great spring and landed directly upon the monster's back. Then, with one blow of his heavy paw, all armed with sharp claws, he knocked the spider's head from its body. Jumping down, he watched it until the long legs stopped wiggling, when he knew it was quite dead. "You need fear your enemy no longer." Then the beasts bowed down to the Lion as their King, and he promised to come back and rule over them as soon as Dorothy was safely on her way to Kansas. "
― The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
Sequel Oz Books
After Princess Ozma ascended to the throne, the Cowardly Lion traveled back to the Emerald City with his friend the Hungry Tiger to meet their new ruler in the Royal Palace of Oz . When they learned of her plan to journey to the neighboring kingdom called Ev and rescue the Royal Family from the Nome King , they asked to join the party. The two beast were given the honor of pulling Ozma's chariot along the Magic Carpet created by the magical aid of Glinda the Good.
In the land of Ev, the Cowardly Lion was reunited with his old friend Dorothy Gale , who was accompanied by Billina a talking hen, and Tik-Tok the mechanical copper man. The three joined the party of Ozma who freed Dorothy and her company from the imprisonment of the vain and spoiled Princess Langwidere . On the way to the Nome Kingdom the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger bravely carried most of the party under the deadly hammer of the iron giant . The mission ended successfuly and the Ozites eventually returned to the Land of Oz. ( Ozma of Oz )
The two beasts are Ozma's chief guardians, and they keep guard in her Royal Throne Room. However, because everyone loves Ozma, there has never been a disturbance and there is nothing for the guardians to do. (" The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger ")
Appearances
Merry Go Round in Oz
Character Adaptations
In the Magic Land stories of Alexander Volkov and his followers, the Cowardly Lion is re-named the Courageous Lion. March Laumer , an adaptor of Volkov, follows this in his own Oz novels; and in his short story "The Cowardly Lion Changes His Name," Laumer dubs the Lion "Rex the X."
Volkov's books make several mentions of the Lion's wife and children.
The Wicked Years
Brrr was the name of the Cowardly Lion in Gregory Maguire 's A Lion Among Men after appearing in Wicked as a small lion cub.
Other Adaptations
In the Oz Squad , years after his adventures in Oz, the Lion accompanied Dorothy back to America along with the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow . There, the four of them formed the Oz Squad , a team of quasi-superheroes who protect America from Ozian threats.
In Emerald City Confidential , he became an evil businessman who, while maintaining a good reputation amongst the citizens of Oz, secretly was responsible for a number of crimes.
In Family of Oz (2011), by James C. Wallace II , the Cowardly Lion holds court in the great northern forests of Gillikin Country and makes a "Leap of Faith" in the climactic battle against Cobbler the Dog (a mechanical dog made by the Wogglebug as a pet for Tik-Tok ), who was possesed by the Evil remnants of the Wicked Witch of the East . He also has a gate leading into the northern part of Emerald City named for him called the Lion's Gate.
Depictions on Stage and Screen
The Wizard of Oz 1939
Actor Burt Lahr was a known Comedian and stared in many Hollywood films before Oz.
Bert Lahr is justifiably famous for his portrayal of the iconic Lion in the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz . Lahr's other role was Aunt Em and Uncle Henry's farm worker, Zeke. He helps Hickory (Tin Man's alter ego) lower a bed into its place on a wagon at the farm while Hunk (Scarecrow's alter ego) repairs the wagon with them. He then moves the hogs into the pig pen and pours feed into their trough and later rescues Dorothy when she falls off the railing that encircles the pen. Zeke wears his hat throughout the entire film because he does not struggle to pry open the cellar when the tornado approaches the farm. Hunk (Scarecrow's alter ego) closes and locks the cellar with him when Dorothy arrives at the farmhouse. Zeke and Professor Marvel (The Wizard's alter ego) are the only men wearing hats when Dorothy awakens from being unconscious.
The Wiz 1974/1978
In the musical version, the Lion is by Ted Ross . He is a senstive and poetic beast. Ted Ross won a Tony Award for the performance. In the movie version Ted Ross revived the role once more. This lion was banished from the jungle, He later relocated at a library disgusing himself as a statue, Once Dorothy and her friends come about, he leaps off the pedistal and scares them, but after Toto bites his paw, they soon realize he's a coward. They invite him to see the Wiz with them.
Return to Oz
In Disney's 1985 cult classic film Return to Oz , the Cowardly Lion is not a main character in this version. But he does have more than one cameo appearances during a few scenes throughout the movie. Specifically during the end.
Unlike Bert Lahr’s classic humanoid interpretation, the Cowardly Lion, in Return to Oz actually walks on all fours. But even though this more recent rendition of the character is decidedly less like a man than its predecessor, care was taken to avoid too much realism. in fact, the first prototype of the Cowardly Lion possessed a greater similarity to its jungle-prowling inspiration than the director Murch cared to see.
"Walter wanted something like the big dog character on Sesame Street – something that would walk around on all fours."
Yet, as a fantasy creation, the Cowardly Lion possessed a personality unique unto himself. So mechanical designer John Stephenson went to work combining the requisite anthropomorphic qualities with a beast-like posture while still keeping the look of the costume not too realistic.
The person in the costume was a man named John Alexander.
The Lion of Oz
Based off of the Book written by Roger Baum, the Lion of Oz is a cartoon movie which tells the orgins of the Lion, how he came to Oz, and how he become known as a Cowardly beast.
The Muppet's Wizard of Oz
In the mad for TV Muppet film, Fozzie the Muppet portrayed the Cowardly Lion, who dreams of being a famous Comedian.
Tin Man 2009
Set in present day, in the Syfy mini series, Lions have mutated into half human/animal creatures who are blessed with Psychic abilites since the first Lion in Oz got his Courage over one hundred years ago from a now long dead Wizard .
Raw is a member of a telepathic race of genetic hybrids called Viewers, which are enslaved by Azkadellia . He joins D.G. , Glitch , and Wyatt Cain in their quest to stop Azkadelia. He is sensitive and easily frightened, but also compassionate and uses his abilities to help. ( Tin Man )
Oz the Great and Powerful
In Disney's 2013 prequel movie to the 1939 musical, in Oz the Great and Powerful the Cowardly Lion makes a brief cameo appearance in the forest.
De Musical The Wiz
The Cowardly Lion was portrayed by Jeroen Phaff .
The Wicked Years In Gregory Maguire's Oz series book #3 (A Lion Amoung Men) shows the life and times of the Cowardly Lion. And shows all of the land of Oz through his point of view.
Legends of Oz-Dorothy's Return 2014
In the CGI animated Oz movie, the Cowardly Lion is voiced by the actor James Belushi .
The Wiz Live!
Comedian David Alan Grier portrayed the role of the Lion after Ted Ross on December 3, 2015. This character is very much like the character Ted Ross created years ago. But with a more urban twist. He uses modern day talk and even has dreads instead of the regular curls the lions before. Very similar to Jeroen Phaff in De Musical The Wiz
Gallery
| Toto |
What branch of the US Armed Forces, founded in 1790, trains its officers at its academy in New London, Ct? | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum; 6. The Cowardly Lion Page 1
More by this Author
All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and the walking was not at all good.
There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the open country where there is plenty of sunshine. But now and then there came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees. These sounds made the little girl's heart beat fast, for she did not know what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy's side, and did not even bark in return.
"How long will it be," the child asked of the Tin Woodman, "before we are out of the forest?"
"I cannot tell," was the answer, "for I have never been to the Emerald City. But my father went there once, when I was a boy, and he said it was a long journey through a dangerous country, although nearer to the city where Oz dwells the country is beautiful. But I am not afraid so long as I have my oil-can, and nothing can hurt the Scarecrow, while you bear upon your forehead the mark of the Good Witch's kiss, and that will protect you from harm."
"But Toto!" said the girl anxiously. "What will protect him?"
"We must protect him ourselves if he is in danger," replied the Tin Woodman.
We have hundreds more books for your enjoyment. Read them all!
Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and the next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his paw he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws. But, to the Lion's surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still.
Little Toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the Lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog, when Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she cried out:
"Don't you dare to bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!"
"I didn't bite him," said the Lion, as he rubbed his nose with his paw where Dorothy had hit it.
"No, but you tried to," she retorted. "You are nothing but a big coward."
"I know it," said the Lion, hanging his head in shame. "I've always known it. But how can I help it?"
| i don't know |
Who is the only American Idol judge that has been with the series since its 2002 inception? | Mariah Carey and other 'American Idol' alumni skipping the show's series finale - AXS
Mariah Carey and other 'American Idol' alumni skipping the show's series finale
By: Carla Hay AXS Contributor Mar 25, 2016
124 475176 16715476 6 y2016m03d25
79646
Fox
Now that "American Idol" has announced the former contestants who will perform on the show's series finale (which Fox will televise in two parts on April 6 and April 7, 2016, at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT), it's time to look at which other famous alumni from the show might or might not be on the show's final send-off that will be televised live in the Eastern Time Zone. There are sure to be plenty of surprises, so just because someone hasn't been announced yet to appear on the show, it does not necessarily mean that they won't be on the finale. "American Idol" is ending after 15 seasons due to a steady decline in ratings.
The former contestants who have been announced as performing on the "American Idol" series finale are Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery, Candice Glover, Caleb Johnson, Nick Fradiani, Ace Young, Allison Iraheta, Amber Holcomb, Blake Lewis, Bo Bice, Brandon Rogers, Bucky Covington, Carly Smithson, Casey James, Chris Daughtry, Clark Beckham, Clay Aiken, Colton Dixon, Constantine Maroulis, Danny Gokey, Diana DeGarmo, Elliott Yamin, George Huff, James Durbin, Jessica Sanchez, Josh Gracin, Joshua Ledet, Justin Guarini, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Kimberley Locke, Kree Harrison, LaToya London, Lauren Alaina, Melinda Doolittle, Pia Toscano, Sanjaya, Skylar Laine and Tamyra Gray.
It's a given that the last group of "American Idol" judges (Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr.) will be on the series finale, as will host Ryan Seacrest, who has been with the show since its 2002 debut. Seacrest is also the host of a 90-minute, pre-recorded retrospective special called "American Idol: American Dream," which Fox will televise on April 5, 2016. Several former "Idol" contestants and judges did new interviews for the special. But what are the chances that other famous "American Idol" alumni will appear on stage for the finale, as in not "phoning it in" by sending a pre-recorded video? Here are our predictions:
NO CHANCE
Mariah Carey , who was judge on "American Idol" during its tumultuous 12th season in 2013, will definitely not be appearing on the show's series finale. She is on tour and will be performing in Europe on the nights of the "American Idol" finale. Even if Carey were available, it's doubtful that she would want to be on the show again (even for a pre-recorded video), since her reputation was damaged by all the feuding between her and fellow "Idol" judge Nicki Minaj , who also quit "American Idol" after its 12th season. Minaj has been very vocal about how much she hated her experiences as a judge on "American Idol," so don't expect her to be part of an "American Idol" reunion anytime soon. Besides, she performing Las Vegas on the April 7, 2016, so she's not available for the show's finale anyway.
VERY POSSIBLE
Simon Cowell has a complicated history with "American Idol," which will affect whether or not he shows up for an on-stage reunion in the finale. Although ""American Idol" made him a worldwide star, he's been feuding with "American Idol" creator/executive producer Simon Fuller for years. Cowell created "Idol" rival "The X Factor," and Fuller has filed multiple lawsuits over it. (The lawsuits were settled out of court.)
"The X Factor" began in the U.K. in 2004, and expanded to several other countries around the world, to varying degrees of success. The U.S. version of "The X Factor" (which was on the air from 2011 to 2013) was an expensive failure, and Fox cancelled the show after ratings continued to sharply drop every year. Cowell still might be bitter over the cancellation, which would make it very surprising if he agreed to appear on any show run by Fuller, considering Cowell wrongly predicted that "The X Factor" in the U.S. would surpass "American Idol" in the ratings. Cowell is a judge on "Britain's Got Talent" and "America's Got Talent," so he could always use that as an excuse for being "too busy" for an "American Idol" reunion. However, "American Idol" is the show that brought him worldwide fame, so it would look really bad if he didn't have the grace to acknowledge how much the show did for his career by saying a proper farewell.
Ellen DeGeneres had a short-lived, disastrous stint as an "American Idol" judge in Season 9 of the show. Her bland feedback and inexperience in the music business did not help her credibility, and she received a lot of viewer criticism for being out of her league on the judging panel. DeGeneres later said she only agreed to become an "American Idol" judge as long as Simon Cowell was a judge on the show with her. Season 9 also turned out to be Cowell's last season as judge on the show. Many viewers say that "American Idol" lost its appeal and never recovered when Cowell quit. If Cowell will be at the "American Idol" series finale, DeGeneres could be there too since the two of them are showbiz friends.
Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler was a judge on "American Idol" in Seasons 10 and 11. His exit from the show was fairly amicable, so it's very possible he will be on stage for the "American Idol" finale. He has performed on "American Idol" several times, so it wouldn't be surprising if he is part of the finale reunion. Tyler is also trying to have a successful solo career, so he'll probably want to be on "American Idol" again to hype his latest solo music.
Jennifer Hudson is the only former "American Idol" contestant so far to win an Oscar. She won Best Supporting Actress for her film debut in 2006's "Dreamgirls." (She also won pretty much every major acting award for that role.) Hudson came in seventh place in Season 3 of "American Idol," and she has since gone on to have a successful, Grammy-winning music career. Her acting career since her Oscar win has been a mixed bag, since most of her recent movie roles have been in independent films that have bombed. However, in 2015, Hudson had a well-received guest appearance on "Empire" and she made a critically acclaimed Broadway debut in a revival of "The Color Purple" musical.*
Adam Lambert is another famous "American Idol" alum who didn't win on the show (he came in second place in Season 8), but he has gone on to more success than most of the other "Idol" contestants. In addition to launching a hit career as a solo artist, Lambert has been singing lead vocals for Queen . Queen is set to launch a European tour in May 2016, so it's possible Lambert has time to do this "American Idol" reunion as a "surprise guest."
Kara DioGuardi (who was an "American Idol" judge in Seasons 8 and 9) is the least-famous of all the show's judges. Her success in the music business is primarily as a songwriter. Although she was fired from "American Idol," it's very possible she could come back for a reunion. But the question is: Does anyone care?
MOST LIKELY
Original "American Idol" judges Randy Jackson (not to be confused with Michael Jackson's younger brother with the same name) and Paula Abdul are the most likely to be on stage for the "American Idol" finale reunion. Before they were judges show, Jackson was a veteran musician and producer who was primarily known behind the scenes. And let's not forget that former pop star Abdul was considered a has-been before "Idol" revived her career. In other words, Jackson and Abdul should be forever grateful for what "American Idol" did for them, even though Abdul quit the show in 2009 over a salary dispute. Considering that Jackson and Abdul will probably never again reach the level of fame that they had in their "Idol" heyday, being part of this "Idol" reunion will give them a chance to be in the spotlight again and say a proper goodbye to the show that gave them an opportunity of a lifetime.
*UPDATE: "American Idol" has announced that Jennifer Hudson will perform on the series finale on April 7. Phillip Phillips, who was the winner of "American Idol" in Season 11, has also been announced as a performer for the series finale, even though he's currently embroiled in a lawsuit to end his "Idol" contract.
| Randy Jackson |
What singer was found unresponsive on his bathroom floor on August 16, 1977, before being declared dead at 3:30 that afternoon? | ‘American Idol’ Season 15 Spoilers: Kelly Clarkson Will Return For Final Season; When Will She Guest Judge?
‘American Idol’ Season 15 Spoilers: Kelly Clarkson Will Return For Final Season; When Will She Guest Judge?
01/15/16 AT 4:13 PM
Close
Kelly Clarkson is returning to her roots. According to reports, the 33-year-old singer, who won the first season of “American Idol” in 2002, will appear as a guest judge during the final installment of the long-running Fox series.
Executive producer Trish Kinane announced the exciting news during the Television Critics Association press tour Friday.
"We've invited her to be part of this season and she's really happy to be," Kinane said, revealing Clarkson will perform and guest judge during Season 15's first live top 10 show on Thursday, Feb. 25.
Singer Kelly Clarkson, pictured at The Grove on April 1, 2015 in Los Angeles, will guest judge on the final season of "American Idol." Photo: Getty Images
But Clarkson, who is currently pregnant with her second child, isn’t the only “American Idol” alum set to take the stage during the show’s 15th and final season. Other winners throughout the history of the Fox competition will break out in tune as they partake in duets during the middle rounds with the remaining finalists.
"We're talking to everybody who's made a huge contribution to the show, and we'd love to have them come back," Kinane continued, adding that statement also applies to the talent that sat behind the judges' table. According to reports, it’s possible that the show’s original judges, Randy Jackson Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, will reunite during the final season — that is, if there are no scheduling conflicts.
Related Stories
Former ‘American Idol’ Star Joey Cook Arrested In Wyoming Airport
“I appreciate Simon’s part in the history of the show,” the EP said . “[But] there are huge scheduling issues. The most we can expect is for Simon to be at the finale.”
Hey, the show’s not over until the grumpy man sings! But Keith Urban, who has been hosting the competition since 2012, teased that just because Season 15 has been dubbed as the “farewell season” for “American Idol,” that doesn't mean its necessarily the end for the award-winning show.
"I think the Eagles have had at least three farewell tours," the country crooner quipped.
Season 15 of “American Idol” airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on Fox.
| i don't know |
What was the last name of “movie star” Ginger on TV’s Gilligan’s Island? | Tina Louise - IMDb
IMDb
Actress
Tina Louise was born Tina Blacker in New York City, the daughter of Sylvia (Horn) and Joseph Blacker, who owned a candy store. Tina was still in her teens when she burst upon the national scene by starring on Broadway in the critically acclaimed box-office success "Li'l Abner", based on the famous comic strip character created by Al Capp . Stellar ... See full bio »
Born:
a list of 35 people
created 20 May 2014
a list of 30 people
created 29 Jun 2014
a list of 36 people
created 28 Mar 2015
a list of 35 images
created 23 Sep 2015
a list of 22 people
created 11 months ago
Do you have a demo reel?
Add it to your IMDbPage
How much of Tina Louise's work have you seen?
User Polls
Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination. See more awards »
Known For
Gilligan's Island Ginger Grant / Ginger / Eva Grubb
(1964-1967)
1999 L.A. Heat (TV Series)
Patricia Ludwigson
1994 All My Children (TV Series)
Tish Pridmore
1990 Married with Children (TV Series)
Miss Beck
1979-1987 The Love Boat (TV Series)
Tina Louise / Betty Bricker
1986 Santa Barbara (TV Series)
Cassandra Dunn
1986 Simon & Simon (TV Series)
Robin Price
1986 Blacke's Magic (TV Series)
Lainie Warde
1983 Knight Rider (TV Series)
Anne Tyler
1982 Matt Houston (TV Series)
Jessica Collier
1980 Fantasy Island (TV Series)
Lisa Corday
1976 Don't Call Us (TV Movie)
Tolanda Gelman
1976 Marcus Welby, M.D. (TV Series)
Susan Dager
- All Passions Spent (1976) ... Susan Dager
1975 Cannon (TV Series)
1975 Death Scream (TV Movie)
Hilda Murray
1974 Movin' On (TV Series)
Helen Trueblood
1973-1974 Police Story (TV Series)
April / Anita
1974 Kung Fu (TV Series)
Carol Mercer
1969-1973 Love, American Style (TV Series)
Mrs. Rossi (segment "Love and the See-Through Mind") / Wilma (segment "Love and the Lady Athlete") / Lola (segment "Love and the Duel") / ...
1973 Call to Danger (TV Movie)
April Tierney
- Totally by Design (1968) ... Anna Martine
1967 Bonanza (TV Series)
1964 Mr. Broadway (TV Series)
The Girl
1964 Route 66 (TV Series)
Robin
1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series)
Angie Powell
1963 Burke's Law (TV Series)
Bonnie Belle Tate
1962 The Real McCoys (TV Series)
Tilda Hicks
- Grandpa Pygmalion (1962) ... Tilda Hicks
1962 Checkmate (TV Series)
1961 The New Breed (TV Series)
Stella Knowland
1956 Producers' Showcase (TV Series)
Maude
1955 Jan Murray Time (TV Series)
Singer
2008 Fashion News Live (TV Series)
Herself
2005 Entertainment Tonight (TV Series)
Herself
2003 CBS at 75 (TV Special documentary)
Herself
2003 ET in TV Land (TV Series documentary)
Herself
1999 E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series documentary)
Herself
1998 Howard Stern (TV Series)
Herself
1988 The Late Show (TV Series)
Herself
1985 Our Time (TV Series)
Herself
1966 Hollywood Talent Scouts (TV Series)
Himself
1965 Salute to Stan Laurel (TV Special documentary)
Herself
1964 The Celebrity Game (TV Series)
Herself
1963 Stump the Stars (TV Series)
Herself - Guest Panelist
1961 Here's Hollywood (TV Series)
Herself
1960 Reflets de Cannes (TV Series documentary)
Herself
2015 No Sleep TV3 (TV Series)
Charmaine Wimpiris
Diana / Artemide / Lucrezia (as T. Louise)
Related Videos
Stage: Appeared in "Cactus Flower" on Broadway. See more »
Publicity Listings:
1 Print Biography | 1 Portrayal | 1 Article | 8 Pictorials | 15 Magazine Cover Photos | See more »
Alternate Names:
Did You Know?
Personal Quote:
[on her Gilligan's Island (1964) co-star Dawn Wells ] Dawn and I have never been close, we just never clicked. She was very much about pleasing everyone and I have never been that way. See more »
Trivia:
Her parents, Sylvia (Horn) and Joseph Blacker, were both from Jewish families from Eastern Europe. See more »
Trademark:
Sparkling green eyes See more »
Star Sign:
| Grant |
Based in Huntington, WV, what university, which lost a large portion of its football team in a 1970 airplane crash, calls its sports team the "Thundering Herd"? | The “Gilligan’s Island” Movies | The Official Home for Bob Denver
The “Gilligan’s Island” Movies
The “Gilligan’s Island” Movies
Rescue from Gilligan’s Island
Breaking news . . . all five passengers and two crew members of the SS Minnow were rescued when Coast Guard helicopters spotted smoke billowing from what looked to be a homemade raft out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Upon closer inspection, the pilot realized that the 7 people aboard the ‘hutboat’ had to be the missing castaways whose boat, the SS Minnow, failed to return to port back in 1964.
None the worse for their ordeal, the castaways came close to capsizing the already rickety hutboat as they jumped up and down, waving, to attract the attention of the chopper pilot. Finally realizing they had indeed been spotted, all 7 settled down to await the arrival of the fireboats that would escort them back to the marina and civilization.
Crowds gathered at the marina today in hopes of catching a glimpse of the sensational seven as they made their way up the gangplank to face the onslaught of media. Hoping to return to their normal lives after the initial flurry dies down, all seven spoke at length of their Robinson Crusoe existence for the last fifteen years. When asked what he most wants to do now that
he’s been rescued, Gilligan the first mate exclaimed, “I’m going
to Disneyland!”
We welcome Gilligan, Jonas Grumby (aka the Skipper), Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III, Ginger Grant (away from the silver screen far too long), Professor Roy Hinkley and adorable Mary Ann Summers back to civilization and into our hearts.
The Castaways on Gilligan’s Island
The Castaways on Gilligan’s Island was a serious attempt to create a new series that would place six of the original castaways back on TV where many fans felt they belonged. Once again, Tina refused to be part of the reunion movie, so actress Judith Baldwin reprised her role as Ginger for a second time. Fans often ask why Tina didn’t play a part in the reunion movies. Bob couldn’t speak for Tina, but he did say she got far more press by NOT doing the movies than she ever would have gotten had she appeared in all of them.
In the second GI movie, Gilligan finds a World War II plane on the island (how the gang missed it for more than 15 years we’ll never know), and the Professor assures them he can make it fly. Believe it or not, he does manage to get the plane in the air, but an engine quits, forcing the crew to return to the island. This time, however, their luck changes when the plane is picked up on radar and they’re rescued once again – this time with much less fanfare.
After this rescue, Mr. Howell decides ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’ and builds a hotel on the island, employing all of the castaways. He even calls the hotel “The Castaways”. During this time in television history, two of the most popular shows on the air were Love Boat and Fantasy Island. The Castaways on Gilligan’s Island was Love Boat, Fantasy Isand and Hotel all rolled into one – the plan was to feature guest stars every week in two or three different plot lines. The guest stars in this pilot movie were Tom Bosley of Happy Days and Marcia Wallace from The Bob Newhart Show.
The fate of the show was sealed when the powers-that-be decided to break the movie in two one-hour segments and air them a week apart. The ratings went through the cellar, unlike the Rescue, which broke ratings records. After that, none of the cast or crew had any hope that the show would be picked up as a series. However, it did make way for a third and last GI movie – The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island.
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island
Making this movie was more fun than the law should allow. Not only did it star the castaways along with the original Globetrotters, but also Scatman Crothers and Barbara Bain & Martin Landau of Mission Impossiblefame. It also gave Bob and his wife Dreama their first chance to work together on film after years of working together on stage. Constance Forslund came onboard as the third and final Ginger.
Connie Forslund as Ginger
Even though the Globetrotters weren’t actors and
the cast had no idea about basketball, they all came together, did both and made this TV movie a cult favorite.
| i don't know |
Also known as the Genius Award, what is the name of the fellowship awarded annually to 20 to 40 US citizens, of any age and working in any field, who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work"? | 23 Things You Might Not Know About 'The Wire'
http://mentalfloss.com/article/61919/23-things-you-might-not-know-about-wire
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/tv" class="author-writes-about-link">tv</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/6874.png" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">HBO</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>It has taken a slow-but-steady climb for <em>The Wire</em> to emerge as a cultural phenomenon, but the show that challenged every cops-and-robbers television trope has permeated just about every corner of our culture. In celebration, here are 23 facts that might have eluded even the most dedicated <em>Wire</em> diehards. (Warning: spoilers abound.) </p> <h4>1. THE PRESIDENT LOVES IT, AND EVEN HAS A FAVORITE CHARACTER.<span><br /></span></h4> <p><span><span>Barack Obama has cited </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> as one of his favorite TV shows several times. </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96536432" target="_blank"><span>Interestingly</span></a><span>, during the 2008 presidential election, the show's greatness was one of the few things that both John McCain and Obama could agree on, with McCain mentioning it alongside </span><em>Seinfeld</em><span> as a personal favorite. And Obama’s favorite character? It’s pretty much everyone’s favorite character: the gay, drug dealer-robbing, criminal code-having, Robin Hooding stick-up boy Omar. “That’s not an endorsement. He’s not my favorite person, but he’s a fascinating character,” </span><a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/14/obama-gloves-off/" target="_blank"><span>Obama told the <em>Las Vegas Sun</em></span></a><span>, adding that he’s “the toughest, baddest guy on the show.” </span></span></p> <h4>2. CREATOR DAVID SIMON RECEIVED A MACARTHUR GENIUS GRANT FOR HIS WORK.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>The prestigious </span><a href="http://www.macfound.org/fellows-faq/" target="_blank"><span>MacArthur Fellowship</span></a><span> is awarded annually to between 20 and 40 United States residents who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work." Over the years, the MacArthur Foundation has cast a wide net with its $500,000 prize, awarding it to the likes of linguists, historians, scientists, poets, mathematicians, journalists, and countless other skilled specialists. However, Simon is one of only two screenwriters to have been awarded the prize (two-time Oscar winner Ruth Prawer Jhabvala received one in 1984) and is </span><span>the only</span><span> person to have won the award primarily for work on a scripted television series.</span></p> <h4>3. THE WRITERS ROOM HAD SOME MAJOR TALENT.</h4> <p><span><em>The Wire</em><span> had several writers whose work extended well beyond the television world. George Pelecanos, one of America’s most successful and well-respected crime fiction writers, </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0670782/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><span>wrote eight</span></a><span> </span><span>episodes of <em>The Wire</em> and served as a producer on season three. Richard Price, who has </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0697115/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank"><span>writing credits</span></a><span> on five episodes, was an accomplished writer before getting hired for the show, having written several novels and screenplays, including the critically-acclaimed 1992 crime novel </span><em>Clockers</em>, as well as the script for Spike Lee’s 1995 film adaptation of his book.</span></p> <h4>4. MANY CRITICS CONSIDER IT THE BEST TV SHOW EVER.</h4> <p><span>When it comes to pop culture, the word “best” is tossed around so often that it’s hard to take it seriously. But </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> is one of just a handful of shows you could make a serious case for as "the best show ever.” </span><em><a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2013/07/01/the-wire-lawrence-gilliard-chad-coleman" target="_blank">Entertainment Weekly</a></em><span>, </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_big_idea/2006/09/the_wire_on_fire.html" target="_blank"><span>Slate</span></a><span>, </span><span><a href="http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/the-fien-print/posts/tv-s-best-of-the-decade-no-1-the-wire" target="_blank">HitFix</a>,</span><span> and </span><a href="http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/03/best-tv-dramas-of-all-time/the-wire" target="_blank">Complex</a><span> have all, at varying times, named it the best drama ever to appear on the small screen, while almost every other major outlet of note has listed it among the best shows ever; it's part of an elite group that includes </span><em>Seinfeld</em><span><em>, </em></span><em>The Simpsons</em><span>, <em>Breaking Bad</em>, </span><span><em>The Sopranos</em>, </span><span></span><span><em>M*A*S*H</em>, and <em>I Love Lucy</em></span><span>.</span></p> <h4>5. YET THE SHOW NEVER—NOT ONCE—TOOK HOME AN EMMY.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>Yep. That’s right. </span><span><em>Two and a Half Men</em></span><span> has </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369179/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><span>nine</span></a><span>, and </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span>, arguably the greatest work ever to grace the small screen, has not-a-one. In fact the show was nominated </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306414/awards?ref_=tt_awd" target="_blank"><span>just twice</span></a><span>, both times for its writing: once for the penultimate season three episode “Middle Ground,” which features the infamous Omar-Brother Mouzone-Stringer Bell face-off, and the season five series finale “–30–.”</span></p> <h4>6. ITS RATINGS RANGED FROM AVERAGE TO AWFUL.</h4> <p><span><span>Considering the quality and scope of the show, it was inevitable that </span><em>The Wire</em><span> would go down in the pantheon of all-time great TV shows, but the ratings during the show’s five-season run weren’t necessarily indicative of its quality or legacy. The audience </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/03/game_of_thrones_how_hbo_and_showtime_make_money_despite_low_ratings_.html" target="_blank"><span>topped out</span></a><span> at about 4 million viewers, and hovered below the one million mark for much of the final season. Compare that to the more than </span><a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2013/09/30/breaking-bad-series-finale-ratings" target="_blank"><span>10 million</span></a><span> people who tuned in for <em>Breaking Bad</em>'s</span><span></span><span> finale or the approximately </span><a href="http://www.vulture.com/2007/06/the_sopranos_ratings_only_119.html" target="_blank"><span>12 million</span></a><span> viewers who watched the final episode of <em>The Sopranos</em>. </span><span>These days, in an even more stratified media landscape, </span><em>Game of Thrones</em><span> hovers a bit shy of <a target="_blank" href="http://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/hbos-game-of-thrones-closes-with-7-1-million-viewers-sunday-1201221238/">seven</a></span><a target="_blank" href="http://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/hbos-game-of-thrones-closes-with-7-1-million-viewers-sunday-1201221238/"><span> million</span></a><span><a target="_blank" href="http://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/hbos-game-of-thrones-closes-with-7-1-million-viewers-sunday-1201221238/"> viewers </a>per episode.</span></span> </p> <h4>7. THE SHOW HAS ITS ROOTS IN A MOSTLY-FORGOTTEN HBO MINISERIES.</h4> <p><span><span>The only time </span><span>David Simon was actually able to nab an Emmy was for the critically-acclaimed-but-now-mostly-forgotten miniseries </span><em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0224853/awards?ref_=tt_awd" target="_blank">The Corner</a></em><span>, which won awards for Outstanding Miniseries and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Movie (plus an Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special win for Charles S. Dutton). Based on a nonfiction book co-written by Simon and <em>The Wire</em> writer-producer Ed Burns, <em>The Corner</em>—</span><span>which depicted life in poverty-stricken and drug-filled West Baltimore—</span><span>overlapped thematically with </span><em>The Wire</em><span> and also shared a bevy of cast members, </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0224853/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><span>including</span></a><span> Clarke Peters (Lester Freamon), and Lance Reddick (Cedric Daniels).</span></span></p> <h4>8. DAVID SIMON HAD AN IDEA FOR <em>THE WIRE</em>'S SIXTH SEASON.</h4> <p><span><span>Considering the ratings hole </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> fell into during season five, David Simon surely knew that, like fighting the drug war, holding out hope for a sixth season would have been an exercise in futility. But had </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> been given a sixth season, Simon thought the exploding Latino population in Southeast Baltimore would have been the subject. </span><a href="http://www.vice.com/read/david-simon-280-v16n12" target="_blank"><span>According to Simon</span></a><span>, the topic would have been directly in </span><em>The Wire</em><span>’s wheelhouse, since “immigration is this incredibly potent source of friction and ideology, and maybe always has been in American life.” But the time it would have taken for Simon’s team to research immigration, combined with the low ratings, more or less buried the idea.</span></span></p> <h4>9. SIMON IS STILL PREPARED TO MAKE ANOTHER SEASON, UNDER ONE CONDITION.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>By the time </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> had enough critical clout and rabid fandom to legitimately justify another season, David Simon was hard at work on another project, the post-Katrina New Orleans drama </span><em>Treme</em><span>, which kicked off in 2010. However, when Attorney General Eric Holder, yet another powerful fan of the show, </span><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8551635/US-attorney-general-Eric-Holder-calls-for-more-episodes-of-The-Wire.html" target="_blank"><span>gently joked</span></a><span> in 2011 that he’d like to see another season, he received a not-so-joking response from Simon, who retorted “we are prepared to go to work on season six of </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> if the Department of Justice is equally ready to reconsider and address its continuing prosecution of our misguided, destructive and dehumanizing drug prohibition.” As of 2015, the two sides still appear to be at a stalemate.</span></p> <h4>10. DOMINIC WEST NEVER THOUGHT THE SHOW WOULD LAST.</h4> <p><span><span>In fact, that's one of the main reasons why Dominic West—who starred as Jimmy McNulty—took the show. </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jul/17/television.usa" target="_blank"><span>According to West</span></a><span>, a Brit, he landed the role by doing his best Robert De Niro impression, but was reluctant to take the job since it meant signing a five-year contract to live in Baltimore. His agent eased his fears by telling him “don't worry, it'll only last one season."</span></span></p> <h4>11. THEY BUSTED OUT BIG-GUN MUSICIANS TO RECORD THE THEME SONG FOR ALL BUT ONE SEASON.</h4> <p><span><span>“Way Down in the Hole” was written by Tom Waits for his 1987 album </span><span><em>Franks Wild Years</em></span><span>, but serious </span><span>fans of <em>The Wire</em> know it equally well as a song performed </span><span>by</span><span> The Blind Boys of Alabama, Waits, The Neville Brothers, and Steve Earle, who all did their own versions for seasons one, two, three, and five, respectively. For season four, however, the theme </span><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Domaje" target="_blank"><span>was sung by</span></a><span> DoMaJe, a group of teenagers from Baltimore, in keeping with the year’s themes of adolescence and education.</span></span></p> <h4>12. ONLY ONE COP FIRES HIS OR HER WEAPON DURING THE ENTIRE SERIES.</h4> <p><span><span>It might be hard to believe, but on a cop-and-criminals show that ended up totaling 60 hours over five seasons, only a single police officer fired his weapon: Roland Pryzbylewski, better known as Prez. By turns the most and least sympathetic character on the show, the officer-turned-teacher fired his weapon a total of three times, accidentally shooting a round at a wall and returning fire at The Towers in the first season episode “The Detail,” then mistakenly firing a fatal and career-ending shot at a fellow officer in the season three episode "Slapstick."</span></span></p> <h4>13. DAVID SIMON AND ED BURNS HAVE COLLECTIVELY HELD ALMOST EVERY JOB PORTRAYED ON THE SHOW.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>Probably one of the main reasons why </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> rarely struck an inauthentic note was that producers David Simon and Ed Burns didn't have to fake their knowledge of the worlds they were exploring. Before breaking out with his book-turned-TV-show </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Homicide-A-Year-Killing-Streets/dp/0805080759" target="_blank">Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets</a></em><span>, Simon </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/arts/television/06wils.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank"><span>was a</span></a><span> longtime crime reporter at <em>The Baltimore Sun</em>, which gave him an intimate knowledge of not only crime and institutional dysfunction in America's inner-cities, but also the troubles facing the newspaper industry. Burns, on the other hand, served as both a police detective and public school teacher in Baltimore before working on <em>The Wire</em>.</span><span></span></p> <h4>14. DAVID SIMON HAD TO LITERALLY BEG TO HAVE THE SHOW KEPT ON THE AIR.</h4> <p><span><span>Simon, in an interview with </span><a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2012/09/23/david-simon-treme" target="_blank" style="font-style: italic;">Entertainment Weekly</a>, said that<span><em> “</em></span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> was canceled after season three, and </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> was nearly canceled again—I had to grovel and beg and plead<span><span>—</span></span>after season four.” Despite the difficult journey getting five seasons of </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span> made, Simon praises HBO for allowing him to finish his story without too much interference, stating that the network was “very liberal in terms of allowing the people involved in the production of these shows to find their own vision and try to execute.”</span></span></p> <h4>15. OMAR IS BASED ON A REAL PERSON.</h4> <p><span>The Robin Hood-esque Omar may seem too perfect a TV antihero to have sprung up from real life, but like so many characters from the show, he’s partially drawn from a real-life Baltimore inspiration: a former drug dealer stickup boy named Donnie Andrews. After surrendering himself to detective-turned-</span><span>producer Ed Burns for taking on a contract killing to support a heroin addiction, Andrews served time in prison and eventually became an anti-gang mentor to younger prisoners. After working with him to research their book <em>The Corner</em>, Simon and Burns eventually lobbied for his release from a life sentence, which he was granted in 2005 following 22 years served. Andrews continued his activism <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/us/donnie-andrews-basis-for-omar-of-the-wire-dies-at-58.html">until </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/us/donnie-andrews-basis-for-omar-of-the-wire-dies-at-58.html">his death</a>, from a heart condition, in 2012. Although there are many similarities between the two, Andrews, unlike Omar, was not gay. That aspect of Omar's character was <a href="http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/an-interview-with-donnie-andrews-the-real-life-omar-little" target="_blank"><span>borrowed</span></a> from Billy Outlaw, another stickup artist inspiration.</span> </p> <h4>16. BUBBLES IS BASED ON A REAL PERSON, TOO.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>Bubbles was based on another real-life Baltimorean who went by the moniker “Possum” (his real name remains unknown to the public). A heroin addict who had a drug sentence dropped in exchange for turning over criminals at $50 to $100 a head, Possum had a photographic memory and, like Bubbles, used hats to mark potential criminal targets to surveilling police. According to retired detective Ed Parker, Possum "worked for everybody<span><span>—</span></span>FBI, DEA, city narcotics, homicide." </span><a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-03-16/news/1992076028_1_possum-police-department-baltimore/3" target="_blank"><span>Simon chronicled</span></a><span> Possum’s double life in a 1992 article for <em>The Baltimore Sun</em>, which doubled as an obituary; Possum died from AIDS shortly after being interviewed.</span></p> <h4>17. ONE OF BALTIMORE'S MOST INFAMOUS DRUG KINGPINS HAS A ROLE IN THE SHOW.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>Thought to be one of the inspirations for Avon Barksdale, Melvin Williams trafficked heroin in Baltimore throughout the <span>'</span>70s and <span>'</span>80s to the tune of, according to the man himself, "a couple hundred million” dollars. Williams was arrested in 1985 following a wiretap investigation </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiZPc6nyds8C&pg=PT66&lpg=PT66&dq=wiretap+investigation+spearheaded+by+Ed+Burns&source=bl&ots=05BXFPEUgI&sig=roehswPzo0kv74l1GIGeUPew-5w&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZSHtVKH9JJHUgwSLo4Mg&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=wiretap%20investigation%20spearheaded%20by%20Ed%20Burns&f=false" target="_blank"><span>led</span></a><span> by Ed Burns. Shortly after, while working for <em>The Sun</em>, Simon wrote a series of articles on Williams </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=r2R8GedqOJ0C&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=“Easy+Money:+Anatomy+of+a+Drug+Empire.”&source=bl&ots=U_HRsaXqUN&sig=_KcZwOJrLE_U7nCNCojURnnE_yE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tCHtVJuMG8K1ggThlYO4DQ&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=“Easy%20Money%3A%20Anatomy%20of%20a%20Drug%20Empire.”&f=false" target="_blank"><span>titled</span></a><span> “Easy Money: Anatomy of a Drug Empire.” Williams served time in jail off and on until 2003, and </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1758325/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank"><span>played</span></a><span> the role of West Side string-puller The Deacon in seasons three and four.</span></p> <h4>18. MANY OF THE ACTORS ARE BALTIMOREANS THROUGH AND THROUGH<span>.</span></h4> <p><span><span>Cast members plucked from Baltimore included </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1724538/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><span>Jay Landsman</span></a><span> (who, in a particularly confusing twist of fate, ended up playing Dennis Mello instead of the character Jay Landsman who was, as you might have guessed, based on the real-life Jay Landsman) and the aforementioned </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1758325/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank"><span>Melvin Williams</span></a><span>. Another notorious </span><em>Wire</em><span> character to have been a lifelong Baltimorean was Felicia “Snoop” Pearson, who played an eponymous and murderous member of Marlo Stanfield’s crew, in a portrayal Stephen King </span><a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/03/10/snoop_felicia_pearson_wire_actress_arrested/" target="_blank"><span>called</span></a><span> "perhaps the most terrifying female villain to ever appear in a television series." Like Williams, Pearson has had a troubled relationship with the law, having spent time in prison for second-degree murder at age 14, and then again after getting picked up in a sweeping Baltimore drug bust in 2011.</span></span> </p> <h4>19. THERE WAS ALMOST A SPINOFF CENTERED AROUND BALTIMORE POLITICS.</h4> <p><span><a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/david-simon-wire-spinoff/" target="_blank"><span>According to Simon</span></a><span>, after the politically-charged third season of </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span>, he hatched a plan to create a spinoff series, <em>The Hall,</em> that would follow the rise of Tommy Carcetti and get even more real about the dirty business of Baltimore politics</span><span>. Simon even went so far as to write a script and start putting a writing team together, but HBO told him no on the grounds that "we only want one show that nobody is watching in Baltimore, not two!" </span></span></p> <h4>20. ACTORS WORKING ON THE SHOW SAW BALTIMORE'S DANGEROUS SIDE.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>The book </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Difficult-Men-Creative-Revolution-Sopranos/dp/0143125699" target="_blank">Difficult Men</a></em><span>, which chronicles the rise of modern television, </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/07/david_simon_s_the_wire_a_behind_the_scenes_look_at_mcnulty_kima_bunk_and.html" target="_blank"><span>details</span></a><span> one role research ride-along that ended with Seth Gilliam (Ellis Carver) and Domenick Lombardozzi (Herc) ducking gunfire in the backseat of a police car. On another, Wendell Pierce (Bunk Moreland) reported seeing “a guy with a knife still in him” as well as a cop trying to take a man who’d been shot downtown for questioning instead of to a hospital.</span></p> <h4>21. DAVID SIMON CITES A SURPRISING SOURCE AS THE SHOW'S BIGGEST INFLUENCE.</h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>“Dickensian” is a word that’s often tossed around to describe the serial fiction of </span><span><em>The Wire</em></span><span>, but David Simon goes back—way, way back—when citing the biggest influence on his show. In an </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/interrogation/2006/12/behind_the_wire.4.html" target="_blank"><span>interview with Slate</span></a><span>, Simon noted “the guys we were stealing from in <em>The Wire </em></span>are the Greeks. In our heads we're writing a Greek tragedy, but instead of the gods being petulant and jealous Olympians hurling lightning bolts down at our protagonists, it's the Postmodern institutions that are the gods.”</p> <h4>22. PARODIES HAVE SPRUNG UP EVERYWHERE, BUT ONLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.</h4> <p><span><span>Because it took a few years for </span><em>The Wire</em><span> to seep into the national consciousness, it wasn’t exactly rife for parody during its 2002 to 2008 run. But many send-ups have hit the Web since, including </span><a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/414fa4b226/the-wire-the-musical-with-michael-kenneth-williams" target="_blank"><span>Funny or Die’s <em>The Wire: The Musical</em></span></a><span>, which popped up in 2012 and featured several members of the show’s cast, a <em>Saturday Night Live</em> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAsBta25OGQ" target="_blank"><span>Brooklynized version</span></a><span> of the show that took aim at the rapidly-gentrifying neighborhood of Bushwick, and a “Key and Peele” </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXafy1n9cVY" target="_blank"><span>parody</span></a><span> about, well, pants-pooping.</span></span> </p> <h4>23. BARS ON <em>THE WIRE</em> ARE FULL OF SURPRISES.<span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></h4> <p dir="ltr"><span>In the season five episode “Took,” actor Richard Belzer is seen arguing his bar tab, presumably in a cameo of his </span><em>Homicide: Life on the Street</em><span> and </span><span><em>Law and Order: Special Victims Unit</em></span><span> character Detective John Munch. (To further complicate the Landsman situation, Munch </span><a href="http://www.thewrap.com/law-order-svu-goodbye-munch-richard-belzer-turns-in-badge/" target="_blank"><span>was also</span></a><span> partially based on the real-life Jay Landsman.) Another bar surprise comes when Commissioner William Rawls pops up in a gay bar in season three. Interestingly, Rawls' suggested homosexuality never comes up again throughout the rest of the series.</span></p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">March 30, 2016 - 11:01am</span></span> </span>
Wed, 30 Mar 2016 14:00:00 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
21 Darn Tootin' Facts About 'Fargo'
http://mentalfloss.com/article/62092/21-darn-tootin-facts-about-fargo
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/lists" class="author-writes-about-link">Lists</a>, <a href="/section/movies" class="author-writes-about-link">Movies</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/fargo-primary.png" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4>1. <em>Fargo</em> was almost a TV show back in 1997.</h4> <p class="normal">FX’s original series <em>Fargo</em>, which debuted last year to critical praise and enthusiastic viewership, has breathed new life into the funny-accents-meet-brutal-violence formula. However, FX’s take on the Coen Brothers classic actually marks the second major attempt to adapt <em>Fargo </em>for the small screen. In 1997, a pilot directed by Kathy Bates (yes, <em>that</em> Kathy Bates) and starring a pre-<em>Sopranos</em> Edie Falco as Marge Gunderson was passed on by the major networks. Although it never had a full run on television, this first made-for-TV version of <em>Fargo</em> wasn’t lost forever: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/31/arts/television-reruns-edie-falco-in-fargo-and-other-gems-you-never-saw.html" target="_blank">it aired</a> on the short-lived cable network Trio in 2003, as part of its <em>Brilliant But Cancelled</em> programming series. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>2. <em>Fargo</em> showrunner Noah Ha<b>w<b>ley</b></b> wasn’t sure how to take Ethan Coen’s reaction to his first episode.</b></h4> <p class="normal">A bit more on the TV series: While the Coens had nothing to do with the 1997 pilot, they serve as executive producers on the FX show. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/apr/12/fargo-tv-adaptation-coen-brothers-blessing" target="_blank">According to</a> showrunner Noah Hawley, when Ethan Coen first read the script, he gave two words of feedback: “Yeah, good.” Only after talking with <em>Fargo</em> cast member and frequent Coen collaborator Billy Bob Thornton did Hawley realize this was a rave review, and not just modest praise. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>3. Rum<b>o</b>rs that a Japanese woman died pursuing the buried ransom money led to a <b>sort of</b> <em>Fargo</em> spinoff.</b></h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-188231" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/578947.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">The award-winning 2014 independent film <em>Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter</em> is <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/kumiko-the-treasure-hunter/true-story-death-takako-konishi-fargo/" target="_blank">loosely based on</a> the urban legend of Takako Konishi. In 2001, several media outlets falsely reported that Konishi had trekked from Tokyo to Bismarck and Fargo in search of the fictitious money hidden by Steve Buscemi’s <em>Fargo</em> character Carl Showalter, and froze in the cold. The misunderstanding stemmed from a police officer who seemingly wanted to create an interesting story. In reality, however, Konishi’s story was much less strange and a bit more melancholy: she had traveled to Fargo to commit suicide in her ex-lover’s hometown.</p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>4</b>. Siskel and Ebert gave it way more than two thumbs up</b>.</h4> <p class="normal">Roger Ebert <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqQOPusG59o" target="_blank">called</a> <em>Fargo</em> "one of the best films I've ever seen" and added that "films like <em>Fargo</em> are why I love the movies." Both Siskel and Ebert named it their favorite movie of 1996. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>5</b>. Despite lots of critical love, <em>Fargo</em> was second banana at the 1997 Academy Awards</b>.</h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-188232" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/57987498768937.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">A critical favorite since the moment of its release, <em>Fargo</em> took home <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116282/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2" target="_blank">two Oscars</a> in 1997: one for the Coen Brothers for Best Original Screenplay and another to Frances McDormand for her portrayal of Marge Gunderson. However, <em>Fargo</em> lost most of the big awards to Elaine Benes’ least favorite movie, <em>The English Patient</em>. The World War II romance epic won a whopping nine Oscars at the show, including Best Picture and Best Director. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>6</b>. It killed at the box office.</b></h4> <p class="normal">The Coens' previous film, 1994's <em>The Hudsucker Proxy</em>, had by far their largest budget to date at the time with $25 million. It was also by far their biggest flop, earning <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hudsuckerproxy.htm" target="_blank">less than $3 million</a> at the box office. For <em>Fargo</em>, the Coens returned to a much more modest budget of $7 million, but ended up <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fargo.htm" target="_blank">taking in</a> $60 million at the box office, making it their highest percentage return on investment at the box office to date.</p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>7</b>. Steve Buscemi’s word count is a running joke</b>.</h4> <p class="normal">Throughout the entire movie, Peter Stormare’s character—Gaear Grimsrud—has just 16 <a href="http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~ina22/splaylib/Screenplay-Fargo.htm" target="_blank">lines of dialogue</a>. By comparison, his chatty accomplice Carl Showalter (played by Buscemi) has more than 150. This turns up as a running Coen brothers joke in <em>The Big Lebowski</em>, where Buscemi’s character Donny is constantly being told to “shut the f**k” up.”</p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>8</b>. The Upper Midwest has a love/hate relationship with the movie</b>.</h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-188233" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/hhrv4.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal"><em>Fargo</em> received some <a href="http://grantland.com/features/fargo-minnesota-fx-coen-brothers/" target="_blank">understandable backlash</a> from Minnesotans and North Dakotans for portraying their neck of the American woods as being full of simple, funny-talking folks. Indeed, in the movie's DVD commentary, native Minnesotan Joel Coen referred to the state as “Siberia with family restaurants.” Fargo mayor Bonnie Cumberland said of <em>Fargo</em> in 1997: “It’s a movie that people who don’t live here seem to enjoy, but for us it’s a little bit of an embarrassment.”</p> <p class="normal">However, as of late, many Midwesterners have warmed up to the film (pun totally intended). The film’s infamously lethal wood chipper is <a href="http://fargomoorhead.org/things-details.html?id=650" target="_blank">currently housed</a> in the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center, and in 2006 and 2011, the Fargo Film Festival <a href="http://www.fargofilmfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/FFF-6-Program-PDF.pdf" target="_blank">kicked off</a> with a “larger than King Kong” screening of the movie on the side of the city’s tallest building—a Radisson hotel—to celebrate the 10th and 15th anniversaries of its release.</p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>9</b>. William H. Macy took extreme measures to the land the role of Jerry Lundegaard.</b></h4> <p class="normal">Originally, William H. Macy was being considered for a much smaller role, but the Coens had him come back and read for the part of Jerry Lundegaard. Macy was so convinced he was the right man for the job that he pleaded with the Coens, even <a href="http://cjonline.com/stories/080699/ele_mysterymen.shtml#.VPObNLPF-m0" target="_blank">threatening to shoot their dogs</a> if they didn’t cast him (jokingly, of course). Macy ended up receiving an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of the bumbling Lundegaard, but lost to Cuba Gooding Jr. for <em>Jerry Maguire</em>. Macy claimed the role was a major turning point in his career, and that after: “I was ratified! I was sanctified! I'm a made guy." </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>1<b>0</b>. <b>Only a</b> few minutes of the film take place in Fargo</b>.</h4> <p class="normal">Despite the title, only the opening scene—where Jerry meets with Carl and Gaear to reveal the plan to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom—takes place in Fargo. Most of the movie takes place in either Brainerd or the Twin Cities area. <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/30-years-of-coens-fargo/380142/" target="_blank">According to</a> Joel Coen, “'Fargo' seemed a more evocative title than ‘Brainerd’” and that’s the only reason why they chose the North Dakota city for the title. Additionally, none of the filming was done in Fargo; the Kings of Clubs, the bar where the meeting between Jerry and the criminals takes place, was actually located in Minneapolis. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>1<b>1</b>. An inside joke led to rumors that Prince had a cameo <b>in the film</b></b>.</h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-188234" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/765873.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">The Coens provided anyone willing to stick around for the extended credits to a bit of a Minnesota insider joke. The role of “Victim in the Field” is credited to a scribble resembling Prince’s “Love Symbol,” which he went by between 1993 and 2000. This spurred rumors that Prince had a hidden cameo in the film. Anyone paying attention, however, would have noticed that the role was clearly played by a much huskier fellow, who also happened to be the film’s storyboard artist (and a longtime Coen collaborator) <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0026824/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">J. Todd Anderson</a>. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>12</b>. The film features two very familiar Coen Brothers tropes.</b></h4> <p class="normal">Two of the Coens' favorite plot devices—stolen or missing money and kidnapping—feature in eight (<em>Blood Simple;</em> <em>Fargo;</em> <em>The Big Lebowski;</em> <em>O Brother, Where Art Thou</em>?; <em>The Man Who Wasn’t There;</em> <em>The Ladykillers</em>; <em>No Country For Old Men</em>; and <em>Burn After Reading</em>) and four (<em>Raising Arizona</em>; <em>Fargo</em>; <em>The Big Lebowski</em>; and<em> Burn After Reading</em>) of their movies, respectively. Alongside <em>A Serious Man</em>, it’s also one of two Coen films set predominantly in their home state of Minnesota. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>1<b>3</b>. Every single one of Jerry Lundegaard’s nervous stutters was carefully scripted.</b></h4> <p class="normal">At the root of Macy’s career-making performance are lines that constantly sound like they’re tripping over each another. While they were well played by Macy, almost every single stutter-step was actually mapped out by the Coens in <a href="http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~ina22/splaylib/Screenplay-Fargo.htm" target="_blank">the script</a>. (Ex: “Well, that's, that's, I'm not gointa, inta — see, I just need money. Now, her dad's real wealthy —.”) </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>1<b>4</b>. The movie marked a major comeback for one actor</b>.</h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-188235" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/79854vd.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">Before taking on the role of Wade Gustafson, the rich and hardened father of the kidnapped Jean Lundegaard, actor <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0696193/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">Harve Presnell</a> hadn’t taken a film role in 20 years and was focusing on stage work. Following his turn in <em>Fargo</em>, he popped up on screen in blockbusters like <em>Face/Off</em>, <em>Saving Private Ryan</em> and <em>Old School</em>. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>1<b>5</b>. You might know it wasn’t actually a “true story,” but the Coens' web of deception goes even further than the opening credits</b>.</h4> <p class="normal">While the tag on the beginning of the film reads “This is a true story. The events depicted in this film took place in Minnesota in 1987,” <em>Fargo</em> is, by no stretch of the imagination, a true story. During the film's press tour, the Coens admitted that while not pinpoint accurate, the story was indeed inspired by a similar crime that occurred <a href="http://diaryofascreenwriter.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-coen-brothers-fargo-crime-and_3621.html" target="_blank">in Minnesota</a>, with Joel Coen stating “In its general structure, the film is based on a real event, but the details of the story and the characters are fictional.” However, any and all efforts to uncover anything resembling such a crime ever occurring in Minnesota come up empty, and in an introduction to the published script, Ethan Coen pretty much admitted as much, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20021231145342/http://www.brainerddispatch.com/fargo/fargoacdmynom.shtml" target="_blank">writing</a> that <em>Fargo</em> “aims to be both homey and exotic, and pretends to be true." </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>1<b>6</b>. <em>The Big Lebowski</em> almost came first (and that could have spelled disaster for the Coens).</b></h4> <p class="normal">It’s pretty much taken for granted that the Coens are small kings in the cinema world, able to more or less have complete creative control over their films. But without <em>Fargo</em>, this probably wouldn’t have been the case. Following the release of <em>The Hudsucker Proxy</em>, which bombed ferociously at the box office, the Coens had more or less finished scripts for <em>The Big Lebowski</em> and <em>Fargo</em>. Because The Dude was <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/30-years-of-coens-fargo/380142/" target="_blank">written for Jeff Bridges</a>, who was busy shooting another movie, <em>Fargo</em> ended up getting made first. </p> <p class="normal">For the Coen Brothers, this release order ended up being a massive stroke of good fortune, since <em>The Big </em><em>Lebowski</em> was a box office dud upon release and only built up its massive following after its theatrical run. Had <em>The Big </em><em>Lebowski</em> been made first, it would have been the Coens' <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?view=Writer&id=joelcoen.htm" target="_blank">fourth consecutive</a> poor performer(following <em>Miller’s Crossing</em>, <em>Barton Fink</em>, and <em>The Hudsucker Proxy</em>), and might have had major consequences on their careers. Instead, they gained the goodwill that came along with <em>Fargo</em>, a box office success that was praised by many as an instant classic. They’ve pretty much been riding the wave of praise and box office success ever since. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>1<b>7</b>. The film’s editor, Roderick Jaynes, <b>is actually J<b>oel and Ethan <b>Coen.</b></b></b></b></h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-188236" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/598749876.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">Because the Coens found having their names appear on screen as directors, writers, producers, and editors a bit tacky, they credit their editing work to the fictional “Roderick Jaynes,” who’s listed on all of their films outside of <em>Raising Arizona</em> and <em>Miller’s Crossing</em>. When the fictional Jaynes was for nominated for his first Oscar on <em>Fargo</em>, the Coens <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10568514/Hollywoods-mischief-makers-an-interview-with-the-Coen-Brothers.html" target="_blank">wanted</a> to have actor Albert Finney accept the award in character, but because the Academy doesn’t allow for surrogates to accept awards (presumably due to a 1973 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QUacU0I4yU" target="_blank">incident</a> involving Marlon Brando and a Native American named Sacheen Littlefeather) they had to scratch the plan. Jaynes ended losing to Walter Murch for his work on <em>The English Patient</em>, and would lose again in 2008 (with <em>The Bourne Ultimatum</em>'s Christopher Rouse beating out the Coens and <em>No Country for Old Men)</em>. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>18</b>. Not everything about Frances McDormand’s legendary performance was authentic.</b></h4> <p class="normal">To play the pregnant Marge Gunderson, McDormand <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/03/frances-mcdormand-on-olive-kitteridge-dropping-lsd-and-her-beef-with-fx-s-fargo.html" target="_blank">sported</a> prosthetic breasts and a faux-pregnant belly full of birdseed. It was McDormand’s second time wearing fake breasts in a role for the Coens, following <em>Raising Arizona</em>, where she thought a fuller figure was appropriate considering her character had recently given birth to quintuplets. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>19</b>. Weird weather made production a headache.</b></h4> <p class="normal">Production for <em>Fargo</em> was made much more difficult since the winter of 1994/1995 was one of the warmest and least snowy in Minnesota history. <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/30-years-of-coens-fargo/380142/" target="_blank">This led</a> to heaps of production delays and scrambles to find snow-covered scenery. Interestingly, David Zellner, who directed the aforementioned <em>Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter</em>, also dealt with <a href="http://www.twincities.com/movies/ci_26549386/kumiko-movie-about-myth-about-myth-called-fargo" target="_blank">unseasonably</a> warm weather when he set out to shoot his quasi <em>Fargo</em> follow-up, waiting a year to get the movie’s appropriately chilly look. </p> <h4 class="normal"><b>2<b>0</b>. The Coen Brothers have a way with birds</b>.</h4> <p class="normal"><em>Fargo</em>’s opening memorably features a bird in flight set against the frigid Minnesota landscape. The incident was <a href="http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~ina22/splaylib/Screenplay-Fargo.htm" target="_blank">unscripted</a>, as were memorable <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=q5h91ZZemK0C&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=%E2%80%9CWe+have+an+uncanny+ability+to+make+birds+do+what+we+want+them+to+do.%E2%80%9D&source=bl&ots=l9ByMy1tLv&sig=7U6vbksEJTwDA53cVLeHiHCYMk8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Xj_7VNTjFYGfggTLiICoDw&ved=0CC#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CWe%20have%20an%20uncanny%20ability%20to%20make%20birds%20do%20what%20we%20want%20them%20to%20do.%E2%80%9D&f=false" target="_blank">bird cameos </a>in <em>Barton Fink</em> and <em>Blood Simple</em>. Joel Coen has commented “We have an uncanny ability to make birds do what we want them to do.” </p> <h4 class="normal"><b><b>21</b>. The actors went through extensive training to get their accents right</b>.</h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-188237" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/58908ghge.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">Having grown up in Minnesota, the Coens were more than familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the “Minnesota nice” accent, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=q5h91ZZemK0C&pg=PA74&dq=%22accent+adviser%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9F37VJe2Asy7ggSlvoCgBg&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22accent%20adviser%22&f=false" target="_blank">but</a> much of the cast—including Frances McDormand and William H. Macy—needed coaching to get the intricacies right. Actors were <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/fargo-accent-and-dialect-notes/" target="_blank">even given</a> copies of the scripts with extensive pronunciation notes. <a href="http://bean-daily.livejournal.com/620777.html" target="_blank">According to</a> dialect coach Larissa Kokernot, who also appeared as one of the prostitutes Gaear and Carl rendezvous with in Brainerd, the “musicality” of the Minnesota nice accent comes from a place of “wanting people to agree with each other and get along.” This homey sensibility, contrasted with the ugly crimes committed throughout the movie, is, of course, one of the major reasons why the dark comedy is such an enduring classic.</p> <p class="normal"><em>All images courtesy of Gramercy Pictures</em></p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">March 24, 2016 - 12:16pm</span></span> </span>
Thu, 24 Mar 2016 21:00:00 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
10 Popular Foods Once Considered Unfit to Eat
http://mentalfloss.com/article/59303/10-popular-foods-once-considered-unfit-eat
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/food" class="author-writes-about-link">Food</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/istock_000018221791_small.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">istock</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4>1. Potatoes</h4> <p>When you think potatoes, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? A side of fries? Eating them all mashed up and buttery with gravy on Thanksgiving? If you were a Frenchman during the 18th century, your answer might have been “leprosy” and “rampant, unchecked sexual urges,” since consuming potatoes was believed to lead to both of these things—probably because the starch was thought to resemble lepers' feet and testicles.</p> <p>Potato cultivation was actually banned for a time until French agricultural pioneer Antoine-Augustin Parmentier began promoting the potato in the late 18th century. Parmentier gave potatoes a PR campaign boost by serving potato dishes to the likes of Benjamin Franklin (whose sexual appetite was famously always intact, potato or no potato) and hiring armed guards to protect his prized potato patch.</p> <h4>2. Tomatoes</h4> <p> <div id="file-178433" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000001856869_small_0.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>It’s hard to believe that the tomato, so versatile and central to European cuisine, was thought of as poisonous on the continent during the 18th and 19th centuries. The savory fruits had a reputation for killing the elites of society, and for good reason, since quite a few upper-crust folks did fall gravely ill after eating them. However it was actually their pewter plates, high in lead content and made even more potent by acidic tomato juice, that were the culprit.</p> <p>So what turned the corner for the tomato? Among other things, the invention of a cheap and undeniably delicious new dish called pizza, in the 1880s, is said to have helped the so-called “poison apple” gain Beatles-like levels of popularity.</p> <h4>3. Tuna</h4> <p> <div id="file-178434" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000025509134_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>Tuna is currently the most widely eaten fish in America, but it took some crafty PR campaigning to bring the tasty, healthy saltwater fish to popularity. At the turn of the century, yellowfin and skipjack—the two darker tuna varieties most widely eaten today—were avoided by fishermen and largely thought of as “junk fish” due to America’s preference for lighter meat.</p> <p>But once World War I and the Great Depression rolled around, the widely-available and efficient protein source was slapped with the label “chicken of the sea,” and Americans started eating tuna by the literal boatload. The rest is smelly, oily history.</p> <h4>4. Lobster</h4> <p> <div id="file-178435" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000022697901_small.jpg" width="620" height="471" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>These days, lobster pretty much serves as shorthand for “fancy food.” But as anyone who’s read David Foster Wallace’s treatise on the American delicacy, <em>Consider the Lobster</em>, knows, the marine crustacean was once considered unfit for human consumption and was mostly eaten by prisoners and the poor. In fact, up until the 19th century, the abundant creatures were considered a nuisance and frequently ground up as a fertilizer after washing up on the East Coast.</p> <p>So how did the massive, near-insects get fancy? Part of the shift has been chalked up to the American railroad, which spread the food well beyond the Northeast, where they were most abundant. Lobster was also one of very few foods that wasn’t rationed during World War II, which made it a more regular part of the American diet. It should also be noted that dipping anything in melted butter never hurts.</p> <h4>5. Hamburgers</h4> <p> <div id="file-178436" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000006740495_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>With the rise of gastropub culture over the past twenty years, burgers have gone from greasy fast food fix to a gourmet American dish. But since being invented around 1900, the burger has come even further. Due to the nature of the meat industry during the early 20th century (as famously explored in Upton Sinclair’s <em>The Jungle</em>) hamburgers were widely viewed as unclean food for the poor.</p> <p>In his landmark book <em>Fast Food Nation</em>, Eric Schlosser touches on the rise of hamburgers in America, largely crediting White Castle—which used "white" to give the impression of cleanliness—as the chain that helped burgers become a quintessential American meal. Steak 'n Shake also positioned itself to change perceptions of ground beef, calling their burgers “steakburgers” and grinding their meat within public view to show off their untainted product.</p> <h4>6. Oatmeal</h4> <p> <div id="file-178437" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000013564511_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>Oatmeal: tasty for breakfast, even better in a cookie. But back before oats could be found in pantries across America, they were considered strictly animal feed in the States. It wasn’t until a German immigrant named Ferdinand Schumacher marketed his ground oats as an alternative to breakfast meat that the food started to catch on as a morning meal.</p> <p>Schumacher’s Akron-based empire (which would eventually become part of Quaker Oats) expanded even further once the Civil War took hold. The federal government put in oatmeal orders quicker than Schumacher could supply them after Union soldiers gave an initial order of his product rave reviews.</p> <h4>7. Peanuts</h4> <p> <div id="file-178438" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000010888968_small.jpg" width="620" height="399" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="p1">Thought to have been brought to North America by African slaves, peanuts were once considered food fit for only the poorest poor and livestock. Peanuts started taking off as an American staple following the Civil War, and there’s a good chance you recognize a few of the names involved with the pro-peanut shift.</p> <p>First, there’s PT Barnum, whose circus started selling “Hot Roasted Peanuts” in the late 19th century—baseball stadiums and food carts would soon follow suit. There’s also the famous African American botanist George Washington Carver, who advocated for switching from cotton crops to legumes during the early 20th century and developed some 100 recipes involving the peanut. The undeniable, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth deliciousness of peanut butter, popularized a few years later, cemented the peanut as an omnipresent American ingredient.</p> <h4>8. Garlic</h4> <p> <div id="file-178439" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000017224086_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>Garlic makes pretty much everything tastier, and pretty much everyone smellier, as well. The “smellier” part has led the pungent vegetable to be viewed as uncouth in England for centuries, and stigmatized in the United States until surprisingly recently.</p> <p>Because of its odor, the English have long viewed garlic as a vulgar food and considered its smell unacceptable, especially on the breath of young, courting couples, and have only gotten on board with the ingredient over the last few decades. For many years, the United States borrowed the anti-garlic attitude of its mother country, and it wasn’t until Polish, German and Italian immigrants settled in massive numbers that public perceptions started to shift in favor of the once forbidden vegetable.</p> <h4>9. Portobello Mushrooms</h4> <p> <div id="file-178440" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000006642393_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>The story of the portobello mushroom is yet another reminder you should never underestimate the power of great PR campaign. Until the 1980s, the large, meaty mushroom—which is really just the common <em>agaricus bisporus</em> (aka crimini) mushroom, left to grow and mature—was considered an unsightly waste product to be tossed in the trash.</p> <p>It wasn’t until the 1980s rolled around and when raw, dark and whole foods started to come into fashion that these earthy shrooms were tagged with the schnazzy Italian-sounding name “portobello” and marketed as a healthy meat replacement to be stuffed with cheese, veggies, and bread crumbs, or marinated and covered with cheese steak-style.</p> <h4>10. Chicken Wings</h4> <p> <div id="file-178441" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000001846412_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p>It’s hard to think of any food Americans eat more voraciously in the 21st century than the almighty wing, particularly come football season. While wings have been enjoyed in various regions both in America and around the world (hey, if it’s edible, people have found a way to eat it), they were largely thrown away as scraps, used for broth, or generally considered far less valuable than the leg and the breast in much of the country prior to the 1960s.</p> <p>So what happened in the 1960s? Someone in Buffalo, New York deep fried and threw some hot sauce on the suckers, and people pretty much lost their minds. The regional delicacy gradually swept the nation, to the point that we now consume 1.25 billion wings on Super Bowl weekend, an amount that the National Chicken Council Reports that would circle the earth twice if laid end-to-end.</p> <p><em>All images courtesy of iStock.</em></p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">March 9, 2016 - 10:39am</span></span> </span>
Wed, 09 Mar 2016 22:00:00 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
24 Things You Might Not Know About 'Goodfellas'
http://mentalfloss.com/article/60948/24-things-you-might-not-know-about-goodfellas
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/crime" class="author-writes-about-link">crime</a>, <a href="/section/lists" class="author-writes-about-link">Lists</a>, <a href="/section/movies" class="author-writes-about-link">Movies</a>, <a href="/section/pop-culture" class="author-writes-about-link">Pop Culture</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/goodfellas_primary.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">YouTube</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="normal">The modern gangster classic has been called <a href="http://screencrush.com/scorsese-list/" target="_blank">Martin Scorsese’s</a> <a href="http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/12/martin-scorsese-movies-ranked/goodfellas" target="_blank">best</a> <a href="http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/top-ten-films-of-martin-scorsese/3/" target="_blank">movie</a> — and others have called it <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4370918.stm" target="_blank"><em>the</em> best movie</a>, period. In celebration of Scorsese’s manic take on the Mafia, here are 24 fascinating facts that will make you want take a long walk through the back of the Copa, cut your garlic paper thin, and go home and get your f***ing shine box.</p> <h4><b>1. Some of Henry Hill’s most famous criminal escapades had to be left out of the film.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">The real-life Henry Hill’s crime resume is way too long to fit into a single movie—even one with a meaty 148-minute runtime. In fact, Scorsese even left out a Hill crime that eventually became a national sports controversy: <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/colleges/post/_/id/5698/30-for-30-tackles-bc-point-shaving-scandal" target="_blank">Boston College's 1978-1979 point-shaving scandal</a>. </p> <p class="normal">The scam was born when Jimmy Burke (De Niro’s Jimmy Conway in the movie) and Hill <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/03/15/and-goodfellas-sports-scandal-and-its-lingering-toll/nvlXKiXCYsGpUqBUtg9BRN/story.html" target="_blank">recruited Boston College players Rick Kuhn, Jim Sweeney, and Ernie Cobb</a> to manipulate scores to cover point spreads. In the ESPN documentary <em>Playing for the Mob</em>, which chronicles the history of the scandal, Hill claims he mentioned the operation to federal investigators in passing after flipping on his mob associates in 1980 without knowing that point-shaving was illegal. </p> <p class="normal">Also absent is the time Hill <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2545862/Goodfellas-mobster-Henry-Hill-took-cosmetics-queen-Estee-Lauder-drinks-crew-robbed-New-York-City-townhouse.html" target="_blank">reportedly</a> took cosmetics magnate Estée Lauder out for a drink as his buddies lifted over $1 million worth of goods from her swanky New York pad.</p> <h4><b>2. Joe Pesci had his real-life counterpart’s attitude down, but his look was all wrong.</b> </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-184497" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/joe.png" width="620" height="349" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption">YouTube</div> <p class="normal">By all accounts, Lucchese crime family associate Thomas DeSimone, portrayed by Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito in the film, was every bit as ruthless, explosively-tempered, and murderous as his onscreen counterpart. Still, there were some <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/what-goodfellas-got-wrong-705683" target="_blank">major differences</a> between the real life DeSimone and Pesci’s character. First, DeSimone—who stood 6-feet 2-inches tall and weighed 225 pounds—hardly would have suffered from the Napoleonic complex implied by the 5-foot 4-inch Pesci's performance. Also, Pesci was in his late forties when he took on the role, while DeSimone met his violent end at 28 years of age. </p> <h4><b>3. The movie’s famously huge “f**k” count was mostly improvised.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">Among the many things <em>Goodfellas</em> has become famous for over the past quarter-century is its liberal use of the word “f**k.” In all, the expletive and its many colorful derivatives <a href="http://entertainment.time.com/2014/01/03/the-wolf-of-wall-street-breaks-f-bomb-record/" target="_blank">are used 300 times</a>, making it the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_that_most_frequently_use_the_word_%22fuck%22#cite_note-20" target="_blank">12th most</a> f-bomb laden film ever released. The script only called for the word to be used <a href="http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/goodfellas.html" target="_blank">70 times</a><span>, but much of the dialogue was improvised during shooting, where the expletives piled up. Roughly half of them ended up being spoken by Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito. </span></p> <p class="normal"><span></span>Two other Scorsese films outrank <em>Goodfellas</em> when it comes to this specific profanity: the word is dropped 422 times in <em>Casino</em> and a whopping 506 times in <em>The Wolf of Wall Street</em>. </p> <h4><b>4. It took a while for <em>Goodfellas</em> to be considered a classic, but Roger Ebert was an early adopter.</b> </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-184498" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/1800896.png" width="620" height="457" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption">Getty Images</div> <p class="normal"><em>Goodfellas</em> was met with very positive reviews and scored some major award nominations, but it took a few years to catch on as a critical classic. However, <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/goodfellas-1990" target="_blank">Roger Ebert was an early adopter</a> when it came to calling <em>Goodfellas</em> an all-time great, writing "no finer film has ever been made about organized crime—not even <em>The Godfather</em>" all the way back in 1990.</p> <p class="normal">In 2000, Ebert rated <em>Goodfellas</em> as the <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/ebert-and-scorsese-best-films-of-the-1990s" target="_blank">third best movie of the previous decade</a>, behind only Steve James's inner-city basketball documentary <em>Hoop Dreams</em> and Quentin Tarantino's <em>Pulp Fiction</em>. <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/martin-scorsese" target="_blank">In all</a>, Ebert handed perfect four-star reviews to 12 of the 23 non-documentary Scorsese features he reviewed—<em>Goodfellas</em> included, of course. </p> <h4><b>5. The famous “funny how?” scene wasn’t in the script.</b> </h4> <iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/7EJLoxdoI-Q" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" width="620"></iframe><p class="normal">The most famous (and certainly the most quoted) scene in <em>Goodfellas</em> comes at the beginning, when Pesci's Tommy DeVito jokingly-yet-uncomfortably accosts Henry Hill for calling him "funny." In addition to being the driving force behind the scene on screen, Pesci is also responsible for <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=p0WwTQewI4cC&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=ultimate+book+of+gangster+movies+funny+how+pesci&source=bl&ots=YfmIqSxpSJ&sig=aT7aAaki026maRDPfgLJiwWEIco&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uF6gVOLyLsityASY_IKQCQ&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=ultimate%20book%20of%20gangster%20movies%20funny%20how%20pesci&f=false" target="_blank">coming up with the premise</a>. </p> <p class="normal">While working in a restaurant, a young Pesci apparently told a mobster that he was funny—a compliment that was met with a less-than-enthusiastic response. Pesci relayed the anecdote to Scorsese, who decided to include it in the film. Scorsese didn't include the scene in the shooting script so that Pesci and Liotta’s interactions would elicit genuinely surprised reactions from the supporting cast.</p> <h4><b>6. Both of Martin Scorsese’s parents have cameos.</b> </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-184499" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/58948.png" width="620" height="349" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption">YouTube</div> <p class="normal">Most fans of the film know that it’s Martin Scorsese's mother Catherine who <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/07/arts/catherine-scorsese-84-a-movie-mother.html" target="_blank">plays Tommy mother</a> in the infamous dinner scene following Billy Batts’s murder, but the family connections hardly stop there. Tommy’s mother’s painting of two dogs sitting in front of an old man ("One's going east, and the other one is going west. So what?") was actually painted by co-writer Nicholas Pileggi’s <a href="http://mrgodfrey.tumblr.com/post/66620475687/whaddya-want-from-me" target="_blank">mother</a>. Scorsese's father, Charles, <a href="http://entertainment.time.com/2012/01/06/top-10-memorable-movie-eating-scenes/slide/goodfellas/" target="_blank">also pops up</a> as Henry’s prison compadre who puts way too many onions in the gravy. </p> <h4><b>7. Henry Hill’s life as an “average schnook” never really took.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">Originally, the real Henry Hill went to live the rest of his life as an “average schnook” in Omaha, but Hill and the Witness Protection Program weren’t exactly a match made in heaven. Hill never settled into the lifestyle U.S. Marshals had so kindly provided following his flip in 1980, and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/nyregion/henry-hill-mobster-of-goodfellas-dies-at-69.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">soon after, Hill was back to his wiseguy ways</a>, contacting past criminal connections and goomars, and getting arrested on drug charges. </p> <p class="normal">Around the time <em>Goodfellas</em> was released, Hill <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/06/henry_hill_dead_goodfellas_art_circumsion.php" target="_blank">had been booted from the program</a> for his uncooperative behavior and was left to fend for himself. Once again, he was hardly able to lay low, showing up at <em>Goodfellas</em>-related events, releasing a cookbook, selling art on eBay, and frequently calling into <em>The Howard Stern Show</em> before dying from heart problems in 2012. </p> <h4><b>8. Only five murders take place on screen.</b> </h4> <p> <div id="file-184500" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/647.png" width="620" height="349" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"> <p class="normal">YouTube</p> </div> <p class="normal">Despite its reputation as a violent movie, the number of on-screen deaths actually portrayed in <em>Goodfellas</em> is a surprisingly tame five (Spider, Billy Batts, Stacks Edwards, Morrie, and Tommy), or 10 if you include the results of Jimmy Conway’s handiwork following the Lufthansa heist. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that violence, and the threat of violence, is a constant presence throughout the film. Still, <a href="http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/movieextras/top10s/biggest-body-counts.php?ssid=" target="_blank">compared to</a> a body count of 214 in John Woo’s <em>Bullet in the Head</em>, released in the same year, or 255 in <em>Saving Private Ryan</em>, or even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlrgy0HiFB8" target="_blank">24 in Scorsese’s Best Picture winner </a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlrgy0HiFB8" target="_blank"><em>The Departed</em></a>, <em>Goodfellas</em> isn’t terribly bloody. </p> <h4><b>9. According to the real Henry Hill, crime pays much better than Hollywood.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">Hill was <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7906245/Goodfella-Henry-Hill-still-living-in-hiding-20-years-after-film-release.html" target="_blank">paid roughly $550,000 for </a><em><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7906245/Goodfella-Henry-Hill-still-living-in-hiding-20-years-after-film-release.html" target="_blank">Goodfellas</a> </em>(not including additional money he made off of the fame resulting from the film’s huge and sustained popularity). But according to Hill, that’s chump change compared to wiseguy money he was making back in his gangster days, which ranged from $15,000 to $40,000 a week. However, the massive sums from his glory days hardly left him a rich man—he claims he blew almost all of his mob money on partying and a “degenerate” gambling problem. </p> <h4><b>10. Frank Vincent and Joe Pesci have a long history beyond the “shine box” scene—both on and off screen.</b> </h4> <iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-HsNrzBelKo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="465" width="620"></iframe><p class="normal">Before whacking Frank Vincent as Batts during the most disappointing “welcome home” party in human history, Pesci gave Vincent a proper beatdown in <em>Raging Bull</em>. Vincent would eventually have his revenge, brutally whacking Pesci’s character in <em>Casino</em>.</p> <p class="normal">Off screen, however, the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/73606/Frank-Vincent" target="_blank">two go way back</a>, having started their entertainment careers as bandmates and equal halves of a comedy duo in the late 1960s. But it was their appearances in the low-budget 1976 Mafia film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072855/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_37" target="_blank"><em>The Death Collector</em></a> which got the duo <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=H-kCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=the+death+collector+de+niro&source=bl&ots=b-XUvW79jU&sig=nKiKhYEaaXBkBaCFWZSGy5Mcbi4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HWqgVLTRBsiZyAT8o4GgAw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=the%20death%20collector%20de%20niro&f=false" target="_blank">noticed by Robert De Niro</a> and, ultimately, Martin Scorsese. </p> <h4><b>11. Some of the real criminals portrayed were actually toned down for the film.</b></h4> <p class="normal">According to Hill, despite combining characters and slightly altering plot points and timelines, <em>Goodfellas</em> was<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/things-goodfellas-henry-hill/story?id=16557945" target="_blank"> about 95 percent accurate</a>. Perhaps some of that remaining five percent has to do with the on-screen portrayals of Paul Vario, the one-time head of the Lucchese crime family, and Jimmy Burke, architect of the Lufthansa heist. </p> <p class="normal">Vario (Paul Cicero in the film) was far from the relatively coolheaded powerbroker Paul Sorvino portrayed. <a href="http://www.freeinfosociety.com/article.php?id=86" target="_blank">A federal prosecutor</a> called Vario, <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/dvdextras/2009/12/badfellas.html" target="_blank">who served jail time for rape and had a notoriously unhinged temper</a>, "one of the most violent and dangerous career criminals in the city of New York.” And while Robert De Niro’s Jimmy Conway comes across as cunning and conniving with a brutal streak, the real Jimmy “The Gent” Burke was, <a href="http://www.empireonline.com/features/when-empire-met-henry-hill/p2" target="_blank">according to Hill</a>, a “homicidal maniac,” brutally violent and responsible for at least 50 to 60 murders. </p> <h4><b>12. One <em>Goodfellas</em> actor claims <em>The Simpsons</em> ripped him off to the tune of $250 million.</b> </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-184501" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/louie.png" width="620" height="349" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption">YouTube</div> <div class="imagecaption"></div> <p class="normal">Like almost every other film or TV show to portray the Mafia after 1990, <em>The Simpsons</em>'s writers, producers, and animators probably took some cues from <em>Goodfellas</em> when constructing their very own mob crew. However, for one <em>Goodfellas</em> actor, the similarities were too close for comfort. In October of 2014, Frank Sivero—who played the ill-fated Frankie Carbone—filed <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/22/frank-sivero-simpsons-louie-lawsuit/" target="_blank">a whopping $250 million lawsuit</a> against the <em>The Simpsons</em> for appropriating his looks and mannerisms when creating a little-seen Springfield mob associate named Louie. </p> <p class="normal"><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/goodfellas-actor-suing-fox-250-742709" target="_blank">According to Sivero</a>, <em>The Simpsons</em> writers lifted his likeness while living next door to him in Sherman Oaks in 1989, the year before <em>Goodfellas</em>’s release. Louie debuted on the show during the 1991 episode “Bart the Murderer,” and as of this year had appeared in 21 <em>Simpsons</em> episodes in total. </p> <h4><b>13. Henry Hill was just as surprised as you are that he never got whacked.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">Hill’s testimony against some of the most ruthless and powerful Lucchese crime family associates led to roughly 50 convictions. And as Hill learned in the very beginning of his career (and the movie), rule number one in the wiseguy world is “never rat on your friends and always keep your mouth shut.” So why was Hill able to live to be a (relatively) old man and die of natural causes, instead of ultimately meeting a violent end like so many of his past associates? </p> <p class="normal">According to Hill, he had absolutely no idea. In 2010, he <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7906245/Goodfella-Henry-Hill-still-living-in-hiding-20-years-after-film-release.html" target="_blank">told <em>The Telegraph</em></a>, "It's surreal, totally surreal, to be here. I never thought I'd reach this wonderful age,” and hypothesized he was still standing simply because "there's nobody from my era alive today.” Following his death in 2012, <em><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/shortcuts/2012/jun/13/why-goodfellas-henry-hill-murdered-mob" target="_blank">The Guardian</a></em> hypothesized that bureaucratic disorganization in the organized crime world or fame might have kept Hill standing.</p> <h4><b>14. The film could have starred Tom Cruise and Madonna as Henry and Karen Hill.</b></h4> <p> <div id="file-184505" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/tom-and-madonna_0.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"> <p class="normal">Getty Images</p> </div> <p class="normal">Seriously. <a href="http://www.avclub.com/article/emgoodfellasem-almost-starred-tom-cruise-and-madon-45408" target="_blank">According to producer Irwin Winkler,</a> Tom Cruise “was discussed,” and according to producer Barbara De Fina, Madonna was “in the mix” to the extent that Scorsese scouted her at a performance of David Mamet’s <em>Speed-the-Plow</em> on Broadway. </p> <p class="normal">However, Scorsese <a href="http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201010/goodfellas-making-of-behind-the-scenes-interview-scorsese-deniro" target="_blank">was keen on Ray Liotta</a> after seeing him in Jonathan Demme’s 1986 film <em>Something Wild</em>. Liotta eventually convinced Winkler, who was skeptical of his acting chops, that he was right for the role after a chance meeting in a restaurant. Scorsese liked Lorraine Bracco largely due to how well she related to Karen, having grown up in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn. </p> <h4><b>15. During filming, the lines between the movie and the mob world were occasionally blurred.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">Louis Eppolito, a police detective who had a bit part as a wiseguy in <em>Goodfellas</em>, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/mob-louis-eppolito-rot-harsh-desert-prison-article-1.373651" target="_blank">was later convicted</a> for carrying out hits for the Lucchese crime family, which is, of course, the family chronicled in the movie. <a href="http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201010/goodfellas-making-of-behind-the-scenes-interview-scorsese-deniro?currentPage=2" target="_blank">According to</a> screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, there was an open call for real wiseguys, and Scorsese “must have hired like half a dozen guys, maybe more, out of the joint.” And Tony Sirico, who had a bit part as a wiseguy in <em>Goodfellas</em> but is best known for playing Paulie Gualtieri on <em>The Sopranos</em>, had a longer crime resume (28 arrests) than acting resume (27 credits) when the movie was released in 1990.</p> <h4><b>16. <em>Goodfellas</em> bit player Tony Lip is the only actor to also appear in both <em>The Godfather</em> and <em>The Sopranos.</em></b> </h4> <p class="normal">Speaking of <em>The Sopranos</em>: Between Tony Sirico, Lorraine Bracco, Frank Vincent, Michael Imperioli, and many, many more, the show shares a huge number of cast members with <em>Goodfellas</em>.</p> <p class="normal">However, the only actor confirmed to have appeared in the holy trinity of Mafia pop culture—the original <em>The Godfather</em>, <em>Goodfellas,</em> and <em>The Sopranos</em>—<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/07/local/la-me-passings-20130107" target="_blank">is Tony Lip</a>, best known for his portrayal of New York crime boss Carmine Lupertazzi on <em>The Sopranos</em>. </p> <h4><b>17. <em>Goodfellas</em> only went home with one Academy Award, and the winner was taken entirely by surprise.</b></h4> <p> <div id="file-184503" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/787.png" width="620" height="446" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"> <p class="normal">Getty Images</p> </div> <p class="normal">While met with extremely enthusiastic reviews, <em>Goodfellas</em> was overshadowed by Kevin Costner’s <em>Dances with Wolves</em> at the 1991 Academy Awards. The film was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, but only took home the Best Supporting Actor trophy for Joe Pesci’s portrayal of Tommy DeVito. Pesci was up against two other mobster portrayals: Al Pacino’s Big Boy Caprice in <em>Dick Tracy</em> and Andy Garcia’s Vincent Mancini in <em>The Godfather: Part III</em>. </p> <p>Pesci spoke <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/55134/10-oscar-winners-whose-speeches-were-under-11-words" target="_blank">just five words</a> upon accepting the award (“It’s my privilege. Thank you.”), thus delivering one of the shortest Oscar acceptance speeches ever. According to Pesci, the speech was so brief simply because <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/sep/20/netnotes" target="_blank">he didn’t expect to win</a>.</p> <h4><b>18. The 1978 Lufthansa Heist case is still an open investigation.</b></h4> <p class="normal">As <em>Goodfellas</em> makes clear, many of the mobsters involved with the $6 million 1978 Lufthansa heist—at the time the largest cash robbery in American history—were taken out by a paranoid and greedy Jimmy Burke, while more still were put in jail by Hill’s testimony on unrelated charges. But as of 2014, the Lufthansa heist case was still an active case, as evidenced by <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/24/alleged-mobster-vincent-asaro-charged-1978-goodfellas-lufthansa-heist" target="_blank">the 2014 arrest of</a> Vincent Asaro (who was 78 years old at the time) on cooperating witness testimony. Authorities claim that Asaro served as lookout and helped the getaway. And in a tie to the movie, Asaro is believed to have taken Spider to get stitched up after he was shot.</p> <h4><b>19. Scorsese played by a specific set of rules when picking the soundtrack.</b> </h4> <p> <div id="file-184506" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/55674857.png" width="620" height="349" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"> <p class="normal">YouTube</p> </div> <p class="normal">From Tony Bennett’s “Rags to Riches” over the opening narration to The Sex Pistols's punk rock take on “My Way” over the closing credits, Scorsese’s use of music is frequently mentioned as one of the many reasons why <em>Goodfellas</em> is a classic. And, of course, Derek and the Dominos’s “Layla (Piano Exit)” after the discovery of Jimmy Conway’s Lufthansa heist carnage is frequently cited as one of the best uses of popular music in movie history. </p> <p class="normal">While the genres included run the gamut, Scorsese abided by a <a href="http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8192168.html" target="_blank">set of rules</a> when picking songs: They had to at least vaguely comment on the scene or characters, and they had to be chronologically appropriate to the time the scenes were set in.</p> <h4><b>20. In the shooting script, Billy Batts was whacked in the very first scene.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">The <em>Goodfellas</em> we now all know and love features Billy Batts living (and dying) to regret his “shine box” remark to Tommy right around the movie’s halfway mark, with just a teaser of Batts getting finished off in a trunk at the beginning. But the <a href="http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/goodfellas.html" target="_blank">original shooting script</a> actually featured Batts celebrating his ill-fated “welcome home” party in the very first scene, followed by dinner at Tommy’s mother's, before cutting to Liotta narrating the immortal words “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster” and cutting to Hill’s life as a Brooklyn kid. </p> <h4><b>21. Terrible preview screening numbers had the film team hugely concerned.</b></h4> <p> <div id="file-184507" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/874387398798.png" width="620" height="349" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"> <p class="normal">YouTube</p> </div> <p class="normal">If anyone behind <em>Goodfellas</em> thought it might be a classic in the making, they <a href="http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201010/goodfellas-making-of-behind-the-scenes-interview-scorsese-deniro?currentPage=9" target="_blank">hardly would have known it</a> from the movie’s preview screenings. Pileggi claims that a screening in Orange County, California had roughly 70 walk-outs due to the violent content. According to an executive producer, one screening ended with the film team hiding at a bowling alley due to an angry audience, with one disgruntled moviegoer simply writing “f**k you” on a comment card. </p> <h4><b>22. U.S. Attorney Edward McDonald plays himself.</b> </h4> <p class="normal">The fed laying out the ins and outs of the witness protection program to Henry and Karen after they get pinched? That’s U.S. Attorney Edward McDonald, reenacting his conversation with the real Henry and Karen after they flipped. <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/05/21/a-qa-with-goodfellas-actor-and-dechert-lawyer-ed-mcdonald/" target="_blank">McDonald volunteered himself</a> for the part after Scorsese scouted his office as a possible filming location, and ultimately won it after a screen test. Like so much of the rest of the script, McDonald’s “Don’t give me the babe-in-the-woods routine, Karen” line was all improv. </p> <h4><b>23. The first scene shot for the film wasn’t directed by Scorsese.</b> </h4> <p> <div id="file-184508" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/455278348.png" width="620" height="376" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"> <p class="normal">Getty Images</p> </div> <p class="normal">As you might know, the business of filming is rarely chronological—directors tend to jump scenes for cost, scheduling, and efficiency reasons. For <em>Goodfellas</em>, the scene that broke shooting ground was the intentionally low-budget Morrie’s Wigs commercial, which plays just before Henry and Jimmy hassle Morrie about a debt near the beginning of the film. To get the feel of the commercial right, Scorsese contacted <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4972490/" target="_blank">Stephen R. Pacca</a>, who had created his own ultra low-budget ads for his replacement window company, to write and direct the Morrie’s Wigs ad. </p> <h4><b>24. The shot of Pesci shooting at the camera is a nod to a milestone 1903 film.</b> <br /> <div id="file-213032" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/pesci.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </h4> <div class="imagecaption">YouTube</div> <p class="normal">Pesci’s final scene in the film, featuring Tommy shooting directly into the camera, is an homage to the landmark 1903 short, silent Western film <em>The Great Train Robbery</em>, which ends with a similar shot. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrPJEffTftg" target="_blank">According to Scorsese</a>, he saw his film as part of a “tradition of outlaws” in American pop culture and films, and noted that despite nearly a century separating the two films, they’re essentially “exactly the same story.”</p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">February 5, 2016 - 3:00am</span></span> </span>
Fri, 05 Feb 2016 23:00:00 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
21 Things You Might Not Know About 'The Big Lebowski'
http://mentalfloss.com/article/61708/21-things-you-might-not-know-about-big-lebowski
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/movies" class="author-writes-about-link">Movies</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/587698547.png" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Gramercy Pictures </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>You’re a Lebowski. I’m a Lebowski. These days, pretty much everybody loves <em>The Big Lebowski</em>. But it wasn’t always the case. Since its release and modest reception in 1998, the Coen Brothers' oddball slackerhero tale has enjoyed modern movie history’s most unusual (yet fairly inevitable) ascent to classic status. Here are 21 facts that might have eluded even the most accomplished <em>Lebowski</em> achievers.</p> <h4>1. <em>Lebowski</em> got some love from the Library of Congress</h4> <p>In December of 2014, <em>The Big Lebowski</em> became <a href="http://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/" target="_blank">one of 650</a> "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" films preserved for future generations through the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. The 2014 class of 25 films included the likes of <em>Saving Private Ryan</em>, <em>Rosemary’s Baby</em>, <em>Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</em>, and <em>Ferris Bueller’s Day Off</em>. The Registry <a href="http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2014/14-210.html" target="_blank">praised</a> the “tale of kidnapping, mistaken identity and bowling” for its exploration of “alienation, inequality and class structure via a group of hard-luck, off-beat characters suddenly drawn into each other’s orbits.”</p> <h4>2. According to Joel Coen, the plot doesn’t really matter</h4> <p>Think about the many things you love about <em>The Big Lebowski</em>: the performances, the musical sequences, the endless onslaught of brilliantly quotable lines, the Jesus. Strangely, the actual plot of the movie is secondary (or fifth-dary) to most people’s enjoyment of the movie. Do you remember what happens to the missing money in the end, or if there even <em>was</em> missing money to begin with?</p> <p>According to Joel Coen, they knew the plot would probably be a bit confounding to most viewers on the first watch, and they also knew that it probably wouldn’t matter. In a DVD extra for the film, he <a href="http://www.shorescripts.com/articles-the-big-lebowski-script-analysis/" target="_blank">says</a>, “The plot is sort of secondary to the other things that are sort of going on in the piece. I think that if people get a little confused it’s not necessarily going to get in the way of them enjoying the movie.”</p> <h4>3. The Coen Brothers probably don’t love it as much as you do</h4> <p>We’re assuming the Coen Brothers are plenty fond of The Dude: after all, he doesn’t end up facing imminent death or tragedy, which is more than most of their protagonists have going for them. But in a rare Coen Brothers <a href="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/09/21/big-lebowski-jesus-spin-off-could-happen-but-not-yet-say-ethan-and-joel-coen/" target="_blank">interview in 2009</a>, Joel Coen flatly stated, “That movie has more of an enduring fascination for other people than it does for us.”</p> <h4>4. It’s partly inspired by Raymond Chandler’s <em>The Big Sleep</em></h4> <p>In the rare few interviews where the Coen Brothers discuss their <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/30-years-of-coens-the-big-lebowski/380220/" target="_blank">inspiration</a> for <em>The Big Lebowski</em>, they name-drop noir crime writer Raymond Chandler—in particular, his 1939 novel <em>The Big Sleep</em>. <a href="http://www.shorescripts.com/articles-the-big-lebowski-script-analysis/" target="_blank">According</a> to Joel Coen, Chandler novels “usually follow the main character as he encounters these different characters on a journey to uncover a mystery, or find a missing person, or whatever it may be in the novel. In this case, that was the model for this story.” But <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90725993" target="_blank">unlike</a> hardboiled <em>Big Sleep</em> protagonist detective Philip Marlowe, The Dude is dropped in "the most impossible of situations" and is “the person who seemed least equipped to deal with it."</p> <h4>5. The Dude is present in every scene</h4> <p>In true noir fashion, the lead character—in this case, The Dude, of course—is present in every scene in the movie. This includes the scene where Stormare and the rest of the Nihilist crew are ordering pancakes in a diner, where Walter and The Dude’s van can be seen through the diner window in the background.</p> <h4>6. ...but he isn’t referenced in the title</h4> <p>This may seem obvious to some, but it probably comes as a surprise to others. The title <em>The Big Lebowski</em> is a reference to the millionaire Jeffrey Lebowski, and not The Dude. Jeffrey Lebowski is referred to as “the Big Lebowski” many times throughout <a href="http://web.mit.edu/putz/Public/big_lebowski.txt" target="_blank">the script</a>, but in the movie, the only evidence that he’s the “Big Lebowski” comes when the Dude refers to him as such sporadically, just a few times throughout the film.</p> <h4>7. There’s a musician cameo you might have missed</h4> <p>Most <em>Lebowski</em> diehards know that Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea pops up a few times throughout the movie as one of the ne'er-do-well nihilists trying to shake The Dude down for ransom money (his credited name is “Kieffer,” in case you were wondering). It’s worth noting that gives Flea a not-too-shabby cult classic film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281359/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">resume</a>, considering his appearances in <em>Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas</em>, the last two legs of the <em>Back to the Future</em> trilogy, and Gus Van Sant’s <em>My Own Private Idaho</em>. But they might not know that singer/songwriter Aimee Mann also pops up as a nihilist—indeed, the one who has sacrificed a pinky toe for the cause. Mann would play a major part in another now-classic movie that had a hard go of it at the box office the next year, writing music for Paul Thomas Anderson’s <em>Magnolia</em>.</p> <h4>8. While there are tons of familiar Coen Brother film faces, <em>Lebowski</em> doesn’t feature their most frequent collaborator</h4> <p>When it comes to familiar faces from the Coen-verse popping up, <em>The Big Lebowski</em> just might be the ultimate Coen Brothers ensemble movie. Major players <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_frequent_Coen_Brothers_collaborators" target="_blank">include</a> John Goodman (featured in 6 Coen Brothers features), Steve Buscemi (5), Jon Polito (5), John Turturro (4), Peter Stormare (2), and Jeff Bridges (2). Missing, however, is the Coen Brothers’ most frequent collaborator, Frances McDormand. She’s had roles in six Coen Brothers movies—soon to be seven, when their upcoming feature <em>Hail, Caesar!</em> is released next year. McDormand is married to Joel Coen, and took home an Oscar for her portrayal of the heroine Marge Gunderson in <em>Fargo</em>.</p> <h4>9. They knew it was a long shot, but the Coen Brothers wanted Brando for Jeffrey Lebowski</h4> <p><a href="http://cinearchive.org/post/92676244775/our-friend-alex-belth-just-released-the-dudes" target="_blank">According to</a> Alex Belth, who wrote the e-book <em>The Dudes Abide</em> on his time spent working as an assistant to the Coen Brothers, casting the role of Jeffrey Lebowski was one of the last decisions made before filming. Names tossed around for the role included Robert Duvall (who passed because he wasn’t fond of the script), Anthony Hopkins (who passed since he had no interest in playing an American), and Gene Hackman (who was taking a break at the time). A second “wish list” included an oddball “who’s who," including Norman Mailer, George C. Scott, Jerry Falwell, Gore Vidal, Andy Griffith, William F. Buckley, and Ernest Borgnine.</p> <p>The Coens’ ultimate Big Lebowski, however, was the enigmatic Marlon Brando, who by that time was reaching the end of his career (and life). Apparently, the Coens amused themselves by quoting some of their favorite Jeffrey Lebowski lines (“Strong men also cry”) in a Brando accent. The role would eventually go to the not-particularly-famous (but pitch perfect) veteran character actor David Huddleston. In true Dude fashion, it all worked out in the end.</p> <h4>10. A whole mess of famous people call <em>The Big Lebowski</em> one of their favorite movies</h4> <p>It probably comes as no surprise, but you’re not the only one that loves <em>The Big Lebowski</em>. Actors Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, John Hawkes, Jane Lynch, Martin Starr, Eva Mendes and Nick Offerman, and directors Sam Raimi and Richard Kelly, have all named-checked it as one of their <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/columns/five_favorite_films" target="_blank">“Five Favorite Films”</a> on Rottentomatoes.com. Rapper Talib Kweli is such a <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/01/talib-kweli-big-lebowski.html" target="_blank">massive fan</a>, he hosted a screening of <em>Lebowski</em> at the New York IFC Center.</p> <h4>11. A sequel isn’t coming, but one actor is still pushing for a spin-off</h4> <p>The Coen Brothers have repeatedly <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/12/05/joel_and_ethan_coen_my_god_we_dont_watch_our_own_movies/" target="_blank">shot down</a> anything vaguely resembling the idea of writing and directing a sequel, with Joel Coen flatly stating, “I just don’t like sequels.” Still, the rumors persist, and they reached a fever pitch in October of 2014 when <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2014/10/14/calm-down-everybody-there-isnt-going-to-be-a-sequel-to-the-big-lebowski-4905073/" target="_blank">unfounded claims</a> that a sequel would start filming in January 2015 started swirling around the internet.</p> <p>However, if there is an iota of a chance you’ll ever see any of movie's characters spouting out new lines at any point in the future, it’ll probably be the bowling-ball-licking, smooth-rolling, sex offender Jesus Quintana. It’s hard to believe, but John Turturro’s legendary character pops up in just two scenes. Turturro (correctly) thinks the character needs more face time, and has been bothering the Coen Brothers to <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/john-turturro-big-lebowski-jesus-movie/" target="_blank">revisit the character</a> for years, or at least give him permission to go ahead and direct some kind of Jesus-centric spin-off.</p> <h4>12. Since its release, some critics have changed their mind on <em>Lebowski</em></h4> <p>When you’re a cult classic, initial confusion just comes with the territory. As such, <em>Lebowski</em>, the ultimate cult classic, was hardly met with the near-universal acclaim it receives today when it was released in 1998. Roger Ebert didn’t hate, hate, hate it, <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-big-lebowski-1998" target="_blank">giving it</a> 3 out of 4 stars upon its initial release, but he didn’t praise it as an all-time great either. It wasn’t until 2010 that <em>Lebowski</em> entered Ebert’s pantheon of “Great Movies” when he <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-big-lebowski-1998" target="_blank">awarded it</a> a perfect 4 of 4. Peter Howell of the <em>Toronto Star</em> initially wrote, “It’s hard to believe that this is the work of a team that won an Oscar last year for the original screenplay of <em>Fargo</em>.” But in 2011, he <a href="http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2011/07/07/howell_i_love_the_big_lebowski_even_though_the_wikipedia_says_i_dont.html" target="_blank">wrote a piece</a> chalking his original poor review up to “festival fatigue,” and saying, “It may just be my favourite Coen Bros. film, and I’m generally a fan of the Coens.”</p> <p><em>Lebowski</em> was also a <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=biglebowski.htm" target="_blank">total slouch</a> at the box office, making an anemic $5 million over its opening weekend, barely covering its $15 million budget, at the domestic box office. But since its initial release, the movie has been nothing short of a cash cow, selling incredibly well on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray.</p> <h4>13. There are several clever Coen Brothers movie tie-ins you might have missed...</h4> <p>There are several Easter eggs throughout <em>The Big Lebowski</em> for fans of the full Coen Brothers filmography. Steve Buscemi’s character Donny, who famously can never get a word out without Walter telling him to “shut the f**k up”, is the polar opposite of Buscemi’s character Carl Showalter in <em>Fargo</em>, who chatters non-stop to his near-wordless crime accomplice played by Peter Stormare. One of the only reasons Stormare opens his mouth in <em>Fargo</em> is to mention his desire to find a “pancakes house.” He never ends up getting the chance in <em>Fargo</em>, but his nihilist character orders them in <em>The Big Lebowski</em>.</p> <p>It’s also Coen lore that Buscemi's dead body has ended up in smaller and smaller parts throughout their filmography, finishing up as a corpse in <em>Miller’s Crossing</em>, a disembodied leg in <em>Fargo</em>, and ashes in <em>Lebowski</em>.</p> <h4>14. ...but one <em>Fargo</em> crossover didn’t make the final cut</h4> <p>In the film, it’s eventually revealed that Bunny Lebowski, Jeffrey Lebowski’s trophy wife, is named Fawn Knutson, and was born in Moorhead, Minnesota before running away to Los Angeles. But in the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/putz/Public/big_lebowski.txt" target="_blank">script</a>, Bunny’s real name is Fawn Gunderson, and thus shares a surname with <em>Fargo</em> heroine Marge Gunderson, implying a possible relation. Moorhead is also notably a twin city of Fargo, North Dakota, sitting directly across the North Dakota-Minnesota border.</p> <h4>15. Due to the profanity, cable cuts of <em>Lebowski</em> have required some very creative editing</h4> <p>“Do you have to use so many cuss words?”</p> <p>It’s surprising that <em>Lebowski</em> is a film that gained much of its following via post-theater cable television runnings, considering “f**k” is uttered <a href="http://sploid.gizmodo.com/7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-the-big-lebowski-1679128713" target="_blank">260 times</a> throughout, making it one of the most f-bomb laden feature films ever made. However, even the edited-for-cable versions have gained something of a cult following for their, shall we say, creative word replacements. One version that aired on Comedy Central famously <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQUdJ6FdUQ0" target="_blank">featured</a> Walter bizarrely screaming, “Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?" in place of a much more straightforward profanity.</p> <h4>16. Several main characters are inspired by folks the Coen Brothers met in the movie industry</h4> <p>According to the Coen Brothers, The Dude is based in part on <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/movies/2009492672_lebowski20.html" target="_blank">Jeff Dowd</a>, a film producer they met while working on their directorial debut, 1984’s <em>Blood Simple</em>. Dowd, who also goes by “The Dude,” was 1/7 of the “Seattle Seven”—seven members of the Seattle Liberation Front that helped organize a 1970 Vietnam War protest at downtown Seattle’s federal courthouse and were charged with "conspiracy to incite a riot" after the protest turned violent.</p> <p><span>John Goodman’s Walter Sobchak also had a real-life, Hollywood</span> inspiration: writer and director <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0587518/" target="_blank">John Mulius</a>, who had a hand in the making of <em>Dirty Harry</em>, <em>Apocalypse Now</em>, <em>Jaws</em>, <em>Conan the Barbarian</em>, <em>Dirty Harry</em>, and HBO’s <em>Rome</em>. Milius, who sports glasses, a beard, and a figure similar to Walter, claims to be obsessed with the Vietnam War. But <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/10405943/John-Milius-the-craziest-man-in-Hollywood.html" target="_blank">unlike Walter</a>, he was never actually able to serve: after attempting to enlist in the ‘60s, he was turned down due to his chronic asthma.</p> <h4>17. <em></em><em>Lebowski</em> was once cited in a Texas Supreme Court decision</h4> <p>In 2014, Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann <a href="http://www.businessinsider.sg/texas-judge-big-lebowski-2014-9/" target="_blank">cited</a> the movie in a legal decision on a freedom of speech case. Lehrmann noted that it’s common knowledge that prior restraint, or censorship prior to an expression taking place, has been largely rejected by “the Supreme Court, this Court, Texas courts of appeals, legal treatises, and even popular culture." A footnote attached quoted Walter Sobchak's claim that “the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint.”</p> <h4>18. Due to the vagueness of the movie’s message (or lack thereof) there have been some very creative interpretations</h4> <p>The Coen Brothers’ indications that <em>The Big Lebowski</em> is about little more than oddball characters crossing each other’s paths has led to some interesting and creative analyses regarding what it all <em>really</em> means. Some of the more interesting takes have included <em>Lebowski</em> as a <a href="http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/79176/exploring-capitalism-through-the-lens-of-the-big-lebowski-part-i-man/" target="_blank">“a parable of Global Capitalism,”</a> a <a href="http://literaryculturaltheory.blogspot.com/2008/02/philosophy-of-absurd-in-big-lebowski.html" target="_blank">“modern adaptation of Albert Camus' <em>The Stranger</em> and an illustration of the philosophy of Absurdism,”</a> and even The Dude as <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=QvmtBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=Lebowski+repeatedly+frames+the+Dude+as+a+contemporary+Jesus.&source=bl&ots=q4tGXE4cln&sig=TX5JqbawoH5uzZ91rKQT4GrZfXk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=M57fVMn1AYKiNonegrgK&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Lebowski%20repeatedly%20frames%20the%20Dude%20as%20a%20contemporary%20Jesus.&f=false" target="_blank">“a contemporary Jesus,"</a> with the essay’s author noting, among other things, the similarity in hair styles.</p> <p>Oh, and did we mention <em>Lebowski</em> birthed a religious movement called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudeism" target="_blank">“Dudeism,”</a> which “preaches non-preachiness,” “practices as little as possible” and shares common ground with the laid back ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism? Because it did.</p> <h4>19. The rug almost ended up tying the movie together</h4> <p>The Dude’s rug is, in many ways, the driving force behind <em>The Big Lebowski</em> from start to finish. The notorious Lebowski rug was such a central part of the film, the Coen Brothers <a href="http://dudespaper.com/the-lost-coen-brothers-floor-coverings-weekly-interview.html/" target="_blank">even</a> participated in an interview with <em>Floor Covering Weekly</em> while promoting the movie. In a DVD extra, Ethan Coen <a href="http://www.shorescripts.com/articles-the-big-lebowski-script-analysis/" target="_blank">notes</a> that producer Joel Silver thought the film should end with The Dude getting his rug back, but the Coens never followed through.</p> <h4>20. Former Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein loved one line in the movie so much, he waived the licensing fee for “Dead Flowers”</h4> <p>From the Sons Of The Pioneers’ “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” to The Dude’s hallucinatory, vaguely pornographic odyssey set to Kenny Rogers’ “Just Dropped In,” the T-Bone Burnett-produced soundtrack is one of the many reasons <em>Lebowski</em> is an enduring classic. Former Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein even offered up the rights to the song “Dead Flowers” gratis. Initially, Klein <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/inside-the-dudes-stoner-soundtrack-19691231" target="_blank">wanted</a> $150,000, but so adored the scene where The Dude talks about hating “the f**kin’ Eagles,” he waived the licensing fee.</p> <p>The Eagles crack apparently ended up causing some friction when Jeff Bridges later ran into Eagles member Glenn Frey. <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/the-dude-survives-jeff-bridges-on-the-enduring-big-lebowski-19691231" target="_blank">According to Bridges</a>, "I can't remember what he said exactly, but my anus tightened a bit."</p> <h4>21. You’ve almost certainly seen Jeffrey Lebowski’s mansion somewhere else</h4> <p>Mr. Lebowski’s not-so-humble Beverly Hills dwelling is known as Greystone Mansion in real life, and has popped up in <em>The Muppets</em>, <em>The Prestige</em>, <em>Rush Hour</em>, <em>The Social Network</em>, <em>The Dirty Dozen</em>, and, perhaps most notably, in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOikQWAL8qc" target="_blank">music video</a> for Meat Loaf’s "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That).”</p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">February 2, 2016 - 11:10am</span></span> </span>
Tue, 02 Feb 2016 16:00:00 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
21 Things You Might Not Know About 'Dazed and Confused'
http://mentalfloss.com/article/62762/21-things-you-might-not-know-about-dazed-and-confused
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/movies" class="author-writes-about-link">Movies</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/689478948.png" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Gramercy Pictures</div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Since its 1993 release, <em>Dazed and Confused</em> has gone on to become a cultural landmark. Currently, over two decades after the release of his heady high school masterpiece, director Richard Linklater is working on a “spiritual sequel” to the movie to be called <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2937696/" target="_blank">Everybody Wants Some</a></em>, which will be set in the baseball world. With that in mind, we encourage you to find the nearest paddle, toss on some Foghat, and enjoy these 21 <em>Dazed and Confused</em> facts you might not have known.</p> <h4>1. It was a box office flop.</h4> <p>It might be hard to believe now, but <em>Dazed and Confused</em> <a href="http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dazed-and-Confused#tab=summary" target="_blank">was a turkey</a> at the box office, making just over $7,950,000 (its budget was $6.9 million). Of course, the film has gone on to have lasting financial legs, selling big on VHS and DVD. The soundtrack also eventually went <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/24/dazed-and-confused-director-richard-linklater-on-its-20th-anniversary.html" target="_blank">double platinum</a> (back when soundtracks did that kind of thing).</p> <h4>2. A huge chunk of the budget went toward securing rights to tunes.</h4> <p>What would <em>Dazed and Confused</em> be without timeless classic rock tunes like Bob Dylan’s “Hurricane,” Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” and Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out”? Knowing that music was absolutely vital to the film, Richard Linklater <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/07/11/boyhood_movie_explained_how_they_made_it_whose_boyhood_inspired_it_and_more.html" target="_blank">spent</a> a whopping one-sixth of the film’s budget on securing the necessary music rights.</p> <h4>3. The title is a reference to the Zeppelin song, but it isn’t all about booze and drugs.</h4> <p>According to Linklater via an interview with <a href="http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/16678/1/richard-linklaters-dazed-confused" target="_blank"><em>Dazed</em> Magazine</a> (no relation), while the title is lifted from the Led Zeppelin song of the same name, it’s actually meant to accompany the idea that “it takes a full decade to process your teenage years.” Unfortunately, <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/24/dazed-and-confused-director-richard-linklater-on-its-20th-anniversary.html" target="_blank">he wasn’t</a> able to secure rights to any of Zeppelin’s music, since the band wasn’t interested in licensing their music for movies at the time.</p> <h4>4. Linklater gave each actor his or her own mixtape to get into character.</h4> <p href="http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/movies/article/oral-history-dazed-and-confused" target="_blank">In an <a href="http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/movies/article/oral-history-dazed-and-confused" target="_blank">interview with </a><em><a href="http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/movies/article/oral-history-dazed-and-confused" target="_blank">Maxim</a>,</em> actor Jason London (Randall "Pink" Floyd) recalled that, “'[Linklater] said, ‘Don’t listen to anything but this music.’ We had to morph into living as if we were in ’76.”</p> <h4>5. It’s one of Quentin Tarantino’s all-time favorite movies.</h4> <p>In surveys conducted by <em>Sight & Sound</em> magazine in 2002 and 2012, Tarantino <a href="http://www.tarantino.info/2012/08/04/quentin-tarantinos-all-time-top-12-favorite-movies/" target="_blank">included</a> the film alongside classics like <em>Taxi Driver</em>; <em>The Great Escape</em>; <em>The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly</em>; and <em>Carrie</em> as one of his 12 all-time favorite movies. Tarantino also spoke about the film when it was honored at the Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards in 2013, <a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2013/03/08/quentin-tarantino-dazed-and-confused-texas-film-hall-of-fame" target="_blank">calling it</a> “maybe the only movie that three different generations of college students have seen multiple times.”</p> <h4>6. The cast included one future star you might have missed.</h4> <p>One of the reasons why <em>Dazed and Confused</em> has become near-mythic is in the amount of future Generation X acting successes it caught in its crosshairs. The <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106677/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">massive cast</a> includes pre-fame turns from Milla Jovovich, Anthony Rapp, Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, and Parker Posey, alongside many more faces that are highly recognizable in 2015. One future Oscar-winner you might have missed, however, is Renée Zellweger, who pops up as an uncredited extra.</p> <h4>7. Lots of future stars were turned down for roles.</h4> <p><a href="http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/movies/article/oral-history-dazed-and-confused" target="_blank">According to</a> casting director Don Phillips, “every actor in [Los Angeles] wanted to be in it.” Claire Danes, Elizabeth Berkley, Ashley Judd, Brendan Fraser, Jon Favreau, and Vince Vaughn were all considered for roles, but didn’t make the cut. (Vaughn was in the running for the role of Fred O'Bannion, who was ultimately played by Ben Affleck.)</p> <h4>8. A chance meeting led to McConaughey getting cast.</h4> <p>Before he was an Oscar winner, Matthew McConaughey was just another University of Texas graduate with a film degree aspiring to be a director, with just a beer commercial and a music video on his acting resume. He landed the role of David Wooderson after a drunken <a href="http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/spirit-76" target="_blank">chance meeting</a> with casting director Don Phillips, which ended with the two getting kicked out of an Austin bar. He then nabbed the role following a now-infamous <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZTei7UMTPk" target="_blank">audition</a>.</p> <h4>9. The casting director was responsible for another teenage classic.</h4> <p><em>Dazed and Confused</em> wasn’t the first time Phillips had been charged with discovering an ensemble of future stars. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0680364/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">He was also</a> the casting director for <em>Fast Times at Ridgemont High</em>, which featured early-career appearances by Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Forest Whitaker and Nicolas Cage, among others.</p> <h4>10. Wooderson was supposed to be a much smaller part.</h4> <p>McConaughey's now-signature character was originally only supposed to have a few lines, but Wooderson got more screen time when one of the hired actors had some trouble fitting in with the rest of the cast. This <a href="http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/spirit-76/page/0/4" target="_blank">resulted</a> in Wooderson getting written into the scene on the football field, which is where he gave his “Just keep livin’” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls_8cFgBUj4" target="_blank">speech</a>. The lines were inspired by a conversation between McConaughey and Linklater about the passing of McConaughey’s father during the first few days of filming.</p> <h4>11. Unbeknownst to Linklater and McConaughey, the two shared a surprising bond.</h4> <p>In a <a href="http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_566_-_richard_linklater" target="_blank">recent interview</a> on WTF with Marc Maron, Linklater revealed that their dads played football together at the University of Houston, both competing at the defensive end position in the early 1950s. McConaughey's dad, Jim, <a href="http://www.kentucky.com/2014/02/24/3107024_mark-story-matthew-mcconaugheys.html?rh=1" target="_blank">would go on</a> to be drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 27th round of the 1953 NFL draft (they were a bit longer back then), but never played in the league.</p> <h4>12. McConaughey reprised the role of Wooderson in 2012.</h4> <p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94b3gMZGorc" target="_blank">music video</a> for Butch Walker and the Black Widows’ song “Synthesizers” features McConaughey lip-synching, air-trumpeting, slow-motion walking, drinking, and womanizing as his career-making character. For more proof that McConaughey hasn’t forgotten his first major role, look no further than his 2014 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD2cVhC-63I" target="_blank">Oscar speech</a>, where he dropped two of Wooderson’s best and most timeless lines: “Just keep livin’” and “alright, alright, alright.”</p> <h4>13. One of the young actors became successful in an entirely different field.</h4> <p>While many of the movie's cast members became recognizable Hollywood actors, Wiley Wiggins—who played Mitch Kramer—had a very quiet acting career after the film. It’s <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/computer-chess-co-star-wiley-wiggins-on-his-favorite-hardware-software-and-games" target="_blank">not because</a> Wiggins couldn’t cut it as an actor; he just shifted his focus to designing and developing video games and running an independent gaming festival called <a href="http://fantasticfest.com/arcade/" target="_blank">Fantastic Arcade</a>. He has popped up in a few more films, including Linklater’s trippy philosophical piece <em>Waking Life</em> in 2001 and in the Sundance Film Festival favorite <em>Computer Chess</em> in 2013.</p> <h4>14. Linklater was sued by some of his real-life classmates.</h4> <p>Linklater wasn’t especially creative when it came to making up character names with which to populate the fictional Lee High School. In fact, at least three of the characters' last names—Wooderson, Floyd, and Slater—were lifted directly from Linklater's own Huntsville High School, which became <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45614-2004Dec7.html" target="_blank">the basis</a> of a defamation lawsuit for the real-life trio in 2004. According to the real Wooderson, Floyd, and Slater, the movie resulted in an onslaught of, well, mostly kids wanting to party with them all the time. The case was eventually tossed.</p> <h4>15. It made its at-home debut on a long-forgotten medium.</h4> <p><em>Dazed and Confused</em> was released on September 24, 1993, and hit home video in March of 1994. But <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=FwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank">anyone</a> up on their huge-discs-that-are-soon-to-be-defunct technologies could have grabbed it on LaserDisc two months earlier, which seems oddly appropriate for a movie that’s all about nostalgia. The movie became a formally-sanctioned cult classic in 2006, when <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dazed-Confused-The-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000F6IHSG" target="_blank">it received</a> a Criterion Collection DVD release.</p> <h4>16. Originally, Linklater had imagined it as a stranger, much more experimental movie.</h4> <p>According to Linklater, the plan for the movie was always to examine a single day in the life of a group of high schoolers in the '70s, but <a href="http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/spirit-76" target="_blank">his original idea</a> was a movie about “four guys in a Le Mans, listening to an eight-track tape of ZZ Top’s 'Fandango!'”</p> <h4>17. Linklater tried to keep the atmosphere professional (but occasionally failed).</h4> <p>Linklater <a href="http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/movies/article/oral-history-dazed-and-confused" target="_blank">claims</a> to have enforced a professional atmosphere on the set that included no drugs or alcohol, saying “People are surprised how militant I am about that kind of work ethic. I set a tone.” Although, by Linklater’s <a href="http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a20380/dazed-and-confused-reunion-15184960/" target="_blank">own admission</a>, while the on-set marijuana wasn’t real, “the cast does admit to being stoned in several scenes, particularly at the very end."</p> <h4>18. The film features a frequent Linklater trope you might have missed.</h4> <p>One scene <a href="http://pinball.flippers.info/dazed/pinball.aspx" target="_blank">features</a> Slater smoking a cigarette and hammering away at a 1972 Bally "Fireball" pinball machine. Linklater’s films <em>Waking Life</em>, <em>Before Sunrise,</em> <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/30/moment-to-moment" target="_blank">and</a> his little-seen 1988 debut <em>It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books </em>all feature scenes that include characters playing pinball.</p> <h4>19. Slater’s line about George Washington growing weed is true (kind of).</h4> <p>Slater, the pottiest of Lee High School's potheads, had some memorable theories about the goings-on at Mount Vernon, claiming “George toked weed, are you kiddin' me, man? He grew fields of that stuff, man.” While Washington <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/01/us/us-farmers-covet-a-forbidden-crop.html" target="_blank">did indeed</a> grow hemp at Mount Vernon (fun fact: the Declaration of Independence was <a href="http://www.neatorama.com/2013/07/04/Was-the-Declaration-of-Independence-Written-on-Hemp/" target="_blank">written on hemp paper</a>), significantly less evidence exists to claim he ever grew or smoked a psychoactive strain of cannabis.</p> <h4>20. Linklater and Universal Pictures were constantly at odds over the movie.</h4> <p>At first, Universal wanted the movie to be rated PG-13, with the belief that it would lead to better box office results, to which Linklater <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/rock-n-roll-high-school-194214" target="_blank">responded</a>, “we have 78 'f---s' in the script, pot smoking all the way through and teenagers drinking and driving." <a href="http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/spirit-76/page/0/4" target="_blank">Later</a>, the studio would complain that Linklater hadn’t used the movie’s R-rating to its fullest extent, lamenting the film’s lack of nudity.</p> <h4>21. Linklater saw it as an “inverse” of John Hughes’ teen movies.</h4> <p>Unlike John Hughes’ <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/63630/16-illuminating-facts-about-sixteen-candles" target="_blank"><em>Sixteen Candles</em></a>, <em><a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/55851/22-things-you-might-not-know-about-breakfast-club" target="_blank">The Breakfast Club</a>,</em> and <em>Pretty in Pink</em>, which culminated in important kisses and life-changing revelations, Linklater designed <em>Dazed</em> <em>and Confused</em> to feel more true to the mild drama of real life, <a href="http://emanuellevy.com/comment/dazed-and-confused-20th-anniversary-celebration/" target="_blank">saying</a> “I don’t remember teenage [years] being that dramatic. I remember just trying to go with the flow, socialize, fit in, and be cool. The stakes were really low. To get Aerosmith tickets or not? That’s a big thing.”</p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">May 7, 2015 - 12:00pm</span></span> </span>
Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:04:36 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
12 Overlooked Innovators Who Helped Invent the Modern World
http://mentalfloss.com/article/62580/12-overlooked-innovators-who-helped-invent-modern-world
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/science" class="author-writes-about-link">science</a>, <a href="/section/technology" class="author-writes-about-link">technology</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/two_0.png" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>getty images</p> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="normal">Everyone knows Graham Bell, Einstein, and Edison. Recently, even Tesla is getting his due. Still, it seems that the public consciousness only has room for just a few of recent history’s most prolific and important thinkers. In the spirit of giving some of science’s most overlooked names long overdue love, here are 12 extraordinary innovators who aren’t household names, but had immense impacts on how the world functions today.</p> <h4 class="normal">1. and 2. Charles Babbage (1791-1871) and Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) </h4> <p class="normal">A two-for-one punch of early computing power, Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace are widely considered the “father of the computer” and the “first computer programmer,” respectively. <a href="http://www.cbi.umn.edu/about/babbage.html" target="_blank">Over a century</a> before Alan Turing was cracking Nazi codes, Babbage (also a Brit) was building one of the first mechanical computers and inventing the concept of computer programming. He even conceptualized a computer called the Analytical Engine that could be programmed and store data, but was unable to secure the funding necessary to complete it. </p> <p class="normal">Ada Lovelace, Babbage’s longtime friend and partner, <a href="http://www.computerhistory.org/babbage/adalovelace/" target="_blank">created the first algorithm</a> intended to be computed by a machine, making her, by many accounts, the first computer programmer. A poet and writer, Lovelace was also ahead of her time in imagining the potential limitlessness of computing machines, writing “the engine might compose elaborate and scientific pieces of music of any degree of complexity or extent.”</p> <h4 class="normal">3. John Snow (1813-1858) </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-190076" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/snow.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Snow.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a> // <a class="mw-mmv-license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">CC BY 4.0</a></div> <p class="normal">It’s an unfortunate and undeniable truth that 98 percent of people who recognize the name “John Snow” will associate it with Kit Harington’s dreamy mug. British-accented HBO characters might have a lot more star power than brilliant, British-accented 19th-century epidemiologists, but make no mistake—modern humans owe a massive debt to the latter. </p> <p class="normal">Back in 1854, before the development of germ theory, diseases were largely credited to "bad air" and ventilation. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/snow_john.shtml" target="_blank">But following</a> a deadly 1854 cholera outbreak in London, Snow aggressively researched and mapped the spread of the disease both during and after the outbreak, tracing it back to a single water pump located on Broad Street. His findings would lead to water and waste system overhauls in London, and eventually a public health overhaul around the world. The number of lives his work saved is pretty much incalculable. And if his resume wasn’t already impressive enough, Snow was <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325279/" target="_blank">also a trailblazer</a> in the field of anesthesia, publishing several landmark papers on how to safely and effectively administer potentially deadly anesthetic chemicals. </p> <h4 class="normal">4. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935) </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-190077" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/tsiolkovsky.jpg" width="261" height="300" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tsiolkovsky.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></div> <p class="normal">Born in Russia in 1857, a childhood battle with scarlet fever <a href="http://www.space.com/19994-konstantin-tsiolkovsky.html" target="_blank">left Tsiolkovsky</a> near-deaf and unable to attend school; he was almost entirely self-taught. Captivated by the works of Jules Verne, he started out writing science fiction of his own, but became transfixed by the hard problems of space flight. Tsiolkovsky never held a professorship and was largely a recluse, and thus conducted almost all of his work in isolation in the then-remote town of Kaluga, Russia, making money as a schoolteacher and funding experiments with grants. </p> <p class="normal">So how far can you get as an independent scientist? Pretty far: Tsiolkovsky was a major inspiration to the scientists who beat the United States into space, and is thought to be the first person on earth to have given sophisticated scientific and mathematical thought to space travel. His <a href="http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrocketTsiolkovsky.htm" target="_blank">proposal</a> that multistage rockets were the most practical option for escaping earth’s gravitational pull turned out to be pretty much right on the money. </p> <h4 class="normal">5. Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858-1937) </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-190078" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/54878954.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jagadish_Chandra_Bose_1926.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></div> <p class="normal">Not to be confused with Satyendra Nath Bose, for whom the boson is named, or Amar Bose, inventor of Bose headphones, Jagadish Chandra Bose was a brilliant Bengali scientist who deserves almost as much credit for his sheer spirit of generosity as he does for his substantial contributions to his field. </p> <p class="normal"><a href="http://www.iisc.ernet.in/insa/ch2.pdf" target="_blank">Regarded</a> by many as the father of wireless telecommunications, Bose was a significant contributor to the invention of radio, for which Guglielmo Marconi tends to get almost all of the credit. Among other contributions, Bose <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=txmK8yDf_MwC&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=%22bose+invented+the%22+marconi&source=bl&ots=DHkU2zB3kO&sig=9hC6K4UpRM2zVq4VA8279TIKiYc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WOQWVaXWC4imNuTigdAO&ved=0CB4Q6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=%22bose%20invented%20the%22%20marconi&f=false" target="_blank">invented</a> the receiver Marconi used during his famous first transatlantic communication. He also made several important breakthroughs in microwave optics, and ended up making perhaps his most indelible mark in the field of plant physiology, researching how they react to external stimuli. However, because he refused to patent almost all of his inventions, his place in science history is frequently overlooked. </p> <h4 class="normal">6. Emmy Noether (1882-1935) </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-190079" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/48799.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Noether.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></div> <p class="normal">Doing Emmy Noether justice in just a paragraph is tough for two reasons: First, she was so immensely prolific in her accomplishments, Albert Einstein <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/03/23/emmy-noether-google-doodle-why-einstein-called-her-a-creative-mathematical-genius/" target="_blank">called her</a> “the most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began,” and second, most of her breakthroughs were in the fields of abstract algebra and theoretical physics, making them difficult to boil down to just a few sentences—but we’ll give it a shot anyway. </p> <p class="normal">The daughter of an eminent German mathematician, Noether came of age when women were strongly discouraged from studying math, and was forced to audit classes instead of formally enrolling. Her skills were <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/science/emmy-noether-the-most-significant-mathematician-youve-never-heard-of.html" target="_blank">so undeniable</a>, however, that she was able to continue her studies. Applying abstract equations to the material world, Noether developed “Noether’s Theorem,” which established a relationship between natural symmetry and physical conservation—an accomplishment that may sound strictly academic, but has been called no less important than Einstein’s theory of relativity, and, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/science/emmy-noether-the-most-significant-mathematician-youve-never-heard-of.html" target="_blank">according to physicist Ransom Stephens</a>, is “the backbone on which all of modern physics is built.” </p> <h4 class="normal">7. Leó Szilárd (1898-1964)</h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-190080" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/56784987643.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leo_Szilard.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></div> <p class="normal">If information is the biggest legacy of science and invention in the 20th century, Leó Szilárd’s <a href="http://www.dannen.com/budatalk.html" target="_blank">best known idea</a>, the nuclear reactor, probably comes in second. In fact, a second place finish seems oddly appropriate for the Austria-Hungary-born scientist, who essentially made a career of deferring top billing. </p> <p class="normal">First, he shared the original patent for the nuclear reactor with Enrico Fermi, who went on to better name recognition for things like his “Fermi paradox,” which observes the unlikeliness of the fact humans have yet to come into contact with alien life. In 1939, understanding the potential of nuclear reactions to help win World War II, Szilárd wrote a letter to President Roosevelt urging him to pursue what would become the Manhattan Project. But the letter’s <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/truman-ein39/" target="_blank">signee</a>, his frequent collaborator Albert Einstein, would end up getting the credit. Additionally, two of his contemporaries would win Nobel Prizes for inventions he’s <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=YpEiPPFlNAAC&pg=PA238&lpg=PA238&dq=leo+szilard+electron+microscope+cyclotron+nobel+prize&source=bl&ots=QFbTvoczO4&sig=RzDFiiob7TCKqb7mznAfud0u1nM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WcEUVa-jL9bIsASE6IDYDQ&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=leo%20szilard%20electron%20microscope%20cyclotron%20nobel%20prize&f=false" target="_blank">thought to have</a> first imagined—the cyclotron and the electron microscope—but Szilárd would die in 1964 without one. </p> <h4 class="normal">8. Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975) </h4> <p class="normal">Julian was a ceaselessly brilliant chemist with roughly 130 patents. His most <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bmjuli.html" target="_blank">enduring accomplishments</a> include creating new and affordable processes for synthesizing progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, physostigmine, and cortisone. It all sounds a bit academic until you realize that his work led directly to the widespread availability of the birth control pill, steroids used to treat everything from asthma to arthritis, and immunosuppressants that are vital to organ transplants. </p> <p class="normal">Equally impressive, all of Julian’s accomplishments <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/04/11/percy-julian-google-doodle-salutes-pioneering-chemist-as-a-man-utterly-in-his-elements/" target="_blank">occurred</a> after being born at the epicenter of Jim Crow America in 1899. An African American trailblazer and civil rights activist, Julian was the first black chemist to be elected to the United States’ National Academy of Sciences, and one of the first to hold a Ph.D. in chemistry. </p> <h4 class="normal">9. Philo T. Farnsworth (1906-1971) </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-190081" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/47984798.png" width="620" height="417" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Philo_T_Farnsworth.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></div> <p class="normal">Philo T. Farnsworth started working on what would become the first modern television at age 14, and would end up with some 300 patents total. Mechanical televisions <a href="http://www.vox.com/2015/3/25/8285977/mechanical-television" target="_blank">were</a> developed during the early 20th century but with their poor image quality, they were nothing more than a curiosity. Not until the Utah-born Farnsworth demonstrated his electronic model in 1927 was TV ready for prime time, as they now say. </p> <p class="normal">Unfortunately, Radio Corporation of America (RCA), and in particular telecommunications pioneer David Sarnoff, <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/05/27/the-televisionary" target="_blank">weren’t always</a> particularly respectful of his patent on the electronic television, and seemingly went out of their way to minimize his contributions. Farnsworth grew to dislike his invention until the first moon landing was broadcast to his home, at which point he <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/home/primetime_emmy_prt.htm" target="_blank">said</a> to his wife “this has made it all worthwhile."</p> <h4 class="normal">10. Claude Shannon (1916-2001) </h4> <p class="normal">Every time you look at a computer screen, check your cellphone, watch TV or use a microwave, you should thank Claude Shannon—meaning you should spend roughly 90 percent of your waking life thanking Claude Shannon. <a href="http://www.nyu.edu/pages/linguistics/courses/v610003/shan.html" target="_blank">While studying</a> at MIT during the 1930s, the Michigan-born mathematician did something brilliant, unexpected, and utterly world-changing: he applied binary code to circuit designs, giving us the ones-and-zeroes architecture we’ve since used to make once-unthinkable modern realities—like near-limitless data storage, and the internet—possible. </p> <p class="normal">When Shannon wasn’t busy practically inventing the field of modern information theory, he did other cool things, like invent a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBHGzRxfeJY" target="_blank">juggling robot</a> and (successfully) devise ways to <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/18/edward-thorp-father-of-wearable-computing/" target="_blank">beat Vegas</a>.</p> <h4 class="normal">11. Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-190084" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/rosalind_franklin.jpg" width="351" height="450" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <div class="imagecaption"><a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/217394/99712/Rosalind-Franklin" target="_blank">Jewish Chronicle Archive/Heritage-Images</a></div> <p class="normal">After years spent flying far under the radar, there’s been a bit of a campaign to restore Rosalind Franklin’s name to science history alongside science titans Francis Crick and James Watson, where, by nearly all accounts, it rightfully belongs. </p> <p class="normal"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/grrlscientist/2013/jul/25/rosalind-franklin-google-doodle-science-dna-viruses" target="_blank">Confirming the</a> double-helix structure of DNA—widely considered one of the two or three most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century—was largely the work of four collaborators: Maurice Wilkins and Franklin, who generated groundbreaking X-ray diffraction imagery of DNA, and Watson and Crick, who used the imagery to confirm the double helix model. Unfortunately, Franklin died of ovarian cancer in 1958 at age 37, five years before Watson, Crick, and Wilkins were awarded Nobel Prizes in Physiology for the discovery (Nobel Prizes are not awarded posthumously). Following her work on DNA, she also conducted pioneering studies into the structure of viruses. </p> <h4 class="normal">12. Clair Cameron Patterson (1922-1995) </h4> <p class="normal">Another great thinker who ought to be famous two times over, Patterson, a California Institute of Technology geochemist, is largely responsible for two equally incredibly distinctive yet chemically linked accomplishments: calculating the approximate age of the earth and campaigning for a massive overhaul of the lead industry. </p> <p class="normal">The first feat was accomplished alongside fellow graduate George Tilton at the University of Chicago in 1953, where <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-science-figured-out-the-age-of-the-earth/" target="_blank">the two</a> developed new lead dating methods and discovered the earth was roughly 4.6 billion years old—an estimate that has hardly changed to today. His legacy should have been cemented even if he hadn’t spearheaded one of the <a href="http://www.space.com/25579-cosmos-recap-earth-age-lead-poisoning.html" target="_blank">most important</a> public health advocacy campaigns of the 20th century: a steeply-uphill-yet-ultimately-successful fight against powerful conglomerates to remove dangerous lead contents from consumer products in the United States.</p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">April 7, 2015 - 6:00pm</span></span> </span>
Tue, 07 Apr 2015 22:00:31 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
11 American Behaviors That Are Considered Rude Around the World
http://mentalfloss.com/article/62421/11-american-behaviors-are-considered-rude-around-world
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/travel" class="author-writes-about-link">travel</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/istock_000005693422_small.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>istock</p> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="normal">Just because you’ve mastered the art of not looking like an uncultured, uncouth slob in your country doesn’t mean those skills translate to the rest of the world. In fact, many things considered innocuous or even polite where you’re from might raise (or sternly lower) eyebrows in other parts of the world. With that in mind, here are 11 behaviors that are widely viewed as acceptable in the United States but considered rude in other corners of the globe. </p> <h4 class="normal">1. Tipping </h4> <p class="normal">In the U.S., not tipping is the easiest way to become the least popular person at any restaurant or bar, equally hated by friends, significant others, servers, and restaurant owners alike. But in <a href="http://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303456104579489824193262260" target="_blank">Japan</a>, tipping at restaurants is actually considered rude—superior service is expected without an added incentive and is calculated into the bill. Considering tipping has little to do with good service, and that it makes servers’ ability to make a living wage completely reliant on the kindness of customers, it might be one custom worth ditching within American borders [<a href="http://esq.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/06/54d40014a6470_-_managing_tips.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a>]. But don’t totally skimp on the tips if you’re traveling in Japan. In services like <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294232-s606/Japan:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html" target="_blank">tourism</a>, where guides are primarily interacting with Westerners, the practice has caught on a bit. </p> <h4 class="normal">2. Whistling </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189401" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000053940866_small.jpg" width="620" height="414" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">In the United States, whistling is as open to interpretation as half a glass of water: positive types associate it with a carefree, can-do attitude, while cynics associate it with cloying levels of chutzpah and deficient levels of self-awareness—but you’d be hard-pressed to find many folks who consider it rude. But this isn’t the case in Haiti, especially for kids, who are generally to be seen and not heard. <a href="http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/06/i-was-once-told-that-it-is-considered.html" target="_blank">According to</a> Haitian Creole language blogger Mandaly Claude Louis-Charles, whistling exists alongside sitting cross-legged, making direct eye contact, and standing with your hands on your sides as things to never be done near elders. </p> <h4 class="normal">3. Open-mouth Laughing </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189402" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000021299313_small_0.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">Americans, in general, tend to laugh freely and loudly. Of course, people all around the world like a joke, but it doesn’t always follow that exploding into hysterical, open-mouth laughter is a desired, or even polite response. In Japan, open-mouthed, teeth-exposed laughter is thought to “sound like horses,” and is <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/55140/10-japanese-travel-tips-visiting-america" target="_blank">considered impolite</a>, and in particular, unladylike, in the same manner Americans consider coughing, yawning or eating with your mouth open to be rude. </p> <p><em><strong>See Also:</strong> <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/55357/14-dining-related-taboos-around-world">14 Dining-Related Taboos from Around the World</a></em></p> <h4 class="normal">4. Showing Up On Time </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189403" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000015785939_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">While most Americans are fine with people showing up fashionably late to certain kinds of parties and events, it’s generally considered bad form to keep folks waiting, particularly if the events of the night are time-sensitive. Take, for instance, a dinner party where there’s a lot of preparation involved and showing up late means potentially delaying the meal. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=PWSiBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=%22showing+up+on+time%22+argentina&source=bl&ots=RG5iGBKwRK&sig=G8npcyB81wFqwqaviuIvlAAVZPI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9tkFVeHYL4uyggTE74PYBw&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22showing%20up%20on%20time%22%20argentina&f=false" target="_blank">In Argentine culture</a>, however, showing up for a dinner party right on the nose would be like showing up roughly an hour early in America: it’d be considered slightly audacious, and you’d risk finding your host still in the throes of preparation. This consistently lax sense of timekeeping, largely inherited from Spanish culture, extends to many corners of Argentine culture. </p> <h4 class="normal">5. Going Sans-mask While Sick </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189404" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000048895738_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">If you live in a major metropolitan area, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a Japanese person sporting a surgical mask, even if they’re, say, wearing business attire and probably not fresh out of surgery. In the United States, a lot of people see this as a bit silly, but you should thank those mask-wearers—it’s generally a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gail-nakada/going-viral-japans-mania-_b_6070272.html" target="_blank">common courtesy</a> for people who feel like they’re coming down with something and don’t want to spread their germs. It makes sense, considering Japan is one the most densely-populated and urban large countries on earth. </p> <p class="normal">Interestingly, <a href="http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/02/21/why-do-japanese-people-wear-surgical-masks-its-not-always-for-health-reasons/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rocketnews24%2Fen+%28RocketNews24%29" target="_blank">since the early ‘00s</a>, masks have also caught on in Japan for a wide range of reasons beyond shielding germs, including: staying warm, hiding emotional reactions, and just looking generally fashionable. </p> <h4 class="normal">6. Opening a Gift in the Presence of the Giver </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189405" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000032742384_small.jpg" width="620" height="471" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">This might seem like an odd one, since in America seeing a gift-opener's sincere appreciation/half-hearted attempts to disguise their disappointment is pretty much the best part of gift giving. But in many Asian countries, including China and India, tearing right into a present in front of the gift-presenter is <a href="http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2011-03-15/etiquette-101-what-gives" target="_blank">considered very poor form</a>, both because if one gift-giver has clearly out-gifted someone else, it’s a bit awkward, and because digging right in looks a bit greedy and lacks suspense.</p> <p><em><strong>See Also:</strong> <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/62180/8-german-travel-tips-visiting-america">8 German Travel Tips for Visiting America</a></em></p> <h4 class="normal">7. Not Rejecting a Gift </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189406" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000028638304_small.jpg" width="620" height="420" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">The social politics of gift-giving around the world and throughout history is surprisingly complex and laden with opportunities for missteps, so here’s another tip to keep in mind in case you’re ever traveling through Asia and feeling super generous. In the United States, having someone reject a gift up to three times might look a bit overly modest at best, and a bit rude at worst. However, in much of Japan it’s par for the course—<a href="http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2011-03-15/etiquette-101-what-gives" target="_blank">according to</a> blogger Makiko Itoh, it's “a ritualistic dance" of manners and tradition. </p> <h4 class="normal">8. Doing Pretty Much Anything Left-handed </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189407" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000004909339_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">Sure, in America shaking hands is universally reserved for the right hand. But in almost every other facet of life, while being left-dominant may mean suffering hundreds of minor inconveniences on a daily basis, it doesn't make it look like it’s your life’s work to insult everyone, all the time. Here are just a few things that, in many parts of the world, aren’t to be done with the left hand: give gifts, receive gifts, touch people—just about anything and everything that involves contact and doesn’t require two paws. </p> <p class="normal">Why? If your first instinct is to think the left hand is associated with evil, you aren’t wrong; there are myths about the left hand and lefties being sinister across <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bias_against_left-handed_people#Unfavorable_cultural_associations" target="_blank">many, many cultures</a>. But the primary reason is <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=rHS39OG4GG4C&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=left+hand+wipe+rude&source=bl&ots=juXnxvqA_g&sig=7ZP-K9rPmhkWR89VvP9EoM3aWVc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0uMOVY3iBor7sASCr4HADA&ved=0CF4Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=left%20hand%20wipe%20rude&f=false" target="_blank">much more practical</a>: throughout history, and still in many countries throughout the world, the left hand is reserved for the nittiest and grittiest of bathroom duties. </p> <h4 class="normal">9. Blowing Your Nose in Public </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189408" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000031707898_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">This one isn’t as counterintuitive as a lot of the other entries on the list. The bathroom is reserved for almost every activity that involves getting something in or on your body out or off of it, but in America, nose-blowing in public is considered a minor annoyance rather than a no-no, the way it’s <a href="http://www.jref.com/culture-society/japanese-manners-etiquette/" target="_blank">viewed in Japan</a>. In fact, the Japanese word for nasal discharge, <em></em><em>hanakuso</em>, literally means “nose waste.”</p> <h4 class="normal">10. Crossing Your Fingers </h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189409" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000042337320_small.jpg" width="620" height="374" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">Sure, this isn’t exactly an everyday occurrence in America, but if you spot someone crossing their fingers, chances are they’re wishing themselves or someone else the best of luck and wishes. But if you happen to have already binge-watched Netflix’s <em>Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt</em>, you probably know that crossed fingers carries a <a href="https://vietnameselanguage.wordpress.com/2011/05/29/vietnamese-body-language-and-what-it-means/" target="_blank">very different connotation</a> in Vietnam: a quick, crude and impolite shorthand for “vagina.” </p> <p><em><strong>See Also:</strong> <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/62294/tongue-rolling-and-5-other-oversimplified-genetic-traits">Tongue Rolling and 5 Other Oversimplified Genetic Traits</a></em></p> <h4 class="normal">11. Putting Your Hands in Your Pocket While Speaking</h4> <p class="normal"> <div id="file-189410" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <div class="content"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/istock_000055805210_small.jpg" width="620" height="413" alt="" title="" /> </div> </div> </p> <p class="normal">What’s considered a go-to move for socially awkward guys and gals throughout American is actually considered disrespectful in quite a few countries. Just ask Bill Gates, who found himself in the middle of a minor international controversy after shaking South Korean president Park Geun-hye’s hand with his left hand firmly planted in his pocket. Many South Koreans were—unlike Gates—up in arms about the gesture, but Gates, who, according to the gaming website <a href="http://kotaku.com/how-a-bill-gates-handshake-caused-controversy-in-south-477602802" target="_blank">Kokatu</a> is "a long-time, serial hand-in-pocket shaker," surely meant no harm. Lest we forget, he started off as a socially awkward American guy himself once upon a time.</p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">March 25, 2015 - 8:00am</span></span> </span>
Wed, 25 Mar 2015 13:00:19 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
10 Odd Jobs From the World War II Military Classification Guide
http://mentalfloss.com/article/61333/10-odd-jobs-world-war-ii-military-classification-guide
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/lists" class="author-writes-about-link">Lists</a>, <a href="/section/military" class="author-writes-about-link">military</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/screen_shot_2015-01-30_at_4.01.36_pm.png" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>British Pathe YouTube</p> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p dir="ltr">Click on the History Channel or open up a high school textbook, and you might end up concluding that World War II was exclusively won by troops and generals on the frontlines, and the wills and whims of national figureheads like Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The reality is—of course—much more complex, with generalists and specialists engaging in important battles to win wars of information, communication, infrastructure, and technology. Sometimes this meant storming the beaches of Normandy, and sometimes this meant, say, drafting posters to school soldiers on the dangers of venereal disease. With that in mind, here are ten of the oddest, most interesting jobs American soldiers took on during World War II, lifted directly from the United States’ <span>1944 Military Occupational Classification guide [<a href="http://www.coulthart.com/134/mos-em.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a>].</span></span></p> <h4>1. Playwright</h4> <p>No single military classification ended up packing more cultural power in a small group than the <a href="http://grantland.com/features/the-surprisingly-complicated-legacy-marvel-comics-legend-stan-lee/" target="_blank"><span>elite team</span></a><span> of nine American WWII “playwrights.” The </span><a href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/review-with-great-power-the-stan-lee-story-is-breezy-and-somewhat-superficial-but-tons-of-fun-20120503" target="_blank"><span>squad included</span></a><span> the four-headed monster of Marvel mastermind Stan Lee, Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award winner William Saroyan, all-time directing great Frank Capra, and a fellow named Theodore Geisel, who also used the pseudonym Dr. Seuss and wrote every book you read between ages three and 10. </span></p> <p>"Civilian experience in writing or adapting scripts or scenarios for radio, stage, or motion pictures is required," the manual notes. But apparently, it wasn’t all as glamorous as it sounds—the absurdly talented crew put their skills not just to writing films but also to tasks like writing training manuals and pamphlets on avoiding <a href="http://marvel.com/news/comics/23661/remembering_marvel_veterans_the_silver_age" target="_blank"><span>venereal disease</span></a><span>. However, Geisel and Capra would go on to celebrate victory by teaming up for </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v5QCGqDYGo" target="_blank"><span>this</span></a><span> incredibly eerie piece of anti-German propaganda for occupying American troops.</span></p> <h4>2. Artist</h4> <p>Being an American classified as “Artist” during World War II was far from the cushy paint-pretty-pictures-until-the-troops-come-home position you might imagine. While duties included making “paintings, illustrations, layouts, sketches or designs,” occasionally lives, and even the outcomes of major battles, hinged on artists’ abilities. How? American artists were partially responsible for pulling off some of the Allies’ most massive deceptions of the war, designing <a href="http://articles.philly.com/2013-04-30/news/38905578_1_ghost-army-germans-tanks" target="_blank"><span>decoy armies</span></a><span> of inflatable rubber vehicles and other oddities meant to throw off German intelligence. Their operations also notably resulted in awesome pictures like </span><a href="http://image.redbull.com/rbma/0001/0/1000/531/601/514/109/ghost-army-feature-title.jpg" target="_blank"><span>this</span></a><span>, of people picking tanks up like it ain’t nothing.</span></p> <p>Artists ended up being crucial to one of the most important deceptions of World War II—the now-infamous and wildly successful <a href="http://www.npr.org/2012/07/28/157443099/before-the-d-day-invasion-double-talk-and-deceit" target="_blank"><span>Operation Fortitude</span></a><span>, which left German intelligence officers convinced an allied invasion of France would take place near Pas-de-Calais rather than the the Caen-Cotentin region of Normandy, where the Allies ultimately landed.</span></p> <h4>3. Dog Trainer</h4> <p>The Russians deployed <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/15/dogs-war-osama-bin-laden" target="_blank"><span>anti-tank dogs</span></a><span>, trained to carry explosives to German tanks during the War, but—as any dog lover is surely happy to hear—the United States K-9 corps, which included dogs donated by families to aid in the American war effort, executed more traditional military duties, sniffing out enemy positions, detecting mines and traps, and carrying messages and supplies. One dog named Chips was <a href="http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,K9_051605,00.html" target="_blank"><span>even awarded</span></a><span> a Silver Star for heroism and a Purple Heart, until the killjoys at the War Department ultimately determined that dogs were classified as “equipment” and ruled Chips ineligible.</span></span></p> <p>One American World War II Combat Dog Handler, William W. Putney, <a href="http://www.worldwar2history.info/Marines/dogs.html" target="_blank"><span>wrote</span></a><span> that because dogs and their handlers often trekked out in front of troops, it was “one of the most dangerous jobs in World War II.” Dogs also played a major role on D-Day, parachuting in alongside British troops for the invasion. </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4zY1Bwdhic" target="_blank"><span>Seriously</span></a><span>. That’s something that </span><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-parachuting-dogs-of-the-british-army-in-world-war-ii-a-939002.html" target="_blank"><span>actually happened</span></a><span>.</span></p> <h4>4. Link Celestial Navigation Trainer Operator</h4> <p>Perhaps the most strangely specific military class during the war, anyone with the title Link Celestial Navigation Trainer Operator would have been, broadly, a person who helped prepare aviation crews for battle. More specifically, they would have controlled a <a href="https://www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum/research/aircraft/series2/A63.htm" target="_blank"><span>strange-yet-slightly-ingenious device</span></a><span> that combined flight simulation with cutting edge (for the time) projector technology. </span></p> <p>Created for the war by aviation pioneer Edwin A. Link, the Celestial Navigation Trainer (CNT) was essentially a flight simulator housed in an air-conditioned silo, with either stars projected on a screen above to give the appearance of night, or terrain projected below to give the appearance of day. The trainer would control weather variables while the crew-in-training would take aim at targets, making it something like what the kids today call a video game.</p> <h4>5. Balloon Rigger</h4> <p>One for the “probably not as much fun as it sounds” category, the business of balloon rigging was an important part of aerial warfare during World War II. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/83/a4551383.shtml" target="_blank"><span>On the Allied side</span></a><span>, large, stationary balloons tethered with steel cables were frequently used to prevent or manipulate air attacks. The British were particularly fond of barrage balloons, using </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=mv2KAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=%22thousand+barrage+balloons%22&source=bl&ots=G8SMHNK4ZK&sig=ApdwJh2cTAzjzvFFd0Zw8zlYI1E&hl=en&sa=X&ei=t6_BVLOYNoK0sASzroLgDg&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22thousand%20barrage%20balloons%22&f=false" target="_blank"><span>thousands</span></a><span> to counter German air attacks. At the height of the war, they were an especially common sight in the London skies. </span></p> <p>If you were in the right spot at the right time, you also might have spotted a few balloons over American soil, since they were used by <span>Canadian and American forces [<a href="http://www.hsmichigan.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MHM_MarAp_Sault.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a>] to protect the Soo Locks, which run along a common border between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The balloons became a curiosity and occasionally, a menace in the area, blowing out windows upon accidental explosion and damaging property upon breaking free from time to time.</span></p> <h4>6. Smoke Generator Operator</h4> <p>Pretty much the oldest trick in the field of battle book, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgsEw4GpuS4" target="_blank"><span>smoke screens</span></a><span> were still a major part of battle during World War II, and were particularly useful for throwing off enemies in the open seas. Smoke Generator Operators were responsible for maintaining a portable smoke generator, taking into account wind and weather while laying down screens for offensive operations and covers. </span></p> <p>Fun fact: the <a href="http://www.freepatentsonline.com/2422024.html" target="_blank"><span>smoke screen technology</span></a><span> widely used by the United States during World War II was first developed by New Orleans </span><a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19251218&id=bgksAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DLoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3873,6627657" target="_blank"><span>bootlegger</span></a><span> Alonzo C. Patterson—he used the screens to keep his rum-running boats hidden from police during Prohibition.</span></p> <h4>7. Sound Recorder, Field Artillery (836)</h4> <p>Another one to mark off in the “actually way more important than it sounds” tally, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=XjE5AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=%22sound+ranging%22+%22shape+of%22&source=bl&ots=-IGI-68pyi&sig=-bqCTdb-TomZUbQylOcvUNOmaag&hl=en&sa=X&ei=gGK4VIT4A4GUNuqWg9gJ&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22sound%20ranging%22%20%22shape%20of%22&f=false" target="_blank"><span>artillery sound recorders</span></a><span> were crucial to helping to track the origin of enemy gunfire using sets of microphones strategically placed along front lines. A new technology [<a href="http://sill-www.army.mil/firesbulletin/archives/1948/NOV_DEC_1948/NOV_DEC_1948_FULL_EDITION.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a>] during World War I, by World War II sound ranging had become so sophisticated that, much of the time, sound ranging teams could actually </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=2Wx5vFF-ZbUC&pg=PA46&lpg=PA46&dq=sound+ranging+identify+the+gun+shape&source=bl&ots=CGjyS8TZeU&sig=o29GVYaT7vqmhCtNyLPate7aCqU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LODDVMHoLMn5yQTY-IDoAQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=fingerprint&f=false" target="_blank"><span>determine the weapons</span></a><span> being used based on the shape of the sound waves they produced. As you can imagine, this information was very useful in the heat of battle.</span></p> <h4>8. Pigeoneer</h4> <p>If Mike Tyson has a favorite WWII military classification, it's probably Pigeoneers. They were part of the United States Army Pigeon Service, which <a href="http://armylive.dodlive.mil/index.php/2012/06/army-signal-pigeons/" target="_blank"><span>included</span></a><span> some 3150 soldiers and 54,000 pigeons, who delivered their undetectable messages with an astounding 90 percent success rate. One American pigeon known as G.I. Joe even received a </span><a href="http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/18001442" target="_blank"><span>medal for gallantry</span></a><span> after delivering a vital, last-minute message informing British forces that an Italian village was under British control, thus preventing a friendly fire disaster that might have resulted in roughly a thousand deaths.</span></p> <h4>9. Crystal Grinder</h4> <p>Far from grunt manual laborers, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=vyYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA91&lpg=PA91&dq=%22Crystal+grinders%22+world+war+II&source=bl&ots=dVOr2TAGcE&sig=8edu4Ko7lp7f2CpqlHvdnoP9ZzQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HejDVO7vNYmwggTyy4PABw&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Crystal%20grinders%22%20world%20war%20II&f=false" target="_blank"><span>Crystal Grinders</span></a><span> were specialists who had the hands and precision necessary to craft quartz wafers to be </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=n90DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=crystal+grinders+radio+oscillator&source=bl&ots=ExXtUzibMT&sig=XX_xfOl75dr86Jb47O4S9AN6nHY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=cefDVO3xE4HOgwTCnoHIDQ&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=crystal%20grinders%20radio%20oscillator&f=false" target="_blank"><span>used as oscillators</span></a><span> in radio transmitters and receivers. This was, of course, very much necessary for the United States war effort. In fact, the United States’ struggle to perfect quartz-based radio communication has been called America’s </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Crystal_Clear.html?id=-Ay3tkVgiIkC" target="_blank"><span>most massive</span></a><span> scientific World War II undertaking outside of the Manhattan Project. The techniques that were revolutionized at the time are now widely used in wristwatches, clocks, radios, computers, and cellphones. The history of quartz in the 20th century: slightly more interesting than it sounds!</span></p> <h4>10. Bandsman, Snare Drum</h4> <p>Getting <a href="http://www.goarmy.com/band/about-army-bands/history.html" target="_blank"><span>quality army bands</span></a><span> together to perform at recruiting drives, concerts, ceremonies, and even to entertain troops on the front lines was considered no small thing after the United States dove into the war following Pearl Harbor—the War Department founded an emergency Army Music School to train the roughly 500 military bands deemed necessary for the war effort.</span></p> <p>With a straight-to-the-point description in the classification manual (“Plays a euphonium or baritone in a military band”), a large part of a military bandsman's job was delivering tunes to the troops. However, bandsmen also chipped in by guarding supplies, and occasionally replacing troops on the lines. Members of the <a href="http://www.music.army.mil/organizations/pages/?unit=28ID&p=history" target="_blank"><span>28th Infantry Division Band</span></a><span> were distinguished for their bravery during the Battle of the Bulge, taking up arms and losing 46 of their 60 men in the battle.</span></p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">February 2, 2015 - 10:00am</span></span> </span>
Mon, 02 Feb 2015 15:00:00 +0000
Erin
10 Elections Decided by One Vote (Or Less)
http://mentalfloss.com/article/59873/10-elections-decided-one-vote-or-less
<div class="field-group-format group_meta field-group-div group-meta speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-enhanced-authors field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/authors/adam-d’arpino">Adam D’Arpino</a></div></div></div><div class="field-group-format group_categories field-group-div group-categories categories speed-none effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-category-url field-type-computed field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">filed under: <a href="/section/lists" class="author-writes-about-link">Lists</a>, <a href="/section/politics" class="author-writes-about-link">politics</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="primary-image"> <img src="http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/istock_000029623066_small.jpg" width="640" height="430" alt="" /> </div><div class="field-group-format group_image_credit field-group-div group-image-credit speed-fast effect-none"><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image credit: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>istock</p> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>In these elections, every vote really did count.</p> <p><strong>1.</strong> United States House of Representatives elections occur more frequently (every two years) with more seats (435 since 1911, with 437 between 1959 and 1962) than any other electable federal office in the country. So it only makes sense there would be more close House calls than those for President, where Bush squeezed by Gore in Florida by a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/15/us/examining-the-vote-how-bush-took-florida-mining-the-overseas-absentee-vote.html" target="_blank">certified count of 537 in 2000</a>, or the U.S Senate, where a <a href="https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Closest_election_in_Senate_history.htm" target="_blank">two-vote margin</a> led to a revote in a 1974 New Hampshire election. But only one time in the 20th or 21st century has a single vote made the difference in roughly 18,000 House elections: a 1910 contest for Buffalo New York’s congressional district, where Democrat Charles B. Smith snuck by incumbent De Alva S. Alexander by a single vote, <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LXHi4wgIkzEC&pg=PT127&lpg=PT127&dq=36th+congressional+district+1910&source=bl&ots=3qvEofUX72&sig=wxMURul9_SpvKyRsqQh6yZaTF1E&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_qxWVLSCGa7LsATkiILwAQ&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=36th%20congressional%20district%201910&f=false" target="_blank">20,685 to 20,684</a> (although a later recount upped that winning margin slightly).</p> <p class="normal"><strong>2.</strong> Oddly, the only modern instance of a United Kingdom parliamentary election being decided by a single vote <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/even-a-vote-for-nick-clegg-is-better-than-not-voting-8930814.html" target="_blank">also occurred in 1910</a>, when Conservative Henry Duke eked out a victory against Liberal Harold St. Maur in the South West England city of Exeter. St. Maur, the challenger, originally won by a four-vote count, but following an electoral petition and a series of subsequent challenges, the incumbent Duke maintained his seat at the House of Commons table by the very slimmest of margins, <a href="http://www.worldheritage.org/article/WHEBN0001829633/Exeter%20(UK%20Parliament%20constituency)" target="_blank">4777 to 4776</a>.</p> <p class="normal"><strong>3.</strong> In the case that’s most likely to have been name-checked by your Civics or Government teacher in high school, Democrat Marcus “Landslide” Morton (so nicknamed in a delicious case of 19th century irony) won the 1839 Massachusetts gubernatorial election by just one vote. <a href="http://www.thewashingtondailynews.com/2008/10/18/voting/" target="_blank">Morton finished with 51,034 votes out of 102,066</a>—or, just enough to receive a majority, and avoid sending the decision to a vote in the hostile, Whig-controlled state legislature, where he almost certainly would have lost. He lost a reelection bid in 1840 (Massachusetts gubernatorial elections were annual affairs back then), but regained the office in 1842 by a single vote in the state legislature after no candidate secured a majority vote in the general election.</p> <p class="normal"><strong>4.</strong> In 2008, an Indian politician named C.P. Joshi lost by a single vote pursuing an assembly position in the North West Indian state of Rajasthan. In the final tally, Joshi fell to opponent Kalyan Singh Chouhan by a count of <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=DyOjAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT79&lpg=PT79&dq=C+P+Joshi+one+vote&source=bl&ots=fvBB4TYWFU&sig=-1_KsufeCeF1oIEpxC5W30Fl3uI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=5yBYVPKdB4meyQTN-YCoCw&ved=0CB8Q6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=C%20P%20Joshi%20one%20vote&f=false" target="_blank">62,216 to 62,215</a>. Reportedly, Joshi’s wife, mother, and personal driver failed to show up on election day. Kalyan Singh Chouhan’s wife, on the other hand, <a href="http://indiankanoon.org/doc/182322580/" target="_blank">allegedly</a> cast votes at two different polling stations.</p> <p class="normal"><strong>5.</strong> In the <a href="http://archives.eac.gov/voter/faq" target="_blank">1994 Wyoming’s House of Representatives race</a>, Republican Randall Luthi and Independent Larry Call each finished with 1,941 votes. Following a recount that produced the same results, Governor Mike Sullivan settled the election in a most unconventional (although state-appropriate) fashion: drawing a ping pong ball out of his cowboy hat to determine a winner. Luthi’s name was drawn, and history may well have proven him the right man for the job: He served the Jackson Hole-area district until 2007, ultimately becoming <a href="http://www.noia.org/randall-luthi-takes-over-as-president-of-the-noia/" target="_blank">Speaker of the House</a>. </p> <p class="normal"><strong>See Also:</strong> <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/12901/why-are-elections-tuesdays">Why Do We Vote on Tuesdays?</a></p> <p class="normal"><strong>6.</strong> When you’re listing ties and one-vote wins, the title “Closest Election” is pretty much splitting hairs. Hairs that, really, can’t be split any further. But for a time, the Guinness World Records’ choice went to the African archipelago of <a href="http://www.snopes.com/history/govern/onevote.asp" target="_blank">Zanzibar’s general election of 1961</a>. On the January 1961 polling day, the Afro-Shirazi Party took home <a href="http://www.content.eisa.org.za/old-page/zanzibar-1961-legislative-council-elections" target="_blank">10 of 22 total seats</a> in the Legislative Council to the runner-up Zanzibar Nationalist Party’s nine. The true kicker? The Afro-Shirazi Party won the district of Chake-Chake, and thus the most legislative seats, by a vote of 1538 to 1537. And just five months later, to end the deadlock, a new election was held. Both parties won 10 seats.</p> <p class="normal"><strong>7.</strong> Just last year, <a href="http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/05/22/944875/bet-who-lost-coin-toss-wants-recount" target="_blank">a mayoral election in the Philippines province of Oriental Mindoro</a> turned ugly after Nacionalista Party’s Salvador Py tied Liberal Party’s Marvic Feraren with equals counts of 3236. The election was ultimately decided by an agreed-upon game of chance—a series of coin tosses. After tying in the first round of coin flipping, Feraren eventually emerged the victor, but Py didn’t take the slim loss easily. According to an article in the <em>Philippine Star</em>, the candidate contested the results, arguing that it was unfair “a mere flip of a coin decided his fate,” particularly after he got rid of all his pigs to use them "as part of his campaign collateral.”</p> <p class="normal"><strong>8.</strong> In what’s probably the strangest instance of a single vote making all the difference, a 2013 state legislature election in the Austrian state of Carinthia was decided by a ballot that featured a <a href="http://www.nachrichten.at/nachrichten/ticker/Nach-Kaernten-Wahl-BZOe-Einspruch-gegen-Mandatsverlust-wohl-chancenlos;art449,1077171" target="_blank">drawing of a penis</a>. Each ballot had one column for ranking your choices, and the other column was for your vote. The voter made two markings: A drawing of a penis in the ranking column, and a check mark was in the choices column. It was decided that the ranking took precedence, and that penis-checked ballot ended up giving a legislative seat to the <a href="http://welections.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/carinthia-and-lower-austria-2013/" target="_blank">Green party</a>, and preventing a tie with the Alliance for the Future of Austria party. </p> <p class="normal"><strong>9.</strong> The National Assembly of Québec has <a href="http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0812/closest-elections-of-all-time.aspx" target="_blank">a history of improbably close election calls</a>. In 1994, the Saint-Jean provincial electoral was evenly split 16,536 to 16,536 by Michel Charbonneau of the Liberal Party and Roger Paquin of Parti Québécois. <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/elections/quebecvotes2014/ridings/view/riding-020" target="_blank">In 2003</a>, the Champlain electoral district was split evenly split 11,852 to 11,852 between the Liberal Party’s Pierre Brouillette and Parti Québécois’ Noëlla Champagne. Each of these cases called for a second vote several weeks later, and, in both cases, the Parti Québécois candidate won by a bit over 500 votes. </p> <p class="normal"><strong>10.</strong> In Nevada, they still know how to settle ties the gentlemanly way: drawing playing cards, with the high hand taking home the election spoils. In 2002, Republican Dee Honeycutt came up short, <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2002/nov/24/news/adme-draw24" target="_blank">drawing a jack of diamonds to Democrat R.J. Gillum’s jack of spades</a> for a seat on the Esmeralda County Commission. Card justice was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gli65KzbX_M" target="_blank">again deployed in 2011,</a> when Tanya Flanagan and Linda Meisenheimer tied in a North Las Vegas city council primary, and neither candidate wanted to pony up $600 for the cost of a recount. Meisenheimer ended up drawing a king to Flanagan’s five, but ended up losing the election. To which we say, $600 well-saved.</p> </div></div></div><span class="field field-name-field-published-date field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"> <span class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">November 5, 2014 - 12:00am</span></span> </span>
Wed, 05 Nov 2014 13:00:57 +0000
Rebecca OConnell
| MacArthur Fellows Program |
What type of fence, often painted white, is characterized as short with a tapered or pointed top on evenly spaced vertical boards? | BGSU Centennial Alumni Awards by BGSU M&C - issuu
issuu
Issuu on Google+
100 100 Years | 100 People
BGSU Centennial Alumni Awards 100 of the Most Prominent Alumni Saturday, April 24, 2010 Lenhart Grand Ballroom, Bowen-Thompson Student Union
Alma Mater (written by Edith Ludwig Bell ’51) Alma Mater, hear us As we praise thy name. Make us worthy sons and daughters Adding to thy fame. Time will treat you kindly, Years from now you’ll be Ever dearer in our hearts, Our University. From your halls of ivy, To the campus scene, Chimes ring out with gladness For our dear Bowling Green. When all is just a mem’ry Of the bygone days, Hear our hymn, dear Alma Mater, As thy name we praise.
Message from the President During 2010, the faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of Bowling Green State University are proudly celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of BGSU. It is most fitting during this Centennial year that the University recognize 100 of its most prominent alumni. We’re pleased to celebrate the many diverse achievements of our alumni, and we are glad you could join us for this special celebration. Let us be among the first to congratulate you on your accomplishments and to thank you for your service and dedication to your profession and to your community. This distinction celebrates your accomplishments and celebrates an institution committed to developing culturally literate, socially conscious and productive citizens and alumni. Your achievements tell the world BGSU has succeeded in fulfilling that commitment. By mentoring a fellow graduate, volunteering with your local alumni group or supporting BGSU programs and initiatives, you help to carry out the University’s vision and values. This is your night! Congratulations and thank you again for your dedication to BGSU!
Carol A. Cartwright President
d
s
Program Reception Introduction of Centennial Alumni Award Honorees and Award Presentation “Alma Mater” and “Orange Sky” University Men’s Chorus Welcome Jerry Anderson, Master of Ceremonies Dinner Celebration of BGSU’s Centennial Introduction of President Cartwright Sundeep Mutgi, President, Undergraduate Student Government, 2009-10 A Legacy of Excellence | A Future Without Limits President Carol A. Cartwright Celebrating 1910-1969 Performance by the HeeBeeBGs Celebrating 1970-2010 Champagne Toast Montique Cotton Kelly ’94, ’04, BGSU Director of Alumni Affairs Jan Ruma ’86, ’92, Chair, BGSU Alumni Board of Directors Closing Remarks Jerry Anderson
This program is being videotaped.
Master of Ceremonies Tonight’s Master of Ceremonies is television anchor Jerry Anderson, an Emmy Award-winning anchor at WTOL-TV in Toledo, Ohio. He began his broadcasting career at WFOB radio in Bowling Green in 1974 and started his television news career in Toledo in September 1980. In June 2008, the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters named him “Best News Anchor.” In June 2009 he earned his 6th and 7th Emmy nominations from the Cleveland region of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). In June 2001, Anderson won the Emmy for Outstanding News Anchor in the NATAS region. He also won two Edward R. Murrow awards in 2001 and 2009. The Press Club of Toledo honored Anderson in 2007 with its prestigious “Golden Touchstone” award for his “substantial, positive impact on journalism in the Greater Northwest Ohio region.” Anderson is very active in his community with a busy schedule of appearances as a master of ceremonies or celebrity auctioneer. In 1992, he earned his Ohio Auctioneer’s license for the sole purpose of conducting charity auctions legally. During his career, Anderson has covered four national political conventions, three presidential inaugurations, Pope John Paul II’s visit to Detroit and an indepth series comparing the lives of Japanese and American autoworkers. He and his wife, Teri, have three grown children.
B
d
s
Celebrating Generosity Commemorative glassware The wine glasses commemorating BGSU’s Centennial year were donated to the University by Libbey Inc. in honor of John F. Meier ’70. Mr. Meier is chairman and CEO of Libbey Inc. and has been selected as one of the most prominent alumni of BGSU. The glasses were etched by Custom Deco as a gift to BGSU. Guests at tonight’s dinner are welcome to take the glasses as souvenirs of this special evening. Trees to plant for the next century Bowling Green State University is committed to sustainability and to helping the environment. Trees manufacture five pounds of pure oxygen per day, reduce fossil fuels used for heating and cooling, collect pollutants from the air, reduce noise pollution, provide homes for birds and small animals, and prevent soil erosion. As part of the Centennial year, the University will present trees to guests at Centennial events and at other special programs. Guests at tonight’s dinner recognizing 100 of the University’s most prominent alumni will be presented with a “Colorado Blue Spruce.” For complete planting instructions, see www.greenworldproject.net. A taste of Africa Harvested from Kiamara Estate in Kenya, Africa, the coffee and tea served this evening are gifts of Centennial Alumni Award honoree James Karugu ’62.
Special Thanks The BGSU Alumni Association thanks and acknowledges all of the donors who have supported the Centennial Alumni Awards. Centennial (Event) Sponsors:
Decade (Table) Sponsors:
Carroll and Mabel Cheek
Theresa Popp Braun and Ray Braun Congratulations to all the Centennial Alumni Award Recipients and Happy 100th birthday BGSU!
Bill and Bev Dallas BGSU Graduate College BGSU Office of Student Affairs
Cleveland Metropolitan School District
William and Phyllis Evans Susan Finn
Al Dyckes
d
s
Selection Committee The Alumni Awards are made possible by the efforts and contributions of several alumni and friends. The BGSU Alumni Association wishes to thank those who nominated this year’s recipients, as well as the awards and selection committees of the BGSU Alumni Board of Directors. Alumni Centennial Awards Selection Committee Cheri Copeland-Shull, ’88, ’96 Tom Dawson ’66 Bernie Gosky ’80 DuWayne Hansen Tim Koder Larry Miles ’56 Denise Olson ’88 Jeff Rader ’87, ’98 Lesley Ruszkowski Ernie Savage ’76 Traci Tigue ’03 Jared Wadley ’89 Deanna Vatan Woodhouse ’94 How to nominate The Alumni Awards honor individuals who personify the University’s tradition as an institution of excellence. The next awards ceremony will be held in spring 2011. For more information or to nominate, please visit bgsualumni.com/award. Nominations will be accepted until July 30, 2010. Previous recipients of other BGSU awards are eligible for nomination. Posthumous and self-nominations are welcome. About the honorees In addition to their short biographies, many honorees have provided comments about their favorite BGSU memories and professors. Individuals, families and organizations also had the opportunity as sponsors to provide a special message to the honorees.
100 100 Years | 100 People
One hundred years ago, plans for a teaching college in northwest Ohio were set into motion. Legislation was passed in 1910 that led to the founding of Bowling Green Normal School—an institution that offered the promise of a quality education for area prospective teachers.
Weathering the economic storms of the Great Depression and the turbulent years of the Second World War, BGSU continued to develop to meet the changing needs of an expanding student population. New areas of study called for new programs in health care, the sciences, and the humanities, as well as in education. Through the years, the name has changed—from BG Normal College to State College to State University—yet the mission of providing a quality education has remained. Today, BGSU graduates gifted scientists, principled business leaders, creative artists and great educators among other fields. As BGSU prepares for its second 100 years, it continues to pair academic excellence with a campus-wide commitment to educating critical thinkers, ethical leaders and skilled communicators.
John Nelson Abrams ’72 John Nelson Abrams helped build the modern military. Nelson, a retired four-star Army general who commanded the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command from 1998 to 2002, was one of the primary architects of the “Army of the 21st Century.” That initiative used new technology and the information age to equip the Army for the future. The son of former Army Chief of Staff Creighton Abrams, he was born September 3, 1946, at Fort Knox, Ky. He received his commission through Officer Candidate School in 1968 after enlisting as a tank crewman in 1966. Over the next 36 years he rose from private to four-star general. He led Armored Cavalry Units in combat during the Vietnam War, commanded the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment on the border of East and West Germany during the fall of the Iron Curtain, and commanded Joint Task Force Kuwait following Desert Shield and Storm. He also commanded the 2nd Infantry Division along the Korean DMZ and the 5th Corps in the Balkans. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal (oak leaf cluster), Silver Star Medal (oak leaf cluster), Legion of Merit Medal (2 oak leaf clusters), Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguished device (3 oak leaf clusters), Air Medal (2 oak leaf clusters) and the Purple Heart Medal. After retiring, Abrams became a military analyst for The Associated Press. He is also president and CEO of Abrams Learning & Information Systems Inc., a consulting and technology firm.
Richard Allen ’71 Richard Allen has spent the last 40 years helping businesses grow. As founder and CEO of The Allen Group, he guides the company’s strategic directions and identifies new business opportunities for commercial development projects across the United States. It’s a continuation of the skills he learned from his family’s five businesses. After his graduation from BGSU he joined Imperial Cup Corporation, the newest family business. He then became president of the Holiday Division, with plants in Milwaukee and Fullerton, California. After growing to more than 800 employees, $100 million in sales and establishing manufacturing plants in five states, the family company was sold in 1989. After the sale, Allen founded The Allen Group and began purchasing key building and land positions throughout the western United States. That company was acquired by Kilroy Realty (NYSE: KRC) and in 1997 Allen joined the KRC Board of Directors. Following that sale, Allen founded Allen Development (office and industrial parks) and Allen Homes (condominiums, single-family homes and apartments). After Allen Homes developed residential properties in 20 cities it was sold in 2001. Under his direction, The Allen Group began developing major industrial projects adjacent to rail and intermodal facilities. In 2003 he began acquiring land for what has become the largest new logistics park in North America, the Dallas Logistics Hub, and also developed the logistics park outside of Kansas City. He has become a frequent speaker on the emerging trend of industrial development around rail and intermodal infrastructure. Currently Allen serves on the board of The Allen Family Foundation and the California Polytechnic State University President’s Cabinet.
B
d
s
David Anderson ’51, ’52, ’05 (Hon.) David Anderson may be retired from his academic career in American literature, but his love for teaching has taken him beyond this country’s borders. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from BGSU, Anderson earned his doctorate from Michigan State University and honorary doctorates from Wittenberg University and BGSU. He was a professor at Michigan State University for 33 years, receiving the Distinguished Faculty Award and the rank of University Distinguished Professor. He was a Fulbright Professor at the University of Karachi, Pakistan, chaired the University’s Humanities Coordinating Committee for international affairs, and served as European American studies coordinator. In 1971 Anderson founded the Society for the Study of Midwestern Literature and is currently its executive director. He is the author or editor of 35 books and more than three hundred published articles, essays, short stories and poems. He is a recognized expert on author Sherwood Anderson. In 2009 he received the Ohioana Career Award, given to a native Ohioan for contributions to the arts and humanities. He is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in American Literature at Michigan State. He received the BGSU Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1976 and is a member of the BGSU 500 Club. He is also listed on Jerome Library’s BGSU Wall of Fame. He earned five battle stars in World War II service, and he continues to serve on the literature nomination committee for the Nobel Prize Institute. Currently, he is preparing two books for publication.
“Drs. Emerson Shuck, Rhea McCain, Glendon Steele, Bob Hubach and Alma Payne helped me to discover my abilities that gave me purpose and led to a career in literature and writing that I have enjoyed every day of my life. BGSU will always hold a special place in my heart because that is where I met my wife and best friend Patricia Ann Rittenhour.”
Daniel Ayalon ’83 Daniel “Danny” Ayalon is in the business of peace. Ayalon served as Israel’s Ambassador to the United States from 2002-06, during which relations between the two countries reached an all-time high. Ambassador Ayalon played a leading role in securing the agreement for $10 billion in U.S. grants and loan guarantees to Israel; the Roadmap to Peace, which included an historic Exchange of Letters between President Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and bilateral trade that reached $20 billion. Prior to his ambassadorship, Ayalon served as foreign policy advisor to Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak, and as chief foreign policy advisor to Sharon. As a member of Israel’s Foreign Service he represented Israel as consul in Panama and as a member of Israel’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. He is a graduate of Tel Aviv University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and labor studies, and holds a master’s degree in business administration from BGSU. He is currently deputy foreign minister for Israel. He and his wife, Anne, also a BGSU graduate, have two daughters.
B
d
s
James Bailey ’67 Jim Bailey has spent a lifetime working with numbers. After graduating from BGSU in 1967, he received a master’s degree in mathematics from New York University. He quickly found a home at Citibank, where he spent 28 years of his career. His duties at Citibank included serving as executive vice president responsible for North American Consumer Bank, and helping to grow Citibank’s credit card business from one million cards in 1977 to more than 20 million cards in 1990. He retired as executive vice president of Citibank in 2000 but continued to work as a consultant, including leading a team that reviewed and recommended a restructuring of the Bank of China before China entered the World Trade Organization. From 2003-07 he was chief operating officer of U.S. Trust and a member of the executive committee of Schwab. He was responsible for product management, operations and technology, private banking, marketing and institutional business. He has served on several boards, including the Bowling Green State University Foundation Board. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Student Loan Corporation. He and his wife, Judy, have two daughters and reside in New Canaan, Conn., and Naples, Fla. His interests include baseball, college football, golf, travel and American history.
“Among my favorite math professors were Richard Eakin and Bruce Vageli who developed and encouraged my interest in mathematics.”
Ned Baker ’50, ’09 (Hon.) Ned Baker has spent his career keeping the public healthy. After graduating from BG with a biology degree, he began his career as chief sanitarian for the Wood County Health Department. That was the first in a long line of public health positions. Before his retirement in 1992, Baker was director of the Northwest Ohio AHEC Program at the Medical College of Ohio. He has received several awards for his public health service, and also holds a Masters of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan and an honorary doctorate in public health from BGSU. In 1992 he was instrumental in forming the National Association of Local Boards of Health, which works to support local boards of health through training and promotion of effective health policy. He was elected its first president in 1992, and was appointed its first executive director in 1995. In 2000 the National Association of Local Boards of Health and the BGSU College of Health and Human Services began the Ned E. Baker Lecture Series in Public Health. The series recognizes Baker’s service and his vision of governance of public health policy through local boards of health. Baker, an adjunct faculty member of the College of Health and Human Services, also serves on the advisory committee for the Masters of Public Health degree program, a consortium that includes BGSU, the Medical University of Ohio and the University of Toledo. He also served on a national committee that developed public health goals and objectives for 1990, which set the precedent for the National Healthy People 2000 Program, and was an active member of the Wood County Board of Health.
“All of my biology professors from 1947 to 1950 were great. And watching the men’s basketball team in 1948-49 was among my favorite memories.”
B
d
s
Russell A. Barkley ’75, ’77 Dr. Russell Barkley is a leading expert in the field of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After serving in Vietnam with the United States Air Force he received a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, and his master’s and Ph.D. degrees from BGSU. He joined the Department of Neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Milwaukee Children’s Hospital. He then moved to the University of Massachusetts Medical School where he served as director of psychology for more than 15 years and established research clinics for both child and adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders. He is now a clinical professor of psychiatry with the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. He is a diplomate in three specialties: clinical psychology, clinical child and adolescent psychology, and clinical neuropsychology. He has authored or edited 13 books and clinical manuals, as well as more than 230 articles and book chapters related to the nature, assessment and treatment of ADHD and related disorders. He has created seven videotapes on ADHD and defiant children that have won national awards. He has presented more than 700 workshops around the world, and has appeared on news shows including “60 Minutes” and “CNN.” Barkley has won several professional awards, including the Dissemination Award from the American Psychological Association for his career efforts to educate the public and other professionals about the science of ADHD.
“The graduate clinical psychology faculty provided significant training and guidance to me while there, but especially Dr. Douglas G. Ullman, who was my supervisor, mentor and friend. I enjoyed the faculty-graduate student potluck dinners and dances, the intramural psychology department softball team and BGSU hockey games.”
Mark Berman ’74, ’76 Mark Berman is an international financial services consultant, a former U.S. and U.K. regulator and a Hall of Fame member and former international manager, coach and athlete in Great Britain. Berman began his career in financial services with Merrill Lynch. He was a senior lawyer with the Division of Corporation Finance and the Division of Market Regulation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He was also a senior lawyer with the London Stock Exchange. He founded and is CEO of CompliGlobe Limited, a London-based firm that advises and conducts training programs for hedge funds, investment managers and other officials in Europe and Asia on SEC practice outside the U.S., and cross-border regulatory and compliance issues. He also has written several books and speaks internationally on those topics at SEC Regulation Outside the United States, an organization he founded and chairs. Berman is a trustee emeritus of the SEC Historical Society and a member of the society’s advisory council. He served on the task force for the SEC’s 75th anniversary in 2009. When not in the office, or travelling with his wife and family, Berman is active in fast-pitch softball. He represented Great Britain internationally as a player, coach, manager, manager emeritus and chairman of selectors in five European championships and two world championships. He participated as a player, coach and manager in three Maccabiah Games and was a bronze medalist in 2001. In 2007, he was inducted into the British Softball Federation Hall of Fame and in 2008 his uniform #2 was retired, making him the only person in the history of British baseball or softball national teams to receive both honors. Currently, Berman is a member of the European Softball Federation Legal Commission and the International Softball Federation (ISF) Legislative Commission. In February 2010, he was named deputy counsel for the ISF.
“Bruce Bellard brought me to BG and gave me confidence to succeed, and with the help of Fred Eckman and Phil O’Connor I learned how to write and earned my MFA.”
B
d
s
Ashel Bryan ’46, ’86 (Hon.) A long-time resident of Bowling Green, Ashel Bryan has been a business and community leader since his graduation from Bowling Green State University in 1946. Following his graduation, Bryan joined the locally owned Mid-American National Bank, serving as chairman and chief executive officer from 1950-85. During that time, he, along with his late wife Dorothy, became instrumental in the growth and development of the city, region and state. One of their interests was Bowling Green State University. He served as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees from 1965-76, serving as president for two of those years. He is a director emeritus of the BGSU Foundation Board of Directors and served as president from 1986-89. He and his wife had a special interest in the arts and are long-time supporters of the Moore Musical Arts Center, the Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery in the Fine Arts Center, the Bryan Chamber Series and the Gish Film Theater. They also helped promote Medici Circle, Pro Musica and Friends of the University Libraries. In addition, a University Professorship in Finance is named for Bryan. In recognition of their efforts, Bryan was presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1982, was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in 1986, and both were named honorary members of the University’s chapter of Golden Key National Honor Society. In 1994, the Bryans received the Ohio Arts Council Governor’s Award for the Arts and the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the National Society of Fundraising Executives. Their interest in education also extended to the Medical College of Ohio where they were recognized by the establishment of the Dorothy and Ashel Bryan Commons. His other interests and development activities include numerous community and state organizations. Those activities include Buckeye Boys State, which through his efforts has made Bowling Green and BGSU its “home” for the past several decades.
“We enjoyed dancing the jitterbug at the (Falcon’s) Nest and dancing to the jazz and big band music of Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman.”
Julie Callens ’89 If you fly internationally, Julie Callens might be the voice you hear from the cockpit. Callens is currently a First Officer for United Airlines, flying the company’s Boeing 757 and 767 models on international routes. She has been based at Washington’s Dulles Airport since 1996. While at BGSU she majored in aerotechnology and was president of the Alpha Eta Rho aviation fraternity. She was a member and coach of the BGSU Flying Team. She began her career as a flight instructor at Suburban Aviation in Toledo before becoming a night freight pilot for Castle Aviation in Ravenna. Her big break came in 1993 when she was the pilot on the Jetstream 3200 aircraft for Atlantic Coast Airlines/United Express before joining United Airlines in 1996. In 2006 she was named United Airlines First Officer of the Year for the Dulles Domicile. She is also active in helping the next generation reach the skies, as the Pilot for Kids Washington, D.C., coordinator and a volunteer for United’s Fantasy Flights. She also volunteers her time at the National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center Discovery Station.
“My favorite instructor, Hank Lehrer, was a corporate jet pilot who brought real world experience to the classroom. I also remember my first solo flight. My heart raced. My palms were sweaty. I was terrified that I wasn’t ready to fly solo. What followed were 30 of the best minutes of my life – a culmination of years of desire and months of intense studying and hours of practice.”
B
d
s
William Carl ’63* William Carl is one of the fathers of the Golden Corral restaurant chain. After graduating from BGSU he moved to Florida to work for Burroughs Corp., where he met North Carolina native James Maynard. The two opened a family steakhouse in Fayetteville in 1972 called the Golden Steer, later renamed Golden Corral. The company operates and franchises about 470 family dining restaurants throughout the United States. In addition to a buffet, the restaurant offers a Brass Bell Bakery serving fresh baked goods. More than 350 of the restaurants are operated by franchisees, with the rest owned by the company. Prior to his death Carl had been president of Multifoods Corporation and co-founder and director of Investors Management Corporation/Golden Corral Family Restaurants.
*Deceased
Bernard T. “Bernie” Casey ’61, ’66 Artist, athlete, actor. Bernie Casey is a true Renaissance Man. After attending BGSU on a football scholarship from 1957-61, he was selected by the San Francisco 49ers as the ninth draft pick in the first round of the 1961 draft – the highest a BGSU player has ever been drafted in the NFL. Before retiring from the NFL, he also played for the Los Angeles Rams. He was selected to play in the Pro Bowl, and was named All-Pro Wide Receiver and Football All American. He was also inducted into the Mid American Conference and BGSU Athletic Halls of Fame. During pro football’s off-season, he returned to campus to pursue a master’s degree in fine arts to complement his bachelor’s degree in art education. He has held 40 individual art exhibitions around the world to showcase his paintings, and has exhibited work in many galleries including the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and the John Bolles Gallery in San Francisco. He has also had his poetry and other writings published by Doubleday & Co. His acting debut came in the film Guns of the Magnificent Seven, and since then has had roles in more than 55 films. He starred on television in “Bay City Blues” and “Harris & Company,” and during his acting career has worked with Burt Reynolds, Eddie Murphy and John Travolta. Casey was inducted as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1979 and served as commencement speaker in 1989. He is also a 1997 member of the BGSU Alumni Wall of Fame. He serves on several boards and organizations, including past chairman of the board of trustees of the Savannah College of Art and Design and chairman of the advisory board for the Minority Health Institute.
“Willard Wankelman was my mentor and a wonderful inspiration to me. I was proud to be a part of the football team that won the national college football championship.”
B
d
s
Carroll W. Cheek ’47, ’89 (Hon.) Carroll Cheek has done a little bit of everything in the business world. He was a senior partner in Cheek & Company, certified public accountants in Ohio and Illinois, founded in 1949 and headquartered in Findlay. Before retirement, Cheek was involved with dozens of businesses. He was chairman of CWC Companies, whose affiliates include Great Scot and Community Markets supermarkets. He was founder, director and chairman of Bowling Green Banking Company, also known as Mid American Bank & Trust. He was owner of Bowling Green’s University Club, as well as director and president of Bowling Green Lumber Co., which later merged with Gordon Lumber Company. He is a founding member of the Presidents Club and member of the Falcon Club. In 1975 he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, and received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in 1989. He is a past director of the BGSU Development Board, past president of the Alumni Board, and past director and chairman of the Foundation Board. In 2002, he was named a director emeritus of the Foundation Board. He is also a member of several boards and organizations near his Florida home.
We are forever grateful for our education and challenges received at Bowling Green State University, which culminated in a wonderful, successful life for us. Thanks BGSU!
As a combat flying officer during World War II, he completed 33 combat missions and earned several decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross with one cluster, the Air Medal with Four Clusters, and other battle stars and citations.
“BGSU was good to me. I had many wonderful professors and administrators (B.L. Pierce, Gilbert Cook and Ralph Harshman) who were intellectually challenging and were legal and financial advisors to me. My memories span the years from when I was a prospective student and then a student seeking employment opportunities on campus to my post-graduate affiliation as an instructor, Alumni Association president and founding Presidents Club member. My fondest memory is meeting my wife Mabel, with whom I’ve enjoyed almost 68 years of marriage.”
Scott Clark ’75 Scott Clark doesn’t let a silly thing like borders bother him. As a sportscaster for WABC-TV in New York City, he has followed sporting events around the world. In his 30 years of television work Clark has traveled to Tokyo for Major League Baseball’s historic season opener with the New York Mets, and England to cover the Wimbledon tennis championships. At home in New York, Clark has several popular weekly segments that include “Out of This World,” “Highlight Zone” and “Armchair Quarterback.” The Emmy award-winning sportscaster has also entertained his viewers with wacky exploits against professional sports personalities. He signed on and played with a professional football team. He has stood at home plate to bat against Doc Gooden and Goose Gossage. He played basketball against the Harlem Globetrotters. If that wasn’t enough, he’s been a drag racer, skydiver and bronco buster. A turn at bull riding earned him a week’s stay in the hospital. Off the air, Clark serves as vice president on the board of directors for the Alcoholism Council of New York. He also serves on the advisory board of the National Sportscasters Association and the board of trustees of the Starlight Foundation, where he is a member of its Hall of Fame. New York’s 1988 Big Brother of the Year also loves to play golf, and has helped raise more than $1 million for charity by hosting his own golf tournaments over the years, the “Out of This World” open.
“Dr. Harold Fisher enlightened me to this business of broadcast journalism and taught me how to deal, not only with the business, but with life. My favorite memory was streaking in 1972.”
B
d
s
Robert B. Clasen ’66, ’69 If you enjoy watching great movies on television, you can thank Robert Clasen. Clasen served as chairman and chief executive officer of Starz LLC, which oversees the country’s largest provider of premium movie channels including Starz and Encore until his retirement at the end of 2009. He also oversaw other areas of the media company, including animation studios and film production companies. During his 30-year international career, he has served in a variety of senior positions in the cable television, telecommunications and new media industries. During his time as president of Comcast Cable Communications, that company increased five-fold in a six-year period and grew to the third largest cable operator in the country. As divisional president for McCaw Cellular Communications (now AT&T), he developed interests in the Southwest, with a customer population of more than 25 million. He has also held a variety of positions with companies that provide interactive television, digital transmission for satellite and broadband systems and interactive game content development, including assignments in Toronto, Canada, and London, England. Clasen has received national recognition from several organizations including Industry Week Magazine and Television Week. In 1988 Cable Television Business and a Convergence Pioneer by Cable World named him Executive of the Year in 2000. He was inducted into the Cable Pioneers in 2001. Before he became a media mogul, he was an admissions officer at BGSU and director of student services at Firelands from 1966-74. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in counseling psychology, both from BGSU. He is married with three children, and enjoys running, skiing, golf and tennis.
“Dr. Stuart Givens was a wonderful student and teacher of history. My time at the Sigma Chi fraternity house provided some of the best-learning and most sacred experiences. Fun, management, compromise, planning, relaxing and sports were part of the great composite experience.”
Thomas D. “Tim” Conway ’56 Go ahead and laugh in Tim Conway’s face. He’ll take it as a compliment. That’s because the internationally known actor has made a life out of making people laugh. After graduating from BGSU with a bachelor’s degree in speech and two years in the Army, his career began in earnest as a sidekick to Ernie Anderson on “Ernie’s Place.” As his career continued, he quickly became the sidekick who stole the show with his Everyman reactions. He was the bumbling Ensign Parker on “McHale’s Navy,” which aired from 1962-66 and earned him an Emmy nomination. In 1964 he starred in the movie version of “McHale’s Navy.” He went on to host his own television show. He worked as a staff writer for several seasons on the “Carol Burnett Show” before joining the cast. He, Burnett and Harvy Korman have teamed up again in a 90-minute review that revives some old beloved characters such as Tudball and Wiggins, the Old Man and the Dentist. His movie credits include The World’s Greatest Athlete, The Apple Dumpling Gang and The Billion Dollar Hobo. He’s also known as “Dorf,” the pint-sized sports enthusiast who is the star of several home videos. He has won five Emmys, a Golden Globe and Cleo Award, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has been a University Circle member and been instrumental in the BGSU Popular Culture Library. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1966 and was named to the BGSU Alumni Wall of Fame in 1997.
B
d
s
Bill Dallas ’77 Bill Dallas’ business is helping other businesses grow. Dallas began his entrepreneurial journey as the co-founder of First Franklin which, over 26 years, became one of the nation’s largest lenders through partnerships with DLJ Merchant Banking, Bank of America and National City Bank. Along the way his company, Dallas Capital, helped launch two California banks and several financial services companies. Dallas also helped Fox Sports launch Fox Sports Grill, which is one of the nation’s largest independent restaurant companies. He has helped celebrities Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen manage their capital and expand Dualstar Entertainment. Dualstar is home to the marykateandashley brand for tweens and teens, as well as the brands for Elizabeth and James and The ROW. Outside business, he and Scott Hamilton are helping the next generation of entrepreneurs at the Dallas/Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at BGSU. He is a founder and grand patron of “Alliance for the Arts” in Thousand Oaks, and is founder and board member of Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village. He is currently chairman of Skyline Financial and partners with technology provider Ellie Mae to create one of the top retail mortgage lenders in America. He is married and the father of five children.
“I recall with fond memories winning ‘Superstars on Campus,’ and interacting with President and Mrs. Hollis Moore and my history professor Dr. Len Savoy.”
Steve Demos ’70 Steve Demos could be considered the man who brought soy to the masses. After graduating in 1970 he started a natural nut butter company called Naturally Nuts and operated a retail vegetarian deli called The Cow of China. In 1977 he found his true passion in his apartment kitchen – that’s where he made his first batch of tofu using $500 he borrowed from a neighbor to start his company, White Wave Tofu. For the next 20 years the company made various soy-based products, and is now the largest soy foods and soymilk company in the world. Its Silk brand soymilk is the number one soymilk in America, and more than 96 percent of the country’s supermarkets carry White Wave products. Demos has won several honors for his work, including being named to Inc., Magazine’s 2001 list of the top 500 fastest-growing companies in America. Demos has been featured on the cover of The Wall Street Journal, as well as in Forbes Small Business, USA Today, CNN Financial News and Success Magazine. Demos’ most recent venture is NextFoods Inc., which produces GoodBelly, a line of stomach-soothing probiotic juice products aimed at aging baby boomers.
B
d
s
Frank Dick ’49, ’51 Frank Dick has had a lasting influence on schoolchildren in northwest Ohio through his 28 years of leading local school systems. Dick began his education career in 1950 as superintendent of 180 students in the Portage Township Schools, while studying for his Master of Science degree at BGSU. He moved on to shepherd the 600-student Pandora-Gilboa School District for four years. In 1957 he moved to Sylvania City Schools, with 6,000 students. By 1965 he was in charge of more than 63,000 students in the Toledo City School District. Along the way, his peers and community have honored the Cygnet native. He received the Ohio Congress of Parents and Teachers Award in 1974, and was inducted into the Toledo City Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996. He received the Alumnus of the Year award for BGSU in 1997, and Boy Scouts Citizen of the Year in 1999.
Thank you for being one-of-a-kind and for your extraordinary leadership of the Toledo Public Schools as former superintendent (1965–1978) and current vice president of the Toledo Public Schools Foundation. – Toledo Public Schools Foundation Board
He is past president of several school administrator organizations, including the American Association of School Administrators in 1976. He is a former director for the BGSU Foundation Board, and is currently a member of the Adrian College Board of Trustees and the chairman emeritus for the Gleaner Life Insurance Society. He is a veteran of the 80th Combat Infantry Division (1944-46) and has been awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge. He recognizes his wife Shirley for her support through their years together. They have one daughter, Reide who was an educator for 34 years.
“Dr. Walter A. Zaugg was an outstanding speaker and demonstrated genuine concern for each student. The warm and personal attention of BGSU to a GI student and his family gave me the courage and determination to meet the academic challenge to earn my bachelor’s and master’s degrees.”
Anthony Doerr ’99 Anthony Doerr has the write stuff. His 2002 collection of short stories, The Shell Collector, won the Barnes & Noble Discovery Prize, two O. Henry Prizes, the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy in Rome, and the Ohioana Book Award. Many of the stories take place in Africa and New Zealand, where he has worked and lived. He is also the author of the novel, About Grace, featuring a hermetic handyman who looks for his presumed-dead daughter, and a memoir about living in Italy for a year with newborn twins called Four Seasons in Rome. In July Scribner will publish his fourth book, Memory Wall, a collection of stories about memory. In 2007 the British literary magazine Granta placed Doerr on its list of 21 Best Young American Novelists. He also writes a science column for The Boston Globe, and is currently writer-in-residence for the State of Idaho. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from BGSU. He lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife and two sons.
“Wendell Mayo was an amazing teacher—very rigorous and dedicated. I’ve never known a teacher to spend so much time giving feedback on students’ work—before, or since BGSU. I loved going to the evening readings in Prout Chapel where graduate students, undergrads, faculty and the public all turned out to celebrate writers.”
B
d
s
Albert E. Dyckes ’53, ’58 Keeping Ohio healthy has been a big part of Albert Dyckes’ life. After serving as an Army sergeant and high school social studies teacher, Dyckes became the deputy director of the Ohio Department of Health in 1963. He then went on to be associate coordinator of the Ohio Regional Medical Program at Ohio State University, where he was responsible for administration and supervision for 73 counties around Columbus. After serving as deputy director of the Mid-Ohio Health Planning Federation, where he worked with the General Assembly to enact the first training standards for emergency medical technicians (EMT) and paramedics, he was named senior vice president for the Ohio Hospital Association where he was responsible for legislative liaison with federal and state governments. In 1996 he initiated two Albert E. Dyckes Healthcare Scholarships at BGSU, awarded each year. The Ohio Hospital Association awards the Albert E. Dyckes Healthcare Worker of the Year from nominations by Ohio’s hospitals. His awards include the Executive Order of the Ohio Commodore and the Ohio Hospital Association Distinguished Service Award. He holds degrees in education and liberal arts, and a master’s of education degree from BGSU. He is married and has five sons.
“Dr. Grover Platt of the history department was a great lecturer and very challenging professor. When I wasn’t in class, I enjoyed visiting with fellow students in the Falcon’s Nest .”
William Easterly ’79 For William Easterly, numbers make a difference in the lives of many people. William Easterly is professor of economics at New York University, and codirector of its Development Research Institute, which won the 2009 BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge in Development Cooperation Award. He is the author of two best-selling books: The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Harm and So Little Good (2006) and The Elusive Quest for Growth: Economists’ Adventures and Misadventures in the Tropics (2001). He has also published 56 peer-reviewed academic articles. In 2008 and 2009, Foreign Policy Magazine named him among the Top 100 Global Public Intellectuals. He also ranks among the top 100 most-cited academic economists worldwide. His writings have appeared or been covered in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, CNN, PBS, ABC, and other media outlets. He is co-editor of the Journal of Development Economics and directs and writes the Aid Watch blog. He was born in West Virginia and grew up in Bowling Green, Ohio.
“Dr. Leo Navin was my mentor in economics and a neighbor to my childhood home in BG. My memories of BGSU start in the 1960s when I accompanied my father (N. William Easterly) to his biology lab, to my own graduation summa cum laude in 1979.”
B
d
s
Crystal W. Ellis ’57, ’75, ’93 Crystal Ellis, a BGSU Hall of Fame member, is a long-time Toledo, Ohio, educator and leader. From 1957-69, he served as an education director at the Toledo YMCA. In 1969 he began a teaching and coaching career at Libbey High School. By the time he retired in 1996, he had become the superintendent of Toledo Public Schools, the first African-American to hold the top administrative position. He was superintendent or deputy superintendent for more than 11 years, but along the way he also served as principal of four Toledo schools. Since his retirement he has returned to five of the Toledo public high schools to serve in various roles, including principal, director of a program to intervene and help suspended junior high school students and chief of staff. He also served as an educational consultant for Toledo-Lucas County Children Services.
“Harold Anderson was my mentor and coach in that order!”
William Eugene Evans ’53, ’88 (Hon.) If we ever fully understand the complexities of whale and dolphin communication, we have Bill Evans and his fellow marine mammalogists to thank. Evans is a world-renowned marine mammal acoustician and ecologist. He was one of the first scientists to work with the United States Navy’s Marine Mammal Program in the 1960s. During his 10 years with the program, his primary area of research was marine mammal communication and echolocation. The result was a special research platform for recording and observing dolphins underwater called “Sea See.” He went on to be the head of the Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute and continued his remote sensing studies and their use in oceanography. Before leaving federal service he was Presidentially appointed chairman of the Marine Mammal Commission, promoted to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association associate administrator for Fisheries, followed by his appointment as the U.S. commissioner to the International Whaling Commission, and Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans. He recognized the need for science majors to have a university-level course focusing environmental policy and management, and taught such a course at Texas A & M for 10 years. He is currently an adjunct professor of biology at the University of Notre Dame. He retired as managing editor of American Midland Naturalist after finishing the journal’s centennial issues. His most recent research has concentrated on the study of the history of international environmental policy and how it affects the conservation of threatened and endangered species.
“My experience at BGSU contributed to my education in three ways: I learned how to focus and study, I learned how to communicate my ideas to others and now I realize that theater training can translate to the many roles a person plays in a lifetime. Shakespeare was right when he said, ‘All the world’s a stage.’”
Evans is the author of several books, the most recent (2008), an autobiography, 50 years of Flukes and Flippers. He was named an Outstanding Alumnus for BGSU in 1985 and received an honorary doctorate of public service from BGSU in 1988. He is married to his Falcon sweetheart Phyllis Roberts Evans ’52 and they have two sons.
“The people who were significant to me included President Frank Prout; Dr. Mel Hyman, chair of speech and hearing who was instrumental in getting me into the graduate program at Ohio State University and theatre faculty members F. Lee Miesle and Eldon Smith. B
G
d
s
Gary Fahle ’86 Gary Fahle is currently the director of the Microbiology Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md. After graduating from BGSU with a bachelor’s degree in medical technology and microbiology, he worked as a medical technologist in the microbiology departments of St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo and Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He began his career at NIH in 1989 as a medical technologist and then as a supervisor in the Clinical Center Microbiology Laboratory before entering molecular diagnostics research. Fahle has published in more than 20 professional journals, mostly notably The New England Journal of Medicine, and has received both the NIH Director’s Award and the Clinical Center Director’s Award. In his spare time he enjoys running and has completed nine marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 2004.
“Dr. Robert Harr, Dr. Roudabeh Jamasbi, Dr. Judy Adams and the rest of the staff in the medical technology department provided me with a sound foundation on which to build my career.”
Edward J. Ferkany ’59, ’60 Edward Ferkany started out a teacher but became a business leader. After earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from BGSU he taught high school science and coached high school football. He then worked as an assistant football coach at Western Michigan University, the United States Naval Academy and Ohio State before joining Worthington Steel in 1974. He rose through the ranks and in 2001 he was named president of Worthington Steel. During his presidency the company built five plants and had joint ventures with U.S. Steel and Armstrong World Industries. Throughout his career with Worthington Industries the company grew from $36 million in sales to $2.5 billion. Ferkany is currently CEO of Steel Consulting Services in Columbus, and semi-retired. Ferkany served on the BGSU Board of Trustees from 1997-2005 and became a member of the BGSU Presidents Club in 2000. He has received the Glenn Sharp Award from BGSU. He served on BGSU’s National Campaign Steering Committee, and has also hosted a BGSU luncheon in Naples, Fla., for eight years. He has served on the boards of Spartan Steel Coatings, Hysla, Worthington/ Armstrong Venture, Worthington Specialty Products, Rouge Steel and Flat Rock Medal in Michigan. He also served on the Board of Trustees for the Easter Seal Society of Central Ohio and was the top VIP fundraiser for five years. Ferkany’s wife Jeanne is a BGSU (1959) graduate, as are his son Tom, daughter Cheryl and granddaughter Lindy Bobbitt.
“My mentors like Russ Coffey, Bob Kemp and Doyt Perry inspired me with the BG spirit that still lives today.”
B
d
s
Susan Finn ’66 Susan Finn is an acknowledged leader and a respected communicator in the field of nutrition and health. Her commitment to improving the well being and quality of life of people at all levels of society is recognized in both the public and private sectors. Finn is a past president of The American Dietetic Association (ADA), the world’s largest group of nutrition professionals. In 1998, ADA gave her its highest honor, the Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Award. In recognition of her achievements, Finn was appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Currently, Finn is president and CEO of the American Council for Fitness & Nutrition, a nonprofit organization committed to fighting childhood obesity by teaching school children how to balance food and activity. She has authored several books, many articles and is in high demand as a speaker. From 1974 -2003, Finn was employed by Ross Products (now Abbott Nutrition) in Columbus, Ohio. As director of nutrition services and public affairs, she designed multifaceted campaigns to advance nutrition support, particularly for women and the elderly. Finn holds adjunct appointments in the College of Medicine and College of Human Nutrition at The Ohio State University (OSU). After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Bowling Green State University, Finn earned a Master of Science degree in public health nutrition at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. She was awarded a doctorate degree in nutrition science from OSU State University in 1972. Finn received BGSU’s College of Education Distinguished Alumni of the Year award in 1992.
“Dr. Doris Williams, whom I have seen over the years, was a great teacher and mentor. I recall having my first brush with BGSU greats Bernie Casey and Nate Thurmond. Bernie Casey taught my art history class and I learned what tall really was by standing next to Nate Thurmond.”
Carolyn L. Forche ’75 Carolyn Forche believes the written word has a powerful role in the march toward social justice. After receiving her master of fine arts degree from BGSU in 1975 she taught at several universities including the University of Virginia, Skidmore College, Columbia University and George Mason University. She is currently director of the Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice at Georgetown University, where she also holds the Lannan Chair in Poetry. Over the years she has found her calling using poetry to chronicle political violence and war. She is the author of four books of poetry including The Country Between Us, which commemorates two years spent working with human rights advocates in El Salvador. She compiled and edited Against Forgetting: Twentieth Century Poetry of Witness, which assembled the works of 150 poets marked by war or devastation. Her most recent book is the memoir, The Horse on Our Balcony. She also plans two more collections. Forche has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship and a Lannan Literary Award for Poetry. She is also a trustee for the Griffin Poetry Prize. She appeared in the Ken Burns Oscarnominated documentary “The Statue of Liberty” in 1985.
B
d
s
Ollie Glass Jr. ’52* Ollie Glass’ love of football followed him throughout his life. He was a graduate of Elyria High School where he excelled in golf, baseball, basketball and football. He was a member of the school’s undefeated 1947 football team, and was named All-Conference, All-District and All-State of that 9-0 team. He was inducted into the high school’s sports hall of fame in 1981. At BGSU, Glass graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education. While at school he lettered in football and played center and linebacker positions. Glass was the first African American athlete at BGSU. He was selected captain of the 1951 team, and was named to the All-MAC team that same year. He was a member of the Varsity Club and the Lorain County Chapter of the Alumni Association. After graduation, he began teaching in the Lorain Public School System, and was a teacher, head of the Occupational Work Experience program and football coach at Southview High School until his retirement. He had also taught and coached football and basketball at Admiral King High School.
*Deceased
Thomas E. Gouttierre ’62, ’01 (Hon.) Thomas Gouttierre is an expert on one of the world’s hotspots, Afghanistan. Before becoming dean of International Studies and Programs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he lived and worked for almost 10 years in Afghanistan. While there, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer, a Fulbright Fellow and executive director of the Fulbright Foundation. He also coached the Afghan National Basketball Team. The U.S. Department of State then tapped him to serve as senior political affairs officer on the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission to Afghanistan in 1996 and 1997. He has served on several international committees related to Afghanistan refugees and related issues. He has testified on Afghanistan-related topics and human rights before many different bodies, including the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, committees of the British Parliament and French National Assembly, and the UN Select Committee on Human Rights. He has also conducted orientation programs for U.S. military forces assigned to Afghanistan, and is regularly called upon for his expertise. In the first 10 months after 9/11, he did more than 2,000 presentations and interviews. He has also been instrumental in garnering humanitarian and educational aid to post-war Afghanistan. Gouttierre speaks, reads and writes Afghan Persian (Dari), Iranian Persian (Farsi) and Tajikistani Persian. His publications include numerous articles about Afghanistan society, culture and politics. He was the project director for the development of the 23,000-word Dari-English Dictionary. In 2001 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of international relations from BGSU, and in 2005 was named a Distinguished Alumnus. Also added to Gouttierre’s list of accomplishments is master baker. As a student attending BGSU, he worked full time at his family’s bakery in downtown Maumee.
“Several BGSU faculty members mentored and inspired me, stimulated my interests in languages and cultures and taught me to question my assumptions. I loved being at BGSU!” B
G
d
s
Keith B. Grass ’78 Keith Grass sees money in metal. As president and CEO of The David J. Joseph Company in Cincinnati, Grass is responsible for 2,000 employees for the $5 billion scrap metal brokerage and processing company. He is also executive vice president of Nucor Corporation, the company’s owner. After graduating from BGSU with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Grass worked at trading offices in Chicago, Detroit and Omaha. In 1996 he joined the operational staff for SHV in Utrecht, The Netherlands, DJJ’s shareholder at the time. The following year he became president of the International Division of the Joseph Company. In 2000 he became president and CEO of the entire company, and sits on its board. He has been a board member for Gemini Recycling in Cincinnati, Audubon Metals Recycling in Henderson, Ky., Systems Alternatives in Maumee, TSR in Germany, and the U.S. Bank Advisory Board in Cincinnati.
“Raj Padmaraj had a good teaching style. Most of my memories involved my time with Delta Upsilon and Greek Week.”
Martina Hanulova ’08 Martina Hanulova may be a native of Slovakia, but she considers herself a citizen of the world. Hanulova came to the United States as an exchange student at Rossford High School. She returned to northwest Ohio to study French and international studies at BGSU. During that time she found her interests focusing on world peace. Among her international travels has been a three-month stint as an English teacher at a private school in Burkina Faso, Africa. She has helped raise $10,000 from Rotary clubs in Toledo and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, toward building a school in a poor village there. Hanulova was one of the first recipients of a Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship, a $6,000 award, which allowed her to travel to Ghana where she worked at a Liberian refugee settlement. In Ghana, she helped organize and run daily reconciliation meetings in hopes of rebuilding relationships among the country’s different ethnic groups. In addition, she taught literacy skills to a group of single mothers. After graduating from BGSU in 2008, Hanulova moved to Washington, D.C., where she is currently studying international development at American University. In 2009, she traveled to Sierra Leone to work for the United Nations Development Programme. In Sierra Leone, she helped manage a project called Open Government Initiative that aimed to strengthen good governance. Hanulova will graduate from American University in May 2010.
“As an advisor and friend Barbara Blair always supported my dreams and decisions, and I would not have come to BGSU without the help and support of Dr. Jeffrey Grilliot. I believe I am where I am today because the University gave me experiences that no other university in the United States would have given me.”
B
d
s
William P. Harper ’76 Bill Harper took a detour from chemistry to major in compassion. He was majoring in chemistry at BGSU when he volunteered at a drug abuse hot line. Listening to those calls for help convinced him to focus on social work instead of science. He now serves as executive director of the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, overseeing a $76.5 million budget and 30 agencies in the Akron area. After switching his major to social work and graduating, his first job was as a social worker at Lima State Hospital. Before beginning his administrative career, he was an assistant professor for social work at BGSU from 1986-94. Prior to the Summit County position, he was the assistant director for the Ohio Department of Mental Health. He also was executive director of several agencies, including the Lorain County Board of Mental Health; Mental Health Recovery Services of Warren and Lincoln counties, and Four County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services in Archbold. He has been honored twice as the Administrator of the Year by the Ohio Advocates for Mental Health.
To my beautiful wife and Falcon Flame, Pam (Gledhill) Harper, Class of 1975, thank you for your love and support.
In 2002 he was named an Accomplished Graduate of the College of Health and Human Services.
“There was not just one favorite professor: Evan Bertsche helped me make the commitment to social work; Judy Kiser left an indelible impression on me about responsibility to clients, and Dorothy Hamilton was a tremendous role model whose kindness and strength inspire me to this day. Meeting my wife of 33 years, Pam (Gledhill), at a May Day celebration is my all-around favorite BGSU memory.”
John L. Hayes ’70 You really do need a weatherman, sometimes, to know which way the wind blows, or when it’s going to snow, sleet or rain. And at that point, you need Jack Hayes. Hayes has been director of the National Weather Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), since 2007. He oversees more than 4,500 employees responsible for weather forecasts and warnings for the country. He has also served NOAA in several executive positions, and played a key role in orchestrating the service’s response to Hurricane Katrina, overseeing operations that supported opening the sea-lanes into the Port of New Orleans and the cleanup of oil spilled from refineries into the Mississippi River. In 2005 he received the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service, recognizing his contributions to the NWS’ weather forecast and warning mission. Before becoming NWS director, Hayes was a senior executive at the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was responsible for the cooperative production and exchange of weather forecasts among 189 member nations. And as an executive for Litton PRC, he was responsible for the development and deployment of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System, a billion-dollar information processing system used for all NWS weather forecast and warning operations for the United States. He began his professional career in the United States Air Force, advancing from a weather forecast officer to senior Air Force Weather leadership positions, including command of the Air Force Weather Agency, which is responsible for weather forecast services for Air Force and Army operations worldwide. In 1998 he was inducted into the Air Force Order of the Sword by the Air Force Weather enlisted corps, one of only 230 officers so recognized.
“I met the love of my life, my wife Sharon Ciprian, at BGSU; we would bicycle to campus on dates from her apartment, until my bike blew a tire. I also learned about integrity and hard work from Major Jimmie Nelson.”
B
d
s
Helen Eunice (Crom) Henderson ’15* Helen Crom Henderson led a life of firsts. She was a member of the first graduating class in 1915 of what was then Bowling Green Normal School. The school’s goal at the time was to train elementary school teachers. Not only was she a member of that first class, a feat in itself during a time when not many women went to college, she was president of her class. While on campus she enjoyed collecting photos of her classmates, professors and BG buildings. A copy of her book is in the BGSU Library Center for Archival Collections. After teaching for a number of years, she continued her interest in education and BGSU by participating in “The Little School House Project.” Today the refurbished schoolhouse with contents of an earlier time in “schooling” is located on campus by the current Education Building. She returned to campus for the 50th anniversary of her historic college graduation, along with four other classmates. Pictures of the luncheon she attended are also included in the archives. She was married to Charles A. Henderson, a reporter for Toledo newspapers, and the mother of three sons.
“I was so proud to be a Bowling Green graduate and president of the first graduating class, and it was an honor to return to campus for the 50th anniversary of my graduation.”
*deceased
Jennifer Higdon ’86 Jennifer Higdon began her musical career late in life – at age 15, when she taught herself to play the flute. Her formal music studies began at BGSU at the relatively late age of 18 and her flute professor, Judith Bentley, is responsible for having Higdon compose her first work at age 19. Given these ages, she could be considered a late bloomer. But Higdon can point to her 2010 Grammy Award, among other honors, as proof that talent knows no age limit. Earlier this year she won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for her “Percussion Concerto.” It’s the latest award for Higdon, who has also been honored by the Guggenheim Foundation, the American Academy of Arts & Letters, the Pew Fellowship in the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and ASCAP. While at BGSU, she also studied conducting with Mark Kelly and Robert Spano, who is considered one of the foremost conductors of his generation. Although more than 150 conductors have performed her music, Spano is still considered one of Higdon’s champions. Her works have been performed by most of the country’s major orchestras, and she has been a featured composer at festivals including Vail, Norfolk, Winnipeg and Cabrillo. Higdon was the first woman to serve in that role at the famous Tanglewood Contemporary Music Festival. Her orchestral work, blue cathedral, is one of the most performed orchestral works by a living American composer. Higdon’s works have been recorded on more than two dozen CDs, including four that have received Grammys. She currently holds the Milton L. Rock Chair in Composition Studies at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
“Judith Bentley taught me more than music; she actually taught about living in today’s world as an artist as well as being a good citizen. My most cherished memories include walking across campus in the snow in full moonlight after a concert in Moore Musical Arts Center or after a movie at the science center.”
B
d
s
Brenda Joyce Hollis ’70 Brenda Joyce Hollis has always tried to keep the peace. She was first a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal and Niger, West Africa from 1968-69. After being commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in 1971, she first worked as an Intelligence Officer and later worked within the Air Force’s judicial system, retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1998. In 1994, while a member of the Unites States Air Force, she and other U.S. government attorneys and investigators were “loaned” to the Office of the Prosecutor for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). She worked there as a legal officer, engaged in the first investigative missions into the former Yugoslavia, and as co-counsel in the Tadic case, the first litigated war crimes prosecution before an international tribunal since World War II. After retiring from the Air Force, she continued to work in the Office of the Prosecutor for the ICTY, acting as lead counsel in a number of prosecutions, including the preparation of the case against Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic. She also supervised 29 legal officers and trial attorneys. In 2001 she became an expert legal consultant on international criminal law and procedure, training judges, prosecutors and investigators in several countries, including Indonesia, Iraq and Cambodia. In 2002, she began working for the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), participating in the first investigative missions and acting as principal author of the first indictments, including that against then Liberian President Charles Taylor. She has recently been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to be the prosecutor of the SCSL, and also serves as the principal trial attorney, SCSL, presenting the case against former President Taylor, who is accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Sierra Leone.
“Dolores Black shared her exuberance with her students. She was a professional who was interested in all subjects.”
Paul J. Hooker ’75 Two years after graduating from BGSU, Paul Hooker was on his way to becoming a true entrepreneur. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, he and a partner bought SFERRA, an Italian linen maker that had annual sales of $250,000 at the time. Now the company has sales of $30 million and is a worldwide leader for fine Italian linens for the home. It has grown from a one-room office on Fifth Avenue to a 35,000-square foot distribution facility in New Jersey. In 2006 he became sole owner. In his quest to expand business, he has traveled extensively to find the finest linens around the world. His company created a home textiles licensee for Tommy Bahama Fine Island Linens and more recently crafted a home license with design diva Kelly Wearstler for SFERRA. A SFERRA Luxury Hospitality Division was launched in 2006 catering to five star properties worldwide, and the print-driven brand for the Gen X’ers, 1891 by SFERRA, debuted in 2007. SFERRA is currently in negotiation to become the very first home licensee of Ralph Lauren Home. In 1990, he and his wife Margo founded Challenged Youth Sports Inc., a nonprofit sports program for children with disabilities. The couple, who met at BGSU, has also helped raise funds to build two accessible playgrounds, allowing children in wheelchairs the ability to soar to new heights by traversing the playground on ramps. Hooker coached high school baseball for seven years, leading Red Bank Catholic High School to the NJ State Parochial B Baseball Championship in 1997. That same year, the Asbury Park Press, named him Coach of the Year. He is the father of three children.
“I will never forget my experiences in the many intramural teams and other extracurricular activities that helped to round me as a person and gave me a physical outlet from studies. My most cherished memory is proposing to my wife on campus as we drove along Poe Road–not the most romantic place in the world; she accepted and for 35 years I’ve been married to my best friend.”
B
d
s
Michael Hoskins ’77 Michael Hoskins grew up in northwest Ohio and attended Bowling Green State University from 1973-77 (his father was a professor in the College of Business Administration, running the international business programs). After enrolling as a computer science major his freshman year, he later shifted to business, and graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a specialization in finance. After graduating, he started his career with IBM’s agent in Saudi Arabia, where he worked as a systems programmer in the IT organization from 1978-82. In 1982 the entrepreneurial bug bit him, and he struck out on his own, founding his first business: SaudiSoft. He spent the next five years growing the company from start-up into the top homegrown software company in the region. SaudiSoft remains one of the leading software companies in the Middle East. In 1987, Hoskins sold his stake in SaudiSoft, and moved to Austin, Texas, where he joined a software startup, Data Junction. He became president in 1988 and helped build the company into a premier global data integration software provider. Hoskins is proud that Data Junction was built entirely by bootstrap methods - no debt or external funding was used. In 2003, he helped engineer the sale of Data Junction to Pervasive Software, a publicly traded company, also in Austin. The transaction was completed Dec 3, 2003 for approximately $60 million. All of the selling shareholders, more than 90, were Data Junction employees. Hoskins now is chief technology officer of Pervasive Software, spearheading the company’s technology direction and Innovation Labs. He is also the general manager for Pervasive Integration Products. He is considered a thought leader in the integration industry and speaks worldwide on innovations in data management and integration. Hoskins has received numerous awards including the AITP Austin chapter’s 2007 Information Technologist of the Year Award, and the BGSU Distinguished Alumni Award in 2008. He was inducted into the Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame in 2009. He remains committed to the success of BGSU and its students, most recently funding a series of study-abroad scholarships for College of Business Administration students.
Andrew Housholder ’55 Andy Housholder has taught generations of students how to sing. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music education, Housholder went on to earn a master’s degree from Potsdam State University in 1965. He has taught choral and orchestral classes in New York public schools, and was a choral conductor at New York University, Dowling College, Nassau Community College and Ithaca College. He conducted more than 40 All-State Choirs in Ohio, New York and New Jersey. He has conducted at Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall and Town Hall in New York. He took 13 choirs on world concert tours from 1971-88, and encouraged more than 70 of his students to attend BGSU. He is a board member of the College of Musical Arts’ Pro Musica, and has also served as vice president. In 2004 he co-chaired the concerto competition dinner fundraiser, and provides an annual luncheon for CMA faculty. He is a member of the Falcon Club. He has been an advisor to the Air Force and Army ROTC faculties for seven years, and organized a fundraiser to purchase the cannon used at football games. He has served on a number of Alumni Association projects, and received the Alumni of the Year Award in 2006. In the Bowling Green community he is involved with many projects, including sponsoring the annual “Andy Open” golf tournament for young people at the Bowling Green Country Club. Benefitting parks and recreation, it has grown to more than 100 participants.
B
d
s
William Ingram III ’72 Bill Ingram knows a thing or two about a good burger. As president and CEO of White Castle Systems, Ingram is the head of White Castle Hamburgers and its famous hamburgers. He began working for the family company in high school, and, after graduating from BGSU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics, he trained as a counter clerk. From there, he moved into the accounting department. He was elected White Castle’s assistant treasurer in 1975, and was named CEO in 1979. He succeeded his father in running the Columbus-based chain, which was started by his grandfather more than 75 years ago. He is currently vice president for the Ingram-White Castle Foundation and, via the foundation, established the Ingram-White Castle Scholarship Fund at BGSU. He also supports many BGSU programs including the Student Union Capital Improvements Endowment Fund and the Fund for BGSU. He is a Presidents Club member and a charter member of the Dean’s Council for the College of Business Administration. He also served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Foundation Board and the Alumni Advisory Council.
Iris Jones ’74 Iris Jones is a business development strategist at one of the nation’s oldest international law offices. After earning a bachelor’s degree from BGSU she earned a law degree from Texas Southern University. Her first job after law school was as an assistant attorney general of Texas in 1978. From there she worked as the director of the law department for the City of Austin and then went into private practice as a shareholder with two prominent Austin law firms before establishing Iris Jones & Associates PC. She practiced law for more than 23 years. As an instructor at the WJF Institute in Austin, Jones trained and coached hundreds of senior-level partners in global law firms on client development and relationship management. In 2003, she joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP as the client services advisor. In 2007 she was named the chief business development and marketing officer at Chadbourne & Parke LLP in New York City. She works closely with the leadership to grow the firm’s business and enhance client services. She is a frequent public speaker on law firm business development, and is vice president for business associates for the World Jurist Association.
“Dr. Bill Spragens was always fair, accessible and creative in the delivery of his lessons. He provided unique learning opportunities including a field study trip to the 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami, which was one of the most enlightening experiences of my life. I also enjoyed my part-time job in the library at the reference desk, where my supervisors (Bob Heidler, Ruth Hoffman and Angela Poulous) taught me so much about research. Their life lessons of generosity and unwavering support have never been forgotten.”
B
d
s
James B. Karugu ’62 James Karugu’s desire to become a lawyer was inspired in part by following the proceedings at Kapenguria trial of Jomo Kenyatta. Growing up in a grass-thatched house in Kenya, he attended Catholic schools. After graduation and while working for Standard Vacuum Oil Company, he began researching American universities. In order to buy a one-way ticket to BGSU, his father sold some land. One of the first African students at BGSU, he became president of the International Students Society. He also won an athletic scholarship after being challenged to race across Rodgers Quadrangle. To make ends meet he worked a variety of jobs, including snow shoveling and construction work. He also babysat future Olympian Scott Hamilton when his father, then head of BGSU’s biology department, offered Karugu free room and board for the academic year. After graduating law school in England, Karugu returned to Kenya and was appointed Crown Counsel in what was still a British colony. Once Kenya became a Republic in December 1964, he assumed the status of State Counsel, then the public prosecutor for a very long time before and eventually attaining the position of the Attorney General. One of his memorable cases was that of Bob Astles, cohort of former Ugandan president Idi Amin. Karugu oversaw his extradition to Uganda to face prosecution after Amin was dethroned. He also didn’t forget his father’s court case. Upon returning to Kenya with a law degree, he looked up the lawyer who won the civil case against his father years earlier. Karugu faced him in a case for the state, in those proceedings he won the case and felt that justice was not only done, but it was seen to have been done. Karugu has retired as a farmer.
“Like Psalms 23 where the good Lord leads one to green pastures, I shall be eternally grateful for being led to greener pastures of Bowling Green. If not for Bowling Green and the guidance of Dr. Abcarian, Dr. Claflin and Jim Galloway, the foreign student advisor, I would not be sitting where I am sitting right now.”
Ginger Kathrens ’68 If you want a documentary filmmaker who is passionate about using her craft to make a difference, come to Ginger Kathrens. Kathrens is an Emmy Award-winning producer, cinematographer, writer and editor. Her documentary filmmaking trips have taken her around the world and across the United States. Three of her documentaries currently air on PBS/ Nature, including Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions, which premiered in October. She has also written three companion books about her 15-year journey with Cloud, a pale palomino wild horse stallion in Montana. She was the co-producer and cinematographer of Spirits of the Rainforest, a twohour special for the Discovery Channel that won an Emmy for Best Documentary. In addition to other Discovery Channel projects, she produced more than 25 segments of the Wild America series for PBS, and has filmed for National Geographic and BBC. She has also produced sports documentaries, including one for the United States Olympic Committee. Kathrens was also a political media consultant for candidates and issues for 20 years. She worked with Presidents Reagan, Ford, George H.W. Bush and others. She is the founder and volunteer executive director of the Cloud Foundation, dedicated to the preservation of wild horses and burros on public lands. A native of Bowling Green, she received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from BGSU in 2006 and a year later was commencement speaker.
“As a child, I went to the “experimental school” in University Hall until the sixth grade. In college, I remember pledging Gamma Phi and winning the Mud Tug in conjunction with Sigma Nu. I traveled to France for a spring semester with Dr. Janis Pallister’s group, which was a great experience for all of us. And my favorite professor was Dr. Donald Ungurait whom I followed to Florida State University where he started one of the finest film schools in the country.”
B
d
s
David E. Kennedy ’76, ’81 David Kennedy parlayed an on-air announcing gig into cutting-edge entertainment technology. Kennedy is the CEO of Flycast Inc., founded in 2006 to create advanced IP-based mobile delivery technology for smartphones and other mobile digital media devices. The company’s downloadable FlyCast application offers users over 1,500 channels of entertainment, delivered to their smartphone over wireless connections. In addition, its “appMobi” developer toolkit permits any web developer to create and deploy customized applications for the iPad, smartphones and other mobile devices. Prior to his work at Flycast, he was CEO/vice chairman of Interep National Radio Sales in New York, and also served as CEO of Susquehanna Media Co. in York, Pennsylvania, one of the largest major market radio, cable and internet companies in the United States. During the 1970s, while working on his degrees from BGSU, Kennedy held various on-air and management positions at Toledo radio stations WMHE and WLQR until being promoted in 1983 to vice president of planning and research for Susquehanna Radio Corp. In August 1989, he was named senior vice president and assumed direct responsibility for several Midwest stations while managing group planning and research operations for all Susquehanna stations. Kennedy has chaired, actively participated in, and received numerous accolades from the National Association of Broadcasters, Radio Advertising Bureau, John Bayliss Broadcast Foundation and the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation, among many others. His community work includes chairing local United Way, Red Cross and Community Foundation boards. He and his wife, Bev, have three children and five grandchildren.
Cheryl L. Krueger ’74 Cheryl Krueger turned cookie baking into big business. Krueger started Cheryl & Co. with one cookie store in Columbus, Ohio, and it grew into a $50 million corporation. In 2005 the cookie, gourmet dessert and gift basket retailer was sold to 1-800 Flowers with Krueger remaining CEO until her 2009 retirement. She began her career in fashion retail, working in sales and management for Burdines Department Store, Chaus Inc., and The Limited. She founded Cheryl & Co. with her college roommate Caryl Walker until Walker was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in 1986. Cheryl & Co. went on to start several new divisions; its products have been featured on QVC, The Food Network, CNN and talk shows including those of Rachael Ray and Ellen DeGeneres. She recently founded KRUEGER + CO. Consulting Inc., which helps companies develop creative marketing and sales strategies and improve financial performance. Krueger serves on the boards of several organizations, including The James Cancer Hospital and the OSU Foundation Board. She was recently appointed to serve on The Ohio State University Medical Center Board, and was asked to be a co-chair for Project ONE, the upcoming capital campaign for the OSU Medical Center and James Cancer Hospital. She is a member of the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame, and was selected as Female Entrepreneur of the Year by Working Woman Magazine. She has also helped raise funds for non-profit groups and travels to Appalachia each year with her church to help families in need.
“Dorothy Hamilton taught me to think outside of the box and helped me to view challenges from various perspectives. I was the first generation of my family to go to college. My father burst into tears during a graduation breakfast at President Hollis Moore’s house because he was so proud that I was graduating from college.”
B
d
s
Charles F. Kurfess ’51 Chuck Kurfess has spent more than 50 years serving Ohio. After serving in the Army Counter Intelligence Corps in the Far East during the Korean Conflict, Kurfess returned to earn his juris doctor degree from Ohio State University. He practiced law in Wood County from 1958-91 when he was elected judge of the Court of Common Pleas and served 12 years. He was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1956 while a student in law school, (then the youngest member of the General Assembly). He served 11 consecutive terms representing Wood, Henry and Sandusky counties. He was Speaker of the House from 1967-72, and then Minority leader for six years. In December 2009 the Ohio State Bar Foundation presented him the Honorary Life Fellowship Award for a lifetime of service to the public, and integrity, honor, courtesy and professionalism. While a leader in the Ohio legislature, Kurfess was active in the national effort to improve the legislatures’ role in state government. Involved in the State Legislative Leaders Association, he also served as president of the National Legislative Conference and was a founder of the National Association of State Legislatures. He served on the executive committee of the Council of State Governments and was appointed by Presidents Nixon and Ford to the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. He has served on many business and civic boards, including the board of directors of the BGSU Alumni Association. In 1967 he received the BGSU Distinguished Alumnus Award. He and his wife, the former Helyn Rudolph, a 1953 BGSU alumna, are lifelong members of St. Johns Lutheran Church, Stony Ridge, and members of the BGSU Falcon Cub and Presidents Club. They also are the proud parents of three children and five grandchildren.
“BGSU holds many memories for me from professor Charles Barrell’s interest in political science and Dean Kenneth McFall’s friendship and postgraduate counsel to the BG basketball win over Chicago Loyola and the foremost religious leaders who would be on campus for the annual “Religious Emphasis Week.”
Stanley Kutler ’56 If you want to understand Watergate and recent American history, Stanley Kutler is the man to ask. His books include The Wars of Watergate and Abuse of Power: The New Nixon Tapes, a book that resulted from his successful lawsuit against the National Archives and Nixon himself, forcing the release of the tapes. His other major books include The American Inquisition, winner of the ABA’s Silver Gavel Award, Privilege and Creative Destruction: The Charles River Bridge Case, among others. He has written more than half a dozen text books covering different areas of American history, and edited several major reference works including the third edition of the Dictionary of American History, a 10-volume work, which was awarded the American Library Association’s Best Reference Book Award and The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War, also cited by the ALA. Kutler has been the E. Gordon Fox (Emeritus) Professor of American History and Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin. He has held several prestigious fellowships and chairs abroad, including a Guggenheim Fellowship. He has written op-ed pieces and reviews for major publications including The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. He also worked as a consultant on a number of film projects, including historical advisor for the Emmy-winning BBC documentary “Watergate,” and as advisor for the Showtime film “The Day Ronald Reagan Was Shot.” Prop Theatre in Chicago will produce his play, I, Nixon, in 2010.
“I had inspiring teachers, such and Grover and Virginia Platt and Charles Barrell, whose wisdom and inspiration have stayed with me through the years.”
B
d
s
Jimmy Light ’60 Dr. Jimmy Light is an organ transplant pioneer. After graduating from the University of Michigan Medical School, he trained in surgery, transplantation and immunology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and became a member of the newly formed transplant program there in 1971. In 1977 he was appointed professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Medical School, where he combined the transplant programs of the Army and the Navy. After leaving military service in 1983 he became director of transplantation services at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. Under his leadership the program grew to become the dominant program in the region and the ninth largest kidney transplant program in the nation. He is a founding member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, and was the founding secretary and later president of the South-Eastern Organ Procurement Foundation, the premier organ-sharing network of the time. Today he is an at-large member of the successor organization, the United Network for Organ Sharing. Light has been a leader in kidney transplant research and advocacy for patients with End Stage Renal Disease. Most recently he has been among the leaders espousing the wider use of living donors in kidney transplants, including donors who are incompatible with their intended recipients. He has written more than 600 abstracts and articles and serves on the editorial boards of all the major transplant journals. He continues to lead the transplant program at Washington Hospital Center.
“I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for Ashel Bryan, who influenced my life to go to BGSU and to continue on to medical school. Also Dr. Joseph E. Weber of the chemistry department was my pre-med advisor and friend, and we stayed in touch until his death.”
Richard D. Mathey ’71 Richard Mathey has made music his life’s work. He began his music education career in the Columbus public schools. For 32 years he was on the faculty at BGSU, where he became director of choral activities and professor of music. During 2002 he was an adjunct professor at Ohio University in Athens, and during fall 2007 he was interim director of choral activities at Ball State University. His university choirs have appeared at state, regional and national conventions of the Ohio Music Education Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the American Choral Directors Association, the Ohio Choral Directors Association and the Michigan Music Educational Association. In addition, he has conducted All-State choruses in Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia. In 2011 he will conduct the All-State Male Chorus in Georgio, and is beginning his 40th year as a choral/vocal adjudicator for the Ohio Music Education Association. In 1997 the Music Educators National Conference and the Harmony Society honored him for his service to music education. Capital University honored Mathey with the 2004 Alumni Achievement Award, and the Ohio Choral Directors Association in 2007 awarded him a service award for choral education. In 2009 the Barbershop Harmony Society inducted him into its hall of fame and presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He can be heard on the CD “Without A Song,” recorded with his son and operatic tenor Shawn Mathey.
“I recall the summer tours by the various choirs, and I admired Dr. James Paul Kennedy who was truly a musician’s musician.”
B
d
s
Harold J. “Hal” McGrady Jr. ’54 Before retiring in 2002, Harold McGrady spent more than 45 years studying and teaching in the areas of communication disorders and learning disabilities. He most recently served as executive director of the Division for Learning Disabilities, a national organization that is part of the International Council for Exceptional Children. After earning his bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing therapy, he served as an officer in the United States Army. In 1957 he became the first speech and hearing therapist for the Marietta City Schools. He has held professorships at several universities, including Emory, Northwestern and Virginia Tech. In addition, he has held school district administrative positions in Arizona and Virginia. McGrady testified before Congress on behalf of the Learning Disabilities Act of 1969, was invited to a White House conference on learning disabilities at the request of President Gerald Ford in 1975, and in 2000 met with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton regarding the Initiative for Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. His articles have been published in several professional journals and texts. McGrady has held leadership positions and made numerous presentations at local, state, national and international levels. He is also proud to have been selected by the U.S. Curling Association to participate in a special curling competition against Scotland in 2001 and to play a part in developing new curling clubs throughout he United States. He has two sons and lives in Arizona.
“Dr. Elden Smith was an outstanding professor, administrator and head of the Huron Playhouse who cast me in my biggest drama in college. I worked hard and got so much enjoyment as a member of the production company at Huron Playhouse in the summer of 1952.”
George McPhee ’82 George McPhee is a leader both on and off the ice in the world of hockey. Before attending BGSU he led his hometown Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Guelph Platers to the 1978 National Championship. At BGSU he was a four-year letter winner, and won the 1982 Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in college hockey. He was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s Rookie of the Year in 1979, and he was the first player to be named to the CCHA’s All-Academic Team for three consecutive seasons. After college he signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers and started his NHL career during the 1992 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After playing seven years with the Rangers and New Jersey Devils, he earned his law degree from Rutgers University in 1992. After law school he joined the front office of the Vancouver Canucks, helping guide the team to the playoffs, a division championship and a trip to the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was named general manager of the Washington Capitals in 1997 and helped engineer the team’s first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals his first season. Under his leadership the team has won three Southeast Division Championships, had four seasons of 40 or more wins, and had a 102-point season in 1999-2000. McPhee became a U.S. citizen in December 2009.
B
d
s
John F. Meier ’70 John F. Meier has been chairman and chief executive officer of Libbey Inc. since the company went public in 1993. From 1990-93 Meier served as vice president of Owens-Illinois Inc. and executive vice president and general manager of its subsidiary, Libbey Glass. Since joining Libbey Inc. in 1970, Meier served in various marketing and sales management positions, including a five-year assignment in Belgium. Meier is a director of Applied Industrial Technologies Inc., since 2005. He has been a director of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. since 1997 and its lead director since 2007. He has served as past campaign chairman of the United Way of Greater Toledo, and is also an emeritus trustee of Wittenberg University. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg and his MBA from BGSU. John is married to his wife, Ann, a 1970 BGSU alumna with a master’s degree in speech pathology. They have two grown children.
Nick J. Mileti ’53, ’75 (Hon.) Nick Mileti is still a big part of BGSU years after his graduation. Bowling Green has awarded Mileti its Distinguished Alumnus Award, an honorary doctorate degree, its Community Service Award and honorary membership in Omicron Delta Kappa. The alumni center is named the Mileti Alumni Center in his honor and he served on the University’s Board of Trustees for over seven years following his appointment by the Governor of the state. Mileti is considered one of the founders of the BGSU Cleveland alumni chapter. He was one of the first major donors to the University and throughout his career made it a priority to hire fellow BGSU graduates. For more than 30 years, Falcon fans have enjoyed the center scoreboard in Anderson Arena, also a generous gift of Mileti. Mileti has made an indelible mark on his hometown of Cleveland. During his career as a prosecutor and a housing consultant for the elderly, he co-founded the Lakewood Hometown Band Concerts and the Cuyahoga Valley Historic Steam Railroad Line. In 1968 he purchased the 10,000-seat arena and the Barons of the American Hockey League. Later, he brought the professional Hockey Crusaders of the World Hockey Association to Cleveland. In 1970, Mileti brought major league basketball to the city by creating the Cleveland Cavaliers. In an equally significant move, Mileti purchased the Cleveland Indians baseball team from Vernon Stouffer to save them from being moved to New Orleans. In 1974, Frank Sinatra opened Mileti’s 22,000-seat Richfield Coliseum. Mileti is also an author, having written three books to date. He has received innumerable prestigious national awards over the years.
“ I loved all the people at BGSU, especially President Frank Prout who was down to earth and accessible, and my Theta Chi Fraternity brothers.
B
d
s
Mary Minnick ’81 Mary Minnick is a partner of Lion Capital, a leading private equity firm that focuses on consumer-based companies. Before joining Lion Capital, Minnick was an executive with The Coca-Cola Company for 23 years. She served in a variety of global executive positions, ranging from general management to marketing. In her last role at Coca-Cola, she was corporate executive vice president and president of marketing, strategy and innovation. She also served as chief operating officer of Asia, responsible for operations in 38 countries. She serves as a board director for Target Corporation and Heineken beverage company. She received a bachelor’s degree in business from BGSU and a master’s degree in business administration from Duke University.
Betty Montgomery ’70 Betty Montgomery has had a career of firsts. She was Ohio’s first woman attorney general and auditor of state. When elected Wood County prosecutor she was the only female prosecutor in the state. She also served as a state senator and in other legal positions in the state of Ohio during her public service career. As Wood County prosecutor, she directed a 250-percent increase in felony conviction rates. As state senator, she drafted legislation including Ohio’s first Living Will law, first brownfields legislation and Ohio’s first Victim’s Rights Law. As attorney general, she rebuilt Ohio’s crime labs, created the DNA lab and DNA data base, brought modernized lab and crime scene technology to the office and earned accreditation from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (only 4 percent of law enforcement agencies earn such accreditation). During her time as attorney general, her office received national recognition in many areas.The consumer section was recognized in 2000 by the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators as the top consumer protection agency in the country. Her Senior Citizen Initiative was one of five agencies – and the only public agency – recognized by the American Bar Association with the national “Pro Bono” award in 2002.
“I enjoyed my Ancient Mesopotamian history class taught by Mr. Daily, and my most compelling memory was following the Kent State killings. I was so impressed how adroitly the administration handled it with large campus gatherings and skillful handling of students, avoiding wide-scale rioting.”
B
d
s
George L. Mylander ’58, ’70, ’03 (Hon.) George Mylander is a 1951 graduate of Sandusky High School and a U.S. Army veteran, serving the 3rd Infantry Divisions. For service to his county and community he was enshrined in the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 1999. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in education from BGSU. In 2003 he was given an honorary doctorate degree in public service by his alma mater. He was a 15-year member of the BGSU Foundation and served two years as its chair. He worked 27 years in the Sandusky City Schools as a teacher and administrator. Upon his retirement from the schools in 1987 he established the Mylander Foundation. Among the annual designated non-profit recipients are the Sandusky City Schools and the BGSU Foundation, Inc. More than 150 scholarships have been granted to students on the main campus and at BGSU Firelands. In 1999 the Toledo Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals named him the Outstanding Philanthropist of Northwest Ohio. In 1979 he was elected to the Sandusky City Commission and served 16 years, six years of which he was ex-officio mayor. Under his leadership two business parks were started and progress was made in the improvement of the Sandusky Bay shoreline.
“For fifteen years it was my pleasure to serve on the BGSU Foundation Board and to meet so many wonderful and generous people committed to the University now and in the future.”
A tireless worker for good health facilities, he worked hard to unite three Sandusky area hospitals into one, Firelands Regional Medical Center, of which he has been a board member for 40-plus years and currently is chair emeritus. He has been recognized by local, state and national organizations for his work in health care. In 2006 he was recognized by the Ohio Hospital Association with the Donald R. Newkirk Award, the association’s highest recognition as the most outstanding hospital trustee in the state.
“Three days following my discharge from the U.S. Army I found myself at BGSU. What a sudden change from Army to civilian life. President Frank Prout’s advice: ‘Whatever you end up doing, make sure you find enjoyment,’ ended up being right. My 27 years as a teacher and administrator were some of the most enjoyable and rewarding in my life.”
Hiroko Nakamoto ’54, ’92 (Hon.) Hiroko Nakamoto is an international designer whose works are influenced by her native Japan. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from BGSU, she studied Interior design at Pratt Institute in New York. During the practical training period, she worked at B. Altmans & Co. as a merchandising trainee, and William Stephenson, AIA in Beverly Hills, Calif. On her return to Japan after studying interior design in England, France, Italy, Germany, Lebanon and Iran, she was appointed to become an advisor to Takashimaya, Ltd. in Tokyo. In 1966, she established Hiroko Nakamoto Interior Design Studio in Tokyo. She is a pioneer for the interior design field in Japan. At BGSU, she is a member of the President Club and the BGSU Foundation Board. She established the Hiroko Nakamoto Japanese Studies Scholarship. She created the Japanese Ceremonial Tea Room in the Fine Arts Building as well as the Japanese Study Room in Offenhauer West Resident Hall on campus. She was the first international student to receive a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1973. The honorary doctorate degree in Fine Arts was bestowed upon her by BGSU in 1992.
“Willard Wankelman filled the art building with his joyful spirit every day. His wit and jokes made me laugh all the time. I remember our house mother’s saying, ‘Girls, Gracious Living’ meant we had to dress up for Sunday dinners.”
B
d
s
Shantanu Narayen ’86 While Shantanu Narayen may not be a household name, virtually everyone with a computer knows his company. Narayen is president and CEO of Adobe Systems Inc., one of the world’s largest software brands and the company behind Adobe® Photoshop®, Adobe Acrobat® and Adobe Flash® Player, which is on 98 percent of all desktop computers and delivers 75 percent of all video content on the Web. Since joining the company in 1998, he has held a variety of key executive positions, including, most recently, president and chief operating officer. Before joining Adobe, Narayen was a cofounder of Pictra Inc., an early pioneer of digital photo sharing over the Internet. Prior to that, he held management positions at Silicon Graphics and Apple Computer. Narayen holds five patents and is a frequent speaker at key industry and academic events. Outside of Adobe, he serves on the board of Dell Inc.; the advisory board of the Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley, and is president of the board of the Adobe Foundation, which funds philanthropic initiatives around the world. In his free time he enjoys golf, tennis and travelling with his wife and two sons. He and his wife, Reni, met while both attended BGSU. Narayen received a master ‘s degree in computer science from BGSU and is a member of the San Francisco Area Chapter of the Alumni Association.
“The pursuit of education at BGSU was profitable in more ways than one. Dr. Larry Dunning and Dr. Ron Lancaster instilled in me a desire to learn, and on my first day at BGSU, I saw my future wife.”
Richard R. Nedelkoff ’80 Richard Nedelkoff has rejoined Eckerd Youth Alternatives, a national non-profit where he was formerly chief operating officer. Recently, he served as conservator of the Texas Youth Commission where he was appointed by the Governor of Texas to initiate major reforms of an agency in receivership. He oversaw a $350 million juvenile justice agency with more than 4,000 employees. Nedelkoff has had a long and distinguished role in public service, including appointments by several governors and the President of the United States. He was appointed by the President to oversee 26 federal criminal justice grant programs and a $6 billion funding portfolio. He has worked diligently to reduce bureaucracy, implement innovative programs, produce measureable results and find solutions to problem situations. He has provided national leadership and assistance in support of local criminal justice strategies to achieve safe communities. Additionally, as an administrator in five states, he has created juvenile justice and criminal justice programs that serve as models for agencies across the country. Nedelkoff has also provided consulting services to several states across the country on a variety of juvenile justice reform projects, criminal justice information system improvements and other management consulting engagements. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from BGSU. He later earned a Master of Science degree in the administration of justice from the University of Louisville where he graduated with high honors. Additionally, he received his juris doctor degree from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio.
“I remember the subzero temperatures and the snow drifts to the second floor during the Blizzard of 1978. I also remember that it was Dr. Gerald Rigby who provided me with a desire to learn more.�
B
d
s
Don Nehlen ’58 Don Nehlen knows how to win. Nehlen is one of the winningest coaches in NCAA football history and piled up 202 victories in 30 years patrolling the sidelines for West Virginia University and Bowling Green State University. During his tenure at the helm of the Mountaineer and Falcon programs, Nehlen notched two undefeated seasons, coached in 13 bowl games, was named the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year, mentored 28 All-Americans and saw 51 of his student-athletes go on to play in the National Football League. Nehlen is most widely heralded for his stint at WVU, where he coached the 21-year span from 1979-2000 and led the Mountaineers to 15 winning seasons, two Lambert Trophies and the 1993 Big East Championship. During that time, West Virginia posted a 149-93-4 record to make Nehlen the school’s all-time wins leader. In 1968, Nehlen accepted the head coaching position at BGSU and turned in a 53-35-4 mark in nine seasons with the Falcons. While guiding Bowling Green on the gridiron, Nehlen led the Falcons to major victories over Syracuse, Purdue and Brigham Young to earn the title of “Master of the Upset” from the BGSU fans. Nehlen left BGSU in 1977 to join Bo Schembechler’s staff at Michigan and worked as a recruiting coordinator and quarterback coach for two years, before taking the head coaching position at West Virginia. In 2005, Nehlen was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Since retirement he has been a spokesman for the coal industry. He also published a book called Don Nehlen’s Tales from the West Virginia Sideline, which recounts Nehlen’s greatest moments, players and other memories from his 21 years as head coach.
“I remember one of our first football games of the year when I was coaching at BGSU, we beat Purdue who was in the top 15 teams in the country. I also remember Dr. Russell Coffey because he cared.”
Eileen O’Neill ’90 Eileen O’Neill knows what people want to watch on television – and she gives it to them as president and general manager of The Learning Channel. As part of the internship requirement for BGSU’s popular culture graduate degree, O’Neill arrived at Discovery Communications, parent company of TLC. Twenty years later she leads TLC. Under her direction TLC has added popular reality series including “Cake Boss,” “19 Kids and Counting,” “Say Yes to the Dress” and the special “Brace For Impact” (the story of Captain Sullenberger who landed the plane in the Hudson River). O’Neill was the original developer of “Jon & Kate Plus 8” which broke cable rating records in 2009. She is credited with launching the Planet Green network from the ground up in less than 12 months. One of her premier series was “Greensburg.” Produced with Leonardo Dicaprio, the series chronicled the comeback of Greensburg, Kansas, as a green city after a devastating tornado destroyed the town. She also served as executive vice president and general manager of Discovery Health Channel, which earned record ratings under her watch. In 2004 O’Neill produced the first Discovery Health Channel Medical Honors, recognizing national health and medical pioneers. She also helped develop the National Body Challenge, which over five years has helped Americans lose nearly 500 tons. She was named a 2009 Wonder Woman by Multi-Channel News; Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 Women in Entertainment -- Number 38 (May 2009); Cable Fax 100 - “The Fixer’ - Number 57 (December 2009); Hollywood Reporter’s “Reality Power List” (2008); 2008 Woman To Watch by Women in Cable Telecommunications.
“For my master’s in popular culture, I was fortunate to learn from Dr. Jack Nachbar, Dr. Mike Marsden, Dr. Snyder and Dr. Chris Geist.”
B
d
s
Donald E. Percy ’55 Donald Percy pursued multiple executive careers in the fields of research, higher education, finance, health and human service, and management consulting. After graduating from BGSU with a degree in political science, he did graduate work at American University in Washington, DC, while working in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He progressed through research administrator positions in Princeton and later at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. His subsequent university career path concluded with his service as executive/ senior vice president of the 27-campus University of Wisconsin System, along with teaching and research activities in the UW-Madison’s schools of business, medicine and education. After taking leave from the university to serve as Cabinet Secretary of health and social services under two Wisconsin governors, he was later chosen to be president and CEO of the Jackson Multispecialty Medical Clinic in Madison. He subsequently created and headed The Management Group – TMG, a managementconsulting firm. His final career stop in yet another career field was serving a decade as president and CEO of the University of Wisconsin Credit Union. He currently serves as managing principal of The Bardish Group, a consulting firm specializing in CEO coaching and board of director education and training.
Charles E. Perry ’58, ’59, ’61, ’70 (Hon.)* Chuck Perry was a playmaker and a rainmaker for Bowling Green State University. As a student, he was a member of the football team for four years under Coach Doyt Perry (no relation). After graduation he served as an admissions counselor, director of admissions and assistant to the president. Additionally, Perry was the first director of development at BGSU. He was actively engaged in fundraising for the Falcons, particularly in establishing the Falcon Club and the University Athletic Endowment. He also gave the keynote speech “Bowling Green State University’s Greatest Asset...Its People” at the 75th Anniversary of the University in 1985. In 1998, he was honored by having the Charles Perry Fieldhouse named for him. After working at BGSU, he spent one year as special assistant for education under the direction of Florida Governor Claude Kirk Jr. The following year, he was assistant chancellor for the State University System of Florida. In 1969 he was named founding president of Florida International University, which has since named a building in his honor. Once the university was on solid footing, he embarked upon a 17-year business career that included being president and publisher of Family Weekly Magazine, president and CEO of Golden Bear International (in partnership with golfer Jack Nicklaus), chairman and CEO of Worldvest and Western Trading and Management, and president and CEO of Friedkin Companies. In retirement he was the founder and owner of Buffalo Creek Golf Club in Rockwell, Texas, still owned by the Perry Family, and later returned to academia as the dean of the University of Dallas, Graduate School of Management.
“Coach Doyt Perry, Jim Hof and former President William T. Jerome were always among my favorite people at BGSU.”
*Deceased B
d
s
Doyt L. Perry ’32* Doyt Perry can be considered the patron saint of BGSU football. His relationship with his alma mater and its athletic program began as a student. Before he graduated in 1932 with a bachelor’s degree, he had lettered nine times in football, basketball and baseball. After graduation he started coaching high school basketball and track, before beginning a football team at Lorain Clearview. In six years, he guided his teams to four league championships. Perry also served as football coach at Upper Arlington, where the Bears won or shared the Central Buckeye title four times. In 1951 Perry joined the Ohio State University football staff as backfield coach under the legendary Woody Hayes. Three years later, Perry helped the Buckeyes win the 1954 Big 10 Championship and a Rose Bowl berth. Perry returned home to BGSU in 1955 as head football coach. In 10 years, his teams posted a record of 77-10-5 for a winning percentage of .855, a figure topped only by Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy. Perry’s Falcons won five MAC Championships and a 1959 national college division title. Outside the MAC, Perry’s record was near perfect – 31 wins in 32 regular season games. Perry was selected as Ohio Coach of the Year in 1956 and 1959. Thirty-four of his players gained All-Ohio and All-MAC honors with two players – Bob Zimpfer and Bernie Casey – being named All-Americans. He became BGSU’s athletic director for six years after retiring from coaching in 1964. Several of his former players and assistant coaches went on to become great coaches themselves, including BGSU graduate Don Nehlen at West Virginia University and Moe Ankney, former head BGSU football coach and now defensive coordinator at Missouri. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and in 1966 the university’s athletic facility was named Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
*Deceased
James Pickens Jr. ’76 James Pickens Jr. has conquered stage, screen and television in a variety of acting roles. He started acting at the Karamu House, the oldest African-American theater in the United States, located in his native Cleveland. After moving to New York, Pickens performed in the 1981 production of Charles Fullers’ “A Soldier’s Play” at the Negro Ensemble Company with fellow cast members Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. He was a member of the Circle Rep/Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of “Balm in Gilead” and starred in the 25th anniversary revival of A Raisin in the Sun. In 1990 he moved west and has appeared in movies including Traffic, Nixon and Bulworth. He portrayed slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers in Ghosts of Mississippi and also had a featured role in How Stella Got Her Groove Back. He is well known to TV audiences for his recurring roles on series including “NYPD Blue,” “The X-Files,” “The Practice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under” and “The West Wing.” He starred opposite Rob Lowe in “The Lyon’s Den” and with William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman in “A Slight Case of Murder.” He received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Drama Ensemble and two NAACP Image Awards nominations for his current role as Dr. Richard Webber on Grey’s Anatomy. He returned to Karamu House as executive producer of the musical review Gospel, Gospel, Gospel, which will be performed around the country. He is also a member of the United States Team Roping Championships, roping cattle on horseback at events across the country.
B
d
s
Martin D. Porter ’81 Martin Porter believes in bringing music to the next generation. Porter is the founding director of Toledo School for the Arts (TSA). He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wittenberg University and a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from Bowling Green State University. Porter served as a music educator at Southeastern Local Schools prior to graduate studies at BGSU. He was director of public events for the BGSU College of Musical Arts and executive director of the Lima Area Arts Council before coming to TSA. Porter is an active performer with the Toledo Symphony and the Toledo Jazz Orchestra. As a freelance musician, he has performed with various artists including the Tower Brass Quintet, the Northwood Orchestra, Doc Severinsen and the Four Tops. Porter has served on the board of several area arts organizations, including the Toledo Jazz Society and Toledo Ballet Association. In 2007 TSA was identified as one of the leading charter schools in the nation and featured in the U.S. Department of Education publication, Innovations in Education. TSA was also named the 2007 Outstanding Charter School of the Year by the national Center for Education Reform and was awarded the 2007 Ohio State Superintendent’s School of Promise designation. Also that year, TSA was the first charter school in the nation to receive the Title 1 School of Distinction award. Recently, TSA has been nominated as a National Blue Ribbon School and named an EPIC Silver-Gain High School, one of four across the nation. TSA has received an Excellent rating from the State of Ohio Department of Education for the last two years and has been recognized as a top performing school by the Ohio Coalition for Quality Education. The school was also a third-time national finalist for the Grammy Signature Schools Award and was named a Bronze Medalist in U.S.News and World Report’s “2008 Best High Schools Search,” placing TSA in the top six percent of schools nationwide.
William Primrose Jr. ’42 Bill Primrose’s relationship with BGSU didn’t end at graduation. If anything, that relationship has become a big part of his professional and personal life. After earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing research, Primrose began work at Dickey-Grabler, a steel stampings manufacturer. His father started working at the business in 1923, and by 1986 the company was owned by the family. Primrose later retired as chairman and turned control over to his son. Along the way he also served on the Board of Directors of Independent Steel Co., and as a member of the Precision Metalforming Association Voice of the Industry Committee. While at BGSU Primrose was involved with track, band, Varsity Club, Key staff, YMCA and Commoners Fraternity (predecessor of Pi Kappa Alpha). He met his wife Mary Catherine Stahl, also a 1942 grad, on campus. Both his children are alumni, and his son also met and married a BGSU grad. All are members of the Presidents Club. He is director emeritus of the Foundation Board, and established the William J. Primrose Scholarship, the William and Mary Catherine Primrose Endowment and the Primrose Family Professorship in Accounting. He has also served on the University Development Council, Foundation Board of Directors, Alumni Association Board of Directors, Dean’s Alumni Advisory Council in the College of Business Administration and several search and selection committees.
B
d
s
Geoffrey Radbill ’68 Geoffrey Radbill retired in 2004 as senior vice president and chief operating officer of retail distribution at AXA-Equitable, having held numerous managerial positions with the company for 36 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Bowling Green State University. Currently at BGSU, he is chairman of the development committee for the BGSU Foundation Board of Directors. He is also a member of the finance department’s advisory board, an executive-in-residence for the finance and management departments, and a member of BGSU’s Presidents Club Advisory Council. Additionally, Radbill volunteers his time and shares his passion for BGSU with the Office of Admissions working to increase freshman enrollment from the New York City metropolitan area. He was honored as a BGSU Accomplished Graduate in 2006. In addition to his involvement at BGSU, he is active with the New York City chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, having previously served as development committee chairperson, vice president of the board and president-elect of a local chapter. Radbill also participates in fund raising and client service consulting for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Previously he was a Registered Investment Adviser, Registered Representative and a Registered Securities Principal of the NASD, a member of the American Society of Chartered Life Underwriters and Chartered Financial Consultants, and the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Long Beach, N.Y. and New York City.
“BGSU gave me a great education as a springboard to my career, thanks, in part, to many caring professors and administrators who taught me accountability, business ethics, leadership and time management through priority setting and a focused work ethic.”
Arnold Rampersad ’67, ’68, ’95 (Hon.) A people’s history is sometimes best told through individual stories. Arnold Rampersad has made it his life’s work to tell the African-American story through the lens of biography. A noted scholar, critic and biographer, and a former senior associate dean for the humanities at Stanford University, Rampersad is now the Sara Hart Kimball Professor Emeritus in the Humanities at Stanford. Most recently he returned to BGSU as the President’s Visiting Scholar in the Humanities. His presentations have included discussions on biography, sports, American literature and the humanities. His life’s work of interpreting the African-American experience through biography includes The Art and Imagination of W.E.B. Du Bois; The Life of Langston Hughes (two volumes); Days of Grace: A Memoir, co-written with Arthur Ashe; Jackie Robinson: A Biography, and Ralph Ellison: A Biography. He has also edited several volumes, including Collected Poems of Langston Hughes and a major revised edition of Richard Wright’s Native Son. He was also co-editor of the Race and American Culture book series published by Oxford University Press. Rampersad grew up in Trinidad. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from BGSU, he earned a doctorate in English and American literature from Harvard. In 1991 he was awarded a five-year, $300,000 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, known as the “genius award,” to further his research. He was also awarded BGSU’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1992 and an honorary doctorate from the university.
B
d
s
Edward J. Reiter ’62 If Edward Reiter’s community needs him, he is there. Reiter, retired senior chairman of Sky Financial Group, has been involved with dozens of boards and capital campaigns in northwest Ohio. He has been involved with the BGSU Alumni and Foundation boards, the COSI Board of Directors, the Toledo Community Foundation Board, the Toledo Symphony Board and the United Way. He is a former Board of Trustees member for Owens Community College, Lourdes College, Davis College, the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce, Cherry Street Mission and the Boys and Girls Club of Toledo. Reiter is a founding member of the University of Toledo Center for Family Business, was the general chair of northwest Ohio fund raising for the United Negro College Fund, and chair of the Toledo Area Regional Growth Partnership. That’s only a small sampling of the civic activities that have kept Reiter busy over his banking career. After graduating from BGSU, he served in the U.S. Army from 1962-64. He taught for several years in area high schools before joining Mid American National Bank and Trust Company. He worked his way up to chief executive officer of Mid American, and served as senior chairman of Sky Financial (formerly Mid American) from 1998-2005. He currently serves on several corporate boards. Along the way he received awards for his business and civic activities. His BGSU honors include the Alumni Community Award in 1991, the Business Education Distinguished Alumni Award in 1992 and the Doyt Perry Award in 2000. He’s also been honored as Executive of the Year for Northwest Ohio, Outstanding Citizen by the city of Bowling Green, New Hope Christian Foundation Lifetime Award for ethics in business, National Bronze Award for “Financial World’s” CEO of the year, along with two honorary doctorate degrees and numerous hall of fame awards. In retirement he continues to be active in mentoring, speaking, and helping those in need. He is married, with two children and six grandchildren.
“I met Linda, my wife of 49 years, at BGSU. Dr. Mearl R. Guthrie was a favorite professor of business education, and is still a close personal friend.”
Randolph M. Rowe ’85 Randy Rowe helps make industry hum. As a vice president for Ingersoll-Rand Co. in Missouri, Rowe helps run a company that provides the latest HVAC technology for commercial buildings and provides for a safe global food chain through transport and retail refrigeration applications to companies around the world. After graduating from BGSU with a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing technology, Rowe went on to receive a master’s in business administration from Xavier University. He began his professional career with GE Aircraft Engines and worked his way up the GE ladder before joining Ingersoll-Rand in 2007 as vice president of Global Supply Chain. At BGSU, he was a member and first vice president of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and a member of the Management Club and Order of Omega. He was also a founding member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, contributed to Union Activities Organization, lead campus tours as a tour guide and lettered in football. He received BGSU’s Accomplished Graduate Award for the College of Technology in 2001. He and his wife, Diane, also a 1985 graduate, have a daughter, Courtney, attending college in Georgia and were blessed with a son, Kyle, who passed away in 1996.
“Dr. Victor Repp was passionate about teaching and making a difference with the students. I also met my future wife, Diane Conner at a sororityfraternity ‘tea.’ Besides receiving an excellent education, the BGSU sports teams won more than 10 MAC or CCHA championships, plus the 1984 NCAA hockey national championship – what a great place!”
B
d
s
Eugene T. W. Sanders ’80, ’85, ’92 Dr. Eugene T.W. Sanders, chief executive officer, author, educator and administrator, is a nationally recognized leader in urban school leadership. He earned his reputation as a successful school CEO by guiding two of Ohio’s largest urban school districts toward unprecedented academic achievement. Sanders was named Ohio Superintendent of the Year by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation and earned the NAACP’s Daisy Bates Award for his leadership in raising graduation rates and moving his district to meet federal guidelines for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and closing the achievement gap. He was named CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in 2006, and currently oversees the education of more than 50,000 students. Before that, Sanders served for six years as the superintendent of Toledo Public Schools. His education service began as a social studies teacher at Sandusky High School and assistant principal for Lorain’s Southview High School and Oberlin High School. Sanders, a former tenured professor at BGSU, served on the BGSU faculty from 1993-2000.
Dr. Sanders, you are an inspiration to all you have touched as an educator, author and leader. - Your proud staff in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Among his numerous honors is the State of Ohio’s recognition for Educational Excellence through the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observance. In 2009, the Sandusky, Ohio, native was inducted into the Erie County Chamber of Commerce’s “Gallery of Achievers,” At the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Black Heritage Celebration, Sanders was presented the organization’s “Black Achievers of Ohio” Award.
“When I was in the eighth grade, I visited campus with my big brother. I fell in love with BGSU as a 13-year-old and couldn’t wait to be a student. Once here, I appreciated professor Bill York, who was a mentor and colleague who observed my leadership capacity early in my career.”
Eva Marie Saint ’46, ’82 (Hon.) Eva Marie Saint has become an icon in the theatrical world. She has appeared in more than 40 films since starting in show business in the early 1950s, most notably On the Waterfront, for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1954. Since then she appeared in North by Northwest, Exodus and Nothing in Common. Recent credits include Superman Returns, Because of Winn-Dixie, I Dreamed of Africa, Time to Say Goodbye? and My Antonia. At BGSU she was the Skol Sweater Swing Queen, Pi Kappa Alpha Dream Girl, The Key Beauty Queen and May Queen. She was sophomore class president and senior class secretary, and participated in several organizations and clubs including Delta Gamma Sorority. In 1970, she received some of her best reviews for Loving, co-starring as the wife of George Segal. Saint returned to television and the stage in the 1980s, where she appeared in a number of made-for-TV movies and played the mother of Cybill Shepherd on the hit television series “Moonlighting” over a three-year period. She received an Emmy nomination for the 1977 miniseries “How the West Was Won” and a 1978 Emmy nomination for “Taxi.” The main auditorium in BGSU’s University Hall was renamed the “Eva Marie Saint Theatre.” She was presented an honorary doctorate degree of performing arts and the BGSU Distinguished Alumnus Award, both in 1982. In 2002, she and her husband, Jeffrey Hayden, returned to campus for a scholarship benefit performance of ‘Love Letters.’
B
d
s
Otto Schoeppler ’47, ’79 (Hon.) Otto Schoeppler’s life work has been to unite Germany and America through commerce. A graduate of BGSU in 1947, his studies were interrupted by nearly three years of military service. During World War II he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army in Europe, and was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Croix de Guerre. Following graduation he joined the Insurance Co. of North America and became general manager of its operations in Germany. He later joined Chase Manhattan Bank and, after becoming its manager in Germany, resigned to become a partner in a German private bank. He rejoined Chase in 1974 and was named president of Chase Manhattan Capital Markets Corp. and chairman of two subsidiaries in London and Hong Kong. After his 1985 retirement, Schoeppler continued as chairman of Chase Manhattan Ltd. in London and Chase Bank A.G. in Germany. He has served on several company boards and has been president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany and the Council of American Chambers of Commerce in Europe. He received an honorary doctorate degree from BGSU in 1979 and was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980.
“Following my discharge from the U.S. Army, I remember returning to campus to see my then-sweetheart Eva Marie Saint at the DG House. I also have positive memories of President Frank Prout because he empathized with the students for their problems as well as their achievements.”
J. Robert Sebo ’58 If you get a paycheck, chances are Bob Sebo’s company processed it. After serving as district sales manager of the Cadillac Motor Division General Motors in western New York, he started working with Paychex, which at the time only had two employees. In 1974 Sebo began Paychex Inc of Ohio, concentrating on the area from Salem to Cleveland. Paychex became a public company in 1982 and Sebo served as senior vice president for Paychex Inc. of Rochester, N.Y., and is now retired. The company processes the payrolls of about 700,000 clients, making it the second-largest payroll-processing firm in the United States. Sebo received his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1958. At BGSU he is currently chair of the University Board of Trustees, a member of the Presidents Club, Heritage Society, Falcon Club and Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He provided the lead gift for construction of the Sebo Athletic Center. He also established the Bob Sebo Football Scholarship, the Bob Sebo Endowed Scholarship in Jazz Studies and the Bob Sebo Lecture Series in Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration. Among his awards are the Salvation Army Spirit of Service to Others Award in 2003; BG Doyt Perry Award and GMAC’s Champion of Life, both in 2004; Kappa Sigma Fraternity John G. Tower Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005, BGSU’s Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Salem Museum Person of the Year in 2009.
I can’t think of another University I’d rather be associated with. I love Brown and Orange. GO FALCONS!
He is an active member of the Salem Elks Lodge, Emmanuel Lutheran Church and the Saxon and Italian Clubs, all of Salem, Ohio. Additionally, Sebo is a patron of the Salem Community Theater as well as the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Rochester, N.Y. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Salem, Ohio.
– Bob Sebo
“I first saw the fabulous “Four Freshmen” in concert at BGSU during my freshman year in 1955 and have been an addicted fan and have been to at least one concert a year for the past 55 years. Professors Balogh, Cooke, Jichs, Yeager and Bonawitz each had their own way to make class interesting.”
B
d
s
Charles E. Shanklin ’51* Chuck Shanklin may have moved away from BGSU after graduation, but he never really left. Shanklin served as chairman of the board of Crestview Aerospace Corp. in Florida before his death in 2009. He grew the company from 13 employees when purchased by the family to more than 1,200 employees in 2005 before it was sold. After graduating from BGSU with a degree in political science, Shanklin earned a law degree from Ohio State University. Before becoming involved in various businesses, he was an attorney at Baker and Hostetler in Columbus, where he specialized in litigation, anti-trust, labor and corporate law. For Shanklin, the Falcon roots were deep. Five of his six children attended or graduated from BGSU. He established the Charles E. Shanklin Award for Research Excellence in 1984, a competition for graduate students. He also established the Bernice R. Shanklin Music Scholarship Fund, in honor of his wife, in 2002. A member of The Presidents Club since 1974, Shanklin was on the Board of Trustees, including two years as chair. He was also president of the Alumni Board of Directors, and was a director emeritus of the BGSU Foundation Board. He received the Alumni Service Award in 1972 and was speaker at the 50th reunion luncheon for 2001 Homecoming.
*Deceased
Franklin “Gus” Skibbie ’26* Gus Skibbie’s life was not bounded by limits. While he stayed in northwest Ohio, his careers ranged from teacher and sports official to mayor. As a student at Bowling Green Normal College, he won 14 letters in football, basketball, baseball, track and tennis – a school record that still stands. He captained, at least once, every major team then in existence. He captained the school’s first championship football team and scored the school’s first touchdown. After graduating and getting a master’s degree from Columbia University Skibbie taught for 38 years, but also coached basketball and football. He started officiating football and basketball in 1930, and officiated in 752 football games and the state basketball finals five times. He was a football official in the Ohio Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Eastern Collegiate Conference and the Big Ten. In 1963 he was chosen as one of two football officials sent to U.S. military bases in Europe to discuss officiating rules. His political career began with his election as councilman at-large in Bowling Green, and was followed by 12 years as mayor. During his time as mayor, he has said, one of his proudest accomplishments was helping to quell the unrest after the deaths of four Kent State students on May 4, 1970. He allowed a peaceful student protest march through the streets of downtown Bowling Green.
The extended family of Gus Skibbie truly appreciates the opportunity to see our Dad-GrandfatherGreat GrandfatherUncle honored by the University.
He was a member of several organizations and a championship amateur golfer. His honors include the BGSU Alumni Community Award. He was also one of the first six individuals inducted into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame.
*Deceased
d
s
Hugh Kash Smith ’91, ’94 Hugh Kash Smith is one of America’s most recognized tenors, having performed in all the “big houses” in the United States and in many important venues in Europe. He made his debut in “Madame Butterfly” in Naples, Italy, after winning the Pavarotti competition in 1995. Early in his career he won competitions spanning the Metropolitan Opera to Mario Lanza International. Smith since has become an internationally acclaimed dramatic tenor singing in the world’s major opera houses and concert halls including Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw, Kennedy Center, Avery Fisher Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric, San Francisco Opera, San Diego, Opera of Paris, Chatelet of Paris, Bologna, Lithuania, Brussels, Croatia, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Wales, Warsaw, Tokyo and many others. His travels have taken him to sing operatic repertoire ranging from Alban Berg to Zemlinsky specializing in Strauss, Verdi, Puccini and Wagner. He has worked with Maestri Asher Fish to Antonio Witt including Sir John Elliot Gardiner, Valery Gergiev and Sir Andrew Davis all in leading or title dramatic tenor roles. Recently he has worked under the direction of Maestro Placido Domingo and this spring Maestro James Levine. His discography includes “Die Liebe der Danae” by Richard Strauss and “An American Requiem” by Richard Danielpour on Telarc. Recent highlights include the title role of Don Carlo with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic and a tour of Beethoven’s 9th with the Israel Symphony Orchestra with Daniel Ettinger to South America celebrating the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1991 and a master’s degree in 1994 from BGSU and attended the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he received a master’s degree of fine arts in 1998.
David M. Sokol ’84 As president of Garland Industries, David Sokol has grown the company ten-fold while still keeping its family culture. When Sokol joined the company in 1990, following career moves that included a stint as an instructor and marketing communications coordinator at BGSU, there were 50 employees and revenue less than $25 million. Today the company employs more than 500 people, with annual sales approaching $250 million. Across its various business units, Garland Industries has grown about 12 percent a year while still winning honors for being one of the top places to work in northeast Ohio. In addition to business activities, Sokol is active in his community. He became one of the Vermillion Yacht Club’s youngest commodores in 2004. He has coached his children’s baseball teams. He also assumed voluntary leadership of the Spirit Group at Olmsted Community Church when its youth director left in 1996, and led more than 1,000 junior high students through the program during his 11 years of service. Sokol received the President’s Award from BGSU in 1984, and in 2008 received the Accomplished Graduate Award. He is married with three children.
Dave, we are so proud of your accomplishments and success. Your hard work, passion and dedication are admired by us all.
“I was encouraged by a hall director to become an RA and by a professor to run for president of a student organization. Though I couldn’t believe anyone would think I would be a good choice for such demanding jobs, I developed leadership skills that I continue to use today, and I learned if you believe in yourself you can always do more than you might think is possible.”
B
d
s
Robert M. Thompson ’55, ’06 (Hon.) Bob Thompson believes in sharing the wealth. He is the retired president and former owner of the Thompson-McCully Company, Michigan’s largest asphalt and paving contracting company. In 1991 he sold the company for $422 million. After the sale, he gave $128 million of his gains to his 550 employees. His unorthodox profit sharing plan awarded $2,000 per year of service to workers with retirement plans; those without plans received between $1 million and $2 million depending on seniority and merit. He has also shared his wealth, both financially and in time spent, with his alma mater. He is a Presidents Club member and was honorary chair of the National Campaign Steering Committee. He is also a member of the Foundation Board and Heritage Society, and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2006 along with his wife, Ellen, a 1954 graduate. He established, with a $6.7 million pledge, the Thompson President’s Leadership Academy Fund for Detroit-area inner city students showing strong leadership skills. He also endowed the Robert and Ellen Bowen Thompson Scholarship in 1981. It is awarded annually to one or more juniors who are enrolled full-time, demonstrate financial need and academic merit, and employed by BGSU for at least 10 hours a week. Both Thompsons worked while attending BGSU and see the scholarship as a way to thank the university for helping them and to encourage working students. Robert and Ellen presented a $3 million dollar gift to expand and renovate the student union, renamed in their honor during its 2002 reopening.
“My favorite memory was meeting Ellen (Bowen), my wife of 54 years. Also, when I arrived in the locker room for pre-season practice, surrounded by people who were huge, I knew I was no match for them. However, I needed the scholarship. Football coach Bob Whittaker allowed me to keep my scholarship for four years even though I never played in any game.”
Nate Thurmond ’63 Considered by many to be one of the best defensive centers ever to play pro basketball, intimidating the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond honed his skills playing for the Falcons. The 6’ 10” Thurmond lettered in basketball and was declared an NCAA Basketball All-American at BGSU, where he was known as “The Pride of Bowling Green State University” for his collegiate career stats. Upon graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education, he was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors and started a heralded 14-year pro career. With the Warriors Thurmond was named to the 1964 NBA All-Rookie Team and still holds the regular season record for rebounds in a quarter of 18. He averaged 21.3 and 22 rebounds per game in the 1966-67 and 1967-68 seasons, stats exceeded only by Bill Russell and Chamberlain in NBA history. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls, and in his first game he rallied for 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocked shots–the first player in NBA history to record a quadrupledouble. After being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he helped lead the Cavs to the Eastern Conference Finals. In 1996 he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and he remains one of the greatest rebounders and shot blockers in league history. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star, and was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996. His jersey number, 42, was retired by the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is a member of several sports halls of fame, including those of the NBA and BGSU. Today Thurmond owns and operates Big Nate’s Barbeque in San Francisco, and he is involved philanthropically with the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation in Washington, D.C.
B
d
s
John R. Tozzi ’66 John Tozzi is president and CEO of Cambridge Investments Ltd., which currently has in excess of $500 million under management and is predominantly concentrated in the energy industry. Tozzi founded the investment company in 1981 and has served as president and CEO since its formation. From 1973-81, Tozzi was a founding senior partner and member of the executive committee at Montgomery Securities. Before that, he managed the institutional department of Lehman Brothers and was an institutional associate at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Tozzi earned a bachelor’s degree from BGSU, was a Rodkey Fellow and received his MBA cum laude from the University of Michigan. He is a former trustee of and economics instructor at the Branson School. He is a board member of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and the National Museum of Wildlife Art. He is also chairman of the Yellowstone National Art Trust and the Jackson Hole Community Center for the Arts.
Dorothy M. Tucker ’58 Dorothy Tucker is BGSU’s unofficial official cheerleader. In her personal life she has spent many years co-leading alumni efforts to encourage more interest among alumni. She spearheaded homecoming events for African-American alumni and co-founded the Black Pioneer Scholarship Fund with fellow alumnus Berton Keith. She recently joined the BGSU Alumni Board and in 2000 received the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Professionally, she is a licensed psychologist, a police psychologist and a consulting professor with Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center. She is also currently a psychologist for the Los Angeles Police Department. She has consulted with corporations and governments around the world, including General Electric and the U.S. Department of Defense. She is past president and governing board member of the California Psychological Association, a former director of National Training Labs and a founding member of the Black Women Forum. She is also a former member of the State Bar Board of Governors and has served as president of various organizations and committees, including the United Negro College Fund.
“Dr. Willard Wankelman was a great teacher who was inclusive, dynamic and patient. His patience stimulated and inspired my creative side. I remember the importance of when fraternities and sororities for black students were established, and when the University president apologized to black alumni for exclusion and past actions.”
B
d
s
James Tucker Jr. ’57 Jim Tucker spent his career at Ford Motor Company helping to open the door for others. After graduating from BGSU and serving in the U.S. Army, he began with Ford in 1961 at the Ford Motor Engine Plant at Lima, the first salaried African-American employee at Lima. He was eventually promoted to the Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan., where he was coordinator of local negotiations and a member of the Ford National Bargaining Team. He retired from Ford in 2001 as the director of UAW-Ford Joint Programs. His real passion, however, has been social and corporate change, which he worked for from within Ford. He represented Ford on the National Urban League’s Black Executive Exchange Program, a role that included teaching at historically black colleges. He was a member of Ford’s committee to assist in the divestment of Ford operations in South Africa and negotiated the cooperative agreement with Operation PUSH, which encouraged Ford to provide equal opportunities for minorities and women. He coordinated Nelson Mandela’s visit to Ford Rouge in Detroit in 1990 and was instrumental in helping to make Ford a more diverse company. He was one of the first African-American students to graduate with a business degree from BGSU. He later established a scholarship in honor of his father and mother, James and Cleo Tucker. He is a founding member of Alpha Kappa Omega, the first black fraternity at BGSU. He was a member of the Alumni Association Board for two terms and a member of the Foundation Board. He was also a member of the Capital Fund Campaign Committee, Cornerstone Club and the Building Dreams Campaign. He is a life member of the NAACP and listed in Who’s Who in Black America.
“There were many professors and administrators who were committed to providing opportunities for all BGSU students. During a game with Marshall in 1955, I was refused service at a restaurant. The team ordered steak dinners and left them on the table in protest of the restaurant’s action, and Coach Harold ‘Andy’ Anderson led the protest.”
Shawn Ulreich ’80 Shawn Ulreich has spent her career providing leadership to various healthcare organizations. As chief nurse executive and vice president of patient care services for Spectrum Health Hospital Group, she is responsible for nursing practice at four hospitals, and associated urgent care centers and clinics. She is also responsible for AeroMed, a medical transportation service. She has oversight of more than 3,000 nurses and staff in the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Spectrum group. She is the chairman of the West Michigan Nurse Advisory Council, sits on several community advisory boards and is currently the local event chairman for the Go Red for Women Campaign of the American Heart Association. Through her leadership, Ulreich has guided two organizations to the achievement of Magnet status, a prestigious award designated to healthcare organizations for excellence in nursing practice. She also serves as a Magnet appraiser with the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Before joining Spectrum Health, Ulreich served as chief nursing officer and chairman of the division of nursing for The Cleveland Clinic. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from BGSU, earned a Master of Science degree in nursing from Kent State University and will begin doctoral studies in the fall at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. She began her career as a staff nurse caring for medical-surgical and oncology patients at St. Vincent Hospital in Toledo.
“Dr. Mary Beth Hayward had a calm and deliberate approach with students, taking time with us and recognizing our anxieties. I remember the adventure of melting snow to wash our hair during the Blizzard of 1978, serving as a BGSU hostess for football games and enjoying Sunday brunch in the Strawberry Patch.�
B
d
s
Ron Van Lieu ’63 Ron Van Lieu has helped generations of actors perfect their craft. After graduating from BGSU, Van Lieu attended the graduate theatre program at the University of Iowa, and later became a resident actor at Vassar College. In 1966 he attended the acting program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where his mentors included Lloyd Richards and Olympia Dukakis. After a brief stint with the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre he returned to New York and became a founding member of the Lion Theatre Company. In 1975 he began teaching in the graduate acting program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he remained for 29 years as Master Teacher and eventually program chairman. With Zelda Fichandler, he built the program into the premiere actor-training conservatory in the United States, and in 1993 was awarded the NYU Distinguished Teaching Medal. Upon his retirement an endowed scholarship was established in his name. He is also a founding faculty member of The Actors’ Center in New York City, where he has taught actors and acting teachers for the last 12 years. Since 2004 he has also been at the Yale School of Drama, where he is the Lloyd Richards Professor and Chair of Acting. His students have won every major drama award, including Academy Awards, New York Film Critic Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, Tonys, Emmys and Golden Globes. He was the founding acting teacher of The Shakespeare Lab at the New York Shakespeare Festival, which he headed for 10 years.
Fran Voll ’68 Fran Voll not only coaches teams, but also builds them. He started his career at BGSU, simultaneously holding the positions of head women’s basketball coach and associate director of athletics. As coach he had a 71 percent win-loss record, the best record in the Mid-American Conference, and was selected MAC Coach of the Year for two seasons. He held the second longest win streak in the nation of 21 consecutive wins in the 1986-87 season and had a 22 game win streak during the 1987-90 season. His teams earned four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. While at BGSU he helped recruit a record number of athletic sponsors and negotiated contracts with regional commercial stations for two weekly TV shows. He also worked with local auto dealers in the “Wheels of Falcons” project. Voll then went on to be the head women’s coach at Central Michigan University, before becoming president and principal of Marion Catholic High School where he remains. He is a member of the BGSU Board of Trustees and a past member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. He is a past member of the boards of directors for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Marion, the Marion Area YMCA and the Rotary Club of Marion, as well as past campaign chairman of the United Way of Marion County.
“As Dean of Students, Ray Whittaker handled the students well during a time of transition. Among my favorite memories are when the women’s basketball team defeated Cincinnati in an NCAA game in Anderson Arena, and when I was able to witness my three sons graduate from BGSU during my tenure as coach and Falcon Club director.”
B
d
s
John J. Voorhees ’60 John Voorhees is a leading professor and researcher in dermatology, focusing on psoriasis and premature aging. He is the Duncan and Ella Poth Distinguished Professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, where he is chair of the dermatology department. He began his UM career as an instructor in 1969, after graduating summa cum laude from the medical school and doing his internship and residency at the same place. Voorhees divides his time among medical research, patient care and doctor training. His research has demonstrated that psoriasis is a disease treatable by immunosuppressive drugs. He and his colleagues have unraveled the mechanisms by which UV light and the passage of time destroy the skin’s collagen support and have provided insight into the treatment and prevention of premature aging. He has been on the editorial board of eight scholarly journals and has authored 604 full publications. His publications have been quoted in medical literature more than any other dermatologist in the world. He has given invited lectures in the United States, Europe, Africa, Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia, South America and China. He is an honorary member of 16 foreign dermatological societies He has received many awards and honors. He is the only person to have received the Taub International Memorial Award for Research in Psoriasis twice. He was also honored with the Master Dermatologist Award of the American Academy of Dermatology at this year’s annual meeting.
“I was very appreciative of my chemistry professor and being able to get a four-year degree in three years, which enabled me to spend my fourth year in medical school at the University of Michigan.”
Kevin C. Webb ’79, ’82 Kevin Webb has been a medical professional and expert in healthcare administration for more than 25 years. After earning a degree in speech pathology and audiology from Miami University, he earned a master’s and doctorate degrees from BGSU. Early in his career he was an audiologist and manager at The Toledo Hospital and Lima Memorial Hospital. During the next nine years he held various management positions culminating in being named corporate director of business development for ProMedica Health Systems in 2000. Later that year Webb was appointed president of Flower Hospital in Sylvania, and in 2008 he was named president of The Toledo Hospital and Toledo Children’s Hospital. As president of ProMedica Health System’s largest acute care hospital and the region’s leading tertiary care facility, he leads two hospitals that provide care to 30,000 inpatients, 85,000 emergency room patients and 15,000 surgical patients each year. Toledo Children’s Hospital is one of only six children’s hospitals in Ohio. The two hospitals combined employ more than 4,500 healthcare workers and more than 1,000 physicians. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the Ohio Hospital Association. He has been president of several organizations, including the Ohio Council of Speech and Hearing Administrators, Lima Sertoma Club, Westside Swim and Racquet Club and the Sylvania Area Chamber of Commerce. Currently he is a board member of the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association and a member of the Toledo Rotary Club.
“Fred Pigge made statistics understandable and easily applicable. When I was in school, I remember feeding binary punch cards into the computer at the Health Sciences Library late at night in order to run statistical analyses, and then the data would be printed on green-line paper the next morning.”
B
d
s
Stephen L. Weber ’64 More than 33,000 students at San Diego State University call Stephen Weber “Mr. President.” As the seventh president of San Diego State, Weber oversees one of the largest state universities in the country. He initiated a “Shared Vision” initiative, setting forth a road map for the university’s future that has successfully addressed academic excellence, student nurturing, diversity and social justice, stewardship and global programs. Weber earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from BGSU and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. He was an award-winning faculty member at the University of Maine. Before becoming president at San Diego State in 1996, Weber was the president of the State University of New York, Oswego, and the interim provost of the 64-campus SUNY system. Prior to that, he was dean of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University and academic vice president at St. Cloud State University. Weber has chaired the board of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He has been on the board of directors of the Perez Center for Peace and of several local organizations including the San Diego Foundation, the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Corporation of San Diego. He has served on the Division 1-A Board and Executive Committee of the NCAA. Weber is the author of dozens of articles featured in professional and scholarly journals. He was presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2004. He has also received awards from the San Diego Education Association, Beijing Capital Normal University, San Diego Press Club and the YMCA. In 2008, Weber received the Diogenes Award by the Public Relations Society of America, recognizing his honesty and forthrightness. Weber and his wife, Susan Keim Weber, met as undergraduates at BGSU. They have been married 44 years and have two adult sons, Richard L. and Matthew K. Weber.
“Sherman Stange was a great teacher who was politically aware and active. He taught existentialism, which became my favorite course to teach. I also met Susan (Keim), my wife of 44 years, at BGSU.”
Philip D. Weller ’70 Phil Weller is a well-known real estate practitioner in Texas. Managing partner of DLA Piper’s Dallas office, he has been involved in structuring equity investment, forming REITs, financials, development, acquisitions and dispositions of properties, planned community development, project finance and mortgage finance. He counts among his clients, developers, banks and insurance companies. Weller is immediate past president of American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), and is also a member of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, the Anglo-American Real Property Institute and the Urban Land Institute. In 2008 the State Bar of Texas appointed him chair of its standing committee on real estate forms. Before joining DLA Piper, Weller was a partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP for 25 years. He has been named a top real estate lawyer by several professional publications, including Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America. In 2007 Lawdragon named him among the 500 Dealmakers in America. He served as co-counsel to the Pasadena Trails Resident Owned Community Inc., a corporation formed by the residents of a manufactured housing park in Texas who joined together to purchase the park and then manage it. The summer 2009, Texas C-BAR Bulletin hailed DLA Piper’s efforts in the Pasadena Trails matter and its commitment to pro bono work.
“Dr. Karl Rahdert of the College of Business Administration was a true gentleman at all times and his classes were wonderful interactive group exercises. My best BGSU memory is from April 3, 1971 when Kate (Kathy Deucker ’71) and I were married in Prout Chapel.”
B
d
s
Jon Fredric West ’74, ’07 (Hon.) Jon Fredric West has established himself as the world’s foremost interpreter of the title role of Tristan in Tristan und Isolde, and both Siegfrieds in Wagner’s Ring of the Niebelung. He most recently sang the cycle at The Metropolitan Opera under the baton of maestro James Levine. His Siegfried, part of a new production of the cycle in Stuttgart, was recorded and released on DVD through EuroArts and Naxos USA, winning the Best Ring Cycle Award, Best DVD and listed on the German Critics Top Ten List for 2004. West has distinguished himself in the title role of Tristan and hailed by Klaus Geitle in Die Welt “as the kind of Tristan you seldom hear with any comparable balance of presentation.” He was chosen to sing the role for the re-opening of the Prinzregententheater in Munich, the first American to have received this honor. Recent notable operatic engagements include the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, La Monnaie in Bruxelles, Deutsche Opera Berlin, the Bayerische and Vienna Staatsopers, La Scala, San Francisco and Salzburg Festivals as well as The Chicago Lyric Opera and The Royal Opera of Covent Garden. He has performed with leading conductors and orchestras in concert and recital, among them the New York Philharmonic, the Bayerische Rundfunk Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the BBC and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. A native of Dayton, West attended BGSU on full scholarship and earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance degree. He went on to post-graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School of Music. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of musical arts from BGSU in 2007.
“I learned the joy of singing and music, as well as professionalism, discipline and performance techniques from Dr. James Paul Kennedy and Dr. Ivan Trusler. I always enjoyed walking to and from the music building (which is now West Hall) and seeing the beauty of the central campus.”
Ronald R. Whitehouse ’67 Ronald R. Whitehouse, now retired, is past chairman of the board for HQ Network Systems Inc. in San Francisco, and is the former CEO and owner of HQ affiliates in Chicago, Florida, Indianapolis and San Diego. The company provides a flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional office leasing for Fortune 100 corporations, small- to mid-size companies and independent entrepreneurs. He is also former CEO and owner of Whitehouse Industries Inc. and Johnston Boiler Co., as well as an advisor and investor in a number of small entrepreneurial companies. As a student, Whitehouse was a three-year letter winner on the University golf team, a justice on the student court, and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa men’s honorary society, Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Phi Eta Sigma freshman men scholastic honor society. As an alumnus, he was co-chair of BGSU’s successful Building Dreams Centennial Campaign, which raised more than $146.5 million. He also has served on the BGSU Foundation Board of Directors, and the Sebo Athletic Center and Intercollegiate Athletics steering committees. He was inducted into the Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame in 2008, of which he is currently a member of that steering committee, and was named an Accomplished Graduate for the College of Business Administration in 2004. He also is a past trustee for the Grand Haven (Michigan) Area Community Foundation.
B
d
s
Michael R. Wilcox ’75 Mike Wilcox might be a financial advisor, but he first made his mark on the lacrosse field at BGSU. In addition, he served as Undergraduate Student Trustee, and IFC president and led the student committee to approve and build the BGSU Student Recreation Center. Wilcox is chairman and CEO of Wilcox Financial, a diversified financial services company, and Wilcox Sports Management, a leader in sports representation and financial management. He is a 35-year veteran of the financial services industry and has spoken to audiences in more than 25 countries. Prior to beginning his professional career, he was a two-time captain of BGSU’s nationally ranked lacrosse team and played on the hockey team for two years. He was a two-time Most Valuable Player and a three-time all American in lacrosse and elected to the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame as well as the Ithaca High School Hall of Fame, the Peddie School Hall of Fame and the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame. In 2008 he received the GMAC Bowl Champions of Life Award, and in 2009 he was selected to BGSU’s Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame. He served a nine-year term on the BGSU Board of Trustees and served as chair for a term. Currently he serves as chairman of the U.S. Lacrosse Foundation and is a board member of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the Toledo Hospital Foundation, the Lou Holtz Hall of Fame and The Culver Academies. Both his wife Jan and son Ben are also BGSU graduates. Wilcox and his family reside in Toledo, Ohio.
“Coach Mickey Cochrane was truly the best! I also was proud of my involvement in the creation of the Student Recreation Center which was achieved by students and for students.”
Mary T. Wolfe ’68, ’07 (Hon.) Mary Wolfe helps companies understand art. As a corporate art consultant and interior designer for Kingston HealthCare Company, Wolfe is responsible for the look and feel of corporate properties. It’s an artistic eye she first honed at Wellesley College and later BGSU, where she graduated with a master’s degree in the history of art and painting. In 1968 she began her academic career at BGSU as an instructor of art, teaching classes that included early and late medieval, Northern Renaissance and classical art. In addition to teaching she has worked at several museums, including the McFall Center Gallery at BGSU, where she was director from 1977-82. Along the way she worked as an art reporter and interviewer, set designer and drafting apprentice. At BGSU, she is a member of the University Foundation Board and the advisory committee for “Arts Unlimited.” She is a member of the Medici Circle Board, and recipient of the “Il Magnifico” award for service. She also received an honorary doctorate in 2007. Wolfe is also a member of several boards and committees, including the Ohio Arts Council, Metropolitan Museum of Art, International Curators Inc., the Board of Trustees of the Toledo Symphony and the Apollo Society of the Toledo Museum of Art.
“My favorite professor was Paul Running¬–a good painter and teacher.”
B
d
s
David James Wottle ’73 Dave Wottle might be nicknamed “The Throttle” for his Olympian feats, but he is recognizable by the golf cap that he wore while running. Wottle took up running after a family doctor suggested he do a sport that would encourage strength. At BGSU he finished second in the mile run at the 1970 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He was hampered by injuries in 1971, but in 1972 he won the 1500-meter at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. At the 1973 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships he won the mile in a time of 3:57.1, an NCAA record that still stands. At the 1972 Olympics 800 meter final, Wottle immediately dropped to the rear of the field and stayed there for 500 meters, when he started to pass runner by runner to win dramatically by just .03 seconds. He earned the nickname “The Head Waiter” and “The Throttle.” At the medal stand he forgot to remove his golf cap during the national anthem and later apologized, but the cap became his signature for the rest of his running career. Wottle also competed in the 1500 meter at the 1972 Olympics, but was eliminated in the semi-finals. He is the first BGSU graduate to win a gold medal and remains the only one to win a non-team medal. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978. After a short professional stint he retired and went on to become a college track coach. He is currently dean of admissions and financial aid at Rhodes College.
“Coach Mel Brodt believed in me and what I could accomplish even before I believed in myself. He sent a note to my parents and said: ’Dave can be the best in the world as far as I’m concerned—if he wants to be!’ This was a comment made a full 10 months before the Munich Olympics and for a runner who had yet to even win an NCAA national title, let alone a world title. He inspired me to seek greatness.”
Kenneth Yontz ’71 It took Ken Yontz nearly 10 years to earn his business degree from BGSU, but that investment paid off as his business career took off. He began classes in 1962 and continued as a nontraditional student while working at Ford Motor Company and raising a family. He has received the Accomplished Graduate Award from BGSU Firelands. As he worked his way up at Ford, he earned his business degree and later went on to other companies before joining Sybron Dental Specialties as CEO in 1986. Under his leadership, Sybron acquired more than 90 companies or product lines, and the company’s market value grew to more than $4 billion during his reign. His current business activity involves investing in start-up companies and dealing in the private equity marketplace. He is on the board of directors of several organizations, including Rockwell Automation, Berg Electronics Corp. and AMN Healthcare Services. He is also a philanthropist, donating to many arts, medical and social and political organizations. In 1996 he donated $1 million and helped raise more to establish the Karen Yontz Women’s Cardiac Awareness Center at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee. It is named for his wife, Karen, who died at age 48 of heart disease. The Yontzes credited her care from St. Luke’s with helping her survive eight years after her 1986 heart attack.
B
d
s
Willie J. Young ’72, ’73 Willie J. Young has had the pleasure of devoting his professional career to serving and enriching the lives of students both on and off campus. He has worked tirelessly challenging and supporting students over the past 37 years at five different colleges and universities. In addition to his current position, he has been a vice president of student affairs, dean of students, assistant dean of residence life, counselor and athletic director. He is currently senior director of off-campus student services at Ohio State University, where he is responsible for working with the 46,000 students that live off campus and commute. In 2000, he received BGSU’s Community Service Award. In 2008, he was named an Accomplished Graduate of the College of Education and Human Development. At Ohio State he received the Distinguished Staff Award in 2003. His professional organizations have acknowledged his achievements through presenting to Young the highest awards offered for distinguished and lifetime service.
Willie (Yo), we applaud you and recognize your gratefulness to BG for the bed, connections, mentors, people and ongoing opportunities. - Dr. Pamela Cross Young ’74
Young has held leadership roles in several professional organizations including the Association of College and Universities Housing Officers-International, National Association of Student Affairs Professionals and Phi Delta Kappa. Young is involved in the community through various organizations, including the Central Ohio Diabetes Association, Columbus Parks and Recreation, Springfield Civic Theatre and St. Raphael Church where his ministries include Eucharistic minister, lector and usher.
“My hall director, Daniel R. Nagy, took a chance on me and hired me as a Resident Advisor (R.A.) in Anderson Hall. That single act set my student course and my professional life. I will be eternally grateful for his courage.”
Sheldon Zedeck ’69 Dr. Sheldon Zedeck is professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley and vice provost for academic affairs and faculty welfare. He has been at Berkeley since 1969 when he completed his Ph.D. degree in industrial and organizational psychology at BGSU. He served as chairman of the department for several years and, prior to this administrative position, he was the director of the campus’ Institute of Industrial Relations. Zedeck has written numerous journal articles on moderator variables, selection and validation, test fairness, performance appraisals, and work and family issues. He is the co-author of four books, and has served on the editorial boards of many professional journals, including being the editor of the premiere journal in his field, the Journal of Applied Psychology. He is also the co-founder and former editor of the journal, Human Performance. Currently he is editing a three-volume Handbook of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, which will be published by the American Psychological Association, and will also be chief editor for a forthcoming APA Dictionary of Statistics and Research Methods. He has been active in the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and in 1986 was president of the society. He has also consulted with private and public sector organizations and has served as an expert witness in employment discrimination cases. He recently completed a nine-year researched project with Marjorie M. Shultz, sponsored by the Law School Admission Council, on developing tests and standards that can be used to complement the Law School Admission Test and that can predict lawyer effectiveness.
“Professors Patricia Cain Smith and Robert M. Guion taught me how to ask questions, conduct research and contribute to the field and society in terms of presenting and implementing research. BGSU was in stark contrast to my hometown of Brooklyn, New York. However, I discovered the educational environment made up for the lack of entertainment opportunities. The faculty was terrific and supportive. And there was a new library–air conditioned and open for long hours-–where I spent the majority of my time studying and reading.” B
G
| i don't know |
August 21, 1959 saw which state join the Union as the 50th? | Hawaii becomes 50th state - Aug 21, 1959 - HISTORY.com
Hawaii becomes 50th state
Publisher
A+E Networks
The modern United States receives its crowning star when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a proclamation admitting Hawaii into the Union as the 50th state. The president also issued an order for an American flag featuring 50 stars arranged in staggered rows: five six-star rows and four five-star rows. The new flag became official July 4, 1960.
The first known settlers of the Hawaiian Islands were Polynesian voyagers who arrived sometime in the eighth century. In the early 18th century, American traders came to Hawaii to exploit the islands’ sandalwood, which was much valued in China at the time. In the 1830s, the sugar industry was introduced to Hawaii and by the mid 19th century had become well established. American missionaries and planters brought about great changes in Hawaiian political, cultural, economic, and religious life. In 1840, a constitutional monarchy was established, stripping the Hawaiian monarch of much of his authority.
In 1893, a group of American expatriates and sugar planters supported by a division of U.S. Marines deposed Queen Liliuokalani, the last reigning monarch of Hawaii. One year later, the Republic of Hawaii was established as a U.S. protectorate with Hawaiian-born Sanford B. Dole as president. Many in Congress opposed the formal annexation of Hawaii, and it was not until 1898, following the use of the naval base at Pearl Harbor during the Spanish-American War, that Hawaii’s strategic importance became evident and formal annexation was approved. Two years later, Hawaii was organized into a formal U.S. territory. During World War II, Hawaii became firmly ensconced in the American national identity following the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
In March 1959, the U.S. government approved statehood for Hawaii, and in June the Hawaiian people voted by a wide majority to accept admittance into the United States. Two months later, Hawaii officially became the 50th state.
Related Videos
| Hawaii |
Held at Max Yasgur’s 600 acre diary farm, what event, which opened on Aug 15, 1969, was billed as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music”? | Statehood Day - Hawaii's Forgotten Holiday
Statehood Day - Hawaii's Forgotten Holiday
Statehood Day - Hawaii's Forgotten Holiday
Despite Overwhelming Support for Statehood, Holiday is Ignored in Hawaii
Flag of Hawaii. Alan Baxter / Getty Images
By John Fischer
Updated June 20, 2016.
The third Friday in August is Statehood Day in Hawaii (formerly called Admission Day). It was on August 21, 1959, that Hawaii became the 50th state in the Union.
Standoff at 'Iolani Palace
In 2006, a small group (under 50) of folks organized by State Senator Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai) met at `Iolani Palace to celebrate the anniversary of Statehood at the place "where statehood was declared."
A larger group of people including, but not limited to, those with Hawaiian blood organized a protest, reportedly drowning out the smaller group. While there was a lot of shouting and some name calling, the encounter was non-violent, as have been all such encounters over the past years.
Each group has, historically, had what appear to be valid issues. The "Hawaiian" group felt that the choice of the `Iolani Palace was inappropriate since it is a special place for Hawaiians as the former home of the last monarchs. The issue is even touchier since it was in the `Iolani Palace that Hawaii's last queen, Lili`uokalani, was kept under house arrest following her overthrow on Jan.
continue reading below our video
Tipping Etiquette Around the World
17, 1893.
Native Hawaiian Issues
The ongoing conflict between native Hawaiian groups and those who support the status quo system of government in Hawaii is confusing to most visitors to the islands. It's virtually impossible to explain all of the issues to visitors primarily because there is no single voice in the islands representing those of Hawaiian blood and certainly no universal agreement among Hawaiians as to what they want for the future.
This is not to say that those of Hawaiian blood have no valid issues. They do. It is an historical fact, acknowledged by the United States Congress and President Bill Clinton that the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom was illegal. If anything the Federal Government's acknowledgment of the illegality only opened deeper wounds. The problem is that if you ask ten people of Hawaiian blood what they want done, you're likely to get 10 different answers. In fact, many are content with the status quo.
Why, then a State Holiday?
While a debate over these issues is worthwhile, my aim here is to discuss what has become the absurdity of the holiday itself in Hawaii.
The third Friday in August is a state holiday in Hawaii. All government offices are closed and workers get the day off. Many of those workers are people of Hawaiian blood. Aside from the closure of government offices, however, a visitor to Hawaii is unlikely to even know that the day is a holiday.
Back on June 27, 1959, 93% of voters on all major islands voted in favor of statehood. Of the approximately 140,000 votes cast, less than 8000 rejected the Admission Act of 1959. There were huge celebrations throughout the islands.
Statehood Still Has Strong Support
In May of 2006 the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii (GRIH) commissioned a survey to gauge support for the Akaka Bill (native Hawaiian rights bill) which was pending in the U.S. Congress. As part of that survey 78% indicated that they would vote for statehood if the vote were held today.
Why No Celebration?
Why then is the anniversary of statehood so totally ignored in the islands?
As Senator Slom outlined in his op-ed piece in the Hawaii Reporter , "The last 'major' observance of this holiday took place in Candlestick Park, San Francisco, with former Democrat Governor Benjamin Cayetano and area Hawaii residents and visitors. The Governor explained that the celebration in Hawaii had become too controversial, and that it might now be perceived as culturally insensitive by Native Hawaiian leaders."
Nothing changed under the administrations of Republican Linda Lingle (2002-2010) and Democrat Neil Abercrombie (2010-2014). The anniversary of statehood is still virtually ignored under the current administration of Democrat David Ige (2014- ).
How Absurd is This?
The absurdity of the existing situation was even larger during the 50th anniversary of Hawaii statehood in 2009 when public celebrations were quite rare. The largest celebration honoring the occurrence was that government workers got a paid day off, as they had for years.
It's a terrible message to send to Hawaii's children and a totally confusing message to send to visitors.
If the intent of state government is to ignore the anniversary of statehood, contrary to the apparent wishes of the majority of Hawaii's residents, then they should eliminate the holiday.
I live in Pennsylvania and I could not even tell you the date of our statehood. It's certainly not a holiday here.
Apparently Senator Slom proposed just that, i.e. eliminating the holiday, but his bill never was even debated. Such it seems is the power of Hawaii's government labor unions. Once a holiday, always a holiday even if it's not celebrated.
I would like to think that by the 75th anniversary of statehood the issues involving the rights of those of Hawaiian blood will be settled. Unfortunately, that's highly unlikely to happen.
All we can expect, it seems, is another absurd Statehood Day in Hawaii.
| i don't know |
According to the nursery rhyme, who “agreed to have a battle” because someone “spoiled his nice new rattle”? | Tweedledee and Tweedledum | Alice in Wonderland Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Agreed to have a battle;
For Tweedledum said Tweedledee
Had spoiled his nice new rattle.
Just then flew down a monstrous crow ,
As black as a tar-barrel;
Which frightened both the heroes so,
They quite forgot their quarrel.
Origin of the Phrase
According to Brewer's Dictionary of Pharse and Fable, the names Tweedledum and Tweedledee can be traced back to an 18th century epigram satirizing a feud between the composers, Handel and Bonocini. “Some say compared to Bononcini
That mynheer Handel’s but a ninny;
Others aver that he to Handel
Is scarcely fit to hold a candle.
Strange all this difference should be
’Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee.”
Illustration by Sir John Tenniel .
Upon meeting the two little fat men, Alice quotes the nursery rhyme, which the two brothers then go on to enact. They agree to have a battle, but never have one. When they see the Crow they take to their heels. The Tweedle brothers never contradict each other, even when one of them, according to the rhyme, "agrees to have a battle". Rather, they complement each other's words. This may have led to Tenniel's depiction of them as though they are twins and identical in physical appearance. According to the dramatis personae for Through the Looking-Glass, Tweedledee is the White Queen's rook and Tweedledum is the White King 's rook. [2]
Other Appearances
Pat O'Malley voices the Tweedles in the 1951 animated film .
In the 1999 movie , their full names are Ned Tweedledum and Fred Tweedledee.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum appear in the 2010 Alice in Wonderland movie. They're portrayed by Matt Lucas . In it they're rotund and argue. According to the White Rabbit, it's their "family trait". During the Frabjous Day battle, they fight together, defeating Red Knights easily.
In the video game adaptation of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Tweedledee and Tweedledum appear as supporting characters. They give quests to the player, which must be completed because they block the path. After the player succeeds, they will leave and give a nice reward.
In the novel series " The Looking Glass Wars ", they are re-imagined as General Doppelganger , the commander of the Royal army, made up of equal parts General Doppel and General Ganger.
In the video game " American McGee's Alice ", they work for the mad hatter . Tweedledee is larger than Tweedledum. They represented a pair of orderlies that worked in Rutledge Asylum when Alice was comitted. They were very cruel to Alice. They return in the sequel in one of Alice's flashbacks.
In the TV miniseries " Alice ", They appear as Doctors Dee and Dum.
In the 1951 version, their oufits resembled pinocchio's.
In the otome game " Heart no Kuni no Alice , they appear as twin guards for the hatter mansion owned by Blood Dupre and one of the many characters who fall in love with Alice. The blue one who wields his ax left-handed is Tweedledee while the red one who wields his ax right-handed is Tweedledum.
| Tweedledum and Tweedledee |
August 21, 1911, saw the theft of the painting known as La Gioconda from the Louvre. By what name is the painting more commonly known? | Welcome, Knowflakes, to Lindaland! (Linda-Goodman.com)
posted February 06, 2014 08:26 PM
I'll post some things for my own reference here and start to try to put something together!
The characters are perhaps best known from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice Found There (1871). Carroll, having introduced two fat little men named Tweedledum and Tweedledee, quotes the nursery rhyme, which the two brothers then go on to enact. They agree to have a battle, but never have one. When they see a monstrous black crow swooping down, they take to their heels. The Tweedle brothers never contradict each other, even when one of them, according to the rhyme, "agrees to have a battle". Rather, they complement each other's words. This fact has led Tenniel to assume that they are twins, and Gardner goes so far as to claim that Carroll intended them to be enantiomorphs � three-dimensional mirror images. Evidence for these assumptions cannot be found in any of Lewis Carroll's writings.
posted February 06, 2014 08:50 PM
@Ami...I think what follows is the most interesting and potentially the path to the answer for these guys, it comes from a comic strip who used them as villains,
this what the comics author pulled from what he saw in them, how he viewed them and then portrayed it in the comic......
The pair makes an appearance in Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth as inmates in Arkham Asylum. In this incarnation, they appear attached to each other by a pair of electroshock helmets, with Tweedledum representing the right half of the brain, and Tweedledee the left.
That makes perfect sense, half our brain ruling the creative/emotional self and the other half ruling logical processing of life! They disagree but would anyone ever know? Really how can you activity battle yourself? They work in unison but don't agree....
My life has drawn a very distinct line between my heart and my logic...and they did go to battle at one time. I became very very sick because of it, starting losing time and wondered if I'd had a split in my personality....it was terrifying!
But when you have an unaspected virgo Moon and an nearly unaspected gemini [email protected](only an out of sign 5 degree trine to scorpio [email protected] mars is retrograde so it never moved close to trine Uranus, it moved away)
With that, I think it is possible....all that mercury battling each other for the right to be the dominant force ruling my life!
I took a course to learn hypnotherapy, in my training I learned how to discern which part of the brain a person uses to think with, it's critical to know this in order to more effectively hypnotize a person.
I had to take the test myself and they told me I was with the under 2% of the population that thought equally with both right and left brain!
You process 2 times as much info as others and absorb things very quickly....but it's takes a toll on your nervous system! You need a lot of alone time to recoup!
So my thought is....these guys are conjunct in my chart.....showing that my right and left brain are equally used!
Tweedledum is the one exact on my NN....
In the nursery rhyme, it was Tweedledum that said Tweedledee had spoiled his nice new rattle.....sounds like an emotional issue to me!
Tweedledum had an emotional attachment to the rattle.....so Tweedledum must be right side of the brain, since the right side is the creative emotional part!
This is telling me I need to allow my heart to lead and stop trying to over think and analyze everything it part of what I'm to learn on my NN path!
I'll look more but that's what I've gathered so far.
What do you think ?
posted February 06, 2014 09:17 PM
Everything in the story is symbolic of something going on in Alice's psyche....
Her battle to understand what was real and what was fake....her the battle for reality!
Maybe more than trying to find "reality" as others see it, she was trying to find HER reality!
Her battle was for the ability to make her own reality using her logic and creativity together, so their was no battle inside herself anymore!
Reality is your personal belief of what life is, where it is taking you and how you fit in.....logically you must see life isn't black and white, it's a huge variation of colors based on your beliefs!
Reality isn't a tangible thing, it's isn't what others say it is unless YOU allow their beliefs to become YOUR beliefs then what they believe will become your reality, just as it's their reality....
Reality is what you make it according to your own creative concepts.
I believe if you have enough faith that you can allow yourself to really believe in your dreams, then they will become your reality!
What we believe is our reality...that makes logic and facts second to your dreams and passions, because if the dreams are what create your reality, and reality is what produces logic and facts....then dreams and passion are a more powerful and the actively creative force, while logic and facts are the product of what your dreams and passion create, so they are secondary!
Maybe that's tweedledee and tweedledum working together in my chart??
| i don't know |
Demographics is the study of what? | What is demography ? | International Union for the Scientific Study of Population
International Union for the Scientific Study of Population
Demography: the scientific study of population
In its simplest definition, demography is the scientific study of human populations. According to Landry (1945), the term, demography, was first used by the Belgian statistician, Achille Guillard, in his 1855 publication: Elements de statistique humaine, ou demographie comparee. However, John Graunt’s Natural and Political Observations Mentioned in a Following Index, and Made Upon the Bills of Mortality, published in 1662 in London, is generally acknowledged to be the first published study in the field of demography.
Language
| World population |
The Mothers of Invention backed up eccentric singer? | What is demography ? | International Union for the Scientific Study of Population
International Union for the Scientific Study of Population
Demography: the scientific study of population
In its simplest definition, demography is the scientific study of human populations. According to Landry (1945), the term, demography, was first used by the Belgian statistician, Achille Guillard, in his 1855 publication: Elements de statistique humaine, ou demographie comparee. However, John Graunt’s Natural and Political Observations Mentioned in a Following Index, and Made Upon the Bills of Mortality, published in 1662 in London, is generally acknowledged to be the first published study in the field of demography.
Language
| i don't know |
In physics, what unit of force is defined as the amount of force required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram at a rate of one meter per second per second? | What is a kilogram?| Explore | physics.org
About us
What is a kilogram?
The International Prototype Kilogram (IPK) is kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris, and the metallic cylinder has been used to define the kilogram since 1889. Previously the unit had been defined as the mass of a litre of water.
Forty replicas of the IPK were made and distributed throughout the world, and now each varies in mass by a few micrograms. The increase is thought to be due to having accumulated impurities on the surface, and may be reversible by “washing” the block with ozone and UV light.
Since the kilogram is defined as being the mass of the IPK, then if that block gets heavier the kilogram simply becomes a larger mass unit than it previously was. But the problem with this is that the kilogram is one of the seven “base units” of the SI system, from which other units are derived.
For example the unit of force, the Newton, is defined as that required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram at a rate of one metre per second squared. In turn the unit of work or energy, the Joule, is a force of one Newton exerted over a distance of one metre.
The kilogram getting heavier therefore creates a domino effect in which many other units of measurement also change – and the instruments used to measure them have to be recalibrated.
The kilogram is unique in that it’s the only one of the base units currently defined via a physical thing rather than from a natural phenomenon – it’s the joker in the deck used to build this particular house of cards.
For example the metre, once defined as a proportion of the distance from the north pole to the equator, is now the distance travelled by light in one 299,792,458th of a second. And the second, once considered to a division of a 24-hour day, is “the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom”.
It’s a goal of the science of metrology to similarly define the kilogram in terms of natural physical constants. One proposal is to define it by fixing the value of Planck’s constant , which can be expressed in units that include the kilogram.
Others include defining it as a certain number of atoms of Carbon-12, or to employ a Watt balance – a type of scale that uses electrical current and voltage to measure the weight of a test mass very precisely.
Share:
| Newton |
During what war did Francis Scott Key write "The Star-Spangled Banner," which became the national anthem? | How to Calculate Force: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Learning the Formula
1
Multiply mass times acceleration. The force (F) required to move an object of mass (m) with an acceleration (a) is given by the formula F = m x a. So, force = mass multiplied by acceleration. [1]
2
Convert figures to their SI values. The International System of Units (SI) unit of mass is the kilogram, and the SI unit of acceleration is m/s2 (meters per second squared). So when mass and acceleration are expressed in their SI units, we get the force in its SI units which is N (Newtons)
As an example, if the mass of the object is given to be 3 pounds, you'll need to convert those pounds to kilograms . 3 pounds make 1.36 kg, so the mass of the object is 1.36 kg.
3
Keep in mind that weight and mass mean different things in Physics. If the weight of an object is given in N (Newtons), then divide it by 9.8 to get the equivalent mass. For example, 10 N weight is equivalent to 10/9.8 = 1.02 kg.
Part 2
Find the force that is required to accelerate a 1,000 kg car at 5 m/s2.
Check to make sure all your values are in the correct SI unit.
Multiply your acceleration value (1000 kg) by 5 m/s2 to calculate your value.
2
Calculate the force required for an 8 pound wagon to accelerate at 7 m/s2.
First, convert all your units to SI. One pound is equal to .453 kg, so you'll need to multiply that value by your 8 pounds to determine the mass.
Multiply your new value for the mass (3.62 kg) by your acceleration value (7 m/s2).
3
Find the magnitude of force acting upon a cart weighing 100 N and accelerating at the rate of 2.5 m/s2.
Remember, 10 N is equal to 9.8 kg. So, convert Newtons to kg by dividing by 9.8 kg. Your new kg value should be 10.2 kg for the mass.
Multiply your new mass value (10.2 kg) times the acceleration (2.5 m/s2).
Community Q&A
| i don't know |
NASA launched the Viking 1 probe on August 20, 1975. To what planet was the spacecraft headed? | Viking 1 & 2
Viking 1 & 2
Launch: August 20, 1975 (Viking 1); September 9, 1975 (Viking 2)
Arrival: June 19, 1976 (Viking 1); August 7, 1976 (Viking 2)
Landers
Landing: July 20, 1976 (Viking 1); September 3, 1976 (Viking 2)
Mass: 576 kilograms (1,270 pounds)
Science instruments: Biology instrument, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer, X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, seismometer, meteorology instrument, stereo color cameras, physical and magnetic properties of soil, aerodynamic properties and composition of Martian atmosphere with changes in altitude.
Overview
NASA's Viking Project found a place in history when it became the first U.S. mission to land a spacecraft safely on the surface of Mars and return images of the surface. Two identical spacecraft, each consisting of a lander and an orbiter, were built. Each orbiter-lander pair flew together and entered Mars orbit; the landers then separated and descended to the planet's surface.
The Viking 1 lander touched down on the western slope of Chryse Planitia (the Plains of Gold), while the Viking 2 lander settled down at Utopia Planitia.
Besides taking photographs and collecting other science data on the Martian surface, the two landers conducted three biology experiments designed to look for possible signs of life. These experiments discovered unexpected and enigmatic chemical activity in the Martian soil, but provided no clear evidence for the presence of living microorganisms in soil near the landing sites. According to scientists, Mars is self-sterilizing. They believe the combination of solar ultraviolet radiation that saturates the surface, the extreme dryness of the soil and the oxidizing nature of the soil chemistry prevent the formation of living organisms in the Martian soil.
The Viking mission was planned to continue for 90 days after landing. Each orbiter and lander operated far beyond its design lifetime. Viking Orbiter 1 continued for four years and 1,489 orbits of Mars, concluding its mission August 7, 1980, while Viking Orbiter 2 functioned until July 25, 1978. Because of the variations in available sunlight, both landers were powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators -- devices that create electricity from heat given off by the natural decay of plutonium. That power source allowed long-term science investigations that otherwise would not have been possible. Viking Lander 1 made its final transmission to Earth November 11, 1982. The last data from Viking Lander 2 arrived at Earth on April 11, 1980.
| Mars |
August 17 saw the opening of what Seattle institution, and major tourist attraction, in continuous operation since 1903? | Chronology of Mars Exploration
No name (retroactively named Marsnik 1)(Mars 1960A) - 480 kg - USSR Mars Probe - (October 10, 1960)
Failed to reach Earth orbit.
No name (retroactively named Marsnik 2)(Mars 1960B) - 480 kg - USSR Mars Probe - (October 14, 1960)
Failed to reach Earth orbit.
Sputnik 22 (Mars 1962A) - USSR Mars Flyby - 900 kg - (October 24, 1962)
Spacecraft failed to leave Earth orbit after the final rocketstage exploded.
Mars 1 - USSR Mars Flyby - 893 kg - (November 1, 1962)
Communications failed en route.
Sputnik 24 (Mars 1962B) - USSR Mars lander - mass unknown (November 4, 1962)
Failed to leave Earth orbit.
Mariner 3 - USA Mars Flyby - 260 kg - (November 5, 1964)
Mars flyby attempt. Solar panels did not open, preventing flyby. Mariner 3 is now in a solar orbit.
Click here for more information about the Mariner missions.
Mariner 4 - USA Mars Flyby - 260 kg - (November 28, 1964- December 20, 1967)
Mariner 4 arrived at Mars on July 14, 1965 and passed within 6,118 miles of the planet's surface after an eight month journey. This mission provided the first close-up images of the red planet. It returned 22 close-up photos showing a cratered surface. The thin atmosphere was confirmed to be composed of carbon dioxide in the range of 5-10 mbar. A small intrinsic magnetic field was detected. Mariner 4 is now in a solar orbit.
Click here for more information about the Mariner missions.
Zond 2 - USSR Mars Flyby - 996 kg - (November 30, 1964)
Contact was lost en route.
Mariner 6 - USA Mars Flyby - 412 kg - (February 24, 1969)
Mariner 6 arrived at Mars on February 24, 1969, and passed within 3,437 kilometers of the planet's equatorial region. Mariner 6 and 7 took measurements of the surface and atmospheric temperature, surface molecular composition, and pressure of the atmosphere. In addition, over 200 pictures were taken. Mariner 6 is now in a solar orbit.
Click here for more information about the Mariner missions.
Mariner 7 - USA Mars Flyby - 412 kg - (March 27, 1969)
Mariner 7 arrived at Mars on August 5, 1969, and passed within 3,551 kilometers of the planet's south pole region. Mariner 6 and 7 took measurements of the surface and atmospheric temperature, surface molecular composition, and pressure of the atmosphere. In addition, over 200 pictures were taken. Mariner 7 is now in a solar orbit.
Click here for more information about the Mariner missions.
Mars 1969A USSR
Mariner 8 - USA Mars Flyby - 997.9 kg - (May 8, 1971)
Failed to reach Earth orbit.
Click here for more information about the Mariner missions.
Kosmos 419 - USSR Mars Probe - 4,549 kg - (May 10, 1971)
Failed to leave Earth orbit.
Mars 2 - USSR Mars Orbiter/Soft Lander - 4,650 kg - (May 19, 1971)
The Mars 2 lander was released from the orbiter on November 27, 1971. It crashed-landed because its braking rockets failed- no data was returned and the first human artifact was created on Mars. The orbiter returned data until 1972.
Mars 3 - USSR Mars Orbiter/Soft Lander - 4,643 kg - (May 28, 1971)
Mars 3 arrived at Mars on December 2, 1971. The lander was released and became the first successful landing on Mars. It failed after relaying 20 seconds of video data to the orbiter. The Mars 3 orbiter returned data until August, 1972. It made measurements of surface temperature and atmospheric composition.
Mariner 9 - USA Mars Orbiter - 974 kg - (May 30, 1971 -1972)
Mariner 9 arrived at Mars on November 3, 1971 and was placed into orbit on November 24. This was the first US spacecraft to enter an orbit around a planet other than Earth. At the time of its arrival a huge dust storm was in progress on the planet. Many of the scientific experiments were delayed until the storm had subsided. The first hi-resolution images of the moons Phobos and Deimos were taken. River and channel like features were discovered. Mariner 9 is still in Martian orbit.
Click here for more information about the Mariner missions.
Mars 4 - USSR Mars Orbiter - 4,650 kg - (July 21, 1973)
Mars 4 arrived at Mars on February, 1974, but failed to go into orbit due to a malfunction of its breaking engine. It flew past the planet within 2,200 kilometers of the surface. It returned some images and data.
Mars 5 - USSR Mars Orbiter - 4,650 kg - (July 25, 1973)
Mars 5 entered into orbit around Mars on February 12, 1974. It acquired imaging data for the Mars 6 and 7 missions.
Mars 6 - USSR Mars Orbiter/Soft Lander - 4,650 kg - (August 5, 1973)
On March 12, 1974, Mars 6 entered into orbit and launched its lander. The lander returned atmospheric descent data, but failed on its way down.
Mars 7 - USSR Mars Orbiter/Soft Lander - 4,650 kg - (August 9, 1973)
On March 6, 1974, Mars 7 failed to go into orbit about Mars and the lander missed the planet. Carrier and lander are now in a solar orbit.
Viking 1 - USA Mars Orbiter/Lander - 3,527 kg including fuel - (August 20, 1975 - August 7, 1980)
Viking 2 - USA Mars Orbiter/Lander - 3,527 kg including fuel - (September 9, 1975 - July 25, 1978)
Viking 1 and 2 spacecraft included orbiters (designed after the Mariner 8 and 9 orbiters) and landers. The orbiter weighed 883 kg and the lander 572 kg. Viking 1 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, on August 20, 1975, the trip to Mars and went into orbit about the planet on June 19, 1976. The lander touched down on July 20, 1976 on the western slopes of Chryse Planitia (Golden Plains). Viking 2 was launched for Mars on November 9, 1975, and landed on September 3, 1976. Both landers had experiments to search for Martian micro-organisms. The results of these experiments are still being debated. The landers provided detailed color panoramic views of the Martian terrain. They also monitored the Martian weather. The orbiters mapped the planet's surface, acquiring over 52,000 images. The Viking project's primary mission ended on November 15, 1976, eleven days before Mars' superior conjunction (its passage behind the Sun), although the Viking spacecraft continued to operate for six years after first reaching Mars. The Viking 1 orbiter was deactivated on August 7, 1980, when it ran out of altitude-control propellant. Viking 1 lander was accidentally shut down on November 13, 1982, and communication was never regained. Its last transmission reached Earth on November 11, 1982. Controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory tried unsuccessfully for another six and one half months to regain contact with the lander, but finally closed down the overall mission on 21 May 1983.
Click here for more information on the Viking missions.
Phobos 1 - USSR Mars Orbiter/Lander - 5,000 kg - (July 7, 1988)
Phobos 1 was sent to investigate the Martian moon Phobos. It was lost en route to Mars through a command error on September 2, 1988.
Phobos 2 - USSR Phobos Flyby/Lander - 5,000 kg - (July 12, 1988)
Phobos 2 arrived at Mars and was inserted into orbit on January 30, 1989. The orbiter moved within 800 kilometers of Phobos and then failed. The lander never made it to Phobos.
Mars Observer - USA Mars Orbiter - 2,573 kg - (September 25, 1992)
Communication was lost with Mars Observer on August 21, 1993, just before it was to be inserted into orbit.
Mars Global Surveyor - USA Mars Orbiter � 1,062.1 kg - (November 7, 1996)
Initiated due to the loss of the Mars Observer spacecraft, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission launched on November 7, 1996. MGS has been in a Martian orbit, successfully mapping the surface since March 1998. Click here to check out the MGS page at JPL .
Mars 96 - Russia Orbiter & Lander - 6,200 kg - (November 16, 1996)
Mars '96 consisted of an orbiter, two landers, and two soil penetrators that were to reach the planet in September 1997. The rocket carrying Mars 96 lifted off successfully, but as it entered orbit the rocket's fourth stage ignited prematurely and sent the probe into a wild tumble. It crashed into the ocean somewhere between the Chilean coast and Easter Island. The spacecraft sank, carrying with it 270 grams of plutonium-238.
Mars Pathfinder - USA Lander & Surface Rover - 870 kg - (December 1996)
The Mars Pathfinder delivered a stationary lander and a surface rover to the Red Planet on July 4, 1997. The six-wheel rover, named Sojourner, explored the area near the lander. The mission's primary objective was to demonstrate the feasibility of low-cost landings on the Martian surface. This was the second mission in NASA's low-cost Discovery series. After great scientific success and public interest, the mission formally ended on November 4, 1997, when NASA ended daily communications with the Pathfinder lander and Sojourner rover.
Nozomi - Japan Mars Orbiter � 536 kg - (July 3, 1998) (Planet B)
Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) launched this probe on July 4, 1998 to study the Martian environment. This would have been the first Japanese spacecraft to reach another planet. The probe was due to arrive at Mars in December of 2003. After revising the flight plan due to earlier problems with the probe, the mission was abandoned on December 9, 2003 when ISAS was unable to communicate with the probe in order to prepare it for orbital insertion.
Mars Climate Orbiter - USA Orbiter - 629 kg - (December 11, 1998) (Mars Surveyor '98 Orbiter)
This orbiter was the companion spacecraft to the Mars Surveyor '98 Lander, but the mission failed. Click here to read the Mars Climate Orbiter Mishap Investigation Board's report.
Mars Polar Lander - USA Lander - 583 kg - (January 3, 1999) (Mars Surveyor '98 Lander)
The Polar Lander was scheduled to land on Mars on December 3, 1999. Mounted on the cruise stage of the Mars Polar Lander were two Deep Space 2 impact probes, named Amundsen and Scott. The probes had a mass of 3.572 kg each. The cruise stage was to separate from the Mars Polar Lander, and subsequently the two probes were to detach from the cruise stage. The two probes planned to impact the surface 15 to 20 seconds before the Mars Polar Lander was to touch down. Ground crews were unable to contact the spacecraft, and the two probes. NASA concluded that spurious signals during the lander leg deployment caused the spacecraft to think it had landed, resulting in premature shutdown of the spacecraft's engines and destruction of the lander on impact.
2001 Mars Odyssey - USA Mars Orbiter and Lander/Rover - 376.3 kg - (April 7, 2001) (Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter)
This Mars orbiter reached the planet on October 24, 2001 and served as a communications relay for future Mars missions. In 2010 Odyssey broke the record for longest-serving spacecraft at the Red Planet. It will support the 2012 landing of the Mars Science Laboratory and surface operations of that mission. Click here for more information.
Mars Express - European Space Agency Mars Orbiter and Lander - 666 kg - (June 2, 2003)
The Mars Express Orbiter and the Beagle 2 lander were launched together on June 2, 2003. The Beagle 2 was released from the Mars Express Orbiter on December 19, 2003. The Mars Express arrived successfully on December 25, 2003. The Beagle 2 was also scheduled to land on December 25, 2003; however, ground controllers have been unable to communicate with the probe. Click here for more information.
Spirit (MER-A) � USA Mars Rover � 185 kg - (June 10, 2003)
As part of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Mission, "Spirit", also known as MER-A, was launched on June 10, 2003 and successfully arrived on Mars on January 3, 2004. The last communication with Spirit occurred on March 22, 2010. JPL ended attempts to re-establish contact on May 25, 2011. The rover likely lost power due to excessively cold internal temperatures.
Opportunity (MER-B) � USA Mars Rover � 185 kg - (July 7, 2003)
"Opportunity", also known as MER-B, was launched on July 7, 2003 and successfully arrived on Mars on January 24, 2004. Click here for more information on the MER mission.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter – USA Mars Orbiter - 1,031 kg - (August 12, 2005)
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) was launched on August 12, 2005 for a seven month voyage to Mars. MRO reached Mars in March 10, 2006 and began its scientific mission in November 2006. Click here for more information.
Phoenix – USA Mars Lander - 350 kg - (August 4, 2007)
The Phoenix Mars Lander was launched on August 4, 2007 and landed on Mars on May 25, 2008. It is the first in NASA's Scout Program. Phoenix was designed to study the history of water and habitability potential in the Martian arctic’s ice-rich soil. The solar-powered lander completed its three-month mission and kept working until sunlight waned two months later. The mission was officially ended in May 2010. Click here for more information from the NASA HQ site and here for more from the JPL- University of Arizona site.
Phobos-Grunt – Russia Mars Lander - 730 kg/Yinghuo-1 – China Mars Orbital Probe – 115 kg - (November 8, 2011)
The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft was meant to land on the Martian moon Phobos. The Russian spacecraft did not properly leave Earth’s orbit to set out on its trajectory toward Mars. Yinghuo-1 was a planned Chinese Mars orbital probe launched along with Phobos-Grunt. Both craft were destroyed on re-entry from Earth orbit in January 2012.
Mars Science Laboratory – USA Mars Rover – 750 kg - (November 26, 2011)
The Mars Science Laboratory was launched on November 26, 2011. With its rover named Curiosity, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission is designed to assess whether Mars ever had an environment able to support small life forms called microbes. Curiosity landed successfully in Gale Crater at 1:31 am EDT on August 6, 2012. Click here for more information from the NASA JPL site.
Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) – India Mars Orbiter - 15 kg - (November 5, 2013)
The Indian Mars Orbiter Mission was launched on November 5, 2013, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. It was inserted into orbit around Mars on September 24, 2014 and completed its planned 160-day mission duration in March 2015. The spacecraft continues to operate, mapping the planet and measuring radiation.
MAVEN – USA Mars Orbiter – 2,550 kg - (Launch November 18, 2013)
MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN) was the second mission selected for NASA's Mars Scout program. It launched on November 18, 2013 and entered orbit around Mars on September 21, 2014. MAVEN’s mission is to obtain critical measurements of the Martian atmosphere to further understanding of the dramatic climate change that has occurred over the course of its history. Click here for more information about MAVEN.
InSight – USA Mars Lander - (Launch Window March 8 - March 27, 2016)
InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) is the twelfth mission in NASA's series of Discovery-class missions. InSight will take the first look into the deep interior of Mars to see why the Red Planet evolved so differently from Earth as one of our solar system's rocky planets. Click here for more information from the NASA JPL site.
We also have an annotated bibliography available.
| i don't know |
Pioneer of party-plan marketing, Earl Tupper invented what during his stay at DuPont? | History of Tupperware
History of Tupperware
How Tupperware got it's start.
Find your opportunity in the directories, or get listed.
Work with Me
The History of Tupperware - Who Invented Tupperware
The history of Tupperware dates back to 1939. Learn who invented Tupperware, who first started to sell Tupperware, and more about the Tupperware company from Stay a Stay at Home Mom.
History of Tupperware: Who Invented Tupperware
Earl Silas Tupper was the man who invented Tupperware in 1939.
Earl Tupper grew up on a farm at the turn of the century, and was always into tinkering and inventing to help his family farm become more productive. One of his early inventions received a patent.
After leaving the family farm, he had several jobs and even started a tree service business, which eventually went bankrupt. In 1937, Earl Tupper, who invented Tupperware, started to work for DuPont in plastics. He worked there for only one year.
During this time period, plastics were not widely used as they are today. They were notorious for being greasy and extremely brittle. They even smelled bad. To say they were unreliable was an understatement. Though Earl Tupper is credited as the man who invented Tupperware, his contributions to plastic go further than the history of Tupperware. He was the pioneer who developed a way to purify a waste product called polyethylene slag into a plastic that was flexible, clear, and durable.
After inventing his plastic containers in 1939, he came up with an ingenious solution for a lid, modeled after an upside down lid used for paint containers. Until Earl Tupper, who invented Tupperware, came along, most people stored their food items in wood, metal, or glass containers. In 1946, Tupper first introduced Tupperware, which originally came in clear and pastel colors, and were distributed in department stores.
And thus, the history of Tupperware was born! But this marvelous product did have one significant flaw: because it was so revolutionary, consumers did not understand the product. They had no idea that they needed it in their homes, or even how to "burp" the patented seal.
Create a Theme Party
This package takes home party consultants through the process of setting up a booking system that works. Training eBook and Templates.
Click Here for Details
Enter Brownie Wise
Brownie Wise was a south Florida mom who was experienced in direct sales. She was a top seller with Stanley Home Products, which was a pioneer in the home party plan business.
They sold cleaners and brushes. When she found Tupperware selling in department stores, she started to add it to the line of products she was selling at her home demonstrations.
By simply educating the consumer on how to use the patented "burp" lid, Brownie became one of the highest sellers of Tupperware as well, selling more than most department stores. The first Tupperware party took place in 1948.
Prior to this, Earl Tupper had tried his own hand at home parties, but was largely unsuccessful. In 1951, when he started to notice the success Brownie Wise was having with her party plan sales, he approached her and asked her to become Vice President of Tupperware.
History of Tupperware Home Demonstrations
In 1951, Tupperware products were taken off the shelves at department stores and became exclusively sold at home demonstrations. With Brownie Wise leading up the sales department, Tupperware experienced massive growth.
Brownie Wise was excellent at sales and at motivating the selling team. She realized that the women who sold Tupperware at home parties were responsible for the success of the company, and rewarded them in ways unheard of during that time period.
Brownie was famous for creating significant ways to recognize these work at home women, from fantastic prizes and trophies, to the annual Jubilee celebration, which combines nationwide recognition with goof ball humor and fun.
Brownie loved the attention she received as Vice President, and was featured nationwide on talk shows and in the news. This worked well because Earl Tupper did not like the attention. That was until 1958, when it was commented that Brownie Wise was the driving force behind Tupperware, and Earl Tupper, who invented Tupperware, and his plastics never would have made it without her.
In a fit of jealousy, in 1958, Tupper fired Brownie Wise, completely out of the blue. She had no stock options in the company and received just one year's salary. He then sold Tupperware to Rexall Drug Company for $16million. As for Brownie, she tried to start several companies over the next forty years, unsuccessfully, and eventually died in 1992.
Tupperware, however, continued, and became bigger and better. Tupperware has constantly invented new products to go with the times, products meant for the dishwasher, freezer and microwave, as well as products that save users time or add an aesthetic appeal. Tupperware now reaches more than 100 markets worldwide.
What are your thoughts? Did Brownie Wise get a fair shake?
More About Tupperware
| Tupperware |
Name the book and the author: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' | Working Smart | Direct Selling News Blog
Direct Selling News Blog
Direct Selling News has been serving direct selling and network marketing executives since 2004.
Search:
Keys to Success part 1: Customer Acquisition
by Andrea Tortora
Of all the misinformation about direct selling, perhaps the most often repeated—even by those who work most closely in the field—is the description of direct selling as an industry. Read more…
Recognizing Great Work in Direct Selling
by Lauren Lawley Head
Celebrating success is a hallmark of direct selling, and we have two opportunities for you to recognize the great work being done by your corporate teams. Read more…
Mary Kay: Legacy Brand Wins Over Millennials
by Emily Reagan
Like the pink Cadillacs it awards to top sellers, today’s Mary Kay retains a classic feel while embracing innovative thinking and design. Read more…
Zurvita: A Business on the Rise
by J.M. Emmert
When husband and wife team Mark and Tracy Jarvis set out to launch their own company, they had listened to numerous suggestions for the name until “zurvita” was proposed and immediately touched and won them over. Read more…
Southwestern Advantage: Givers Are the Winners
by Karyn Reagan
In the year 1855, Reverend J.R. Graves started a mail order company selling books, religious tracts and Bibles. Read more…
5 Ways Third-Party APIs Are Reshaping the Direct Selling Industry
by Bill Crowley
Over the past decade, rapid developments in technology have fundamentally changed how direct selling organizations operate. Read more…
Herbalife & the FTC: 4 Points to Review
by DSN Staff
The speculation started immediately. As soon as the news—Herbalife Settles with FTC—began popping up on mobile alerts and news outlets early Friday morning, July 15, observers inside and outside the direct selling channel began scrambling to understand the bigger picture. Read more…
Annual Meeting Focuses on Reimagining Channel
by DSN Staff
The U.S. Direct Selling Association held its Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 5 to 7, bringing together direct selling company executives, academics, suppliers and global direct selling leaders for collaboration and conversation about the trends shaping the channel. Read more…
Learning and Building on Collective Experience
by Joseph N. Mariano
The role of the U.S. Direct Selling Association (DSA) has never been more clear: to serve as a “listening post,” a place to collect, analyze and address the aspirations and concerns of the direct selling channel. Read more…
January 15, 2015 Leave a comment
by Noel Datko
Defining Today’s 3PL Relationship
Meeting the demands of an ever-changing global marketplace is a challenge for many of today’s businesses. Changes in the transportation landscape, advancements in technology and globalization are pressing business leaders to analyze their operations and achieve new efficiencies to minimize risk. As a result, top companies around the globe are increasingly leaning on third party logistics companies to manage their supply chains.
According to an Armstrong & Associates report, 86 percent of domestic Fortune 500 companies use 3PLs for logistics and supply chain functions. Initially, companies outsourced these functions in order to increase in-house efficiencies and reduce their overall logistics spend. Next was the need to expand to foreign markets, reduce waste and answer to a growing number of impatient customers. Today, technology plays a much larger role in the operations of successful 3PLs, and is integral to the success of their clients.
What does this modern-day third party relationship look like for your business? Here are a few things to consider when selecting a provider.
Global Partnerships
Going global is complex and presents many hurdles for businesses. Unfamiliar sources of supply, transportation and economic regulations, advanced security processes and international compliance issues are all considerations when doing business internationally. Successful 3PLs are able to leverage global partnerships to provide the resources, expertise and infrastructure necessary for expanding your global reach.
Investments in Technology
Companies looking for a 3PL to help expand their market should look for providers with advanced technical capabilities and solutions. The diversity of technology required to track products from manufacturer to consumer, particularly with international supply chains, is costly and prohibitive for many businesses. A truly global 3PL makes regular investments in technology to support the unique supply chain strategies posed by different regions of the world.
Strategic Relationships
A modern day 3PL should be committed to providing value to the customer and looking out for their best interests.
Partnerships in today’s environment are becoming more consumer-centric. A modern-day 3PL should be committed to providing value to the customer and looking out for their best interests. This requires an emphasis on building long-term relationships and offering ways to transform and collaborate. By communicating on a regular basis to talk about the client’s business and how it’s being impacted by changing market conditions, both parties will achieve greater success, and the partnership grows.
Important Skills for Your 3PL
Your 3PL partner is crucial to your success in the industry; evaluation of potential partners needs to go far beyond basic cost, to look at what skills and knowledge your 3PL can truly offer.
Consider these five skills when you’re evaluating potential new partners.
Adaptation and Evolution. Your 3PL must demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement right out of the gate. Look at things like how many continuous improvement projects your potential partner has in the works, how many they initiate and how many they complete. Consider also whether they invest in formal training programs, how many Six Sigma Black Belts they have on staff, and any industry awards they’ve received for their continuous improvement projects and innovations. If your potential 3PL doesn’t have the ability, and the drive, to not only keep up with industry standards but exceed them, your relationship is set up for failure.
Visibility. One of your biggest challenges is gaining and controlling supply chain visibility—especially as supply chains go global and processes become even more complex. You need insight into every stage of the supply chain, including lead times, landed costs, inventory carrying costs, and obsolescence costs, as well as the quality of your 3PL’s customer service. Can they give you that kind of visibility? Do they have the technology and skills in place to provide real collaboration, or are you likely to be left groping in the dark while they try to get their act together when you need information?
IT Innovation. Why do companies complain about the length of time it takes their 3PL to make or enable process changes? Over and over it’s the fact that their 3PL uses an old, outdated, slowly dying IT infrastructure. The 3PL you choose should show that they are up-to-date with their software, and that their staff, both in the server room and on the floor, is familiar with technology innovations and can keep pace as they continue to evolve.
Smart Hiring and Smart Retention. There’s a shortage of supply chain and logistics talent. Is your potential 3PL facing that issue? Or do they invest in hiring smart and fostering talent internally? Do they focus on developing their employees’ communication and relationship management skills? Do they understand the importance of having skilled and knowledgeable people at every level of the organization, who understand your industry thoroughly?
Business Intelligence and Insights. Your 3PL needs to offer more than just access to business intelligence dashboards. Every piece of software nowadays offers that. What you need from your 3PL is insight. They should be staying on top of leading industry practices and trends, plus be able to offer networking and knowledge-exchange possibilities with other shippers. They should have the ability to conduct extensive market research and both share and implement their findings. If your 3PL has a dashboard but no idea how to leverage it, in the end you’re gaining very little from that relationship.
Just as the world is constantly evolving and changing, so are your logistics needs. A modern-day 3PL will rise to the challenge and apply their supply chain expertise and resources to enhance your business operations. If you are ready to expand your market or make investments in new technology, reach out to an expert who can reduce costs, improve service and achieve better visibility of the components that drive a global supply chain.
Technology Continues to Transform Today’s Supply Chain
Today’s business leaders are faced with the task of creating more efficient processes while keeping costs down. In order to stay competitive in a digital age, they need to stay aggressive in transforming their supply chains, and budget remains a barrier for many. Even during economic slumps, however, companies continue to invest in technology with the goal of improving business processes and increased profitability when times improve.
November 19, 2014 Leave a comment
by Judy Stubbs
Click here to order the November 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
When it comes to the U.S. working population, all age groups are not created equal. There are significant differences in the fundamental values and predominant work styles of different generations. That raises a wide range of talent-related issues for direct selling organizations, including how to attract, develop and retain executives at different stages of their careers. However, there is one overarching challenge today: finding and hiring executives in their mid-30s and 40s with the potential to become tomorrow’s CEOs, CFOs and other C-suite executives to lead direct selling organizations into the future.
Three Generations in the Workforce
Today, the U.S. talent pool is substantially larger at the top and the bottom of the working-age demographic groups than in the middle, according to a recent report from Pew Research Center, Generation X: America’s Neglected ‘Middle Child.’ The Pew report outlines the clear differences between the three generations now in the workforce.
By 2015, over one-third of our work force will be retiring.
At the top are the 77 million members of the baby boom generation, who are now in their 50s and 60s. In most organizations, the senior leadership team consists largely of boomers who have accumulated decades of on-the-job knowledge and experience, but are steadily leaving their careers behind. In fact, more than 10,000 baby boomers retire every single day. By 2015, over one-third of our work force will be retiring, according to a 2013 Social Security Administration report.
An even larger demographic group is now entering the nation’s workforce: the approximately 83 million millennials, including a large percentage now in their 20s and early 30s. Because these millennials are beginning their careers, few of them have developed the experience necessary for the responsibilities that come with a position in the C-suite.
In between these two generations are the 65 million Gen Xers, who range in age from 34 to 49. Gen X executives are in mid-career, developing skills and experience that can be groomed to prepare them to ascend to the C-suite. However, based on demographics, direct selling organizations will face a shortfall in talent in the next decade unless they make succession planning a top priority.
Fresh Perspective in the C-suite
Even as the relative scarcity of Gen Xers creates talent gaps, it also creates new opportunities for farsighted organizations to remain close to their customers as consumer habits evolve. For example, giving Gen Xers a significant presence in the C-suite can spur the development of new sales and marketing strategies, including innovative tactics based on the growing confluence of digital, mobile and social media. It can also provide organizations with fresh ideas and perspectives on changing customer values, attitudes and behaviors.
Direct selling organizations are not the only entities facing a transition in demographics—virtually all consumer and B2B markets are undergoing similar changes. Companies whose succession plans are aimed at moving Gen Xers into leadership roles are likely to have an edge on their competitors in serving their steadily evolving markets.
Understanding Gen X
The different perspectives, viewpoints and motivators of each generation can often result in misunderstandings and missed opportunities—especially in the workplace—and can be a recipe for disaster. Yet for all the media focus on the differences between the work styles of boomers and millennials, Gen Xers have received far less attention. Direct selling organizations need to take into account the values, motivations and drivers for mid-career executives in this age band, because there are some distinct generational differences in their work styles and motivators.
As the Pew report observed, “In most of the ways we take stock of generations, Gen Xers are a low-slung, straight-line bridge between two noisy behemoths. From everything we know about them, Xers are savvy, skeptical and self-reliant; they’re not into preening or pampering.”
There are some common factors to consider in recruiting, hiring, developing and retaining these mid-career executives. In many cases, Gen Xers value freedom and autonomy to a greater extent than either the boomers or millennials. Like the boomers, they are hard workers while still valuing family and personal time, and like the millennials, they appreciate an enjoyable workplace along with flexible work hours and location. All three generations share the value of trust and respect.
Also common among Gen Xers is a desire for self-sufficiency. Having grown up during a time of corporate downsizing and economic and political instability, they can be less attached to their employers—particularly companies that fail to engage them on a personal level. That makes it imperative for recruiters to highlight the company’s highest values and point out opportunities for senior executives to become involved in community, charitable and other causes that can make a positive difference in the world. Once onboard, these Xers need to continue to feel personally engaged and enriched in order to feel satisfied in their career.
Fortunately, most direct selling organizations have a readily available source of information about what drives Gen Xers today—their internal talent pool of managers and sales professionals in their late 30s and 40s. Online surveys, focus groups and individual interviews—as well as participation in various organizational activities—can provide invaluable insight into Gen Xers’ attitudes and behaviors and play a key role in developing an effective succession planning program.
Strategies for Succession Planning
September 15, 2014 Leave a comment
by John Killacky
Click here to order the September 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
Another year, another convention. How will this year’s event be different? What can you do to bring fresh excitement and new energy? It’s not as daunting as it may seem. Take a deep breath. You got this.
When you focus on three important elements of your event, you can provide your guests (and even those who can’t come) an impactful, meaningful—and fun—event experience. Let’s start by identifying your event’s stakeholders and what’s important to each of them.
The Players
Your guests: Each consultant who registers for, travels to, and attends your event comes in search of something. Information, celebration, fun—whatever it is, they’ll take it back home with them, and it will affect their business. So it’d better be good.
Your organization: You have important messaging to deliver. That means what’s said, how it’s said, how it looks and how it feels to the audience.
Your boss: C-suite execs want to see that the number of attendees is robust, their enjoyment is obvious, the event is polished and effective, and the budget remains intact. No pressure.
Can all those objectives be met? Absolutely, when you focus on three simple elements: pre-event prep, fabulous recognition and social media.
Plan Ahead
The importance of thorough pre-event preparation can’t be overstated. Once you’ve determined the “skeleton” of your event—who, what, when, where—you can begin talking with production companies. You know what’s most important to your company and this specific event; ask the questions that matter most, and listen carefully when they talk about their experience. Have they worked with companies in your industry? What do they bring to the table that others don’t? What kind of people are they; what’s their corporate culture? How do they handle changes in direction, and onsite challenges?
Ask for samples of their work and references from other clients—and then take a few minutes to call those clients. And, do a gut-check: Would you enjoy working with them? This is a big decision; you’re entrusting the success of your event in large part to this company. Again, no pressure.
The importance of thorough pre-event preparation can’t be overstated.
Let’s assume now that you’ve chosen an event partner that fits. Congratulations! Now, make full use of the partnership—that’s why you have them. Give them full access to your team and execs; being fully invested in the partnership will make your event even stronger. Ensure that they know your company, your mission and your execs (and what’s important to each of them). Collaborate with your production partner to create meaningful content. In your event “skeleton,” you’ve determined the direction, the tone and the look you want. Work with your event team to bring those concepts to life in onstage content, video and graphic support. Push them to make it everything you’ve envisioned. That’s their job.
Rock-Star Treatment
One of the most important parts of an annual convention or an incentive trip is recognition—the sweet sound of applause (and their own name) as honorees take their walk of fame. What could be better?
Doing recognition right is so important! It’s exciting for the individuals being recognized, it’s aspirational for the guests watching the awards ceremony, and it’s a chance for your company to truly thank and honor those individuals who make you shine. Your top achievers are the face of your company to their customers; you want those faces to be smiling and happy.
Your production company should know how important recognition is to your audience and honorees, and make it a priority in pre-event planning. Creating a memorable experience start-to-finish for each honoree is important. It can—and should—be awesome from backstage to onstage. There are very real and very important reasons that they’re onstage. They’ve racked up incredible sales or sponsoring numbers. They’ve met goals, they’ve made new commitments or they’ve partnered with your organization’s charitable efforts to change the world. Whatever it is, they’ve excelled. And their moment in the spotlight should be all excitement, and zero stress.
Make sure your event partner takes care with each honoree so that they’re comfortable and know what’s going to happen. Where they’ll wait backstage, how they’ll know it’s time to walk out, who will escort them, where they should stand. The more they know, the more they can relax and enjoy the experience. And the harder they’ll work to get back onstage next year!
Also there’s this: Check, double-check, and triple-check that names are spelled and pronounced correctly. Amazingly, this doesn’t always get checked, and it’s a real downer for the honoree when that happens. Do whatever it takes to make them feel like the rock stars they are!
Pin, Post, Tweet, Share
Social media: It’s not just for breakfast anymore. You’ve used Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and your company’s website to drive attendance to your event. Now you’re done, right? Actually, you’re just getting started.
Social media can be a living, evolving, exciting part of your event, throughout the entire event experience. It seems appropriate to use a statistic now, so here it is: Nearly 75 percent of all Americans are actively engaged in social media, including your guests. Don’t tell them to turn off their phones—engage them!
There are many different social media platforms, and you should know those that your consultants use the most. Just think: Each platform is a new way to directly reach consumers, consultants and event attendees. You’re nodding your head. Yes, that makes sense. But few organizations use social media to its maximum advantage at their events.
Just about everything you do for event guests can also be accessed and enjoyed by those who couldn’t come. They’ll stay connected to the event and to your organization, and—fingers crossed—they’ll make sure they attend the event next year.
Post (and tag!) photos of new products, displays, field presenters and crowd excitement on Facebook. Keep your YouTube channel up-to-the-minute current with videos of the CEO’s speech, an amazing recognition segment, new product reveals and all of the excitement in the convention center hallways. You may want to consider creating an app specific to your event—for instance, the event agenda. It’s hip, happenin’ and green. All the cool kids are doing it.
Create a fun, interactive digital scavenger hunt in which attendees earn points throughout the event by “checking in” at different displays or sessions, or taking a selfie with a sales field leader, or scanning a product display. Draw for prizes on Twitter rather than on the stage. Have the CEO or other execs answer questions via live tweets throughout the event. Create an event-specific hashtag.
Sometimes social media is considered “anti-social” because we’re all looking down at our phones, clicking and scrolling. Done the right way, it can actually create a more communal experience at your event—and well beyond.
Nearly 75 percent of all Americans are actively engaged in social media, including your guests. Don’t tell them to turn off their phones—engage them!
It’s a Wrap
So there you go. The three ways you can ensure a great event experience for your guests and a solid return on the investment you’ve made.
Solid pre-event prep
July 16, 2014 Leave a comment
by Michelle Larter
Click here to order the July 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
Increasingly, brands are using mobile and social as channels to interact and engage with customers and prospects. In the direct selling industry, consultants and brands continue to embrace the opportunities each provides to better run their businesses and drive leads. But just how much have these two impacted the way direct selling organizations do business—and what further changes can we expect to see this year?
Three shifts we are already seeing can be found in the use of social media, mobile devices and analytics.
Social Media Shift: From Facebook to More Private Channels
Social media today has become one of the primary ways that messages are getting out now. Any brand lacking a social media strategy today is at risk of becoming obsolete, as consumers increasingly discover and interact with brands through these channels. However, the social media landscape is changing, and what has worked in the past couple of years is no longer a guaranteed approach.
Consider Facebook. The popular social media site’s saturation has caused 20- to 30-somethings to increasingly utilize more “private” channels, including Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest, to connect with peers. In fact, according to Nate Elliott, an analyst with Forrester Research Inc., consumers interact with brand posts on Instagram at a rate that far surpasses the interaction rates produced on Facebook and Twitter. This could mean that while Facebook has helped direct selling organizations and their consultants drive customer acquisition and sales with 20- to 30-somethings in recent years, it may not continue to generate the same level of results—and establishing or growing a presence on other social media platforms will be more effective.
The key for maintaining a successful social media presence is to understand where your customers are most active and provide them with valuable and relevant messages tailored to each social media outlet in order to cultivate those relationships. Instagram, for instance, provides an opportunity for a jewelry consultant to provide images of each piece being worn in order to showcase the versatility and real-life appearance of the jewelry for sale. On Pinterest, the same consultant can not only create boards showcasing all of the jewelry looks, but can also show her individual style suggestions. This enables her to show her creative side and projects an image to her customers that she can be a resource for accessorizing.
The key for maintaining a successful social media presence is to understand where your customers are most active and provide them with valuable and relevant messages in order to cultivate those relationships.
The content-sharing opportunities made possible through social media are compelling, and direct selling organizations and consultants who use them strategically can find that they truly engage with customers and prospects in new and fun ways, even as their social media preferences change.
Mobility Shift: Consumers—and Consultants—Are Always On
Mobile devices are increasingly an integral part of everyday life. And while mobile devices serve many purposes, both personal and professional, one of their most common uses is to access email anytime, anywhere. This can be an important point for the direct selling industry. The key is providing relevant and engaging content to keep them interested and informed.
But it’s not just consumers who are impacted by the increasingly mobile landscape. Consultants are using iPads and tablets to run their businesses—conducting presentations on them at parties and using them for order management. We are starting to see a shift where printed materials—catalogs, order forms, invoices—are increasingly becoming electronic.
Think about the advantages: If you are hosting a party, you can easily look up information and show additional products that may not be showcased in the catalogs or as part of the live demonstration. Even if they are, it’s likely that online you can show multiple product images, giving the potential customer a clearer picture of the product. Order management is easier for both parties and processing is quicker, as well.
Outside of parties, consultants are more likely to be prepared for anytime sales, since most won’t leave home without their mobile devices (but may leave home without their product portfolio and paper order forms). The ability to immediately show customers what you are selling, even in moments when you least expect a potential sale, is changing the direct selling game!
Analytics Shift: Tracking ROI and Driving Leads
Consultants who are serious about marketing are increasingly using tools to help track ROI and drive leads. Along with managing their own social sites, consultants are increasingly tracking ROI on Google Analytics to see what’s working and what’s not by examining where their site visitors are coming from, how long they are staying on their site and how many are converting to leads. They’re using Facebook Graph Search as a new way to find new prospects and drive leads. This service helps users find more of the people, places and things they’re looking for and discover new connections based on what others have shared with them. They’re measuring the success of each of their email newsletters by examining open and click-through rates. All of this data is more readily available to consultants, who are increasingly empowered to track their successes and determine the most effective strategies for driving leads and sales. As more and more data analytics tools become available, the direct selling industry will continue to be impacted by the insight they provide.
As direct selling continues to evolve, the same overarching lessons remain true: Staying in front of the customer, delivering relevance and engaging with them via their preferred channels will be the key for driving direct selling success. While technology shifts can impact the communication channels, the same best practices ring true.
Michelle Larter is the Worldwide Director, Direct Selling, at IMN Inc. Larter has more than 20 years of experience in sales, including more than 10 years specifically with direct sales. She is a contributing writer to direct selling and technology publications and a frequent speaker at industry events. IMN Inc. was awarded the prestigious 2013 DSA Ethos Award for Partnership.
May 23, 2014 Leave a comment
by Greg Fink
Click here to order the May 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
Many companies are beginning to experience incredible results as they enrich, engage and simplify how independent contractors are running their businesses through the use of technology. Aligning cross-generational buying habits with effective sales and marketing strategies offers multiple experiences that specifically cater to individuals by personalizing those interactions.
At Next Wave, we continue to see incredible growth in mobile and social strategies and how they are impacting our industry. We’ve also become keenly aware of the importance of the “user experience” and how design and usability now start with the smallest common denominator—a finger—and regardless of device the experience must be optimized.
Aligning cross-generational buying habits with effective sales and marketing strategies offers multiple experiences that specifically cater to individuals by personalizing those interactions.
A recent article in Forbes highlights the various types of online experiences based on three of the most well-respected companies—Amazon, Google and Apple—showcasing the differing approaches they have taken in how they have grown their businesses. Amazon’s approach offers the ability to react to a customer’s engagement with personalized attention to increase overall satisfaction; in other words, buy a product/service during the month of May and you will get free shipping. Google’s approach offers the ability to draw customers in through the power of a positive experience; in other words, they offer multiple views, images, videos and pictures when using their search engine. Apple’s approach offers the ability to turn customers into raging evangelists; in other words, the iPod, iPhone, Apple TV and iTunes have arguably innovated the most flexible, simple-to-use and fluid experiences on personal devices.
One contributing factor to these companies’ success is the extraordinary experience they offer. While somewhat different in nature, direct sellers need to embrace all of these methods in order to compete at the highest level. My goal with this article is not to focus on technology so much as the idea of offering a remarkable experience through software design.
Good software design impacts the daily experiences of visitors, customers, sales reps, hostesses, guests and corporate users. The software design and engineering process should start with assessing the possible growth areas of the business, and the onboarding process for a new recruit is one of those critical areas.
Creating an Integrated Onboarding Process
One of the greatest challenges for any sales rep is recruiting new participants. Companies often assist sales reps with lead-generation tools and ways to effectively recruit and build their businesses. Sales reps work hard to educate and engage new prospects, investing significant time, energy and effort in the process. In almost every case they leave a positive impression, and new recruits are fired up and excited about their new opportunity.
So what happens after someone has made the commitment to participate in the business? Research shows there are some breakdowns in the onboarding process that a sales rep experiences, particularly in getting the digital aspects of their business up and running. Most companies provide excellent training and access to coaching and instill good support programs for their up-line leaders, but the problem is they can be at the mercy of their software, which can create barriers in launching sales reps’ businesses. As a result, these barriers can sometimes leave a negative impression with the new recruit that this business may be more difficult than they initially thought.
Consider some of the following technology tools that can be embedded into the onboarding process to create an integrated, simplified experience so new participants can quickly get their businesses up and running in four easy steps. The entire process below is benchmarked to be completed in 30 minutes or less.
Step 1: Enrollment Made Easy
The enrollment process should be device-independent, so whatever the device—a mobile phone, laptop or tablet—using a finger or mouse someone can easily sign up as a sales rep or customer with quick and easy credit card capture.
Based on personal interests or characteristics, suggestions for the type of kit or sample product should be automatically recommended. As an example, a skincare company could ask during the enrollment process for the applicant’s skin type: dry, oily, normal, etc., and the samples that get included in the kit are based on this personalization.
From start to finish the enrollment process should take less than five minutes, including capturing necessary demographic and personal data.
Step 2: Bringing Personal Marketing Site to Life
Once enrolled, it is important to quickly get the new participant’s online marketing site and business hub going. This can be done by streamlining the creation of the online marketing site setup by having scripts, suggestions and access to website templates available for guiding them through the process.
Offer some personalization, like uploading a photo, but keep personalization to a minimum so they don’t get sidetracked with too many options. A really convenient feature is one that offers a preview of the online marketing site as the user is creating it, which shows them what it will look like before the site is actually published. That way they can see their layout and design in motion.
Each sales rep’s online marketing site should have a personal URL for their individual site, suggesting a site name so they don’t have to figure it out. The personal URL has huge benefits related to posting promotional messages on social sites. If a “friend” clicks on a post from their wall they are automatically driven right back to the sales rep’s online marketing site to purchase, sign up, host an event, or browse and shop. A personal URL makes certain that social networks are directly connected to the sales rep’s online marketing site. The challenge is some systems offer the ability to log into a shared portal without a personal URL, and when a social media post occurs it drives the individual to the company’s corporate site and not the sales rep’s online marketing site. This can cause the sales rep to lose confidence in their ability to utilize their social media outlets to their advantage.
The entire online marketing site creation should take only a few minutes.
Step 3: Integrated CRM Marketing and Communications
Once the sales rep’s online marketing site is published, it’s time to communicate to their network of contacts. The challenge is most people have contacts stored with multiple providers, and CRM becomes an arduous process for managing and communicating to those contacts. Well-designed software provides tools that can fully automate this process for importing friends, family and colleagues pulled from multiple providers like Outlook, Yahoo, Gmail and others, eliminating rekeying names, phone numbers and email addresses. The end result creates a centralized contact address book within minutes. These contacts can then be grouped by various categories, like potential recruit, hostess and customer, so online promotional campaigns can be targeted to those individual groups. Effective CRM tools and communications increase relevancy, ensuring better relationships.
Step 4: Digital Marketing Campaign Tools (Game-Changer)
The final step in the integrated onboarding process is the impression a new sales rep makes by effectively communicating to their network of contacts (now located in the centralized contact address book), reaching as many potential buyers as possible and maintaining those relationships through effective communications. The challenge is that salesforces are often lacking effective integrated marketing and communications tools. By equipping your salesforce with an online promotion tool, the ability to quickly execute cost-effective communications using corporate-branded content is just a few clicks away.
The promotion tool should offer a sales rep the ability to select from a gallery of various types of campaign templates for introducing the company, the product line, a company newsletter, hostess specials and more. After selecting the campaign template, sales reps optionally can create a personal message to their targeted audience. Personalization offers the ability to build deep brand relationships tailored to their contacts and makes online communication relevant to the interests of the targeted audience.
Once the contacts are selected from the address book based on the type of campaign, the online promotion is sent. The entire process for creating and sending out the online promotional campaign should take less than a minute. Facebook and other social sites can also be informed of the online promotion based on campaign relevancy.
Each individual sales rep can then track the effectiveness of their online promotional campaigns by monitoring who opened it, who forwarded it to a friend, who responded directly to their marketing site and what interested them.
In Summary
Having an excellent onboarding experience for the new sales rep is vitally important to ensuring greater salesforce activation and engagement and reaching higher rates of retention. Attrition is costly and can become a momentum killer for any company. The above steps may seem fairly obvious, but the secret sauce is “packaging” them in a fully integrated system, making it streamlined, efficient and easy. The goal with this entire four-step onboarding process is to keep accelerating and carrying momentum from the excitement gained during the recruiting process and getting sales reps activated through having an extraordinary experience. The end result is ultimately getting a sales rep’s business up and running quickly so they can get focused on sales revenue-generating activities.
Greg Fink is Vice President of Sales at Next Wave Logistics, a provider of web-based software and services for the direct selling industry.
May 16, 2014 Leave a comment
by Tony Jeary
Click here to order the May 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
When leaders, executives, managers or anyone who has the responsibility for achieving results, get results that are less than expected or unsatisfactory, some sort of problem-solving process begins. The quest to produce superior results always begins with attempting to either come up with a better way to do something or to fix something that isn’t working properly. It can involve a minor part or a larger process, or it can engage the very core of a vision that isn’t succeeding. The approach taken for problem solving comes in many forms, but the end goal is always to produce a better result.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a process by which you could accurately identify a core issue that causes poor results? I’m talking about a process that would be common to all problems and could be deployed in every instance to overcome challenges and improve results. Would it shock you to think that all problems and poor results might always begin with the same core cause? Would it surprise you to learn that all problems and solutions are in fact the same thing? Well, I submit that is exactly the case. The purpose of this article is to identify the issue and explain why and how to use it as the basis for an unfailing problem-solving process and to relate it to the change of thinking that needs to happen that first 30, 60 and 90 days of a new person joining your organization. You only have one opportunity to start that person down the right path.
The cause of poor results and the solution for superior results is always the same: Thinking!
The simple explanation for the truth of this is that your thoughts determine your action, and your action produces the results you get. In any endeavor, if you get poor results along the way it’s because someone’s thinking in the action chain was not what it should have been. It may be yours or some else’s who collaborates with you.
There is an old cliché we all know—that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over again expecting different results. The real question that must be asked is what causes people to keep doing the same things over and over again, even if their results are not what they need or want? The answer is that they do not change their thinking; therefore they don’t change what they are doing, so they get the same results! If your results are less than you expected, the path to better results begins by examining the thinking that drove the action that produced the results. Thinking is the core issue that causes poor results, so the examination of thinking is always the starting place for changing results.
Why Thinking Drives Change and, therefore, Results
Tony Jeary’s latest book, Business Ground Rules.
From the day we are born the process of learning begins. Our subconscious mind, where all new information is processed and stored, is capable of processing 40 million bits of data per second. Most of that data is just filed away to be recalled when needed, but the accumulation of all that information creates what I call a Belief Window. The Belief Window is the way we see the world and interpret its meaning, and it’s the filter by which we make our decisions. Underneath the Belief Window is all the information we believe to be true, false, right, wrong, correct or incorrect, appropriate or inappropriate. All the things we believe combine to create our conscious thoughts and our feelings. The thing to understand about this fact is that we make all of our choices in life based on our thoughts and feelings.
Our choices determine the action we take, and our action drives the results we experience. It is easy to understand that this process is the reason our thinking is the root cause of results. It is the foundation for everything we experience that is within our control. The truth of all this explains why change is so difficult for people. Real change requires us to change some things we believe to be true that are not true. Emotionally we have to accept that our thinking has been incorrect or outdated, and few people want to admit they have been wrong. The most heated discussions involve differences in belief. Think about every argument you have ever had, and you will quickly see that it was caused by two or more different beliefs about something.
How Do We Change Someone’s Thinking?
How do we change the thinking of a new person coming into an organization? The only way people can really change what they believe is to do it voluntarily. Convincing others to change requires compelling reasoning to make them think about things a different way. That requires giving them distinctions and different perspectives that make sense to them individually and that they can use to help others believe and buy in to as well. It requires helping them see Blind Spots—and we all have them. It means getting them to see through the eyes of someone else’s success. If someone I trust is able to sit me down long enough and simply facilitate some basic facts about something, I can “get it.” That revelation can often be life-changing, and I am motivated to take action accordingly. The right thinking attracts momentum and helps ensure execution.
I propose, and I think as a leader in this industry you would agree, one of the most critical touch points that really matters is the starter kit. How’s yours? Is it old, new, fresh, pretty, big, small, etc.? Does it break down potential barriers that inhibit taking action? Or does it facilitate understanding in a way that it becomes a catalyst for success?
Bottom line, the most important questions are: “How well does my starter kit change thinking?” “What tools in my starter kit impact thinking the most?” “What thinking do I want to change?”
As leaders with more than a few years in the business, I’m sure you have dissected your starter kits from all kinds of angles: its cost per tool included, usefulness, size, etc. But have you dissected or assessed each tool regarding the thinking it impacts? Have you determined what thinking you want someone to have as a result of experiencing your kit?
Confidence (self, company, industry)
April 14, 2014 Leave a comment
by Paul Adams
Click here to order the April 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
A company executive tells me they have a “GREAT rep.” He is killing it—making lots of money and bringing lots of people into the organization. Then, in the next sentence, the exec tells me the company just isn’t growing as they would like or have expected, and they can’t figure out why.
OK, I’m no genius, but something doesn’t seem connected between those two things. Almost always, the reason for slow or no growth when there is a top rep who is “doing great” is that the rep is doing something that is not repeatable. Often, from the outside, the example the GREAT rep is setting makes it look way too difficult, and others cannot “see themselves” doing it.
And the problem continues because the executive in charge of the company is catering to this GREAT rep and not creating tools and systems that more people can utilize. I just don’t understand…
If the exec truly believes that more people should be successful in the company, why won’t he explain to the GREAT rep that in order for more people to succeed, things have to change? The reality is that processes, systems and tools are the things that will support true success, not one rep, even a “great” one who is successful—but not duplicable. Sadly, it’s sometimes difficult for the executive to see this reality. Why? The answer is usually pretty simple. The exec is likely fearful of two things:
No. 1: Losing the revenue they already have, even if it’s not at all what they think it should be.
No. 2: Losing the rep who has gotten them to this point—even if the GREAT rep will never take them to the next level of success.
Here’s a cold hard fact of life: Often, the people who helped get your company here are not the people who will help you get where you want or expect to go. It sounds harsh, but it’s true. It happens in your corporate structure. It happens on sports teams. It happens everywhere. Growth requires the right people in the right spots, and the right systems, tools and processes to help individuals maximize their efforts.
In my opinion, the executive has two choices. Either let the GREAT rep keep doing what he is doing and let the overall success of the company remain in his hands, or build a system and provide the tools that allow others to succeed. And, get the GREAT rep on board and building like everyone else is expected to. One of these options is scalable and puts the executive back in control of the company.
Without a doubt, as a business continues to grow, executives are approached over and over by independent business owners (IBOs) who say they want to join the organization and bring their knowledge and their way of growing a business into the company’s world. They want to help “explode” the business and reach entirely new and, up to now, unreachable levels of success. All the executive has to do is let them bring their systems into the business and watch it grow.
Really?
Franchises are perhaps the closest cousin to the direct selling business model. Do you think McDonalds, 7-Eleven, Chick-fil-A, or any one of the dozens of other franchise businesses allow their new business owners to do it “their way”? Of course not!
I am very sure that during the selection/interview process at Chick-fil-A, if the prospective owner starts talking about how they have better ideas and a better way to run the business, they are turned down as an owner. It’s too important to Chick-fil-A—they simply don’t want a single owner to fail. It’s bad for everyone—the business owner, the company and the brand.
The secret to the success of the franchise model is that it relies completely on the ability of the business owner to follow the predetermined system that will lead them to succeed in their own business. After that, the owner needs to be good at a few other critical things—hiring, firing, scheduling, basic accounting, and so on.
Almost every day, I talk to a high-level executive at a direct selling company that is leaving the process of succeeding in the hands of the IBO. To me, that sounds like playing Russian roulette with the business.
Like franchises, I am completely convinced that success in direct selling is process-driven and systematic. Without a system to teach your newest IBO, you are allowing your old IBOs to run the business. You are completely reliant on their system, their knowledge, their charisma. That’s scary!
My advice to all new companies and any company that doesn’t have a system to teach: Get one! Now! Create a system that teaches consistent prospecting and recruiting, along with business practices.
If you have an existing organization, get the buy-in of your current IBOs so everyone agrees that the system is one that everyone will endorse. At first, it may feel threatening to the current field leaders. It won’t take long to realize it is good for everyone if the entire organization is focused on a unified system.
Then, in the new distributor kit, “hold their hand” and teach that new person what to do first. You wouldn’t teach someone geometry if they don’t know how to add and subtract. So, start with the basics. Teach them what they need to know now—on Day One! If done properly, they will quickly become better and will want to know how to be more effective. Then, explain step-by-step what to do on Day Seven, then Day 14, then Day 30. It is the systematic progression that will get them and keep them successful.
Take the first step. Take control of the business by designing and building the systems to achieve and maintain growth. The investment will be well worth it!
Paul Adams is Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing for VideoPlus, which is celebrating 26 years of partnering with direct selling companies.
April 8, 2014 Leave a comment
by Noel Datko
Click here to order the April 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
Traditional supply chains, once only intended to be accessible internally, are coming out of the closet. Companies are being called on to offer complete visibility into their labor practices, energy consumption, waste and carbon emissions measurement, and water supply management.
The real, bottom-line benefits of taking your supply chain transparent are simple: It boosts your company’s image, increases customer loyalty, and can put you light-years ahead of your competition. Transparency means offering consumers real insight into your environmental and social initiatives, and your efforts to improve the quality and cost of your products. It gives you a whole new standard of excellence to live up to—and your customers notice.
As I previously mentioned, responsible and ethical supply chain focus, plus transparency around those initiatives, is becoming essential to your company’s public image. And with social media able to directly impact a company’s reputation, public image more and more affects your bottom line.
The real, bottom-line benefits of taking your supply chain transparent are simple: It boosts your company’s image, increases customer loyalty, and can put you light-years ahead of your competition.
Even more, transparency offers a significant competitive advantage: It’s a consumer’s privilege to buy a product blindly, either ignoring or not caring about its supply chain footprint. But transparently offering an ethical, compliant global sourcing strategy becomes a true competitive differentiator.
It’s how companies gain, and keep, customer loyalty, not to mention making themselves an employer of choice. High-quality potential candidates are attracted to companies that demonstrate they understand that business is, and should be, more than just driving straight ahead to make a profit.
Once you’re on board with the reasons you need to offer a transparent supply chain, the next concern is how. Your ability to be transparent is directly proportionate to just how complex your supply chain is. And the way you design, implement and support transparency initiatives is directly related to how your company currently plans, designs, makes and ships products.
What new requirements will you have to implement in your process? How deeply will changes need to go? Where do you need to start? You can look at everything from how and where you source your materials to how and who assembles them. Consider reducing emissions in your shipping practices, implementing a green packaging initiative, and more. Then you need to consider how to make your initiatives visible to the public.
Nike, for example, has put a Nike Responsibility initiative into place. They developed the Materials Sustainability Index (MSI), a database that, over seven years of research, assembled information on 77,000 materials. Its supply chain team is thoroughly trained to make smart, creative choices regarding material choices when designing and sourcing for their new products. This means that accountability becomes a companywide value.
Supply chain transparency is about harnessing the right combination of innovation and environmental, social, quality and cost best practices. When you operate with full visibility, you’re opening your company up to a new standard of excellence, and redefining what success means. It goes beyond big business, bottom lines and ROI—it’s about operating smartly, ethically and in a sustainable way, now and into the future.
Noel Datko is Marketing Director at IntegraCore LLC., a company that offers outsource turnkey fullfillment center and distribution warehousing services.
March 19, 2014 Leave a comment
by Barbara Seale
Click here to order the March 2014 issue in which this article appeared or click here to download it to your mobile device.
Photo above: Delegates to the first International Congress of Working Women held in Washington, D.C., ca. 1919. (Library of Congress)
The long and winding road of women’s progress in society and the business world has had an amazing number of twists, turns and mountains to climb.
Viewed from today’s world, where Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg encourages women to Lean In, the trail that women blazed in the not too distant past seems surprisingly bumpy.
On March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband, John—who later became our second president—urging him and the other members of the all-male Continental Congress to keep the country’s women in mind as they fought for America’s independence from Great Britain.
“I long to hear that you have declared an independency,” she wrote, “and, by the way, in the new code of laws, which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”
Abigail Adams became one of the first in a long line of American women to use any influence they had to allow themselves and other women to develop and use their full talents and abilities.
John and Abigail’s relationship was filled with mutual trust and admiration, and they often discussed public policy. So perhaps John was teasing his wife when he replied that he could not help but laugh at her “saucy” letter. If he had been able to peer into the future, he would have known that his wife had become one of the first in a long line of American women to use any influence they had to allow themselves and other women to develop and use their full talents and abilities. If John Adams had taken his wife’s pleas to heart and convinced his fellow Continental Congressmen to extend the privileges of citizenship to all residents of the new country, including women, the history of this country and even the world might have been very different.
In Women’s History Month, it seems appropriate to reflect on how far women have come in the nearly 238 years since Abigail Adams’ letter. It would be almost two centuries before women began making their mark in direct selling, but when they did, they were as tenacious and innovative as our nation’s second first lady herself.
Educational Barriers
These young female workers were among the first women ever to operate a centerless grinder machine in a Midwest tool factory, 1942. (Library of Congress)
Abigail was fortunate, she was educated at home. But the future first lady never had a formal education—possibly the reason she became a passionate advocate for public schools to offer girls an education that was equal to the ones given to boys. If a young woman was lucky enough to attend a school, her education focused on developing her skills at household duties and chores. In fact, an academically educated woman was unusual and considered not particularly desirable as a wife.
All but a few towns in New England specifically barred girls from town schools until the late 18th century. Even then girls were often taught separately from the boys. In the South during colonial times, the education of slaves was strictly forbidden, and South Carolina even passed a law prohibiting anyone from teaching a slave to read or write, so many female ancestors of today’s accomplished African Americans were likely illiterate. The notable exception: Phyllis Wheatley. Born in West Africa, she was sold into slavery at 7 years old to the Wheatley family of Boston. They taught her to read and write and allowed her to study astronomy and geography. Then when they recognized her talent, they encouraged her poetry. She became the country’s second published African-American poet and first published African-American woman.
Phyllis Wheatley and other American women of that time started their lives before college educations were available for women. In 1831—before the Civil War—Mississippi College became the first coeducational college in the United States to grant a degree to a woman. That year it granted degrees to two women, Alice Robinson and Catherine Hall. But the situation was so rare that one of the key demands of the Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, N.Y., in 1848, was for coeducation for women—not the separate and unequal institutions that were available to women at the time. Very slowly, change began in the landscape of education, and through education, women’s lives began a gradual alteration. In 1870, less than 1 percent of the female population went to college. That percentage slowly rose, and by 1900 the rate was 2.8 percent. Twenty years later it was still only 7.6 percent.
Overcoming the Odds
Fay Hubbard, a 19-year-old advocate for women gaining the right to vote, sells suffragette papers on the streets of New York in 1910. (Library of Congress)
Women finally gained the right to vote in 1920, signifying the beginning of a new attitude toward a woman’s contribution outside the home, and the number of college-educated women continued to climb decade by decade. In fact, by the 1980s more women than men began attending college. Today’s women have advanced educationally beyond the level that Abigail Adams or Phyllis Wheatley probably ever dreamed. Now, more women than men earn an advanced degree, as well as a bachelor’s degree. While having a degree doesn’t automatically lead to ambition or success, women’s expanded societal roles did follow their advances in education. It also coincided with greater entrepreneurialism—both in traditional and direct selling companies.
It is interesting to note that through the decades, and even centuries, with or without education, women have achieved, led and innovated. As far back as 1809, Mary Kies became the first woman to receive a patent, which was for her method of weaving straw with silk—a process which then-first lady Dolly Madison called a boost to the nation’s hat industry. History is peppered with the forgotten stories of female entrepreneurs—Eliza Lucas Pinckney, who grew and exported indigo in the 1700s; publisher, printer and businesswoman Mary Katherine Goddard, who in 1789 was forced to resign after 14 years as Baltimore’s postmaster because of her gender; Bridget “Biddy” Mason, who was born into slavery in 1818, sued her owners for her freedom, and eventually became a real estate mogul and philanthropist; Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder, savvy businesswomen who built empires based on beauty in the 20th century; and Katharine Graham, publisher of The Washington Post and the top executive of the Washington Post Company, who became one of the most powerful women in business.
In the direct selling industry, women were initially buyers of products from the early companies such as The Southwestern Company (now Southwestern Advantage), Fuller Brush and Avon. Since many products were directed to women, they also became distributors. Fuller Brush was the first direct selling home for many of the women who moved from distributorships to the corporate ranks. Some of them were pioneers who helped shape the industry. In 1931 Catherine O’Brien, an associate with the Fuller Brush Company, teamed up with Stanley Beveridge, a VP at Fuller Brush, to launch a new direct selling company, Stanley Home Products. Initially the company sold its high-quality household cleaners, brushes and mops door-to-door, but it soon began encouraging homemakers to invite small groups of friends to their homes for a product demonstration and light refreshments. This allowed the hostess to receive a gift of choice from the Stanley dealer, who took orders from attendees.
Mary Kay Ash, Mary Crowley, Brownie Wise and JAFRA founders Jan and Frank Day were all Stanley Home Products Dealers. On the long road to success, each of them stepped on the accelerator. Wise became a Tupperware representative and was so successful selling at her home parties that Earl Tupper himself recruited her to become a corporate executive in 1951. At the time, Tupperware was sold at retail stores, but home sales soon topped retail sales and Wise’s “party plan” method took over. She also innovated many practices that today are standards at every direct selling company—rewards, recognition, sales conventions and incentives such as extravagant trips. Her success in implementing marketing styles and recognition systems that appealed to women led her to become the first woman featured on the cover of Business Week magazine in 1954.
Jan Day and her husband, Frank, combined their first names to create the moniker for their company, JAFRA, which they founded in 1956. They wanted to offer women an excellent skincare program along with an appealing business opportunity. Within a year they invented the signature product that would be the foundation of the company for years to come: Royal Jelly Milk Balm Moisture Lotion. Its formula remained unchanged for more than 50 years. Gillette bought the successful company in 1973, and then international direct selling giant Vorwerk acquired it in 2004. Today it offers its product through some 573,000 independent consultants worldwide.
Mary Crowley also put her Stanley Home Products experience to good use when she established Home Interiors and Gifts in 1957. She had moved from Stanley to a new company, World Gift, and proved her sales and leadership skills by developing a 500-person organization in the company. Its response: The owner limited the amount of commission the female sales staff could earn. That apparently didn’t sit well with Crowley, who quit to start her own home décor company. By the 1990s Home Interiors and Gifts had surpassed $850 million in sales.
Today 10 companies on the 2013Direct Selling News Global 100 list were founded or co-founded by women entrepreneurs.
Mary Kay Ash followed her friend Mary Crowley’s example, launching Mary Kay Cosmetics in 1963 after a man she had trained was promoted over her and paid twice her salary. She created a salesforce of women—unusual in the 1960s—and fueled them with pink Cadillacs, compensation plans that paid consultants for building teams and, of course, her famous phrases of wisdom and encouragement that 13 years after her death still make her one of the industry’s most quotable icons. Her formula was wildly successful. Last year Mary Kay Cosmetics had net sales of more than $3 billion worldwide.
So many female business founders have helped make direct selling the thriving, innovative industry it is today, and many more are joining the ranks. Today 10 companies on the 2013 Direct Selling News Global 100 list were founded or co-founded by women entrepreneurs.
Impressive and Puzzling
According to the National Women’s History Museum, women’s ventures have come to comprise about a third of all U.S. businesses —and growing.
According to the National Women’s History Museum, women’s ventures have come to comprise about a third of all U.S. businesses—and growing. If you shrug when you read that, remember that less than a century ago American women couldn’t even vote. But once women had role models, they seemed to be increasingly drawn to entrepreneurship.
In 1972 women owned just 4 percent of all American businesses; by 1991, that figure had climbed to 38 percent. Additionally, since 1997 the growth in the number and economic contributions of firms owned by women of color is nothing short of remarkable. Comprising just 17 percent of women-owned firms 16 years ago, firms owned by women of color now account for one in three women-owned firms in the U.S. The total number of women-owned businesses has risen by 200,000 over the past year alone, which is equivalent to just under 550 new women-owned firms created each day. There are now 8.3 million women-owned businesses in the United States. Those businesses generate revenues of $1.3 trillion—more than the combined market cap of Apple, Microsoft, General Electric, Google and Sony. Plus, revenue has grown more than twice the amount of U.S. population growth during the same period of time.
Yet executive positions have eluded most women. As far as women have come, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) still reported last year that women make up only 16 percent of directors at Fortune 500 companies, 4 percent of chief executives at Standard & Poor’s 500 companies and 10 percent of chief financial officers at S&P 500 companies. Even below the executive levels, salaries for women lag behind those for men. According to WSJ, women earned 76.5 cents for every dollar that men did in 2012, moving no closer to narrowing a gender pay gap that has barely budged in almost a decade. The numbers are puzzling when research also shows that companies with high gender diversity simply make more money.
Organizations with the lowest rates of gender diversity had average sales revenues of $45.2 million, compared with averages of $644.3 million for businesses with the most gender diversity.
Miriam Muléy, CEO of strategic marketing consultancy and research company The 85% Niche LLC and former General Manager at Avon Products Inc., points to a study by sociologist Cedric Herring that was published in the American Sociological Review. Herring found that gender diversity accounted for a difference of $599.1 million in average sales revenue. Put that in perspective: A company with net sales of $600 million would have been No. 22 on last year’s Direct Selling News Global 100 list. Organizations with the lowest rates of gender diversity had average sales revenues of $45.2 million, compared with averages of $644.3 million for businesses with the most gender diversity.
Given the heavy doors women have historically pushed open and their documented growth in starting businesses, it’s surprising that the direct selling industry isn’t buzzing with stories of concentrated efforts to create greater gender diversity, mentoring programs and executive development tracks for women in its corporate offices. Considering the industry’s pride and experience in its personal development programs for distributors, direct selling is uniquely equipped to fuel the power of its female corporate employees and executives.
Will your company be the industry-leading organization that supercharges its growth by unlocking the untapped talents and abilities of women? Which company will lead the caravan that’s sure to follow? We can’t wait to see.
| i don't know |
'So easy a caveman could do it' was an advertising slogan for what company? | GEICO's Story from the Beginning | GEICO
GEICO's Story from the Beginning
The Full Story
Leo And Lillian Goodwin: American Dreamers
In the mid-1930s, at the height of the Great Depression, there weren't many people with the foresight and courage to start up a new company. Yet the husband and wife team of Leo and Lillian Goodwin were up to the challenge. Confident that he could create a successful auto insurance business by marketing directly to carefully targeted customer groups, Leo Goodwin hammered out a business plan during his early career in Texas.
In 1936, he put that plan into action, establishing the Government Employees Insurance Company—the company known and loved today as GEICO. Few people realize that GEICO was initially targeted to federal employees and certain categories of enlisted military officers.
Lillian Goodwin energetically marketed the company to this audience (in addition to doing the accounting, setting rates, and underwriting) and within a year, GEICO had written 3,700 policies and hired 12 staff members.
New Decade, New Investors: Enter Warren Buffett
In 1948, a pivotal figure joined the company. Lorimer Davidson, an investment banker and a friend of the Goodwins, helped them find new investors when the original investors chose other opportunities. Among those new investors was Benjamin Graham, a business professor at Columbia University in New York, who would one day find Warren Buffett in his class. The link between GEICO and Warren Buffett was thereby established, and in 1951 Buffett made his first official appearance in GEICO's history.
Interested in the company, Warren Buffett took the train to Washington on a Saturday to learn more about GEICO and found that the office was closed. Fortunately, a janitor directed him to Davidson, and the two had an impromptu meeting that would ultimately have a greater impact on the company than either man could have realized at the time. After speaking with Davidson, Buffett learned enough to make his first purchase of GEICO stock.
When Leo Goodwin chose to retire in 1958, he named Davidson to be his successor. It was Davidson who would preside at the opening of new GEICO headquarters in Chevy Chase, MD in 1959 after more than 20 years of steady growth.
Growing Pains
The 1960s proved to be similarly successful. GEICO experienced virtually unbroken growth, passing the 1 million policyholder mark in 1964. Insurance premiums reached $150 million in 1965. Net earnings doubled to $13 million in 1966. GEICO opened a number of sales and service offices for walk-in customers and its first drive-in claims office in 1965.
The 1970s, however, were not nearly so good to the company. At the beginning of the decade, both Leo and Lillian Goodwin passed away, and the loss of the company's founders seemed to usher in difficult times for GEICO. By the mid-70s, the years of aggressive expansion were starting to show some weaknesses in the company's loss reserves. It led to a difficult period for the company.
GEICO used the experience to strengthen its underwriting and reserving activities which helped build the company's current reputation as a fiscally superior organization . Warren Buffett made another appearance in 1976 for a second purchase of GEICO stock, reported to total 1 million shares.
Prudent underwriting prevailed in the 1980s and expansion continued. GEICO introduced 24-hour a day, 365-day a year telephone service for claims, sales and service in 1980 as its emphasis on customer service deepened.
A New Chairman, A Bold Vision
In 1993, Olza "Tony" Nicely was named GEICO's new chairman, president and CEO, and worked to expand the customer base through a new four-company strategy. Along with it came an increased advertising budget which propelled GEICO toward much higher national visibility.
Warren Buffett liked what he saw. In 1995, his Berkshire Hathaway investment firm made a generous bid for the remaining shares of GEICO's outstanding stock, and by 1996, GEICO was a subsidiary of one of the most profitable organizations in the country.
That led to national advertising on an enormous scale. GEICO's ads and direct mail pieces flooded the airwaves and filled mailboxes around the country and the company's growth shot upward. The GEICO Gecko® made its first appearance during the 2000 television season and quickly became an advertising icon.
Meanwhile, in 2001, Leo Goodwin was named to the International Insurance Society Hall of Fame, and by 2002, GEICO had passed the 5 million policyholder mark.
Continued Expansion, And A Civilized Caveman
In August 2004, GEICO declared the "good news" about re-entering the New Jersey auto market at a press conference in Trenton that made local, regional and national news. That was also the year that GEICO introduced the Cavemen to television audiences in order to drive home the point that using geico.com was "so easy even a caveman can do it." The rest, as they say, is advertising history.
Later that year, GEICO broke ground for a new office in Buffalo, NY to help handle GEICO's thriving business, and by December, company growth pushed GEICO to 6 million policyholders. Building activities in Buffalo were completed in 2005 and associates moved into their new 250,000-square-foot regional center following a grand opening ceremony in October.
Adding Services – Online And On The Ground
In 2006, GEICO marketing efforts, expanding Internet capabilities and customer outreach combined to attract the company's 7 millionth policyholder. GEICO's success continued throughout 2007 as the company grew to 8 million policyholders.
GEICO Auto Repair Xpress® rolled into more than 400 repair shops around the nation, giving policyholders a full service package of extras like onsite adjusters and rental vehicle reservation services.
GEICO introduced several new product lines . Of these, the Powersports unit got off to a good start, driven by the well-established and highly successful motorcycle group.
GEICO Ad Icons Reach Celebrity Status
While GEICO continued its solid growth, its beloved ad icons began to garner accolades of their own. By 2007, the Cavemen were not only featured in new ads, but also on an interactive Web site that showed off their contemporary and very hip lifestyle.
Meanwhile, the Gecko took on an extra job and became the spokescreature for a national touring gecko exhibit at several zoos and aquariums around the country in order to promote wildlife conservation efforts.
In 2008, the Caveman was voted America's favorite advertising icon of the year and joined the GEICO Gecko on the Advertising Week Walk of Fame. The Caveman, still perturbed with GEICO for its "So easy, a caveman can do it" slogan, did not attend the award ceremony.
GEICO Lately
2009 was another rewarding time for GEICO as associates celebrated a welcome growth spurt by reaching 9 million GEICO policyholders early in the year. This was also the year that the company set its sights on Massachusetts drivers and put out the "Open for Business" sign in the Bay State in May. Now GEICO is truly a national company, providing coverage for drivers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. To help customers further, GEICO opened a second location in Buffalo, NY for its growing GEICO Insurance Agency operations, offering homeowners, renters, boat and other types of insurance coverage.
In 2010 GEICO provided mobile users with a first in the insurance industry – the ability to quote and buy a policy from mobile-friendly pages on their iPhone and Android mobile devices. Growth continued in 2012 as a new milestone of 11 million GEICO policyholders was reached early in the year.
The Next Chapter
Who knows if GEICO founders Leo and Lillian Goodwin could have foreseen the incredible heights that their company would reach? Could they have imagined that GEICO would become the largest auto insurer in New York, Maryland, the District of Columbia and Hawaii, and very near the top in several other states?* Would they have thought the company would have more than 30,000 associates in 14 major locations throughout the country offering insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia? Surpassing 13 million policies in force in 2014, could the Goodwins have imagined their company reaching such impressive heights?
And would they be able to imagine what would happen in GEICO's next chapter? With assets of $28 billion**, the company's future looks bright. But no matter what the coming years hold, GEICO will remain committed to the values on which it was founded: excellent coverage, low prices, and outstanding customer service.
*2011 A.M. Best Market Share Report
**Assets are combined and vary by company. Refer to our financial information page for more details.
Contact Us
| GEICO |
Standing for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, who travels the universe in a spaceship disguised as a police box known as The Tardis? | Practice Questions - Chapter 2: Developing Marketing Strategies and a Marketing Plan
Practice Questions - Chapter 2: Developing Marketing Strategies and a Marketing Plan
Practice Questions - Chapter 2: Developing Marketing Strategies and a Marketing Plan
SCHOOL
View Full Document
1. For U.S. businesses with strong export capabilities, expansion of U.S. trade agreements with other countries creates Select one: a. opportunities. b. weaknesses. c. strengths. d. strategic plans. e. threats. 2. Most banks implement customer retention programs aimed at their best customers. They do this because they know that retaining customers usually results in Select one: a. opportunities for diversi±cation. b. increased long term pro±ts. c. a product development growth strategy. d. more clearly de±ned market segments. e. an operational advantage. 3. In value-based marketing, promotion communicates the ________ to customers through a variety of media. Select one: a. value proposition b. relative market value c. target market de±nition d. operational excellence strategy e. targeted solution 4. A former advertising campaign for GEICO Insurance used the slogan, "So easy, even a caveman could do it" to emphasize the ease of buying insurance on GEICO's website. This campaign was part of GEICO's Select one: a. market segmentation plan. b. customer excellence strategy. c. positioning strategy. d. product strategy. e. mission statement. 5. When conducting a SWOT analysis, in what phase of the strategic marketing process is an organization presently engaged? Select one: a. segmentation b. control c. implementation d. metrics e. planning
This preview has intentionally blurred sections. Sign up to view the full version.
View Full Document
6. To determine how attractive a particular market is, using the BCG portfolio analysis, __________________ is established as one axis. Select one: a. market growth rate b. competitive intensity c. market size d. market proFt potential e. sales dollars 7. Which of the following actions, if it actually happened, would be the most likely to support and enhance an operational excellence macro strategy? Select one: a. Singapore Airlines, installing more comfortable seats in the economy-class cabins of its airplanes. b. 3M Corporation, implementing new software to improve communication with its suppliers. c. McDonald's, lowering prices on its coffee drinks. d. adidas, inviting customer suggestions to guide the design of the next generation of Air Jordan shoes. e. Nike, opening hundreds of new company stores in high-trafFc shopping areas. 8. Nordstrom's, an upscale department store, has a well-known reputation for going the extra mile to serve its customers. This reputation for excellent customer service has probably resulted in Select one: a. product design excellence. b. sustainable price decreases. c. a sustainable competitive advantage. e. producer excellence. 9. Because it was able to deliver merchandise overnight, in the required quantities and at a lower delivered cost than its competitors, Joe's Sports Shack was given exclusive rights to sell clothing with school logos for the school district. Joe's demonstrates ________ excellence. Select one: a. locational b. customer c. product d. operational e. place 10. Even when large discount retailers enter a market, a few small, local retailers survive and prosper. These small retailers have probably developed aNo ________ that allows them to survive.
This is the end of the preview. Sign up to access the rest of the document.
TERM
Practice Questions - Chapter 12: Developing New Products
Cal Poly
1. At the end of a brainstorming session, participants are often asked to Select one:
Practice Questions - Chapter 12: Developing New Products
| i don't know |
What was the name of the PDA produced by Apple, most famous for its handwriting recognition software turning Random House into Condom Nose during a major presentation? | The Heart of Innovation: Innovation Archives
January 13, 2017
The 10 Personas of an Effective Brainstorm Facilitator
Allow me to make a wild guess. You have participated in more than a few brainstorm sessions in your life. Yes?
And allow me to make another wild guess. Many of those sessions left you feeling underwhelmed, over-caffeinated , disappointed, disengaged, and doubtful that much of ANYTHING was ever going to happen as a result of your participation.
Yes, again? I thought so.
There's a ton of reasons why most brainstorming sessions under-deliver, but the main reason -- the Mount Olympus of reasons (drum roll, please....) is the brainstorm facilitator.
Armed with a short list of ground rules , a flipchart marker, and a muffin, most brainstorm facilitators miss the mark completely.
The reason has less to do with their process , tools, and techniques than it does with their inability to adapt to what's happening, real-time, in the room.
In an all-too-professional attempt to be one-pointed, they end up being one-dimensional, missing out on a host of in-the-moment opportunities to spark the ever-mutating, collective genius of the group.
If only our well-intentioned brainstorm facilitators could abide by the words of Walt Whitman, when he confessed that he "contained multitudes."
Translation? If you or anyone you know is going to lead a diverse group of time-crunched, opinionated, multi-tracking, people through a process of originating breakthrough ideas, DON'T BE A ONE TRICK PONY! Be a multitude -- or, at the very least, be multi-faceted. Let it rip. Hang ten. Pull out the stops.
Use your right brain and your left. Let all the cats out of the proverbial bag -- and by so doing, exponentially increase your chances of sparking brainpower, brilliance, and beyond-the-obvious ideas.
OK. Enough bloggy pep talk. Let's get down to business.
Take a few minutes now to rate yourself, on a scale of 1-10, for how skillful you are at embodying the following personas of a high flying brainstorm facilitator
Then tune into your biggest strength and ask yourself how you can amplify that quality. Then identify your biggest weakness and figure out how you can improve in that arena.
1.CONDUCTOR
A skilled brainstorm facilitator knows how to orchestrate powerfully creative output from a seemingly dissonant group of people. In the conductor mode, the facilitator includes everyone, evokes even the subtlest contributions from the least experienced participant, and demonstrates their commitment to the whole by offering timely feedback to anyone who "gets lost in their own song."
2.ALCHEMIST
A good brainstorm facilitator is able to transmute lead into gold -- or in modern terms -- knows how to help people "get the lead out." This talent requires an element of wizardry -- the ability to see without looking, feel without touching, and intuitively know that within each brainstormer lives a hidden genius just waiting to get out.
3.DANCER
Light on their feet, brainstorm facilitators move gracefully through the process of sparking new ideas. Able to go from the cha-cha to the polka to the whirling dervish spinning of a brainstorm group on fire, savvy facilitators take bold steps when necessary, even when there is no visible ground underfoot. "The path is made by walking on it," is their motto.
4. MAD SCIENTIST
Skillful brainstorm facilitators are bold experimenters, often taking on the crazed (but grandfatherly) look of an Einstein in heat. While respecting the realm of logic and the rational (the ground upon which most scientists build their homes), the enlightened facilitator is willing to throw it all out the window in the hope of triggering a "happy accident" or a quantum leap of thought. Indeed, it is often these discontinuous non-linear moments that produce the kind of breakthroughs that logic can only describe, never elicit itself.
5.DIAMOND CUTTER
Fully recognizing the precious gem of the human imagination (as well as the delicacy required to set it free), the high octave brainstorm facilitator is a craftsman (or craftswoman) par excellence -- focused, precise, and dedicated. Able to get to the heart of the matter in a single stroke without leaving anything or anyone damaged in the process.
6. ACTOR
Brainstorm facilitators are "on stage" whether they like it or not. All eyes are upon them, as well as all the potential critical reviews humanly possible. More often than not, the facilitator's "audience" will only be moved to act (perchance to dream) if they believe the facilitator is completely into his or her role. If the audience does not suspend this kind of disbelief, the play will close early and everyone will be praying for a fire drill or wishing they were back home eating a grilled cheese sandwich.
7.ENVIRONMENTALIST
Brainstorm facilitators are the original recyclers. In their relentless pursuit of possibility, they look for value in places other people see as useless. To the facilitator in full mojo mode, "bad ideas" aren't always bad, only curious indicators that something of untapped value is lurking nearby.
8. OFFICER OF THE LAW
One of the brainstorm facilitator's most important jobs is to enforce "law and order" once the group gets roaring down the open highway of the imagination. This is a fine art -- for in this territory speeding is encouraged, as is running red lights, jaywalking, and occasionally breaking and entering. Just as thieves have their code of honor, however, so too should brainstormers. Indeed, it is the facilitator's task to keep this code intact -- a task made infinitely easier by the ritual declaration of ground rules at the start of a session.''
9.SERVANT
Some brainstorm facilitators, intoxicated by the group energy and their own newly stimulated imagination, use their position as a way to foist their ideas on others -- or worse, manipulate the group into their way of thinking. Oops! Ouch! Aargh! Brainstorm facilitating is a service, not a personal platform. It is supposed to be a selfless act that enables others to arrive at their own solutions -- no matter how different they may be from the facilitator's.
10. STAND-UP COMIC
Humor is one of the brainstorm facilitator's most important tools. It dissolves boundaries, activates the right brain, helps participants get unstuck, and shifts perspective just enough to help everyone open their eyes to new ways of seeing. Trained facilitators are always on the lookout for humorous responses. They know that humor often signals some of the most promising ideas, and that giggles, guffaws, and laughable side-talk frequently indicate a rich vein of possibility to explore. Humor also makes the facilitator much more "likable" which makes the group they are facilitating more amenable to their direction. Ever wonder why the words "Aha!" and "Ha-Ha" are so similar?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:11 AM | Comments (5)
October 02, 2016
GUY KAWASAKI on The Top Ten Mistakes of Entrepreneurs
This is absolutely brilliant! Fantastic content, authentic delivery, entertaining, and provocative. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, this is required viewing. But even if you're not trying to raise venture capital, you can still learn a lot from Guy simply by tuning into the way he makes his pitch. And his Art of the Start is a treasure.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:26 PM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2016
Inside/Out Innovation
If you work in an organization that wants to establish a sustainable culture of innovation -- you have two basic choices: outside/in or inside/out.
Outside/in is the most common approach. It assumes that re-engineering systems or processes is the way to go. You know the drill: do a little Six Sigma, cost cutting, continuous improvement, hire a few consultants to give pep talks and you're off to the races.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you, but it's often just a slick way of repositioning the deck chairs on your own Titanic. It looks good. It sounds good. You feel like you're doing something, but the ship is still sinking.
The other approach -- inside/out -- is far less common. And why it's less common is because it's slower, initially more chaotic, requires more commitment and, to a lot of left-brained people, seems like voo doo.
The inside/out approach is based on the notion that "organizational change" follows individual change -- understanding, as it does, that an organization is nothing more than a collection of individuals.
The bottom line? Organizations don't change until the people in them do.
In the inside/out approach, each person commits to -- as Mahatma Ghandi put it -- to "being the change you want to see in the world."
Ah... personal responsibility! Personal accountability! Sustained commitment! Even when things get uncomfortable.
Real change does not begin with re-engineering. It does not begin with new initiatives, tweaked processes, compensation plans, reward systems, cost cutting measures, flex time, organic lunches in the cafeteria, or overpriced consultants telling you what to do.
Where does real change begin? It begins with a change of mindset -- what the dictionary defines as "the characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to new situations."
Mindset, not skillset.
MINDSET -- why a pickpocket, every time he meets a saint, will only see pockets. MINDSET -- the cognitive filters we look through that color how we see the world. MINDSET -- why the CFO sees the problem as data, the Chief Marketing Officer sees it as branding, and the IT Director sees it as bandwidth.
The fact is: every single person in your company already knows what to do in order to foster a culture of innovation. They do. They really do. It's common sense. It's just that common sense has become uncommon these days.
Consultants like to make it mysterious, but it's actually very simple.
Does your company's longstanding history of bureaucratic, hierarchical, command-and-control get in the way of each individual operating at their highest potential? Of course it does.
Will re-engineering business processes help? Of course it will. And it is an important piece of the puzzle. But the real deal is NOT a "program". The real deal is each and every person in your organization bringing their innate wisdom to the table every single day. Their highest self. Their best self. Their naturally creative, authentic, passionate, collaborative, go-beyond-the-call-of-duty, opportunity-finding, accountable, engaged, on-fire-with-possibility self.
It's simple.
Simple, unfortunately, is not the same thing as "easy" -- especially these days where so many of us worship at the altar of complexity.
To be continued...
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:01 PM | Comments (7)
June 26, 2016
FASCINATION: The DNA of Innovation
I own a huge library of books on innovation. Mostly hardcover. The $27.95 variety with big indexes and forwards by people who make more money than I do.
Some of these books are actually good . Most of them bore me. (I must confess I have a secret desire, whenever I enter a bookstore, to put glue between pages 187 & 188 in all of the new releases just to see if the publishers get any complaints).
The books attempt to describe the origins of innovation. You know, stuff like "the innate human impulse to find a better way" and "the imperative to find a competitive edge." That sort of thing.
Corporate-speak, in other words.
In my experience , the origin of innovation is fascination -- the state of being intensely interested in something. Enchanted. Captivated. Spellbound. Absorbed.
What kids are naturally good at.
Kids and those mavericks at work who make everyone nervous and running for their spreadsheets at the drop of a hat.
A person who is fascinated does not need to be motivated... or managed... or "incentivized."
All that person needs is time , some resources, meaningful collaboration, and periodic reality checks from someone who understands what fascination is all about.
That's why Google gives its workforce 20% of their time to explore projects on their own. That's why 3M and W.L. Gore do something similar. They know that the root of innovation is fascination.
If you, or the people who report to you, are not currently in a state of fascination it's time to turn things around. That is, IF you want to spark some innovation.
How do you do this?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:24 PM | Comments (7)
June 18, 2016
The DNA of Sparking Innovation in a Roomful of People, Some of Whom May Be Skeptical or Cranky
Most people think that the ability to be innovative is a mystical state available only to the chosen few.
The effort, they imagine, takes a lot of time and hard work. And since they don't have time and don't like hard work, they reason that innovation just isn't in the cards for them.
But innovation is not a mystical state. It's a natural state -- a human birthright. The people in your organization, in fact, already are innovative. The only thing is: their natural ability to be innovative is being obscured by their own habits of mind and a variety of bothersome organizational constraints.
Their challenge is the same one as seeing the "hidden" arrow in the FedEx logo (look between the "E" and the "X").The arrow has always been there, but most people never notice it.
This is the work of Idea Champions. We help people see what they already have, but don't know how to access.
We help people make meaningful adjustments of vision, insight, and perception so they can acknowledge, embrace, and apply their innate ability to be more creative on the job -- and, for those clients who want to reinvent their "innovation process", we help them figure it out.
What follows is a brief summary of how we do this...
1. Know Thy Customer:
Long before we ever get into a room with participants, we do our due diligence -- learning about WHO we are serving, WHAT they expect, and HOW our time with them will be the most significant.
Sometimes this takes the form of phone interviews. Or online polls. Or studying key documents our clients send us in order to understand their current reality, industry, business challenges, organizational constraints, and hoped for outcomes.
2. Customization:
Based on our assessment of our client's needs, we put together a game plan to get the job done. Towards this end, we draw on more than 100 "innovation-sparking" modules we've been developing since 1986.
3. Co-Creation:
Early in the design process, we invite our clients to give us feedback about our approach. Their feedback stirs the creative soup and provides us with the input needed to transform a good session design into a great one.
4. Spacing In:
We make a great deal of effort to ensure that the space in which our sessions take place are as ideal as possible. Form may follow function, but function also follows form.
When participants walk into an Idea Champions session, they begin "mind shifting" even before the session begins. It is both our belief and experience that culture/environment is a huge X factor for creativity and innovation.
5. Drive Fear Out of the Workplace:
W. Edwards Deming, one of America's most revered management consultants, was a big proponent of removing fear from the workplace. So are we. Towards that end, each of our sessions begins with a norm-setting process that makes it easy for participants to establish a dynamic culture of innovation for the day.
6. Mindset:
Organizations don't innovate, people do. But not just any "people." No. People who are energized, curious, confident, fascinated, creative, focused, adaptive, collaborative, and committed.
People who emerge from our sessions are significantly more in touch with these "innovation qualities" than when they began. Their minds have changed. They see opportunities when, previously, all they saw were problems.
They let go of perfectionism, old paradigms, and habitual ways of thinking. In their place? Open-mindedness, listening, idea generation, original thinking, full engagement, and the kind of commitment that drives meaningful change.
7. Balancing Polarities:
Human beings, by nature, are dualistic, (i.e. "us" vs. "them," "short-term" vs. "long-term," "incremental" vs. "breakthrough," "left brain" vs. "right brain".)
The contradictions that show up in a corporate environment (or workshop) can either be innovation depleters or innovation catalysts. It all depends how these seeming conflicting territories are navigated. Idea Champions is committed to whole-brain thinking -- not just right brain or left brain thinking.
Our work with organizations has shown us that one of the pre-conditions for innovation is a company's ability to strike the balance between these polarities.
Each workshop we lead and each consulting engagement we commit to is guided by our understanding of how to help our clients find the healthy balance between the above-noted polarities.
8. Expert Facilitation: "A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile when someone contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind," wrote St. Exupery.
This, quite simply, is what Idea Champions does. But we do far more than just contemplate. We also architect and build.
Since 1986, we've been facilitating innovation-sparking engagements for a wide variety of industries. We have mastered the art and science of turning lead (or leaders) into gold. And we can train your people to do the same thing we do.
9. Experiential Challenges: "What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand."
So said the great Chinese sage, Confucius. This 14-word quote describes the essence of our work. Simply put, we get people off their "ifs, ands or buts," and into the experience of what's possible.
While we value theory, research, models, data, best practices, business cases, and most of the other flora and fauna of business life, we've come to understand that the challenge of sparking insight, breakthrough, and change, is best accomplished by doing -- not talking.
That's why all of our sessions include experiential challenges that provide participants with visible ways of seeing innovation in action -- what supports it and what obscures it.
10. Emergent Design: Awakening the creativity of an organization's workforce is not a follow-the-dots exercise.
Although all of our interventions begin with carefully crafted project plans and agendas, our facilitators are fluent in the art and science of making the kind of real-time adjustments, refinements, and improvisations that are the difference between a good session and a great session.
Facilitators who attempt to imitate our approach find it difficult to succeed without first learning how to master the art of emergent design. The good news is that it can be learned -- and this is just one of the things we teach in our Train the Trainer programs.
11. Edutainment: Idea Champions sessions are a hybrid of two elements: education and entertainment. We know that when participants are enjoying themselves their chances of learning increase exponentially.
That's why we make all of our sessions a hybrid of education and entertainment. Participants do not get tired. They do not get bored. They do not sneak long looks at their Blackberries.
12. Full Engagement: Idea Champions sessions are highly participatory. Our facilitators are skilled at teasing out the brilliance of participants, regardless of their social style, job title, or astrological sign.
But perhaps more importantly, our facilitators know how to help participants tease out each others' brilliance. Eventually, everyone gets into the act. The shy people take center stage and the power players take a back seat. The collective wisdom in the room gets a much-needed chance to be accessed and expressed.
13. Convergence: Idea Champions is successful because what we do works. And one of the reasons WHY it works is because our sessions help participants translate ideas into action.
Ideas are powerful, but they are still only the fuzzy front end of the innovation process. Ultimately, they need to turn into results. Creativity needs to be commercialized. Our workshops, trainings, and consulting interventions help our clients do exactly that.
14. Tools, Techniques, and Takeaways: Ideas Champions closes the gap between rhetoric and reality. We don't just talk about innovation or teach about it -- we spark the experience of it. And we do that in very practical ways.
One way is by teaching people how to use specific, mind-opening techniques to access their innate creativity. Another way is by providing our clients with a variety of innovation-sparking guidelines, processes, and materials that can be immediately used on the job.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2016
Move the Hole!
I like what Edward deBono once said about the phenomenon of creative people trying to get results, but coming up empty (and I paraphrase). "If you are digging for oil and don't find any, move the hole!"
Pretty simple, eh? Sometimes, it seems as if aspiring innovators get fixated on a particular approach and, no matter what happens (or doesn't), they just keep doing the same old thing over and over again even when experience reveals that their approach is not working.
Of course, it's always possible that other factors are at play:
1. Perhaps the hole you've dug is too shallow and success is only a few shovelfuls away. Digger deeper, then, makes sense. Always possible.
2. Maybe you're digging in the right place, but the tools you're digging with are not the right tools for the job.
3. And, of course, it's always possible that in your effort to discover oil, you don't see the unexpected diamonds and gold coins you stumble upon because everything that is "not oil" is invisible to you.
So, let's make this real for a moment. Think of a project you are working on -- one you have passion for whose results have been slower to materialize than you hoped. Got it? Good. Now answer the following before doing any more digging:
CAN YOU DIG THIS?
1. What are your instincts telling you about how to proceed? Have you dug the hole deep enough? Might it be time for you to move the hole? And if it is the time to move the hole, where might you move it? What are some new approaches to try? Other places to look?
2. If you sense that you haven't dug deep enough -- that you've been a dilettante, slacker, or half-hearted digger for oil -- what can you do to martial your forces and commit to a more rigorous digging effort? And what support, if any, might you need?
3. If, in your digging adventures, you have stumbled upon some unexpected "finds", but dismissed them because you were only focused on oil, how might you extract the value from your accidental discoveries?
By the way, 75% of all product breakthroughs are NOT the result of strategic plans or "intentional effort", but the result of serendipity and " happy accidents " -- what happens when the open-minded innovator "stumbles" on something intriguing, pauses, and makes the right kind of effort to see if this discovery has value and is worth pursuing.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2016
The Innovation Burnout Syndrome
Most newly launched corporate innovation initiatives have a dark side, a not-much-talked-about shadow side -- the metaphorical alcoholic-father-in-the-basement side. And it is this... fascinating new projects are conceived, senior leaders get pumped, game plans are drawn up, but no one gives the "worker bees" any more time to devote to the newly launched projects. They are, in effect, expected to shoehorn their new efforts into their already overloaded schedules.
Bottom line, aspiring innovators' "day jobs" end up colliding with newly launched innovation initiatives and mayhem ensues. People either burn out, get cranky, triangulate to third parties, spend way too much time explaining the newly launched innovation project to their "day job" managers, or else go into martyrdom-mode -- all behaviors that do not bode well for the individual, the company, or its customers. And while every company DOES have a few superstar self-starters who dive in with both feet and a heigh ho silver, this is not a formula for sustainable innovation.
The solution? Either redistribute workloads, offer "innovation project sabbaticals", or provide your front line innovators with enough support services to unclutter their minds, ease their way forward, and allow them the time to focus on the innovation job at hand without frying.
If you don't, expect nothing but a whole lot of chaos, broken promises, unfulfilled expectations, and the kind of innovation backlash you wish you hadn't unleashed.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2016
If You Want to Create Breakthrough Products, Get Meaningful Feedback Early in the Game
Most Fortune 500 companies have some kind of corporate strategy in place for ratcheting up their innovation efforts. Consultants are hired. CEOs give pep talks. And internal initiatives are launched.
To the casual observer, it all looks good, but few of these initiatives ever amount to anything In fact, research indicates that 70 percent of all change initiatives fail.
Why such a low percentage? It depends on who you ask. Senior leaders see it as a workforce issue. The workforce sees it as a senior leader issue. Consultants see it as an issue their company is best suited to resolve. And the occasional in-house astrologer sees it as a Gemini in Pluto issue. Bottom line, nobody really knows.
Here's how I see it: one of the biggest (and least addressed) reasons why most change initiatives fail can be traced back to the cro-magnon way most innovation-seeking people give and receive feedback -- especially when it comes to pitching high concept ideas.
Case in point: Some years ago, Lucent Technologies asked me to facilitate a daylong "Products of the Future" ideation session for 75 of their best and brightest. The pay was good. The challenge was compelling. And I was going to have carte blanche to design the session just the way I wanted.
Or so I thought.
The woman who had contacted me, I quickly found out, reported directly to the CEO. So far, so good. And her concept of the session was spot on -- that the CEO and his Direct Reports (a new rock band?), would make an appearance at the end of the day to listen to five BIG IDEA pitches and then give their feedback, real-time.
Theoretically, this made perfect sense. But theory and reality are two very different things -- kind of like the difference between asking your teenage daughter to clean up her room and her actually doing it.
The harsh reality is this: The vast majority of Senior Leaders are not very skillful when it comes to giving feedback -- especially in response to ideas that challenge the status quo. "Feedback," for them, has become code for "With all due respect, let me tell you why your idea sucks".
As a facilitator of high profile brainstorming sessions , I cannot, in good faith, allow this all-too-predictable dynamic to play itself out. Not only will potentially profound ideas be prematurely dismissed, the hard-working, brilliant people who have spent all day generating and developing these ideas will become royally pissed, disempowered, humiliated, passive/aggressive, and depressed. The result? Very few of them will want to participate in future sessions.
So I told the consultant-seeking woman from Lucent that I, in service to the outcomes she was about to hire me to ensure, needed to meet with her CEO so I could teach him and his team how to give effective, humane feedback to a roomful of 75 future product generating optic fiber geniuses.
"Impossible!" was her response. "Our CEO is very busy man -- and besides... he doesn't like consultants."
"Got it," I said, quickly assessing my options. "And thank you, so much, for your kind invitation to facilitate the session, but I must respectfully decline" -- and, with that, I began packing up my briefcase.
This, shall we say, caught her slightly off guard. "I... don't understand where you are going with this," she replied.
"Look," I said. "If you want to get meaninful results from an all-day brainstorming session, especially if you are flying people in from who knows where, we've got to be absolutely sure that the feedback at the end of the day is done well. I am not going to walk 75 of your best and brightest people off the plank."
I could tell that my unexpected feedback was registering. "OK, OK...but the best I can do is get you five minutes with him during the coffee break just before the report outs".
"Great," I said. "I'll take it."
Fast forward two months.
From 8:30 am -- 3:00 pm, 75 of Lucent's most brilliant technologists conjured up products that made my head spin. The room was abuzz with glorious possibilities. The sense of accomplishment was palpable. At 2:45 they selected five of their best ideas and summarized them on flipcharts. At 3:00, it was time for coffee and sugar, me craning my head for the CEO and his merry band of direct reports.
I envisioned him to be a tall man, silver-haired, with a large Rolex and a steely look in his eyes -- someone who might be good friends with the Governor and eventually have his portrait hanging in the lobby at headquarters. He was, much to my surprise about 5'6", wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt, loafers, and no socks. My kind of guy.
"Rich," I began, extending my hand. "Welcome, Mitch Ditkoff here from Idea Champions , facilitator of today's extraordinary ideation session, "how would you like to learn a simple technique in the next five minutes that will not only take all the dread out of giving feedback, but spark some seriously powerful idea development on the spot?"
He looked at me as if I'd just given him the holy grail. "You're on!"
"Great. Here's how it works," I began. "When an idea is pitched, first say what you LIKE about it -- the upside, what's promising. After a few genuine likes, then express your CONCERNS -- the stuff you probably wanted to say in the first place. But for each concern you express, it will be your responsibility to follow it with a SUGGESTION, a way that would resolve your concern and keep the idea alive Got it?"
"Got it."
"Oh... one more thing, Rich. If you forget to use the method, do I have your permission to remind you?"
"Absolutely".
The senior team took their place on stage, sitting behind a table, draped in black, that reminded me of the Nuremberg Trials. The 75 brilliant brainstormers took their seats at round tables -- everyone attentively listening to me describe the feedback process that was just about to unfold.
The first BIG IDEA pitch was excellent -- a compelling idea for a telecommunications platform of the future that was utterly mind blowing. The audience applauded, I acknowledged the presenter, and then gave the floor to the CEO, reminding him to use the feedback technique I'd taught him just a few minutes ago -- which he proceeded to do for, oh, maybe 30 seconds or so.
After that? It was Apocalyse Now meets The Godfather, with a little Don Rickles in Vegas thrown in for good measure, a scene I'd witnessed countless times before in corporate America -- the kneejerk, reptilian-brained, go-for-the-jugular tendency most senior executives have to focus on what's wrong with a new idea before what's right.
Speaking into the mic in my best baritone imitation of the Wizard of Oz, I quickly intervened.
"Oh Mr. CEO of a very large and profitable telecommunications company. Remember the LCS technique! First your LIKES, then your CONCERNS, then your SUGGESTIONS."
In an optic fiber nanosecond, he sheepishly smiled, thanked me for the reminder, and returned to the technique.
The rest of the session went off without a hitch. Five powerful ideas got pitched. Seven of Lucent's top executives weighed in with insight, honesty, and graciousness. And 75 aspiring innovators experienced something they had probably never experienced before -- that it was possible to spend all day brainstorming "out there" possibilities and get the kind of feedback from senior leadership that was honorable, empowering, easy-to-listen to, and immediately helpful.
SO WHAT? Ever hear the phrase "ideas are a dime a dozen." Of course you have. It's one of the classic truisms we were all brought up to believe. That old saw, however, is less about ideas being inconsequential, than it is about people not knowing how to elicit their value. Granted, not every idea is worth developing, but far too many good ones are lost along the way because the person to whom the idea is pitched is blinded by their own knee jerk reactions.
The literature is filled with examples of great ideas whose value was not immediately recognized. The steam engine. The MacIntosh. FedEx. And the Post-It Note just to name a few. All of them were pitched to the "powers-that-be" and all were victims of knee jerk, naysaying, idea killing behavior. Yes, it's true, many senior leaders beat the drums for "out of the box thinking". But when push comes to shove, as it often does, their drumming is more like fingernails on the edge of an office desk than a conga player with fire in his eyes. So let's give our senior leaders what they need to make the shift from theory to practice -- and that is a simple method for them to respond to new and untested ideas in a way that increases the odds of innovation actually happening.
NOW WHAT? Think about your style of responding to new ideas. Do you listen? Do you pause long enough to see the seed of innovation? Do you give meaningful feedback in a humane way? And what about your organization? Do people know how to give and receive feedback? Do they take the time? Does the process increase the odds of innovation becoming a reality? If not, what can you about it this week to turn things around?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:46 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2016
An Innovation in Climbing, Art and Helping At-Risk Communities
Jon Sedor realized, as a high school sophomore, that his passion in life was all about rock climbing and painting. However, in 2007 Jon lost his left (dominant) hand in a serious accident. Two amputations three surgeries, and lots of challenges later, Jon had still not given up his dreams. He could have easily submitted to what seemed to be a limitation, but he didn't. No way.
Since his accident, Jon has relearned to draw as a right-handed person, graduated from the School of Visual Arts with his MFA in 2014, and has become a nationally and internationally ranked rock climber. But Jon has a much grander vision than simply being a world class climber and working artist.
He wants to give back to the various communities that have given him so much meaning and healing in his life. And he wants to do so by helping other athletes with physical differences push their limits and achieve their own seemingly impossible goals.
Towards that end, Jon and some very committed friends have joined together to create the Pebble Wrestler Collective -- an adventure film and creative apparel company based in Cleveland, Ohio. Their goal is to showcase the unique individuals and opportunities within the athletic and artistic lifestyles they pursue.
The Collective is comprised of outdoor adventurers -- from climbers and surfers, to skiers and snowboarders. Not only are they athletes, they are artists, film makers, and philanthropists, too. Bottom line, they are using their love of adventure and the visual arts to build awareness of the challenges and accomplishments of adaptive athletes, as well as helping communities by providing at-risk youth with healthy alternatives to street life -- climbing, surfing, and snowboarding.
Jon and the Pebble Wrestler collective have launched a Kickstarter Campaign is to fund their efforts. They are halfway to their goal of raising $18,000 and have until March 2nd to raise the rest.
Which is precisely why the Heart of Innovation has posted this update. We are calling on all our readers to pitch in -- even if it's just $10. It's easy to talk about innovation. It's easy to write about innovation. But in the end, when push comes to shove, action is what's needed -- crowd sourced, inspired, collaborative, dig deep, go-beyond-the-obstacles action. You in?
Thanks, in advance, for any support you can provide. Today is Jon's day to ask the world community for support. Tomorrow might be yours.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2016
On Creating an Innovation Mindset
If you want to spark innovation in your organization and are looking for the diamond cutters stroke, consider storytelling . Since 1987, I've tried everything under the sun to help my clients raise the bar for innovation. What I've discovered is that innovation begins in the mind and that unless people are in the right mindset, innovation will never be more than a pipe dream. Storytelling, I've learned, is the simplest, fastest, most memorable way to get people into an innovation mindset. Here's how we do it. And if you only have 90 minutes, this is how we do it. Its also boosts employee engagement.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2015
The Art of Sparking Innovation
When my mother was alive, she told me she had no idea what I did for a living. Around the canasta table, she would tell her friends I was a "motivational speaker", no matter how many times I explained what I actually did. The slide show below is dedicated to her and to YOU, too -- especially if you're wondering what the heck goes on in one of Idea Champions' innovation-sparking workshops. Best to view full screen.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:18 PM | Comments (0)
September 04, 2015
HOW TO MAXIMIZE IDEA POWER FOR FREE: A 3-Minute Video Tutorial
Need powerful, new ideas to grow your business, solve a problem, or find a better way? Don't want to go to yet another meeting to figure things out? Start paying attention to the ideas you are conceiving away from the workplace. And encourage others to do so, as well. Here's WHY and HOW.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
May 01, 2015
The Professor and the Jar
A college professor stood before his philosophy class at the start of a new semester. Silently, he picked up a very large jar and filled it with golf balls. Then he asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly, pebbles settling into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students again responded with a resounding "yes."
The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured them into the jar, filling the empty spaces between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor. "I want you to understand that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, health, friends, and feeling of well-being. If everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."
"The pebbles are the other things that matter -- your job, your house, your accomplishments etc. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there's no room left for the golf balls or pebbles. The same holds true for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you'll never have room for the things that are really important to you."
"Pay attention to the things that are essential to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Smell the flowers. Enjoy the beauty of existence. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. The rest is just sand."
One of the students then raised her hand and asked what the beer represented.
The professor smiled, "I'm glad you asked."
"The beer shows you that, no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:16 PM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2015
GUY WIRE: The Art of Innovation
Here is a no BS, engaging, entertaining, honorable 21-minute talk on innovation, by the extremely refreshing Guy Kawasaki. Many pearls of wisdom in this and some good jokes.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:33 PM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2015
On Being an Idea Champion
There's a reason why the expression "ideas are a dime a dozen" is so popular. Because they are. It's easy to get ideas. What's not so easy is championing ideas. And by "championing", I am referring to the kind of heroic commitment required to actually manifest those ideas. Here's my six-minute video elaboration on this often neglected topic. It's great that you have a new idea you care about. Wonderful. Now, ask yourself "What is it going to take for me to press through all the inevitable obstacles and bring this idea to life?"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:34 AM | Comments (0)
February 09, 2015
Innovation as a Happy Accident
A little known fact about innovation is that many breakthroughs have not been the result of genius, but "happy accidents" -- those surprise moments when an answer revealed itself for no particular reason.
The discovery of penicillin, for example, was the result of Alexander Fleming noting the formation of mold on the side of petri dish left uncleaned overnight.
Vulcanized Rubber was discovered in 1839 when Charles Goodyear accidentally dropped a lump of the polymer substance he was experimenting with onto his wife's cook stove.
More recently, 3M's post-it was also the result of an accident in the lab. Breakthroughs aren't always about invention, but the intervention required, by the aspiring innovator, to notice something new, unexpected, and intriguing.
LEARN FROM YOUR HAPPY ACCIDENTS:
1. Think about a recent project, pilot, or business of yours that did not turn out the way you expected.
2. Ask yourself if any of the unexpected results offer you a clue or insight about how you might proceed differently.
3. Instead of interpreting your results as "failure," consider the fact that the results are simply nature's way of getting you to see something new -- something that merits further exploration.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:59 PM | Comments (4)
January 24, 2015
Radio Woodstock in the House!
We just received this very nice piece of feedback from the President of Radio Woodstock, Gary Chetkof.
" Idea Champions was a true partner in helping us untangle some of the issues we were struggling with. They were very easy to work with and the processes used were fun and creative and they worked splendidly. We were able to find out what the major obstacles were and our entire team worked together to find solutions. Everyone participated fully, and everyone now has much more clarity about how to better work together. We even have our new mission statement that you can see on our Facebook page ! I wholeheartedly recommend Idea Champions to any business that wants to problem solve, brainstorm , or get their employees to work more harmoniously together."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2015
The Good Thing About Bad Ideas
One of the inevitable things you will hear at a brainstorming session is "there are no bad ideas." Not true. There are plenty of bad ideas. Nazism, for instance. Arena football. Bow ties.
What well-meaning "keep hope alive" brainstorming lovers really mean is this: Even bad ideas can lead to good ideas if the idea originators are committed enough to extract the meaning from the "bad".
Do you think that War and Peace was written in one sitting? No way. There were plenty of earlier drafts that were horrid, but eventually led to the final outcome.
The key? To find the value in what seems to be a "bad idea" and then use that extracted value as a catalyst for further exploration. The following technique, excerpted from Awake at the Wheel , shows you how...
HOW IT WORKS:
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:10 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2014
The 25 Most Influential Innovation Blogs and Experts: 2014
GOOD NEWS! Idea Champions' The Heart of Innovation blog was just chosen as one of the top 25 "innovation blogs and experts" of 2014 (just 86 years after the first American Yo Yo factory opened in California). Check it out here. To be more specific, The Heart of Innovation is listed as #20. So, it's officially official: You are not a loser for reading this blog. On the contrary, you are insightful, intelligent, adventurous, creative, and very good looking, if not just a wee bit twisted. PS: There are a number of other, fine innovation blogs noted on Nick Skillicorn's end-of-the-year-round-up. Worth a look.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:04 PM | Comments (2)
December 13, 2014
BIG IDEA: Empowering the Homeless
What idea do you have to make a difference? What can YOU do to go beyond the obvious and really be of service to people in need? And if you work in an organization, how can you rally the troops to join you in the venture? Check out what 24-year old Veronika did. Genius!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:46 PM | Comments (0)
December 06, 2014
Who We Are and What We Do
When my mother was alive, she would ask me, at regular intervals, what I did for a living. I would do my best to explain it to her but, somehow, her explanations to her friends around the canasta table always ended up with some version of "my son is a motivational speaker." No matter how hard I tried to educate dear Sylvia about what I REALLY did, nothing stuck. It would have been easy if I was a doctor, lawyer, or dentist, but I wasn't. I was a....
Anyway, a few days ago, a new prospect of Idea Champions just asked me a similar question. This is what I told her:
Idea Champions is an innovation consulting and training company, headquartered in Woodstock, NY. Since 1987, we have been helping a wide variety of forward thinking organizations increase their employee's ability and commitment to think creativity, generate powerful new, business-growth ideas, collaborate, and develop the kind of organizational culture that is conducive to sustainable innovation.
How we accomplish this noble goal depends on the current reality of each client, their level of commitment, and what their hoped-for outcomes are.
Services we provide include: innovation-sparking keynotes, leadership development sessions, creative thinking training, facilitated brainstorming sessions, culture of innovation workshops, brainstorm facilitation training, team building, executive coaching, and innovation-sparking materials.
Our clients have included: General Electric, AT&T, Merck, Lucent Technologies, NBC Universal, Pfizer, Kraft Foods, General Mills, MTV Networks, Chubb insurance, Goodyear Tire, Citibank, Wells Fargo, TV Guide, Hitachi, A&E Television, Genentech, Michelin, Con Edison, MBooth, Blue States Digital, Duke Corporate Education, Atlanticare, TIAA Cref, The National Institutes of Health, Champion International, Coca Cola, and a host of others. This is what they say about us.
Intrigued? Check out either or both of our websites:
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:53 PM | Comments (0)
October 09, 2014
Playing With Parkinson's
Q. What do Muhammed Ali, Billy Graham, Roger Bannister, Steve Allen, Linda Ronstadt, Michael J. Fox, and Robin Williams all have in common?
A. Each of them have inspired and delighted millions of people. And each of them have had to deal with Parkinson's disease , a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that affects approximately 7-10 million people worldwide.
With the recent passing of Robin Williams, the world has gotten yet another opportunity to learn about the ravages of this little-understood disease, named after James Parkinson, an English physician who published the first detailed description of it back in 1817.
But no matter how many news articles, tweets, fundraisers, or newly-detected sufferers of this disease come to light, most of us have very little visceral understanding of what Parkinson's is and how it deeply affects those who lives are turned upside down by its progressive debilitation.
Until now, that is -- with the imminent release, at the Woodstock Film Festival, of Burrill Crohn's groundbreaking documentary, Playing With Parkinson's -- the soul-stirring story of Sangeeta Michael Berardi.
Sangeeta may not be a household name like the other luminaries noted above, but after Crohn's film makes the rounds, he very well may be. A consummate musician, Sangeeta (whose name translates as "Divine Song") has enjoyed, since the 1960s, a successful career as a jazz guitarist and has played with such greats as Archie Shepp, Roswell Rudd, Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Karl Berger, and Rashied Ali. But in 2001, "Mr. P" (as Sangeeta playfully refers to Parkinson's) came knocking at his door.
The subsequent tremors and shakes -- the most visible signs of the disease -- not only made playing the guitar increasingly difficult, but also the simplest of daily tasks -- like drinking a glass of water... or picking up the phone.... or walking into the next room.
True to his jazz roots, however, Sangeeta, "went with the moment," adapting and adjusting to the new song that life -- his life -- was demanding he play. A lesser man might have abandoned music, but not Sangeeta. Reaching deep within himself, he found a way to turn what others term "disability" into an astounding new ability -- the ability to find beauty, meaning, and self-expression in the present moment, no matter what limitations were thrust upon him.
Simply put, Sangeeta created new ways to make music -- using breakfast bowls, tabletops, found objects, his omnipresent bag of pills, and his Parkinson's-compromised voice. Necessity wasn't only the mother of invention for Sangeeta, it was also the father, cousin, uncle, grandmother, and sound engineer, too.
Previewing Playing with Parkinson's in Burrill Crohn's Woodstock studio two weeks ago, I found myself crying and shaking -- stunned by Sangeeta's indomitable spirit of creativity and the filmmaker's extraordinary ability to communicate the highest attributes of what it truly means to be a human being.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2014
26 Inspired Quotes on the Innovation Most Needed on Planet Earth -- PEACE!
You've heard of product innovation, process innovation, business model innovation, and disruptive innovation. Now it's time for PEACE INNOVATION -- and that's what's happening on September 21st all around the world as millions of people in cities, towns, and hamlets gather together to celebrate the International Day of Peace.
Want to know more? See more? Feel more? Tune into PeaceCast , a 48-hour livestream broadcast to celebrate the International Day of Peace. Starts at 8:00 am (EDT) on 9/20 and ends at 6:00 am (EDT) on 9/22.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:36 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2014
Is Peace the Innovation We Need the Most?
"Innovation" continues to be a hot topic in corporate circles these days -- a "competitive edge" organizations are increasingly attempting to hone so they can not only differentiate themselves from the competition, but survive in today's topsy turvy economy.
That being said, there are some forward thinking organizations out there who are going beyond the status quo and seriously asking themselves what they can do differently to not only be "socially responsible", but use their corporate clout to help various peace-themed global causes truly impact positive change.
If that describes your organization, please contact us. Idea Champions, in 2015, will be launching a new innovation-sparking service to help corporations, world wide, figure out HOW they can leverage their resources, bandwidth, and brainpower to foster peace and well-being in the world -- and still make a profit.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2014
56 Reasons Why Most Corporate Innovation Initiatives Fail
Innovation is in these days. The word is on the lips of every CEO, CFO, CIO, and anyone else with a three-letter acronym after their name.
As a result, many organizations are launching all kinds of "innovation initiatives" -- hoping to stir the creative soup. This is commendable. But it is also, all too often, a disappointing experience.
Innovation initiatives sound good, but usually don't live up to expectations. The reasons are many. What follows are 56 of the most common -- organizational obstacles we've observed that get in the way of a company truly raising the bar for innovation.
See which ones are familiar to YOU. Then, sit down with your Senior Team... CEO... innovation committee, or best friend and jump start the process of going beyond these obstacles.
56 Reasons Why Most Corporate Innovation Initiatives Fail
1. "Innovation" framed as an initiative, not the normal way of doing business
2. Absence of a clear definition of what "innovation" really means
3. Innovation not linked to company's existing vision or strategy
4. No sense of urgency
5. Workforce is suffering from "initiative fatigue"
6. CEO does not fully embrace the effort
7. No compelling vision or reason to innovate
8. Senior Team not aligned
9. Key players don't have the time to focus on innovation
10.Innovation champions are not empowered
11. Decision making processes are non-existent or fuzzy
12. Lack of trust
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2014
How to Spark Wisdom in the Workplace
Dear Heart of Innovation Readers:
If you have received any value from this blog and would be interested in supporting my next, big project -- now launched as a GoFundMe campaign -- click here for a 3-minute video of me describing it and a written description of what the whole thing is all about -- a venture which includes the writing, publication, and promotion of a new book, Wisdom at Work, along with the launching of WISDOM CIRCLES in organizations around the world.
Whatever support you can provide is very much appreciated, Plus, you will be sent a copy of the book when it's published, if you want.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)
February 19, 2014
How to Open the Door to Innovation
There is no magic pill, but there is a key. And the key has a lot to do with creating a critical mass of savvy innovation catalysts and change agents who know how to open doors (and minds).
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:32 PM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2014
Would You Invest Three Hours to Save Yourself Months of Wasted Effort?
Idea Champions has just launched a groundbreaking three-hour workshop that will save your organization untold time, tons of money, and a thousand pounding headaches you can't afford to have.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2014
How to Help Your Senior Team Get Aligned About a Strategic Direction
I am totally inspired by the feedback that Steven McHugh, co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Idea Champions, received from Life Care Centers of America, in response to a two-day Senior Team Strategy Offsite he designed and facilitated for them. See below...
"I wanted to thank you for the wonderful work you've done for us at Life Care Centers of America.
As you know, when I left my CFO position at Olin Corporation to help lead Life Care, I was presented with a number of difficult challenges. Due to strict government regulations, the long-term care industry was in turmoil. In 30 years, Life Care had not performed any unified, long-term strategic planning, and there was no HR department for over 27,000 employees.
Based on the excellent work you did for over five years with my former company, I knew you had the skills to help us. Your role in aligning 230 different facilities into a unified force has been remarkable, especially in the short time frame you were given.
As you know, the results of the process you took us through have been astounding. In an environment where five of the top six public nursing home companies have declared bankruptcy, we have enjoyed unprecedented growth. You helped our senior officers transform into a dynamic leadership team. Our clarity around an aligned mission translated into a powerful vision that we can communicate to the rest of the organization.
Your Vision Mapping sessions were the catalysts for communicating our message to the rest of the organization. Your ability to develop balanced scorecards for all 230 facilities was the key to translating strategy into results.
It is now clear what actions are important for us to take, and for the first time, our people know how their success will be measured.
From the senior level to the staff in each facility, actions are now aligned to achieve strategic goals.
As an interesting byproduct of your work here, we are beginning to develop leaders at all levels in the organization who are empowered to do whatever it takes to get the job done. They have a clear line of sight to the strategic goals and are stepping up to the plate to get them done.
I am proud of how we have responded to the process you have embedded into our culture. Thank you for justifying my faith in bringing you in to facilitate this major change in how we operate.
I look forward to continuing our work together in developing a high performance organization."
-- Michael Waddell, President, Life Care Centers of America
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2014
Innovation in Loving Our Fathers
If you're reading this, there's a good chance you are involved in some kind of effort to innovate and get out of the so-called box. But there's also a good chance you have a father -- living or not. In either case, you might find this just published article of mine , in the Huffington Post, timely -- written just one day after my own father passed away in 2009. It will take you less than four minutes to read, but may tap into some timeless feelings.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:05 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2013
It All Began With Balls
Most companies begin on a shoe-string -- under-funded, under the gun, and under the radar. The company I co-founded in 1986, Idea Champions , was no exception.
When my business partner and I began, we had almost nothing -- just an idea, some chutzpah, and a deep desire to succeed.
While we both were likable, smart, and skillful schmoozers, we had zippo in the way of a marketing plan.
Racking what was left of our over-caffeinated brains, it soon became abundantly clear that we needed some kind of showcase, some kind of "window to the world" -- a place to strut our entrepreneurial stuff and get in front of the people who were the likely buyers of our service...
Back in those days, this meant one thing -- renting a booth at the ASTD convention -- the annual meet market in the training and development field.
The thought of this made the two of us slightly nauseous, since we had "cased the joint" a year before and come away with three impressions:
1. We didn't have enough money to get in the door
2. We didn't have the right marketing materials
3. We probably should have gone into our father's business.
Clearly, we'd have to do something different if we were going to distinguish ourselves from the 600 other companies vying for the same customers.
Giving out slick brochures was out of the question. (We didn't have any). Giving out our client list was also out of the question. (You could count the number of our clients on one hand -- the hand of Vinny "Three Finger" Scalucci).
In a flash of entrepreneurial mania, it became obvious that we would need a lot of balls to pull this off. Yes, the kind you're thinking of, but also another kind -- juggling balls.
The AHA? We'd create an "anti-booth" and teach people how to juggle. Our booth would be a rest stop, a haven, a place for thousands of convention-weary people to recuperate from all the other booths with their endless supply of Hershey's kisses, business jargon, and fishbowls full of business cards.
OK. So we didn't have a marketing plan, but we did have inspiration. And even more than that, a very specific idea of how to get the attention of the marketplace.
Our plan was simple.
We'd bring a posse of our juggling-savvy friends and teach thousands of convention-goers how to do something they'd secretly wanted to learn for years -- juggle. No hard sell. No corporate speak. No used-car salesman smiles -- just the experience of having a breakthrough.
And our message would be delivered in 30 seconds or less.
Here's how it worked: As aspiring jugglers dropped their balls, we'd drop in a few well-timed comments to help them make the link between what it took to learn to juggle and what it took to innovate .
Our booth was wildly popular. People loved it. People loved us. And we always had a crowd.
But "having a crowd" doesn't necessarily translate into sales -- and sales is what we were after. Were we pumped? Yes. Were we optimistic? That, too. But still we had nothing to show for our efforts.
That is, until the afternoon of the third day.
That's when we spied the proverbial big fish walking in our direction. DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT, AT&T his name tag screamed.
This was the moment -- the moment of truth.
The impeccably dressed Mr. Big approached. He stopped, tried to look through me, and spoke:
"What's this?" he asked.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:57 AM | Comments (5)
April 06, 2013
The Paradox of Innovation
My big insight about innovation these days would make Nobel Prize winner, Niels Bohr, proud.
"Now that we have met with paradox," explained Dr. Bohr, "we have some hope of making progress."
Innovation is full of it -- paradox, that is.
On one hand, organizations want structures, maps, models, guidelines, and systems. On the other hand, that's all too often the stuff that squelches innovation, driving it underground or out the door.
The noble search for a so-called "innovation process" can easily become a seduction, addiction, or distraction whereby innovation is marginalized, deferred, over-engineered, and worn like a badge.
True innovation is about allowing room enough for paradox to be a teacher and guide -- and to accept, at least for a little longer than usual, ambiguity, dissonance, and discomfort -- the age-old precursors to breakthrough.
Remember, there's a big difference between Six Sigma and Innovation.
Six Sigma is about reducing variability. Innovation is about increasing it-- and that often means allowing the kind of "messiness" that process-mavens interpret as a problem needing to be fixed, rather than a pre-condition to breakthrough and the resulting commercialization of that breakthrough that most people refer to as "innovation."
Yes, process, structures, systems are necessary, but they don't have to become overly pre-emptive. If you stay in an innovative mindset and can adapt to emerging needs, they will eventually become self-organizing when the soul of innovation is allowed to flourish.
Can we help the "innovation process" along with the right application of strategy, infrastructure, and planning?
Of course we can.
But beware! "Helping" the process too much often becomes counterproductive -- much in the same way that attempting to catch a milkweed floating through the air with a bold reach of your hand actually repels the object of your desire.
Innovation Physics 101.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:24 AM | Comments (2)
March 20, 2013
How to Humanize the Workplace
A recent poll has revealed that 62% of Americans are dissatisified with their work.
While there are a lot of contributing factors, one BIG factor is that most workplace environments are not wired to bring out the best in people. Quite the contrary.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2012
VOTE FOR ME (I will not raise taxes, start a war, or give a boring speech)
Good news! A leading Speaker's Bureau has just nominated me as a TOP FIVE SPEAKER in the field of innovation & creativity. To win, I need your vote.
So... if you believe I've added value to this field and am speaking about it in a way that inspires and educates, I humbly ask for your vote.
All you need to do is click this link , then scroll down to the fifth category and check the box next to my name (MITCHELL DITKOFF). Then scroll to the bottom and enter your name etc. The whole thing will take you less than three minutes.
My ten tips for giving a great keynote.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:12 AM | Comments (0)
August 26, 2012
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2012
Web Workshops from Idea Champions
Here's a 3minute video overview of Idea Champions newest service -- Web Workshops -- highly engaging 60-minute tutorials to help your workforce raise the bar for innovation, collaboration, and communication.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:11 PM | Comments (0)
July 26, 2012
ABOUT US
Idea Champions , founded in 1986, is committed to unleashing the innate brilliance of people everywhere.
We are catalysts of creativity -- especially the creativity that has been compromised by corporate cultures that have not yet understood how to tap into the natural gifts of their workforce.
Our end game? Sustainable innovation -- helping our clients go beyond business as usual and turn their top-of-the-line ideas into bottom line realities.
But don't just take our word for it. Here's how our clients describe our impact.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2012
The Value of Val
If your small business or non-profit is looking for a highly skilled brainstorm facilitator, creative thinking trainer, or custom workshop leader, Val Vadeboncoeur is your man.
Val, a long time friend and collaborator of mine, has just launched Business Light , an innovation consultancy geared for organizations with less-than-deep pockets.
If your organization is looking for a big breakthrough on a small budget, give Val a call. A man of great integrity with a great sense of humor, Val is 100% committed to serving companies who want to make a difference in the world.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
July 05, 2012
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:34 PM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2012
What You Can Learn from WC Fields
WC Fields was always an exceptionally gifted performer. But some of his most unforgettable performances took place off-camera.
Like most actors in the start of their career, Fields found himself a little short of cash. A problem? Not for him.
The non-traditional Mr. Fields simply created a " Blue Ocean " job for himself in Atlantic City, one summer, as a professional drowner.
Here's how it worked:
Several times a day, Fields would swim out to sea, pretend to be drowning, and then be "rescued" by one of his accomplices, the lifeguard.
Invariably, a large crowd would gather on the beach as the no longer struggling actor was "resuscitated."
Once it was clear that this poor fellow was going to live, the suddenly relieved crowd would turn to Field's third accomplice, the hot dog vendor, (who just happened to be standing nearby) and treat themselves to an "I'm-so-glad-he's-alive" snack.
At the end of each water-logged day, Fields would split the take with his buddies -- the lifeguard and the hot dog vendor.
Brilliant!
Now, I'm not suggesting that you do anything to deceive your customers. Not at all.
But what I AM suggesting is that you take a fresh look at what you might do differently to get an extraordinary result.
Is there a new risk you need to take? An experiment you need to try? A non-traditional collaboration to enter into?
If your product, service, or venture is drowning, what can you do to resuscitate it?
My company, Idea Champions , once got a sizable contract from AT&T by teaching the Director of Training and Development how to juggle in five minutes -- something he'd been trying to learn for 25 years.
That's what I'm talking about: a new approach, a different twist, a non-traditional angle that will spark extraordinary results.
So... what is it?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:43 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2012
Go Beyond Pet Ideas! Get Your Pet's Portrait Painted Here!
Did you know that there are 64 million dogs in the United States?
And did you know that the portrait of the dog to your left was painted by my wife, Evelyne Pouget, who has just launched Woodstock Pet Portraits.
If YOU, oh faithful reader of this blog, would like Evelyne to paint your pet's portrait, leave a message here.
Evelyne is offering the first three portrait-buying readers of this blog a 30% discount on orders received before May 30th.
More Examples of Evelyne's Pet Portraits
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:17 PM | Comments (0)
Creating Time to Innovate
On Thursday May 17th, I will be delivering a live webinar on Fostering a Culture of Innovation . The first 50 people to sign up get half off, so register now!
During the past few years I've noticed a curious paradox heading its ugly rear among business leaders tooting the horn for innovation.
On one hand they want the rank and file to step up to the plate and own the effort to innovate.
On the other hand, they are unwilling to grant the people they are exhorting any more TIME to innovate.
Somehow, magically, they expect aspiring innovators to not only generate game-changing ideas in their spare time, but do all the research, data collection, business case building, piloting, project management, idea development, testing, report generation, and troubleshooting in between their other assignments.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:41 PM | Comments (2)
April 14, 2012
100 Simple Ways to Be More Creative on the Job
1. Ask the most creative people at work for their ideas.
2. Brainstorm with a co-worker.
3. Tape record your ideas on your commute to and from work.
4. Present your challenge to a child.
5. Take your team off-site for a day.
6. Listen to your inner muse.
7. Play music in your office.
8. Go for a daily brainstorming walk.
9. Ask someone to collaborate with you on your favorite project.
10. Exercise during your lunch break.
11. Turn on a radio at random times and listen for a message.
12. Invite your customers to brainstorming sessions.
13. Think of new ways to define your challenge.
14. Remember your dreams.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:16 AM | Comments (8)
April 13, 2012
Ask the Right Questions!
This is the first of several Heart of Innovation postings from the World Business Forum , which we recently attended in NYC. The conference was very inspiring. Great speakers. Timely content. And lots of food for thought (and feeling).
One theme that several presenters noted was the importance of asking the right question.
Tal Ben Shahar : "How do you get others to focus on what works? By asking the right questions."
Tal implored the audience to change the questions they are asking, noting that if we only ask "What's wrong?" (as many business leaders are wont to do), the answers will be unnecessarily skewed in response to that particular filter.
The most serious mistakes being made in business these days, according to Ben Shahar?
Asking the wrong question.
Ben Zander spoke passionately about this theme, as well.
The "rhythm of transformation", he explained, is totally dependent on creating new frameworks -- and creating new frameworks is often a function of being willing to ask powerful, new questions. (Ben, by the way, is the answer to the question: "How do you deliver the most powerfully compelling presentation to 4,000 people sitting on plastic seats at the Jacob Javits Convention Center?"
Bill Clinton was all over this "question asking' theme, as well.
"If we spend all our time asking the wrong questions, we're going to get the wrong answers. If we ask the right question, we still may get the wrong answer, but at least we'll have a chance."
"We're all in the future business", Clinton declared.
Amen. Clearly, if we want to create a future worth living, we will all need to start asking much more powerful questions than ever before -- questions that reflect our growing interdependency and collective need for conscious leadership.
And finally, Jack Welsh weighed in on the topic.
When asked by the interviewer how a business leader can accurately assess an employee's passion, he replied "By the intensity of their questions."
In other words, if you are trying to figure out which person to hire or which employee to assign to a particularly challenging project, make sure you tune into the kinds of questions candidates are asking.
If their questions are flabby or non-existent, it's a dead giveaway that your candidate is ill-equipped to take on the assignment.
If their questions are thoughtful, penetrating, and full of mojo, it's a clue that you are talking to the right person for the job.
SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
1. What are you passionate about?
2. How can you make a profound difference on the planet?
3. What do you need to do differently in order to make this difference?
4. Who is your tribe?
5. How can you stay inspired?
6. How can you foster a culture of innovation?
7. What legacy do you want to leave behind?
8. What risk are you willing to take this week?
9. What is your vision?
10. What are your instincts telling you about your hottest, new idea?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2012
The Human Side of Innovation
During this morning's Idea Champions team meeting, I had a Homer Simpson moment. You know, one of those classic head slapping, no brainer, high-five, DOH! moments.
And because the aforementioned moment may very well impact YOU, oh savvy reader of this blog, I am going to share it with you now.
Ready? Here it is:
The book on innovation I starting writing last year is already written. Well, at least 50% of it is -- not by some slick consultant who got the jump on me, but by me.
The book, like some kind of buried treasure in my own back yard, is hidden in the more than 450 postings on this blog -- impassioned rants, essays, and wake up calls that address the human side of the innovation equation.
As I've said a thousand time before, organizations don't innovate -- people innovate. Inspired people. Fascinated people. Committed people. People on fire with possibility, mojo, and an almost cellular need to make a difference.
That's what this blog is about. That's what my life is about. That's what your life is about. And that's what my next book is about.
So, I'm rearranging my schedule, redistributing my workload, giving up ESPN highlights, and asking readers of this blog to tell me WHAT they want to see in the book.
What would make it compelling? What would differentiate it from the competition? What would move you to buy it for a friend, your boss, or a client?
HINT: A big chunk of my message is going to be delivered as story -- real-world moments of truth I've encountered "out there" in the corporate workplace. Moments when the veil lifted... a Red Sea parted... and I saw deeply into the heart of innovation.
Like how my company got a huge contract from AT&T by teaching the Director of Training at AT&T how to juggle in 5 minutes.
Like using the martial arts to create a breakthrough at GE.
Like guerilla marketing at Pricewaterhouse, dressed like Santa Claus
If you are a fan of this blog and want to throw your hat or your head in the ring to spread the word, shoot me an email ([email protected]). I'm going create a "MasterMind" group ("MasterHeart"?) to explore cool ways of getting the word out to the rest of the known universe.
If you are an agent or publisher who resonates with all of this, let me hear from you. The door is open.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)
April 01, 2012
Our World Wide Webinatrix Speaks!
The writers of this blog are excited, thrilled, and tickled to announce the launching of a entirely new service to the known universe: Webinars powered by Idea Champions University .
Having spent the past 25 years delivering a wide variety of innovation-sparking workshops, trainings , meetings, conferences, and consulting interventions to forward thinking organizations everywhere, we've decided to let go of our addiction to Frequent Flyer miles and go virtual.
Our new venture began with a simple question: "How can we have the biggest impact on the most amount of people in a cost-effective, highly engaging, low carbon footprint way?"
The answer? Build a webinar curriculum and deliver our services online.
Which is exactly what we've done and will continue to do as long as the need in the marketplace exists.
Bottom line, if you're looking for a better way to build the core competency of innovation, you've come to the right place.
No airfare required. No cabs. No sending your people to overpriced hotels and wondering whose gonna cover for them while they're eating muffins and collecting one more three-ring binder they will never read.
Operators are not standing by. But our website is. And so is our integrity -- the collective mojo we've built for the past 25 years with some of the finest organizations in the world.
So visit us online to learn more about what we're offering. And while you're at it, feel free to register for one of our upcoming open-enrollment webinars -- a great way to kick our virtual tires.
If you are one of the first 50 people to register, you'll receive a 50% discount and a free annual subscription to our highly regarded online Free the Genie app.
If you'd rather schedule a group webinar (for up to 100 people), contact Sarah Jacob , our World Wide Webinatrix.
She means business.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:48 AM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2012
20 Qualities of an Innovator
The word "innovate" can be traced all the way back to 1440. It comes from the Middle French word "innovacyon," meaning "renewal" or "new way of doing things".
Exactly what innovations actually happened in 1440 (rounder oxcart wheels?) is anybody's guess, but whatever they were, it's likely they improved the quality of life for more than a few people.
These days, the "innovation thing" is something of a no-brainer. Every company worth its low-salt lunch has identified innovation as a core competency needing to be developed.
Who in their right mind (or is it right brain?) can deny the value of improving things? Isn't this what human beings, those grand inventors of the microchip and the chocolate chip, are supposed to do?
True. But who has time?
And so begins the search for the magic pill -- the system, formula, or blueprint that will make innovation a done deal.
Innovation, unfortunately -- unlike audits, re-engineering, or your high school penmanship teacher -- is not given to systems, formulas, and blueprints. It is given to people -- restless, inspired, fascinated people with an almost cellular need to change things for the better.
And while it can certainly be supported by systems, it can never be reduced to systems.
If you want to ignite innovation in your organization, forget about slick formulas for a minute and pay attention to what's happening on the inside. Because that's where innovation starts. With the innovator -- the inspired individual, compelled to make a difference.
And the key to the innovator? The special blend of qualities that allows him or her to succeed while their co-workers are bitching and moaning on their way to their next unnecessary meeting?
Is it tools? Techniques? Metrics?
Sure, they're useful. But without the user of them having the right stuff, they're merely decoration -- like having a shiny set of new jumper cables, but no car.
And so... if you are one of the self-chosen few who are willing to stop blaming your organization, the economy, your boss, your industry, the government, HR, your mother, your astrological sign, the Board, and the bored, now's the time to start taking personal responsibility for innovating.
Now's your chance to kick things in high gear.
Now's the time to get the lead out -- to lead the revolution wherever you happen to be working at the time and make some magic.
Yes, it begins with you. But where does it begin with you?
With awareness.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:38 PM | Comments (0)
March 05, 2012
Innovation from the Inside Out
These days, almost all of Idea Champions' clients are talking about the need to establish a culture of innovation .
Some, I'm happy to report, are actually doing something about it. Hallelujah! They are taking bold steps forward to turn theory into action.
The challenge for them is the same as it's always been -- to find a simple, authentic way to address the challenge from the inside out -- to water the root of the tree, not just the branches.
External systems and protocols, no matter how seductive they are to create, are simply not sufficient to guarantee real innovation. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes , "Systems die. Instinct remains."
This is not to say that organizations should ignore systems and structures in their effort to establish a culture of innovation. They shouldn't.
But systems and structures all too often become the Holy Grail -- much in the same way that Six Sigma has become the Holy Grail.
Unfortunately, when the addiction to systems and structures rules the day, an organization's quest for a culture of innovation degenerates into nothing much more than a cult of innovation.
Organizations do not innovate. People innovate. Inspired people. Fascinated people. Creative people. Committed people. That's where innovation originates -- from deep within the inspired individual who understands that his/her sustained effort is what's required to go beyond the status quo.
The organization's role -- just like the individual manager's role -- is to get out of the way. And while this "getting out of the way" will undoubtedly include the effort to formulate supportive systems, processes, and protocols, it is important to remember that systems, processes, and protocols are never the answer.
They are the context, not the content. They are the husk, not kernel. They are the menu , not the meal.
Ultimately, organizations are faced with the same challenge that religions are faced with. Religious leaders may speak passionately about the virtues their congregation needs to abide by, but sermons only name the challenge and remind people to experience something -- they don't necessarily change behavior.
Change comes from within the heart and mind of each individual. It cannot be legislated or evangelized into reality.
What's needed in organizations who aspire to a culture of innovation , is an inner change. People need to experience something within themselves that will spark and sustain their effort to innovate -- and when they experience this "something," they will be self-sustaining.
They will think about their projects in the shower, in their car, and in their dreams. They will need very little "management" from the outside. Inside out will rule the day -- not outside in. Intrinsic motivation will flourish.
People will innovate not because they are told to, but because they want to. Open Space Technology is a good metaphor for this. When people are inspired, share a common, compelling goal and have the time and space to collaborate, the results become self-organizing.
You can create all the reward systems you want. You can reinvent your workspace until you're blue in the face. You can license the latest and greatest idea management tool , but unless each person in your organization OWNS the need to innovate and finds a way to tap into their own innate brilliance, all you'll end up with is a mixed bag of systems, processes, and protocols -- the husk, not the kernel -- the innovation flotsam and jetsam that the next administration or next CEO or next key stakeholder will mock, reject or change at the drop of a hat if the ROI doesn't show up in the next 20 minutes.
You want culture change? You want a culture of innovation?
Great. Then find a way to help each and every person in your organization come from the inside out. Deeply consider how you can awaken , nurture, and develop the primal need all people have to create something extraordinary.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:58 AM | Comments (10)
February 08, 2012
Consultant Outsources Sleep!
In an extraordinary move, destined to be emulated by forward thinking business leaders everywhere, I've just outsourced all my sleep to a guy named Namdev in New Delhi .
Yes, it's true. I no longer need to sleep. Namdev does it for me. It's astounding how much more productive I've been this week.
And, as if my sleep breakthrough wasn't enough, I've also outsourced all my exercise to a guy named Sung Lee in Malaysia. God bless Sung Lee! He's been on the Stairmaster three hours today and will be working on our delts and pecs tomorrow. Needless to say, I'm feeling totally buff at the moment.
I was just about to have a big piece of cherry cheesecake to celebrate my innovative, time-saving enhancements, but I've outsourced all my eating to a woman named Min Yung in Taiwan. I'm down to 145. Hallelujah! All my pants fit!
The only thing I didn't outsource this week was this blog posting and a visit to my dentist. (Do any of you know someone willing to get a root canal on my behalf?)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:52 PM | Comments (0)
January 02, 2012
Top Innovation Bloggers of 2011
Well, I've got good news and great news to share with you.
First the good news: I was just voted the #1 innovation blogger in the world in a contest sponsored by Innovation Excellence , the #1 innovation blog in the world.
Now the great news: 2012 is going to be an awesome year for you -- full of happiness, abundance, creativity, collaboration, community, fun, gratitude and, yes, innovation. That is, if you want it to be.
I'd like to take this moment to thank all of you who voted for me. (And by the way, for those of you who think that all I do is write about innovation, please know that this is just a sideline).
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:11 PM | Comments (2)
December 16, 2011
The Atlassian FedEx Day Goes Global
Atlassian is a very successful Australia-based software company founded in 2002. It has 400+ employees, with 125 of them in San Francisco.
It also has more than 17,000 satisfied clients including Google, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, LinkedIn, Pixar, Adobe, Hulu, Salesforce, UPS, Nike, and Coca-Cola.
Atlassian's software helps companies organize their data, track it, collaborate about it, and detect/fix bugs in their software.
Yeah, I know... I had never heard of them before either.
But those days may soon be over. Atlassian is fast becoming famous not only for their popular software development tools, but also for their rapidly-spreading innovation creation playfully named "FedEx Day".
Very simply, FedEx Day is a 24-hour innovation immersion event that enables employees to brainstorm, prototype, and pitch their emerging innovations.
Why is it called "FedEx Day"? Because the goal of the 24-hour blitz is for participants to originate, develop, and deliver new products, new services, or business process improvements overnight.
FedEx Days typically begin on a Thursday afternoon at 2:00 pm and end with a spirited round of presentations delivered exactly 24 hours later.
The experience is energizing, empowering, and exciting -- with the company supplying pizza and beer (this DID originate in Australia, after all) for everyone on Thursday night.
The end result? Lots of useful and successful innovations that would not have materialized had employees been required to stick with their "day jobs."
Atlassian has been, internally, conducting FedEx Days (now done quarterly) since 2005. But this program is now spreading like a Charlie Sheen Twitter meme. Many other organizations, like Yahoo, Symantec, Flickr, Hasbro Toy, and the Mayo Clinic have all begun conducting their own versions of FedEx Day.
And, NOW, for the first time ever, Atlassian is offering to send their own FedExperts to one deserving company in order to help them conduct their own FedEx Day.
Explains Jonathan Nolen, one of Atlassian's FedExperts, "It's so exciting. The possibilities are endless. Everyone has great ideas and this gives them a way to unleash the power of those ideas. And it happens all over the organization. It's incredibly inspiring to see this happen in real time."
Atlassian's Annelise Reynolds agrees. "This is part of a new trend in business where companies are understanding the importance of engaging and energizing their employees. It works wonders for both the companies and their employees. The employees have fun and the companies get some great innovations."
Interested? Want to enter the contest? Click here. Or here to find out what Dan Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind has to say about it.
Entering is simple. All you need to do is fill out this entry form and make a convincing case for why YOUR company or department could use a 24-hour innovation blitz.
Deadline is December 21st, 10:00 PM Pacific Time! Good luck! And good on ya, mate!
- Val Vadeboncoeur
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:21 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2011
The Ten Most Popular Postings on This Blog in 2011
Here's a fascinating factoid:
The 10 most popular postings on this blog in 2011 all had numbers in their headline. Hmmm...
Seems like people are looking for lists and distilled down wisdom -- portals to understanding that somehow quantify the human need to know. Oh, and compilations of quotes.
So here you go, Heart of Innovation's TOP TEN postings as quantified on an scale of 1-10 by our favorite blog analytics service Postrank .
OUR TEN MOST POPULAR POSTINGS FROM 2011
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:00 AM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2011
I Am Asking for Your Vote
Dear Heart of Innovation Readers:
If you believe I have added any value to the field of innovation/creativity this year, I humbly ask for your support. I have just been nominated by a leading speakers bureau as a "Top Speaker" in the field of innovation/creativity -- and am asking for your vote.
Simply click here , and click the box next to my name (Mitchell Ditkoff) in the Innovation/Creativity category.
The whole thing should take you less than a minute. Maybe 30 seconds if you've just had your morning coffee.
Thanks for your support!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:13 AM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2011
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:43 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2011
Obvious to You, Amazing to Others
Derek Sivers , Founder of CD Baby, used to live one street away from me in Woodstock, NY. I saw him only once, walking on the road. Now here he is on YouTube. Yo, Derek! Thanks for this! So true...
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:01 AM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2011
The Six Sigma Blues
One of my favorite clients of all time was a key manager in a prominent Fortune 500 company.
She was smart. She was funny. She was creative. And she was kind.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:10 PM | Comments (2)
September 23, 2011
Catalyze This!
Every once in a while one of our clients really gets it. And when I say "it", I am not referring to stock options, narcolepsy , or the Nobel Prize.
The "it" I am referring to is the meme , the mojo -- the main meaning of our message -- a message, I am happy to say, that is not really OUR message, but the message of a billion aspiring innovators since the beginning of time.
Lo, I say unto you, the extraordinarily perspicacious Ken Mendelkern, Senior Account Supervisor of Catalyst Public Relations , in New Yawk City -- has just published this fine looking blog specimen on the Catalyst blog -- giving heartfelt props to Idea Champions (that's us, folks) in response to a four-hour ideation session we facilitated, last Friday, in Catalyst's finely appointed Empire State Building offices.
Read it and leap!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2011
Out of the Ashes, Breakthrough!
I am thrilled to publish the following article by Steve Cronin, a brilliant inventor who attended one of my innovation trainings ten years ago to the day. Thanks, Steve, for stepping up and speaking your truth. Keep on innovating!
"Almost everyone knows what 911 represents. Emergency! Help! Chaos! After September 11th, 2001, nine-one-one became nine-eleven and those numbers took on a whole new meaning.
Without a doubt, it was a day that changed the course of history -- a day that woke up an entire generation of Americans to a very real threat of terror at any time, any place.
I certainly remember where I was ten years ago on September 11th, 2001. The day was so vivid for me, in such a unique way, though I was nowhere near New York City or Washington.
I was in Akron, Ohio, at a Hilton Hotel, attending a one-day innovation training being facilitated by Idea Champions .
A couple of hours into the course we were on a break, at the hotel lounge, when the news flashed on a huge TV screen -- news of a plane hitting the World Trade Center, and then, a few minutes later, news of a second. All of us stood there in disbelief, shocked and confused.
What had just happened?
Our instructor, Mitch, was calm, but like most of us, in a bit in shock himself. It was much more personal for him, as he lived near New York City and had to make a couple of calls to make sure everything was OK.
The more I thought about what I had just seen; an unexpected determination began to grow inside of me. As the training progressed, those images stayed in my mind. I was determined to do... something. But what? What could I do?
At that time in my career, I was working in product development at Goodyear Tire and Rubber, with a focus on aircraft tires. I was what they call a "compounder", a person who created compounds to make aircraft tires better.
So there I was, watching planes crash into skyscrapers, destruction everywhere, while I was in a class devoted to creation, innovating something new, making things better, not worse.
That day changed me forever.
It was the day I knew I was meant to innovate something extraordinary. I knew that if I focused, something good would come out of something so evil.
So began my journey to develop a completely new aircraft tire tread compound.
It was not easy, and I surely didn't do it alone, but with time, hard work, and persistence, it happened.
When all was said and done, I had created a new tread compound, one of the best in the world for landing performance -- a product composed of materials that many people, including a high ranking official at NASA, said could not possibly work.
But I persisted. I knew, in my gut, that with a creative approach, it had to be possible. The feelings of that day, 9/11/01 stayed with me. I remained focused on the core principles of innovation, and I let the inspiration flow from the spirit within me.
In recognition of my efforts, I was named -- along with a few other collaborators -- Corporate Inventor of the Year in 2008. Yes, a little bit of good did come out of that day known as 9-11.
As Einstein so rightly stated: "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity".
It's up to each of us to find that hidden opportunity and make it real!
It's difficult to say why we become who we become. Is it our genetics? Is it our life experience? Is it all predetermined?
I often ask myself why I was at Mitch's innovation class on 9-11, but looking back it's pretty obvious why. But regardless of the why, I can say without a doubt that I am hopelessly and passionately in love with innovation -- maybe even addicted to it. I can't think of anything nobler than to simply create, to innovate.
It's what I chose to do for the rest of my life.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:10 AM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2011
I Don't Just Write This Blog, I Talk, Too -- As in Keynote Presentations
I am happy to announce that Core Speaker's Agency has stepped up to the plate and taken me on as one of their featured keynote speakers in the field of innovation.
I am also very ably represented by Speaker's Platform .
This is good news because both of these savvy bureaus are way better at representing me than I am at representing myself.
In the past 9 months, I've delivered keynotes for National Institutes of Health (twice), EXL, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Inpex, Intertek and, in October, BASF.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:23 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2011
Reinventing the Technology of Human Accomplishment
Here is an impassioned, inspired, lucid, refreshing 15-minute presentation by Gary Hamel on the need for organizations to radically reinvent the way they manage their people. Hamel not only builds a compelling case for something you've always felt (but never quite had the words to express), he uses motion graphics in a way that adds major mojo to his presentation.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:56 PM | Comments (1)
May 18, 2011
I Breathe, I Blog, I Speak
Guess what? I don't just write this blog. I speak!
Yes, I speak. I really do.
As in give keynotes to large audiences who want to get out of the box and raise the bar for innovation. People who want to tap into their brilliance, brainpower, and buoyancy -- aspiring innovators, creative thinkers, difference makers, movers, shakers, and anyone else who wants to find a better way of getting the job done.
I am pleased to announce that I am now being represented by the extraordinary Mike Frick , Founder of Speakers' Platform and Core Speakers Agency .
Give Mike a call today -- 760.673.7700. He speaks, too.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2011
How the Ivy League is Killing Innovation
Here's a wonderful article , just published in Bloomberg Business Week that raises a very curious paradox -- why academics are teaching innovation.
Authors G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Viton state their case clearly, cleanly, and with just enough of an edge to draw blood.
"Process-driven cultures love process-driven experts. Organizations, just like people, do what makes them feel strong, and nothing makes mature, process-driven companies feel stronger than having a template for doing anything (even if having a completely buttoned-down-ain't-no-exceptions-allowed template for innovation seems oxymoronic on its face).
Need innovation? Simply call in a PhD with a bow tie and trademarked process and watch your innovation portfolio grow. Right? Nope."
If you are a professor and find Maddock and Viton's article objectionable, speak up! Let them know what you think -- and why. Maybe you're the one who's found a way to teach innovation in a novel, cut-to-the-chase, non-academic way. I know there are some of you out there. Yes?
If you are a high roller in a corporation looking for the "secret innovation sauce," I invite you to read their article before reaching out to academia for your next keynote speaker.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:11 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2011
Beer and the Invention of the Wheel
You may not know it, but I wrote an award-winning book in 2008, Awake at the Wheel . It's a business fable about the creative process. Easy to read. Fun. A real support for aspiring innovators.
I'm guessing the caveman in the Bud Lite ad below would have found a better way of getting their beer to the party if they had read it.
But enough about me. Let's talk about YOU.
Do you have a creative venture that needs an infusion of mojo, inspiration, and clarity?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:22 PM | Comments (0)
April 04, 2011
Getting Out of the Organizational Box
Last Thursday, I had an opportunity to be the keynote speaker at the Ethical Sourcing Forum , in NYC, a conference sponsored by Intertek , a world class organization dedicated to "helping customers improve performance, gain efficiencies in manufacturing and logistics, overcome market constraints, and reduce risk."
The topic? Sustainable Innovation. Or, more specifically, how people who work in large organizations can get out of the so-called "box".
After the keynote, I was approached by two very animated people from 3BL , a savvy media company specializing in corporate social responsibility, sustainability and cause marketing communications. Apparently, they liked what they heard and wanted to dig deeper -- on camera.
So, it was off to their make shift media center down the hall for an impromptu interview. Click here to watch the 7-minute video.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:40 PM | Comments (1)
March 19, 2011
Products of Our Imagination
We now interrupt this highly inspiring, thought provoking, mostly unmonetized innovation blog to pay the bills.
If you are looking for a simple way to think outside the box and spark some real innovation in your company, take a look at two cool products from the people who bring you this blog -- our Silver Innovation Kit and our Platinum Innovation Kit .
And, because we're in a really good mood today and our CFO is on vacation, we'll kick in an annual subscription to our highly regarded Free the Genie if you place your order before April 15th.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2011
What, Exactly, IS the Box?
"Innovation" is the holy grail for most organizations. Everyone wants it. Everyone talks about the need to "get out of the box" and do something different. But there's a huge gap between the rhetoric and the reality.
The reasons are many -- but the biggest reason is this: No one really knows what the so-called box really is.
And because we don't, we end up shadow boxing imaginary monsters -- coming up with untold processes, protocols, and pep talks that don't really get to the heart of the matter. Not a good idea.
So, dear aspiring innovator -- what do YOU think the box is?
Next week, in this space I will share my current understanding of the box, name all six sides -- and kick start the conversation of how you, your organization, and the rest of world can get out of it.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
December 03, 2010
What You Can Learn from the Bloody Mary
In 1939, a Russian immigrant owned the rights to distribute vodka in the U.S. His efforts bombed, big time. Americans weren't interested in a colorless, odorless alcohol.
Depressed, he sold the rights to Heublein, who asked themselves: "What can we combine with Vodka to give it a distinctive taste and color?"
They came up with tomato juice and, voila, the Bloody Mary was born. Sales? Through the roof.
What most of us think of as an "innovation" is really just the elegant combination of two (or more) pre-existing elements resulting in the creation of a new, value-added product or service.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:39 PM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2010
Getting Down to the Business of Creativity
Here's a terrific article on creativity, based on the work of three Harvard researchers/professors.
According to Teresa Amabile 's research, "inner work life" is one of the biggest determinants of creative output. In other words, a positive mood is a pre-condition for creativity in the workplace.
If you are attempting to establish a sustainable culture of innovation in your organization, you (and everyone else) would be well-served to do everything humanly possible to positively impact the mood (i.e. tone, feeling, atmosphere, vibe, spirit) of the environment in which you work.
And that begins, of course, with the individual.
When you treat people with respect, acknowledgment, and genuine positive reinforcement, you significantly increase the odds of creativity -- and by extension, innovation -- flourishing in your organization.
Common sense? For sure. But common sense is all too uncommon in most organizations these days. In our rush to produce, get an edge, and accomplish, we forget the most important thing -- and that is the quality of our interactions with others.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:35 AM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2010
Definitions of Innovation
I just googled "definitions of innovation" and came up with 5,240,000 choices . Good luck reading them. For now, here are 10 I've gathered over the years that I like. How about you? And if you have a better one, let me know.
"Change that creates a new dimension of performance." - Peter Drucker
"The ability to deliver new value to a customer." - Jose Campos
"Adapting, altering, or adjusting that which already exists for the sake of adding value." - Anon
"The managed effort of an organization to develop new products, new services, or new uses for existing products or services." - Ricky W. Griffin
"The commercialization of creativity." - Anonymous
"The creation, development and implementation of a new product, process or service, with the aim of improving efficiency, effectiveness or competitive advantage." - Government of New Zealand
"Creating something before people know they need it. - Guy Kawaski
"The successful exploitation of new ideas." - UK Department of Innovation and Skills
"The successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization." - Teresa Amabile
"The act of introducing something new." - The American Heritage Dictionary
Illustration from the back cover of my book
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:05 PM | Comments (2)
April 14, 2010
Shameless Self-Promotion #23
It's recently dawned on me that a lot of the readers of this blog have no clue what the authors of this blog actually do -- or what companies we ( Idea Champions ) have helped along the way.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2008
Juggling, Creativity, and the Beatles
Twenty years ago, we got our first big contract by teaching AT&T's Director of Training and Development how to juggle in five minutes. (The man had been trying for 25 years). After we taught him, he looked at us and said, "I have no clue what you guys do , but I know you're not a juggling company. Call me on Monday." We did. Three months later, AT&T licensed our creative thinking training . It all began with a juggling lesson. Speaking of which, click below to watch the amazing Chris Bliss take juggling to an entirely new level...
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:37 PM | Comments (0)
December 08, 2008
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle
When I was in high school, I entertained the possibility of a career in music. I practiced the trumpet every single day for four years, even when I was ill. Ultimately, a musical career was not to be for me but I regret not a moment of practice. I learned a lot about myself and my capacity for discipline besides deepening my appreciation for music which has been a lifelong pleasure.
I also remember to this day the words of my first trumpet teacher, Irving Renquist, who once said when I first began studying with him that "If you skip practice for one day, you will notice it. If you skip practice for two days in a row, the people you live with will notice it. And if you skip practice for three days in a row, EVERYONE will notice it!"
Musician and neuroscientist, Daniel J. Levitin, in his thought-provoking This is Your Brain on Music , points out that scientific studies indicate that "ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert - in ANYTHING!" Then, to be helpful, he reminds us that ten thousand hours is equivalent to "roughly three hours a day, or twenty hours a week, of practice over ten years." Well, we knew that it was a lot.
For me, this research indicates that what we often call "talent" is often a "capacity for practice" which recalls to mind, in turn, Eric Hoffer's contention that "success is a species of vigor." Of course, this may well be a chicken or egg debate because why would you want to practice for ten thousand hours at something you weren't predisposed to be good at or had at least some kind of talent which could be further developed?
Chicken or egg, whenever we are in awe observing someone's excellence in anything, we are most usually watching the end result of thousands of hours of diligent practice and thousands upon thousands of "mistakes" made and corrected.
I'm always reminded of this when I come to the end of one of our Conducting Genius sessions (as I did recently at AtlantiCare , a very successful New Jersey healthcare organization), where we train a small cadre of participants to become effective brainstorm facilitators/innovation change agents.
No matter how well I've managed to transmit the inner and outer game of eliciting ideas from others, and no matter how intelligent and dedicated the participants are, I know that their future success as innovation change agents depends on how much they will practice using the techniques and insights of the training.
And how much they practice depends on how many opportunities they can find for themselves and THAT depends, in turn, on how supportive their organization is to innovation, in general, AND in exploiting innovation opportunities as they arise, in particular.
This is why I try to drive this point home during Conducting Genius sessions by teaching our budding "innovation ninjas" how to juggle. In one lesson, most of them can't become proficient jugglers, of course, but they DO learn the step by step process of learning HOW to juggle. The missing ingredient? Practice!
The same is true with learning how to innovate on the job, how to run effective brainstorm sessions, or how to do anything, as Levitin reminds us. If we want to master anything in this world, we have to consistently practice that skill, art, craft, science, behavior, thought process, what have you...AND make lots and lots of "mistakes" on our way to mastery. There is no getting around this truth.
So, the next time you see someone exhibiting mastery in juggling, music , sport, cooking...or innovation...remember that you are witnessing a perfection that is the end result of at least ten thousand hours of dropped balls, missed notes, or souffles which don't souffle.
And also remember, that when it comes to innovation, you and your company have to diligently practice the skills, processes, and behaviors that support it. If you don't, EVERYONE will notice it.
Posted by Val Vadeboncoeur at 03:19 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2008
Forget About the Box, Get Out of the Cave!
See the caveman to your left? That's Og. He's the protagonist of my new book, Awake at the Wheel: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an uphill world) . The word "protagonist" is not in Og's vocabulary. Even I don't use the word "protagonist" all that much -- though I have used it three times in this paragraph.
Hmmm... That's pretty odd.
Then again, the experience of inventing the wheel was pretty odd, too. Which is what Og did. 24,000 years ago. Long before Game Boy, i-Pod, or Starbucks. And yes, long before the Mesopotamians -- the people who usually get all the credit for the wheel -- some 20,300 years after my main man, Og.
(Hey, when was the last time you used the word "Mesopotamian?" That's another word not in Og's vocabulary.)
Actually, Og didn't need a big vocabulary. He had something else going for him: Neanderthalic genius. Stone age brilliance. Originality. Og, you see, was the first innovator. Intrinsically motivated , he was. Fascinated. Inspired. Mojo-driven. And while he was not without imperfections, he needed no attaboys, cash awards, or stock options to follow his muse.
Back in Og's time, when men were men, and stones were stones, even the idea of an idea was unthinkable. And yet... somehow, he had one -- an IDEA, that is -- and not just your dime a dozen variety. Nope. A GREAT idea, a BIG idea, or what I like to call an "out of the cave" idea: The wheel .
Ah... but I go on too long. If Og were here, he'd be frowning by now, shrugging his stooped shoulders, wondering in his delightfully pre-verbal way what other new ideas and discoveries awaited his wonderfully hairy touch.
Want to order the book now? (Og gets 10% of every sale). Go ahead. Help him put bear meat on the table.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:37 AM | Comments (1)
November 05, 2008
Baking the Change and Innovation Cake
Last night, my 11-year old daughter, Mimi, and her good friend, Zoe, stayed up late to watch the election results. After Obama was declared the winner, they baked a cake in his honor and, in the morning, frosted it.
As they left the house this morning, Mimi stopped, cake in hand, and shouted out Obama's name at the top of her lungs. Something deep within her rose to the surface and begged to be expressed. Which, being 11 and free of the politically correct constraints that rule the lives of too many adults, she accomplished with great flair.
That same intrinsic motivation that moved Mimi and Zoe to bake their cake, needs to be alive and well in your company if you are truly serious about raising the bar for innovation and change. Mimi and Zoe didn't need to be TOLD to bake the cake. They wanted to. Even more than that, they HAD to.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: In what ways can you create the kind of culture in your organization that will encourage everyone to bake their cake for change and innovation?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)
November 04, 2008
"It's No Time to Forget About Innovation"
Writing in the New York Times, Janet Rae-Dupree reminds us that even or especially in times "of corporate belt-tightening," companies reduce their efforts to strengthen innovation at their own risk.
She quotes Jon Fisher, a business professor, serial entrepreneur, and author of "Strategic Entrepreneurism," saying, "'Innovation has to be embedded in the daily operation, in the entire work force.' Addressing companies whose aim is to be bought by a major player in their vertical, he explains, 'A large acquirer's interest in a start-up or smaller company is binary in nature: They either want you or they don't, based on the innovation you have to offer.'
"In fact, hard times can be the source of innovative inspiration, says Chris Shipley, a technology analyst and executive producer of the DEMO conferences, where new ideas make their debuts. 'Some of the best products and services come out of some of the worst times,' she says. In the recession of the early 1990s, 'tiny Palm Computing managed to revitalize the entire industry in a matter of months.'"
Also on the encouraging side: as I write this, Rae-Dupree's article is number six on the most-emailed in the Business section.
October 29, 2008
Idea Champions' Economic Bailout Package for U.S. Corporations
It's Fall in America, usually a very beautiful season, with leaves turning color and Thanksgiving just around the corner.
But there's something else in the air these days -- and that is a savage economic downturn. It's not just the leaves that are falling. It's also the stock market, housing prices, consumer confidence, and 401Ks. Ouch!
While Democrats and Republicans are both promising major fixes to the economy, no one knows exactly how long it will take. Some pundits are predicting YEARS. But your business can't afford to wait years. You need a quantum leap -- and you need it NOW -- innovation made real.
That's why IDEA CHAMPIONS has decided to offer one lucky company -- maybe YOURS -- our own economic bailout package...
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
1. You email us a description of your company, it's mission, and why we should donate one day of our time to help your company succeed.
2. We'll carefully review all submissions and select one company to offer our services to -- at no charge (other than expenses).
3. Which services? One of the three listed below.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
August 11, 2008
Big Problem or Right Problem? The Egg Freckles Saga.
Have you ever spent hours trying to solve a problem only to find you've been working on the wrong problem? Try doing it for five years. That's what Apple Computer engineers did with the Newton handheld computer over a decade ago.
From 1993-1998, Apple made a valiant effort to break open a market for portable handheld pen computers. Unfortunately, they spent most of that time working on a problem that didn't really exist for consumers. And as they labored at it, their intended market was stolen by Palm Computing's PalmPilot.
What follows is a tale about a fatal assumption -- an obsession with a Big Problem that led to one of Silicon Valley's great product misfires.
Consider the moral first.
Solving a Big problem doesn't mean you're solving the Right problem.
Apple's team chose to tackle the biggest challenge in pen computing: high-level handwriting recognition. Newton would be the first portable computer people could write on directly using their natural hand. From anyone's scrawl, the computer would extract the standard ASCII characters computers need to work with. This posed a massive challenge in pattern recognition. Since every user's handwriting is different, the Newton would need to learn the particular way its user wrote each letter and number. IF it got all the letters in, say, the word "thing" right, Newton would compare that string of letters to words in its 10,000 word native memory. IF the word "thing" was stored there, Newton would find a match and "know" the word.
The Newton team was determined to build the world's most sophisticated pattern learning pen computer. But why were they doing it? And for who? Here they made one fatal assumption about their potential buyer, an assumption that would seal the Newton's fate.
The assumption went something like this:
"Users want to do things the way they've always done them. The user shouldn't have to learn anything new to adapt to a machine. A smart machine can and should adapt to the user (in this case, learn the user's handwriting)."
This assumption became a frame and the frame became a mindset. Without ever turning back to question their customer premise, Newton's team labored to build a noble, mind-blowing machine that could recognize the diverse scrawls of any and every human on Earth. But was this the Right Problem to solve?
When the Newton Message Pad debuted in 1993, its handwriting recognition fell way short of the mark, and a public drubbing ensued. The Doonesbury comic strip showed a character writing a six-word sentence on a Newton-like hand-held. The unit coughed up "Egg freckles?" Then The Simpsons piled on. The world laughed.
All through 1993, the Newton was skewered in the press. In October of that year, Apple CEO John Sculley left with freckled egg on his face. Humiliated, the Newton team redoubled their efforts to solve their core problem: getting Newton to learn better.
At the heart of Newton's learning challenge was the "second-stroke problem." Each time a user's pen lifted off the tablet and set back down, Newton's brain detected a pause and became uncertain. "What did that pause mean? Is this next stroke part of the current letter, or a new letter or word?" As it turns out, many alphabet characters need multiple strokes, leaving plenty of room for uncertainty. Capital "T" and "X" involve two strokes. "H" needs three. Add user hesitancy and writing quirks, and you have a thorny problem. And that's just English. Try Cyrillic or Japanese ideograms.
Because Newton's recognition engine was unsure so often, it routinely threw a list of possible words at the user. This was both inconvenient and embarrasing. Who wants their computer to say, "I'm confused. Take time out, scan these words and select the right one"? Worse, if you wanted Newton to learn a word outside its native 10,000 word database, you had to train it. You first had to write it your way, then type it letter by letter using an on-screen keyboard. All that to tell Newton, "This is what 'Hoboken' looks like when I write it."
The upshot? To "save" users from having to adapt their writing habits to machines, the Newton subjected ordinary people to drawn out and repetitive clarification and training routines; a tacit admission that Newton wasn't doing its core job cleanly.
None of this was lost on Jeff Hawkins , inventor of the Palm Pilot, who was carrying around a wooden block as a pretend pocket PDA and using a whittled down chopstick as a pen to imagine his interface.
Hawkins never lost sight of what consumers would want most in a pen computer: fast writing and true mobility - something they could fit in their shirt-pocket. He cut to the chase and questioned Apple's core assumption:"Why must the computer learn everything? Why can't users adapt? Why build a sophisticated learning machine at all? Let's get the job done. People learn faster than computers, so why can't people help the machine? People could easily get the hang of a new single-stroke alphabet. Hmm. One stroke per character and presto! No more second-stroke problem."
So that's what Jeff Hawkins did. With his Grafitti language, he simply redesigned the alphabet, turning centuries-old letters and numbers into single-stroke symbols that mostly kept the look of the original characters. Suddenly the computer had only one master rule to follow. "When the pen lifts up, the character is done. When the pen comes down again, it's a new character. Want to end a word? One stroke makes a space." Simple. And while we're at it - since each stroke is a new character, lets not even write along a line. Write letters on top of each other, in the same input space, and let them display as type in another. Presto - a smaller screen.
Hawkin's low-tech solution made Palm Pilot's pen input "good enough." (Apple even licensed Grafitti in 1995 as an input option for the Newton. Some say it kept the Newton alive.) But the real power of Grafitti was size. It shrank the screen, which shrank the box, which created a viable pocket-PDA market.
In March, 1996, when Newtons were selling as digital writing tablets for up to $1000, the first pocket-sized PalmPilots debuted for under $300. A million of them sold in the first 18 months. The Newton team countered with a much improved Newton 1000 and 2000, but by then it was too late. Two years after the PalmPilot was released, Apple cancelled the Newton product line on February 27, 1998. The project had cost the company half a billion dollars.
Hawkins "technology" was a low-tech workaround; it wasn't "handwriting recognition" in the high-level MIT sense. But while PhD's may have felt Grafitti was a cheat, ordinary people, not giving a hang about the technology issues, found PalmPilots handy and useful. While engineers rallied around solving the Big Problem, consumers swarmed to buy the solution to the Right Problem, which started with a chopstick and a block of wood.
By year 2000, Palm owned 70 percent of PDA sales and had sold well over five million units. At the peak of PDA use, white boards everywhere were covered with Grafitti symbols, which many considered faster to write for high-velocity brainstorming.
The Newton team spent five years working on the Big Problem, writing and rewriting untold lines of code to create a learning machine for the existing alphabet. Hawkins spent a few days designing a new alphabet any computer could easily understand.
Despite its truly impressive interface , Newton stumbled at the main task it promised to do - turn writing into standard ASCII characters quickly. And why did Apple paint themselves into this corner? Because they assumed consumers would want their handheld to adapt to their personal way of writing. Instead of biting into Apple's Big Problem, Jeff Hawkins assumed people would adapt. As he once put it, "It takes you weeks or months to learn how to type, so why not spend 15 minutes learning [how to talk to a computer] with a pen?"
The Lessons
In hindsight, Apple's underlying user assumptions made little sense. What makes people's standard routine (handwriting) so sacred? Who said people shouldn't adapt to machines? Who said you had to work with the existing English alphabet? Why make a program strain to recognize every possible variant of every letter and number? Who said your program had to recognize scrawled words by finding them in a limited word database? Engineers set up these problems, not users.
Great minds often get hijacked by their own brillliance and vision. They forget that simple is smart, dumb is basic and low-tech often beats high tech. We can get so obsessed with an elusive quarry and so enamored of our intelligence that we never go back up to the 20,000 foot level and see that we're hacking the wrong problem. The famous monkey trap metaphor is worth repeating here.
If a monkey reaches through a hole for a banana, but the hole is too small for her hand to withdraw with the banana, she's presented with a quandry. "Which do I want? - the banana or my freedom?" All she has to do is let go of the banana in order to be free of the trap. But the monkey doesn't let go of the banana. She sits there determined to extract it, even in the face of being captured.
Big Problems are like monkey traps. If your Solution quest starts feeling "heroic," or your Big Problem is "big" mostly because everyone is trying to solve it (big kudos await if YOU solve it), its likely you're trapped by the epic magnitude of your quest. In that mindset, the simplest options are likley to escape your notice. Check to see if your solving the Right Problem by running your mind through the following four steps:
1. Restore objectivity. Take time off and come back fresh later. Sleep on it.
2. Once you're fresh, carefully and slowly go over your assumptions about the people who will use you product or service. Put yourself in their shoes. Separate your needs from theirs. Don't underestimate their intelligence or overestimate the rightness of your point of view. Break down every assumption you have about your prospective buyer and question it.
3. Especially question your assumptions about what your "users" expect. Often they don't know what they want. They rarely see the next development much less have an opinion about it. But they are ready for a surprise, a break in routine, a new challenge. Keep in mind that IF the payoff is strong, humans will learn new tricks. Are student drivers motivated learners? You bet.
4. Review your supposed technical limitations, challenges or goals to see if you can use lower-tech or human-scale solutions. Stretch for new metaphors that can change the problem, shift the frame, reverse figure and ground.
5. Simplify. Simplify again. Keep simplifying.
Whenever you're stuck or breathing hot and heavy about a solution, you're too close to your work. It's time to step out of problem-solving mode and reassess the problem you're trying to solve.
This excerpt is from the author's book-in-progress, Big Problem or Right Problem? Innovating For Real People.
Copyright © 2007 Tim Moore. All reproduction rights except blog linking are reserved.
Posted by Tim Moore at 02:03 PM | Comments (2)
June 25, 2008
POLL RESULTS: Where and When Do You Get Your Best Ideas?
Einstein used to get his best ideas while shaving. Mozart used to exercise before composing. The Scientific Method came to Rene Descartes in a dream.
One of our clients gets her best ideas when blow drying her hair.
Fascinated by the question of what catalyzes people's best ideas, Idea Champions polled 163 people and are sharing the results with you here (i.e. "Where and When Do You Get Your Best Ideas?")
Why bother reading it?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:53 PM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2008
Getting All Googley
Interesting summary of Google CEO's speech to the Economic Club of Washington this Monday.
Among other things, Schmidt talked about his company's attempts to innovate, including allowing engineers to use 20 percent of their time to work on projects of their own choosing. Schmidt acknowledged that trusting the workforce to follow their fascination has resulted in many successes for the enterprise. "Part of Google's success is creating more luck ," he said.
Success also needs a positive environment and encouragement for employees to be more creative and innovative, Schmidt said.
"It is possible to build a culture around innovation , it is possible to build a culture around leadership, and it is possible to build a culture around optimism," added the googley Mr. Schmidt
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:58 PM | Comments (0)
June 01, 2008
AWAKE AT THE WHEEL: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an uphill world)
Ta da! After seven years, 22 rejections, multiple rewrites, 2 agents, and a whole lot of looking at myself in the mirror, here it is: the publication of my new book, AWAKE AT THE WHEEL: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an Uphill World) . Part fable, part creative thinking toolbox, the book is a wake up call for all aspiring innovators -- a simple way to help people "get out of the cave" and manifest BIG ideas in a world not always ready for the new and the different.
If you have an inspired idea that is lingering in your mind and needs a fresh jolt to see the light of day, this book is for you.
To order from Amazon, click here .
Tim Gallwey : "A superb catalyst for anyone with the urge to bring their best ideas into reality."
Donna Fenn : "Og may have invented the wheel, but Mitch Ditkoff has created a GPS for the innovation process. Awake at the Wheel is a witty and inspiring roadmap for the journey from ideas to invention."
Jay Conrad Levinson : "Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come. The time has come for this book and Mitchell Lewis Ditkoff has put it into words. He has done a masterful job."
Jack Mitchell : "Go ahead and 'hug' your employees by giving them Awake at the Wheel and creating a company culture that fosters, develops, and celebrates the best of their ideas."
Joyce Wycoff : "A highly accessible alchemist's stone for aspiring innovators."
Melinda McLaughlin : Awake at the Wheel illuminates! It's the perfect book for those of us who have felt the excitement of the 'aha' moment only to experience the frustration that comes when no one sees the brilliant lightbulb above our head. Mitch Ditkoff takes us on an engaging journey that re-imagines how to turn an idea into great success and makes it suddenly seem easy.?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:05 AM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2008
Doing More With Less
Idea Champions is happy to announce the launching of DOING MORE WITH LESS -- the perfect, cost-effective intervention to help your company keep innovating (while cutting costs) during recessionary times.
(You may need to tighten your belts, but you don't need to cut off your circulation to accomplish the results you want.)
What kind of challenges or opportunties might your team tackle in a DOING MORE WITH LESS session? Click below to find out...
"How can we share information with suppliers, vendors, and customers in order to streamline our innovation process?"
"How can we better predict market changes in order to increase our efficiencies?"
"How can we better predict what products and services will succeed?"
"How can we decrease re-work throughout our organization?"
"How can we identify and eliminate all unnecessary activities?"
"How can we consolidate common activities throughout the organization?"
"How can we empower our customers to perform some of the tasks that are now the sole responsibility of our staff?"
"How can we encourage our vendors and suppliers to become part of our product development process?"
"How can we take advantage of the cost-cutting happening throughout our industry in order to be more competitive?"
"How can we accomplish the same goals in half the time and half the cost?"
"How can we discover the most elegant solutions to our most pressing business problems?"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2008
If You Want a Breakthrough, Take a Break
True innovators rarely follow the straight and narrow path. Not only do they march to a different drummer, they're often not even on the same playing field as most people.
Take Seymour Cray, for example, the legendary designer of high-speed computers.
According to John Rollwagen, ex-chairman of Cray research, Seymour Cray used to divide his time between building the next generation super computer and digging an underground tunnel below his Chippewa Falls house.
Cray's explanation of his tunnel digging behavior is consistent with the stories of many other creatives -- inner-directed, boundary-pushing people who understand the need to go off-line whenever they get stuck.
Bottom line, whenever they find themselves struggling with a thorny problem, they walk away from it for a while.
They know, from years of practical experience, that more (i.e. obsession, analysis, effort) is often less (i.e ideas, solutions, results).
Explained Cray, "I work for three hours and then get stumped. So I quit and go to work in the tunnel. It takes me an hour or so to dig four inches and put in the boards. You see, I'm up in the Wisconsin woods, and there are elves in the woods. So when they see me leave, they come back into my office and solve all the problems I'm having. Then I go up (to my lab) and work some more."
Explained Rollwagen, "The real work happens when Seymour is in the tunnel."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:55 PM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2008
The Big Game
Last night I watched the NY Giants beat the Green Bay Packers 23-20 in an NFL championship football game.
I watched it with eight friends. As always, we had a fantastic time - an experience that our wives (no matter how wonderful they may be) have never been able to truly fathom. Our viewing behavior, to them, is a merely a parody of the American male: two-dimensional, woefully predictable, and absurd .
That assessment, however, was not my experience last night. No way. On the contrary, my experience was noble, ecstatic, tribal, and divine. Beyond the pretzels, popcorn, chips, and beer something else was happening.
At the risk of making a mountain out of a football game, allow me to share a few observations about the experience and, by extension, the experience of millions of men huddled together before the Big Game . In that sacred act of viewing, NOTHING ELSE WAS HAPPENING! Zero. Nada. Zilch. No work. No bills. No back taxes. No car repairs. No war in Iraq. No recession. No primaries. No relationship issues. No cholesterol. No this and no that. Only The Game.
Pure immersion it was. Spontaneous expression. Presence. Unbridled emotion. Liberated laughter. And the kind of concentration most yogis would trade their third eye for.
What, you may ask, has any of this to do with innovation -- the supposed topic of this supposed blog? Plenty. The state of mind (no, make that state of being), of last night's BIG GAME watching, pretzel munching men is exactly the state of being required by an individual, team, or organization in order to have even the slightest chance of innovating.
OK. Let's go to the slow motion, video replay of that last sentence: I'm talking focus, friends. I'm talking compelling goal. The experience of community. Uncensored delight. Resilience. Loyalty. Humor. Hope. Perseverance. The entertainment of possibility. And the soulful appreciation of each other.
Please don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about the common garden variety trance experience induced by watching TV or a movie. No. I'm talking about the BIG GAME. The "All In" moment. The Full Monte. The No Turning Back. The This Is It. The There's No Tomorrow. And all of it sprinkled with a healthy dose of pepperoni and celebration even before anyone knows the final score.
Yes, I admit, the eight of us didn't deliver anything as a result of watching the BIG GAME -- no output, no product, no proof that we had used our time well. But so what? When you're eating chips and experiencing the Unified Field of Consciousness on the day the Lord rested and time stops as your team huddles in the freezing cold, against all odds, to gather together one more time, focused on the goal and absolutely free of constraint, doubt, and delusion, what is there left to say except:
Giants 23, Packers 20. (And in overtime, yet!)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:30 AM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2007
Seeing Innovation Clearly
There's an old Indian adage that goes something like this: "When a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees are pockets." Psychologists summarize this phenomenon in three words: "Motivation affects perception." In other words, if you're hungry when driving through a town, you'll notice the restaurants. If you're running out of gas, you'll notice the gas stations. If your mother is dying, you'll notice the funeral homes.
What is the meaning of this to you?
Simply this: If you are really serious about innovating in 2008, first you will need get clear about your motivation -- what's driving you. The clearer you are, the more your efforts will be free of the hidden agendas, assumptions, and filters that limit your ability to create what you SAY you want to create.
For example, if you think your real motivation is to create a breakthrough product, but what is really driving you is the need for short term profits, you won't have the kind of patience and perseverance required to aacomplish your goal.
Metaphorically speaking, if "innovation" is the "saint" you are seeking, you don't want to be approaching it like a pickpocket.
Next month, in this space, we'll be posting a poll to explore this phenomenon more deeply. We want to find out WHY people want to innovate. To jump start this effort, we invite you NOW to tell us why YOU want to innovate in 2008. What's in it for you? Why bother? What's the payoff?
Is it survival? Is it an attempt to keep pace with the competition? A way to enjoy your job more? A calling? Your strategy to get promoted? Something else? Simply click the "comments" link and let us know.
Which reminds me of that old Woody Allen joke: This guy goes into a psychiatrist's office and, in great distress, confesses that his brother thinks he's a chicken.
"Bring him in," the psychiatrist says.
"I can't," explains Woody.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:43 AM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2007
Talking Innovation: 3M's Secret Weapon
When talking (or blogging) about practical innovation in the corporate world, there's no better place to start than 3M, a company whose name has become synonymous with the word. 3M is committed to 30% of its revenues coming from recently introduced new products.
Impressive, indeed, but how do they do it?
Dr. Larry Wendling, VP of 3M's corporate research labs, revealed 3M's "secret weapon," in what he refers to as the " Seven Habits of Highly Innovative Organizations ."
The Seven Habits are (paraphrased from Amy Rowell's Innovate Forum article ):
1. Totally commit to innovation from top management on down.
2. Actively maintain an innovative culture.
3. Maintain a broad base of technology.
4. Encourage formal and informal networking.
5. Reward employees.
Posted by Val Vadeboncoeur at 06:45 PM | Comments (0)
July 23, 2007
Welcome
Welcome to the Heart of Innovation, Idea Champions ' new blog -- a place to slow down, take a breath, and spark new possibilities. If you're interested in what it takes to get past your limiting assumptions, access your brilliance, and turn creative thought into action, you've come to the right place.
This is an equal opportunity blog. Everyone is welcome. Whether you're left-brained, right-brained, whole-brained, or air-brained, you'll find plenty of inspiration, insights, and tools to help you on your way. We've been working with major corporations since 1986, and have gotten quite a guided tour of what enables innovation and what gets in its way -- both for individuals and for organizations. We'll be sharing lessons and tales from our epic saga here, with a special focus on what it takes for organizations to establish a sustainable culture of innovation.
So relax. For the moment, forget all the books you've read, pundits you've listened to, and best practices you've heard about. When it comes right down to it, innovation is all about you, a hopefully inspired human being committed to getting your most meaningful ideas out of your head and into the world. The world needs your ideas. Now's the time for you to connect with others, and do your best to make magic happen.
We hope you'll find the spark that lights your genius here.
Whatever we choose to focus on, you can count on one thing: we're going to keep it simple. As the great jazz musician, Charles Mingus, once said; "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."
Welcome aboard!
Idea Champions University
If you enjoy our blog, you will love our newly launched webinars! Our training is now accessible online to the whole world.
If you're looking for a powerful way to jump start innovation and get your creative juices flowing, Awake at the Wheel is for you. Written by Mitch Ditkoff, Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions.
Guy Kawasaki's Alltop "online magazine rack" has recognized Idea Champions' blog as one of the leading innovation blogs on the web. Check out The Heart of Innovation, and subscribe!
The world's first interactive business blues band . A great way to help your workforce go beyond complaint.
"In tune with corporate America." — CNN
Idea Champions
| Newton |
What are the small indentations on a golf ball called? | The Heart of Innovation: Innovation Archives
January 13, 2017
The 10 Personas of an Effective Brainstorm Facilitator
Allow me to make a wild guess. You have participated in more than a few brainstorm sessions in your life. Yes?
And allow me to make another wild guess. Many of those sessions left you feeling underwhelmed, over-caffeinated , disappointed, disengaged, and doubtful that much of ANYTHING was ever going to happen as a result of your participation.
Yes, again? I thought so.
There's a ton of reasons why most brainstorming sessions under-deliver, but the main reason -- the Mount Olympus of reasons (drum roll, please....) is the brainstorm facilitator.
Armed with a short list of ground rules , a flipchart marker, and a muffin, most brainstorm facilitators miss the mark completely.
The reason has less to do with their process , tools, and techniques than it does with their inability to adapt to what's happening, real-time, in the room.
In an all-too-professional attempt to be one-pointed, they end up being one-dimensional, missing out on a host of in-the-moment opportunities to spark the ever-mutating, collective genius of the group.
If only our well-intentioned brainstorm facilitators could abide by the words of Walt Whitman, when he confessed that he "contained multitudes."
Translation? If you or anyone you know is going to lead a diverse group of time-crunched, opinionated, multi-tracking, people through a process of originating breakthrough ideas, DON'T BE A ONE TRICK PONY! Be a multitude -- or, at the very least, be multi-faceted. Let it rip. Hang ten. Pull out the stops.
Use your right brain and your left. Let all the cats out of the proverbial bag -- and by so doing, exponentially increase your chances of sparking brainpower, brilliance, and beyond-the-obvious ideas.
OK. Enough bloggy pep talk. Let's get down to business.
Take a few minutes now to rate yourself, on a scale of 1-10, for how skillful you are at embodying the following personas of a high flying brainstorm facilitator
Then tune into your biggest strength and ask yourself how you can amplify that quality. Then identify your biggest weakness and figure out how you can improve in that arena.
1.CONDUCTOR
A skilled brainstorm facilitator knows how to orchestrate powerfully creative output from a seemingly dissonant group of people. In the conductor mode, the facilitator includes everyone, evokes even the subtlest contributions from the least experienced participant, and demonstrates their commitment to the whole by offering timely feedback to anyone who "gets lost in their own song."
2.ALCHEMIST
A good brainstorm facilitator is able to transmute lead into gold -- or in modern terms -- knows how to help people "get the lead out." This talent requires an element of wizardry -- the ability to see without looking, feel without touching, and intuitively know that within each brainstormer lives a hidden genius just waiting to get out.
3.DANCER
Light on their feet, brainstorm facilitators move gracefully through the process of sparking new ideas. Able to go from the cha-cha to the polka to the whirling dervish spinning of a brainstorm group on fire, savvy facilitators take bold steps when necessary, even when there is no visible ground underfoot. "The path is made by walking on it," is their motto.
4. MAD SCIENTIST
Skillful brainstorm facilitators are bold experimenters, often taking on the crazed (but grandfatherly) look of an Einstein in heat. While respecting the realm of logic and the rational (the ground upon which most scientists build their homes), the enlightened facilitator is willing to throw it all out the window in the hope of triggering a "happy accident" or a quantum leap of thought. Indeed, it is often these discontinuous non-linear moments that produce the kind of breakthroughs that logic can only describe, never elicit itself.
5.DIAMOND CUTTER
Fully recognizing the precious gem of the human imagination (as well as the delicacy required to set it free), the high octave brainstorm facilitator is a craftsman (or craftswoman) par excellence -- focused, precise, and dedicated. Able to get to the heart of the matter in a single stroke without leaving anything or anyone damaged in the process.
6. ACTOR
Brainstorm facilitators are "on stage" whether they like it or not. All eyes are upon them, as well as all the potential critical reviews humanly possible. More often than not, the facilitator's "audience" will only be moved to act (perchance to dream) if they believe the facilitator is completely into his or her role. If the audience does not suspend this kind of disbelief, the play will close early and everyone will be praying for a fire drill or wishing they were back home eating a grilled cheese sandwich.
7.ENVIRONMENTALIST
Brainstorm facilitators are the original recyclers. In their relentless pursuit of possibility, they look for value in places other people see as useless. To the facilitator in full mojo mode, "bad ideas" aren't always bad, only curious indicators that something of untapped value is lurking nearby.
8. OFFICER OF THE LAW
One of the brainstorm facilitator's most important jobs is to enforce "law and order" once the group gets roaring down the open highway of the imagination. This is a fine art -- for in this territory speeding is encouraged, as is running red lights, jaywalking, and occasionally breaking and entering. Just as thieves have their code of honor, however, so too should brainstormers. Indeed, it is the facilitator's task to keep this code intact -- a task made infinitely easier by the ritual declaration of ground rules at the start of a session.''
9.SERVANT
Some brainstorm facilitators, intoxicated by the group energy and their own newly stimulated imagination, use their position as a way to foist their ideas on others -- or worse, manipulate the group into their way of thinking. Oops! Ouch! Aargh! Brainstorm facilitating is a service, not a personal platform. It is supposed to be a selfless act that enables others to arrive at their own solutions -- no matter how different they may be from the facilitator's.
10. STAND-UP COMIC
Humor is one of the brainstorm facilitator's most important tools. It dissolves boundaries, activates the right brain, helps participants get unstuck, and shifts perspective just enough to help everyone open their eyes to new ways of seeing. Trained facilitators are always on the lookout for humorous responses. They know that humor often signals some of the most promising ideas, and that giggles, guffaws, and laughable side-talk frequently indicate a rich vein of possibility to explore. Humor also makes the facilitator much more "likable" which makes the group they are facilitating more amenable to their direction. Ever wonder why the words "Aha!" and "Ha-Ha" are so similar?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:11 AM | Comments (5)
October 02, 2016
GUY KAWASAKI on The Top Ten Mistakes of Entrepreneurs
This is absolutely brilliant! Fantastic content, authentic delivery, entertaining, and provocative. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, this is required viewing. But even if you're not trying to raise venture capital, you can still learn a lot from Guy simply by tuning into the way he makes his pitch. And his Art of the Start is a treasure.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:26 PM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2016
Inside/Out Innovation
If you work in an organization that wants to establish a sustainable culture of innovation -- you have two basic choices: outside/in or inside/out.
Outside/in is the most common approach. It assumes that re-engineering systems or processes is the way to go. You know the drill: do a little Six Sigma, cost cutting, continuous improvement, hire a few consultants to give pep talks and you're off to the races.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you, but it's often just a slick way of repositioning the deck chairs on your own Titanic. It looks good. It sounds good. You feel like you're doing something, but the ship is still sinking.
The other approach -- inside/out -- is far less common. And why it's less common is because it's slower, initially more chaotic, requires more commitment and, to a lot of left-brained people, seems like voo doo.
The inside/out approach is based on the notion that "organizational change" follows individual change -- understanding, as it does, that an organization is nothing more than a collection of individuals.
The bottom line? Organizations don't change until the people in them do.
In the inside/out approach, each person commits to -- as Mahatma Ghandi put it -- to "being the change you want to see in the world."
Ah... personal responsibility! Personal accountability! Sustained commitment! Even when things get uncomfortable.
Real change does not begin with re-engineering. It does not begin with new initiatives, tweaked processes, compensation plans, reward systems, cost cutting measures, flex time, organic lunches in the cafeteria, or overpriced consultants telling you what to do.
Where does real change begin? It begins with a change of mindset -- what the dictionary defines as "the characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to new situations."
Mindset, not skillset.
MINDSET -- why a pickpocket, every time he meets a saint, will only see pockets. MINDSET -- the cognitive filters we look through that color how we see the world. MINDSET -- why the CFO sees the problem as data, the Chief Marketing Officer sees it as branding, and the IT Director sees it as bandwidth.
The fact is: every single person in your company already knows what to do in order to foster a culture of innovation. They do. They really do. It's common sense. It's just that common sense has become uncommon these days.
Consultants like to make it mysterious, but it's actually very simple.
Does your company's longstanding history of bureaucratic, hierarchical, command-and-control get in the way of each individual operating at their highest potential? Of course it does.
Will re-engineering business processes help? Of course it will. And it is an important piece of the puzzle. But the real deal is NOT a "program". The real deal is each and every person in your organization bringing their innate wisdom to the table every single day. Their highest self. Their best self. Their naturally creative, authentic, passionate, collaborative, go-beyond-the-call-of-duty, opportunity-finding, accountable, engaged, on-fire-with-possibility self.
It's simple.
Simple, unfortunately, is not the same thing as "easy" -- especially these days where so many of us worship at the altar of complexity.
To be continued...
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:01 PM | Comments (7)
June 26, 2016
FASCINATION: The DNA of Innovation
I own a huge library of books on innovation. Mostly hardcover. The $27.95 variety with big indexes and forwards by people who make more money than I do.
Some of these books are actually good . Most of them bore me. (I must confess I have a secret desire, whenever I enter a bookstore, to put glue between pages 187 & 188 in all of the new releases just to see if the publishers get any complaints).
The books attempt to describe the origins of innovation. You know, stuff like "the innate human impulse to find a better way" and "the imperative to find a competitive edge." That sort of thing.
Corporate-speak, in other words.
In my experience , the origin of innovation is fascination -- the state of being intensely interested in something. Enchanted. Captivated. Spellbound. Absorbed.
What kids are naturally good at.
Kids and those mavericks at work who make everyone nervous and running for their spreadsheets at the drop of a hat.
A person who is fascinated does not need to be motivated... or managed... or "incentivized."
All that person needs is time , some resources, meaningful collaboration, and periodic reality checks from someone who understands what fascination is all about.
That's why Google gives its workforce 20% of their time to explore projects on their own. That's why 3M and W.L. Gore do something similar. They know that the root of innovation is fascination.
If you, or the people who report to you, are not currently in a state of fascination it's time to turn things around. That is, IF you want to spark some innovation.
How do you do this?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:24 PM | Comments (7)
June 18, 2016
The DNA of Sparking Innovation in a Roomful of People, Some of Whom May Be Skeptical or Cranky
Most people think that the ability to be innovative is a mystical state available only to the chosen few.
The effort, they imagine, takes a lot of time and hard work. And since they don't have time and don't like hard work, they reason that innovation just isn't in the cards for them.
But innovation is not a mystical state. It's a natural state -- a human birthright. The people in your organization, in fact, already are innovative. The only thing is: their natural ability to be innovative is being obscured by their own habits of mind and a variety of bothersome organizational constraints.
Their challenge is the same one as seeing the "hidden" arrow in the FedEx logo (look between the "E" and the "X").The arrow has always been there, but most people never notice it.
This is the work of Idea Champions. We help people see what they already have, but don't know how to access.
We help people make meaningful adjustments of vision, insight, and perception so they can acknowledge, embrace, and apply their innate ability to be more creative on the job -- and, for those clients who want to reinvent their "innovation process", we help them figure it out.
What follows is a brief summary of how we do this...
1. Know Thy Customer:
Long before we ever get into a room with participants, we do our due diligence -- learning about WHO we are serving, WHAT they expect, and HOW our time with them will be the most significant.
Sometimes this takes the form of phone interviews. Or online polls. Or studying key documents our clients send us in order to understand their current reality, industry, business challenges, organizational constraints, and hoped for outcomes.
2. Customization:
Based on our assessment of our client's needs, we put together a game plan to get the job done. Towards this end, we draw on more than 100 "innovation-sparking" modules we've been developing since 1986.
3. Co-Creation:
Early in the design process, we invite our clients to give us feedback about our approach. Their feedback stirs the creative soup and provides us with the input needed to transform a good session design into a great one.
4. Spacing In:
We make a great deal of effort to ensure that the space in which our sessions take place are as ideal as possible. Form may follow function, but function also follows form.
When participants walk into an Idea Champions session, they begin "mind shifting" even before the session begins. It is both our belief and experience that culture/environment is a huge X factor for creativity and innovation.
5. Drive Fear Out of the Workplace:
W. Edwards Deming, one of America's most revered management consultants, was a big proponent of removing fear from the workplace. So are we. Towards that end, each of our sessions begins with a norm-setting process that makes it easy for participants to establish a dynamic culture of innovation for the day.
6. Mindset:
Organizations don't innovate, people do. But not just any "people." No. People who are energized, curious, confident, fascinated, creative, focused, adaptive, collaborative, and committed.
People who emerge from our sessions are significantly more in touch with these "innovation qualities" than when they began. Their minds have changed. They see opportunities when, previously, all they saw were problems.
They let go of perfectionism, old paradigms, and habitual ways of thinking. In their place? Open-mindedness, listening, idea generation, original thinking, full engagement, and the kind of commitment that drives meaningful change.
7. Balancing Polarities:
Human beings, by nature, are dualistic, (i.e. "us" vs. "them," "short-term" vs. "long-term," "incremental" vs. "breakthrough," "left brain" vs. "right brain".)
The contradictions that show up in a corporate environment (or workshop) can either be innovation depleters or innovation catalysts. It all depends how these seeming conflicting territories are navigated. Idea Champions is committed to whole-brain thinking -- not just right brain or left brain thinking.
Our work with organizations has shown us that one of the pre-conditions for innovation is a company's ability to strike the balance between these polarities.
Each workshop we lead and each consulting engagement we commit to is guided by our understanding of how to help our clients find the healthy balance between the above-noted polarities.
8. Expert Facilitation: "A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile when someone contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind," wrote St. Exupery.
This, quite simply, is what Idea Champions does. But we do far more than just contemplate. We also architect and build.
Since 1986, we've been facilitating innovation-sparking engagements for a wide variety of industries. We have mastered the art and science of turning lead (or leaders) into gold. And we can train your people to do the same thing we do.
9. Experiential Challenges: "What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand."
So said the great Chinese sage, Confucius. This 14-word quote describes the essence of our work. Simply put, we get people off their "ifs, ands or buts," and into the experience of what's possible.
While we value theory, research, models, data, best practices, business cases, and most of the other flora and fauna of business life, we've come to understand that the challenge of sparking insight, breakthrough, and change, is best accomplished by doing -- not talking.
That's why all of our sessions include experiential challenges that provide participants with visible ways of seeing innovation in action -- what supports it and what obscures it.
10. Emergent Design: Awakening the creativity of an organization's workforce is not a follow-the-dots exercise.
Although all of our interventions begin with carefully crafted project plans and agendas, our facilitators are fluent in the art and science of making the kind of real-time adjustments, refinements, and improvisations that are the difference between a good session and a great session.
Facilitators who attempt to imitate our approach find it difficult to succeed without first learning how to master the art of emergent design. The good news is that it can be learned -- and this is just one of the things we teach in our Train the Trainer programs.
11. Edutainment: Idea Champions sessions are a hybrid of two elements: education and entertainment. We know that when participants are enjoying themselves their chances of learning increase exponentially.
That's why we make all of our sessions a hybrid of education and entertainment. Participants do not get tired. They do not get bored. They do not sneak long looks at their Blackberries.
12. Full Engagement: Idea Champions sessions are highly participatory. Our facilitators are skilled at teasing out the brilliance of participants, regardless of their social style, job title, or astrological sign.
But perhaps more importantly, our facilitators know how to help participants tease out each others' brilliance. Eventually, everyone gets into the act. The shy people take center stage and the power players take a back seat. The collective wisdom in the room gets a much-needed chance to be accessed and expressed.
13. Convergence: Idea Champions is successful because what we do works. And one of the reasons WHY it works is because our sessions help participants translate ideas into action.
Ideas are powerful, but they are still only the fuzzy front end of the innovation process. Ultimately, they need to turn into results. Creativity needs to be commercialized. Our workshops, trainings, and consulting interventions help our clients do exactly that.
14. Tools, Techniques, and Takeaways: Ideas Champions closes the gap between rhetoric and reality. We don't just talk about innovation or teach about it -- we spark the experience of it. And we do that in very practical ways.
One way is by teaching people how to use specific, mind-opening techniques to access their innate creativity. Another way is by providing our clients with a variety of innovation-sparking guidelines, processes, and materials that can be immediately used on the job.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2016
Move the Hole!
I like what Edward deBono once said about the phenomenon of creative people trying to get results, but coming up empty (and I paraphrase). "If you are digging for oil and don't find any, move the hole!"
Pretty simple, eh? Sometimes, it seems as if aspiring innovators get fixated on a particular approach and, no matter what happens (or doesn't), they just keep doing the same old thing over and over again even when experience reveals that their approach is not working.
Of course, it's always possible that other factors are at play:
1. Perhaps the hole you've dug is too shallow and success is only a few shovelfuls away. Digger deeper, then, makes sense. Always possible.
2. Maybe you're digging in the right place, but the tools you're digging with are not the right tools for the job.
3. And, of course, it's always possible that in your effort to discover oil, you don't see the unexpected diamonds and gold coins you stumble upon because everything that is "not oil" is invisible to you.
So, let's make this real for a moment. Think of a project you are working on -- one you have passion for whose results have been slower to materialize than you hoped. Got it? Good. Now answer the following before doing any more digging:
CAN YOU DIG THIS?
1. What are your instincts telling you about how to proceed? Have you dug the hole deep enough? Might it be time for you to move the hole? And if it is the time to move the hole, where might you move it? What are some new approaches to try? Other places to look?
2. If you sense that you haven't dug deep enough -- that you've been a dilettante, slacker, or half-hearted digger for oil -- what can you do to martial your forces and commit to a more rigorous digging effort? And what support, if any, might you need?
3. If, in your digging adventures, you have stumbled upon some unexpected "finds", but dismissed them because you were only focused on oil, how might you extract the value from your accidental discoveries?
By the way, 75% of all product breakthroughs are NOT the result of strategic plans or "intentional effort", but the result of serendipity and " happy accidents " -- what happens when the open-minded innovator "stumbles" on something intriguing, pauses, and makes the right kind of effort to see if this discovery has value and is worth pursuing.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2016
The Innovation Burnout Syndrome
Most newly launched corporate innovation initiatives have a dark side, a not-much-talked-about shadow side -- the metaphorical alcoholic-father-in-the-basement side. And it is this... fascinating new projects are conceived, senior leaders get pumped, game plans are drawn up, but no one gives the "worker bees" any more time to devote to the newly launched projects. They are, in effect, expected to shoehorn their new efforts into their already overloaded schedules.
Bottom line, aspiring innovators' "day jobs" end up colliding with newly launched innovation initiatives and mayhem ensues. People either burn out, get cranky, triangulate to third parties, spend way too much time explaining the newly launched innovation project to their "day job" managers, or else go into martyrdom-mode -- all behaviors that do not bode well for the individual, the company, or its customers. And while every company DOES have a few superstar self-starters who dive in with both feet and a heigh ho silver, this is not a formula for sustainable innovation.
The solution? Either redistribute workloads, offer "innovation project sabbaticals", or provide your front line innovators with enough support services to unclutter their minds, ease their way forward, and allow them the time to focus on the innovation job at hand without frying.
If you don't, expect nothing but a whole lot of chaos, broken promises, unfulfilled expectations, and the kind of innovation backlash you wish you hadn't unleashed.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2016
If You Want to Create Breakthrough Products, Get Meaningful Feedback Early in the Game
Most Fortune 500 companies have some kind of corporate strategy in place for ratcheting up their innovation efforts. Consultants are hired. CEOs give pep talks. And internal initiatives are launched.
To the casual observer, it all looks good, but few of these initiatives ever amount to anything In fact, research indicates that 70 percent of all change initiatives fail.
Why such a low percentage? It depends on who you ask. Senior leaders see it as a workforce issue. The workforce sees it as a senior leader issue. Consultants see it as an issue their company is best suited to resolve. And the occasional in-house astrologer sees it as a Gemini in Pluto issue. Bottom line, nobody really knows.
Here's how I see it: one of the biggest (and least addressed) reasons why most change initiatives fail can be traced back to the cro-magnon way most innovation-seeking people give and receive feedback -- especially when it comes to pitching high concept ideas.
Case in point: Some years ago, Lucent Technologies asked me to facilitate a daylong "Products of the Future" ideation session for 75 of their best and brightest. The pay was good. The challenge was compelling. And I was going to have carte blanche to design the session just the way I wanted.
Or so I thought.
The woman who had contacted me, I quickly found out, reported directly to the CEO. So far, so good. And her concept of the session was spot on -- that the CEO and his Direct Reports (a new rock band?), would make an appearance at the end of the day to listen to five BIG IDEA pitches and then give their feedback, real-time.
Theoretically, this made perfect sense. But theory and reality are two very different things -- kind of like the difference between asking your teenage daughter to clean up her room and her actually doing it.
The harsh reality is this: The vast majority of Senior Leaders are not very skillful when it comes to giving feedback -- especially in response to ideas that challenge the status quo. "Feedback," for them, has become code for "With all due respect, let me tell you why your idea sucks".
As a facilitator of high profile brainstorming sessions , I cannot, in good faith, allow this all-too-predictable dynamic to play itself out. Not only will potentially profound ideas be prematurely dismissed, the hard-working, brilliant people who have spent all day generating and developing these ideas will become royally pissed, disempowered, humiliated, passive/aggressive, and depressed. The result? Very few of them will want to participate in future sessions.
So I told the consultant-seeking woman from Lucent that I, in service to the outcomes she was about to hire me to ensure, needed to meet with her CEO so I could teach him and his team how to give effective, humane feedback to a roomful of 75 future product generating optic fiber geniuses.
"Impossible!" was her response. "Our CEO is very busy man -- and besides... he doesn't like consultants."
"Got it," I said, quickly assessing my options. "And thank you, so much, for your kind invitation to facilitate the session, but I must respectfully decline" -- and, with that, I began packing up my briefcase.
This, shall we say, caught her slightly off guard. "I... don't understand where you are going with this," she replied.
"Look," I said. "If you want to get meaninful results from an all-day brainstorming session, especially if you are flying people in from who knows where, we've got to be absolutely sure that the feedback at the end of the day is done well. I am not going to walk 75 of your best and brightest people off the plank."
I could tell that my unexpected feedback was registering. "OK, OK...but the best I can do is get you five minutes with him during the coffee break just before the report outs".
"Great," I said. "I'll take it."
Fast forward two months.
From 8:30 am -- 3:00 pm, 75 of Lucent's most brilliant technologists conjured up products that made my head spin. The room was abuzz with glorious possibilities. The sense of accomplishment was palpable. At 2:45 they selected five of their best ideas and summarized them on flipcharts. At 3:00, it was time for coffee and sugar, me craning my head for the CEO and his merry band of direct reports.
I envisioned him to be a tall man, silver-haired, with a large Rolex and a steely look in his eyes -- someone who might be good friends with the Governor and eventually have his portrait hanging in the lobby at headquarters. He was, much to my surprise about 5'6", wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt, loafers, and no socks. My kind of guy.
"Rich," I began, extending my hand. "Welcome, Mitch Ditkoff here from Idea Champions , facilitator of today's extraordinary ideation session, "how would you like to learn a simple technique in the next five minutes that will not only take all the dread out of giving feedback, but spark some seriously powerful idea development on the spot?"
He looked at me as if I'd just given him the holy grail. "You're on!"
"Great. Here's how it works," I began. "When an idea is pitched, first say what you LIKE about it -- the upside, what's promising. After a few genuine likes, then express your CONCERNS -- the stuff you probably wanted to say in the first place. But for each concern you express, it will be your responsibility to follow it with a SUGGESTION, a way that would resolve your concern and keep the idea alive Got it?"
"Got it."
"Oh... one more thing, Rich. If you forget to use the method, do I have your permission to remind you?"
"Absolutely".
The senior team took their place on stage, sitting behind a table, draped in black, that reminded me of the Nuremberg Trials. The 75 brilliant brainstormers took their seats at round tables -- everyone attentively listening to me describe the feedback process that was just about to unfold.
The first BIG IDEA pitch was excellent -- a compelling idea for a telecommunications platform of the future that was utterly mind blowing. The audience applauded, I acknowledged the presenter, and then gave the floor to the CEO, reminding him to use the feedback technique I'd taught him just a few minutes ago -- which he proceeded to do for, oh, maybe 30 seconds or so.
After that? It was Apocalyse Now meets The Godfather, with a little Don Rickles in Vegas thrown in for good measure, a scene I'd witnessed countless times before in corporate America -- the kneejerk, reptilian-brained, go-for-the-jugular tendency most senior executives have to focus on what's wrong with a new idea before what's right.
Speaking into the mic in my best baritone imitation of the Wizard of Oz, I quickly intervened.
"Oh Mr. CEO of a very large and profitable telecommunications company. Remember the LCS technique! First your LIKES, then your CONCERNS, then your SUGGESTIONS."
In an optic fiber nanosecond, he sheepishly smiled, thanked me for the reminder, and returned to the technique.
The rest of the session went off without a hitch. Five powerful ideas got pitched. Seven of Lucent's top executives weighed in with insight, honesty, and graciousness. And 75 aspiring innovators experienced something they had probably never experienced before -- that it was possible to spend all day brainstorming "out there" possibilities and get the kind of feedback from senior leadership that was honorable, empowering, easy-to-listen to, and immediately helpful.
SO WHAT? Ever hear the phrase "ideas are a dime a dozen." Of course you have. It's one of the classic truisms we were all brought up to believe. That old saw, however, is less about ideas being inconsequential, than it is about people not knowing how to elicit their value. Granted, not every idea is worth developing, but far too many good ones are lost along the way because the person to whom the idea is pitched is blinded by their own knee jerk reactions.
The literature is filled with examples of great ideas whose value was not immediately recognized. The steam engine. The MacIntosh. FedEx. And the Post-It Note just to name a few. All of them were pitched to the "powers-that-be" and all were victims of knee jerk, naysaying, idea killing behavior. Yes, it's true, many senior leaders beat the drums for "out of the box thinking". But when push comes to shove, as it often does, their drumming is more like fingernails on the edge of an office desk than a conga player with fire in his eyes. So let's give our senior leaders what they need to make the shift from theory to practice -- and that is a simple method for them to respond to new and untested ideas in a way that increases the odds of innovation actually happening.
NOW WHAT? Think about your style of responding to new ideas. Do you listen? Do you pause long enough to see the seed of innovation? Do you give meaningful feedback in a humane way? And what about your organization? Do people know how to give and receive feedback? Do they take the time? Does the process increase the odds of innovation becoming a reality? If not, what can you about it this week to turn things around?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:46 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2016
An Innovation in Climbing, Art and Helping At-Risk Communities
Jon Sedor realized, as a high school sophomore, that his passion in life was all about rock climbing and painting. However, in 2007 Jon lost his left (dominant) hand in a serious accident. Two amputations three surgeries, and lots of challenges later, Jon had still not given up his dreams. He could have easily submitted to what seemed to be a limitation, but he didn't. No way.
Since his accident, Jon has relearned to draw as a right-handed person, graduated from the School of Visual Arts with his MFA in 2014, and has become a nationally and internationally ranked rock climber. But Jon has a much grander vision than simply being a world class climber and working artist.
He wants to give back to the various communities that have given him so much meaning and healing in his life. And he wants to do so by helping other athletes with physical differences push their limits and achieve their own seemingly impossible goals.
Towards that end, Jon and some very committed friends have joined together to create the Pebble Wrestler Collective -- an adventure film and creative apparel company based in Cleveland, Ohio. Their goal is to showcase the unique individuals and opportunities within the athletic and artistic lifestyles they pursue.
The Collective is comprised of outdoor adventurers -- from climbers and surfers, to skiers and snowboarders. Not only are they athletes, they are artists, film makers, and philanthropists, too. Bottom line, they are using their love of adventure and the visual arts to build awareness of the challenges and accomplishments of adaptive athletes, as well as helping communities by providing at-risk youth with healthy alternatives to street life -- climbing, surfing, and snowboarding.
Jon and the Pebble Wrestler collective have launched a Kickstarter Campaign is to fund their efforts. They are halfway to their goal of raising $18,000 and have until March 2nd to raise the rest.
Which is precisely why the Heart of Innovation has posted this update. We are calling on all our readers to pitch in -- even if it's just $10. It's easy to talk about innovation. It's easy to write about innovation. But in the end, when push comes to shove, action is what's needed -- crowd sourced, inspired, collaborative, dig deep, go-beyond-the-obstacles action. You in?
Thanks, in advance, for any support you can provide. Today is Jon's day to ask the world community for support. Tomorrow might be yours.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2016
On Creating an Innovation Mindset
If you want to spark innovation in your organization and are looking for the diamond cutters stroke, consider storytelling . Since 1987, I've tried everything under the sun to help my clients raise the bar for innovation. What I've discovered is that innovation begins in the mind and that unless people are in the right mindset, innovation will never be more than a pipe dream. Storytelling, I've learned, is the simplest, fastest, most memorable way to get people into an innovation mindset. Here's how we do it. And if you only have 90 minutes, this is how we do it. Its also boosts employee engagement.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2015
The Art of Sparking Innovation
When my mother was alive, she told me she had no idea what I did for a living. Around the canasta table, she would tell her friends I was a "motivational speaker", no matter how many times I explained what I actually did. The slide show below is dedicated to her and to YOU, too -- especially if you're wondering what the heck goes on in one of Idea Champions' innovation-sparking workshops. Best to view full screen.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:18 PM | Comments (0)
September 04, 2015
HOW TO MAXIMIZE IDEA POWER FOR FREE: A 3-Minute Video Tutorial
Need powerful, new ideas to grow your business, solve a problem, or find a better way? Don't want to go to yet another meeting to figure things out? Start paying attention to the ideas you are conceiving away from the workplace. And encourage others to do so, as well. Here's WHY and HOW.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
May 01, 2015
The Professor and the Jar
A college professor stood before his philosophy class at the start of a new semester. Silently, he picked up a very large jar and filled it with golf balls. Then he asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly, pebbles settling into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students again responded with a resounding "yes."
The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured them into the jar, filling the empty spaces between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor. "I want you to understand that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, health, friends, and feeling of well-being. If everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."
"The pebbles are the other things that matter -- your job, your house, your accomplishments etc. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there's no room left for the golf balls or pebbles. The same holds true for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you'll never have room for the things that are really important to you."
"Pay attention to the things that are essential to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Smell the flowers. Enjoy the beauty of existence. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. The rest is just sand."
One of the students then raised her hand and asked what the beer represented.
The professor smiled, "I'm glad you asked."
"The beer shows you that, no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:16 PM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2015
GUY WIRE: The Art of Innovation
Here is a no BS, engaging, entertaining, honorable 21-minute talk on innovation, by the extremely refreshing Guy Kawasaki. Many pearls of wisdom in this and some good jokes.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:33 PM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2015
On Being an Idea Champion
There's a reason why the expression "ideas are a dime a dozen" is so popular. Because they are. It's easy to get ideas. What's not so easy is championing ideas. And by "championing", I am referring to the kind of heroic commitment required to actually manifest those ideas. Here's my six-minute video elaboration on this often neglected topic. It's great that you have a new idea you care about. Wonderful. Now, ask yourself "What is it going to take for me to press through all the inevitable obstacles and bring this idea to life?"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:34 AM | Comments (0)
February 09, 2015
Innovation as a Happy Accident
A little known fact about innovation is that many breakthroughs have not been the result of genius, but "happy accidents" -- those surprise moments when an answer revealed itself for no particular reason.
The discovery of penicillin, for example, was the result of Alexander Fleming noting the formation of mold on the side of petri dish left uncleaned overnight.
Vulcanized Rubber was discovered in 1839 when Charles Goodyear accidentally dropped a lump of the polymer substance he was experimenting with onto his wife's cook stove.
More recently, 3M's post-it was also the result of an accident in the lab. Breakthroughs aren't always about invention, but the intervention required, by the aspiring innovator, to notice something new, unexpected, and intriguing.
LEARN FROM YOUR HAPPY ACCIDENTS:
1. Think about a recent project, pilot, or business of yours that did not turn out the way you expected.
2. Ask yourself if any of the unexpected results offer you a clue or insight about how you might proceed differently.
3. Instead of interpreting your results as "failure," consider the fact that the results are simply nature's way of getting you to see something new -- something that merits further exploration.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:59 PM | Comments (4)
January 24, 2015
Radio Woodstock in the House!
We just received this very nice piece of feedback from the President of Radio Woodstock, Gary Chetkof.
" Idea Champions was a true partner in helping us untangle some of the issues we were struggling with. They were very easy to work with and the processes used were fun and creative and they worked splendidly. We were able to find out what the major obstacles were and our entire team worked together to find solutions. Everyone participated fully, and everyone now has much more clarity about how to better work together. We even have our new mission statement that you can see on our Facebook page ! I wholeheartedly recommend Idea Champions to any business that wants to problem solve, brainstorm , or get their employees to work more harmoniously together."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2015
The Good Thing About Bad Ideas
One of the inevitable things you will hear at a brainstorming session is "there are no bad ideas." Not true. There are plenty of bad ideas. Nazism, for instance. Arena football. Bow ties.
What well-meaning "keep hope alive" brainstorming lovers really mean is this: Even bad ideas can lead to good ideas if the idea originators are committed enough to extract the meaning from the "bad".
Do you think that War and Peace was written in one sitting? No way. There were plenty of earlier drafts that were horrid, but eventually led to the final outcome.
The key? To find the value in what seems to be a "bad idea" and then use that extracted value as a catalyst for further exploration. The following technique, excerpted from Awake at the Wheel , shows you how...
HOW IT WORKS:
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:10 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2014
The 25 Most Influential Innovation Blogs and Experts: 2014
GOOD NEWS! Idea Champions' The Heart of Innovation blog was just chosen as one of the top 25 "innovation blogs and experts" of 2014 (just 86 years after the first American Yo Yo factory opened in California). Check it out here. To be more specific, The Heart of Innovation is listed as #20. So, it's officially official: You are not a loser for reading this blog. On the contrary, you are insightful, intelligent, adventurous, creative, and very good looking, if not just a wee bit twisted. PS: There are a number of other, fine innovation blogs noted on Nick Skillicorn's end-of-the-year-round-up. Worth a look.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:04 PM | Comments (2)
December 13, 2014
BIG IDEA: Empowering the Homeless
What idea do you have to make a difference? What can YOU do to go beyond the obvious and really be of service to people in need? And if you work in an organization, how can you rally the troops to join you in the venture? Check out what 24-year old Veronika did. Genius!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:46 PM | Comments (0)
December 06, 2014
Who We Are and What We Do
When my mother was alive, she would ask me, at regular intervals, what I did for a living. I would do my best to explain it to her but, somehow, her explanations to her friends around the canasta table always ended up with some version of "my son is a motivational speaker." No matter how hard I tried to educate dear Sylvia about what I REALLY did, nothing stuck. It would have been easy if I was a doctor, lawyer, or dentist, but I wasn't. I was a....
Anyway, a few days ago, a new prospect of Idea Champions just asked me a similar question. This is what I told her:
Idea Champions is an innovation consulting and training company, headquartered in Woodstock, NY. Since 1987, we have been helping a wide variety of forward thinking organizations increase their employee's ability and commitment to think creativity, generate powerful new, business-growth ideas, collaborate, and develop the kind of organizational culture that is conducive to sustainable innovation.
How we accomplish this noble goal depends on the current reality of each client, their level of commitment, and what their hoped-for outcomes are.
Services we provide include: innovation-sparking keynotes, leadership development sessions, creative thinking training, facilitated brainstorming sessions, culture of innovation workshops, brainstorm facilitation training, team building, executive coaching, and innovation-sparking materials.
Our clients have included: General Electric, AT&T, Merck, Lucent Technologies, NBC Universal, Pfizer, Kraft Foods, General Mills, MTV Networks, Chubb insurance, Goodyear Tire, Citibank, Wells Fargo, TV Guide, Hitachi, A&E Television, Genentech, Michelin, Con Edison, MBooth, Blue States Digital, Duke Corporate Education, Atlanticare, TIAA Cref, The National Institutes of Health, Champion International, Coca Cola, and a host of others. This is what they say about us.
Intrigued? Check out either or both of our websites:
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:53 PM | Comments (0)
October 09, 2014
Playing With Parkinson's
Q. What do Muhammed Ali, Billy Graham, Roger Bannister, Steve Allen, Linda Ronstadt, Michael J. Fox, and Robin Williams all have in common?
A. Each of them have inspired and delighted millions of people. And each of them have had to deal with Parkinson's disease , a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that affects approximately 7-10 million people worldwide.
With the recent passing of Robin Williams, the world has gotten yet another opportunity to learn about the ravages of this little-understood disease, named after James Parkinson, an English physician who published the first detailed description of it back in 1817.
But no matter how many news articles, tweets, fundraisers, or newly-detected sufferers of this disease come to light, most of us have very little visceral understanding of what Parkinson's is and how it deeply affects those who lives are turned upside down by its progressive debilitation.
Until now, that is -- with the imminent release, at the Woodstock Film Festival, of Burrill Crohn's groundbreaking documentary, Playing With Parkinson's -- the soul-stirring story of Sangeeta Michael Berardi.
Sangeeta may not be a household name like the other luminaries noted above, but after Crohn's film makes the rounds, he very well may be. A consummate musician, Sangeeta (whose name translates as "Divine Song") has enjoyed, since the 1960s, a successful career as a jazz guitarist and has played with such greats as Archie Shepp, Roswell Rudd, Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Karl Berger, and Rashied Ali. But in 2001, "Mr. P" (as Sangeeta playfully refers to Parkinson's) came knocking at his door.
The subsequent tremors and shakes -- the most visible signs of the disease -- not only made playing the guitar increasingly difficult, but also the simplest of daily tasks -- like drinking a glass of water... or picking up the phone.... or walking into the next room.
True to his jazz roots, however, Sangeeta, "went with the moment," adapting and adjusting to the new song that life -- his life -- was demanding he play. A lesser man might have abandoned music, but not Sangeeta. Reaching deep within himself, he found a way to turn what others term "disability" into an astounding new ability -- the ability to find beauty, meaning, and self-expression in the present moment, no matter what limitations were thrust upon him.
Simply put, Sangeeta created new ways to make music -- using breakfast bowls, tabletops, found objects, his omnipresent bag of pills, and his Parkinson's-compromised voice. Necessity wasn't only the mother of invention for Sangeeta, it was also the father, cousin, uncle, grandmother, and sound engineer, too.
Previewing Playing with Parkinson's in Burrill Crohn's Woodstock studio two weeks ago, I found myself crying and shaking -- stunned by Sangeeta's indomitable spirit of creativity and the filmmaker's extraordinary ability to communicate the highest attributes of what it truly means to be a human being.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2014
26 Inspired Quotes on the Innovation Most Needed on Planet Earth -- PEACE!
You've heard of product innovation, process innovation, business model innovation, and disruptive innovation. Now it's time for PEACE INNOVATION -- and that's what's happening on September 21st all around the world as millions of people in cities, towns, and hamlets gather together to celebrate the International Day of Peace.
Want to know more? See more? Feel more? Tune into PeaceCast , a 48-hour livestream broadcast to celebrate the International Day of Peace. Starts at 8:00 am (EDT) on 9/20 and ends at 6:00 am (EDT) on 9/22.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:36 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2014
Is Peace the Innovation We Need the Most?
"Innovation" continues to be a hot topic in corporate circles these days -- a "competitive edge" organizations are increasingly attempting to hone so they can not only differentiate themselves from the competition, but survive in today's topsy turvy economy.
That being said, there are some forward thinking organizations out there who are going beyond the status quo and seriously asking themselves what they can do differently to not only be "socially responsible", but use their corporate clout to help various peace-themed global causes truly impact positive change.
If that describes your organization, please contact us. Idea Champions, in 2015, will be launching a new innovation-sparking service to help corporations, world wide, figure out HOW they can leverage their resources, bandwidth, and brainpower to foster peace and well-being in the world -- and still make a profit.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2014
56 Reasons Why Most Corporate Innovation Initiatives Fail
Innovation is in these days. The word is on the lips of every CEO, CFO, CIO, and anyone else with a three-letter acronym after their name.
As a result, many organizations are launching all kinds of "innovation initiatives" -- hoping to stir the creative soup. This is commendable. But it is also, all too often, a disappointing experience.
Innovation initiatives sound good, but usually don't live up to expectations. The reasons are many. What follows are 56 of the most common -- organizational obstacles we've observed that get in the way of a company truly raising the bar for innovation.
See which ones are familiar to YOU. Then, sit down with your Senior Team... CEO... innovation committee, or best friend and jump start the process of going beyond these obstacles.
56 Reasons Why Most Corporate Innovation Initiatives Fail
1. "Innovation" framed as an initiative, not the normal way of doing business
2. Absence of a clear definition of what "innovation" really means
3. Innovation not linked to company's existing vision or strategy
4. No sense of urgency
5. Workforce is suffering from "initiative fatigue"
6. CEO does not fully embrace the effort
7. No compelling vision or reason to innovate
8. Senior Team not aligned
9. Key players don't have the time to focus on innovation
10.Innovation champions are not empowered
11. Decision making processes are non-existent or fuzzy
12. Lack of trust
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2014
How to Spark Wisdom in the Workplace
Dear Heart of Innovation Readers:
If you have received any value from this blog and would be interested in supporting my next, big project -- now launched as a GoFundMe campaign -- click here for a 3-minute video of me describing it and a written description of what the whole thing is all about -- a venture which includes the writing, publication, and promotion of a new book, Wisdom at Work, along with the launching of WISDOM CIRCLES in organizations around the world.
Whatever support you can provide is very much appreciated, Plus, you will be sent a copy of the book when it's published, if you want.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)
February 19, 2014
How to Open the Door to Innovation
There is no magic pill, but there is a key. And the key has a lot to do with creating a critical mass of savvy innovation catalysts and change agents who know how to open doors (and minds).
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:32 PM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2014
Would You Invest Three Hours to Save Yourself Months of Wasted Effort?
Idea Champions has just launched a groundbreaking three-hour workshop that will save your organization untold time, tons of money, and a thousand pounding headaches you can't afford to have.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2014
How to Help Your Senior Team Get Aligned About a Strategic Direction
I am totally inspired by the feedback that Steven McHugh, co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Idea Champions, received from Life Care Centers of America, in response to a two-day Senior Team Strategy Offsite he designed and facilitated for them. See below...
"I wanted to thank you for the wonderful work you've done for us at Life Care Centers of America.
As you know, when I left my CFO position at Olin Corporation to help lead Life Care, I was presented with a number of difficult challenges. Due to strict government regulations, the long-term care industry was in turmoil. In 30 years, Life Care had not performed any unified, long-term strategic planning, and there was no HR department for over 27,000 employees.
Based on the excellent work you did for over five years with my former company, I knew you had the skills to help us. Your role in aligning 230 different facilities into a unified force has been remarkable, especially in the short time frame you were given.
As you know, the results of the process you took us through have been astounding. In an environment where five of the top six public nursing home companies have declared bankruptcy, we have enjoyed unprecedented growth. You helped our senior officers transform into a dynamic leadership team. Our clarity around an aligned mission translated into a powerful vision that we can communicate to the rest of the organization.
Your Vision Mapping sessions were the catalysts for communicating our message to the rest of the organization. Your ability to develop balanced scorecards for all 230 facilities was the key to translating strategy into results.
It is now clear what actions are important for us to take, and for the first time, our people know how their success will be measured.
From the senior level to the staff in each facility, actions are now aligned to achieve strategic goals.
As an interesting byproduct of your work here, we are beginning to develop leaders at all levels in the organization who are empowered to do whatever it takes to get the job done. They have a clear line of sight to the strategic goals and are stepping up to the plate to get them done.
I am proud of how we have responded to the process you have embedded into our culture. Thank you for justifying my faith in bringing you in to facilitate this major change in how we operate.
I look forward to continuing our work together in developing a high performance organization."
-- Michael Waddell, President, Life Care Centers of America
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2014
Innovation in Loving Our Fathers
If you're reading this, there's a good chance you are involved in some kind of effort to innovate and get out of the so-called box. But there's also a good chance you have a father -- living or not. In either case, you might find this just published article of mine , in the Huffington Post, timely -- written just one day after my own father passed away in 2009. It will take you less than four minutes to read, but may tap into some timeless feelings.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:05 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2013
It All Began With Balls
Most companies begin on a shoe-string -- under-funded, under the gun, and under the radar. The company I co-founded in 1986, Idea Champions , was no exception.
When my business partner and I began, we had almost nothing -- just an idea, some chutzpah, and a deep desire to succeed.
While we both were likable, smart, and skillful schmoozers, we had zippo in the way of a marketing plan.
Racking what was left of our over-caffeinated brains, it soon became abundantly clear that we needed some kind of showcase, some kind of "window to the world" -- a place to strut our entrepreneurial stuff and get in front of the people who were the likely buyers of our service...
Back in those days, this meant one thing -- renting a booth at the ASTD convention -- the annual meet market in the training and development field.
The thought of this made the two of us slightly nauseous, since we had "cased the joint" a year before and come away with three impressions:
1. We didn't have enough money to get in the door
2. We didn't have the right marketing materials
3. We probably should have gone into our father's business.
Clearly, we'd have to do something different if we were going to distinguish ourselves from the 600 other companies vying for the same customers.
Giving out slick brochures was out of the question. (We didn't have any). Giving out our client list was also out of the question. (You could count the number of our clients on one hand -- the hand of Vinny "Three Finger" Scalucci).
In a flash of entrepreneurial mania, it became obvious that we would need a lot of balls to pull this off. Yes, the kind you're thinking of, but also another kind -- juggling balls.
The AHA? We'd create an "anti-booth" and teach people how to juggle. Our booth would be a rest stop, a haven, a place for thousands of convention-weary people to recuperate from all the other booths with their endless supply of Hershey's kisses, business jargon, and fishbowls full of business cards.
OK. So we didn't have a marketing plan, but we did have inspiration. And even more than that, a very specific idea of how to get the attention of the marketplace.
Our plan was simple.
We'd bring a posse of our juggling-savvy friends and teach thousands of convention-goers how to do something they'd secretly wanted to learn for years -- juggle. No hard sell. No corporate speak. No used-car salesman smiles -- just the experience of having a breakthrough.
And our message would be delivered in 30 seconds or less.
Here's how it worked: As aspiring jugglers dropped their balls, we'd drop in a few well-timed comments to help them make the link between what it took to learn to juggle and what it took to innovate .
Our booth was wildly popular. People loved it. People loved us. And we always had a crowd.
But "having a crowd" doesn't necessarily translate into sales -- and sales is what we were after. Were we pumped? Yes. Were we optimistic? That, too. But still we had nothing to show for our efforts.
That is, until the afternoon of the third day.
That's when we spied the proverbial big fish walking in our direction. DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT, AT&T his name tag screamed.
This was the moment -- the moment of truth.
The impeccably dressed Mr. Big approached. He stopped, tried to look through me, and spoke:
"What's this?" he asked.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:57 AM | Comments (5)
April 06, 2013
The Paradox of Innovation
My big insight about innovation these days would make Nobel Prize winner, Niels Bohr, proud.
"Now that we have met with paradox," explained Dr. Bohr, "we have some hope of making progress."
Innovation is full of it -- paradox, that is.
On one hand, organizations want structures, maps, models, guidelines, and systems. On the other hand, that's all too often the stuff that squelches innovation, driving it underground or out the door.
The noble search for a so-called "innovation process" can easily become a seduction, addiction, or distraction whereby innovation is marginalized, deferred, over-engineered, and worn like a badge.
True innovation is about allowing room enough for paradox to be a teacher and guide -- and to accept, at least for a little longer than usual, ambiguity, dissonance, and discomfort -- the age-old precursors to breakthrough.
Remember, there's a big difference between Six Sigma and Innovation.
Six Sigma is about reducing variability. Innovation is about increasing it-- and that often means allowing the kind of "messiness" that process-mavens interpret as a problem needing to be fixed, rather than a pre-condition to breakthrough and the resulting commercialization of that breakthrough that most people refer to as "innovation."
Yes, process, structures, systems are necessary, but they don't have to become overly pre-emptive. If you stay in an innovative mindset and can adapt to emerging needs, they will eventually become self-organizing when the soul of innovation is allowed to flourish.
Can we help the "innovation process" along with the right application of strategy, infrastructure, and planning?
Of course we can.
But beware! "Helping" the process too much often becomes counterproductive -- much in the same way that attempting to catch a milkweed floating through the air with a bold reach of your hand actually repels the object of your desire.
Innovation Physics 101.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:24 AM | Comments (2)
March 20, 2013
How to Humanize the Workplace
A recent poll has revealed that 62% of Americans are dissatisified with their work.
While there are a lot of contributing factors, one BIG factor is that most workplace environments are not wired to bring out the best in people. Quite the contrary.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2012
VOTE FOR ME (I will not raise taxes, start a war, or give a boring speech)
Good news! A leading Speaker's Bureau has just nominated me as a TOP FIVE SPEAKER in the field of innovation & creativity. To win, I need your vote.
So... if you believe I've added value to this field and am speaking about it in a way that inspires and educates, I humbly ask for your vote.
All you need to do is click this link , then scroll down to the fifth category and check the box next to my name (MITCHELL DITKOFF). Then scroll to the bottom and enter your name etc. The whole thing will take you less than three minutes.
My ten tips for giving a great keynote.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:12 AM | Comments (0)
August 26, 2012
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2012
Web Workshops from Idea Champions
Here's a 3minute video overview of Idea Champions newest service -- Web Workshops -- highly engaging 60-minute tutorials to help your workforce raise the bar for innovation, collaboration, and communication.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:11 PM | Comments (0)
July 26, 2012
ABOUT US
Idea Champions , founded in 1986, is committed to unleashing the innate brilliance of people everywhere.
We are catalysts of creativity -- especially the creativity that has been compromised by corporate cultures that have not yet understood how to tap into the natural gifts of their workforce.
Our end game? Sustainable innovation -- helping our clients go beyond business as usual and turn their top-of-the-line ideas into bottom line realities.
But don't just take our word for it. Here's how our clients describe our impact.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2012
The Value of Val
If your small business or non-profit is looking for a highly skilled brainstorm facilitator, creative thinking trainer, or custom workshop leader, Val Vadeboncoeur is your man.
Val, a long time friend and collaborator of mine, has just launched Business Light , an innovation consultancy geared for organizations with less-than-deep pockets.
If your organization is looking for a big breakthrough on a small budget, give Val a call. A man of great integrity with a great sense of humor, Val is 100% committed to serving companies who want to make a difference in the world.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
July 05, 2012
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:34 PM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2012
What You Can Learn from WC Fields
WC Fields was always an exceptionally gifted performer. But some of his most unforgettable performances took place off-camera.
Like most actors in the start of their career, Fields found himself a little short of cash. A problem? Not for him.
The non-traditional Mr. Fields simply created a " Blue Ocean " job for himself in Atlantic City, one summer, as a professional drowner.
Here's how it worked:
Several times a day, Fields would swim out to sea, pretend to be drowning, and then be "rescued" by one of his accomplices, the lifeguard.
Invariably, a large crowd would gather on the beach as the no longer struggling actor was "resuscitated."
Once it was clear that this poor fellow was going to live, the suddenly relieved crowd would turn to Field's third accomplice, the hot dog vendor, (who just happened to be standing nearby) and treat themselves to an "I'm-so-glad-he's-alive" snack.
At the end of each water-logged day, Fields would split the take with his buddies -- the lifeguard and the hot dog vendor.
Brilliant!
Now, I'm not suggesting that you do anything to deceive your customers. Not at all.
But what I AM suggesting is that you take a fresh look at what you might do differently to get an extraordinary result.
Is there a new risk you need to take? An experiment you need to try? A non-traditional collaboration to enter into?
If your product, service, or venture is drowning, what can you do to resuscitate it?
My company, Idea Champions , once got a sizable contract from AT&T by teaching the Director of Training and Development how to juggle in five minutes -- something he'd been trying to learn for 25 years.
That's what I'm talking about: a new approach, a different twist, a non-traditional angle that will spark extraordinary results.
So... what is it?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:43 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2012
Go Beyond Pet Ideas! Get Your Pet's Portrait Painted Here!
Did you know that there are 64 million dogs in the United States?
And did you know that the portrait of the dog to your left was painted by my wife, Evelyne Pouget, who has just launched Woodstock Pet Portraits.
If YOU, oh faithful reader of this blog, would like Evelyne to paint your pet's portrait, leave a message here.
Evelyne is offering the first three portrait-buying readers of this blog a 30% discount on orders received before May 30th.
More Examples of Evelyne's Pet Portraits
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:17 PM | Comments (0)
Creating Time to Innovate
On Thursday May 17th, I will be delivering a live webinar on Fostering a Culture of Innovation . The first 50 people to sign up get half off, so register now!
During the past few years I've noticed a curious paradox heading its ugly rear among business leaders tooting the horn for innovation.
On one hand they want the rank and file to step up to the plate and own the effort to innovate.
On the other hand, they are unwilling to grant the people they are exhorting any more TIME to innovate.
Somehow, magically, they expect aspiring innovators to not only generate game-changing ideas in their spare time, but do all the research, data collection, business case building, piloting, project management, idea development, testing, report generation, and troubleshooting in between their other assignments.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:41 PM | Comments (2)
April 14, 2012
100 Simple Ways to Be More Creative on the Job
1. Ask the most creative people at work for their ideas.
2. Brainstorm with a co-worker.
3. Tape record your ideas on your commute to and from work.
4. Present your challenge to a child.
5. Take your team off-site for a day.
6. Listen to your inner muse.
7. Play music in your office.
8. Go for a daily brainstorming walk.
9. Ask someone to collaborate with you on your favorite project.
10. Exercise during your lunch break.
11. Turn on a radio at random times and listen for a message.
12. Invite your customers to brainstorming sessions.
13. Think of new ways to define your challenge.
14. Remember your dreams.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:16 AM | Comments (8)
April 13, 2012
Ask the Right Questions!
This is the first of several Heart of Innovation postings from the World Business Forum , which we recently attended in NYC. The conference was very inspiring. Great speakers. Timely content. And lots of food for thought (and feeling).
One theme that several presenters noted was the importance of asking the right question.
Tal Ben Shahar : "How do you get others to focus on what works? By asking the right questions."
Tal implored the audience to change the questions they are asking, noting that if we only ask "What's wrong?" (as many business leaders are wont to do), the answers will be unnecessarily skewed in response to that particular filter.
The most serious mistakes being made in business these days, according to Ben Shahar?
Asking the wrong question.
Ben Zander spoke passionately about this theme, as well.
The "rhythm of transformation", he explained, is totally dependent on creating new frameworks -- and creating new frameworks is often a function of being willing to ask powerful, new questions. (Ben, by the way, is the answer to the question: "How do you deliver the most powerfully compelling presentation to 4,000 people sitting on plastic seats at the Jacob Javits Convention Center?"
Bill Clinton was all over this "question asking' theme, as well.
"If we spend all our time asking the wrong questions, we're going to get the wrong answers. If we ask the right question, we still may get the wrong answer, but at least we'll have a chance."
"We're all in the future business", Clinton declared.
Amen. Clearly, if we want to create a future worth living, we will all need to start asking much more powerful questions than ever before -- questions that reflect our growing interdependency and collective need for conscious leadership.
And finally, Jack Welsh weighed in on the topic.
When asked by the interviewer how a business leader can accurately assess an employee's passion, he replied "By the intensity of their questions."
In other words, if you are trying to figure out which person to hire or which employee to assign to a particularly challenging project, make sure you tune into the kinds of questions candidates are asking.
If their questions are flabby or non-existent, it's a dead giveaway that your candidate is ill-equipped to take on the assignment.
If their questions are thoughtful, penetrating, and full of mojo, it's a clue that you are talking to the right person for the job.
SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
1. What are you passionate about?
2. How can you make a profound difference on the planet?
3. What do you need to do differently in order to make this difference?
4. Who is your tribe?
5. How can you stay inspired?
6. How can you foster a culture of innovation?
7. What legacy do you want to leave behind?
8. What risk are you willing to take this week?
9. What is your vision?
10. What are your instincts telling you about your hottest, new idea?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2012
The Human Side of Innovation
During this morning's Idea Champions team meeting, I had a Homer Simpson moment. You know, one of those classic head slapping, no brainer, high-five, DOH! moments.
And because the aforementioned moment may very well impact YOU, oh savvy reader of this blog, I am going to share it with you now.
Ready? Here it is:
The book on innovation I starting writing last year is already written. Well, at least 50% of it is -- not by some slick consultant who got the jump on me, but by me.
The book, like some kind of buried treasure in my own back yard, is hidden in the more than 450 postings on this blog -- impassioned rants, essays, and wake up calls that address the human side of the innovation equation.
As I've said a thousand time before, organizations don't innovate -- people innovate. Inspired people. Fascinated people. Committed people. People on fire with possibility, mojo, and an almost cellular need to make a difference.
That's what this blog is about. That's what my life is about. That's what your life is about. And that's what my next book is about.
So, I'm rearranging my schedule, redistributing my workload, giving up ESPN highlights, and asking readers of this blog to tell me WHAT they want to see in the book.
What would make it compelling? What would differentiate it from the competition? What would move you to buy it for a friend, your boss, or a client?
HINT: A big chunk of my message is going to be delivered as story -- real-world moments of truth I've encountered "out there" in the corporate workplace. Moments when the veil lifted... a Red Sea parted... and I saw deeply into the heart of innovation.
Like how my company got a huge contract from AT&T by teaching the Director of Training at AT&T how to juggle in 5 minutes.
Like using the martial arts to create a breakthrough at GE.
Like guerilla marketing at Pricewaterhouse, dressed like Santa Claus
If you are a fan of this blog and want to throw your hat or your head in the ring to spread the word, shoot me an email ([email protected]). I'm going create a "MasterMind" group ("MasterHeart"?) to explore cool ways of getting the word out to the rest of the known universe.
If you are an agent or publisher who resonates with all of this, let me hear from you. The door is open.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)
April 01, 2012
Our World Wide Webinatrix Speaks!
The writers of this blog are excited, thrilled, and tickled to announce the launching of a entirely new service to the known universe: Webinars powered by Idea Champions University .
Having spent the past 25 years delivering a wide variety of innovation-sparking workshops, trainings , meetings, conferences, and consulting interventions to forward thinking organizations everywhere, we've decided to let go of our addiction to Frequent Flyer miles and go virtual.
Our new venture began with a simple question: "How can we have the biggest impact on the most amount of people in a cost-effective, highly engaging, low carbon footprint way?"
The answer? Build a webinar curriculum and deliver our services online.
Which is exactly what we've done and will continue to do as long as the need in the marketplace exists.
Bottom line, if you're looking for a better way to build the core competency of innovation, you've come to the right place.
No airfare required. No cabs. No sending your people to overpriced hotels and wondering whose gonna cover for them while they're eating muffins and collecting one more three-ring binder they will never read.
Operators are not standing by. But our website is. And so is our integrity -- the collective mojo we've built for the past 25 years with some of the finest organizations in the world.
So visit us online to learn more about what we're offering. And while you're at it, feel free to register for one of our upcoming open-enrollment webinars -- a great way to kick our virtual tires.
If you are one of the first 50 people to register, you'll receive a 50% discount and a free annual subscription to our highly regarded online Free the Genie app.
If you'd rather schedule a group webinar (for up to 100 people), contact Sarah Jacob , our World Wide Webinatrix.
She means business.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:48 AM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2012
20 Qualities of an Innovator
The word "innovate" can be traced all the way back to 1440. It comes from the Middle French word "innovacyon," meaning "renewal" or "new way of doing things".
Exactly what innovations actually happened in 1440 (rounder oxcart wheels?) is anybody's guess, but whatever they were, it's likely they improved the quality of life for more than a few people.
These days, the "innovation thing" is something of a no-brainer. Every company worth its low-salt lunch has identified innovation as a core competency needing to be developed.
Who in their right mind (or is it right brain?) can deny the value of improving things? Isn't this what human beings, those grand inventors of the microchip and the chocolate chip, are supposed to do?
True. But who has time?
And so begins the search for the magic pill -- the system, formula, or blueprint that will make innovation a done deal.
Innovation, unfortunately -- unlike audits, re-engineering, or your high school penmanship teacher -- is not given to systems, formulas, and blueprints. It is given to people -- restless, inspired, fascinated people with an almost cellular need to change things for the better.
And while it can certainly be supported by systems, it can never be reduced to systems.
If you want to ignite innovation in your organization, forget about slick formulas for a minute and pay attention to what's happening on the inside. Because that's where innovation starts. With the innovator -- the inspired individual, compelled to make a difference.
And the key to the innovator? The special blend of qualities that allows him or her to succeed while their co-workers are bitching and moaning on their way to their next unnecessary meeting?
Is it tools? Techniques? Metrics?
Sure, they're useful. But without the user of them having the right stuff, they're merely decoration -- like having a shiny set of new jumper cables, but no car.
And so... if you are one of the self-chosen few who are willing to stop blaming your organization, the economy, your boss, your industry, the government, HR, your mother, your astrological sign, the Board, and the bored, now's the time to start taking personal responsibility for innovating.
Now's your chance to kick things in high gear.
Now's the time to get the lead out -- to lead the revolution wherever you happen to be working at the time and make some magic.
Yes, it begins with you. But where does it begin with you?
With awareness.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:38 PM | Comments (0)
March 05, 2012
Innovation from the Inside Out
These days, almost all of Idea Champions' clients are talking about the need to establish a culture of innovation .
Some, I'm happy to report, are actually doing something about it. Hallelujah! They are taking bold steps forward to turn theory into action.
The challenge for them is the same as it's always been -- to find a simple, authentic way to address the challenge from the inside out -- to water the root of the tree, not just the branches.
External systems and protocols, no matter how seductive they are to create, are simply not sufficient to guarantee real innovation. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes , "Systems die. Instinct remains."
This is not to say that organizations should ignore systems and structures in their effort to establish a culture of innovation. They shouldn't.
But systems and structures all too often become the Holy Grail -- much in the same way that Six Sigma has become the Holy Grail.
Unfortunately, when the addiction to systems and structures rules the day, an organization's quest for a culture of innovation degenerates into nothing much more than a cult of innovation.
Organizations do not innovate. People innovate. Inspired people. Fascinated people. Creative people. Committed people. That's where innovation originates -- from deep within the inspired individual who understands that his/her sustained effort is what's required to go beyond the status quo.
The organization's role -- just like the individual manager's role -- is to get out of the way. And while this "getting out of the way" will undoubtedly include the effort to formulate supportive systems, processes, and protocols, it is important to remember that systems, processes, and protocols are never the answer.
They are the context, not the content. They are the husk, not kernel. They are the menu , not the meal.
Ultimately, organizations are faced with the same challenge that religions are faced with. Religious leaders may speak passionately about the virtues their congregation needs to abide by, but sermons only name the challenge and remind people to experience something -- they don't necessarily change behavior.
Change comes from within the heart and mind of each individual. It cannot be legislated or evangelized into reality.
What's needed in organizations who aspire to a culture of innovation , is an inner change. People need to experience something within themselves that will spark and sustain their effort to innovate -- and when they experience this "something," they will be self-sustaining.
They will think about their projects in the shower, in their car, and in their dreams. They will need very little "management" from the outside. Inside out will rule the day -- not outside in. Intrinsic motivation will flourish.
People will innovate not because they are told to, but because they want to. Open Space Technology is a good metaphor for this. When people are inspired, share a common, compelling goal and have the time and space to collaborate, the results become self-organizing.
You can create all the reward systems you want. You can reinvent your workspace until you're blue in the face. You can license the latest and greatest idea management tool , but unless each person in your organization OWNS the need to innovate and finds a way to tap into their own innate brilliance, all you'll end up with is a mixed bag of systems, processes, and protocols -- the husk, not the kernel -- the innovation flotsam and jetsam that the next administration or next CEO or next key stakeholder will mock, reject or change at the drop of a hat if the ROI doesn't show up in the next 20 minutes.
You want culture change? You want a culture of innovation?
Great. Then find a way to help each and every person in your organization come from the inside out. Deeply consider how you can awaken , nurture, and develop the primal need all people have to create something extraordinary.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:58 AM | Comments (10)
February 08, 2012
Consultant Outsources Sleep!
In an extraordinary move, destined to be emulated by forward thinking business leaders everywhere, I've just outsourced all my sleep to a guy named Namdev in New Delhi .
Yes, it's true. I no longer need to sleep. Namdev does it for me. It's astounding how much more productive I've been this week.
And, as if my sleep breakthrough wasn't enough, I've also outsourced all my exercise to a guy named Sung Lee in Malaysia. God bless Sung Lee! He's been on the Stairmaster three hours today and will be working on our delts and pecs tomorrow. Needless to say, I'm feeling totally buff at the moment.
I was just about to have a big piece of cherry cheesecake to celebrate my innovative, time-saving enhancements, but I've outsourced all my eating to a woman named Min Yung in Taiwan. I'm down to 145. Hallelujah! All my pants fit!
The only thing I didn't outsource this week was this blog posting and a visit to my dentist. (Do any of you know someone willing to get a root canal on my behalf?)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:52 PM | Comments (0)
January 02, 2012
Top Innovation Bloggers of 2011
Well, I've got good news and great news to share with you.
First the good news: I was just voted the #1 innovation blogger in the world in a contest sponsored by Innovation Excellence , the #1 innovation blog in the world.
Now the great news: 2012 is going to be an awesome year for you -- full of happiness, abundance, creativity, collaboration, community, fun, gratitude and, yes, innovation. That is, if you want it to be.
I'd like to take this moment to thank all of you who voted for me. (And by the way, for those of you who think that all I do is write about innovation, please know that this is just a sideline).
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:11 PM | Comments (2)
December 16, 2011
The Atlassian FedEx Day Goes Global
Atlassian is a very successful Australia-based software company founded in 2002. It has 400+ employees, with 125 of them in San Francisco.
It also has more than 17,000 satisfied clients including Google, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, LinkedIn, Pixar, Adobe, Hulu, Salesforce, UPS, Nike, and Coca-Cola.
Atlassian's software helps companies organize their data, track it, collaborate about it, and detect/fix bugs in their software.
Yeah, I know... I had never heard of them before either.
But those days may soon be over. Atlassian is fast becoming famous not only for their popular software development tools, but also for their rapidly-spreading innovation creation playfully named "FedEx Day".
Very simply, FedEx Day is a 24-hour innovation immersion event that enables employees to brainstorm, prototype, and pitch their emerging innovations.
Why is it called "FedEx Day"? Because the goal of the 24-hour blitz is for participants to originate, develop, and deliver new products, new services, or business process improvements overnight.
FedEx Days typically begin on a Thursday afternoon at 2:00 pm and end with a spirited round of presentations delivered exactly 24 hours later.
The experience is energizing, empowering, and exciting -- with the company supplying pizza and beer (this DID originate in Australia, after all) for everyone on Thursday night.
The end result? Lots of useful and successful innovations that would not have materialized had employees been required to stick with their "day jobs."
Atlassian has been, internally, conducting FedEx Days (now done quarterly) since 2005. But this program is now spreading like a Charlie Sheen Twitter meme. Many other organizations, like Yahoo, Symantec, Flickr, Hasbro Toy, and the Mayo Clinic have all begun conducting their own versions of FedEx Day.
And, NOW, for the first time ever, Atlassian is offering to send their own FedExperts to one deserving company in order to help them conduct their own FedEx Day.
Explains Jonathan Nolen, one of Atlassian's FedExperts, "It's so exciting. The possibilities are endless. Everyone has great ideas and this gives them a way to unleash the power of those ideas. And it happens all over the organization. It's incredibly inspiring to see this happen in real time."
Atlassian's Annelise Reynolds agrees. "This is part of a new trend in business where companies are understanding the importance of engaging and energizing their employees. It works wonders for both the companies and their employees. The employees have fun and the companies get some great innovations."
Interested? Want to enter the contest? Click here. Or here to find out what Dan Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind has to say about it.
Entering is simple. All you need to do is fill out this entry form and make a convincing case for why YOUR company or department could use a 24-hour innovation blitz.
Deadline is December 21st, 10:00 PM Pacific Time! Good luck! And good on ya, mate!
- Val Vadeboncoeur
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:21 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2011
The Ten Most Popular Postings on This Blog in 2011
Here's a fascinating factoid:
The 10 most popular postings on this blog in 2011 all had numbers in their headline. Hmmm...
Seems like people are looking for lists and distilled down wisdom -- portals to understanding that somehow quantify the human need to know. Oh, and compilations of quotes.
So here you go, Heart of Innovation's TOP TEN postings as quantified on an scale of 1-10 by our favorite blog analytics service Postrank .
OUR TEN MOST POPULAR POSTINGS FROM 2011
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:00 AM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2011
I Am Asking for Your Vote
Dear Heart of Innovation Readers:
If you believe I have added any value to the field of innovation/creativity this year, I humbly ask for your support. I have just been nominated by a leading speakers bureau as a "Top Speaker" in the field of innovation/creativity -- and am asking for your vote.
Simply click here , and click the box next to my name (Mitchell Ditkoff) in the Innovation/Creativity category.
The whole thing should take you less than a minute. Maybe 30 seconds if you've just had your morning coffee.
Thanks for your support!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:13 AM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2011
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:43 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2011
Obvious to You, Amazing to Others
Derek Sivers , Founder of CD Baby, used to live one street away from me in Woodstock, NY. I saw him only once, walking on the road. Now here he is on YouTube. Yo, Derek! Thanks for this! So true...
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:01 AM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2011
The Six Sigma Blues
One of my favorite clients of all time was a key manager in a prominent Fortune 500 company.
She was smart. She was funny. She was creative. And she was kind.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:10 PM | Comments (2)
September 23, 2011
Catalyze This!
Every once in a while one of our clients really gets it. And when I say "it", I am not referring to stock options, narcolepsy , or the Nobel Prize.
The "it" I am referring to is the meme , the mojo -- the main meaning of our message -- a message, I am happy to say, that is not really OUR message, but the message of a billion aspiring innovators since the beginning of time.
Lo, I say unto you, the extraordinarily perspicacious Ken Mendelkern, Senior Account Supervisor of Catalyst Public Relations , in New Yawk City -- has just published this fine looking blog specimen on the Catalyst blog -- giving heartfelt props to Idea Champions (that's us, folks) in response to a four-hour ideation session we facilitated, last Friday, in Catalyst's finely appointed Empire State Building offices.
Read it and leap!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2011
Out of the Ashes, Breakthrough!
I am thrilled to publish the following article by Steve Cronin, a brilliant inventor who attended one of my innovation trainings ten years ago to the day. Thanks, Steve, for stepping up and speaking your truth. Keep on innovating!
"Almost everyone knows what 911 represents. Emergency! Help! Chaos! After September 11th, 2001, nine-one-one became nine-eleven and those numbers took on a whole new meaning.
Without a doubt, it was a day that changed the course of history -- a day that woke up an entire generation of Americans to a very real threat of terror at any time, any place.
I certainly remember where I was ten years ago on September 11th, 2001. The day was so vivid for me, in such a unique way, though I was nowhere near New York City or Washington.
I was in Akron, Ohio, at a Hilton Hotel, attending a one-day innovation training being facilitated by Idea Champions .
A couple of hours into the course we were on a break, at the hotel lounge, when the news flashed on a huge TV screen -- news of a plane hitting the World Trade Center, and then, a few minutes later, news of a second. All of us stood there in disbelief, shocked and confused.
What had just happened?
Our instructor, Mitch, was calm, but like most of us, in a bit in shock himself. It was much more personal for him, as he lived near New York City and had to make a couple of calls to make sure everything was OK.
The more I thought about what I had just seen; an unexpected determination began to grow inside of me. As the training progressed, those images stayed in my mind. I was determined to do... something. But what? What could I do?
At that time in my career, I was working in product development at Goodyear Tire and Rubber, with a focus on aircraft tires. I was what they call a "compounder", a person who created compounds to make aircraft tires better.
So there I was, watching planes crash into skyscrapers, destruction everywhere, while I was in a class devoted to creation, innovating something new, making things better, not worse.
That day changed me forever.
It was the day I knew I was meant to innovate something extraordinary. I knew that if I focused, something good would come out of something so evil.
So began my journey to develop a completely new aircraft tire tread compound.
It was not easy, and I surely didn't do it alone, but with time, hard work, and persistence, it happened.
When all was said and done, I had created a new tread compound, one of the best in the world for landing performance -- a product composed of materials that many people, including a high ranking official at NASA, said could not possibly work.
But I persisted. I knew, in my gut, that with a creative approach, it had to be possible. The feelings of that day, 9/11/01 stayed with me. I remained focused on the core principles of innovation, and I let the inspiration flow from the spirit within me.
In recognition of my efforts, I was named -- along with a few other collaborators -- Corporate Inventor of the Year in 2008. Yes, a little bit of good did come out of that day known as 9-11.
As Einstein so rightly stated: "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity".
It's up to each of us to find that hidden opportunity and make it real!
It's difficult to say why we become who we become. Is it our genetics? Is it our life experience? Is it all predetermined?
I often ask myself why I was at Mitch's innovation class on 9-11, but looking back it's pretty obvious why. But regardless of the why, I can say without a doubt that I am hopelessly and passionately in love with innovation -- maybe even addicted to it. I can't think of anything nobler than to simply create, to innovate.
It's what I chose to do for the rest of my life.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:10 AM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2011
I Don't Just Write This Blog, I Talk, Too -- As in Keynote Presentations
I am happy to announce that Core Speaker's Agency has stepped up to the plate and taken me on as one of their featured keynote speakers in the field of innovation.
I am also very ably represented by Speaker's Platform .
This is good news because both of these savvy bureaus are way better at representing me than I am at representing myself.
In the past 9 months, I've delivered keynotes for National Institutes of Health (twice), EXL, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Inpex, Intertek and, in October, BASF.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:23 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2011
Reinventing the Technology of Human Accomplishment
Here is an impassioned, inspired, lucid, refreshing 15-minute presentation by Gary Hamel on the need for organizations to radically reinvent the way they manage their people. Hamel not only builds a compelling case for something you've always felt (but never quite had the words to express), he uses motion graphics in a way that adds major mojo to his presentation.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:56 PM | Comments (1)
May 18, 2011
I Breathe, I Blog, I Speak
Guess what? I don't just write this blog. I speak!
Yes, I speak. I really do.
As in give keynotes to large audiences who want to get out of the box and raise the bar for innovation. People who want to tap into their brilliance, brainpower, and buoyancy -- aspiring innovators, creative thinkers, difference makers, movers, shakers, and anyone else who wants to find a better way of getting the job done.
I am pleased to announce that I am now being represented by the extraordinary Mike Frick , Founder of Speakers' Platform and Core Speakers Agency .
Give Mike a call today -- 760.673.7700. He speaks, too.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2011
How the Ivy League is Killing Innovation
Here's a wonderful article , just published in Bloomberg Business Week that raises a very curious paradox -- why academics are teaching innovation.
Authors G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Viton state their case clearly, cleanly, and with just enough of an edge to draw blood.
"Process-driven cultures love process-driven experts. Organizations, just like people, do what makes them feel strong, and nothing makes mature, process-driven companies feel stronger than having a template for doing anything (even if having a completely buttoned-down-ain't-no-exceptions-allowed template for innovation seems oxymoronic on its face).
Need innovation? Simply call in a PhD with a bow tie and trademarked process and watch your innovation portfolio grow. Right? Nope."
If you are a professor and find Maddock and Viton's article objectionable, speak up! Let them know what you think -- and why. Maybe you're the one who's found a way to teach innovation in a novel, cut-to-the-chase, non-academic way. I know there are some of you out there. Yes?
If you are a high roller in a corporation looking for the "secret innovation sauce," I invite you to read their article before reaching out to academia for your next keynote speaker.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:11 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2011
Beer and the Invention of the Wheel
You may not know it, but I wrote an award-winning book in 2008, Awake at the Wheel . It's a business fable about the creative process. Easy to read. Fun. A real support for aspiring innovators.
I'm guessing the caveman in the Bud Lite ad below would have found a better way of getting their beer to the party if they had read it.
But enough about me. Let's talk about YOU.
Do you have a creative venture that needs an infusion of mojo, inspiration, and clarity?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:22 PM | Comments (0)
April 04, 2011
Getting Out of the Organizational Box
Last Thursday, I had an opportunity to be the keynote speaker at the Ethical Sourcing Forum , in NYC, a conference sponsored by Intertek , a world class organization dedicated to "helping customers improve performance, gain efficiencies in manufacturing and logistics, overcome market constraints, and reduce risk."
The topic? Sustainable Innovation. Or, more specifically, how people who work in large organizations can get out of the so-called "box".
After the keynote, I was approached by two very animated people from 3BL , a savvy media company specializing in corporate social responsibility, sustainability and cause marketing communications. Apparently, they liked what they heard and wanted to dig deeper -- on camera.
So, it was off to their make shift media center down the hall for an impromptu interview. Click here to watch the 7-minute video.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:40 PM | Comments (1)
March 19, 2011
Products of Our Imagination
We now interrupt this highly inspiring, thought provoking, mostly unmonetized innovation blog to pay the bills.
If you are looking for a simple way to think outside the box and spark some real innovation in your company, take a look at two cool products from the people who bring you this blog -- our Silver Innovation Kit and our Platinum Innovation Kit .
And, because we're in a really good mood today and our CFO is on vacation, we'll kick in an annual subscription to our highly regarded Free the Genie if you place your order before April 15th.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2011
What, Exactly, IS the Box?
"Innovation" is the holy grail for most organizations. Everyone wants it. Everyone talks about the need to "get out of the box" and do something different. But there's a huge gap between the rhetoric and the reality.
The reasons are many -- but the biggest reason is this: No one really knows what the so-called box really is.
And because we don't, we end up shadow boxing imaginary monsters -- coming up with untold processes, protocols, and pep talks that don't really get to the heart of the matter. Not a good idea.
So, dear aspiring innovator -- what do YOU think the box is?
Next week, in this space I will share my current understanding of the box, name all six sides -- and kick start the conversation of how you, your organization, and the rest of world can get out of it.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
December 03, 2010
What You Can Learn from the Bloody Mary
In 1939, a Russian immigrant owned the rights to distribute vodka in the U.S. His efforts bombed, big time. Americans weren't interested in a colorless, odorless alcohol.
Depressed, he sold the rights to Heublein, who asked themselves: "What can we combine with Vodka to give it a distinctive taste and color?"
They came up with tomato juice and, voila, the Bloody Mary was born. Sales? Through the roof.
What most of us think of as an "innovation" is really just the elegant combination of two (or more) pre-existing elements resulting in the creation of a new, value-added product or service.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:39 PM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2010
Getting Down to the Business of Creativity
Here's a terrific article on creativity, based on the work of three Harvard researchers/professors.
According to Teresa Amabile 's research, "inner work life" is one of the biggest determinants of creative output. In other words, a positive mood is a pre-condition for creativity in the workplace.
If you are attempting to establish a sustainable culture of innovation in your organization, you (and everyone else) would be well-served to do everything humanly possible to positively impact the mood (i.e. tone, feeling, atmosphere, vibe, spirit) of the environment in which you work.
And that begins, of course, with the individual.
When you treat people with respect, acknowledgment, and genuine positive reinforcement, you significantly increase the odds of creativity -- and by extension, innovation -- flourishing in your organization.
Common sense? For sure. But common sense is all too uncommon in most organizations these days. In our rush to produce, get an edge, and accomplish, we forget the most important thing -- and that is the quality of our interactions with others.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:35 AM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2010
Definitions of Innovation
I just googled "definitions of innovation" and came up with 5,240,000 choices . Good luck reading them. For now, here are 10 I've gathered over the years that I like. How about you? And if you have a better one, let me know.
"Change that creates a new dimension of performance." - Peter Drucker
"The ability to deliver new value to a customer." - Jose Campos
"Adapting, altering, or adjusting that which already exists for the sake of adding value." - Anon
"The managed effort of an organization to develop new products, new services, or new uses for existing products or services." - Ricky W. Griffin
"The commercialization of creativity." - Anonymous
"The creation, development and implementation of a new product, process or service, with the aim of improving efficiency, effectiveness or competitive advantage." - Government of New Zealand
"Creating something before people know they need it. - Guy Kawaski
"The successful exploitation of new ideas." - UK Department of Innovation and Skills
"The successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization." - Teresa Amabile
"The act of introducing something new." - The American Heritage Dictionary
Illustration from the back cover of my book
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:05 PM | Comments (2)
April 14, 2010
Shameless Self-Promotion #23
It's recently dawned on me that a lot of the readers of this blog have no clue what the authors of this blog actually do -- or what companies we ( Idea Champions ) have helped along the way.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2008
Juggling, Creativity, and the Beatles
Twenty years ago, we got our first big contract by teaching AT&T's Director of Training and Development how to juggle in five minutes. (The man had been trying for 25 years). After we taught him, he looked at us and said, "I have no clue what you guys do , but I know you're not a juggling company. Call me on Monday." We did. Three months later, AT&T licensed our creative thinking training . It all began with a juggling lesson. Speaking of which, click below to watch the amazing Chris Bliss take juggling to an entirely new level...
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:37 PM | Comments (0)
December 08, 2008
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle
When I was in high school, I entertained the possibility of a career in music. I practiced the trumpet every single day for four years, even when I was ill. Ultimately, a musical career was not to be for me but I regret not a moment of practice. I learned a lot about myself and my capacity for discipline besides deepening my appreciation for music which has been a lifelong pleasure.
I also remember to this day the words of my first trumpet teacher, Irving Renquist, who once said when I first began studying with him that "If you skip practice for one day, you will notice it. If you skip practice for two days in a row, the people you live with will notice it. And if you skip practice for three days in a row, EVERYONE will notice it!"
Musician and neuroscientist, Daniel J. Levitin, in his thought-provoking This is Your Brain on Music , points out that scientific studies indicate that "ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert - in ANYTHING!" Then, to be helpful, he reminds us that ten thousand hours is equivalent to "roughly three hours a day, or twenty hours a week, of practice over ten years." Well, we knew that it was a lot.
For me, this research indicates that what we often call "talent" is often a "capacity for practice" which recalls to mind, in turn, Eric Hoffer's contention that "success is a species of vigor." Of course, this may well be a chicken or egg debate because why would you want to practice for ten thousand hours at something you weren't predisposed to be good at or had at least some kind of talent which could be further developed?
Chicken or egg, whenever we are in awe observing someone's excellence in anything, we are most usually watching the end result of thousands of hours of diligent practice and thousands upon thousands of "mistakes" made and corrected.
I'm always reminded of this when I come to the end of one of our Conducting Genius sessions (as I did recently at AtlantiCare , a very successful New Jersey healthcare organization), where we train a small cadre of participants to become effective brainstorm facilitators/innovation change agents.
No matter how well I've managed to transmit the inner and outer game of eliciting ideas from others, and no matter how intelligent and dedicated the participants are, I know that their future success as innovation change agents depends on how much they will practice using the techniques and insights of the training.
And how much they practice depends on how many opportunities they can find for themselves and THAT depends, in turn, on how supportive their organization is to innovation, in general, AND in exploiting innovation opportunities as they arise, in particular.
This is why I try to drive this point home during Conducting Genius sessions by teaching our budding "innovation ninjas" how to juggle. In one lesson, most of them can't become proficient jugglers, of course, but they DO learn the step by step process of learning HOW to juggle. The missing ingredient? Practice!
The same is true with learning how to innovate on the job, how to run effective brainstorm sessions, or how to do anything, as Levitin reminds us. If we want to master anything in this world, we have to consistently practice that skill, art, craft, science, behavior, thought process, what have you...AND make lots and lots of "mistakes" on our way to mastery. There is no getting around this truth.
So, the next time you see someone exhibiting mastery in juggling, music , sport, cooking...or innovation...remember that you are witnessing a perfection that is the end result of at least ten thousand hours of dropped balls, missed notes, or souffles which don't souffle.
And also remember, that when it comes to innovation, you and your company have to diligently practice the skills, processes, and behaviors that support it. If you don't, EVERYONE will notice it.
Posted by Val Vadeboncoeur at 03:19 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2008
Forget About the Box, Get Out of the Cave!
See the caveman to your left? That's Og. He's the protagonist of my new book, Awake at the Wheel: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an uphill world) . The word "protagonist" is not in Og's vocabulary. Even I don't use the word "protagonist" all that much -- though I have used it three times in this paragraph.
Hmmm... That's pretty odd.
Then again, the experience of inventing the wheel was pretty odd, too. Which is what Og did. 24,000 years ago. Long before Game Boy, i-Pod, or Starbucks. And yes, long before the Mesopotamians -- the people who usually get all the credit for the wheel -- some 20,300 years after my main man, Og.
(Hey, when was the last time you used the word "Mesopotamian?" That's another word not in Og's vocabulary.)
Actually, Og didn't need a big vocabulary. He had something else going for him: Neanderthalic genius. Stone age brilliance. Originality. Og, you see, was the first innovator. Intrinsically motivated , he was. Fascinated. Inspired. Mojo-driven. And while he was not without imperfections, he needed no attaboys, cash awards, or stock options to follow his muse.
Back in Og's time, when men were men, and stones were stones, even the idea of an idea was unthinkable. And yet... somehow, he had one -- an IDEA, that is -- and not just your dime a dozen variety. Nope. A GREAT idea, a BIG idea, or what I like to call an "out of the cave" idea: The wheel .
Ah... but I go on too long. If Og were here, he'd be frowning by now, shrugging his stooped shoulders, wondering in his delightfully pre-verbal way what other new ideas and discoveries awaited his wonderfully hairy touch.
Want to order the book now? (Og gets 10% of every sale). Go ahead. Help him put bear meat on the table.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:37 AM | Comments (1)
November 05, 2008
Baking the Change and Innovation Cake
Last night, my 11-year old daughter, Mimi, and her good friend, Zoe, stayed up late to watch the election results. After Obama was declared the winner, they baked a cake in his honor and, in the morning, frosted it.
As they left the house this morning, Mimi stopped, cake in hand, and shouted out Obama's name at the top of her lungs. Something deep within her rose to the surface and begged to be expressed. Which, being 11 and free of the politically correct constraints that rule the lives of too many adults, she accomplished with great flair.
That same intrinsic motivation that moved Mimi and Zoe to bake their cake, needs to be alive and well in your company if you are truly serious about raising the bar for innovation and change. Mimi and Zoe didn't need to be TOLD to bake the cake. They wanted to. Even more than that, they HAD to.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: In what ways can you create the kind of culture in your organization that will encourage everyone to bake their cake for change and innovation?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)
November 04, 2008
"It's No Time to Forget About Innovation"
Writing in the New York Times, Janet Rae-Dupree reminds us that even or especially in times "of corporate belt-tightening," companies reduce their efforts to strengthen innovation at their own risk.
She quotes Jon Fisher, a business professor, serial entrepreneur, and author of "Strategic Entrepreneurism," saying, "'Innovation has to be embedded in the daily operation, in the entire work force.' Addressing companies whose aim is to be bought by a major player in their vertical, he explains, 'A large acquirer's interest in a start-up or smaller company is binary in nature: They either want you or they don't, based on the innovation you have to offer.'
"In fact, hard times can be the source of innovative inspiration, says Chris Shipley, a technology analyst and executive producer of the DEMO conferences, where new ideas make their debuts. 'Some of the best products and services come out of some of the worst times,' she says. In the recession of the early 1990s, 'tiny Palm Computing managed to revitalize the entire industry in a matter of months.'"
Also on the encouraging side: as I write this, Rae-Dupree's article is number six on the most-emailed in the Business section.
October 29, 2008
Idea Champions' Economic Bailout Package for U.S. Corporations
It's Fall in America, usually a very beautiful season, with leaves turning color and Thanksgiving just around the corner.
But there's something else in the air these days -- and that is a savage economic downturn. It's not just the leaves that are falling. It's also the stock market, housing prices, consumer confidence, and 401Ks. Ouch!
While Democrats and Republicans are both promising major fixes to the economy, no one knows exactly how long it will take. Some pundits are predicting YEARS. But your business can't afford to wait years. You need a quantum leap -- and you need it NOW -- innovation made real.
That's why IDEA CHAMPIONS has decided to offer one lucky company -- maybe YOURS -- our own economic bailout package...
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
1. You email us a description of your company, it's mission, and why we should donate one day of our time to help your company succeed.
2. We'll carefully review all submissions and select one company to offer our services to -- at no charge (other than expenses).
3. Which services? One of the three listed below.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
August 11, 2008
Big Problem or Right Problem? The Egg Freckles Saga.
Have you ever spent hours trying to solve a problem only to find you've been working on the wrong problem? Try doing it for five years. That's what Apple Computer engineers did with the Newton handheld computer over a decade ago.
From 1993-1998, Apple made a valiant effort to break open a market for portable handheld pen computers. Unfortunately, they spent most of that time working on a problem that didn't really exist for consumers. And as they labored at it, their intended market was stolen by Palm Computing's PalmPilot.
What follows is a tale about a fatal assumption -- an obsession with a Big Problem that led to one of Silicon Valley's great product misfires.
Consider the moral first.
Solving a Big problem doesn't mean you're solving the Right problem.
Apple's team chose to tackle the biggest challenge in pen computing: high-level handwriting recognition. Newton would be the first portable computer people could write on directly using their natural hand. From anyone's scrawl, the computer would extract the standard ASCII characters computers need to work with. This posed a massive challenge in pattern recognition. Since every user's handwriting is different, the Newton would need to learn the particular way its user wrote each letter and number. IF it got all the letters in, say, the word "thing" right, Newton would compare that string of letters to words in its 10,000 word native memory. IF the word "thing" was stored there, Newton would find a match and "know" the word.
The Newton team was determined to build the world's most sophisticated pattern learning pen computer. But why were they doing it? And for who? Here they made one fatal assumption about their potential buyer, an assumption that would seal the Newton's fate.
The assumption went something like this:
"Users want to do things the way they've always done them. The user shouldn't have to learn anything new to adapt to a machine. A smart machine can and should adapt to the user (in this case, learn the user's handwriting)."
This assumption became a frame and the frame became a mindset. Without ever turning back to question their customer premise, Newton's team labored to build a noble, mind-blowing machine that could recognize the diverse scrawls of any and every human on Earth. But was this the Right Problem to solve?
When the Newton Message Pad debuted in 1993, its handwriting recognition fell way short of the mark, and a public drubbing ensued. The Doonesbury comic strip showed a character writing a six-word sentence on a Newton-like hand-held. The unit coughed up "Egg freckles?" Then The Simpsons piled on. The world laughed.
All through 1993, the Newton was skewered in the press. In October of that year, Apple CEO John Sculley left with freckled egg on his face. Humiliated, the Newton team redoubled their efforts to solve their core problem: getting Newton to learn better.
At the heart of Newton's learning challenge was the "second-stroke problem." Each time a user's pen lifted off the tablet and set back down, Newton's brain detected a pause and became uncertain. "What did that pause mean? Is this next stroke part of the current letter, or a new letter or word?" As it turns out, many alphabet characters need multiple strokes, leaving plenty of room for uncertainty. Capital "T" and "X" involve two strokes. "H" needs three. Add user hesitancy and writing quirks, and you have a thorny problem. And that's just English. Try Cyrillic or Japanese ideograms.
Because Newton's recognition engine was unsure so often, it routinely threw a list of possible words at the user. This was both inconvenient and embarrasing. Who wants their computer to say, "I'm confused. Take time out, scan these words and select the right one"? Worse, if you wanted Newton to learn a word outside its native 10,000 word database, you had to train it. You first had to write it your way, then type it letter by letter using an on-screen keyboard. All that to tell Newton, "This is what 'Hoboken' looks like when I write it."
The upshot? To "save" users from having to adapt their writing habits to machines, the Newton subjected ordinary people to drawn out and repetitive clarification and training routines; a tacit admission that Newton wasn't doing its core job cleanly.
None of this was lost on Jeff Hawkins , inventor of the Palm Pilot, who was carrying around a wooden block as a pretend pocket PDA and using a whittled down chopstick as a pen to imagine his interface.
Hawkins never lost sight of what consumers would want most in a pen computer: fast writing and true mobility - something they could fit in their shirt-pocket. He cut to the chase and questioned Apple's core assumption:"Why must the computer learn everything? Why can't users adapt? Why build a sophisticated learning machine at all? Let's get the job done. People learn faster than computers, so why can't people help the machine? People could easily get the hang of a new single-stroke alphabet. Hmm. One stroke per character and presto! No more second-stroke problem."
So that's what Jeff Hawkins did. With his Grafitti language, he simply redesigned the alphabet, turning centuries-old letters and numbers into single-stroke symbols that mostly kept the look of the original characters. Suddenly the computer had only one master rule to follow. "When the pen lifts up, the character is done. When the pen comes down again, it's a new character. Want to end a word? One stroke makes a space." Simple. And while we're at it - since each stroke is a new character, lets not even write along a line. Write letters on top of each other, in the same input space, and let them display as type in another. Presto - a smaller screen.
Hawkin's low-tech solution made Palm Pilot's pen input "good enough." (Apple even licensed Grafitti in 1995 as an input option for the Newton. Some say it kept the Newton alive.) But the real power of Grafitti was size. It shrank the screen, which shrank the box, which created a viable pocket-PDA market.
In March, 1996, when Newtons were selling as digital writing tablets for up to $1000, the first pocket-sized PalmPilots debuted for under $300. A million of them sold in the first 18 months. The Newton team countered with a much improved Newton 1000 and 2000, but by then it was too late. Two years after the PalmPilot was released, Apple cancelled the Newton product line on February 27, 1998. The project had cost the company half a billion dollars.
Hawkins "technology" was a low-tech workaround; it wasn't "handwriting recognition" in the high-level MIT sense. But while PhD's may have felt Grafitti was a cheat, ordinary people, not giving a hang about the technology issues, found PalmPilots handy and useful. While engineers rallied around solving the Big Problem, consumers swarmed to buy the solution to the Right Problem, which started with a chopstick and a block of wood.
By year 2000, Palm owned 70 percent of PDA sales and had sold well over five million units. At the peak of PDA use, white boards everywhere were covered with Grafitti symbols, which many considered faster to write for high-velocity brainstorming.
The Newton team spent five years working on the Big Problem, writing and rewriting untold lines of code to create a learning machine for the existing alphabet. Hawkins spent a few days designing a new alphabet any computer could easily understand.
Despite its truly impressive interface , Newton stumbled at the main task it promised to do - turn writing into standard ASCII characters quickly. And why did Apple paint themselves into this corner? Because they assumed consumers would want their handheld to adapt to their personal way of writing. Instead of biting into Apple's Big Problem, Jeff Hawkins assumed people would adapt. As he once put it, "It takes you weeks or months to learn how to type, so why not spend 15 minutes learning [how to talk to a computer] with a pen?"
The Lessons
In hindsight, Apple's underlying user assumptions made little sense. What makes people's standard routine (handwriting) so sacred? Who said people shouldn't adapt to machines? Who said you had to work with the existing English alphabet? Why make a program strain to recognize every possible variant of every letter and number? Who said your program had to recognize scrawled words by finding them in a limited word database? Engineers set up these problems, not users.
Great minds often get hijacked by their own brillliance and vision. They forget that simple is smart, dumb is basic and low-tech often beats high tech. We can get so obsessed with an elusive quarry and so enamored of our intelligence that we never go back up to the 20,000 foot level and see that we're hacking the wrong problem. The famous monkey trap metaphor is worth repeating here.
If a monkey reaches through a hole for a banana, but the hole is too small for her hand to withdraw with the banana, she's presented with a quandry. "Which do I want? - the banana or my freedom?" All she has to do is let go of the banana in order to be free of the trap. But the monkey doesn't let go of the banana. She sits there determined to extract it, even in the face of being captured.
Big Problems are like monkey traps. If your Solution quest starts feeling "heroic," or your Big Problem is "big" mostly because everyone is trying to solve it (big kudos await if YOU solve it), its likely you're trapped by the epic magnitude of your quest. In that mindset, the simplest options are likley to escape your notice. Check to see if your solving the Right Problem by running your mind through the following four steps:
1. Restore objectivity. Take time off and come back fresh later. Sleep on it.
2. Once you're fresh, carefully and slowly go over your assumptions about the people who will use you product or service. Put yourself in their shoes. Separate your needs from theirs. Don't underestimate their intelligence or overestimate the rightness of your point of view. Break down every assumption you have about your prospective buyer and question it.
3. Especially question your assumptions about what your "users" expect. Often they don't know what they want. They rarely see the next development much less have an opinion about it. But they are ready for a surprise, a break in routine, a new challenge. Keep in mind that IF the payoff is strong, humans will learn new tricks. Are student drivers motivated learners? You bet.
4. Review your supposed technical limitations, challenges or goals to see if you can use lower-tech or human-scale solutions. Stretch for new metaphors that can change the problem, shift the frame, reverse figure and ground.
5. Simplify. Simplify again. Keep simplifying.
Whenever you're stuck or breathing hot and heavy about a solution, you're too close to your work. It's time to step out of problem-solving mode and reassess the problem you're trying to solve.
This excerpt is from the author's book-in-progress, Big Problem or Right Problem? Innovating For Real People.
Copyright © 2007 Tim Moore. All reproduction rights except blog linking are reserved.
Posted by Tim Moore at 02:03 PM | Comments (2)
June 25, 2008
POLL RESULTS: Where and When Do You Get Your Best Ideas?
Einstein used to get his best ideas while shaving. Mozart used to exercise before composing. The Scientific Method came to Rene Descartes in a dream.
One of our clients gets her best ideas when blow drying her hair.
Fascinated by the question of what catalyzes people's best ideas, Idea Champions polled 163 people and are sharing the results with you here (i.e. "Where and When Do You Get Your Best Ideas?")
Why bother reading it?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:53 PM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2008
Getting All Googley
Interesting summary of Google CEO's speech to the Economic Club of Washington this Monday.
Among other things, Schmidt talked about his company's attempts to innovate, including allowing engineers to use 20 percent of their time to work on projects of their own choosing. Schmidt acknowledged that trusting the workforce to follow their fascination has resulted in many successes for the enterprise. "Part of Google's success is creating more luck ," he said.
Success also needs a positive environment and encouragement for employees to be more creative and innovative, Schmidt said.
"It is possible to build a culture around innovation , it is possible to build a culture around leadership, and it is possible to build a culture around optimism," added the googley Mr. Schmidt
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:58 PM | Comments (0)
June 01, 2008
AWAKE AT THE WHEEL: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an uphill world)
Ta da! After seven years, 22 rejections, multiple rewrites, 2 agents, and a whole lot of looking at myself in the mirror, here it is: the publication of my new book, AWAKE AT THE WHEEL: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an Uphill World) . Part fable, part creative thinking toolbox, the book is a wake up call for all aspiring innovators -- a simple way to help people "get out of the cave" and manifest BIG ideas in a world not always ready for the new and the different.
If you have an inspired idea that is lingering in your mind and needs a fresh jolt to see the light of day, this book is for you.
To order from Amazon, click here .
Tim Gallwey : "A superb catalyst for anyone with the urge to bring their best ideas into reality."
Donna Fenn : "Og may have invented the wheel, but Mitch Ditkoff has created a GPS for the innovation process. Awake at the Wheel is a witty and inspiring roadmap for the journey from ideas to invention."
Jay Conrad Levinson : "Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come. The time has come for this book and Mitchell Lewis Ditkoff has put it into words. He has done a masterful job."
Jack Mitchell : "Go ahead and 'hug' your employees by giving them Awake at the Wheel and creating a company culture that fosters, develops, and celebrates the best of their ideas."
Joyce Wycoff : "A highly accessible alchemist's stone for aspiring innovators."
Melinda McLaughlin : Awake at the Wheel illuminates! It's the perfect book for those of us who have felt the excitement of the 'aha' moment only to experience the frustration that comes when no one sees the brilliant lightbulb above our head. Mitch Ditkoff takes us on an engaging journey that re-imagines how to turn an idea into great success and makes it suddenly seem easy.?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:05 AM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2008
Doing More With Less
Idea Champions is happy to announce the launching of DOING MORE WITH LESS -- the perfect, cost-effective intervention to help your company keep innovating (while cutting costs) during recessionary times.
(You may need to tighten your belts, but you don't need to cut off your circulation to accomplish the results you want.)
What kind of challenges or opportunties might your team tackle in a DOING MORE WITH LESS session? Click below to find out...
"How can we share information with suppliers, vendors, and customers in order to streamline our innovation process?"
"How can we better predict market changes in order to increase our efficiencies?"
"How can we better predict what products and services will succeed?"
"How can we decrease re-work throughout our organization?"
"How can we identify and eliminate all unnecessary activities?"
"How can we consolidate common activities throughout the organization?"
"How can we empower our customers to perform some of the tasks that are now the sole responsibility of our staff?"
"How can we encourage our vendors and suppliers to become part of our product development process?"
"How can we take advantage of the cost-cutting happening throughout our industry in order to be more competitive?"
"How can we accomplish the same goals in half the time and half the cost?"
"How can we discover the most elegant solutions to our most pressing business problems?"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2008
If You Want a Breakthrough, Take a Break
True innovators rarely follow the straight and narrow path. Not only do they march to a different drummer, they're often not even on the same playing field as most people.
Take Seymour Cray, for example, the legendary designer of high-speed computers.
According to John Rollwagen, ex-chairman of Cray research, Seymour Cray used to divide his time between building the next generation super computer and digging an underground tunnel below his Chippewa Falls house.
Cray's explanation of his tunnel digging behavior is consistent with the stories of many other creatives -- inner-directed, boundary-pushing people who understand the need to go off-line whenever they get stuck.
Bottom line, whenever they find themselves struggling with a thorny problem, they walk away from it for a while.
They know, from years of practical experience, that more (i.e. obsession, analysis, effort) is often less (i.e ideas, solutions, results).
Explained Cray, "I work for three hours and then get stumped. So I quit and go to work in the tunnel. It takes me an hour or so to dig four inches and put in the boards. You see, I'm up in the Wisconsin woods, and there are elves in the woods. So when they see me leave, they come back into my office and solve all the problems I'm having. Then I go up (to my lab) and work some more."
Explained Rollwagen, "The real work happens when Seymour is in the tunnel."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:55 PM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2008
The Big Game
Last night I watched the NY Giants beat the Green Bay Packers 23-20 in an NFL championship football game.
I watched it with eight friends. As always, we had a fantastic time - an experience that our wives (no matter how wonderful they may be) have never been able to truly fathom. Our viewing behavior, to them, is a merely a parody of the American male: two-dimensional, woefully predictable, and absurd .
That assessment, however, was not my experience last night. No way. On the contrary, my experience was noble, ecstatic, tribal, and divine. Beyond the pretzels, popcorn, chips, and beer something else was happening.
At the risk of making a mountain out of a football game, allow me to share a few observations about the experience and, by extension, the experience of millions of men huddled together before the Big Game . In that sacred act of viewing, NOTHING ELSE WAS HAPPENING! Zero. Nada. Zilch. No work. No bills. No back taxes. No car repairs. No war in Iraq. No recession. No primaries. No relationship issues. No cholesterol. No this and no that. Only The Game.
Pure immersion it was. Spontaneous expression. Presence. Unbridled emotion. Liberated laughter. And the kind of concentration most yogis would trade their third eye for.
What, you may ask, has any of this to do with innovation -- the supposed topic of this supposed blog? Plenty. The state of mind (no, make that state of being), of last night's BIG GAME watching, pretzel munching men is exactly the state of being required by an individual, team, or organization in order to have even the slightest chance of innovating.
OK. Let's go to the slow motion, video replay of that last sentence: I'm talking focus, friends. I'm talking compelling goal. The experience of community. Uncensored delight. Resilience. Loyalty. Humor. Hope. Perseverance. The entertainment of possibility. And the soulful appreciation of each other.
Please don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about the common garden variety trance experience induced by watching TV or a movie. No. I'm talking about the BIG GAME. The "All In" moment. The Full Monte. The No Turning Back. The This Is It. The There's No Tomorrow. And all of it sprinkled with a healthy dose of pepperoni and celebration even before anyone knows the final score.
Yes, I admit, the eight of us didn't deliver anything as a result of watching the BIG GAME -- no output, no product, no proof that we had used our time well. But so what? When you're eating chips and experiencing the Unified Field of Consciousness on the day the Lord rested and time stops as your team huddles in the freezing cold, against all odds, to gather together one more time, focused on the goal and absolutely free of constraint, doubt, and delusion, what is there left to say except:
Giants 23, Packers 20. (And in overtime, yet!)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:30 AM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2007
Seeing Innovation Clearly
There's an old Indian adage that goes something like this: "When a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees are pockets." Psychologists summarize this phenomenon in three words: "Motivation affects perception." In other words, if you're hungry when driving through a town, you'll notice the restaurants. If you're running out of gas, you'll notice the gas stations. If your mother is dying, you'll notice the funeral homes.
What is the meaning of this to you?
Simply this: If you are really serious about innovating in 2008, first you will need get clear about your motivation -- what's driving you. The clearer you are, the more your efforts will be free of the hidden agendas, assumptions, and filters that limit your ability to create what you SAY you want to create.
For example, if you think your real motivation is to create a breakthrough product, but what is really driving you is the need for short term profits, you won't have the kind of patience and perseverance required to aacomplish your goal.
Metaphorically speaking, if "innovation" is the "saint" you are seeking, you don't want to be approaching it like a pickpocket.
Next month, in this space, we'll be posting a poll to explore this phenomenon more deeply. We want to find out WHY people want to innovate. To jump start this effort, we invite you NOW to tell us why YOU want to innovate in 2008. What's in it for you? Why bother? What's the payoff?
Is it survival? Is it an attempt to keep pace with the competition? A way to enjoy your job more? A calling? Your strategy to get promoted? Something else? Simply click the "comments" link and let us know.
Which reminds me of that old Woody Allen joke: This guy goes into a psychiatrist's office and, in great distress, confesses that his brother thinks he's a chicken.
"Bring him in," the psychiatrist says.
"I can't," explains Woody.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:43 AM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2007
Talking Innovation: 3M's Secret Weapon
When talking (or blogging) about practical innovation in the corporate world, there's no better place to start than 3M, a company whose name has become synonymous with the word. 3M is committed to 30% of its revenues coming from recently introduced new products.
Impressive, indeed, but how do they do it?
Dr. Larry Wendling, VP of 3M's corporate research labs, revealed 3M's "secret weapon," in what he refers to as the " Seven Habits of Highly Innovative Organizations ."
The Seven Habits are (paraphrased from Amy Rowell's Innovate Forum article ):
1. Totally commit to innovation from top management on down.
2. Actively maintain an innovative culture.
3. Maintain a broad base of technology.
4. Encourage formal and informal networking.
5. Reward employees.
Posted by Val Vadeboncoeur at 06:45 PM | Comments (0)
July 23, 2007
Welcome
Welcome to the Heart of Innovation, Idea Champions ' new blog -- a place to slow down, take a breath, and spark new possibilities. If you're interested in what it takes to get past your limiting assumptions, access your brilliance, and turn creative thought into action, you've come to the right place.
This is an equal opportunity blog. Everyone is welcome. Whether you're left-brained, right-brained, whole-brained, or air-brained, you'll find plenty of inspiration, insights, and tools to help you on your way. We've been working with major corporations since 1986, and have gotten quite a guided tour of what enables innovation and what gets in its way -- both for individuals and for organizations. We'll be sharing lessons and tales from our epic saga here, with a special focus on what it takes for organizations to establish a sustainable culture of innovation.
So relax. For the moment, forget all the books you've read, pundits you've listened to, and best practices you've heard about. When it comes right down to it, innovation is all about you, a hopefully inspired human being committed to getting your most meaningful ideas out of your head and into the world. The world needs your ideas. Now's the time for you to connect with others, and do your best to make magic happen.
We hope you'll find the spark that lights your genius here.
Whatever we choose to focus on, you can count on one thing: we're going to keep it simple. As the great jazz musician, Charles Mingus, once said; "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."
Welcome aboard!
Idea Champions University
If you enjoy our blog, you will love our newly launched webinars! Our training is now accessible online to the whole world.
If you're looking for a powerful way to jump start innovation and get your creative juices flowing, Awake at the Wheel is for you. Written by Mitch Ditkoff, Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions.
Guy Kawasaki's Alltop "online magazine rack" has recognized Idea Champions' blog as one of the leading innovation blogs on the web. Check out The Heart of Innovation, and subscribe!
The world's first interactive business blues band . A great way to help your workforce go beyond complaint.
"In tune with corporate America." — CNN
Idea Champions
| i don't know |
During World War II, U.S. soldiers used the first commercial aerosol cans to hold what? | The History and Origin of Aerosol Spray Cans
By Mary Bellis
Updated September 14, 2016.
An aerosol is a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets, in air or another gas. Aerosols can be natural or artificial. Frederick G. Donnan presumably first used the term aerosol during World War I to describe an aero-solution, clouds of microscopic particles in air.
Origins
The concept of an aerosol originated as early as 1790, when self-pressurized carbonated beverages were introduced in France. In 1837, a man called Perpigna invented a soda siphon incorporating a valve. Metal spray cans were being tested as early as 1862. They were constructed from heavy steel and were too bulky to be commercially successful.
In 1899, inventors Helbling and Pertsch patented aerosols pressurized using methyl and ethyl chloride as propellants.
Erik Rotheim
On November 23, 1927, Norwegian engineer Erik Rotheim (also spelled Eric Rotheim) patented the first aerosol can and valve that could hold and dispense products and propellant systems. This was the forerunner of the modern aerosol can and valve.
continue reading below our video
How to Write a Business Plan
In 1998, the Norwegian post office issued a stamp celebrating the Norwegian invention of the spray can.
Lyle Goodhue and William Sullivan
During World War II, the U.S. government funded research into a portable way for service men to spray malaria-carrying bugs. Department of Agriculture researchers, Lyle Goodhue and William Sullivan, developed a small aerosol can pressurized by a liquefied gas (a fluorocarbon) in 1943. It was their design that made products like hair spray possible, along with the work of another inventor Robert Abplanalp.
Robert Abplanalp - Valve Crimp
In 1949, 27-year-old Robert H. Abplanalp’s invention of a crimp on valve enabled liquids to be sprayed from a can under the pressure of an inert gas. Spray cans, mainly containing insecticides, were available to the public in 1947 as a result of their use by U.S. soldiers for preventing insect-borne diseases. Abplanalp’s invention made of lightweight aluminum made the cans a cheap and practical way to dispense liquids foams, powders, and creams. In 1953, Robert Abplanal patented his crimp-on valve "for dispensing gases under pressure." His Precision Valve Corporation was soon earning over $100 million manufacturing one billion aerosol cans annually in the United States and one-half billion in 10 other countries.
In the mid-1970s, concern over the use of fluorocarbons adversely affecting the ozone layer drove Abplanalp back into the lab for a solution. Substituting water-soluble hydrocarbons for the damaging fluorocarbons created an environmentally friendly aerosol can that did not harm the environment. This put the manufacture of aerosol spray can products into high gear.
Robert Abplanal invented both the first clog-free valve for spray cans and the "Aquasol" or pump spray, which used water-soluble hydrocarbons as the propellant source.
Spray Paint in a Can
In 1949, canned spray paint was invented by Edward Seymour, the first paint color was aluminum. Edward Seymour's wife Bonnie suggested the use of an aerosol can filled with paint. Edward Seymour founded Seymour of Sycamore, Inc. of Chicago, USA, to manufacture his spray paints.
| Insecticide |
The Earth is approximately how many miles away from the Sun? | Florida During World War II
Florida During World War II
Despite Florida's growing tourism, it was still the least-populated southern state in 1940, and ranked only 27th nationally. World War II changed this statistic. Florida played an important role in the events leading up to and during World War II.
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. On December 8th, America entered World War II. Many men and women came to Florida to help prepare soldiers for the war. Among the large number of soldiers from all over the U.S. who fought in this war were over 250,000 soldiers from Florida.
Military Installations in Florida
Because Florida had a warm climate and a lot of vacant land available, it was ideal for the building of military bases and training soldiers. In the 1930s, there was a tremendous growth of military estab-lishments throughout Florida. Florida soon had 172 military installations, ranging from both extremely large to relatively small camps. Two of the larger complexes were Camp Blanding, established near Starke, and the Jacksonville Naval Air Station.
Camp Blanding became Florida's fourth largest city during World War II. It grew to 180,000 acres and housed 55,000 soldiers at a time. Additional naval stations were reactivated at Key West, Drew and MacDill Air Fields in Tampa, Elgin Field at Valparaiso, and the Pensacola Naval Air Base. Two of the smaller camps were Sopchoppy Bombing Range and Immokalee Army Air Field. By the mid 1940s, there were forty airfields actively training military personnel throughout the state. Florida's weather conditions and flat land made it the perfect place for training, especially pilots.
By 1942, America's training facilities in Florida were heavily overcrowded. This led to the military taking over many hotel facilities. Among the hotels used were the Don Cesar in St. Petersburg, the Hollywood Beach Hotel, The Breakers in Fort Lauderdale, the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, and several hundred other hotels and motels throughout Florida. Some of the places were used for barracks and others were taken over as makeshift hospitals for injured military personnel sent home from overseas.
Events in Florida
World War II took place closer to the United States than many people ever realized. German U-Boats took advantage of mistakes made by the United States Intelligence Department. German U-Boats sank over twenty-four ships off of Florida's Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Many ships could be seen burning from areas along the coast by Floridians and tourists. In late February 1942, German submarines attacked four merchant ships right off the east coast of Florida near Cape Canaveral. German spies were able to come on shore at Ponte Vedra (near Jacksonville). They were captured before they could blow up Florida's railroad lines and stop the shipment of war supplies.
The Civil Air Patrol was organized in March 1942, to protect the coasts of Florida. The "Mosquito Fleet" also helped to protect the coastlines of Florida. These convoys helped to eliminate the threat of submarines. Thousands of volunteers, called spotters, were trained to keep track of air activity up and down both shores.
Economic Stimulus for Florida
World War II provided the greatest economic growth in American history. The war effort sent large amounts of money into Florida, leading to rebuilding and even growth after the Great Depression. War contracts helped to rebuild Florida's manufacturing, agricultural, and tourism businesses. Defense contracts revitalized Tampa after the city suffered severe economic cutbacks during the Great Depression. The local cigar industry had been wiped out by the depression and many workers were unemployed, but the construction of MacDill Air Field and two large shipbuilding companies employed those workers with premium wages. War contracts also help other cities recover, including Pensacola, Jacksonville, Miami, and Orlando. Florida's nickname almost changed from the Sunshine State to the Steel State.
With the rebuilding of industry, many jobs were available, but most men were off fighting in the war. Because of this, World War II provided an opportunity for American women. It helped show that women could handle a man's job. In Florida, women worked in shipyards, welding shops, and military bases. Women also helped run the agriculture industry, where one fourth of all farm workers were women. They were able to take over jobs left behind by the men and keep America stable. In addition to providing the necessary work force needed during the war, women bought war bonds and volunteered as nurses, fire fighters, and even police officers.
Florida's citrus industry thrived and Florida became the top state in the country for the first time in 1942-43, surpassing California. In 1942, Florida citrus growers patented a process to make frozen concentrated orange juice. The cotton industry also increased its profits. In 1945, researchers in Orlando discovered an insecticide, DDT, which became available for commercial use and changed Florida's agricultural industry. The drawback was that the chemical's long-term effects had not yet been tested, and it would later have a negative impact on Florida's wildlife and agricultural industries.
The war also changed the appearance of Florida cities. Key West and Miami populations surged during the war. In 1940, Key West was a small, quaint community of 13,000 but within five years 45,000 people lived in that small city. Miami's population of 173,000 increased to over 325,000 during the winter months of the war years. Between military personnel and winter tourists, the Miami area expanded tremendously. Many communities along the east coast, now nicknamed the Gold Coast, increased in population. Florida was no longer that small southern state. Thousands of people came to Florida because of the war and decided to live here. The state's population grew to about 2-3/4 million by 1950. The country's population grew 15% after the war, but Florida's rose a startling 46%!
Service and Sacrifice
During the War, people had to cut back on food and all supplies that they bought. Everything was in short supply. Metal drives were held in cities all over the country. People brought anything metal they had at home, such as tin cans, pots, and car parts, to be melted down to make steel for the war machines. Florida cities also held money drives to build airplanes and ships. Another tactic that many families used to get through the war was growing their own food. People planted all kinds of gardens, which were called "victory gardens." Tampa officials estimated that there were over 10,000 victory gardens just in Tampa.
America and its allies eventually won the war in 1945, but at a tragic cost to the country. Over 400,000 Americans, (3,000 of which were Floridians) were killed during the war. These men and women are remembered each year on Veteran's Day, November 11. Special ceremonies, including parades, are held around Florida and the United States honoring the veterans' service and sacrifice for our country.
After World War II
After the war ended and the soldiers came home, America began to recover. It was a great time to celebrate; the economy was back on its feet, jobs were plentiful, and families were reunited. The 1940s ended with America, particularly Florida, moving into prosperous times.
| i don't know |
Which insect shorted out an early supercomputer and inspired the term "computer bug"? | A `Computer Bug' Proves Its Worth - tribunedigital-sunsentinel
A `Computer Bug' Proves Its Worth
March 25, 2000
A lowly moth was worth a million dollars to an aspiring screenwriter on ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Joe Trela, 25, a customer-service representative for a computer company, became the third contestant to win the big prize on an edition of ABC's hit game show that aired Thursday night from New York.
The Cal Tech graduate was fortunate to get a $1 million question that was about computers. He was asked what insect shorted out an early supercomputer and inspired the term, "computer bug." Asked to choose between a moth, roach, fly or Japanese beetle, he correctly identified the moth as the culprit. "I was lucky, which I guess was good enough," he said Thursday.
Letterman planning return to full time
After a brief stint of part-time work following open-heart surgery, David Letterman is returning to his late-night CBS talk show on a full-time schedule next week.
For the first time since undergoing his quintuple bypass operation Jan. 14, Letterman plans to host five straight segments of his show next week, CBS insiders said Thursday in Los Angeles.
As was customary before his surgery, The Late Show with David Letterman" will be taped with its gap-toothed star on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week, with two shows taped Thursday with one aired Friday night, one source said. However, it has not been determined whether Letterman is ready to resume his five-show-a-week schedule permanently.
Supermodel Moss rushed to hospital
British supermodel Kate Moss, 26, has been admitted to a London hospital with a serious kidney infection, the Mirror newspaper said in today's edition.
The newspaper said Moss had been rushed to the Princess Grace Hospital, an exclusive private clinic, with severe abdominal pains after failing to complete an antibiotic course for a "crippling kidney problem." The hospital declined to comment.
The Mirror said Moss's friends feared that her jet set lifestyle was again taking its toll.
Novelist financing visit to beatification
Novelist Anne Rice is paying for a groundskeeper, a cook and 10 other people from her Catholic parish in New Orleans to fly to Rome for the beatification of a priest buried in their church.
Pope John Paul II will declare Father Francis Xavier Seelos blessed -- the last formal step toward being named a Roman Catholic saint -- in a ceremony on April 9. Seelos, who died of yellow fever, will be the fifth person who served mainly in the United States to be declared blessed or a saint.
"Fr. Seelos is especially dear to me because my ancestors include both Irish and Germans who lived in St. Alphonsus Parish, people who no doubt had to cope with the scourge of yellow fever, and some who may even have known Fr. Seelos personally," Rice wrote in a statement Thursday.
Brad Pitt imposter has actor's mom irked
Brad Pitt's mom is miffed by an impersonator who is giving her golden boy a bad reputation in his hometown, Springfield, Mo.
Sporting a black cowboy hat, a goatee and even his own entourage of bodyguards, the impersonator was seen last week prowling Springfield's downtown bars.
Pitt's mother, Jane Pitt, says she is disturbed by the number of stories she has heard about her boy drinking and cavorting with young women.
"It is very irritating to me," Jane Pitt said Wednesday. "When he goes out, it's usually with family. Brad doesn't get home enough that he spends time holding court in downtown Springfield."
The real Brad, she insists, was on the West Coast last week rehearsing his new movie, The Mexican, with co-star Julia Roberts.
ALMANAC
It's the 85th day of the year; 281 days are left in 2000. On this date:
In 1634, Maryland was founded by English colonists sent by the second Lord Baltimore.
In 1911, 146 immigrant workers were killed when fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York.
In 1975, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was shot to death by a nephew with a history of mental illness. The nephew was beheaded the following June.
In 1990, 87 people, most of them Honduran and Dominican immigrants, were killed when fire raced through an illegal social club in New York City.
Thought for today: "Uninterpreted truth is as useless as buried gold." -- British biographer Lytton Strachey (1880-1932)
Today's birthdays: Former astronaut James Lovell, 72; movie reviewer Gene Shalit, 68; feminist author Gloria Steinem, 66; singer Anita Bryant, 60; singer Aretha Franklin, 58; actor Paul Michael Glaser, 57; singer Elton John, 53; actor James McDaniel, 42; actress Sarah Jessica Parker, 35.
MORE:
| Moth |
In the children's book series, where is Paddington Bear originally from? | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Game Show Central
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
The questions that made them millionaires
Here’s the list of Million-dollar questions, as answered correctly by the eleven big winners of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Answers at the bottom of the page.
John Carpenter, Nov. 19 ’99: Which of these US Presidents appeared on the television series “Laugh-In”? A. Lyndon Johnson B. Richard Nixon C. Jimmy Carter D. Gerald Ford
Dan Blonsky, Jan. 18 ’00: The earth is approximately how many miles from the sun? A. 9.3 million B. 39 million C. 93 million D. 193 million
Joe Trela, Mar. 23 ’00: What insect shorted out an early supercomputer and inspired the term “computer bug”? A. Moth B. Roach C. Fly D. Japanese beetle
Bob House, Jun. 13 ’00:Which of these men does not have a chemical element named for him? A. Albert Einstein B. Niels Bohr C. Issac Newton D. Enrico Fermi
Kim Hunt, Jul. 6 ’00: Which of these landlocked countries is entirely contained within another country? A. Lesotho B. Burkina Faso C. Mongolia D. Luxembourg
David Goodman, Jul. 12 ’00:In the children’s book series, where is Paddington Bear originally from? A. India B. Peru C. Canada D. Iceland
Kevin Olmstead, Apr. 10 ’01 ($2,180,000): Who is credited with inventing the first mass-produced helicopter? A) Igor Sikorsky B) Elmer Sperry C) Ferdinand von Zeppelin D) Gottlieb Daimler
Bernie Cullen, Apr. 15 ’01: What letter must appear at the beginning of the registration number of all non-military aircraft in the United States? A) N… B) A… C) U… D) L
Ed Toutant, Sep. 7 ’01 ($1,860,000): During WWII, U.S. soldiers used the first commercial aerosol cans to hold what? A) Cleaning fluid B) Antiseptic C) Insecticide D) Shaving Cream
Kevin Smith, Feb 2003: The U.S. icon “Uncle Sam” was based on Samuel Wilson, who worked during the war of 1812 as a what? A) Meat Inspector B) Mail deliverer C) Historian D) Weapons mechanic
Nancy Christy, May 2003: Who did artist Grant Wood use as the model for the farmer in his classic painting “American Gothic”? A) Traveling salesman B) Local sherriff C) His dentist D) His butcher
Millionaire answers: Carpenter – (b); Blonsky – (c); Trela – (a); House – (c); Hunt – (a); Goodman – (b); Olmstead – (a); Cullen – (a); Toutant – (c); Smith – (a); Christy – (c).
| i don't know |
What letter must appear at the beginning of the registration number of all non-military aircraft in the U.S.? | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire | Game Shows Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
3,428pages on
The topic of this page has a Wikia of its own: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Wikia .
Hosts
Disney-ABC Domestic Television (2007-present)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (or Millionaire later on in the syndicated run) is the hit U.S. game show based on the British game show of the same name where contestants have to answer questions to win money. The more questions they answer, the more money they can win toward the grand cash prize of $1,000,000.
Contents
Edit
The host asked up to 15 (later 14) questions. Each question has four possible answers (A, B, C & D). All the contestant has to do is to choose the one that is correct. The answer is not official until the contestant confirms it by saying "Final Answer" usually right after the host asks the famous question, “Is that your final answer?” If he/she is correct, the contestant wins money for that question and moved on to the next question, but if at any time the contestant chose an incorrect answer, the game is over.
Money Tree
Here's how they score for each question (amounts in bold are benchmarks, in other words, guaranteed sums; therefore, it's yours to keep). However, the amounts themselves are not cumulative:
Question
Edit
If by chance a contestant is stuck on a question, he/she can call for a lifeline, thereby giving the contestant an added advantage. The contestant can use more than one lifeline on a question, but each lifeline can be used only once.
50:50 - Two incorrect answers are removed by the computer, leaving only one incorrect answer and the correct answer. In the primetime version's first three seasons, the incorrect answers that are to be taken away were determined by the show's production team; when the show moved to syndication, the incorrect answers were taken away randomly. This lifeline was discontinued in 2008, but was resurrected in 2015. When the lifeline returned, so did the practice of having the production team select the answers to be taken away; those answers are predetermined but not random.
Ask the Audience - The audience was given the same question as the contestant, and their job was to vote on which answer they think is correct by pressing one of four lettered buttons on their keypads. This lifeline is the only one of the original lifelines to never be removed from the game.
Phone-a-Friend - The contestant can call a friend or family member and ask the current question for 30 seconds, and the phoned friend or family member gave his/her answer. This lifeline was discontinued early in 2010 because of an increasing trend in contestants’ friends using Internet search engines to look up the right answer. While it was not necessarily a rules violation, it was contrary to the original intent of this lifeline. In return for the discontinuation of Phone-a-Friend, Ask the Expert became available immediately. The lifeline would eventually be replaced by Plus One in 2014.
Switch the Question - If the contestant thinks that question was too hard to answer, he/she can ask the computer to eliminate that question and generate a new one. This lifeline was only given after answering the $25,000 question. This was only shown in the syndicated run starting in 2004, and was discontinued in 2008. However, any lifelines used prior to this one were not reinstated when the new question was shown.
Jump the Question - Used only during the Shuffle format. If a contestant thinks a question is too hard, they can use this to jump to the next question. The catch is that the money behind that question is out of play in Round 1; in Round 2, using this would immediately jump to the next question in line (i.e. jump the $100,000 question, and the next question you see will be for $250,000) Unlike other lifelines, this cannot be used on the final question. There were two of these from 2010-2014; this was reduced to one with the addition of Plus One for 2014-2015.
Double Dip - The contestant gets two chances to answer the question. No other lifelines nor decision to walk away was offered in this situation. This first premiered on Super Millionaire in 2004, and was used on the syndicated run from 2008 to 2010. Even though it never happened on Super Millionaire, it was possible (when available) to use 50:50 and then Double Dip to get the correct answer by the process of elimination.
Three Wise Men - The contestant can consult a group of three experts, one of whom was a former million-dollar winner from the show, and at least one of whom was female, for 30 seconds. This lifeline was used on Super Millionaire in 2004.
Ask the Expert - Similar to Three Wise Men. The contestant called for an expert face-to-face via Skype, and have that person collaborate on an answer he/she could use. The lifeline was originally available after the contestant got the fifth question correct, then moved to the beginning of the game after Phone-a-Friend was removed. Unlike Three Wise Men, there was no set time limit and the contestant and expert were allowed to discuss the question. If a video link to the expert was unavailable, the expert joined the show via phone instead. The lifeline was removed in 2010.
Plus One - Replacing one of the "Jump the Question" lifelines in Season 13 (see below), this lifeline allows a contestant to call upon his or her companion to come on stage and help answer the question. This lifeline is very similar to Phone a Friend; however, the contestant's companion cannot look up the correct answer on the Internet (the looking up of answers by companions on the Internet resulted in Phone a Friend being removed in 2010).
Cut the Question - Used during Whiz Kids Week in Season 13 and played similarly to Switch the Question, this allows a player to swap out a question and replace it; however as this was during the shuffle format (see below), this did not affect the money behind it unless the player jumped it.
Extra Help - Used during Off to College Week in Season 14 and played similarly to Plus One, this allows a player to consult another companion for help; this can only be done after Plus One is used.
Should the contestant run out of lifelines, he/she from here on out will have the option to stop and take any money he/she won up to that point. Upon deciding to stop, the contestant was asked by the host, "Is that your final decision?" However, should the contestant miss a question, the contestant won safety net money should he or she answered the 5th or 10th questions.
The Clock Format
From 2008 to 2010, in addition to the questions having specific categories, all questions were played against the clock.
Time Limits
These are the times contestants faced when answering the questions; if time ran out, the contestant left with their earnings up to that point:
# of Questions
$1,000,000 Question (The Golden Clock)
45 Seconds + Total amount of time leftover from the first 14 questions.
Gameplay (The Shuffle Format, 2010-2015)
Edit
The format was revised again for the beginning of Season 9 in the fall of 2010. The clock was removed, and there were 14 questions instead of 15. Additionally, the first ten questions were played for one of ten random amounts of money: $100, $500, $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, $15,000, or $25,000. The categories for the questions were also randomly shuffled, as well. Each correct answer will add the question's value into the contestant's bank; however, the question value will not be revealed to the contestant until after they have either provided a correct response. Contestants could still leave the game prior to answering the tenth question, but in doing so they forfeited half of their total winnings banked to that point; should they reach the eleventh question, they could've left with the entire bank, up to $68,600. The final four questions (referred to as "Classic Millionaire") are played for set values ($100,000, $250,000, $500,000, and $1,000,000) and augment the contestant's winnings to that point for a correct answer as before. A contestant who misses a question prior to answering the tenth question leaves with $1,000. Once the contestant reaches the eleventh question, the safe point increases to $25,000.
In Seasons 9-12, players had three lifelines in this iteration: "Ask the Audience," and two "Jump the Question" lifelines. At any point prior to selecting a final answer, a contestant can use Jump the Question to skip to the next question; unlike the retired Switch the Question lifeline (see above), Jump the Question reduces the number of questions a player must correctly answer. However, if the contestant uses Jump the Question, they do not gain any money from the question they choose to skip (for example, a contestant with a bank of $68,100 may jump the $100,000 question, but will still have only $68,100 instead of the typical $100,000 when they face the $250,000 question).
Using a "Jump the Question" during questions 11-13 leads to the contestant's winnings not being augmented to the question's value. For example, if the $100,000 question is answered correctly and the $250,000 is skipped, on the $500,000 question a player is able to either answer or walk away with their winnings of $100,000.
Another lifeline exclusive to this format was the Crystal Ball. Only available during Halloween Week 2012, and only available in Round 1, this lifeline allowed the contestant to see the amount of the question currently in play prior to giving an answer; it could also be used alongside the other lifelines. This lifeline was revived for the week of January 21, 2013.
The stage has also been significantly redesigned. There is no more "Hot Seat", and the questions (and other pertinent information) are now seen by all on a large screen in front of the contestant. The contestant and host now stand.
Another feature exclusive to this version was "Double Your Money Week", where the value of one of the questions was randomly double, up to $50,000. In addition, as tie ins for various sponsors, certain weeks had bonus prizes attached to certain questions, such as trips and the like.
For Season 13, one of the "Jump the Question" lifelines was removed, and replaced with a new "Plus One" lifeline. This allows a contestant to call upon his or her companion to come on stage and help answer the question. In addition, the categories for the Round 1 questions were discontinued. Plus One was retained for the switch back to the classic format in 2015.
Audience Games
Edit
Starting with the shuffle format in 2010, if time is running out at the end of an episode, in lieu of starting a new game, one of three audience games would be played:
Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire?: (originally called "The $1,000 Question" from 2010-2013); A random audience member is given one chance to win $1,000 by answering the next question intended for the previous contestant. No lifelines were given to the contestant. From 2010-2013, regardless of the outcome, the audience member receives a copy of the Millionaire video game for Nintendo's Wii console or Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. In 2012, the prize was Facebook Credits for the Millionaire Facebook game. In 2013 only, this became a separate question, rather than the next question for the previous contestant. In 2014 [with the elimination of the categories in Round 1], this was reverted back to the next question intended for the previous contestant. For "Double Your Money Weeks", answering the question won $2,000.
Team Millionaire: (2014) Two players get a question, and both lock in their answers separately. If both are right, they each get $500 and a bonus question with which they could double their money, but if at least one is wrong, they get 20 seconds to try and come up with the right answer as a team.
Fastest Feet: (2014) A variation of "Fastest Finger". Four audience members hold answers to a question, and after being given the question, must arrange the answers in the correct order. Once they think they have the correct order, they must shout out "Final order"; if wrong, they must keep arranging until they get it right; if right, they split $1,000.
Straddling
Edit
Since its inception, games can straddle between questions. Meaning, after a contestants answers a question, the show would go to a commercial. If time runs out in a middle of the game, a horn would sound signaling the end of an episode. The contestant will then see the next question on the next show. Only twice in the show's history had the $1,000,000 question played at the beginning of the episode; the first was Tom O'Brien from 2000, he already had $500,000 at the end of his last episode, but chose to walk away at the $1 million question; as it turned out, he would've been right. The second was Jeff Gross from 2004, who also chose to walk away but would've been wrong.
Variations
Edit
In the ABC prime-time shows, 10 contestants (minus the ones who already played) played a qualifying round called Fastest Finger for the right to play for the $1,000,000. All questions required the contestants to put four answers in the proper order. If a mistake is made, the player can hit the Delete button and re-start, but once the OK button is hit, the answers are locked in. The contestant to place the answers in the proper order in the fastest time earned a chance to play for the million. Before the Fastest Finger Question was revealed, the host asked the in-studio audience for complete silence. If two or more contestants tied for the fastest time, the tied contestants would play another question to determine who would move on to play. If nobody got the question right, that question was thrown out; another question was played in the same manner. If any of the contestants are visually-impaired, the host would read the question and 4 choices all at once (which are included in an envelope), then repeat the choices after the music began.
Special editions
Edit
Various special editions and tournaments have been conducted which feature celebrities playing the game and donating winnings to charities of their choice. During celebrity editions, contestants are allowed to receive help from their fellow contestants during the first ten questions. Additionally, other special weeks have been conducted featuring two or three family members or couples competing as a team, as well as both a Champions Edition (where former big winners returned and split their winnings with their favorite charities) and a Zero Dollar Winner Edition (featuring contestants who previously missed one of the first-tier questions and left with nothing).
Other themed weeks featured college students, teachers, and brides-to-be. The syndicated version has aired a Walk In & Win Edition annually with contestants who were randomly selected from the audience without having to take the audition test.
In February 2001, there was a Tax-Free Edition in which H&R Block calculated the taxes of winnings so the contestants could earn stated winnings after taxes.
Special weeks have also included shows featuring questions concerning specific topics, such as professional football, celebrity gossip, movies, and pop culture. During a week of episodes in November 2007, to celebrate the 1,000th syndicated episode, all contestants that week started with $1,000 so that contestants could not leave with nothing and only had to answer ten questions to win $1 million. During that week 20 home viewers each day also won $1,000 each.
Progressive Grand Prize Jackpot
Edit
By January 2001, no contestant had won $1 million on the prime time version in the 71 shows that aired over a period of five months. The top prize was then changed from a flat $1 million to an accumulating jackpot that increased by $10,000 for each successive show in which none of the contestants could answer all fifteen questions correctly. $710,000 was initially added to the jackpot for the previous 71 shows that produced no millionaire.
On April 10, 2001, Kevin Olmstead answered the final question correctly and won $2.18 million, making him the biggest winner in television history at the time. After Ed Toutant's initial appearance, in which he answered a question containing an error, he was invited back for a second attempt to answer all fifteen questions for $1.86 million, the jackpot at the time of his original appearance. Toutant completed the task and won the jackpot; his episode aired September 7, 2001.
Million Dollar Tournament of 10
Edit
Beginning in syndicated Season 8, in response to the show's lack of a top-prize winner since Nancy Christy in 2003, the program introduced the "Million Dollar Tournament of 10”. For the first 45 episodes of season 8, each contestant's progress was recorded, and the top ten performing contestants were seeded based on how far they progressed and how much time they banked.
In November 2009, the top ten seeds returned one at a time at the end of each episode to face the Golden Clock for a single question valued at $1,000,000 without the use of any lifelines. Contestants risked previous winnings in the event of an incorrect answer and could walk away with their winnings from their prior appearance if they chose not to answer the question. Correctly answering the question placed the contestant in the running for the $1,000,000 prize, while incorrectly answering the question reduced the contestant's previous winnings to $25,000.
In the event that more than one contestant correctly answered the $1,000,000 question, only the top seed would win the top prize. Sam Murray was the only contestant to correctly answer the question and increased his original $50,000 winnings to $1,000,000.
Primetime Specials
Edit
Contestants were given the standard three lifelines in place at the time (50:50, Ask the Audience, and Phone a Friend) at the beginning of the game. However, after correctly answering the $100,000 question, the contestant earned two additional lifelines: Three Wise Men and Double Dip.
In 2008, the Double Dip lifeline was added to the syndicated version of the show replacing 50:50. In addition, the "Switch the Question" lifeline was also eliminated from the syndicated version and replaced with a new lifeline called "Ask the Expert," a modification of Three Wise Men.
Only one millionaire came from this version: Robert “Bob-O” Essig. Bob-O answered 12 questions correctly to win $1,000,000. He refused to answer the $2,500,000 question.
10th Anniversary Special
Edit
To celebrate Millionaire's 10th anniversary, the show returned to ABC prime time in August 2009, with Philbin hosting, for an 11-night event. The Academy Award-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire and the 2008 economic crisis helped boost interest of renewal of the game show.
The episodes featured gameplay based on the current syndicated version (including the rule changes implemented in the 7th season of the syndicated version) but used the Fastest Finger round to select contestants. The end of each episode also featured a celebrity guest playing a question for a chance at $50,000 for a charity of his/her choice but still earning a minimum of $25,000 for the charity if the celebrity got the question wrong. The celebrity was allowed to use any one of the four lifelines, and had no time limit.
The 10th anniversary special & Final Date on Sunday, August 23, 2009, featured a contestant named Ken Basin, an entertainment lawyer, Harvard Law graduate, and former Jeopardy! contestant, who went on to play the first $1 Million Question in the Clock format era. With a total of 4 Minutes & 39 Seconds (banked time of 3 Minutes & 54 Seconds + 45 seconds) at this level, Ken was given a question involving Lyndon Baines Johnson's fondness for Fresca (see photo for actual question). Using his one remaining lifeline, Ken asked the audience, which supported his own hunch of Yoo-hoo rather than the correct answer. With A Minute & 12 Seconds remaining on the clock, he decided to answer the question and lost $475,000, the first time in the U.S. version that a $1,000,000 question was answered incorrectly.
After the show’s broadcast, Ken posted an entry in his blog about his experience in the show, including why he went for Yoo-hoo. He explains that he remembers seeing a photo of LBJ meeting the Beatles and drinking a Yoo-hoo, a photo which he has not been able to find since.
Millionaires
Edit
Date of Win - November 19, 1999.
John Carpenter was the first top prize winner of all international versions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and the only person to accomplish this feat in the 1990s. He also became the all-time American game show winnings leader from 1999 to 2000, before being eclipsed by Rahim Oberholtzer. In a rather memorable moment, he used his Phone-a-Friend on the final question not as a means of help, but to inform his father that he was going to win the million dollars. This was the only time he used a lifeline during his run. Regis didn't count this as a lifeline though, as he mentioned at a later time when John came back on the show for charity, finally having to use his lifelines for the questions, that John went 25 questions without having to use a lifeline.
Million Dollar Question: Used his Phone A Friend on the Final Question.
Which of these former U.S. Presidents appeared on the television series Laugh-In?
• A: Lyndon Johnson
Edit
Date of Win - September 7, 2001.
Ed Toutant originally answered his $16,000 question incorrectly and left with only $1,000 on January 31, 2001 when the top prize bonus was still available. It was later discovered that there was a mistake in his $16,000 question. He was then invited back to play for the $1.86 million prize that he previously played for, and ultimately went on to win the prize. He is also the most recent top prize winner in the prime-time edition of Millionaire.
Million Dollar Question: ($1.86 Million). Used his 50:50 in the Final Question.
During WWII, U.S. soldiers used the first commercial aerosol cans to hold what?
• A: Cleaning fluid
Edit
Date of Win - February 18, 2003.
Kevin Smith ended a 14-month drought of top prize winners (the longest at the time) and became the first person to win the top prize in the syndicated version of Millionaire. He recalls when he was on the show (with a reference to the prime-time version) where he and a contestant both misread a question that the contestant eventually missed, so he allowed Meredith to read him his question again.
Million Dollar Question: Didn't use any lifelines.
The U.S. icon "Uncle Sam" was based on Samuel Wilson, who worked during the War of 1812 as a what?
• A: Meat inspector
Edit
Date of Win - November 20, 2009. Banked Time - 2:38.
Sam Murray became the only person to win the top prize under the clock format. He won during the Million Dollar Tournament of 10 in 2009. He initially gained the tournament leadership on November 11, 2009 by correctly answering his million dollar question. Because nobody else took a risk for the million, and because Sam was the only person to do so, he therefore was declared winner of the tournament. Sam is also, as of 2009, the most recent top-prize winner of the U.S. version to date.
Million Dollar Question: Didn't use any lifelines.
According to the Population Reference Bureau, what is the approximate number of people who have ever lived on Earth?
• A: 50 Billion
Regis Philbin
(NOTE: Philbin's guest host week of shows were aired out of order to coincide with his hip replacement surgery in 2009. Of the contestants that appeared on weeks featuring the guest hosts, almost none of them carried over to the following week.)
On January 10, 2013, Vieira announced that after 11 seasons with the syndicated version of Millionaire, throughout which she had hosted more than 1,900 episodes (not counting the guest host weeks) and offered a vast multitude of contestants with a combined total of $70,000,000, would be leaving the show as part of an effort to focus on other projects in her career. Vieira finally taped her last batch of episodes in November 2012. Vieira's successor as host of the syndicated version of Millionaire for the twelfth season was comedian and former original King of Comedy Cedric the Entertainer , who in turn was succeeded by former NFL player and actor Terry Crews in the thirteenth season, then by Chris Harrison in the fourteenth season.
Club Millionaire
Edit
This was a loyalty program that allowed members to earn points for watching and shopping; members could redeem those points for rewards just like any other loyalty program. Viewers got a special code, which was really a question similar to those of the Hot Seat. This lasted from September 5-December 6, 2011, in Season 10. It is unknown what happened to any members' points.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It!
Edit
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It! was an attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios) theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida from April 7, 2001 until August 19, 2006 and at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California from September 14, 2001 until August 20, 2004. The attraction itself was a modified version of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire television game show.
Game Information
Edit
The attraction's theater was a replica of the television show. Sessions of the game ran seven times a day; each session was 25 minutes long (but did wait until the current contestant vacated the hot seat to stop) and seated 647 park guests.
The Disney Theme Park version of the game is differed from the television version in several ways:
Contestants competed for points, not dollars. A contestants won a Disney Collector's pin for each point level he/she passed (minus any down to the previous milestone if he or she got a question wrong). A prize table can be found below.
Every audience member had his or her own A/B/C/D keypad. The ten contestant row seats were not special in any way (other than a video display of the camera work). Access to these seats were chosen in a number of different ways before the show, including random selection, quizzing of guests waiting in queue, and special "Magic Moment" coupons dispense from the attraction's "Fast Pass" dispensers telling the bearer to present their Fast Pass to an attraction cast member for special seating. There were several times where just asking before the show began would grant access to one of these seats if they still available for the next show.
To begin a session, a fastest finger question was asked. The audience member who got the correct answer in the shortest time got the hot seat.
The hot seat contestant had only fifteen seconds to answer each of the first five questions (100-1,000 points), thirty seconds per questions for the next five questions (2,000-32,000 points), forty-five seconds for the next four questions (64,000-500,000 points), and fifty-five seconds for the final million-point question; the real show internationally carried a variation of this format from 2008 until 2010.
Each audience member could answer a question on his or her keypad at the same time as the hot seat contestant did. Contestants won points by pressing the correct button quickly; at the 1,000 and 32,000-point levels the game was paused briefly to show the top ten scores. If the hot seat contestant got a question wrong or decided to walk away, instead of additional fastest finger questions, the top scorer in the audience took his/her place, as long as their was time remaining. (Usually, only two full games were played.) The player with the highest score on the last game only won congratulations from the host, if that.
The three lifelines were: 50:50, Ask the Audience and Phone a Complete Stranger. Ask the Audience is immediate; the audience's answers can be instantly polled. because the audience already had a chance to enter their answers. Phone a Complete Stranger connected the contestant to a Cast Member outside the theater who found a guest to help.
Disney Cast Members were not permitted to participate.
Park guests playing as hot seat contestants were required to sign a waiver after completing their game. This waiver declared the "Fair Market Value" of all prizes received (in Walt Disney World by regulations set by the Florida Gaming Commission) and an agreement that the guests would be ineligible to participate as hot seat game players for a pre-determined amount of time. (100-500,000 point winners had a 30-day blackout. 1,000,000 point winners also had the 30-day blackout, but were also prohibited from winning the million-point prize again for 365 days).
Questions based on Disney parks and films often appeared at any point during the game.
Usually, because the Fastest Finger First could be won by a younger audience member randomly selecting the correct one of the 24 possible orders and inputting it in a ridiculously small amount of time, the first five questions were usually easy enough that anyone in the audience could answer them correctly.
Prizes
Edit
Upon correctly answering each question, the player received a collectable label pin with the attraction's logo and question point value. Various other prizes were awarded at milestone questions. The chart below references all the prizes obtained by achieving each milestone. No cash prize was awarded.
Question No.
1 million point leather jacket
1,000,000 point medallion
Disney Cruise Line vacation for four
In the early days of the attraction, contestants would also achieve a copy of the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" First Edition CD-ROM game (for which you can see in the "Merchandise" section for details) upon correctly answering the 32,000 point question.
During the original television run of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", contestants would receive a trip for two to New York City to see a taping of the television game when correctly answering the Million point question, in lieu of a Disney Cruise vacation.
Special Events
Edit
During Disney's Hollywood Studios' Star Wars Weekends, the first two games of the day featured questions based on the Star Wars films and universe and began with Greedo in the hot seat, answering questions in the alien language Rodanese. The lifelines in the "Star Wars Weekends" version of the game worked exactly like the regular game but were named: 50:50, Ask the Jedi Council and Phone a Stormtrooper.
During ESPN The Weekend, also based at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Play It! consisted of sports trivia questions; contestants got to "team up" with ESPN personalities and sports figures, according to the official ESPN: The Weekend website. For this edition of the game, the "Phone a Complete Stranger" lifeline was replaced with a chance to ask an ESPN expert (either Howie Schwab or the Sklar Twins) for assistance.
History
Edit
Both Disney's Hollywood Studio & Disney California Adventure's version of the attraction offered FASTPASS on these attractions. FASTPASS at Disney's California Adventure's version of the attraction was available for the whole run, while Disney's Hollywood Studios version was taken out when the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show arrived.
The attraction's former sound stages at Disney's Hollywood Studios are now the site of the interactive Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction.
The sound stage and Millionaire attraction at Disney's California Adventure were built as a quick fix to the initial criticisms and low attendance the park faced upon its opening in February 2001. Though the building has been unused since the attraction closed in 2004, it was rumored to be used as the park's temporary main entrance while it undergoes a major renovation project. Now the temporary entrance will be next to Soarin' over California.
When the Millionaire attraction in Disney Hollywood Studios (Orlando, FL) closed, most of the props from the studio were removed and given to a 3rd party company who sold them online. Such items include all of the audience member keypads, fastest-finger chairs, monitors covers and more. Jeff Gross (former $500,000 winner of the U.S. syndicated version of the show, and also contestant on the British version of the show where he witnessed the coughing antics of Tecwen Whittlock during Charles Ingram's infamous run in which he would later not receive his million-pound winnings) announced in November 2008 during an appearance as an 'expert' for Millionaire's new "Ask the Expert" lifeline, that he was the successful bidder for the auction of Play It!'s contestant hot seat. The hot seat reportedly sold on eBay for more than $400.
TV Broadcasts
On several occasions over three years, the attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios hosted tapings of the television show for later broadcast.
In Popular Culture
Add a photo to this gallery
The 2009 game, Ace Attorney Investigations, while being interrogated by protagonist Miles Edgeworth, the smuggling ring leader establishes an alibi by stating he was watching a play at at the of a killing. Upon noticing a contradiction in their statements, Edgeworth states "The special move today [as part of the play] was the 'Early Summer Rain Jab'. Is that your final answer?", in reference to the famous catchphrase.
The Disney site features a game called Who Wants to Be a Villionaire?, which contains games hosted by famous Disney villains asking questions from their famous movies (i.e. Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians, Captain Hook from Peter Pan, Urusula from The Little Mermaid, Gaston from Beauty & the Beast, Jafar from Aladdin, and Scar from The Lion King). While the game plays exactly like the original online game, the lifelines differ just slightly: 50:50 and Ask-the Audience remain the same, but Phone-a-Friend is replaced with Phone-a-Fiend (to reflect the games' theme), with the Cruella-de-Vil as the "fiend". The milestones are referred to as "Gravestones" (also to reflect the games' theme).
The 1999 music video for the Rage Against the Machine song "Sleep Now in the Fire" had a parody of the show called "Who Wants to be Filthy F#&%ing Rich?", where contestants are asked questions that matched the band's political theme, usually with the contestants getting the answer wrong. Towards the end of the video, a homeless man answers the presumed final question correctly, and after handing back the money given to him, the contestants storm the stage and toss the money in the air.
International Versions
The following are a list of countries that have aired their versions of Millionaire:
Afghanistan (Pashto & Persian language)
Edit
For the 1999-2002 primetime run, Seasons 1-11, and since Season 14 of the daytime run.
For some episodes of the 1999-2002 run, as well as some episodes of Seasons 9-11 [usually depending on the content on the questions; as well as on the celebrity themed weeks.]. This rating was primarily used on the Super Millionaire and 10th Anniversary primetime runs. The Cedric the Entertainer/Terry Crews runs permanently used this rating. After Chris Harrison took over, this rating alternated with the TV-G rating [again depending on the content on the questions; as well as on the celebrity themed weeks.]
Music
Edit
Used the same theme as the original British version by Keith & Matthew Strachan from 1999 to 2010.
Ah2 music composers Jeff Lippencott and Mark T. Williams composed a new theme for the shuffle format's introduction in the 2010-11 season.
| N |
Who did artist Grant Wood use as the model for the farmer in his classic painting American Gothic? | Top Prize Winners | Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Wiki
Share
Ad blocker interference detected!
Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers
Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected.
"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" has had several Top Prize winners from across the world. All of the following list successfully answered all questions correctly and won the top prize available. This list gives all of these players in chronological order of their win.
Contents
Edit
Carpenter when he won the Million.
John Carpenter won $1,000,000 on November 19, 1999. He was the first winner worldwide. Famous for going through the whole stack without using any of his three lifelines, apart from to call his father Tom on the Million Dollar Question to tell him that he was going to win the million dollars, which he did.
$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these U.S. Presidents appeared on the TV series "Laugh-In"?
'Phone-A-Friend' lifeline used
• C: Jimmy Carter
• D: Gerald Ford
John later reappeared on the show as part of the Champions Edition of WWTBAM, and this time he won $250,000.
2000 Winners
Edit
Dan Blonsky.
Dan Blonsky won $1,000,000 on January 18, 2000. Second US winner. His question is regarded by some people as the easiest Million Dollar Question ever faced by a contestant.
$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
The Earth is approximately how many miles away from the Sun?
• A: 9.3 million
• C: 93 million
• D: 193 million
David Paterson won 1,000,000 South African Rand on March 19, 2000. First winner outside of the USA. Only South African winner.
R1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
Which famous musical star was known as Baby Frances Gumm early in her career?
• A: Ginger Rodgers
• D: Judy Garland
Joe Trela's win.
Joe Trela - third U.S. winner of the show. Famously used all of his three lifelines by the $32,000 question, but still went on to win the Million.
$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
What insect shorted out an early super-computer and inspired the term "computer bug"?
• A: Moth
• C: Fly
• D: Japanese beetle
Renata Morgado won 50,000,000 escudos in May 2000. First worldwide female winner, and first European winner.
Enrique Chicote won 50,000,000 pesetas on May 21, 2000. First Spanish winner. Much like John Carpenter, he used his Phone A Friend lifeline on the final question to tell his wife that he was going to win the top prize.
₧ 50 Million (15 of 15)
Copra can be obtained from which fruit?
'50:50' and 'Phone-A-Friend' lifelines used
• A: Pineapple
Bob House won $1,000,000 on June 13th, 2000.
$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following men does not have a chemical element named for him?
'50:50' and 'Phone a Friend' lifelines used
• A: Albert Einstein
• C: Isaac Newton
• D: Enrico Fermi
Kim Hunt won $1,000,000 on July 6th, 2000. Was one of the tied contestants in Fastest Finger First.
$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of the following landlocked countries is entirely contained within another country?
• A: Lesotho
• D: Luxembourg
David Goodman
David Goodman won $1,000,000 on July 11 2000. First contestant since John Carpenter to go through the first 14 questions without using a lifeline. Used all three on the final question.
$1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
In the children's book series, where does Paddington Bear come from?
'50:50', 'Ask The Audience' and 'Phone-A-Friend' lifelines used
• A: India
• D: Iceland
Ask the Audience Results: A: 0% • B: 57% • C: 1% • D: 42%
Interestingly, despite it first being eliminated by 50:50, 1% of the audience still voted for C.
Yasuyuki Kunimitsu won ¥10,000,000 on July 27, 2000. First Japanese Winner.
Izhar Nevo won on August 7, 2000. First Israeli winner.
Yoshiaki Nagata won ¥10,000,000 on August 10, 2000. Second Japanese winner.
Ana Damásio won 50,000,000 escudos in September 2000. Second Portugese Winner.
First French winner after answering question 14 correctly.
Frédéric Grégoire won 4,000,000 french francs on September 30, 2000. First French winner.
Ingrid Vervaeck won BEF20,000,000 on October 10, 2000. First Belgian Winner.
Harshvardhan Navathe : First Indian winner. Won 10,000,000 rupees on October 19, 2000.
र10,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
Among whom does the Indian Constitution permit to take part in the proceedings of Parliament?
• A: Solicitor General
• D: Chief Justice
Naoko Imao : Third Japanese winner. Won ¥10,000,000 on November 2, 2000.
Louis won 4,000,000 french francs on November 4, 2000. Second French winner before on 1 January 2002 Euro comes.
Judith and her million pound cheque.
Judith Keppel : First UK winner, won £1,000,000 on November 20th 2000. Due to currency exchange rates and inflation, her win is the highest to date, due to the pound's strength at the time. Judith now stars as an Egghead on the BBC2 show "Eggheads" along with several other former Millionaire contestants, including Pat Gibson, the shows 4th winner.
£1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
Which King was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine?
• A: Henry I
Mohammad Tanirah won 1,000,000 SR on March 15, 2002.
Giovanni Grosso won 100,000,000 Bs on March 20, 2002 making this the first winner in South America.
Sveinn Valgeirsson won 5.000.000 on March 24, 2002. First Iceland winner.
Tudor Hurezeanu won 1,000,000,000 lei on April 8, 2002.
Saule Akhmetova won 5,000,000 tenge on April 25, 2002. First Kazakhstan winner.
Antonio Ríos won 100,000,000 Bs on May 22, 2002.
Akishi Kikuchi won ¥10,000,000 on June 27, 2002
Michiko Eguchi won ¥10,000,000 on August 1, 2002.
Gonzalo Miranda won CLP$100,000,000 on September 9, 2002. First and only Chile winner.
Anders and Peter Lund Madsens won 1,000,000 kr on September 17, 2002.
Gerhard Krammer won €1,000,000 on October 18, 2002.
Christiane de Piero won €1,000,000 on November 11, 2002
Naomi Osada won ¥10,000,000 on November 14, 2002.
| i don't know |
What “church” has made millions selling its members “electro psychometer” like detectors? | Secrets of Scientology: The E-Meter
Secrets of Scientology: The E-Meter
John Travolta
Priscilla Presley
Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes (parody)
Welcome to the Internet's most extensive E-Meter site. The device above is a Hubbard electro-psychometer (E-meter): a crude lie detector used by Scientology auditors (counselors) to examine a person's mental state. Scientologists claim the device allows people to "see a thought". In the hands of a trained auditor, they believe it can uncover "hidden crimes". John Travolta swears by it. And so do Jenna Elfman and Priscilla Presley . Here you will learn the truth about this device.
How The E-Meter Works
The Book Introducing the E-Meter . Gives basic data on the Mark V.
The E-Meter , chapter 14 of the Report of the Board of Inquiry into Scientology ("The Anderson Report", Victoria, Australia, 1965.)
The E-Meter , chapter 18 of Paulette Cooper's historic book, The Scandal Of Scientology.
Testimony about the E-meter from a 2009 Scientology trial in Paris.
Electroplating and endorphins -- Arnie Lerma's controversial speculations about the biological effects of prolonged exposure to the E-meter's low current.
The E-Meter Unveiled, by Chris Owen.
Auditor Training
``By itself, this meter does nothing.'' -- Excerpt from a disclaimer found in every E-meter book, and on the device itself.
In this photo, a course supervisor monitors the performance of student auditors at a Scientology training facility. Notice that the meter's tone arm is worked with the thumb of the left hand; the right hand is used to take notes. Left-handed auditors must purchase a left-handed E-meter, where the positions of the dials and knobs are reversed.
The E-meter drills. A detailed summary of the actual drills used to train Scientology auditors.
Professional Metering Course available free online, courtesy of Clearbird, a FreeZoner.
The Language of the E-Meter , by L. Kin, offers a good explanation of needle movements and basic auditing procedure.
The TRs. Scientology's training routines (actually brainwashing procedures) teach an auditor to suppress all affect (and critical thought) while maintaining positive control over the pre-clear throughout the auditing session.
David Alexander answers some questions about E-meter auditing.
This photo from the St. Petersburg Times shows an E-meter with the optional remote tone arm to the left.
The two "cans" in the photo are joined together by a plastic insulator insert, allowing both to be held in one hand for solo auditing. This type of auditing is practiced only on the most advanced (and most expensive) Scientology levels, namely, OT III and Solo NOTs (New Era Dianetics for Operating Thetans.)
The remote tone arm attachment, sitting to the left of the meter, is used in solo auditing. The person holds the cans in one hand and uses their other hand both to take notes and to work the large knurled knob on the left side of the remote. The knob is geared to the dial on the front of the remote, so moving one also moves the other. Alternatively, the person could move the front dial with their pen.
What is metered auditing really like? Robert Kaufman spills the beans in his book Inside Scientology/Dianetics , which the Scientology organization tried to suppress.
Schematics for Early E-Meters
Do-it-yourself lie detector project: 1941 forerunner of the E-meter (2 pages).
L. Ron Hubbard's patent application for the E-meter (courtesy of Bill de Carle). And here is the
Ralph is also working on a new design with a USB interface, called the C-Meter .
A 1981 patent (number 4,300,574) on a more recent design by James Briggs was assigned to Scientology.
Koos' E-meter schematic: Koos Nolst Trenite, self-proclaimed "Ambassador for Mankind" and resident kook of alt.religion.scientology, tells us how to build a better E-meter.
The Starlight meter is an E-meter knockoff offered by a Russian "independent Scientologist" (FreeZoner).
Ability Meters International , a FreeZone group, sells their own version of the E-meter, which looks a lot like the Mark V.
Here's a " clarity meter " offered for $795 by another "squirrel" (un-approved by Scientology) group. According to ex-Scientologist and long-time critic Monica Pignotti, the Clarity Meter "is used by people who practice Sarge Gerbode's TIR and Metapsychology (see www.tir.org ). Sarge is a psychiatrist (!) who is an ex-Scientologist and former mission holder of the Palo Alto mission. He's already had his legal battle with the church and it is my understanding that they made a settlement that he can practice TIR and Metapsychology."
Embarassing E-Meter Facts
Although Hubbard's name is on the patent application, the E-meter was actually invented by a chiropractor named Volney Mathison , and was originally called the Mathison Model B Electropsychometer.
Mathison also marketed a cheaper Mathison Quiz Meter and a manuscript on "Electropsychometry" by L. Ron Hubbard and himself. Here is an excerpt .
Mathison's Electropsychometer ( meter photo ) was promoted as an aid to psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, which is anathema to Scientologists!
The more modern "bathroom scale" E-Meter design was registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office in 1997 under registration number 2056778. (Thanks to Scientology attorney Samuel D. Rosen, of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, for pointing this out.) Here is the trademark registration . In August 2001, Scientology also registered "E-Meter" as a word mark; the registration is here . But there are many other commercial uses of the term "E-Meter"! It appears the main point of the trademark registration would be to prevent FreeZone groups from marketing their own electropsychometers under this name.
Needle actions can be faked. Martin Hunt confessed to faking an F/N (floating needle, a movement that signals the end of an auditing process) by gently squeezing the cans. E-meter drill 9 and drill 13 are supposed to teach auditors to recognize such actions, but they don't always catch them. Pxxxxxx Jxxx and Arnie Lerma have found that a violent needle movement called a rockslam can be produced simply by checking the electrode leads, or by corrosion in the plug contacts.
The `` metabolism test '' done at the start of each session has nothing to do with metabolism.
The mechanical meter movement is specially designed to bounce around a lot, producing extra ``phenomena'' for the auditor to interpret.
The US Food & Drug Administration raided Scientology on January 4, 1963 and seized hundreds of E-meters as illegal medical devices. The incident is described in Jon Atack's book, A Piece of Blue Sky, and in this essay by Stephen Barrett, M.D. Since that time, meters have been required to carry a disclaimer stating that they are purely a religious artifact. This appellate court decision describes the trial and the various witnesses who appeared.
This subsequent court decision says in part: "As a matter of formal doctrine, the Church professes to have abandoned any contention that there is a scientific basis for claiming cures resulting from E-meter use. The Church, however, continued widely to circulate Scientology literature such as Government's exhibits 16 and 31, which hold out false scientific and medical promises of certain cure for many types of illnesses." Also see this decision by the US District Court in Minnesota concerning the E-meter and unlawful medical claims.
The 9th Circuit reached a similar conclusion , noting that "Labels of disclaimer, to-wit: 'Not intended or effective for the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of any disease,' found on about half of devices, were not controlling in determining whether devices were mislabeled within Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and thus subject to prohibition of importation, but were to be considered together with any extrinsic evidence of intended use of device."
The actual ordered E-meter warning was published in Federal food, drug, and cosmetic act: judicial and administrative record, 1969-1974, 1969-1974 FDCA Jud. Rec. (FDLI) 90 (D.D.C. 1971) and 1969-1974 FDCA Jud. Rec. (FDLI) 131 (D.C. Cir. 1973).
E-meters are assembled at "Gold Base", Scientology's armed compound in Hemet, California.
The St. Petersburg Times reports it takes only 80 minutes to put one together, as the technician shown at left is doing.
And for this they charge over $4,000???
E-Meter-like devices are available from sources outside the Church of Scientology at much lower prices. Rest assured, these fine products are every bit as worthless as the Scientology models. Check out this Google directory for links. But if you want a genuine Scientology E-Meter, you can purchase the "Mark Super VII Quantum™ E-Meter® pastoral counseling device" from the FLAG bookstore . Or pick up a used one on eBay .
From the "idols with feet of clay" department: even L. Ron Hubbard had "discreditable reads" (indications of serious aberration or criminality) on the E-Meter. This really ticked him off!
Here's how Scientology uses eBay's VERO program to keep ex-members from selling their E-meters. Thanks to attorney Scott Pilutik for permission to reproduce his essay ( original version ).
Look Inside the Mark Super VII E-Meter
Click here for a guided tour of the Mark Super VII. .
Until the release of the Mark VII Quantum model in 1996, the Hubbard Professional Mark Super VII was the latest (mid-1980s) and most sophisticated model E-meter sold. Scientology doesn't want anyone looking too closely at their "advanced" technology, but this web page offers you a guided tour of the device, with exterior and interior views including the main circuit board, charging circuit, jacks, and data plate. "Hey, it's got Intel inside!"
Here is US Patent 8,121,676 detailing some recent (circa 2003) advances in E-meter technology. Interestingly, Hubbard is listed as an inventor, although he died in 1986.
Battery leakage can be a problem.
Reviews
Understanding the E-Meter , an old book by L. Ron Hubbard that Scientology now prints with a more modern sci-fi cover.
Here's the book description from the Church of Scientology's own web site : "Is the theta being inside or outside the mest body or both? How big is a theta being in relation to his body?" The answers aren't very convincing, but it's unusual to see Scientologists even asking loopy questions like this in front of raw public, much less purporting to answer them. Bottom line: $50 buys you a load of comic book physics and a revealing look at what constitutes a "scientific explanation" in the cult of Scientology.
The Book of E-Meter Drills. Compiled by Mary Sue Hubbard, who later went to jail for a long list of crimes including bugging the IRS and stealing files from the FBI. Her husband L. Ron Hubbard was named as an un-indicted co-conspirator.
The Book Introducing the E-Meter. This title no longer seems to be offered by Bridge Publications, but used copies are still available.
CoS and Totalitarianism , by Laura Kay Fuller. This excerpt is the section on Technology, which focuses on the E-meter. The full thesis is available here .
E-Meter Humor
| List of Scientologists |
With a metropolotian population of almost 19 million people, what is the most populous city in South America? | What the Cults believe
What the Cults believe
Back to Table of Contents
Let me begin with a quote from 1.Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.
The bible explicitly warns us that in our time there will be an increase of false religions which depart from the true faith and try to seduce believers and nonbelievers into following false doctrines that have nothing to do with the God that we know from the bible. ``Cult'' or ``Sect'' is a modern name for these false religions.
What is a cult?
Let us begin by trying to define what cult is. We call the Mormons and Jehovas Witnesses a cult. But we wouldn't use the same expression for Catholics, Pentecostals, Unitarians, Greek Orthodox, Jews, Muslims, etc., although their teachings are often quite different from ours.
So, what do you think is a cult? Let me read the definition that you find in Webster's dictionary
A cult is a system of religious beliefs and rituals that is regarded as unorthodox or spurious, with a great devotion to a person, idea, or thing.
So a cult is a religious group which differs significantly from the churches that are considered as the normative expressions of religion in our culture. A cult often has - or had in the past - a charismatic leader who is or was strong authority for the believers and has or had a strong influence on the religious teachings of that group. Cults often have very strong doctrines that. make it very difficult for a cult member to leave.
All cults have in common that they deny the fact that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Some are very explicit about this and are thus easy to recognize - they are what we call ``Non-Christian Cults''. Others seem to believe almost the same as we do but if we look closer we see that their teachings are in fact quite different from what we know as the true word of God - that's why we call them ``Pseudo-Christian Cults''.
Altough still a minority in todays society, cults seem to offer something that the mainstream religions cannot provide. Essentially, they ensnare people in two ways.
1.
One way is to appeal to the pride of human beings through a rationalistic philosophy. Their doctrines sound modern and give their followers the feeling that through following them they will become ``someone important''. They offer higher or secret knowledge that is supposed to make their followers special and to give them powers beyond the usual human capabilities.
2.
The other way is to stimulate the superstitions that many people already carry in themselves. In fact, only a few unsaved people really believe that what they see in this world is all there is. Instead they assume that there must be some supernatural force or being which is there to either help or threaten them. Many cults appeal to that kind of belief and offer a religious system based on all kinds of superstitions which they call ``faith''.
If you are not saved, it is quite easy to fall into either of the two traps. Even Christians sometimes have difficulties to find out whether a religious group is a truly Christian Church that just emphasizes some aspects stronger than we do or whether it is in fact a false religion.
How do we know?
What is the best way to find out whether we're dealing with a cult or not?
The best way to detect a counterfeit is to know the original very well. It has been said that this is the way cashiers in banks are trained to recognize fake money. They just deal so much with ``the real thing'' that they immediately know when they have a counterfeit bill in their hands.
It is the same when we deal with cults. We have to know the word of God very well to avoid falling into the traps of a cult. That is, we shouldn't just know the terminology of the bible, we shouldn't just be able to cite bible verses - we must have a clear understanding they mean. Yes, it is extremely important that you know your bible well - but that is what many cults do as well. In fact the Mormons and Jehova's Witnesses can probably cite more verses than most Baptists. But that is not the point - they mean something entirely different when they use the same words as you. So you must be able to express in your own words what certain passages mean and how they relate to the rest of the word. Otherwise you can get easily confused.
Of course, even among Christians there may be minor differences where we may argue whether the bible teaches that or not. Issues such as denying the command of baptism, a different attitude towards alcohol etc. do not characterize a cult and we shouldn't view those who share our basic doctrines but have different opinions on ``just these aspects'' as anti-christian but as brothers and sisters in Christ which may have to be convinced by scripture - and have the right to try to convince us that we see some things wrong. Disputing with them will give both of us more faith - and it is not important that we ``win'' here.
But it is different when central doctrines are concerned that mark the basis of our faith. Here we should not waver and this means we better know precisely what the word of God says. In fact, that is the best way to avoid traps. You don't have to learn much about a cult - you need to know the truth and this not just on the surface. So, when we study cults, we want to have three things in mind
1.
Protection: We want to be able to see the subtle twists of the word of God, so that we are not fooled by a cult or fall into the traps of its teachings
2.
Understanding: By analyzing a deviation from the doctrines of ``orthodox Christianity'' we will get a better understanding of what the word of God really says.
We all interpret what we read and hear - we cannot avoid this, because we all have a different understanding of how the words of our language are used and we assign meaning to them in our own way. Besides, the bible was written in a language of a different culture, 2000 years and more ago. When we read an English translation, we cannot expect that the words chosen in that translation are able to catch the intended meaning 100%. Besides, we use translations that are between 20 and 350 years old. Do we expect that we understand the English language in the same way as the translators did it then.
By looking at the word of God from various perspectives we make sure that our interpretation is close to what God wanted to express. Studying misunderstandings, fine twists, and deviations is a good way of getting the right picture.
3.
Witnessing: By knowing what a specific cult teaches, it is easier for us to reach out to a cultist once we got in contact with them.
The measuring rod: a sound doctrine
So our measuring rod are the basic doctrines of the bible. We all should have the articles of faith of Tabernacle Baptist church which summarize the basic doctrines of the bible and give quite a few bible references. Out of these I will review ``the crucial seven'' where we find most of the deviations that clearly mark a cult.
I will make this brief. Studying our articles of faith would take a full summer session by itself, and I only want to remind you of the basic facts that we should all know by heart. But I also recommend that you look up our articles of faith again before we study individual cults, because that makes it easier to identify why they really deviate from God's word.
Sources of Authority (TAB Articles of faith §1)
The Holy Bible, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testament is the word of God. Its original manuscripts were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit. The bible is infallible and without errors, complete in its revelation, and our absolute authority.
Nothing needs to be added to the Bible. Anything that goes against its teachings is not from God. If we want to clarify a doctrinal question, the Bible is our final authority.
If we say that the bible is complete, that doesn't mean that God doesn't speak to us when we pray. He does so to help us understand his will for a specific situation, but that will always be in accordance to his written word and never be a general revelation that needs to be added to the bible. So, listen to what God says to you in prayer, but be aware that Satan tries to influence your mind as well - so you better check if that what you heard is consistent with the bible.
The doctrine of God (TAB Articles of faith §2.a)
There is one and only one true God, the Creator, Sustainer, and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth - eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his being. We believe that God is three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - and that these three are the same in substance, equal in every divine attribute, executing distinct offices.
Jesus Christ (TAB Articles of faith §2.b)
The person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ is the corner stone of our Christian faith. The answer to the question ``what do you think of Christ?'' almost always reveals whether a person is a Christian or not.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God - perfect in godhood and manhood, one with the father from eternity. He took upon himself the nature of man, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin as Mary. He was the only man ever to live a sinless life. His death on the cross was a substitutionary and complete sacrifice for our sin. He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into Heaven, sitting at the right hand of the father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead and to set up his kingdom.
Man (TAB Articles of faith §4)
Man was created by God, male and female, with living immortable souls. Made in the image of God, in righteousness and holiness, they had the power to fulfill God's law, yet the capability of rejecting it. By their own choice they fell from this sinless state. As a consequence all mankind, descending from them, is now sinful in nature, inclined to evil, and under God's wrath and curse. All men and women are without excuse for their sin and rightfully subject to condemnation to everlasting hell.
Salvation (TAB Articles of faith §6)
Salvation from this condemnation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Those who believe in His substitutionary sacrifice for their sin, repent, and receive Christ by faith have their sins forgiven, become children of God and are made new creatures.
Things to come (TAB Articles of faith §16)
Jesus Christ will come again, personally and visibly. At his appearance, the dead in Christ will rise and - together with the living Christians - receive new glorified bodies and caught up to meet the Lord ``in the air''. The great tribulation will follow and culminate by the appearance of the Lord, who will establish his millenial kingdom. This period will end with the judgment of the nations, the resurrection, judgment and punishment of the wicked in hell, and the eternal life of the saints in heaven.
Keep in mind, the handout is a short form of our essential doctrines and not a replacement for the word of God itself. There are many other things we should know in order to fill certain ``gaps of understanding''. Nevertheless, the above doctrines are foundational in the sense that ``if we can't agree even on those few points then it is useless to discuss other matters of faith''. Let us not get distracted by side-effects before clarifying the main issues.
Typical doctrinal deviations
Also, be aware that repeating the words of these basic doctrines does not yet make sure that you know what they mean. In fact, the Mormons and Jehova's witnesses use almost the same terminology when they talk to us. But still they mean something quite different from what we mean. For instance
1.
Mormons believe in the authority of the bible, but they say ``as far as it is translated correctly'' - which means that they can always argue that a certain passage was translated wrong if it contradicts their teaching. Besides, they believe that the word of God is more than just the ... canonical books. For them, the Book of Mormon is also from God.
But as we they say: ``the bible is our final authority''
2.
Jehova's Witnesses believe that Jesus is God, but for them that doesn't actually mean much. In their eyes Jesus is ``a god'' like many other, although created first. So they deny that Jesus was there from the beginning or is equal with God, the father.
3.
The Moonies believe in the authority of the bible but they make it subject to the interpretation given by Sun Myung Moon.
At least four of the fundamental doctrines are taught falsely by most cults, that is they are either opposed openly or twisted severly. These are the trinity of God, the deity of Christ, the personality of the Holy Spirit, and the immortality of the soul. It is therefore important that you know exactly what they say and how the bible supports them. I will just briefly sketch this.
The trinity of God
is vehemently rejected by most cults as unscriptural and absurd. While we have to admit that it is not mentioned explicitly in the bible, we find it implicitly present in both the Old and New Testament. The Hebrew Text of the Old Testament uses the plural word Elohim right at the beginning and over and over again. By the way - the Hebrew has a singular, dual, and plural form of words, so a plural means at least three. This is most striking to observe in Deutoronomy 6:4:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD
That doesn't reveal much in the English. But literally translated you would have to say Hear, O Israel: The LORD our (at least three) Gods are one (composed) LORD. The Hebrew for ``one'' at this point is ``echad'' - meaning a composed unity - although the Hebrew language also provides a word for an unseparable, absolute unity, namely ``yachid'', which the bible does not use at this point. What astonishes me most, is that even the Jews fail to see this.
We also find God conversing with himself in the Old Testament. In the New Testament we see that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are seen as co-equal with God, the father. This, of course is denied by many cults as well, so let us look at this a bit more.
The deity of Christ
The whole Gospel of John was written to prove that Jesus was the Christ, the son of God (John 20:31). Jesus himself made this claim several times. The Jews understood this very well and wanted to kill him for that (John 5:17-18). John 1:1 says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
There is no dispute that ``the word'' is referring to Jesus. Jehova's Witnesses say, that this verse only says that Jesus is ``a'' God - notice the fine twist in the meaning of the word ``God'' - but I checked the Greek and that clearly says that ``and God was the Word'' is the only correct translation. Similarly Hebrews 1:8, John 20:38, etc. cannot be translated differently.
There are many more verses that clearly support the deity of Christ in the original manuscript: Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3. John 1:3 points out that all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made - so Jesus himself was not created by God, as many cultists argue when they interpret the phrases ``begotten son'' or ``first begotten of all creation''. The word begotten has nothing to do with creation.
The personality of the Holy Spirit
Most cults reduce the Holy Spirit to something like a divine influence or the power of God. As such it cannot be a person, they argue. But beginning in Genesis 1:2 we see the Holy Spirit actively working together with God, the father, and God, the son. In John 14:16-17 he is characterized as ``the helper'' who is supposed to continue the work of Jesus on earth. He speaks to us (Acts 13:2), teaches, guides, convicts, can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30) - and thus shows all the characteristics that we expect from an independent personality.
The immortality of the soul
is denied by all who fear the possibility of judgment and eternal punishment. Some cults - citing Genesis 2:7 ``and man became a living soul'' - teach that man does not have a soul but is a soul and that this soul will die with the person. They go through great complications to explain what happens after the physical death and how people are resurrected. But they insist on the fact that those who do not enter the heavenly kingdom will be annihilated, which means that there is no eternal punishment.
Luke 16:23, Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10 clearly point at eternal punishment - and this is not just a metaphor. Our souls were created immortal when God breathed the breath of life into man, and a ``soul sleep'' - the unconscious phase after physical death - is a purely fictional idea without any biblical support.
Dealing with Cultists
Witnessing to someone who has been thoroughly indoctrinated by false teaching seems to be a fruitless attempt, in particular when you have to deal with pseudo-Christian cults. But this is only the case if we let the cultists steer the discussion. Mormons and Jehovas Witnesses come prepared to convince you of your false beliefs. They quickly move to the topics where they are well versed and that often have little to do with the essential message of the Bible, that is salvation through Jesus Christ.
If you want to have more than just a long discussion that leads nowhere, you need to move into command of the conversation quickly. You should be the one who asks questions about their beliefs about the topics that are really important. If you can steer the discussion into a direction where the cultist is not prepared to support his point of view by memorized verses then you have a chance to reach the lost soul behind the wall of indoctrination.
But, in order to really reach than person, you should keep a few things in mind.
1.
Do not argue. Avoid anything that even sounds like you're attacking the person. He has a right to have his beliefs - even if they are severly wrong.
2.
For the same reason, do not ridicule the cultist even if what he says is really absurd. His beliefs have eternal significance to him and he won't listen to you if you don't take him seriously. How would you feel if you were ridiculed?
Besides, most cultists are much more commited to their cause than we are to ours. Their moral standards and religious efforts are often higher than ours - I think that most Baptists could learn quite a lot from Mormons and Jehovas Witnesses in this respect. But unfortunately their beliefs are very wrong.
So, instead of looking down to them, you should love the one who is so seriously deceived. He is a lost soul that needs your help.
3.
The gravest mistake you can make is to denigrate the character of the cult's founder . This will only raise a barrier between you and the cultist and make the discussion very difficult.
These were the ``don't''s. Now what is it that you should do.
4.
Use the word of God - the word itself is quick and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) and more effective than anything else. But keep in mind that just citing single verses does not lead you very far, particularly when you want to disprove an argument that the cultist already brought up and supported by his verses. You need to know the context of verses used by the cultist if you want to show him, that his false doctrines do not have a biblical support.
5.
This, of course, requires some preparation on your side. You need to know what the cultist believes and how he usually supports his view. Then you can use the word of God effectively to ``demolish strongholds'' - as 2.Cor 10:4 says - which seem to be impossible to conquer otherwise. But the plan is not only to silence the cultist, but to win him over to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
6.
A very effective way to lead the discussion into a different direction is to give your own testimony. There is nothing more convincing than a clear testimony about what Christ has done for you. One can easily deny your interpretation of the Bible, but it is hard to deny a ``real-life'' testimony. But make clear that Christ wants to do the same for the cultist, that is to save him from eternal punishment and to give him instead eternal life.
7.
Exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in all you say. Philippians 2:9-11 says
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Make clear that salvation is through Christ alone and that he is Lord of all.
8.
In all you do, you should consciously depend upon the Holy Spirit. Under his guidance you will be able to reach out to the cultist. He will tell you what to say, what to emphasize, and which argument not to bring up right now. If you try it out of your own wisdom, you may win an argument but lose the person.
Of course, there is no guarantee that you will be able to rescue a deceived soul. Sometimes you just have to let them go and pray that the word of God will continue to work in his life.
We obviously cannot cover all the cults, so I picked the most dominant ones. We will look at three kinds of cults
1.
Pseudo-Christian Cults. These are the cults that claim to be the true Christian church, which has recovered a long-lost truth taught already by the early church or given directly to their founder. They provide the only way to salvation, which means you cannot be saved unless you join them.
We will look at Mormonism , Jehova's Witnesses , The Way International , Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God , and Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church .
2.
Cults influenced by Hinduism or other Eastern Religions have greatly increased over the past 50 years. They usually acknowledge the Bible as one of the holy scriptures. But they pay little attention to it or re-interpret it according to Hindu teaching. They hold up ideas like reincarnation and the ultimate absorption into the global ``deity'' that is all and in all.
We will study Christian Science and Scientology , and maybe find some time to touch on Transcendental Metitation and similar things.
3.
The The New Age Movement is somewhat different. Although clearly under the influence of Hinduism, it is not as much a separate religious organization, with a spelled out doctrine, but rather a very dangerous deceiption that began to make its way into society and even the Christian churches about 15 years ago. It hasn't become as dangerous as people believed 10 years ago, but managed to seduce quite a few fine Christians to accept half-truths and heathen beliefs as consistent with their Christian faith - and thus made them ineffective.
It should be noted that there are also personality cults that gather around a single authoritative figure. But these seldomly present a new, distinctive teaching and often fade away with the death of the leader.
Back to Table of Contents
The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, whose members have been nicknamed Mormons claims to be the restoration of the true church established by Jesus Christ. It has no relation with the Catholic or Protestant Churches but differs from them in theology, organization, and religious practices. In its numerous publication it emphasizes that the Christian Church established by Jesus Christ has become corrupt over the century and needed to be re-established again. Because of this, there is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.
These are strong claims, but they carry some truth. The Christian Churches have always be in danger of being corrupted. Some, like the Catholic Church, have fallen pretty badly during the middle age and were never restored. The reformation in the 1500's started new churches which were theologically correct again, but today they suffer from a serious lack of commitment. Even many Baptist Churches do not preach the whole word of God anymore.
But is the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in fact a restoration of the true church of Jesus Christ? Let's have a look at what they believe.
We believe the Bible to be the word of God
We believe in God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Jehova, the promised Messiah, Redeemer and Savior, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved These are original citations from the Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. That sounds pretty much like what we believe, doesn't it? So - why do we say that Mormonism is a cult? Where are the differences?
Well, the differences show up when you dive deeper into Mormon theology and find out that the above articles of faith have a different meaning for them that for us. The bible is not the only source of authority they accept, their interpretation of the word ``God'' is quite different from ours and the same holds for the words ``redemption'' and ``salvation''. To understand what the Mormons believe we need to know a little bit about the early history of Mormonism.
History
The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints was founded by its first prophet Joseph Smith in 1830 in Fayette, New York - no further that 40 miles from here. According to his own reports he had his first heavenly vision in 1820 which were followed by numerous visitations by a ``resurrected person'' named Moroni. in 1827 Moroni delivered to Smith the ``golden plates'', whose translation is now the Book of Mormon. In May 1829 John the Baptist appeared and ordained Smith to the Aaronic Priesthood. Shortly after that Peter, James, and John came to ordain him to the Melchizedek Priesthood. This established the authority of the church, because without the Melchizedek Priesthood there could be not salvation for men on earth.
It is difficult to understand how Smith found his first followers, but the Finger Lakes Region has always been an easy prey for new religions and probably still is. As far as I know, Mormonism wasn't the only cult that started here. But because of its great emphasis on missions, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints has now grown into a church that has more than 3 million members, most of them in the state of Utah, and sends out as many as 14,000 missionaries. A few organizations separated from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints when Brigham Young took the Mormons to Utah, but compared to main church they are rather insignificant.
Major Doctrines - where are the differences?
Many bad things have been said about the Mormons, most of them being not true. In fact, as far as commitment and moral standards are concerend, the accomplishments of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints are astonishing and probably far beyond what Baptist Churches have achieved with their own members. In that respect, we can only learn from them.
But what about their beliefs? The claims of Joseph Smith about his visions may seem a little strange - but that alone doesn't mean that Mormonism is a cult. So, is the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints really a Church of Jesus Christ or not? Let's look at our measuring rod - our own articles of faith - and compare.
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
Let me give a more complete citation from the Mormon's articles of faith
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and that he will reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
So while the Mormons believe that the Bible is the word of God, it is only one of the many possible sources of authority. They strongly emphasize that the Bible is not complete and that there will always be additions to the current canon. It is taught, for instance, that Jesus repealed the law of Moses in the sermon on the mount Matthew 5:21-48 although he explicitly says in Matthew 5:17 that he will not change it.
The Mormons rely on the King James Version of the Bible, but the restriction ``as far as it is translated correctly'' suggests errors in the translation which make corrections by subsequent revelations and prophesies necessary.
The book of Mormon is considered to be an equally inspired record of the ancient people who inhabited the American continent before and after the time of Christ. The book tells the epic story of two waves of immigration, the first after the destruction of the tower of Babel with no survivors after a deadly battle 1500 years later, and the second about 600 B.C. under Levi from the trive of Manasseh. Two nations, the Nephite and the Lamanite, came out of this. The Nephites were well advanced in civilization and became Christians after the resurrected Christ came to the Americas to organize his church. The Lamanites fell under the curse, became dark in skin, and degenerated. In a final struggle 1000 years later the Nephites were eliminated. Their last survivor, Moroni, completed the book of Mormon on Golden Plates and hid them until he reappeared to give them to Joseph Smith. The surviving ``degenerated nation'' is identified with the American Indians.
In contrast to the Bible, which is confirmed by thousands of historical evidences, the book of Mormon must be viewed as purely fictional. There is no external evidence for any of its claims. It also overemphasizes the role of America as ``blessed land of God'' and attempts to give it a ``godly justification'' for the prevalent racism of the 1800's.
So altogether the Mormons know three sources of authority - the Bible, as long as it fits (``is translated correctly'') - the Book of Mormon - and revelations to their prophets. The role of the Bible is inferior for them and it is by no means the final authority anymore. Apart from using a similar terminology the Mormons have little in common with true Christianity.
God
We believe in God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost
At a first glance Mormons seem to have the same concept of God as we have. But Mormon theorogy clearly teaches that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate Gods ``composing the great presiding council of the universe''. They deny the doctrine of the trinity, because they view the blending of personalities as unnatural and impossible.
If something cannot be explained in human terms, it cannot be true. This argument, which seems to dominate the Mormon theology, leads to a belief system that appears to have a very limited view of God and consequently relies on complicated and often somewhat strange concepts.
Mormons believe in an eternal progression. God has once been as we are and is just much further ahead of us. In fact, every man can eventually become a God if he is faithful enough. Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have already entered the state of exaltation and become Gods.
Mormon theology denies the possibility of immaterial bodies and thus believe that God must have a body of flesh and bones - a direct contradiction to John 4:24 or 1. Timothy 1:17 and even their own teaching about the Holy Spirit.
Because of God being a material, Mormons have to re-interpret the meaning of omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence -- doctrines that they seem to share with orthodox Christianity. For them, God can only have a limited extension in space, but his senses and powers are infinite. So he can transfer himself to any place and is thus omnipresence. He is omniscient, and omnipotent only because of the support of angels and ministering servants.
It is also taught that the Gods have wives in heaven and through them, God is literally our father. We see a progression of Gods evolving from the human spirits who have once been fathered by some other Gods and now themselves create new human spirits. Mormonism calls this doctrine ``celestial parentage''.
So, a closer look reveals that the concept of God taught by Mormonism is quite different from the God of the Bible.
Man
The Mormon doctrine of man is very different from that of orthodox Christianity and is the key to an understanding of all the other doctrines. According to Mormonism, all life begins at the time of spirit creation. However, for a Mormon creation does not mean that God brought man into being, but only that he organized the elements which are co-eternal with him and thus turned them into spirit children.
Man's advance in the scheme of Eternal Progression involves at least four stages: (1) a premortal or spirit existence, (2) mortal life on earth with spirit and body temporarily joined, (3) the spirit world for the disembodied spirits after death, and (4) immortality after the resurrection with spirit and body inseparably connected.
Already in the premortal stage the spirit children have the freedom to choose good or evil. Their choices determine to a degree their later stage. Satan and one third rebelled at this stage and were excluded from eternal progression but became sons of perdition (we'll come back to that when we discuss the things to come). The rest stood with Christ, but some were less ``valiant'' and therefore had to live an inferior life as humans. This is the explanation for the ``millions of insane and afflicted people on earth and those living in filth, poverty, and degradation''. For the Mormons until 1978, black skin was one of the signs of this degradation and for this reason Black People were denied any spiritual rank.
This is a pretty unbiblical view of humans. The bible nowhere teaches that sickness and poverty are the result of one individual's sin, nor does it tell us that people with a different skin color are to be viewed as spiritually inferior.
But Mormonism also has quite a different understanding of the fall of mankind. For them, Adam was the archangel Michael in his premortal state. Together with one of his preincarnate wives (note the ``one of''), Eve, he was placed in the Garden of Eden, which the Mormons of course locate in America (Jackson County, MO). Both had immortal bodies but Eve sinned and became mortal. This created a dilemma for Adam, because he had to follow two conflicting commands: to multiply and replenish the earth and not to eat from the tree. He deliberately and wisely chose to stand by the first and greater command and took of the fruit. So he fell that men may be.
Mormonism thus completely denies the original sin. What God has declared sinful is now declared as one of the great advances toward eternal exaltation, because it opened the door for billions of pre-existing spirits to become mortal and further proceed in the scheme of eternal progression. For the Mormon, Adam did not sin at all: only Eve did, while the man - apparently viewed as ethically superior to women - had a good excuse for his transgression.
Consequently we don't inherit sinfulness from Adam and Eve but are innocent until we reach the age of accountability, which Mormons determine to be eight. Again, this is not what the Bible teaches. Although I am not quite sure what will happen to children who die before they can distinguish good and evil, the Bible clearly says that the heart of man is evil from childhood - there is no innocent stage.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal Jehova, the promised Messiah, Redeemer and Savior, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Although this statement seems to be in keeping with Bible teaching, the Mormon's beliefs about Jesus Christ differ a lot from that of orthodox Christianity.
Mormons make a distinction between Elohim, the exalted name reserved for the father, and Jehova, which they see as Jesus Christ. To them Jesus Christ is the first-born of all the spirit children of God, a term that includes angels, demons, and human beings. The difference between Christ and them is not one of kind but only of position. Any thought of Christ's distinctive deity is rejected. In fact, it is said that by obedience and devotion to the truth he earned the rank as God while yet in his pre-existing state. He was already God before he became mortal, but this is the only distinction from normal humans who can attain godhood only after their mortal life.
As first-born child of Elohim, he was the executive of the Father in the creation, being aided in his work by angels and many humans.
His earthly life began with the virgin birth of Mary, which assures his unique status. But Mormons emphasize that Elohim is literally the father of both the spirit and the human body of Christ. Mormon's agree with orthodox Christianity that Christ was the only person to live a sinless life, that he died on the cross for the redemption of mankind, and arose in the body on the third day. But in addition to his appearances recorded in the Bible the book of Mormon also claims that he came to the Americas as resurrected being and organized his church among the Nephite people.
The Holy Spirit
For the Mormon, the Holy Spirit is an entirely spiritual person without flesh and bones and thus different in nature from the father and the son. He emanates from the deity and is everywhere present, although only in one place at a time.
This again is superficially identical with what the bible says, but contradicts both the Mormon teaching about persons and the biblical teaching that father, son, and spirit are the same in every divine aspect.
Salvation
We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
Again, Mormonism uses a formulation of an article of faith that is very close to orthodox Christianity. But as before, the Mormon understanding of the atonement is different from ours. For Mormons, there are two aspects of salvation.
1.
The first aspect is the unconditional salvation for all of mankind. Weakness, desease, and death came upon all men because of the transgression of Adam. Through the atonement of Christ physical resurrection - or immortality - is guaranteed for all living beings. This kind of salvation doesn't require faith in Christ but includes everyone. The only exception are the sons of perdition.
2.
The second aspect is conditional salvation. It determines the course of eternal progression for the individual soul and depends entirely on obedience, works, and choices made during the mortal life.
While all men become immortal, only the faithful and obedient are allowed to enter the highest sphere of existence in eternity. Faith alone is not sufficient for such an ``exaltation''. The celestial kingdom can only be entered through obedience to the laws and ordinances, devotion, and faithfulness. In other words, individual salvation is by works, not by faith.
Faith in Jesus Christ thus does not play an important role in the Mormon doctrine of salvation. It is not necessary to escape eternal punishment and it does not help to enter the exalted eternal life. The biblical understanding of salvation is quite different from that. You cannot escape eternal punishment if you don't turn to Christ and your right to enter the heavenly kingdom does not depend on works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is based on faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Mormonism also puts a very strong emphasis on baptism. Without baptism, your sins cannot be forgiven and you cannot enter the celestial kingdom. To redeem those who believed but died without being baptized properly, Mormons practice baptisms for the dead and keep meticulous records about the life of millions of people. Again, it must be said that although baptism is an important act of obedience, the Bible nowhere teaches that it is necessary for salvation.
Things to come
The Mormon doctrines about the last things use similar elements as we know from the Bible but differ severly from orthodox Christianity. It would lead too far to discuss them in detail so I will focus on a few important aspects.
The book of Mormon teaches that Israel will literally gather, which today is interpreted as joining the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, and that Zion will be built in the American continent. Afterwards Christ will return, and those who made it into the celestial kingdom will be resurrected to meet him in the air, to reign together with him. The other believers will be resurrected next and live on earth during the millenial reign. The wicked will be destroyed and sent into a ``the prison house'' for cleansing. Satan will be bound during the 1000 years. The second resurrection will then separate those destined for eternity from the sons of perdition.
There will be three eternal kingdoms of widely differing glories and one place for the sons of perdition.
The sphere of exaltation in the celestial kingdom
is reserved for the faithful and obedient. They will be gods and shall dwell in the presence of God, the father, and His Christ forever.
The terrestrial kingdom
is for the lukewarm believers and those who accepted the gospel only while in the spirit world, that is after death. They remain without exaltation and receive the presence of the Son but not of the father.
The lowest sphere in the celestial world
is reserved for the rest who rejected Christ (or the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints) and lived wickedly. They will never experience the presence of God or of Christ, but shall live eternally as servants of God.
Perdition
is for those who have no hope of any degree of salvation, that is Satan and the angels who rebelled with him,and all men who committed the impardonable sin. They are doomed to everlasting fire.
However, eternal punishment is not really eternal, because God has the power to pardon them after an appropriate time. So, in the end, nobody will stay in the state of punishment forever.
So we see that the Mormon doctrine of the last things is filled with phantasies that integrate biblical concepts but have little to do with the word of God. The terminology is often the same as in orthodox Christianity but - as we have seen over and over again - Mormonism twists the meaning of this terminology so much, that their doctrines have nothing in common with true Christianity.
Besides their religious beliefs certain Mormon practices deserve a brief discussion.
Polygamy:
was established as a result of a direct revelation to Joseph Smith, which emphasized the eternity of the marriage covenant and the plurality of wives. Mormons believed that the Gods had multiple wives and felt that they were divinely commanded to do the same. However, all marriages had to be duly established and gave a lot of responsibilities to the man who wanted to lead such a large family. Polygamy became a controversial issue later and the practice was discontinued in 1890 in order to remove obstacles that kept Utah from joining the United States. Polygamy is a severe misuse of the word of God. The fact that God permitted polygamy in ancient times does not mean that he sanctified it. In a time where many men were killed in wars and women could not survive alone except by prostitution this was the lesser evil, but by no means good.
Racism:
The book of Mormon and its interpretation in Mormon doctrines clearly identifies Black and Native Americans as spiritually inferior beings, which is in strong contradiction to the word of God. It appears that the Mormon doctrines tried to give a ``godly justification'' for the racism and sexism that was so common in the time of Joseph Smith and his followers. The Bible, however, nowhere teaches that certain people are superior to others just because of their race, skin color, sex, or other physical differences.
Back to Table of Contents
Jehova's Witnesses define themselves to be servants of Jehova, the Almighty God, and active witnesses to his sovereign supremacy. They reject any association with organized Christendom, which they view as religious hypocrisy. For them, the central issue is vindication of the name and sovereignty of Jehova - far more important than the salvation of men.
Jehova's Witnesses are known for their amazing publication and witnessing activity. In every major city you will notice Jehova's Witnesses displaying the Awake and The Watchtower magazine while enduring the ridicule of the secular population. Almost every household is visited by Jehova's Witnesses at least once a year. Each issue of their Awake and The Watchtower magazines is printed more than ten million times in more than 80 languages and there is an apparently endless production of books - all written in an authoritative tone, very convincing to the uninformed reader.
Their current booklet Knowledge that leads to Everlasting Life, for instance, presents an excellent, easy to understand introduction into the foundations of what seems to be genuine Christianity. It contains, for example, a very good exposition about the uniqueness and the trustworthiness of the Bible. On the surface, they have very much in common with faithful believers. So to the unsuspecting observer they only seem to be a bit extreme because they are so eager to stand up for God in an ungodly world.
History
This exactly is the claimed purpose of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society - the organization which we know today as Jehova's Witnesses. It was founded in 1884 by Charles Taze Russell who viewed most of orthodox Christianity as corrupted and began to build his own system of Bible interpretation. His ideas were widely circulated through a seven volume book called Studies in the Scripture which has been distributed about 15 million times.
Major Doctrines - where are the differences?
In contrast to most other cults, Jehova's Witnesses focus on the Bible as their sole source of authority. But their interpretation of the Bible differs from orthodox Christianity in many essential points. They reject the doctrine of the trinity as unscriptural, deny the deity of Christ and the personality of the Holy Spirit. Any assurance of salvation is virtually impossible because it depends on faithfulness, which is the reason why each Jehova's Witness spends hundreds of hours of witnessing per year.
In most other aspects Jehova's Witnesses share the orthodox beliefs. This makes it extremely difficult to detect the deception in their teachings, particularly because it has improved over the years. Only a few years ago, their foundational booklet openly attacked the doctrine of the trinity and other orthodox doctrines. But their more recent publications are much smoother. They just tell the story as they see it, which means that they describe Jesus as the Messiah, but simply never say that he is also co-equal with God the Father. An uninformed reader will hardly notice that something essential is missing here.
Most of the differences between the teachings of Jehova's Witnesses and orthodox Christianity are of that nature: a few words here, half a sentence there - that is all you may notice. But if you sum up all these tiny little differences they lead to a belief system that has little to do with the true Word of God.
How do we know? What is it that shows us that Jehova's Witnesses actually deviate from the word of God while claiming to be the only faithful followers? Let's look at our measuring rod - our own articles of faith - and compare.
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
Jehova's Witnesses strongly emphasize that for them the Bible is the ultimate source of authority. It is ``Jehova God's written word to mankind, revealing himself and expressing his purpose''. With such a strong devotion to the Word of God it appears strange that the doctrines of Jehova's Witnesses are so different from those of orthodox Christianity. Is the Word of God so ambiguous that it allows such different interpretations?
It is not. Actually, the ultimate source of authority for Jehova's Witnesses is not the pure Word of God, but the bible as translated and interpreted by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Russell's Studies in the Scripture and the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, which appeared in 1961, differ from the conventional translations whenever this is necessary to verify specific doctrines. Many of the peculiar teachings of Jehova's Witnesses are smuggled into the text of their Bible itself. The differences are not very obvious: a few words here, a different sentence structure there - that is all you see. But the consequences of these modifications are severe.
At this point one might say that Jehova's Witnesses have a right to create their own translation if they think that their choice of words would make certain aspects clearer to today's society. This is certainly true. But if you compare the translation with the original Greek and Hebrew, you will find that it is not just a bit biased, but plain wrong. If you look up Bible dictionaries or were fortunate enough to have studied Hebrew or Greek for a few years, you will notice that the modifications of critical passages may appear acceptable in the English language, but are not warranted by the original text. John 1:1, for instance is translated:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God.
and Colossians 1:16-17 reads
For by him were all other things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all other things, and by him all other things consist.
By inserting the indefinite article into John 1:1 and the word other into Colossians 1:16-17, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures supports the Witnesses' doctrine that Jesus Christ is not co-equal with God the Father. In the translation of Luke 23:43: Verily I say unto you today, you shall be with me in paradise
the comma has been shifted after the word today, which gives the whole sentence an entirely different meaning and allows a different teaching about paradise. In all three cases the Greek original does not allow the translations chosen by Jehova's Witnesses. In Colossians the word ``other'' does not occur at all. Luke 23:43 is a bit more tricky, because there are no commata in the original text. But the Greek grammar of the text does not allow to consider the word today as linked to the word say, so the traditional translation is correct. I will say more about John 1:1 and other false translations when we go into the specific doctrines.
So you have to be careful. Don't let a Jehova's Witness cite from his own Bible but ask him to open a conventional one and study the Word there. That may lead to a few disputes about the accuracy of the translation but most Witnesses are not even aware of that fact or will turn out to be unable to defend their translation. But very likely you will not run into this discussion and can focus on the pure Word of God instead. Maybe this will open their minds and make them able to see themselves that their doctrines are wrong.
God
For Jehova's Witnesses, God the Father is the only true God who ``is now working out his purpose of vindicating his name, Jehova, and sovereignty, and blessing all faithful mankind through his kingdom''. Jehova is one person, self-contained and never lonely, omniscient, but not omnipresent - although his power extends everywhere. Jehova God is the supreme sovereign of the universe.
This description is close to how orthodox Christianity would characterize God the father. However, Jehova's Witnesses vehemently deny the doctrine of the trinity. The view it as a ``false, unbiblical doctrine that would deny His almighty supremacy''. They consistently deny the deity of Christ and the personality of the Holy Spirit.
In our first session we have discussed the trinity of God, the deity of Christ, and the personality of the Holy Spirit. There is plenty of biblical evidence for these doctrines although they are never spelled out explicitly in a single verse. But Jehova's Witnesses ignore these evidences or translate them away in their New World Translation. For them, the doctrine of the trinity is originated in ancient Babylonish paganism, and the central issue is to stand up for the vindication of the name ``Jehova'', which they sometimes view as a requirement for salvation.
Creation
Almost all of Jehova's Witnesses`s doctrines are built around an elaborate view of creation: Jehova God brought into being all that exists, both the material and the spiritual. Jesus Christ was God's first creation (thus his son) and was given ``priority and preeminence among all God's creatures''. The Son then became the co-worker of Jehova through whom all else came into existence. Angels were created next, with Lucifer being the first of them - a prince almost equal to the only-begotten son, but later falling away. Finally, the heavens and the earth were created at God's command.
Jehova's Witnesses like to calculate: since the sabbath rest began some 6000 years ago, the Battle of Armageddon is near and ``Christ's reign of 1000 years will being immediately after it'', each of the creator's workdays was 7000 years long and mankind is 42,000 years old. The world itself may be much older, because the ``silence'' of Genesis 1:1 ``may allow'' for a period of several billion years.
Jesus Christ
Jesus, the Christ is a created individual, the second greatest Personage of the universe. Jehova God and Jesus together constitute the Superior authorities.
The vehement denial of the deity of Christ is an outstanding feature of Jehova's Witnesses`s doctrinal system. Actually, it is just a revival of an old heresy known as Arianism. To the Witness, Jesus Christ is the Messiah, but not Jehova God. He is the first-born son of God and lesser than Jehova. He was born as a Human (in the October of 2 B.C.) and did not possess immortality. But he became the Messiah when he was baptized by John (in Fall 29 A.D.) and acknowledged by God, died on a stake (not a cross) as ransom for our sin (in Spring 33 A.D.), and was resurrected immortal as a spirit (not a physical body) on the third day. There is no bodily resurrection and consequently there can be no second coming in the scriptural sense of that term.
To support these doctrines, many key passages of the bible are twisted in the New World Translation. Philippians 2:6, for instance, is translated as
who .. gave no consideration to a seizure, namely that he should be equal to God.
which seems to say that Jesus never claimed to be equal to God. Quite the opposite is true if you look at the actual text.
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
Reference is also made to John 1:1-3, which says
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
We think this is pretty plain. Jesus is the Word -- Jehova's Witnesses agree to that -- Jesus was there from the beginning, Jesus was with God, Jesus was identical with God, and He was the Creator of everything. But the Witnesses say that this is not so.
For them, Jesus is a created being - the ``firstborn of creation'', so he was present since the beginning of creation but not earlier. They say he cannot be identical with God the Father, because the Bible says that the Word was with God. And since two persons cannot be identical, Jesus cannot be God. He was created by God as the very first there was and from then on he created all of the material world.
Sounds plausible - doesn't it? But there is a contradiction with the end of verse 1, which says that the Word was God. If you point that out to them, you will hear that the correct translation would be the Word is a God, which means exalted, but not identical with Jehova. Well, they are right in saying that the Greek doesn't use the definite article here, but the Greek sentence actually says God was the Word, so it is a statement about God the father. In English (and German as well), we can change the order of words without changing the meaning of the sentence, so the Word was God is also a correct translation while the Word is a God cannot be justified.
Jesus cannot be a created being because verse 3 clearly says that without him nothing was created that was created. So nobody else created him. The Greek term here is absolute and not restricted to material things. Nothing is more than just no thing. The English translation is a bit ambiguous here because there is no word in the English language to express this appropriately. The same holds for in the beginning, which in the Greek has a connotation of ``always'' and not of a starting moment. So Jesus was there not just since the beginning of creation but always.
Now someone may point out that the Bible speaks of Jesus as the only begotten son of the Father (John 1:14). Doesn't that mean created? No it doesn't! The Greek original monogenos points at uniqueness in rank and relation and is not related to the word gennao, which means to create. The translators 300 years ago chose the words only begotten because at that time this clearly expressed that Jesus' relation to the Father was special and unique and that as the heir he was equal in rank with the Father. They couldn't use ``the only son'' because that would contradict the fact that all Christians are children of God. Today's understanding of only begotten is a little different, but it is difficult to find an English phrase that expresses the meaning of monogenos accurately.
I went into these details to show you how subtle the deception is. At a first glance you would hardly notice that the tiny little differences in the translation have any effect on our interpretation of God's word. But the doctrines derived from these tiny little twists are extremely different from what we believe.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not a person but defined as ``Jehova's invisible energizing force that produces visible results experienced by men''. To support this, the New World Translation never capitalizes references to the Holy Spirit and many passages referring to the Holy Spirit are modified accordingly. Genesis 1:2, for instance, is translated as: And God's active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.
There are no attempts to explaining the Spirit's activities as helper, guide, advocate, comforter, or person who convicts of sin, which so clearly point out the personality of the Holy Spirit.
Man
Man was made by God about 42,000 years ago and given dominion over the earth. For the Witness, a man does not have a soul that is separate from the human body and can exist independently, but man is a soul. This soul is not immortal and thus death is the end of existence. Immortality is given as a reward for faithfulness. This concept is in sharp contrast to the orthodox understanding of Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Jehova's Witnesses point out that in this passage man became a living soul. But the body, made from the dust of the ground, is mortal and subject to death, while the soul - the breath of life - entered the body and gave it life. The breath of life is God's breath and indestructible. It will leave the body during physical death.
Man sinned and was expelled from the Garden of Eden lest he gain immortality of the body, as stated in Genesis 3:22-23. Jehova's Witnesses maintain that Adam would have lived forever on earth in his mortal state if he had not sinned. But because of his disobedience, death came into the world.
Since Jehova's Witnesses view body and soul as inseparable, their explanation of death and resurrection becomes quite complicated. For them, the first death is a soul sleep, a termination of existence, and resurrection is a re-creation according to the memory of God - not a restoration of the original body and soul.
Salvation
Salvation is the deliverance from the destructive power of sin, a redemption from the ultimate end of sin, which is everlasting death, annihilation.
For Jehova's Witnesses, Christ's atonement for sin is the ransom that overcame the power of sin and death and gave man a new chance - an opportunity to receive the gift of immortal life. Jesus Christ willingly gave up his perfect human life on earth and offset the inherited condemnation for Adam's family. He exchanged his human existence for the spirit existence and secured man an opportunity to live in paradise.
So far this sounds similar to what orthodox Christianity teaches, although we would possibly express it with different words. But salvation is only available for the faithful ones who endure to the end. All other will receive a ``destruction that lasts forever'', that is annihilation.
Jehova's Witnesses also have a very peculiar interpretation of Revelation 7:4:
And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
For the Witness this means that only 144,000 will be able to share in heavenly glory with Jesus Christ. We are told that God hat set certain requirements and qualifications for this the heavenly class: First, they have to exercise faith in God's provision, the shed blood of Christ. This includes baptism, which symbolizes dedication and brings the Witnesses into the position to be justified and declared righteous before God. God then causes his active force or holy spirit to act upon them and acknowledges them as his sons.
Second, they must demonstrate their dependability by maintaining integrity and carrying out their dedication faithfully until death.
The majority of Jehova's Witnesses will not be able to be in that heavenly class. They will enjoy life in paradise on earth, provided that they pass the the test of faithfulness during the millenial reign.
So salvation does not come by faith in Jesus Christ alone, but only by being a faithful, obedient, and enduring witness of Jehova God. There is no assurance that you can make it, which explains why Jehova's Witnesses are so eager to witness to other people and endure the ridicule of the world. They need to work their way into paradise and even that doesn't guarantee heavenly glory for them. On the other hand, there is no eternal punishment because all the unfaithful ones will be annihilated.
Things to come
The doctrine of Things to Come is based on a series of sophisticated calculations by which Jehova's Witnesses were trying to predict the return of Christ and other details of the kingdom of God, like for instance the number of people who would be part of the heavenly kingdom.
At the end of the 19th century Charles Russell calculated the beginning of the heavenly kingdom to be the year 1914, which is 2520 years after Jerusalem was captured by Babylon. The 2520 years arose from a combination of Daniel 4:16, Revelation 12:6, and Ezekiel 4:6 which appears to spell out the time until God is acknowledged. Before 1914, this beginning of the heavenly kingdom was understood as the second coming of Christ and as judgment day.
Now that 1914 has passed without any visible event, Jehova's Witnesses had to develop a more elaborate doctrine lest they admit that their prediction was wrong. So they say now that the kingdom of God is entirely heavenly and that Christ's second coming already took place in the spirit world. At that time the devil and all his demons were hurled down to earth - World War I is viewed as proof for this claim.
Four years later, in 1918, Jesus entered the spiritual temple and began to cleanse it. This marked the period of judgment: The 144,000 were chosen from among those already dead and those who will die subsequent to 1918. The judgment people living in the world were divided into ``sheep and goats'' according to their individual attitude toward Jehova's Witnesses and their message. The judgment is still going on as long as people are born into the world.
The battle of Armageddon is the next great event in history. In this battle Jesus Christ and his forces of righteousness will destroy Satan and his demonic and human organizations - such as organized religion and the United Nations - and vindicate Jehova's universal sovereignty. Armageddon's survivors will enter the Millenium on earth. During that time the faithful will be raised, as well as those who tried but died without opportunity to learn. The latter will be taught and then - like the others - go through a thousand year test of faithfulness. Only those who pass this millenial test will later enter paradise. The others will, together with Satan and his followers, be thrown into the lake of fire and annihilated.
Failing predictions caused a lot of trouble for Jehova's Witnesses. Subsequently they put many efforts into re-interpreting the meaning of words in order to support their teachings. Jehova's Witnesses are not willing to admit mistakes in their interpretation of the Bible - they rather elaborate complicated doctrines that are difficult to justify and twist the meaning of words than submitting to the pure Word of God. Because of a deep distrust in all established religions and worldly organizations they often appear extremely stubborn and indoctrinated when confronted with the truth. It does not make much sense to dispute doctrines on an abstract level.
But you have something which they miss - assurance of salvation. Your individual testimony, coupled with questions about their personal beliefs, may help them to see beyond their narrow horizon and understand what the gospel really says.
Back to Table of Contents
The group that we will study today shares many of its fundamental beliefs with Jehova's Witnesses although it gives different justifications for them. It is called The Way International, a relatively small cult which attracted a lot of attention in the 1970s as it grew rapidly.
According to its own definition The Way International is a biblical research and teaching organization concerned with setting before men and women of all ages the inherent accuracy of the Word of God so that everyone who so desires may know the power of God in his life. The Way is not a church, nor is it a denomination or a religious sect of any sort.
Power for abundant living - this is what The Way International promises its followers. Capitalizing on the lifelessness of traditional churches who failed to fill the spiritual needs of today's society and the enthusiasm of the younger generation The Way International purports to give a new light on the Scriptures. This new light, which is taught in various classes offered by The Way, is the result of over thirty years of biblical research and teaching by its founder, Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille. In his many books and videos Wierwille demonstrates an impressive use of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic - together with appropriate explanations - to interpret Scripture. However, his style is very dogmatic and critical and - unfortunately - often very far away from orthodox Christian doctrines.
History
Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille received a Master of Theology degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and served as a minister of the Evangelical and Reformed Church from 1941 to 1957. During that time, he claims, God audibly spoke to him:
He spoke to me just as plainly as I'm talking to you now. He said he would teach me the Word as it had not been known since the first century if I would teach it to others.
God, he testifies, later gave him a sign in confirmation of his voice. He later received ``the holy spirit'' (not capitalized!) and began to speak in tongues.
For Wierwille, this was the starting point of his true mission. He started broadcasting radio shows, went back to school to receive a doctorate, and began to teach they new truths that he had ``received'' from God, among which his ``Power for abundant living'' class has become the most popular one.
The Way, the name was taken from Acts 9:2, was officially chartered in 1955 and began to grow rapidly in the sixties and seventies. Videos and long-term training programs were developed and translated into several languages. After the death of Dr. Wierwille in 1986, The Way went through a phase of re-organization by its current president and experienced a short period of decline. recently, however, membership has begun to grow again and The Way still needs to be taken serious.
The organizational structure of The Way International is likened to a tree. After taking the basic ``Power for abundant living'' classes, new members (viewed as leaves) join a home bible study group - called a twig - where they meet for worshiping and studying the word - usually guided by videos or audio tapes. Branches, limbs (state), trunks (national), and the root (headquarter) are further steps in the hierarchy of The Way. As in the catholic church, this structure has also become a doctrinal hierarchy - the views of The Way's president are often viewed as the only acceptable interpretation of the Word of God.
Although The Way has attracted only a few hundred thousand members and lost many again of them after a few years it has attracted the attention of the media in the 1970's because of its rapid growth and became popular particularly among younger people. Like all new religious groups, The Way has become subject of various rumors, including brainwashing techniques for acquiring new members and paramilitary training, most of them not being true. As far as size and religious practices are concerned, The Way is not a dangerous cult. However, its teachings are a cause for concern, because they attract the spiritually needy but mislead them at the same time - even if they do not become members.
Major Doctrines - where are the differences?
The beliefs of The Way International have been characterized as a mixture of evangelical Christianity, pentecostalism, and a few ancient heresies which The Way shares with Jehova's Witnesses and other cults. Many of the teachings of Dr. Wierwille can be seen in accordance to orthodox Christianity. But the few deviations - such as the denial of the trinity, of the deity of Christ, or the personality of the Holy Spirit - are essential and should not be considered as acceptable. So let us look at the specific teachings of The Way and compare them to our own articles of faith.
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
The one and only recognized source of authority is the Bible, although it is distinctively re-interpreted by the founder. Wierwille considers the gospels as part of the Old Testament and only the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles addressed to the church are apply to today's believers. The remainder of the Bible is ``for our learning'' but are not as relevant. This is at least an unusual view because traditionally we consider all of the Bible as relevant for today's life. 2. Timothy 3:16 says
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Wierwille does not brush this verse away, but states that the Word was originally God-breathed and has been confused over the centuries by man-made doctrines and traditions. He claims, for instance, that the original text of the New Testament was Aramaic, not Greek, and bases his interpretations on the available Aramaic texts.
He is not entirely wrong with his claims. Churches need to be careful not to confuse the true Word of God with man-made traditions, and parts of the New Testament (the Gospel of Matthew) may have been written originally in Aramaic. But that is exactly what makes the teachings of Wierwille so dangerous. A bit of justified criticism, mixed with partial truths and peculiar interpretations of the Word of God - this catches those who are not already firm in their faith and causes many to view The Way as a sound Christian group with a specific mission.
For members of The Way, the doctrines taught in the Power for abundant living classes have almost the same authority as the Scriptures they are supposed to interpret. Former members report that it was difficult to get justifications for these teachings that are based on scripture alone. The argument ``it simply is so'' is often used to end a discussion when no consensus could be reached. Wierwille claims to have received his insights directly from God, but many of his teachings were actually inspired by various books that he read in the thirties and forties.
God
Like Jehova's Witnesses The Way teaches that God the Father is the only true God and Creator of heaven and earth. The doctrine of the trinity is vehemently rejected. The clearest New Testament verse, 1. John 5:7
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
is viewed as one example where a doctrine made its way into the text of the Bible. This is probably correct, because this verse is not found in any Greek manuscript that is older than 500 years. The use of the plural word Elohim in the Old Testament is explained as indicative of supremacy and lordship - a plural of majesty. This is certainly a possible, though not very likely interpretation of the use of the plural word Elohim for God. But Wierwille ignores the fact that there are many other biblical evidences for the doctrine of the trinity that cannot be re-interpreted otherwise. Among those are verses that clearly point out the deity of Christ and the personality of the Holy Spirit.
We have talked about the doctrine of the trinity several times already but but Wierwille's counter-arguments raise a few new issues that need to be addressed.
In 1975 Wierwille wrote a book with the title Jesus Christ is not God. This book summarizes the key points in The Way's doctrine.
1.
God is eternal while Jesus was born. Jesus did not coexist with God, neither as spirit nor in any other form, before his human birth. John 1:1 is interpreted as:
In the beginning was the Word (that is God the father), and the revealed Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2.
Jesus Christ is the created Word, that was with God in His foreknowledge from the beginning.
So there are three forms of the Word - the original Word (God himself), the written Word (the Bible) and the created Word (Jesus). The latter two are what Wierwille calls the revealed Word, which God gave in order to communicate with mankind.
So Jesus Christ is the Son of God, brought into existence by God in Mary's womb, the perfect man; the promised Messiah, who died as a substitute for our sins and was raised again by God on the third day - but he is NOT God himself.
Scriptures like John 10:30, where Jesus clearly states ``I and my Father are one'' are brushed aside by re-interpretation. Wierwille holds that this would mean only ``one in purpose''. But this argument completely ignores the violent reaction of the Jews - they certainly took it as much more than one in purpose and Jesus adds to his claim in John 10:38, when he says ``the Father is in me, and I in him''.
Other verses like Hebrews 1:2 or Ephesians 3:9 which explicitly state that all things were created by Jesus Christ are re-interpreted as ``created for Jesus Christ''. While the original text may allow such an interpretation, the immediate context does not justify it. So again we see that Wierwille's arguments for his peculiar doctrines are quite deceiving and not so easy to refute unless you know the context of Bible passages very well.
There are a few other peculiarities in The Way's teachings about Jesus Christ. They claim that Jesus Christ died on a Wednesday and was raised exactly 72 hours later on a Saturday. Like Jehova's Witnesses they say that Jesus died on a stake, not a cross. Also there were four men crucified with Christ - two thieves (according to Matthew 27:38), and two malefactors (according to Luke 23:32). The Aramaic words Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? in Matthew 27:46, translated as ``My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'' are re-interpreted as ``My God, my God, for this purpose was I spared, for this purpose was I kept, for this purpose I came into the world'', which takes the unique relation between Jesus and God the father away from this verse.
Neither of these peculiarities have any significance for The Way's teachings other than to support Wierwille's claim that he alone is able to accurately interpret God's word. But There is no sound scriptural basis for these teachings and the traditional doctrines are much better supported by the overall context of the Bible.
The Holy Spirit
The Way strongly rejects the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is an independent person. In his interpretation of the Bible Wierwille distinguishes between the person of the Holy Spirit, which is just another name for God, and holy spirit (uncapitalized), which is a gift of God to the believers. The latter is not a person but a manifestation of God's power in a person.
Salvation
Salvation is by faith in Christ. Any person who confesses Jesus Christ as his Lord and believes that God raised him from the dead is born again and a member of the body of Christ. This is essentially the orthodox doctrine but weakened by the denial of the deity of Christ. In fact, Wierwille goes as far as writing that ``If Jesus Christ is God and not the Son of God, we have not yet been redeemed'', because this would degrade God from his supreme position. But without the deity of Christ, the atonement would not have been the perfect sacrifice and perfect substitute for the sins of all men.
For The Way there are two immediate consequences of salvation: the deliverance from the powers of darkness and the gift of holy spirit.
Wierwille teaches that ``when we have salvation, we have wholeness - even physical wholeness if we simply accept it. Complete healing from any sickness or disability is available to all believers. Although this is not a matter of extreme emphasis, it is often pointed out as an additional incentive for those who are searching. Ironically, Dr. Wierwille himself suffered from various diseases in the last years before his death. This fact was well hidden from the public but revealed after his death in 1985. He died after a long and hopeless battle against cancer - apparently not even ``the chosen instrument of God'' had not enough faith to become physically whole, but he was to stubborn to admit that he was wrong.
Speaking in tongues is another major issue that The Way shares with the pentecostal movement. An individual, so it is taught, receives the gift of holy spirit when he is saved, which comes in all 9 manifestations listed in 1. Corinthians 12 (tongues, interpretation, prophecy, word of wisdom, discerning spirits, faith, miracles, and healing). Speaking in tongues is viewed as the visible sign of salvation and The Way encourages every believer to use that gift for his own and the other's edification.
There are two problematic aspects with this teaching. First, the Bible nowhere teaches that every believer receives the gift of speaking in tongues. 1. Corinthians 12:10 lists it as one possible gift. Members of The Way who cannot speak in tongues will always doubt whether they are really saved. Secondly, the speaking in tongues is no unique sign of salvation. In fact, it was practiced by many pagan religions which had nothing to do with the only true God. Accepting tongues as a sign for salvation will give some people a false sense of assurance.
Special Aspects
There are, however, a few peculiarities that deserve a brief discussion. The Way shares with the pentecostal movements a strong emphasis on tongues and healing, which usually is very fascinating for unbelievers, and a strong belief in authority and ``church hierarchies''. While the Bible does teach us to respect and support our leaders, it nowhere says that we have to believe all they say.
The fact that the strong authoritative structure of The Way is merely an issue of ``power'' became quite obvious after the death of Dr. Wierwille in 1985. There was a brief struggle for leadership and the current president quickly purged the organization from opponents, apostates, and any connection to the name Wierwille. The Way is now the ``kingdom'' of Reverend Craig Martindale - concerning both leadership and official teachings.
For a certain time, it was unofficially taught that extra-marital sex is not sinful but could actually be profitable for spiritual growth. This view was based on the old Corinthian belief that bodily practices do not affect the spirit of a person. Although this was never taught publicly, it made adultery an acceptable practice, which again made The Way more appealing for today's society than traditional churches who clearly refused any tolerance of sexual misconduct.
The fact that The Way deviates from orthodox Christianity only in doctrines that are not immediately important for the spiritually needy, makes it more dangerous than cults that are clearly distinct from Christian beliefs. There are many people in this world who try to get right with God and organizations like The Way make it easier for them to find a spiritual home than most of the traditional churches. They notice that the water they drink contains some impurities, but they are so thirsty that they take it anyway.
The success of pseudo-Christian cults should be a lesson for the bible-believing churches. Are we ready to fill the spiritual needs of the unbelievers? Or are we so holy that we don't associate with them before they come into our church and turn to Christ? Paul said it this way (1.Corinthians 9:20-21)
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
There are thousands of people out there in Ithaca alone who need us. Let us reach out to them and give them the pure water before they get the contaminated one.
History
Herbert W. Armstrong's interest in the Bible began in 1927 after his wife brought the particular teachings of her church, the Church of God - Seventh Day, to his attention. Trying to prove them wrong he studied their beliefs intensively and finally accepted them. In 1933, he was ordained a minister of that church and shortly afterwards began broadcasting a radio program called The Radio Church of God and publishing a magazine called The Plain Truth . Because his teachings deviated more and more from that of the Church of God - Seventh Day his ordination was later revoked. He continued his ministry by radio and magazine and eventually founded his Worldwide Church of God.
While the church itself never grew larger than about 100,000 members, its radio and television programs reached millions of Americans. About 8 million copies of The Plain Truth magazines were sold each month in 187 countries. During its peak time the church reported donations of more that 200 million dollars per year, which is due to an extreme emphasis on works and over-tithing as requirement for salvation.
Armstrong's message was a mixture of Seventh Day Adventism, Jewish observances of the law, and specific cultist doctrines which were claimed to be special revelations from God. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote
The prophesies and mysteries of God, sealed until now, are today revealed to those whom God has chosen to carry his last message to the world as a witness
and also claims that his Worldwide Church of God is the only true church of God while all others are counterfeits. Yet most of his doctrines are very similar to those of Jehova's Witnesses, Mormonism, and British Israelism - thus in no way unique to Armstrong. There was also a major focus on predictive prophesy. For instance, it was predicted that Jesus Christ would return in 1975, which of course did not happen and caused the church to lose many members in the late seventies.
Shortly before his death in 1986, Armstrong passed his authoritarian power as Pastor General to Joseph Tkach, a member of the board who had worked up through the ranks because of his unswerving loyalty to Armstrong. Ironically, Tkach used his power to change the Worldwide Church of God's doctrines after Armstrong's death to a more orthodox position, despite a widespread opposition among members. By 1995 the Worldwide Church of God had eventually become a bible-believing church, which today (July 1999) is even admitted by the most sceptical anti-cult organizations.
The only criticism is that the church still maintains its authoritarian leadership structure as well as a certain lack of fiscal responsibility, and declares that it really has been ``Christian'' all the time, which is hard to understand given the radical changes of the past 13 years. However, we can praise God for turning the Church around. It is one of the most striking examples how God uses his Word to ``demolish strongholds'' - as 2. Corinthians 10:4 says - which by human terms already seemed invincible.
Major Doctrines - where are the differences?
In what we will discuss today I will focus on the time before the changes, that is on Armstrongism. As I mentioned, Armstrong did reach millions of Americans and certainly influenced many who never joined his church but brought his teachings into other churches. Like the Mormons, Armstrongism denies the Trinity but believes that every man can eventually become God. As Jehova's Witnesses, he sees Jesus Christ as a God, but inferior to God the Father. Like both, it teaches salvation by faith in Jesus Christ and additional obedience to the law. But there are a few new doctrines that we have not discussed so far.
Central to Armstrong's teachings is the belief in British Israelism, which strongly influences the way in which the bible is interpreted. The basic theory of British Israelism is that the Anglo-Saxons, that is Britain and its former empire, are the ten lost tribes of Israel. The argument goes roughly as follows.
1.
God's promise to Abraham was to be the father of many nations of which the Jews are only one (Judah).
2.
God's promise to David was to establish his throne forever ( 2. Samuel 7:13) so it must exist today.
3.
Israel lost its identity in 721 B.C., when its people were taken captive and became known as the ten lost tribes.
4.
According to Jacob's prophecy Ephraim was promised to become a multitude of nations, a commonwealth - which must be today's Great Britain.
5.
Manasseh is the United States.
This theory, which came up way before Armstrong's times, is supported by a massive abuse of language. The name Saxon's is supposed to be derived from Isaac-son while British is composed from the Hebrew words Brit - meaning covenant - and Ish - meaning man. While composed foreign words did make their way into the English language, this explanation must be viewed as pure fantasy without any evidence.
Nevertheless, there are quite a few British and American cults, Armstrongism included, which hold to that teaching because it gives them a special role as God's chosen people.
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
The only recognized source of authority in the Worldwide Church of God is said to be the Bible. However, Armstrong claimed that his church has the only true interpretation of the Word of God, which essentially says that you cannot interpret the Bible yourself. So the final authority for members of the Worldwide Church of God were Armstrong's writings and not the text of the Bible.
God
God is the creator, the beginner, the one who caused us to have life, and so is called our father.
At a first glance, Armstrong seems to have an orthodox concept of God. However, he declares the doctrine of the trinity to be pagan and teaches instead that ``God is a family, a kingdom, NOT a limited trinity''. This family consists currently only of God the Father and the God of Abraham, who later became Jesus Christ, the son of God. But God's intent, Armstrong teaches, is to reproduce himself. All children of God will eventually become God as well, who ``will counsel and advise our Creator''.
This is very close to what the eternal progression in Mormonism expresses but it goes to an even greater extreme.
Jesus Christ
Christ has existed from all eternity with the Father. He is one with the Father, but he is subordinate to him.
In contrast to Mormonism, Jehova's Witnesses, or the Way International, Armstrong teaches that Jesus Christ is co-eternal and one with God the Father. In fact HE was Jehova, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not the son of God before he was born of the virgin Mary. And in the incarnation, he ceased to be God and became fully man. As a man he developed the perfection of spiritual character that was necessary to become our savior and to pay the penalty for our sin.
Crucified on a Wednesday, he ceased to exist for 3 days and was raised again on Saturday at the end of the Jewish Sabbath. But his body disappeared. He was no longer human but an immortal divine being and again a member of the family of God.
In contrast to that the Bible teaches (e.g. Philippians 2:6) that Jesus never ceased to be God, although he limited himself to a human form. His body was raised as his disciples could clearly testify. John 20:20 and 20:27 are very specific about that.
The Holy Spirit
Armstrong flatly denies the personality of the Holy Spirit. As for Jehova's witnesses, for him the Holy Spirit is just the ``mind and the very power of God, which expresses the unified, creative will of the God family''. It is what we receive during conversion.
Man
The creation of mankind, so Armstrong teaches took place approximately 6000 years ago. Man was created as a living soul with a potential for immortality. But the fall was planned and permitted by God. Otherwise, so it is argued, Satan would have outwitted God and this cannot be.
Like Jehova's Witnesses the Worldwide Church of God taught that the soul is NOT immortal. It goes into a phase of soul sleep after death and only becomes immortal at the resurrection of the righteous. The souls of the unrighteous, however, will be annihilated at the judgment.
Salvation
Armstrong's concept of salvation involves both faith and works. Acceptance of Jesus Christ cleanses from past sins and enables to keep the law. But justification will only be given on the condition that the law is kept. Only those who develop spiritually shall finally be given immortality. So under Armstrong a member of the Worldwide Church of God could never have any assurance of salvation. He could only try hard to observe all kinds of religious laws:
Water Baptism
is viewed as absolute essential. ``There is no promise that anyone will receive the Holy Spirit until baptized in water.''
The bible clearly separates these two events. You receive the Holy Spirit immediately when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Water Baptism is a sign of obedience but not necessary for salvation.
Sabbath:
``To break God's Holy Sabbath is sin and the penalty is eternal death''
This teaching is apparently derived from the former doctrines of the Seventh Day Adventists and is clearly unbiblical. Armstrong is correct in observing that we are often too negligent about observing the Lord's Day. But the emphasis on the Sabbath (Saturday) is not supported by the New Testament, and - like any other sin - it certainly does not lead to eternal death.
I must admit that teaching this doctrine is a good trick for making the congregation attend church regularly, and that was apparently the intended effect.
Observance of annual feast days:
But besides the Sabbath, the Worldwide Church of God required its members to keep a variety of Jewish annual feasts. These are the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Day of Atonement. To each of these festivals, Armstrong gave an additional Christian interpretation, like the Lord's Supper during Passover or the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
The 10 commandments:
However, celebrating Christmas, Easter, New Years Day, and even birthday is considered as idolatry. According to Armstrong, the second commandment (Exodus 20:4) excludes such festivals. The interpretation of the other commandments is similarly strict. The seventh commandment, for instance, is said to mean that only a first marriage is valid. Divorce is sinful for whatever reason (which is basically correct if you consider all aspect that eventually led to a divorce) and marriage after a divorce is adultery.
I have my doubts whether this interpretation is biblical. Every sin can be forgiven and divorce is not the ``unpardonable sin''.
The Dietary regulations
of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are mandatory, as are the decisions of the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15. No consideration is given to the context of these requirements.
Smoking is considered a sin, drinking alcoholic beverages is not. The Bible does not condemn either of the two, but it condemns excess (drunkenness) and reminds us in 1. Corinthians 3:16-17 that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should not be defiled. Christian churches have different opinions about how to interpret that, because it is not entirely clear what ``defiling'' means and what is beneficial for our body. This is one of the issues where I often see traditions decide on the doctrines of a local church.
I believe that 1. Corinthians 10:31 gives us a good guideline for that. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Tithing
was and still is a major emphasis in the Worldwide Church of God. In practice this includes a first tithe (10 percent), a second, sometimes even a third. Some members feel obliged to give 30-40% of their income to the church out of fear that otherwise they will not be saved. Their money goes directly to the headquarter of the Worldwide Church of God and is managed by the Pastor General.
This reminds me a little bit of the practices of the Roman Catholic church in the late middle ages. Tithing in the Worldwide Church of God has become the modern equivalent to indulgences: the church headquarter becomes extremely rich while the members try to buy their way into heaven because they have no assurance of salvation.
Tithing is a necessary act of obedience. If we steal from God by withholding our tithe (or parts of it) from Him, we will experience difficulties to grow spiritually. But that does NOT mean that tithing is necessary for salvation.
Armstrong takes his justification for these requirements from the Old Testament and Matthew 5:17-18, where Jesus states that he did not come to change the law. So under the ``Armstrong covenant'' the believer is still under the law and the only advantage over those who did not accept Christ is that he is able to keep it.
Things to come
In his various publications and courses Armstrong claims that he would be able to interpret biblical prophecy and to reveal the future like no one else. He maintained this position even after his failed prediction that the world would end in 1972.
According to Armstrong we are already in the last days that precede the Great Tribulation. The Tribulation will last 3-1/2 years and will then be followed by a time of God's wrath - the sixth seal of Revelation 6:12-13. During that time the faithful will be protected in Petra, the ancient rock-walled city on Edom. The climax of this period will be the second coming of Christ.
After the battle of Armageddon, the first resurrection will take place: the just will rise, become immortal, and reign together with Christ for 1000 years. Those ``who haven't had a fair chance to hear the truth'' will partake in the second resurrection during the millenium. They will hear the gospel and have a second chance to convert. Those who don't will be cast into the lake of fire. After the judgment of the great white throne, the ``handful of recalcitrant sinners'' will be resurrected and cast into the lake of fire - which for Armstrong is the same as annihilation.
Many of these ``revelations'' appear to be a combination of human imagination and biblical terminology. There is no second chance to believe in Christ, not even for those who died before Christ came to earth - they had other means to receive forgiveness of sin. The bible clearly says in Hebrews 9:27 that after death everybody will face judgment. And those who are condemned will not be annihilated but punished forever.
None of the doctrines of Armstrongism were really new. It appears that Armstrong was influenced by many other cults at the time, and his doctrines can be refuted in the same way we would prove the Mormons or Jehova's Witnesses wrong. However, the mixture and a few details were new and for some people Armstrongism appeared easier to accept than Mormonism or Jehova's Witnesses. Millions of Americans have been reached by Armstrong's messages and even Christians have accepted some of them as plausible interpretations of the Word of God. This is the real danger of Armstrongism today and we must keep our eyes open lest we be seduced to accept interpretations of the Bible that have little to do with the truth.
Back to Table of Contents
The cults that we have discussed so far are very close to orthodox Christianity in the sense that they are easily mistaken as ``the real thing'' by those who do not know the Word of God very well. We will now come to those cults that mix in elements from other religions and make claims that are simply absurd from the Christian perspective. Nevertheless, they find enough followers, particularly among those who feel spiritually needy but are quite distant from the Christian faith. They promise them a spiritual solution to their problem, inner healing, and true fellowship - and all this sounds so much more believable than the preaching of the many lifeless Christian churches. They are usually backed up by a powerful organizational structure with a lot of financial support, and a strong public presence - particularly on the World Wide Web, which they use to recruit new members.
Today, we want to talk about Sun Myung Moon's Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, briefly called the Unification Church or sometimes simply the Moonies. They claim that
We now have the means to heal all modern-day human problems, exalt every human soul, and bring the kingdom of God within the reach of every man.
According to Reverend Sun Myung Moon, a title he gave to himself when he founded his church in 1954, this all-embracing claim is based on new revelations from God which were given to him in order to ``complete the task of establishing God's kingdom on earth and bringing piece to mankind''. Briefly told, this new revelation teaches that ever since the fall, God has been trying to rectify his creation but has not succeeded. He has worked through chosen champions, but none of them found acceptance among men. Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and even Jesus Christ - they all failed. So it became necessary for the Messiah to return to earth again as Lord of the Second Advent and to find his perfect bride. They will become the true parents, the first couple that through God's power is able to lead a sinless life, to bring forth children with no original sin, and thus to re-establish the true lineage of God on earth. All humankind can be engrafted into this lineage by receiving the blessing of God through the true parents, and thus the kingdom of God on earth will be restored.
These claims, which I have taken directly from the original web pages of the Unification Church, are in sharp contrast to our understanding of the Word of God. But the Unification Church states that our rather literal interpretation of the Word of God is wrong and that all its doctrines are actually taught by the Bible - we only have to understand the divine principles behind its figurative language.
History
The teachings of the Unification Church are strongly tied to the personal history of its founder, Sun Myung Moon. On Easter morning 1935, he claims, Jesus Christ appeared to him and asked him to complete the mission that he had begun 2000 years ago. Moon, who was 15 at the time, began studying the Bible and many other religious teachings to find out what Jesus had left undone on earth.
In 1945 he organized his findings into what later became known as the Divine Principle and began to preach publicly in North Korea. Shortly afterwards, he was arrested by the Communist regime for ``disturbing the social order'' and sentenced to forced labor. In 1950, during the Korean War, he was rescued by United Nations forces and subsequently began preaching again.
In 1954 he officially established his new church in Seoul, calling it the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. His church attracted many followers from a Christian women's university in South Korea. This stirred up newspaper reports about sex orgies in the Church and about Moon's own marital affairs. Rumors of this nature overshadow the Unification Church until this day, although there has never been a definite proof for them.
In 1960 Moon was married to his current wife, Hak Ja Han. The Unification Church teaches that this union marked the beginning of the restoration of humankind. By God's power, Moon and his wife were made able to lead a sinless life and thus established the position of True Parents. Consequently their nine children are the first human beings without original sin. Moon calls himself ``Father of the Universe'' and his followers see him as a messianic leader who deserves undivided obedience.
When Moon moved to the United States in 1971, his Church attracted many young Americans who struggled with spiritual emptiness and readily accepted Moon's teachings which seemed to be so close to the twisted understanding of spirituality in the seventies. His church grew quickly and Moon himself became very popular. He was invited to the White House and was given opportunity to address members of the US Congress. Soon ``Moonies'' were seen selling flowers and candy in almost all public places. This, in fact, turned out to be the main source of income for the Unification Church and subsequently attracted the IRS, which indicted him for evading income taxes. Moon served another sentence in prison, but was later set free after a Senate subcommittee investigated his case.
Today, the Unification Church has about 100,000 members in the U.S.A. and about 3 million worldwide. But reports about abusive practices within Moon's church have come up over and over again. Allegations about sexual abuse were made as well, particularly by those who visited his camps in South East Asia. Although these reports need to be weighed carefully, we can almost be sure that the Unification Church abuses its members as far as their labor, finances, and spiritual needs are concerned.
Major Doctrines - where are the differences?
From a Christian's perspective, the teachings of the Unification Church have become more and more absurd. In 1992, Sun Myung Moon openly proclaimed to be the Lord of the Second Advent, the return of Messiah. He is the true owner of this world, so he said in 1997, and salvation can only come to those who are engrafted into his lineage. This also means that learning Korean will be mandatory for everyone to be saved, because this is the language of the True Parents. Those who reject Sun Myung Moon will perish, and this is why America has been declining. The ``one nation under God'' will cease because God's final purpose is ``one world under God'' and this can only be established in the lineage of the True Parents, that is Moon and his wife.
It is hard to understand how anyone in the world can believe such boastful claims of a man who provides no evidence for his teachings. The reason for that may be the slow evolution of Moon's teachings, which caused people to gradually accept everything said by Sun Myung Moon. If one accepts Moon's way of interpreting the Bible, his claim that there must be a second Messiah coming to earth is not so absurd anymore. If a naive observer then looks at Sun Myung Moon's life, the ``persecution for God's sake'' and his ``unfailing willingness to serve'', he may in fact accept that Sun Myung Moon could be God's chosen instrument. From then on he believes everything that ``Reverend Moon'' says.
So, let us look at his teachings and uncover the flaws that have led so many people astray. How does Moon justify the claims he makes.
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
Although Sun Myung Moon's church aims at the Unification of World Christianity, the Christian Bible is not the only source of authority. In fact, the Bible is subject to a new interpretation as laid out in Sun Myung Moon's Divine Principle. On 536 pages, this book presents a ``set of principles, based on the patterns which Reverend Moon found in the Bible during his years of search''. Without these principles, it is said, the Bible cannot be understood correctly. So the Divine Principle has become the true source of authority for the Unification Church.
One of the principles given by Sun Myung Moon is that the Bible often needs to be understood symbolically instead of literally. He writes, for instance, that ``we cannot believe that God would implant in Adam and Eve a desire to rebel against him and destroy themselves for the sake of a piece of fruit. So the fruit must signify something far more important than a tasty apple or pear''. So, because the common sense in the 20th century cannot grasp anymore the meaning of trust and the severeness of breaking even a ``simple'' promise, the most straightforward interpretation of the fall is to be brushed away. Moon replaces it by an interpretation that makes far less sense to me: ``the sin of Adam and Eve must have involved a sexual act'', that is ``Adam and Eve engaged in a premarital sexual relationship and thus they fell.''
For the uninformed reader, this argument may seem plausible because it is built on the traditions and value systems of the late 20th century, which hypocritically distinguishes ``small sins'' - that is what society tolerates - from the ``big sins'' which we find morally unacceptable. But God doesn't have a scale for the graveness of sins. Adultery and premature sex is not worse in God's eyes than lies and broken promises - these are all sins and unacceptable for God. Besides, Moon is even wrong about the ``premarital''. God had already blessed the union of Adam and Even in Genesis 1:28 - and that did not happen after the fall. And how shall a human being have physical intercourse with Satan, a spirit being?
So Moon's Divine Principle, which he supports by many writings of eastern religions, is actually a very human one, and he uses it to establish interpretations of the Bible that have nothing to do with the true meaning of the Word of God. Whenever you bring a verse that proves some of his teachings wrong he can simply ``re-interpret it symbolically'' and change its meaning to whatever he likes. In 2.Peter 1:16 the Apostle Peter writes
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Apparently Sun Myung Moon does just the opposite in order to build up his own name.
God & Man
God himself told me that the most basic and central truth of his universe is that God is the Father and we are his children
God is the creator of all things, the absolute reality, eternally self-existent, transcendent of time and space. So far Moon's doctrines are orthodox. But before creating the universe, he writes (DP 24), God was incomplete. He existed only as internal masculine subject and needed to create an external feminine subject to become complete. God cannot exist without man and man cannot exist without God. Thus man is ``as important in value as as God himself''. This concept of God is strongly related to the constant interplay between the Yang and Yin in the Taoist religion, which apparently influenced Moon a lot.
Man was created in order to fill the need of God to ``share, give, and take with someone in a reciprocal relationship''. Being in the image of God, we are to live our life for others as well. ``Without this giving and taking between subject and object ... nothing endures for eternity''. The kingdom of God will be here on earth, when there is God-involvement in every relationship.
According to Moon, this is the divine principle on which we have to base our life and our understanding of God's word. The trinity is denied - there is only one God and the creation is his necessary counterpart. But the Bible nowhere mentions that God needs his creation. God is entirely self-sufficient. He doesn't need us to be complete.
The Fall
Moon's divine principle also leads to an entirely different understanding of evil, the fall, redemption, salvation, and the role of Jesus Christ. According to Moon, evil is the emergence of selfishness in the world. Lucifer resented God's selfless love towards Adam and Eve and seduced Eve before God could complete his creation.
The fall, it is argued, was both spiritual and physical. The issue could not have been just a mere fruit - it must have been something more fundamental. And what can be a more fundamental act of selfishness than a sexual relation. So the Unification Church teaches that Eve had intercourse with Lucifer and ``received certain elements from him''. Hoping to get rid of these, she seduced Adam, and passed them on to him as well. Thus sin entered the once perfect lineage created by God and instead the evil lineage of Satan was multiplied.
Ever since, God has been trying to rectify this situation. He needed to erase the evil from his creation and to re-create the world of goodness. He needed to restore the sinless lineage - to create True Parents who would live in perfect obedience and complete unselfishness and would thus be able to have children without original sin. This would then be the beginning of a new world order - the kingdom of God on earth.
You need to twist the Word of God a lot to come to these doctrines. Moon, as I mentioned, emphasizes that the Bible uses a lot of symbolic language - which opens the door to every interpretation you like. He states that ``the religions of this world have served as tool for God'' to re-create the world of goodness. Thus the teachings of other religions are the means to unlock the secrets of the Word of God and Moon certainly borrows a lot from various eastern religions.
The Bible is very clear concerning the fall and there is no reason to assume that the description of the fall in Genesis 3 should not be taken literally. Disobedience, however small, is sufficient to break the trust between God and man. Since the fall, no man except Jesus has ever been sinless: There is none righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10, see also 1. John 1:8). No one will ever be able to have sinless children: the lineage of God will not be passed physically but only spiritually.
Jesus Christ
Moon`s teachings about Jesus Christ in the Divine Principle are not always clear. He was God's champion, chosen to fulfill God's mission on earth. He achieved perfection and thus ``attained the purpose of creation''. In the light of this, he may be called God, but he can by no means be called God Himself. In fact, ``as a man he was no different from us except that he was without original sin''.
Jesus came to earth to become the True Parent of mankind. Adam had failed - Jesus should re-create the true lineage of God on earth, so that God could have fellowship again. He was to find his chosen bride, the second Eve, and to ``bring forth upon this earth his own sinless children. All mankind would have found life by grafting on to them''. But Jesus did not find acceptance as Messiah and was murdered on the cross. That - so Moon writes - was not his purpose. In fact, in the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed desperately that this would not take place. He failed like many before him.
Nevertheless, he did not die in vain. His body decayed. But he was resurrected spiritually and through faith in Christ we will experience spiritual rebirth. However, the cross is unable to remove our original sin as it cannot achieve physical salvation.
So Jesus will have to come again as the Third Adam, the Lord of the Second Advent. He will come in the flesh, suffer many things and be rejected. But some will recognize him and the Kingdom of God will gradually appear. He will find his true bride and become the true parent and thus bring physical salvation to man kind. All religions will be united under him.. On the basis of Revelation 7:2-4 and 14:1 it has been revealed to Sun Myung Moon that ``Christ will be born in a country in the East - from the rising of the sun'' - that nation is Korea. The Korean people will become the Third Israel.
The careful observer will not fail to notice that the description of the Lord of the Second Advent fits Sun Myung Moon very well. His followers have always viewed him as the promised Messiah, the perfect and sinless father, the True Parent through whom they can be born anew, the only one authorized by God to forgive sins. But the claim to Messiahship has not been made publicly until 1992. On August 24, 1992 Sun Myung Moon made the following statement during his inauguration address for his World Culture and Sports Festival in Seoul
.. we are the savior, the Lord of the Second Advent, the Messiah.
He has repeated this claim over and over again since then. The Unification Church now openly teaches that Sun Myung Moon is the new Messiah and that He and his wife are the True Parents of mankind. They are both sinless and their nine children are the first children born without original sin.
In the Divine Principle, Moon gives a lot of scriptural evidences for his teachings, again twisting the meaning of the Word of God by interpreting it symbolically. He was careful not to proclaim himself openly as Messiah for a long time. But now he states to have achieved what Jesus did not achieve. This almost makes him superior to Jesus in the eyes of his followers. It makes me wonder, why there was so little public outrage among Christians when Moon proclaimed Messiahship.
There are many bible passages that clearly prove Sun Myung Moon's teachings about Jesus wrong. In Luke 24:44-48 Jesus explains that it was necessary for him to die on the cross and rise again. Luke 24:36-39 and Acts 2:29-31 are proof for the physical resurrection of Christ. Acts 1:9-11 makes clear that Jesus will come again from heaven and not be born on earth again. Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus (Acts 4:12, Romans 10:9) and there will be no Lord of the Second Advent.
So Sun Myung Moon's doctrines are in sharp contradiction to the Word of God. Colossians 2:8 and Galatians 1:8 tell us what God thinks about such teachings.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the principles of this world rather than on Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
Salvation
Salvation is a complex subject for the Unification Church. Since Jesus died before accomplishing his mission, faith in Jesus Christ will only provide spiritual, but not physical salvation. Christ's coming as Lord of the Second Advent will complete His unfinished work. When ``the True Father and the True Mother become one, God will come down and become one with them on earth'' He will create the central persons through whom mankind can receive spiritual life. By ``accepting the True Parents, obeying them and following them `more than my own life' and by doing what the Messiah requires with great faith a person's original sin will be eliminated and he will eventually become perfect.
``Restoration cannot be fulfilled by God's power alone, but is to be fulfilled by man's joint action with God''. This clearly is salvation by works with no assurance, or - to be precise - by complete submission under Moon who can abuse his followers as much as he likes. This makes the Unification Church is a personality cult. Sun Myung Moon is the absolute authority of the Church in every respect. His followers have to work extremely hard for him if they want to have a chance for salvation.
Marriage is believed to be essential for salvation as well. Only the male and female together can represent God totally. In order to be saved, one has to be matched, married, and blessed by the True Parents in a ceremony in which one becomes symbolically part of his family - the true, pure, and sinless lineage of the Messiah. Over the years Sun Myung Moon has performed many mass wedding ceremonies for the members of his church - many of the couples hardly knew or had ever seen each other before. Former members also report that the marriage ceremony involved strange secret rituals that had the purpose to ``indemnify'' for the sin of Adam and Eve. There were also rumors about sexual abuse in this context but they have not been confirmed.
These doctrines have nothing to do with the Word of God. Ephesians 2:8-9 says
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Salvation is only by faith in Jesus Christ. You cannot work your way into heaven, and no sanctified ceremony will bring you there.
Things to come
Moon teaches that ``our body, once it is dissolved into dust, cannot be resurrected into its original state. It is not necessary for a spirit man to resume his flesh when there is a spirit world, where he is supposed to go and live forever''. In brief - there is no physical resurrection. Jesus was resurrected only as a spirit being and so will we.
But ``spirit men who passed away to the spirit world without having perfected themselves must come again and fulfill the responsibility they left unaccomplished in their physical life''. In this case, the earthly man is the ``second coming'' of the spirit man. John the Baptist, for instance, had to accomplish the mission Elijah had left unaccomplished. In other words - the Unification Church teaches reincarnation as it is taught by many eastern religions.
These teachings are embedded into an elaborate hierarchy of attainment, by which men will achieve entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Fallen man must be raised to a proper relationship with God and go through three stages of perfection: a form-spirit stage, a life-spirit stage, and a divine-spirit stage. Until the time of Jesus, men attained the form-spirit stage by obedience to the law. Since the cross, men attained the life-spirit stage through faith in Jesus Christ. During the time of the Lord of the Second Advent, ``spirit men can attain the divine-spirit stage of perfect restoration by believing and serving the Lord of the Second Advent.
But a spirit can raise his level by intercommunicating with men on earth. By an active give and take between spirit and body the divine-spirit stage can be attained and the Kingdom of Heaven reached. ``The ultimate purpose of God is to save all mankind'' (DP 190). Hell is only a temporary condition and is in the world. The Kingdom of Heaven on earth is as yet vacant. It will be opened by the Lord of the Second Advent through the ``marriage of the lamb'', that is his wedding with the Second Eve. This will re-establish the good lineage into which all mankind will eventually be engrafted. According to Moon, this event has happened by now.
Then men will live in communion with God and there will be God-involvement in every relationship. Thus the give and take between subject and object, the perfect relationship will be maintained - and God will be completely fulfilled in His creation.
The influence of eastern religions in all these teachings is obvious. Reincarnation, stages of perfection, and mutual dependence between God and man, - all this is nowhere taught in the Bible. It is appointed unto men to die once, and after this there will be judgment (Hebrews 9:27), where the dead will be judged according to their actions (Revelation 20:12). There is no second chance to improve your stage after death and the eternal fire is certainly a reality.
Special Aspects
In addition to teaching severely twisted doctrines under the mantle of Christianity, the Unification Church has become known for a variety of abusive practices, because - as former members report - the end justifies all means that eventually ``serve God's purposes'', probably a twisted interpretation of Luke 16:8-9.
So it is o.k. to use deception in order to gain a donation or workshop attendance from members of Christian churches. It is acceptable to use brutality to ``separate Satan'' from a member that appears not to be fully devoted to Sun Myung Moon.
Members are expected to give all they have and are to the Church. It is reported that some ``Moonies'' work 22 hours a day and fast several weeks in order to pay for their sin. All this, they are told, all this is nothing compared to what ``Father'', that is Moon, does and one should feel indebted to ``father'' Moon.
Because of the strong discipline and commitment to the Unification Church, a member's life is centered entirely around the church. It is the source of their religion, as well as their cultural, social, and other support systems. Consequently, they will find it very difficult to leave the organization if they become disillusioned by the Unification Church. Now to a certain extent this is true for Christian Churches as well. We aim at commitment and a strong fellowship. 1 But the degree of dependence in the Unification Church is another dimension, although it the alleged brainwashing of members has not been confirmed. Most people who have tried to leave the Unification Church came out unharmed, although very disappointed. They need our help.
It is also not clear how the Unification Church handles the money that comes in by donations and through the hard work of its members. The money does not flow back into the local groups and the few leaders of the Church are certainly able to lead a better life than most members. Allegations that the Unification Church is a business organization under the cover of religion - like for instance Scientology - have not been confirmed yet although the Church had been observed by the IRS. The handling of finances in the Unification Church is certainly a malpractice but this has happened in various evangelical organizations as well.
Summary
The presence of much biblical and Christian terminology in the Unification Church has led casual observers to conclude that Moon's church is just another variant of Christianity. But its doctrines and practices are clearly heretical and Moon's claim of Messiahship is simply outrageous. But we should not get worried. God's answer to all this is already written down in (2.Peter 2:1-3)
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
Back to Table of Contents
In 1866, I discovered the divine laws of life, truth, and love, and named my discovery Christian Science.
The Church of Christ, Scientist - the official name of the organization that is usually known as Christian Science - claims to be the restoration of the true church established by Jesus Christ. According to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church, true Christianity means understanding the fundamental law by which Jesus Christ brought healing towards mankind. This law, until it was revealed to her, has been lost since the time of Christ.
Our Master practiced Christian healing, but he left no definite rule of healing and preventing disease. This rule remained to be discovered by Christian Science.
Studying the word of God under the guidance of Mrs. Eddy's writings is therefore the central duty of a Christian Scientist. Consequently, the Church of Christ, Scientist did not set up houses of worship where the word is preached, but Reading Rooms - that is local Christian Scientist libraries - where the members go to read Mrs. Eddy's works to aid their spiritual development. The reading rooms are complemented by various magazines published by the Mother Church in Boston, such as the Christian Science Monitor, the Christian Science Journal and a few others.
History
The central aspect of Christian Science is spiritual healing - the healing of diseases without medicine. This is easy to understand if one considers the personal history of Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy. Born into a devoutly religious family, she suffered from chronical illnesses and experienced a good deal of unhappiness. Her first husband died a few months before her first child was born, her second husband was unfaithful, and she did not find any cure for her diseases.
During that time she met a man named Phineas P. Quimby, who claimed to heal sicknesses without medicine and called his system ``the Science of Christ''. Quimby believed that illness and disease could be healed through positive thoughts and healthy attitudes - by changing one's beliefs about the illness. Since healthy attitudes do in fact have some positive influence on the healing process, Mrs. Baker's health suddenly improved - although only for a while - and she was convinced that he had discovered the methods of healing practiced by Jesus Christ. Later, however, she repudiated any indebtedness to Quimby, claiming to have gradually discovered the truth through divine power.
In 1866, a short time after Quimby's death, she began a healing ministry and taught her system to pupils for a fee of $300.-, which was a lot of money at the time. In 1875 she completed the book ``Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures'' which now is considered to be the main reference for the Christian Scientist. 4 years later she founded the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts. The church grew quickly and reached its peak membership in the early 1970's. But because of controversies, financial mismanagement, and the failure of its now elderly members to attract younger people, the membership shrunk to about 150,000 today.
Major Doctrines - where are the differences?
Christian Science is a strange, often contradictory and - for the outsider - confusing system that mixes Hindu beliefs with Christian terminology and is based on two fundamental principles, which are ``God is All-in-All'' and ``God, Spirit, being all means nothing is matter''. This, according to Mrs. Eddy, is the cardinal point in Christian Science: matter and evil - including sin, disease, and death - are unreal.
In other words, the spiritual world is all there is. Matter is only an illusion and so is sin, sickness, death. The only problem of mankind is the false belief that these things really exist. Christ came to set use free from these false beliefs by his teaching and example and by understanding his teachings correctly we can be truly healed.
It is quite obvious that these foundations of Christian Science can hardly be called ``Christian''. The Bible clearly states that God is a personal being who made the world and all things therein (Acts 17:24). Although God is omnipresent he is not a pantheistic ``All-in-All'' but distinct from his creation. Matter is not an illusion, but was created by God and pronounced ``good'' (Genesis 1:31). Sin, sickness, and death are real as well. They came into the world because of man's willful choice to rebel against God (Romans 3:23, 5:12-14).
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
Since the Bible is so clear about these issues, how can a church who claims to be based on the Word of God hold on to such unbiblical principles? Let us take a closer look at the true sources of authority in Christian Science.
According to Mary Baker Eddy, Christian Scientists ``take the inspired Word of the Bible as their sufficient guide to eternal life''. But as in so many other seemingly Christian cults, the Bible is made subject to interpretation and explanation. The Bible as we have it, they say, is unreliable.
The thirty thousand different readings in the old Testament, and the three hundred thousand in the New, these facts show how a mortal and material sense stole into the divine record.
Students who strictly adhere to the right, and make the Bible and Science and Health a study, are in no danger of mistaking their way.
So the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is considered necessary for a proper understanding of the scripture. It contains the true knowledge a Christian should have and ``neither pen nor tongue can overthrow it''. So, the source of authority for the Christian Scientist are the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, and not the Bible.
This becomes quite obvious when we consider the fundamental ``truths'' taught by The Church of Christ, Scientist. The two principles God is All-in-All and matter and evil are unreal must ever be in mind. All subsequent study must relate to these absolutes. Although they are in clear conflict with the Word of God that we find in the Bible, a Christian Scientist is not to dispute them.
God
We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God's image and likeness.
That sounds quite orthodox. But this statement has to be read in the context of the principle God is All-in-All. Christian Science emphasizes over and over again that God is all that really is. Whatever is not God, is unreal, nonexistent, and the result of ``mortal error''. Christian Science demands that men give up their ``false'' beliefs that there are other realities or individual beings separate from God.
In her writings, Mrs. Eddy oscillates between a personal and an impersonal view of God. ``God is individual and personal ... in a scientific sense, but not in any anthropomorphic sense''. She does not care to explain what the scientific sense should be. God sees, hears, and knows, but he is also ``the divine principle of all being, the ever-present I AM that fills all space, including mankind''.
So the concept of God is a very hazy one. But it is clear that it is not one of God the Creator who has a loving interest in his creation. The trinity is also openly denied:
The theory of the three persons in one God suggests polytheism, rather than one ever-present I AM. ...... Life, Truth, Love constitute the triune Person called God. They represent a trinity in unity, three in one, the same in essence, though multiform in office: God the Father-Mother; Christ the spiritual idea of sonship; divine Science or the Holy Comforter.
In other words, because God is All-in-All, he cannot be three persons. So, although she denies it, Mrs. Eddy clearly teaches the Pantheism that we find in the Hindu scriptures. It is no wonder, that her doctrines about Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are far from orthodox.
Jesus Christ
Jesus is the human man, and Christ is the divine idea; hence the duality of Jesus the Christ. The spiritual Christ was infallible; Jesus, as the material manhood, was not Christ.
We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man's unity with God through Christ.
Christian Scientists have a very peculiar explanation for Jesus Christ being God and man at the same time. They simply say, that we have to distinguish between Jesus, the man, and the divine Christ. For them, Jesus was not the Christ but only the man, who demonstrated the Christ, that is the divine idea of salvation from evil. ``Jesus was not one with the father - only the spiritual idea, the Christ, dwells forever in the bosom of the father''. Actually, at this point Mrs. Eddy's teachings mix Hinduism and Gnosticism and thus become somewhat confusing. She claims that God is all-in-all and that nothing material exists, but at the same time she writes about Jesus as if he were a corporeal, material being and that he has to be distinguished from the divine idea, which - as we were just told - is all there is.
However, later on she writes, that Jesus was not born physically, because matter is just an illusion, and that Mary's conception was purely spiritual. For the same reason, Jesus' death on the cross - like all death - was an illusion. He was alive in the tomb and his resurrection was just the ``spiritualization of a higher idea of immortality''. By this and by his healing miracles, Jesus thus showed the way into truth, life, and love.
We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter.
So the whole purpose of Jesus' coming to earth was to demonstrate that the power of the spirit overrules material sense, which, according to Christian Science is all we need to understand to get ``saved''.
It is clear that these teachings have nothing to do with the Jesus Christ of the Bible. His birth, life, death, and resurrection, his person and his atonement - it all has been twisted beyond recognition. The Bible is very clear about Jesus Christ being fully God and Man at the same time.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
says Colossians 2:9. John 14:6 points out that Jesus is the only way to God
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me
John 1:1-3,14 and Philippians 2:6-7 also show that Mrs. Eddy's teachings about Jesus Christ have nothing to do with the Word of God.
The Holy Spirit
This Science of God and man is the Holy Ghost, which reveals and sustains the unbroken and eternal harmony of both God and the universe.
For the Christian Scientist, the Holy Spirit is just the unfolding of the thoughts and mind of God, the Divine Science, but by no means a person on its own.
Man
Given the principle that matter is unreal, how does one have to understand creation and the fact that man was created in God's image? What is man? Christian Science gives the following explanation.
There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All in all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter it moral error. Spirit is real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is his image and likeness. Therefore, man is not material, but is spiritual.
According to Mrs. Eddy, man - being made in the image of God - is entirely spiritual, the reflection of God or Mind - perfect and eternal. In the view of this, man is incapable of sin, sickness, and death. The only problem of mankind is that we believe in the illusion of individuality - which is in strong opposition to the principle God is All-in-All. Since the concept of an individual soul is an illusion, sickness and death must be an illusion as well. After all, we reflect God and God cannot be sick. If we realize this truth, we shall be healed. This is how John 8:32 is understood:
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
It is this approach to healing diseases that made Christian Science attractive to many people. As a matter of fact, the idea is not entirely wrong. We know that there are quite a few diseases where your attitude and desire to get well plays a major role in the healing process. Placebos, for instance, are proven to work well in some cases, which shows that there is in fact a process of inner healing, even if the disease is of physical nature. But that does not mean that the disease did not exist in the first place.
Furthermore, we do not live in a purely imaginary world like in a big computer simulation. Matter is real and was created distinct from God, who pronounced it ``good'' (Genesis 1:31). Sin, sickness, and death is not an illusion but the result of man's rebellion (Genesis 3:22-23) and certainly real.
The sad consequence of this false teaching is that true Christian Scientists never consult a doctor. There have been numerous lawsuits against parents who allowed their children to die by neglecting medical treatment in favor of ``spiritual healing'', which raised the question to what extent the government has the duty to interfere with one's right to exercise religious beliefs in order to protect minors from serious damage.
Salvation
Since for the Christian Scientist sin is just an illusion, the term salvation gets an entirely different meaning. After all, we are not responsible for any trespass against God, Satan does not exist as well - so who is to be saved from what?
We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.
So God has already destroyed sin but we still need to realize that our belief in sin is a mortal error. As long as we believe in sin, we will suffer the consequences. So salvation does not come through faith in Jesus Christ but by understanding the truth.
Final deliverance from error, ... is not reached ... by pinning one's faith without works to another's vicarious effort.
In Christian Science it is plain that God removes the punishment for sin only as sin is removed ... hence the hope of universal salvation. ...To lose the sense of sin we must first detect the claim of sin; hold it invalid ... sin disappears, and its unreality is proven.
This more or less says it all. Jesus came only to destroy the belief in sin. His death on the cross and his resurrect was only meant to open our eyes for the truth. But putting our faith in Christ is not the way to get saved. We must make sin disappear by proving that it does not exist. Only then we will be free of its consequences.
From a Christian perspective, this whole concept of salvation in Christian Science simply does not make any sense but rather looks like a futile attempt to use Christian terminology as cover for doctrines that rather look like Hinduism and have nothing to do with the Bible. 1. John 1:8 and Ephesians 2:8-9 make this very clear.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Things to come
Eschatology has little place in Christian Science, since heaven and hell are not real places. Heaven is the state of harmony, the reign of the Spirit. Hell is just a mortal belief, suffering and self-destruction, self-imposed agony, a great error. The fires of hell will be a bitter reality for those who have been taught that it does not exist.
Since there is no physical death there can also be no bodily resurrection. We simply exist eternally. Death is just the means to get into another phase of our life with the chance to make progress by understanding that material life is just an illusion. The concept of a final judgment is denied. Universal salvation rests on progression and probation until one is free from false beliefs.
Summary
Although the Church of Christ, Scientist claims to be the only true Christian Church, it is impossible to view it as biblical Christianity. There is not a single facet of the Word of God that has not been distorted or denied. Christian Science is so foreign to the Bible that -- if it didn't use words like Jesus, Love, Grace, Sin, Christian, etc. -- you would never suspect it had anything to do with the Word of God at all. In fact, it is a Hindu philosophy, with its teaching of truth-realization, absorption into the infinite, and freedom from the bondage of illusion and ignorance, which has found a revival under a new name, Christian Science, which is more acceptable to the Western World.
Back to Table of Contents
The Church of Scientology is a very controversial religion founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard in Washington, D.C. in 1954. According to its own definition it Scientology is an applied religious philosophy that aims at exploring the Terra Incognita of the human mind in order to ``clear'' the soul of its negative energies. It is an outgrowth of Hubbard's earlier psychological theories of Dianetics, documented in his 1948 book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, which offer an alternative path to overcoming physical and mental stress. Dianetics means ``pertaining to reasoning'' and expresses that the reasoning of man should be used to rectify his past and to determine his future.
As an advance over his theory of Dianetics, Hubbard later elaborated a theory attributing mental aberrations to engrams, that is prenatal impressions accumulated by the soul during past lives. Mixing ideas from Buddhist and Hindu religious philosophy, science fiction, and 20th-century Western concepts in psychology and science, Hubbard produced a religion that sees all human beings as immortal spirits, so-called Thetans, who have forgotten their identity and became deceived by the very universe they mentally emanated in order to amuse themselves. Scientology claims it can free the Thetan to realize his or her true nature and powers through through an expensive therapy called processing that neutralizes the engrams and thus heals the mind. Scientology claims to be the fastest growing religion with more that 15 million members in 65 countries. While it is not clear whether these numbers are exaggerated or not, Scientology, whose headquarters are now in Los Angeles, is certainly one of the wealthiest new religions with a lot of support. Celebrities such as Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, and Sonny Bono are only a few of the Hollywood faithful who actively endorse Scientology. In contrast to most cults, Scientology has not been weakened after the death of its founder in 1986, but has become very powerful in recent years.
But Scientology also has been criticized right from its beginnings. The method of Scientology was challenged by the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association already during the 1950s. In the 1960s, the governments of England, Australia, and the United States opened investigations into church activities, particularly for suspected practices of tax evasion. Since the early 1970 charges have been brought up against the Church of Scientology for psychological coercion of followers and organized smear campaigns orchestrated against critics of the church. In its September 1981 issue, Reader's Digest even went so far to describe Scientology as a multi-national racket masquerading as religion. Most European governments do not recognize the religious status of Scientology, largely because of many court decisions that found Scientology to be a business rather than a religion. Some of them, like Belgium and Germany go even further and classify Scientology as a dangerous cult that needs to be observed by the government.
Thus, over the years, Scientology has become an extremely dangerous cult not so much because of its religious teachings but because of its almost criminal practices. For us, this may not be the main issue but you can't really talk about Scientology without mentioning its ``non-religious'' practices.
It is interesting to notice that Scientology draws its members mostly from the Christian-educated middle class. The The Church of Scientology claims that its beliefs are not incompatible with the Christian faith and many people seem to get into Scientology because they initially view it as unusual, but successful self-improvement technique that does not affect their religious beliefs. However, an evaluation of what Scientology teaches in the areas of God, man, creation, salvation, and death proves that Scientology is inconsistent with the beliefs of orthodox Christian faith.
Major Doctrines - where are the differences?
Despite its use of quasi-religious vocabulary Scientology does not really have anything that could be called a theology. Critics suspect that clerical terms like spiritual, God, and church mainly serve the purpose of tax evasion. Scientology's concept of God is vague and it does not say anything about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, sin, or salvation. Worship is totally unknown to Scientology. Scientology has its rituals for marriage, christening, and funerals. None of these rituals, however, include prayer or any reference to God. As a matter of fact, Scientology has distinguished teachings about man and his soul, previous existences, prenatal influences, and future lives that clearly show the influence of Eastern mysticism.
Scientology divides the human mind into two components - the analytic and the reactive mind. Experiences of extreme shock, pain, or unconsciousness cause engrams, or sensory impressions, to be recorded in the reactive mind. These mental pictures are, in turn, the cause of our emotional and even many physical problems today. They lay dormant in the brain until re-stimulated by a similar incident. When re-stimulated, they cause conditioned, stimulus-response behavior which is counterproductive to one's well-being. Scientology believes this re-stimulation is fairly automatic. In other words, we are not free beings: we are slaves of an aberrated reactive mind.
Scientology teaches that through therapy, we can be directly exposed to our engrams, erase them, and become clear, that is in control of our behavior. Unfortunately, however, we have all been accumulating engrams for trillions of years, which makes the procedure more complicated and this is why one can only become clear through the method of Scientology.
According to Scientology, each person is really a Thetan, an immortal spirit that has existed since all of eternity. Thetans have absolute control over their bodies, but, sadly, they think they are bodies and hence are bound by the MEST (matter, energy, space, time) universe. Each time a body dies, the Thetan must enter another body, but this brings with it all its trillions of years' accumulation of engrams. Thetans thus are no longer free, but are in bondage to the material universe.
Scientology claims it can resolve all hidden engrams by helping people to re-experience the damaging events of this life and of the past lives as well. The initiate may eventually achieve a state of clear and then, by progressing through numerous levels of Operating Thetan (OT), increasingly achieve self-realization and resume his initial powers.
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
Scientology does not have a source of authority that is open for everybody to review. The Bible certainly does not play any role in Scientology. Hubbard's book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health may be considered as one of the foundations of Scientology but it does not give a clear picture of Scientology's teachings.
The true source of authority for the Scientologists are the many courses and auditing services offered by the Church of Scientology. These courses are protected by copyrights, which according to Scientology is necessary to avoid that people work with material for which they are not yet spiritually mature enough. The true reason is, of course, to keep people from going over the material without paying the horrendous prices ($5,600.- per course) and to prevent them from analyzing its teachings before they are already committed. Nevertheless much of the material has leaked into the public through former members, which subsequently were dragged into copyright lawsuits and now publish the material on their web-sites with a lot of legal disclaimers.
God
Scientology's concept of God is vague. What the church refers to as the Supreme Being is purposely left undefined and not particularly relevant in Scientology theory or practice. It is variously implied to be, or referred to as, Nature, Infinity, the Eighth Dynamic, all Theta, and so forth. Usually the individual Scientologist is free to interpret God in whatever manner he or she wishes, which shall avoid that prospective followers will see any conflicts with their own religion.
A closer look, however, reveals that Scientology teaches the existence of a multitude of Thetans who collectively could be said to comprise the Supreme Being. According to Scientology these Thetans were the ones who created the universe trillions of years ago, because they got bored and needed something to play in and amuse themselves. To be precise, they emanated mental universes. So the universe as we see it is merely an agreed-upon reality, just a game or illusion - but not an actual reality.
So Scientology is fundamentally pantheistic and in sharp contradiction to the biblical teaching that there is only one sovereign and perfect Creator God from all eternity - without beginning or end, immutable, who exists in three Persons, and is infinitely holy, just, and loving (see e.g., Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 43:10-11, 61:8; Malachi 3:6; Acts 5:3-4; 1. Timothy 2:5; Titus 2:13; 1. John 4:8-10). Scientology's teachings leave no space for God, since this would render their costly therapies superfluous.
Jesus Christ & The Holy Spirit
Scientology does not have any specific teachings about Jesus Christ or The Holy Spirit. Hubbard rejected Christ's deity and mission as figments of unenlightened minds.
Neither Lord Buddha nor Jesus Christ were Operating Thetans according to evidence. They were just a shade above clear.
So, for Hubbard, Jesus is just average, equal to the many thousand Scientologists who reach the lower spiritual levels of Scientology and the highest levels produced byScientology's technique are far superior to Jesus Christ.
Man
Scientology's doctrine about man is the one supporting pillar upon which everything else rests. Every important teaching in Scientology is predicated on the existence of Thetans and the status Hubbard has given them.
Scientology maintains that in his true nature, man is not the limited and pitiful body and ego he mistakenly imagines himself to be. He is a Thetan, a spiritual and immortal being whose fundamental nature is basically good and divine. He is not morally fallen; rather he is simply ignorant of his own perfection. His only ``Fall'' was into matter, not into sin, which does not exist.
How did this Fall come about?
Apparently, trillions of years ago Thetans became bored, so they emanated mental universes to play in and amuse themselves. Soon, however, they became more and more entranced in their own creation until they lost all awareness of their true identity and spiritual nature. They became hypnotized and trapped by matter, energy, space, time. Adding to the problem was the accumulation of endless engrams, that is mental pictures of extreme experiences, throughout trillions of years of existence. The final result was a pitiful creature - a materially enslaved entity existing as a mere stimulus-response machine. Today only slavery to the reactive mind and bondage to the the physical body and environment are what remain of once glorious spiritual beings.
Thus, the person in Scientology is a a spiritual being of infinite creative potential who acts in, but is not part of, the physical universe. He is the innate source of his own projected universe, which overlaps the created universes of other Thetans in a great community of souls. Death is endlessly repeatable through reincarnation and is hence almost inconsequential. Death, however, is at least potentially beneficial in that it may permit the release of the soul from the prison of the body.
This teaching strong resembles the concept of the Atman in Hinduism. As in Hinduism, man is considered a deity who has forgotten he is divine. Like Hinduism, Scientology aims at helping man to overcome the past and find his way back into the Infinite, the One Reality. However, it seeks to shortcut the law of Karma, the age-long process of balancing previous lives, by neutralizing the original wrong. This method takes much less time and is much less demanding than the ancient methods of ascetism and meditation - but it costs more and is more damaging to the human mind.
The Bible clearly rejects the idea that man is an ignorant god who needs only enlightenment or self-realization. There is only one eternal God in the universe (Isaiah 43:10-11) who created man (body and spirit) as a finite creature at a point in time (Genesis 2:7). Hence it is impossible that divine beings such as Scientology's Thetans can exist. Man's problems do not result from engrams or boredom, but from sin and self-centeredness (Romans 3:10-18; Ephesians 2:1-3). Death is a one-time event that leads to an irreversible fate for both the saved and the lost and thus human beings have one lifetime only to make their peace with God (Matthew 25:46; Luke 26:19-31; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:10-15).
Biblically then, Scientology's philosophy, techniques, solutions to problems, and final goals are based upon underlying presuppositions that are inherently incorrect.
Sin & Salvation
In his book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health Hubbard writes that his philosophy ``is not interested in saving man, but it can do much to prevent him from being saved.'' Since there is no sin, and evil is only the outcome of engrams, mankind does not need an atonement for sin, but a therapy that neutralizes the engrams. This therapy is only offered by the Church of Scientology. In other words, salvation is in Ron Hubbard alone. However, it is not faith that is required, but a procedure called auditing, which guides the seeker, or the pre-clear, through increasing stages of self-awareness first to a state of being clear from engrams.
It all begins with a free Personality Test (now even offered on the Web), probably the most famous Scientology sales tool. It consists of about 200 questions that shall help the pre-clear to identify the source of his difficulties. Not surprisingly, the test always identifies one or another character flaw that Scientology can cure. So those who evaluate the test for you will advise you to take some Scientology courses to improve your communication skills or similar.
Scientology processing is offered in blocks of 12.5 hours, known as intensives, and involves both auditing and courses. Scientology claims that auditing is similar to Catholic confession. A pre-clear meets with an auditor in a private counseling session. The auditor shall direct the seeker back along his personal track to contract and relive the moments of emotion, pain, and unconscious thought that were recorded in the reactive mind. He probes back through previous lives and, if necessary, to the basic event that started the chain of damaging engrams and prohibits self-realization. For this purpose he uses an Electro-psychometer, briefly E-meter, that operates like a crude lie detector and shall reveal the engrams while the pre-clear answers the auditor's questions. When the engrams are revealed and presumably confessed, then - according to Scientology teaching - they are automatically erased and cannot harass the Thetan any longer. This procedure continues until all engrams are erased and the seeker is pronounced clear. It should be noticed, however, that Scientology keeps records of all the personal secrets revealed during the process and often makes use of that information in case of defection.
The status of a clear, which is reached by thousands of scientologists, however, marks only the beginning of Scientology processing. Further course now guide the clear through numerous levels of ``Operating Thetan'' back to the original Thetan abilities that he once had. The first OT levels increase the Thetan's awareness by sharpening his powers of observation. OT III contains the ``creation story'' of Scientology and the bizarre story of an evil galactic space tyrant named Xenu, who 75 million years ago brought the Thetans to Earth and turned them into the pitiful, materially enslaved creature that now has to exist as a mere stimulus-response machine. The higher OT levels are primarily aimed at re-attaining our previous God-like state. At these levels you have to pass security checks and are required to renounce your previous faith. A former OT VII member has sworn an affidavit regarding how Scientology attempted to forcibly de-program his belief in Christianity.
After level OT VIII, which is reached only by very few scientologists, you can take Life Orientation courses in order to be admitted to level OT IX and. OT X. These two levels will not be released until all organizations worldwide have reached a certain size, which means that you have to go out and make new scientologists.
The Church of Scientology is absolutely rabid about protecting the secrecy of its higher OT levels through copyright and trade secret law. Nevertheless, some material has leaked into the public through former members or discussions in the internet newsgroups (e.g. alt.religion.scientology). Since the material is constantly reworked, it is somewhat difficult to analyze what is actually been taught at these levels.
However, it is quite obvious that the teachings are in sharp contrast to biblical Christianity. Salvation is a free gift. One is redeemed from sin on the principle of grace, simply through faith in Christ's atonement (John 6:47; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:1; 1. John 2:2) and it does not require special knowledge (Scientology courses) or works (Scientology auditing etc.) to arrive at spiritual salvation.
It should be noted, that Scientology processing comes at a horrendous price. The first courses are cheap in order to lure people into becoming members of the cult. But once you are in, the prices go sky high. According to a detailed list of all the courses you have to take, one has to pay $365,000 in order to advance through OT VIII - and this assumes that you have to take each course only once. At these rates, only the idle rich can afford spiritual salvation, while in Christianity it is for free.
Things to come
Scientology does not have any specific teachings about future events. It teaches that we will eventually receive back all of our original Thetan powers and in a ways become one with the ``all Theta'', but it does not describe and specific events that will take place in the process. There is no concept of heaven or hell as in Christianity.
Summary
One may observe that Scientology does entertain a fine goal in attempting to improve the world and man's lot within it, whether materially or spiritually. This is what makes it so attractive for some people in the beginning, particularly because it claims to be compatible with the Christian faith. Many practitioners are dedicated and selfless in seeking such ends. Nevertheless, each Scientologist must weigh the scales of his or her own conscience to determine the best manner in which to achieve such goals. If man is not a Thetan as Scientology claims, but a fallen being in need of redemption as Christianity teaches, what will have been the fruit of a lifetime of work?
For the Christian, it is quite obvious that Scientology is not just a self-improvement technique that is compatible with the Christian faith. Christianity is based on our faith in God the Creator, Jesus Christ the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit. Scientology is a mixture of Science Fiction, Hinduism, and modern philosophy that denies every aspect of the Christian faith and is in no way compatible with it. Scientologists must eventually renounce their Christian faith to reach Scientology's highest levels. Scientology knowingly lies to low-level Scientologists about this fact.
But even from the scientific, psychological viewpoint Scientology is more than questionable. Hubbard always claimed that Scientology is a proven science that is rational and utilizes scientific principles. But Hubbard has no scientific background and his research methodology is unreliable. In fact, his own son claims that for his bestseller Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health he did no research at all. He just took bits and pieces from other people, put them together, and mixed in a lot of fantasy. Furthermore, researchers who have examined the E-meter, the only ``scientific'' instrument in Scientology allegedly capable of producing data, have concluded that none of the Scientology theories associated with it are in any way justified.
Given these facts one might assume that Scientology draws its members only from among the simple minded and non-religious people. But polls have shown that 47% of the scientologists claim to be Christians who still practice their faith, and 80% are middle class or higher, often with college education. The Christian church has not yet recognized the risk Scientology poses to its own members who do not recognize that being a Scientologist is inconsistent with the Christian faith. But you cannot serve God and participate in Scientology at the same time.
Special Aspects
Religious deception and false teachings are not the only dangers of the Church of Scientology. Even from a worldly perspective it has to be considered one of the most most dangerous and ruthless cults, which has little to do with a religion as one would usually understand this. Some critics went even so fare to call it multi-national racket masquerading as religion. One cannot really talk about Scientology without discussing these non-religious aspects.
A business under the Cover of Religion
The question whether Scientology is a religion or not has been disputed since the founding of the so-called Church of Scientology. Ron Hubbard is widely rumored to have said The way to make a million dollars is to start a religion and the results have proven him right.
Until 1993, the Internal Revenue Service - like almost all European countries - has denied Scientology tax-exempt status as a charitable organization, because it was dubious about the fact that a small religious enterprise could make more than 100 million dollars per year and that 90% of this money came from fees, not from donations. Where the money goes, was also controversial. When Hubbard was alive, he was reported to have received 10% of all the fees collected by Scientology centers and to have deposited as much as a $500 million in Swiss bank accounts.
The sudden and secret 1993 capitulation to Scientology by the IRS provoked bewildered suspicion for many, especially in view of the history of litigation between the two parties. After a legal challenge by Scientology, a 1984 U.S. tax court decision upheld the IRS. The court found that Scientology's continued operation was for a substantial commercial purpose, and it was ``founded for the primary purpose of gaining tax-exempt status to serve the financial goals of other, non-exempt entities''. The decision was upheld by the U.S. Appeals Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider it only one year before the IRS reversal.
The 1993 IRS decision to grant Scientology tax exempt status in spite of all this evidence of criminal activity by the church remains a mystery - a mystery deepened by its decision to seal the negotiation and any record of the agreement. But Tax Analysts, a taxpayer lobby, filed a lawsuit to force disclosure, which surfaced some amazing information.
In the early 1990's Scientology undertook investigations and inquiries into the lives of IRS employees, and engaged in public relations campaigns against the IRS. In 1993, Scientology leader David Miscavage and fellow Scientologist Marty Rathburn, just dropped in at the IRS headquarters, with no appointment, and were allowed to see the head of the IRS, Commissioner Fred Goldberg. After that meeting Mr. Goldberg created a special committee to negotiate a settlement with Scientology outside normal agency procedures.
According to Tax Analysts, the specialists who were to review Scientology's new application for tax exemption were instructed by the negotiations committee they were to verify only that the correct forms were all completed properly. They were not to evaluate whether the information submitted on the forms actually qualified Scientology to tax exemption as a religious organization. It appears that decision had already been made by the negotiating committee before the final forms were ever submitted.
Abuse of Followers and Harassment of Critics
Scientology is not a turn-the-other-cheek religion. Quite the contrary, it follows the directive that anything is permissible which advances the goals of Scientology. Statements such as ``Never fear to hurt another in a just cause'' and ``To punish to the fullest extent of my power anyone misusing or degrading Scientology to harmful ends'' characterize the ethics of Scientology. This makes it the antithesis of Christianity, which follows Paul's guidelines in Romans 8:32:
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Scientology has a long and well-documented history of
using deception to recruit people into taking a multitude of expensive ``counseling'' courses in order to be rid of ``aberrations'' from present and past lives, which cost them between $200,000 and $400,000 over their lifetime.
subjecting followers to involuntary servitude, hard labor in ``rehabilitation'' camps.
applying processing techniques that harm the mental health of its followers and result in hallucinations and irrational behavior, severe disorientation, strange bodily sensations, physical and mental illness, unconsciousness, and suicide.
A great number of Scientology associated suicides or attempted suicides is documented on various websites.
psychological coercion of followers, resulting in losses of marriages, family relationships, possessions, sanity, and life.
attempting to forcibly de-program a member's belief in Christianity during security checks for higher OT levels.
holding people against their will unless they comply with more Scientology processing, and telling them that they would commit suicide or harm their children if they didn't take more expensive Scientology courses.
keeping records of a member's personal secrets revealed during the auditing process and using this material for blackmail purposes in case of defection.
But Scientology does not stop at abusing its followers. It also has a ``fair game'' policy of subjecting critics, former and defecting members to slander, harassment, intimidation, and lawsuits.
A 1977 FBI raid on Scientology headquarters produced comprehensive evidence of stolen government documents, spies planted in the IRS and Justice Department, planted bugging devices, and 48,000 documents detailing smear campaigns orchestrated against critics of the church.
Scientology has plotted to destroy enemies by framing them for bomb threats, hit-and-run accidents, and other crimes.
One of the attacks uncovered was carried out against Paulette Cooper, author of the 1972 book, The Scandal of Scientology. Scientologists smeared Cooper's reputation, then framed her for a felony. Using stationary she had touched, which therefore contained her fingerprints, they forged a bomb threat against the Church.
Another ``attack and destroy'' campaign uncovered by the FBI was carried out against the then mayor of Clearwater, Florida, Gabe Cazares. Documents revealed that ``Scientology agents staged a fake hit-and-run accident'' against Cazares and later tricked him into using the services of an undercover Scientologist as attorney in a lawsuit against Scientology. From this undercover position the attorney provided inside information to Scientology, and gained access to sensitive files in the State Attorney General's office, ``which was conducting an investigation of the local Scientology organization''.
In 1986, Larry Wollersheim won a $30 million jury verdict in compensatory and punitive damages against the Church of Scientology. The courts found that Scientology was guilty of intentional and negligent infliction of severe emotional harm. They wrote ``The policy of fair game, by its nature, was intended to punish the person who dared to leave the Church. Here, the church actively encouraged its members to destroy Wollersheim's business. Further, by physically restraining Wollersheim from leaving the Church's ship, and subjecting him to further auditing despite his protests, the Church ignored Wollersheim's emotional state and callously compelled him to continue in a practice known to cause him emotional distress.''
The British biographer Russell Miller, who wrote a quite revealing book, Bare Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard, was sued by Scientology in Great Britain and the United States. Scientology also hired their chief ``private investigator'', Eugene Ingram, to discredit him. Miller soon found himself being questioned by the police as a suspect for a murder because of an anonymous tip-off from someone who used an extensive knowledge of Miller's work and private life to try to frame him. (Sunday Times, October 25, 1987)
In 1992 the Church of Scientology and three of its members were found guilty of breach of trust for conducting espionage against the Canadian government - the first time in Canada that a church had been found guilty of criminal activity. The church was also found guilty of libel against the Canadian prosecuting attorney.
In 1996 David Mayo, also a former Scientologist, won a long legal battle against the Church of Scientology in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court stated that the Church had been playing ``fast and loose with the legal system'' by filing countless frivolous motions, employing ``evasions, misrepresentations, broken promises and lies, destruction and concealment of documents''. Actually, Scientology spends about 30% of its money on lawsuits, trying every legal and illegal trick to prolong the case. Although it is almost certain that they eventually lose the case in court, it is their policy to make life for former members and critics as miserable as possible. Many ask what kind of a religion it is that spends so much money harassing its enemies.
In 1995, the 36 year old Lisa McPherson died while in the ``care'' of Scientology at the headquarter in Clearwater, Florida.
Lisa had been a member of the Church of Scientology for 18 years, but became disillusioned and wanted to get out. That's when church members say she began to act strangely. On November 18, 1995, Lisa was involved in a minor car accident. She was apparently not hurt, but she got out of her car and seemed mentally unstable. She was taken to a hospital where she was physically evaluated as being unharmed, but the hospital wanted her to be psychologically cared for. However, some Scientologists arrived and stated that Lisa did not believe in psychiatry, and she checked out after a short evaluation. Scientology staff promised that she would be cared for 24 hours a day. Lisa was then taken to nearby Scientology headquarters, the Ft. Harrison Hotel for ``rest and relaxation''.
On December 5, 1995, however, Lisa McPherson was dead on arrival at a hospital 20 miles north of Clearwater. According to the coroner's report, Lisa was underweight, severely dehydrated, and had bruises (from ropes?) and bug bites.
McPherson's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the church in 1997, alleging she was held against her will. State Attorney Bernie McCabe charged the church with felony counts of abuse and neglect of a disabled adult, and unauthorized practice of medicine. The trial will be held next year.
The Watchman Expositor has on file many published accounts of intense harassment and abuse of former members, media reporters, television companies, newspapers and magazines, lawyers, and even trial judges who had anything to do with either criticizing or bringing Scientology to justice. Two articles detail the chilling accounts of consistent harassment and acts of intimidating experienced by various judges assigned to significant lawsuits against Scientology.
These are not just a few individual cases. Scientology operates a Guardian Office that actually trains its people for that purpose and functions essentially like a secret service organization. Not surprisingly, Scientology policy is to ``NEVER agree to an investigation of Scientology''. For many observers, Scientology is not just a somewhat aggressive religion, but quite likely the most ruthless, the most classically terrorist, the most litigious and the most lucrative cult the country has ever seen (Former Cult Awareness Network executive director Cynthia Kisser on 60 minutes, December 28, 1997). Today, Reader's Digest's characterization of Scientology as a multi-national racket masquerading as religion is valid more than ever before.
A threat to Democracy (Government and Society)
There is a history of conflict between Scientology and the governments of several European countries, which are willing to scrutinize and restrict groups that identify themselves as religions, yet have a history of abuse or subterfuge. In Germany, which is very sensitive to totalitarian, anti-democratic organizations and movements Scientology is viewed by many as an actual, and potentially serious, threat to the state.
About 3 years ago the German government, I believe it is the only one in the world right now, decided to take actions against the continuing spread of Scientology, because it realized the danger of the growing influence that the organization already has on the community level. German officials cite the many civil and criminal convictions of Scientology and Scientologists around the world and Scientology's written policies, which institutionalize these abuses.
One such document is Hubbard's Policy Letter of August 15, 1960, titled Department of Government Affairs. The policy states
The object of the Department is to broaden the impact of Scientology upon governments and other organizations and is to conduct itself so as to make the name and reputation of Scientology better and more forceful. Therefore, defensive tactics are frowned upon. Only attacks resolve threats. The goal of the Department is to bring the government and hostile philosophies or societies into a state of complete compliance with the goals of Scientology. This is done by high level ability to control, to overwhelm, and introvert such agencies.
(as in the case of the IRS)
A series of court rulings against Scientology resulted in the German government's decision to put the Church of Scientology under nationwide surveillance by counter-intelligence agents, because it contends that the church is a threat to democracy.
True to their ``always attack'' policy, Scientology began to retaliate. They took out large full page ads in major U.S. and international newspapers. The ads accused the German government of returning to its Nazi past, paralleling the Nazi treatment of Jews with the current persecution of Scientology. Scientology celebrities John Travolta and Tom Cruise, and others, were used to send a highly publicized celebrity letter from the U.S. entertainment industry to the German government with the same sort of charges. The letter included the names of Dustin Hoffman, Goldie Hawn, Oliver Stone, Larry King, Gore Vidal, and 29 others. Scientology also used its celebrities to move the U.S. State Department to pressure the German government in its annual Human Rights Report. Scientology even filed a suit with the European Commission of Human Rights claiming persecution and discrimination.
Most of their efforts have backfired. The European Commission on Human Rights threw out the discrimination case. The comparisons of the treatment of Scientologists with the Jewish holocaust drew angry and loud protests from Jews in the U.S. and Germany. who were outraged that Scientology would trivialize the Holocaust in this way. None of the abuses claimed by Scientology could be documented by the sect and the claims about the outcomes of various German court decisions are simply false.
And while Madeline Albright and the State Department did issue a mild rebuke to the German government for its actions against some individual members of Scientology they also issued a strong denunciation of Scientology's ads, calling them ``historically inaccurate and totally distasteful''.
Unfortunately, the US government keeps its eyes shut to the criminal activities of Scientology because it masquerades and claims immunity under our First Amendment. The German Government,however, simply refused to let a foreign government interfere with its affairs and continues the surveillance of the Church of Scientology.
Involvement with the Occult
It is a known fact that Ron Hubbard was active in black magic prior to writing Dianetics. Hubbard was a devout follower of Aleister Crowley of the Ordo Templo Orientis, a magician's sect organized in Europe in the early 20th century that very likely descended from the traditions of the Chaldean sorcerers described by the prophets Daniel and Jeremiah. Crowley also studied Egyptian magic and Egyptian sorcerers are mentioned in Exodus. It should be noted that this form of magic is not a hoax but more real than most people like to believe.
Hubbard's fascination for Crowley's magic becomes quite obvious in a recording of his 1952 Philadelphia Doctorate Course, which was held after Hubbard visited Crowley's estate and assumed the mantle of ``The Beast'', which is an alternate name for Satan. According to Hubbard's son, Hubbard assumed the throne of ``The Beast`` when Crowley died. Crowley appears to have spurned Hubbard's ``research'', where he attempted to conjure the Anti-Christ through the ``Whore of Babylon`` in a magic ritual at the Pasadena Ordo Templo Orientis.
Some observers suggest that Dianetics, and by extension Scientology as well, is an extension of Hubbard's black magic ``research'' of that time. Scientology's teaching that an Operating Thetan can manipulate the universe through his mental powers, and the employment of psychic powers and out-of-body episodes as a means for the Thetan to re-realize his or her true powers, are strong indicators for the church's acceptance of the realm of the occult. Further, Hubbard's own son goes so far as to affirm that ``black magic is the inner core of Scientology''. Hubbard himself allegedly confessed that a spirit entity guided him throughout his life and a number of scholarly researchers have verified the occult nature of Scientology.
The War on the Internet
The ``War on the Internet`` is the war between the Church of Scientology and Internet users who copy their documents and post them on the Internet.
The people who are copying their material and webbing it are using the huge accessibility of the world-wide web to get information out to people to warn them of the insanity and danger of Scientology. The hope is that if they can get this information out to the public and make it broadly known then people will be forewarned and will not join the cult. If they can starve Scientology of new members in this way, then the whole organization may collapse and then the existing members can be helped to return to society.
But of course the people within the cult believe only their own founder's interpretation of things so they use every means they can to stop this. Usually the method they use is harassment through lengthy and expensive legal processes. Sometimes it is physical harassment. Sometimes worse!
The people who post and host the copyrighted and confidential works of Scientology are risking themselves to help warn the public about the dangers of Scientology. They have a strong sense of public duty and care for their fellow men. They are breaking copyright laws, but they are acting out of conscience and out out of love and compassion for those still in Scientology, in hopes that they will escape.
These notes could not have been been written without the material provided by them.
Summary
Scientology is clearly a very dangerous cult. It's teachings are in sharp contrast with the Bible and its practices give rise to much concern. Although Christians with a sound biblical background will certainly not fall into the trap of Scientology, it poses a threat for those who think they could profit from the self-improvement techniques and thus embrace both Christianity and Scientology. The Bible tells us to
have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light (Ephesians 5:11-13). For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (John 3:20-21).
Back to Table of Contents
The New Age Movement is a growing belief system in North America encompassing thousands of autonomous - and sometimes contradictory - beliefs, organizations and events. It blends the theology of pantheistic Eastern religions with practices from Western occultism. The term New Age itself refers to the Age of Aquarius, which, according to New Age followers, is dawning. It is supposed to bring peace and enlightenment and to reunite man with God.
In contrast to other cults, the New Age Movement is difficult to define. There is no New Age Church, no New Age Religion, no officially registered New Age Organization, no membership, no founder and no leader of the movement. Instead, it is a widespread way of thinking that appears in many forms, beliefs, and practices such as
Astrology, Aura, Black and White Magic, Chakras, Chi Energy, Crystals,
Druidism, Eastern Mysticism, Extraterrestrials and UFOs, Firewalking, Gaia, Gnosticism, Hare Krishna, Hinduism, Human Potential Movement, Mind Science, Native American Spirituality, Near-death Experiences, Nirvana, Parapsychology, Psychic, Reincarnation, Shamanism, Spiritism, Tai Chi, Taoism, Tarot Cards, Theosophy, Trance-Channeling, Transcendental Meditation, Transpersonal Psychology, Witchcraft, Yin-Yang, Yoga, and Zen.
Some of the practices seem to be little more than innocent relaxation techniques with no religious content - only designed to reduce stress and physical tension. But actually all of them are based of one or more of the following beliefs
1.
All is one - all reality is part of the whole
2.
Everything is God and God is everything
3.
Man is God or part of God
4.
5.
Man can create his own reality.
The New Age Movement uses a special terminology for these beliefs. Words like holistic and synergistic thinking, networking, global unity and harmony, cosmic energy, awakening, consciousness, and human potential dominate conversations and writings. They sound esoteric and fascinating, but also hide the true religious content behind a scientific appearance. As a result, New Age practices have made their way into almost every area of the culture - sociology, psychology, medicine, the government, ecology, science, arts, the business community, the media, entertainment, sports, education, and even the church. Christians and non-Christians alike have been seduced to accept practices and beliefs that are clearly based on anti-Christian doctrines.
History
Historically, the New Age Movement can be seen as the modern revival of ancient religious traditions and practices. Its actual original roots are found in the Garden of Eden, as described in Genesis 3:4-5
And the serpent said unto the woman, you shall not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
In the original lie, Satan questions God's word and authority and, disputes that death results from disobedience, and claims that through the acquisition of secret or Gnostic wisdom man can be enlightened and can be like God. Over the centuries, this lie resulted in a variety of religious traditions and occult practices, which were already strongly condemned in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 18:9-17; Isaiah 47:9-15) but nevertheless developed in the pagan cultures. It continues to its ultimate state of development and will be revealed as Satan's one-world system at the end of the age (Revelation 17-18). (see Pastor's lesson)
The major world religions whose beliefs and practices are entwined with the New Age Movement are Hinduism (ca. 3,000 B.C.), Buddhism, (ca. 560 B.C.), and Taoism, (ca. 500 B.C.). Another prominent occultic influence was Druidism, the religion of the Celts, which extended from 300 B.C. into the middle ages. These teachings were transplanted into modern times by Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), the Theosophical Society founded by Madame Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891), and through the First World Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in 1893, which essentially initiated the spread of Hinduism throughout the United States. The 1960s witnessed a particular revival of Eastern mysticism and the study of secret wisdom from India. Zen Buddhism, Carlos Castanada, Transcendental Meditation, and Yoga became very popular. In the eighties, Shirley MacLaine's books and television shows gave the New Age Movement more popular exposure and momentum.
Today, various research polls are consistently demonstrating that a significant shift has been occurring in the West and that millions of adults have embraced a world view that is totally at odds with the faith they profess. According to surveys 86% of Americans claim to be Christian, yet 72% reject the notion of absolute truth, 40% believe a New Age (pantheistic) view of God, 30% believe in reincarnation, and 36% believe that astrology is scientific.
The New Age Movement is now comprised of hundreds of groups and individuals who have gained significant influence on almost every area of our culture. The movement expresses itself in widely divergent forms, from the blatantly obvious to the subtle and from the organized religious to the secular ones. As a result, even many Christians have been fooled by New Age thinking and now tend to mix beliefs into their faith which in today`s world sound so plausible but are completely wrong from a biblical perspective. In this sense, the New Age Movement is the successful continuation of Satan's ultimate lie, ultimately aiming at the seduction of Christianity.
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. (Mark 13:22-23)
On the other hand, not everything labelled with the term New Age is actually related to the New Age Movement. Record companies, for instance, have discovered, that the label New Age is good for marketing purposes. In reality New Age music only refers to a certain style of music. Many musicians suddenly found themselves in this category. You will find even certain classical music and some pretty good Christian music in this section.
Major Doctrines
As far as doctrines are concerned, there is nothing really new in New Age. Its two key elements - Evolutionary Godhood, the spiritual evolution of man into God, and Global Unity, the assumption that everything is linked together - are only modern reformulations of ancient Hindu teachings and almost identical to the foundations of Christian Science or Scientology - if you abstract from certain peculiarities.
Nevertheless, the New Age formulation is smoother and more appealing. The new age, which is soon to come, shall bring peace and enlightenment, harmony, mutual love and acceptance - and who does not want that? Naturally, New Age followers look forward to the coming of a new leader who unites the world in love and harmony. New Age practices are designed to explore the human potential and to push man ahead into a new spiritual horizon, closer to God and closer to being God.
Therefore, we will not only discuss New Age beliefs but also reveal how they are hidden in the various New Age practices that can be found everywhere in this country.
Sources of Authority - anything but the Bible?
The New Age Movement rejects the idea of an absolute truth and therefore does not have any particular source of authority. The only absolute dogma in New Age is that truth is relativistic - each person has its own reality and subjective experience: what is true for one person may not be true for another. This makes it almost impossible to dispute with devoted New Age followers. If you have a different opinion, they simply say ``it's fine - if you believe so, that is your reality''. But they do not think that your reality is relevant for them as well - at least not on the spiritual level.
Nevertheless, due the the sheer number of New Age groups there are many publications such as the New Age Journal, Body Mind Spirit, Yoga Journal, Gnosis, East West, Noetic Sciences, and Omega, which influence the minds of New Age followers and constantly stir up new concepts.
God
Even though many New Age adherents describe God in personal terms, the New Age concept of God is quite vague. God is an impersonal life force, consciousness or energy - much like ``The Force'' in the movie Star Wars. The New Age view of the world and the universe is monistic and pantheistic, which means that everything that exists is of One essence, and that One essence is God. Everything is a different form of that essence and the Divine Force is what holds everything together.
There is a variety of colorful descriptions of this divine force in the many New Age publications and many names for God among different New Age groups, such as God-consciousness, Universal Love, Self-Realization, the I AM, Higher Self, Brahman, Nirvana, etc. However, New Age generally rejects God as a personal eternal being who created, rules over, and defines the limits of His creation (Acts 17:24-26).
Man
The fact that God is in everything obviously elevates the position of man. New Age adherents often believe that man is perfect and divine, able to create his own reality. In New Age, Psalm 46:10 reads as ``Be still, and know that you are God''. Each individual thus has a higher self inseparately and eternally related to its person. For some, this is the immortal soul, for others an extraterrestrial being. The higher self is immortal and has perfect memory. In New Age terminology, it lives in holographic time which is not bound to the linear order of time as we know it. It is also androgynous, that is in perfect balance between male and female, positive and negative energy.
Since man is intrinsically divine, perfect, and with unlimited potential, his only real problem is ignorance of that fact. Man`s perception of finiteness is in reality an illusion. Thus he needs to become enlightened through experiential knowledge (gnosis). New Age groups offer various occultic techniques to enable individuals, and ultimately the world, to evolve into this one divine consciousness and to become God again.
An almost universal belief among New Agers is an adaptation of the Hindu concept of reincarnation which teaches that after death the soul, or essence comes back in another form to continue spiritual evolvement. New Agers misrepresent church history, the doctrines of Christianity, and often twist Scripture to support the idea that original Christianity taught reincarnation. For them, resurrection and being born again is just the same as reincarnation. They argue that the early church suppressed the doctrine of reincarnation and censored its teaching.
Salvation
Reincarnation is usually seen as a step in the progression towards Godhood. But progressive steps are not always guaranteed and the number of reincarnations may run into millions. That is determined by the law of Karma - the law of cause and effect. What you are now is determined by what you did in your previous existences. The higher self remembers everything and these memories need to be resolved and cleared if we are to go on to a higher enlightenment. Self-realization, total enlightenment, or illumination, where the soul enters into the endless freedom from the demanding control of karma, is the ultimate goal. From there on, there is no rebirth - one has reached the Nirvana, the place of passionless peace.
In contrast to Hinduism, none of the New Age books emphasizes ascetism or clean living as a way to clear the karma. Instead, there is a great emphasis on Global Unity. Since everyone and everything is linked together, man is to live in unity with man, nature, the earth, the universe, and God. The New Age Movement teaches that we will learn our proper divine relationship with one another and through this achieve harmony, mutual love, and unity. At a first glance, this appears to be a goal well worth to be pursued, but there are several caveats.
The New Age understanding of unity with nature and the earth opposes the Scriptural teaching of man's superiority over plants and animals (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:19). While we certainly have to show more responsibility for what God has entrusted to us instead of abusing our planet as we currently do, this does not mean that there are no differences between animals and humans or that we should worship earth and nature, as Native American Spirituality and the Gaia movement use to do.
Most New Agers believe that harmony can only be achieved through economic unity. They hope for a single world leader, who will eventually guide the world into a harmonious economic whole. The scriptures warn us that such a leader will very likely be the coming Antichrist ( 2. Thessalonians 2:3-4):
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
There is a very thin borderline here between honorable goals and ideas that are in sharp contrast with the Scriptures and we have to learn to discern properly.
Jesus Christ
The New Age teachings about Jesus Christ have become very popular among those who believe Jesus to be only a great moral teacher. They believe that during the ``lost 18 years'' before Jesus appeared publicly at the age of 30, Jesus became an explorer who traveled to far off lands to the spiritual centers in India and Egypt, and Tibet, where he studied under various spiritual masters. During that time he evolved to the state of ``the Christ'', the ultimate state of self-realization. When he returned to his native people in Israel, He taught a Hindu world view of Christ consciousness, expressed in terms that the Hebrews would understand. So Jesus was merely a way-shower, whose primary function is to awaken humanity and illumine the path.
This contradicts everything Jesus said and did. The theory of Jesus studying in India under the gurus simply does not fit into the New Testament record. The gurus are all vegetarians. Jesus ate the Passover lamb, fed multitudes with fish, after His resurrection ate fish demonstrating to He was actually resurrected bodily. Jesus taught one life and then judgment, heaven or hell, which certainly is antithetical to Hinduism. He only quoted books and prophets from the Old Testament, none else. Jesus was without sin, so he could not have broken any even the smallest Jewish law, which means that he had to attend three Jewish feasts every year. Traveling back and forth between India and Israel all the time would simply have been impossible. So, if we accept the biblical account of Jesus, he could not have been in India during the ``lost 18 years''. Besides, he did not need to study. Luke 2:41-47 clearly points out that at the age of twelve Jesus already had all the knowledge he needed.
Things to come
We are at the beginning of a new age - the Age of Aquarius, the eleventh sign of the zodiac. Astrologers say that this age is characterized by a new religious atmosphere and a heightened degree of of spiritual and cosmic consciousness. It will be a time of liberation of the mind, of love and enlightenment, an age of a balanced viewpoint. During this age we will move beyond the masculine God the Father, who has dominated the Piscean age during the past 2000 years, and be nurtured by the Mother-Goddess, a feminine energy.
There are different opinions about when the Aquarian age will begin. Some say that we are already in it. Others believe it will be complete in 2062. There are no astronomical data available to determine this, so it mostly depends on what people believe. In any case, it is supposed to be inaugurated by the coming of a supermind, a perfect being who will lead us into a long awaited era of universal peace, love and joy. For New Agers this is the being anticipated by all religions - the Hindu Avatar, the Al Mahdi of the Muslims, the Jewish Messiah, the Buddhist Maitreya, or the second coming of Christ - they all point to the same being that is soon to come. Actually, in April 1982 full-page ads were placed in all major newspapers around the world claiming that ``THE CHRIST IS NOW HERE'' but he has never been revealed publicly.
From a biblical perspective, events will be quite different. Christ will return visibly for all the world to see - there is no need to announce his presence. But the rapture of his church will be followed by the great tribulation for the unsaved and not an age of universal happiness. Afterwards, the millenial kingdom will be reigned by Jesus Christ, and not by some new Mother-Goddess.
New Age Practices and Beliefs
New Age is much less a definite cult which emphasizes worship and religious teachings than a movement that is characterized by its practices and the underlying beliefs. In general, New Age practices are designed to prepare people for the new age to come and to push them ahead into a new spiritual horizon, towards the Global Unity, closer to God and closer to being God. In the following we will briefly discuss some of the activities that come under the umbrella of the New Age Movement.
Astrology
Astrology is a method using the position of the planets, sun and moon at the time and place of birth as signposts to explain the person's character, life and destiny. It is based on the occult belief that man and the universe are connected by a mystical force, or are - using New Age terminology - in global unity. Therefore, man is a microcosm of the patterns of his planets at birth, and the planets reflect one's inner self. The task of the astrologer or the horoscope is to interpret the constellations of the star in order to determine what the future will bring for a particular person.
The word horoscope comes from the Greek, meaning literally a watcher of the hour. A chart of the planetary position at birth purported to reveal the person's destiny. There are three main components of the chart: the planets, the Zodiac signs and the Twelve houses. The planets represent people and aspects of the emotional, mental or spiritual self. The zodiac signs describe the way in which the planets are limited or expanded. The houses represent various areas such as self, home, marriage, career, etc. Thus, roughly, the planets are who or what, the zodiac signs are how and the houses are where. Additionally, the angles between the planets must be considered. Present and future influences are read by comparing the present movement of planets to the birth chart, a method called transits. Another method, the progressed chart, is calculated with each day after birth equaling a year in real life.
Traditionally, Astrology was fatalistic: the chart elineated a personality and course already ordained by the planetary influences. Aspects of the chart were seen as either beneficial or adverse. Today, the humanistic view of a person as the master of his or her fate has turned the chart into a set of possibilities and choices. Chart symbols are viewed as having both negative and positive possibilities, which makes the chart a blueprint for the self and soul, a pattern that can be rearranged in various ways by the self-aware individual. For the New Ager, Astrology is a tool to ``know thyself'' as well as a tool of divination. Modern Astrology prefers to call interpretations of the future ``coming trends'' which will help us to make choices.
There is no clear evidence of how Astrology began, but most historians believe that the Chaldeans were the first to develop it. Already in Deuteronomy 18:9-12 the Bible strongly condemns divination and worship of the heavens, both of which Astrology is a part. Verses like Deuteronomy 4:19, 17:3, Daniel 2:27-28, 5:7, Isaiah 47:13, and Acts 7:42 are equally clear.
People have pointed out that Astrology occasionally makes very accurate predictions and are therefore convinced the chart is working based on spiritual and mystical universal laws. While the accuracy of certain predictions cannot be disputed, the very fact that not all predictions are 100% accurate clearly indicates that Astrology is not from God, which can only mean that those involved in Astrology operate - often unknowingly - on demonic supernatural power.
Channelling
Channeling is the process whereby a human host claims to enter into an altered state of consciousness thereby allowing a spirit entity to take possession of their body and give instructions to New Age believers. This altered state can be in varying degrees of control. Some channelers will have complete control of their body and simply speak the message of the spirit guide. Others will completely loose consciousness, entering a deep trance as the message is given from the entity. A third group of channelers will often remain conscious but will voluntarily yield control of their body for the purposes of allowing the entity to use their hands for writing messages. This form of Channeling is more commonly known as Automatic Writing.
The history of Channeling can be traced back to its earlier more blatantly occult roots of Spiritism. In the 1840's the Fox sisters claimed to communicate with the spirit of a murdered man. Their convincing act tricked thousands until 1886 when they finally confessed that they were frauds. Nevertheless, the Spiritism movement was under way. Proponents of Spiritism, Automatic Writing and other forms of communication with the dead, were Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, who founded Theosophy in 1875, Alice Bailey, founder of the Arcane School in 1923, and others who have influenced the development of Channeling. But it was not until the 1960's and `70's that Channeling became commonly accepted and even fashionable. Today, there are ten thousands of channels throughout the world today. These channelers travel to New Age fairs, seminars and conferences throughout the world, where New Age devotees flock by the tens of thousands to hear the latest truths.
The ultimate message of the New Age is manifest in the message of the various channelers. That message being, All is God, you are a part of the All, therefore you are God. Since you are God then you can alter reality to fit your view of truth. New Agers come to the channelers to find out how they can use the spirit world to influence reality. Again, the Bible strongly forbids communication with the dead (Necromancy), as expressed in Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-12 & 15; 1 Samuel 28; 1 Chronicle 10:13-14; Isaiah 8:19. It should also be noted that channelers either commit fraud (i.e. fake spiritual communication), are self-deceived (2 Thessalonians 2:10; 2 Timothy 3:12) or in actual contact with demons who are masquerading as deceased spirit masters (see Isaiah 19:3; Ephesians 6:12; 1 John 4:1-3). Neither of these options is in any way beneficial.
Psychics
Very strongly related to channellers and astrologers are psychics, who claim to have many gifts or talents in the area of extrasensual perception, clairvoyance, communication with the spirit world, abilities to read the human aura and use these special skills as a healer or reader. The history of psychics may be traced back thousands of years ago to the seers, shamans, and soothsayers of ancient pagan religions and occult practices. Their spread through Europe and America began in the early 19th century and continued constantly over the past 150 years. During the lifetime of Jeanne Dixon, America's most famous psychic, America experienced unparalleled growth in the interest and acceptance of psychics and paranormal phenomena. Over her 50 year career Dixon was advisor to world leaders including US presidents and wrote eight books. At the time of her death in January 1997, Dixon syndicated columns were featured in over 800 daily newspapers worldwide.
Today, the psychic industry has become a remarkably successful business. Psychics offer their services day by day through hundreds of late night commercials and toll-free phone numbers. Dionne Warwick's Psychic Friends Network alone is estimated to receive 3 million minutes of calls a month at about $4 per minute. Psychic fairs are commonplace in the US. Metaphysical and New Age book stores can be found easily in almost every American city, and the Internet is booming with cyberpsychics.
Much of the mystique and lure of modern psychics is the alleged proof of their claims through various alleged supernatural manifestations. People often trust psychics because of their persuasive demonstrations, although the history of psychics is littered with cases of proven fraud. Professional magician James Randi, for instance, has publicly exposed a number of psychics, spiritualists, channelers, and charlatans. One of Randi's first targets was Israeli psychic Uri Geller, tested by the Stanford Research Institute for his powers to bend spoons and levitate objects. Randi demonstrated that the tricks were actually very simple and much assisted by the people's imagination.
The likelihood of fraud and fakery is one reason the Bible warns against relying on signs and wonders as evidence for truth-claims. Jesus always refused to give additional signs to those who did not believe his message, for he knew that people get easily deceived by signs. ``For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect'' (Mark 13:22). The Bible tells us not to look at celebrated random examples of some accurate predictions, but requires a prophet to be 100% accurate all the time. Jeanne Dixon certainly was not always accurate, and neither are any of today's psychics. But even real examples of spiritual manifestations would not prove the phenomena is harmless or from God. The Bible warns of demons, seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (Timothy 4:1).
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
Extraterrestrials and UFOs
The UFO phenomenon has increased steadily over the last 50 years. While in the 1950's only 3-1/2% of the US population believed in UFOs this number has risen to an impressive 75-85% today. The past has no shortage of witnessing strange sightings in the heavens that could not be verified as comets or some other natural phenomenon and the search for extraterrestrial intelligences is well underway. There is the Californian S.E.T.I. Institute (Search for extraterrestrial Intelligence) and numerous other groups. The Voyager spacecraft has been sent out into space accompanied with a message to try and contact some other life in outer space. The Aricebo Observatory in Puerto Rico is involved as well as many others from different countries.
How did we get to this view of mankind being just another species in the universe? It has become the inherent consequence of our acceptance of the evolution theory. It is only natural, we are told, that while we were developing here on this planet the same could have been happening elsewhere given the correct conditions. Given enough time anything can happen. Some scientists even suggest that there could be beings so beyond man on the evolutionary scale that they would look like Gods to us and many people are certainly fascinated by this idea.
It is interesting to observe how the idea that extraterrestrial beings could pay us a visit mutated from a scare into something that quite a few people actually hope for. In the late 40's Orson Wells narration The War of the Worlds over the radio scared hundreds of people out of their houses. Through the 1950's the movies expressed our fears of these alien visitors as enemies waiting to take over our planet. But slowly our attitude changed. TV shows like Star Trek gave us space as the final frontier, and an acceptance to move out beyond our earth. New movies came showing that UFOs were not really our enemies but our friends, welcoming us to a new frontier.
In fact, true UFO believers are looking for a technological savior to show up in the sky and expect spirit beings to land here on earth to help establish a new world order. More than 700,000 people have already reported sightings of UFOs or claimed abductions. Others claim to be in constant communication with extraterrestrials. They receive Transmissions through what we already know as Channelling and Automatic Writing. The messages are identical to ones the mediums and spiritists have been getting for centuries, just a bit more with technological slant.
One message received over and over again says ``The Christ of the Aquarian age will arrive in the first public spaceship landing, to be seen by all your people on international satellite television'', and many UFO believers are looking forward to that day. Just imagine a landing of UFOs and one comes out arrayed in white saying he is the Christ. Do you think the world would be convinced? After all he came just as he left from the sky and every eye will behold him. What if he had powers and was able to do signs or miracles, how could anyone refute it?
But if that were to happen, would it really be Christ stepping out of the UFO? Wouldn't it be just one of the greatest deception ever fostered upon mankind - with the potential of leading millions of people astray? What can we actually expect from UFOs and extraterrestrials?
According to the descriptions of UFOs defy the laws of physics. They travel at speeds of 5,000 to 10,000 mph without making a sonic boom. They make immediate stops and survive the inertia. They are invisible on photographs, disappear and reappear somewhere else. So if UFOs actually exist, they are certainly not from this physical world and you don't really want to get in contact with them. Reports of those who claim to have been abducted by UFOs are strongly reminiscent of medieval tales of encounters with demons and the communication between extraterrestrials and mankind strongly resembles well-known occult techniques.
The Bible does not give the slightest hint about life on other planets. Scripture indicates that God created only two kinds of intelligent beings, angels and men. Man was placed here on earth, created in the image of God and with a special relationship to him. No other intelligent beings have ever been created and there are certainly no extraterrestrials. The belief in UFOs and extraterrestrials is nothing but a technologically modified version of the age-old deception that shall lure people into getting into a contact with demons and follow practices that the Scriptures clearly forbid.
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna, the Krishna consciousness movement can be traced back the India of early 1500's, where public chanting the names of Krishna was first practiced. During the next centuries it experienced several declines and revivals in India and began to conquer the Western World in 1965, when A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada emigrated to the United States, opened a store-front center, published his religious magazine Back to Godhead, and founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
The spirit of the late sixties helped the movement to grow rapidly. George Harrison's song My Sweet Lord, probably the most famous instance of public Hare Krishna chanting, made the movement quite popular. After the death of Prabhupada in 1977 the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has gone through several legal and doctrinal conflicts, including several murder cases and child abuse lawsuits, but managed to survive until this day.
Essentially, Hare Krishna is a Hindu-type religion with its own temples and preaching centers. It looks to Krishna as the ``Supreme Personality, the Lord, the complete whole, the Absolute Truth''. Krishna is the creator of all that exists; even the gods worshiped in other religions are simply ``plenary expansions or parts of Krishna''. Krishna is the Supersoul who enters into everything that is. Thus everything is just ``part and parcel of the Supreme Lord''.
The Bible is acceptable in Hare Krishna but it is taught that the Vedic literature of Hinduism contains much more specific information about God than you'll find in the Bible. Jesus Christ, for instance, is one of the demi-god manifestations of Krishna, sent to be the spiritual master of particular people in a particular time. But the true mediator between God (Krishna) and humanity is A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He is referred to as His Divine Grace, a title he chose for himself. It is even said of him that ``Prabhupada was a world-genius, greater than Jesus'' and that he is to be ``honored as highly as the Supreme and Almighty Lord''
According to Hare Krishna, man's only problem is his lust for temporal pleasures rather than love for Krishna. This lust keeps humanity trapped in the material world, rather than pursuing salvation, through millions of reincarnations and the law of Karma. Salvation from this endless cycle is attained only through following the spiritual disciplines of Krishna consciousness. These spiritual disciplines include:
1.
Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, the holy name of the Lord Krishna for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours each day, which is considered the solution to all problems.
2.
Distributing Hare Krishna literature, which may result in the salvation of both member and recipient
3.
Keeping the prohibitions against four degrading activities that cause humanity to submit to lustful. These are (1) gambling, (2) intoxication from alcohol, drugs, caffeine, and nicotine, (3) sexual activity outside marriage and for any purpose other than procreation, and (4) animal slaughter - which means you have to be strictly vegetarian.
4.
Dressing appropriately. Men are supposed to shave their head except for a small tuft toward the back of their head and wear an orange Hindu dress. Women wear beautiful and modest Indian saris. In recent years the dress code has been eased for those whose assigned duties related to meetings with the general public.
5.
A strictly regulated communal life.
Although Hare Krishna's emphasis is more religious than the average New Age activity, it is based on the same beliefs. The aim at a high degree of purity is certainly honorable but the Hare Krishna approach is not the way to salvation. Salvation is not earned by erasing karma through reincarnation, repetition of a mantra, or following an extensive list of rules and rituals. Humans live only once, and then face judgment from God (Hebrews 9:27) and the only way to get saved is provided by God`s grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Transcendental Meditation and Yoga
Transcendental Meditation, which is advertised as a meditative method of obtaining serenity without drugs, was brought to the West in 1959 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It offered peace, happiness and spiritual growth through a system of deep meditation and soon acquired a celebrated following including such famous names as the Beatles, Mia Farrow, and various sport stars. However, is popularity sagged in the late 60s and the Maharishi saw it necessary to revise Transcendental Meditation. He shifted the emphasis in the presentation of Transcendental Meditation from the spiritual to the practical and scientific to evade both materialistic and religious resistance to his spiritual teachings. Transcendental Meditation was presented to the Western world as a scientific way of reducing stress and finding peace within oneself. This strategy permitted Transcendental Meditation to obtain government support and a place in the curriculum of public schools. Today, it has become the most widely practiced form of meditation in the country. Thousands of school teachers have become meditators through this system and many have encouraged their students to practice Transcendental Meditation as well.
However, while Transcendental Meditation strives to couch its concepts in neutral terms and promotes its medicinal benefits as a form of relaxation, it nevertheless incorporates the fundamentals of Hinduism into its approach. Though the techniques can be learned in a purely mechanical way, answers to How and Why inevitably take the novice into the realm of Eastern philosophy.
According to Transcendental Meditation, man`s ultimate need is for a state of consciousness called Unity and man`s deepest difficulty is his lack of consciousness of his own divine Being. Instead of attaining consciousness of God, people try to be good or merely think about God. To quote Maharishi Mahesh Yogi himself, ``All misery in the world is due to missing this one point''
The Puja, an initiation rite leads the novice goes through a ceremony worshiping the Hindu deities and offering them sacrifices. It is only after this ceremony has been performed that one may receive his personal mantra to meditate upon. The mantra is given by the master to a follower as a kind of weapon to ward off reasoning, thinking, and conceptualization and unite the meditator with the divine within him. In Transcendental Meditation the mantra is a group of sounds that is to be repeated silently over and over again in order to draw the mind towards its own essential nature. The mantra must never be spoken aloud or revealed to anyone. There is a reason for keeping the mantra secret. Devotees would quickly find out that their personal mantra was by no means chosen for them only and that it is much more than just a meditation device. Maharishi himself admits that the use of the mantra invokes gods and spirits from the spirit world - and that is its only purpose.
Gradually, the initiate comes under the control of both his instructor and his own mantra. There comes a time when the constant repetition of his mantra produces a numbness of mind, when he does not even hear himself praying to the gods. His mind empties of all thought, leading towards the merging of self with the so called absolute deity, Brahma. Eventually, adherents to Transcendental Meditation lose touch with reality and many end up with mental disorders. Quite a few suffer demon attack and even possession. It is not unusual that Transcendental Meditation adherents take up the occult in its many forms, including levitation, witchcraft etc.
Even Yoga exercises - currently taught to a about 4 and 5 million people each week - are not as innocent as they may seem seem. Many people take up Yoga as a harmless pastime to help relieve tension and aches. Experts say, however, that physically yoga is no more effective than any other form of training. On the other hand, the fact remains that even physical yoga is inextricably united with Eastern metaphysics. Every single minute movement to be found in any yoga exercise is really a prayer to the Hindu gods! Each passive, gentle movement is a symbol which 'speaks' to the spirits and is designed to reach a state of union with oneself as God. In other words, whoever practices yoga actually participates in a Hindu ritual.
Unfortunately, because Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has claimed that Transcendental Meditation is not a religion, many Jewish and Christian leaders have endorsed Transcendental Meditation to their congregations, and practice it themselves. But the origin of Transcendental Meditation, its initiation rite, nature, practice, and theory are religious at the core. Transcendental Meditation is pure Hinduism and not compatible with Christianity. Christians who take up Transcendental Meditation or Yoga seriously, will eventually lose all love for their Savior and God, begin to accept other gospels, and usually start to say that God can be reached by other faiths. Some may also experience the other horrific problems already mentioned.
Transcendental Meditation is not to be fooled with or toyed with. It is a cult, a lie of the devil, and cannot, in any form, be mixed with Christianity.
It is a sad truth that many of the New Age beliefs already made their way into the curriculum of our public schools, often under the disguise of neutral, academic, psychological, or scientific sounding terminology. Terms like transpersonal psychology, guided imagery, visualization, human potential, inner guides sound so innocent. Unconventional educators and parents may actually believe that by endorsing these disciplines they are truly helping students and society at large.
Indeed, Yoga and meditation may calm a nervous student; visualization and guided imagery could help improve his creativity; teaching principles of psychic development may enhance his sense of self-importance and increase his sense of power. But many educators and parents do not realize that these techniques already cross the thin line between a normal use of relaxation or imagination and occult techniques or philosophies. Integrating these methods and ideas into school curricula will lay a heavy burden on our children and future generations. Again, we must learn to discern: unconventional new methods may be very helpful but we must not allow the occult to spread further in our schools.
The U.S. Supreme Court has held that religious practice in the schools constitutes a violation of the Establishment clause of the First Amendment since public schools cannot promote the practice or ideology of any religion. If we cannot teach Christian values in schools anymore, we can at least make sure that other religions will not be taught as well - even if they come under the disguise of scientific terms.
Summary
The New Age Movement is a conglomerate of seemingly unrelated groups, techniques, and beliefs that keep influencing each other and constantly create new mixtures. Its characteristic is not a homogeneous doctrine, but practices that are based on a modern version of Satan's original lie. Although no leader can be made out, one can clearly observe how Satan himself orchestrates the whole movement, spreading his lies wherever he can find people open to deception.
Discussions with New Agers sometimes appear to be hopeless. But if you address the fundamental issues - the irrationality of relativism, the inconsistencies of living out the New Ager view of the world, factual and historical errors, and the biblical account of the real God, Jesus, and gospel - then they may realize that there is a choice to be made instead of blurring the distinctions, and that love and forgiveness can not be found in an impersonal force but only in the God of the Bible.
Back to Table of Contents
We have gone over the teachings of 8 major cults and the biblical responses to their teachings. Now that we know what they believe - what can we do if we get into contact with people that are involved in a cult or the New Age Movement? Witnessing to them can be very frustrating, if you let them steer the discussion, because you will mostly dwell on topics that are not relevant for their salvation. You should be the one who asks questions concerning their beliefs about the fundamental issues. Recall however, that you are trying to reach a lost soul behind the wall of indoctrination, so you should keep a few things in mind.
1.
Do not argue and do not attack or ridicule the person.
Avoid anything that could even sound like you are attacking the person. They have a right to have their beliefs.
2.
Do not denigrate the character of the cult's founder.
3.
Know and use the word of God - it is quick and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). Keep in mind that throwing Bible verses at persons is not enough. You need to know the context in which it was used.
4.
Know what the cult believes and be ready to ask specific questions about issues where it deviates from the word of God.
5.
Give your own testimony about what Christ has done for you. There is nothing more convincing than that.
6.
Exalt the Lord Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all and salvation is through Christ alone. This has to become very clear.
7.
Consciously depend upon the Holy Spirit. Under his guidance you will be able to reach out.
Of course, there is no guarantee that you will be able to rescue a deceived soul. Sometimes you just have to let them go and pray that the word of God will continue to work in his life, because
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)
| i don't know |
Talc is the softest mineral listed on the Mohs scale of hardness. It is given a value of 1. Diamond is the hardest. What number is it given? | Mohs Hardness Scale: Testing the Resistance to Being Scratched
Diamond
10
One of the most important tests for identifying mineral specimens is the Mohs Hardness Test. This test compares the resistance of a mineral to being scratched by ten reference minerals known as the Mohs Hardness Scale (see table at left). The test is useful because most specimens of a given mineral are very close to the same hardness. This makes hardness a reliable diagnostic property for most minerals.
Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist, developed the scale in 1812. He selected ten minerals of distinctly different hardness that ranged from a very soft mineral (talc) to a very hard mineral (diamond). With the exception of diamond, the minerals are all relatively common and easy or inexpensive to obtain.
Making Hardness Comparisons
"Hardness" is the resistance of a material to being scratched. The test is conducted by placing a sharp point of one specimen on an unmarked surface of another specimen and attempting to produce a scratch. Here are the four situations that you might observe when comparing the hardness of two specimens:
If Specimen A can scratch Specimen B, then Specimen A is harder than Specimen B.
If Specimen A does not scratch Specimen B, then Specimen B is harder than Specimen A.
If the two specimens are equal in hardness then they will be relatively ineffective at scratching one another. Small scratches might be produced, or it might be difficult to determine if a scratch was produced.
If Specimen A can be scratched by Specimen B but it cannot be scratched by Specimen C, then the hardness of Specimen A is between the hardness of Specimen B and Specimen C.
Mohs hardness test: When conducting the test, place the unknown specimen on a table top and firmly hold it in place with one hand. Then place a point of the reference specimen against a flat, unmarked surface of the unknown specimen. Press the reference specimen firmly against the unknown, and deliberately drag it across the flat surface while pressing firmly. To avoid injury, drag the known specimen away from your body and parallel to the fingers that are holding the unknown specimen.
Mohs Hardness Testing Procedure
Begin by locating a smooth, unscratched surface for testing.
With one hand, hold the specimen of unknown hardness firmly against a table top so that the surface to be tested is exposed and accessible. The table top supports the specimen and helps you hold it motionless for the test.
Hold one of the standard hardness specimens in the other hand and place a point of that specimen against the selected flat surface of the unknown specimen.
Firmly press the point of the standard specimen against the unknown specimen, and firmly drag the point of the standard specimen across the surface of the unknown specimen.
Examine the surface of the unknown specimen. With a finger, brush away any mineral fragments or powder that was produced. Did the test produce a scratch? Be careful not to confuse mineral powder or residue with a scratch. A scratch will be a distinct groove cut in the mineral surface, not a mark on the surface that wipes away.
Conduct the test a second time to confirm your results.
Mohs Hardness of Common Minerals
Alphabetical
1
Mohs Hardness Testing Tips
A list of minerals in order of hardness can be a handy reference. If you determine that a specimen has a hardness of Mohs 4, you can quickly get a list of potential minerals.
Practice and experience will improve your abilities when doing this test. You will become faster and more confident.
If the hardness of the unknown specimen is about 5 or less, you should be able to produce a scratch without much exertion. However, if the unknown specimen has a hardness of about 6 or greater, then producing a scratch will require some force. For those specimens, hold the unknown firmly against the table, place the standard specimen against it, press firmly with determination, then holding pressure slowly drag the standard specimen across the surface of the unknown.
Don't be fooled by a soft standard specimen producing a mark on a hard unknown. That mark is like what a piece of chalk produces on a blackboard. It will wipe off without leaving a scratch. Wipe your finger across the tested surface. If a scratch was produced, there will be a visible groove. If marks wipe away then a scratch was not produced.
Some hard materials are also very brittle. If one of your specimens is breaking or crumbling rather than scratching, you will have to be very careful while conducting the test. Testing tiny or granular specimens can be difficult.
Some specimens contain impurities. If the results of your test are not visibly conclusive, or if the information from your test does not conform with other properties, do not hesitate to do the test again. It is possible that a small piece of quartz (or another impurity) was embedded in one of your specimens.
Don't be wimpy! This is a very common problem. Some people casually rub one specimen back and forth against another and then look for a mark. That is not how the test is done. It is done with a single, determined motion with the goal of cutting a scratch.
Be careful. When you hold the unknown specimen against the table, position it so that the known specimen will not be pulled across one of your fingers.
This test should be done on a lab table or work bench with a durable surface or a protective covering. Don't do this type of testing on fine furniture.
Test tiny particles or grains by placing them between two pieces of an index mineral and scraping them together. If the grains are harder than the index mineral, scratches will be produced. If the grains are softer they will smear.
Hardness of Common Objects
quartz
7
Some people use a few common objects for quick hardness tests. For example, a geologist in the field might always carry a pocket knife. The knife can be used for a quick hardness test to determine if a specimen is harder or softer than Mohs 5 to 6.5.
Before using these objects as quick testing tools, it is a good idea to confirm their hardness. Some knives have harder steel than others. Test yours and then you know its hardness.
These common objects can also be useful if you don't have a set of reference minerals. We included quartz in this list because it is a ubiquitous mineral. In the field you are often no more than a few steps away from a piece of quartz.
Mohs hardness picks: Hardness picks are easy to use. They have a brass stylus and an alloy "pick" that is used for hardness testing. Place the sharp point of a pick on your unknown specimen and drag it across the surface. It will either produce a scratch, slide across the surface, or leave a trace of metal. They are supplied with a hardness of 2 (a plastic point), 3 (a copper point), and 4 through 9 (carefully selected alloys). They are great for testing small specimens or for testing small grains embedded in a rock. These hardness picks are available in the Geology.com store .
Hardness Picks
An alternative to using the reference minerals for testing is a set of "hardness picks." These picks have sharp metal points that you can use for very accurate testing. The picks allow much more control, and their sharp points can be used to test small mineral grains in a rock.
The sharp picks can be used easily and either produce a scratch if they are harder than the specimen being tested or leave behind a tiny streak of metal if they are softer. Examine the test site with a hand lens to see the results of your test.
We have used hardness picks and think that they do a great job. They are easier to use and more accurate than testing with specimens. They can be resharpened when they dull. The only downside is their price (about $80 per set).
Harder than Diamond, Softer than Talc?
Diamond is not the hardest substance known, but the materials that are harder are much more rare. Researchers have reported that wurtzite boron nitride and lonsdaleite can be harder than diamond. [1]
It is unlikely that you will find a mineral that is softer than talc. However, a few metals are softer. These include: cesium, rubidium, lithium, sodium, and potassium. You will probably never need to test their hardness. [2]
Is the Mohs Scale Linear?
Mohs Hardness Scale is not linear. The steps in the scale have gaps of variable size between them. "For instance, the progression from calcite to fluorite (from 3 to 4 on the Mohs scale) reflects an increase in hardness of approximately 25 percent; the progression from corundum to diamond, on the other hand (9 to 10 on the Mohs scale), reflects a hardness increase of more than 300 percent."
The best way to learn about minerals is to study with a collection of small specimens that you can handle, examine, and observe their properties. Inexpensive mineral collections are available in the Geology.com Store .
Hardness Variations in a Single Mineral
Most minerals have a fairly consistent hardness. For example, the hardness of calcite is always about 3. However, some minerals have a range of hardness.
Minerals that are part of a solid solution series can change in hardness as the composition varies. Atomic bonds between some elements are stronger than others. An example is garnet, which has a composition of X3Y2(SiO4)3 where X can be Ca, Mg, or Fe, and Y can be Al, Fe, or Cr. Garnets with different compositions have different hardness. Garnets range in hardness from 6.5 to 8.
Minerals such as kyanite have different hardness in different directions. Kyanite is a mineral that frequently occurs in blade-shaped crystals. These crystals have a hardness of about 5 if they are tested parallel to the long axis of the crystal, and a hardness of about 7 if they are tested parallel to the short axis of a crystal.
Weathering can also influence the hardness of a mineral. Weathering usually changes a mineral's composition, with the weathering product usually softer than the original material. When testing the hardness or streak or other property of a mineral, the best way to test is on a freshly broken surface that has not been exposed to weathering.
About Hardness Tests
The hardness test developed by Friedrich Mohs was the first known test to assess resistance of a material to scratching. It is a very simple but inexact comparative test. Perhaps its simplicity has enabled it to become the most widely used hardness test.
Since the Mohs Scale was developed in 1812, many different hardness tests have been invented. These include tests by Brinell, Knoop, Rockwell, Shore and Vickers. Each of these tests uses a tiny "indenter" that is applied to the material being tested with a carefully measured amount of force. Then the size or the depth of the indentation and the amount of force are used to calculate a hardness value.
Because each of these tests uses a different apparatus and different calculations, they can not be directly compared to one another. So if the Knoop hardness test was done, the number is usually reported as a "Knoop hardness." For this reason, Mohs hardness test results should also be reported as a "Mohs hardness."
Why are there so many different hardness tests? The type of test used is determined by the size, shape, and other characteristics of the specimens being tested. Although these tests are quite different from the Mohs test, there is some correlation between them. [2]
Hardness, Toughness, and Strength
When testing for hardness, remember that you are testing "the resistance to scratching." During the test, some materials might fail in other ways. They could break, deform, or crumble instead of scratching. Hard materials often break when subjected to stress. This is a lack of toughness . Other materials might deform or crumble when subjected to stress. These materials lack strength . Always keep in mind that you are testing for the resistance to being scratched. Don't be fooled by other types of failure in the specimen being tested.
Uses for Hardness Tests
The Mohs Hardness Test is almost exclusively used to determine the relative hardness of mineral specimens. This is done as part of a mineral identification procedure in the field, in a classroom, or in a laboratory when easily identified specimens are being examined or where more sophisticated tests are not available.
In industry, other hardness tests are done to determine the suitability of a material for a specific industrial process or a specific end-use application. Hardness testing is also done in manufacturing processes to confirm that hardening treatments such as annealing, tempering, work hardening, or case hardening have been done to specification.
Information Sources
[2] Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness : Wikipedia article, last accessed July 2016.
[3] Material Hardness : website article, Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering, University of Maryland, last accessed July 2016.
Some Notes on Spelling
Mohs Hardness Scale is named after its inventor, Friedrich Mohs. This means that an apostrophe is not needed when typing the name of the test. "Moh's" and "Mohs' " are incorrect.
Google is really smart about these names. You can even type "Moe's Hardness Scale" as a query and Google knows to return results for "Mohs Hardness Scale." :-)
| ten |
What do you call a ring-shaped coral island surrounding a central lagoon? | Properties of Minerals
Properties of Minerals
The Physical properties of minerals are used by Mineralogists to help determine the identity of a specimen. Some of the tests can be performed easily in the field, while others require laboratory equipment. For the beginning student of geology, there are a number of simple tests that can be used with a good degree of accuracy. The list of tests is in a suggested order, progressing from simple experimentation and observation to more complicated either in procedure or concept.
Properties of Minerals
The following physical properties of minerals can be easily used to identify a mineral:
Color
Diaphaneity or Amount of Transparency
Tenacity
Properties of Minerals- A Detailed Description
Color
Most minerals have a distinctive color that can be used for identification. In opaque minerals, the color tends to be more consistent, so learning the colors associated with these minerals can be very helpful in identification. Translucent to transparent minerals have a much more varied degree of color due to the presence of trace minerals. Therefore, color alone is not reliable as a single identifying characteristic.
Streak
Streak is the color of the mineral in powdered form. Streak shows the true color of the mineral. In large solid form, trace minerals can change the color appearance of a mineral by reflecting the light in a certain way. Trace minerals have little influence on the reflection of the small powdery particles of the streak.
The streak of metallic minerals tends to appear dark because the small particles of the streak absorb the light hitting them. Non-metallic particles tend to reflect most of the light so they appear lighter in color or almost white.
Because streak is a more accurate illustration of the mineral’s color, streak is a more reliable property of minerals than color for identification.
Hardness
Hardness is one of the better properties of minerals to use for identifying a mineral. Hardness is a measure of the mineral’s resistance to scratching. The Mohs scale is a set of 10 minerals whose hardness is known. The softest mineral, talc, has a Mohs scale rating of one. Diamond is the hardest mineral and has a rating of ten. Softer minerals can be scratched by harder minerals because the forces that hold the crystals together are weaker and can be broken by the harder mineral.
The following is a listing of the minerals of the Mohs scale and their rating:
Talc
Diamond
Cleavage & Fracture
Minerals tend to break along lines or smooth surfaces when hit sharply. Different minerals break in different ways showing different types of cleavage.
Cleavage is defined using two sets of criteria. The first set of criteria describes how easily the cleavage is obtained. Cleavage is considered perfect if it is easily obtained and the cleavage planes are easily distinguished. It is considered good if the cleavage is produced with some difficulty but has obvious cleavage planes. Finally it is considered imperfect if cleavage is obtained with difficulty and some of the planes are difficult to distinguish.
The second set of criteria is the direction of the cleavage surfaces. The names correspond to the shape formed by the cleavage surfaces: Cubic, rhombohedral, octahedral, dodecahedral, basal or prismatic. These criteria are defined specifically by the angles of the cleavage lines as indicated in the chart below:
Cleavage Type Angles
Cubic Cleaves in three directions @ 90o to one anotherRhombohedral Cleaves in three directions but not @ 90o to one anotherOctahedral Cleaves in four directionsDodecahedral Cleaves in six directionsBasal Cleaves in one directionPrismatic Cleaves in two directions
Fracture describes the quality of the cleavage surface. Most minerals display either uneven or grainy fracture, conchoidal (curved, shell-like lines) fracture, or hackly (rough, jagged) fracture.
Crystalline Structure
Mineral crystals occur in various shapes and sizes. The particular shape is determined by the arrangement of the atoms, molecules or ions that make up the crystal and how they are joined. This is called the crystal lattice. There are degrees of crystalline structure, in which the fibers of the crystal become increasingly difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye or the use of a hand lens. Microcrystalline and cryptocrystalline structures can only be viewed using high magnification. If there is no crystalline structure, it is called amorphous. However, there are very few amorphous crystals and these are only observed under extremely high magnification.
Transparency or Diaphaneity
Diaphaneity is a mineral’s degree of transparency or ability to allow light to pass through it. The degree of transparency may also depend on the thickness of the mineral.
Tenacity
Tenacity is the characteristic that describes how the particles of a mineral hold together or resist separation. The chart below gives the list of terms used to describe tenacity and a description of each term.
Magnetism
Magnetism is the characteristic that allows a mineral to attract or repel other magnetic materials. It can be difficult to determine the differences between the various types of magnetism, but it is worth knowing that there are distinctions made.
Luster
Luster is the property of minerals that indicates how much the surface of a mineral reflects light. The luster of a mineral is affected by the brilliance of the light used to observe the mineral surface. Luster of a mineral is described in the following terms:
Metallic The mineral is opaque and reflects light as a metal would.Submettalic The mineral is opaque and dull. The mineral is dark colored.Nonmettalic The mineral does not reflect light like a metal.
Nonmetallic minerals are described using modifiers that refer to commonly known qualities.
Waxy The mineral looks like paraffin or wax.Vitreous The mineral looks like broken glass.Pearly The mineral appears iridescent, like a pearl.Silky The mineral looks fibrous, like silk.Greasy The mineral looks like oil on water.Resinous The mineral looks like hardened tree sap (resin).Adamantine The mineral looks brilliant, like a diamond.
Odor
Most minerals have no odor unless they are acted upon in one of the following ways: moistened, heated, breathed upon, or rubbed.
Taste
Only soluble minerals have a taste, but it is very important that minerals not be placed in the mouth or on the tongue. You should not test for this property in the classroom.
Specific Gravity
Specific Gravity of a mineral is a comparison or ratio of the weight of the mineral to the weight of an equal amount of water. The weight of the equal amount of water is found by finding the difference between the weight of the mineral in air and the weight of the mineral in water.
Knowing the properties of minerals will help you to identify minerals in the field.
Follow this link for more on the Properties of Minerals
[ ? ]Subscribe To This Site
| i don't know |
Ratified on the 18th of August, 1920, the 19th amendment to the US constitution states: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of what? | Woman suffrage amendment ratified - Aug 18, 1920 - HISTORY.com
Woman suffrage amendment ratified
Publisher
A+E Networks
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote, is ratified by Tennessee, giving it the two-thirds majority of state ratification necessary to make it the law of the land. The amendment was the culmination of more than 70 years of struggle by woman suffragists. Its two sections read simply: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” and “Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
America’s woman suffrage movement was founded in the mid 19th century by women who had become politically active through their work in the abolitionist and temperance movements. In July 1848, 200 woman suffragists, organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, met in Seneca Falls, New York, to discuss women’s rights. After approving measures asserting the right of women to educational and employment opportunities, they passed a resolution that declared “it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise.” For proclaiming a woman’s right to vote, the Seneca Falls Convention was subjected to public ridicule, and some backers of women’s rights withdrew their support. However, the resolution marked the beginning of the woman suffrage movement in America.
The first national women’s rights convention was held in 1850 and then repeated annually, providing an important focus for the growing woman suffrage movement. In the Reconstruction era, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted, granting African American men the right to vote, but Congress declined to expand enfranchisement into the sphere of gender. In 1869, the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to push for a woman suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Another organization, the American Woman Suffrage Association, led by Lucy Stone, was formed in the same year to work through the state legislatures. In 1890, these two groups were united as the National American Woman Suffrage Association. That year, Wyoming became the first state to grant women the right to vote.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the role of women in American society was changing drastically: Women were working more, receiving a better education, bearing fewer children, and three more states (Colorado, Utah, and Idaho) had yielded to the demand for female enfranchisement. In 1916, the National Woman’s Party (formed in 1913 at the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage) decided to adopt a more radical approach to woman suffrage. Instead of questionnaires and lobbying, its members picketed the White House, marched, and staged acts of civil disobedience.
In 1917, America entered World War I, and women aided the war effort in various capacities, which helped to break down most of the remaining opposition to woman suffrage. By 1918, women had acquired equal suffrage with men in 15 states, and both the Democratic and Republican parties openly endorsed female enfranchisement.
In January 1918, the woman suffrage amendment passed the House of Representatives with the necessary two-thirds majority vote. In June 1919, it was approved by the Senate sent to the states for ratification. Campaigns were waged by suffragists around the country to secure ratification, and on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment. On August 26, it was formally adopted into the Constitution by proclamation of Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby.
Related Videos
| Sex |
At what city did Bugs Bunny always belatedly realize, I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at? | Modern History Sourcebook: Passage of the 19th Amendment 1919-20
[See here for a picture of the New York Times Front Page, June 5, 1919 ]
WASHINGTON, June 4 - After a long and persistent fight advocates of woman suffrage won a victory in the Senate today when that body, by a vote of 56 to 25, adopted the Susan Anthony amendment to the Constitution. The suffrage supporters had two more than the necessary two-thirds vote of Senators present. Had all the Senators known to be in favor of suffrage been present the amendment would have had 66 votes, or two more than a two-thirds vote of the entire Senate.
The amendment, having already been passed by the House, where the vote was 304 to 89, now goes to the States for ratification, where it will be passed upon in the form in which it has been adopted by Congress, as follows:
"Article-, Section 1. - The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
"Section 2. - Congress shall have power, by appropriate legislation, to enforce the provisions of this article."
Leaders of the National Woman's Party announced tonight that they would at once embark upon a campaign to obtain ratification of the amendment by the necessary three-fourths of the States so that women might have the vote in the next Presidential election. To achieve this ratification it will be necessary to hold special sessions of some Legislatures which otherwise would not convene until after the Presidential election in 1920. Miss Alice Paul, Chairman of the Woman's Party, predicted that the campaign for ratification would succeed and that women would vote for the next President.
Suffragists thronged the Senate galleries in anticipation of the final vote, and when the outcome was announced by President Pro Tem. Cummins they broke into deafening applause. For two minutes the demonstration went on, Senator Cummins making no effort to check it.
The Vote in Detail.
The roll call on the amendment follows:
FOR ADOPTION - 36.
Republicans - 36.
Capper, Cummins, Curtis, Edge, Elkins, Fall, Fernald, France, Frelinghuysen, Gronna, Hale, Harding, Johnson, (Cal.,) Jones, (Wash.,) Kellogg, Kenyon, Kayes, La Follette, Lenroot, McCormick, McCumber, McNaty, Nelson, New, Newberry, Norris, Page, Phipps, Poindexter, Sherman, Smoot, Spencer, Sterling, Sutherland, Warren, Watson.
Democrats - 20.
Ashurst, Chamberlain, Culberson, Harris, Henderson, Jones, (N. M.,) Kenrick, Kirby, McKellar, Myers, Nugent, Phelan, Pittman, Ransdell, Shepard, Smith, (Ariz.,) Stanley, Thomas, Walsh, (Mass.,) Walsh, (Mon.)
AGAINST ADOPTION - 25.
Borah, Brandegee, Dillingham, Knox, Lodge, McLean, Moses, Wadsworth.
Democrats - 17.
Bankhead, Beckham, Dial, Fletcher, Gay, Harrison, Hitchcock, Overman, Reed, Simmons, Smith, (Md.,) Smith, (S. C.,) Swanson, Trammell, Underwood, Williams, Wolcott.
Paired.
Ball and King, for, with Shields, against: Calder and Townsend, for, with Penrose, against; Gerry and Johnson of South Dakota, for, with Martin, against; Gore and Colt, for, with Pomerone, against.
Absent and Not Paired.
Owen, Robinson, and Smith of Georgia. The vote came after four hours of debate, during which Democratic Senators opposed to the amendment filibustered to prevent a roll call until their absent Senators could be protected by pairs. They gave up the effort finally as futile.
Changes Defeated.
Before the final vote was taken Senator Underwood of Alabama, called for a vote on his amendment to submit the suffrage amendment to Constitutional conventions of the various States, instead of to the Legislatures, for ratification. This was defeated by a vote of 45 against to 28 in favor.
Senator Gay of Louisiana offered an amendment proposing enforcement of the suffrage amendment by the States, instead of by the Federal Government. Senator Gay said that from a survey of the States he could predict that thirteen States would not ratify the amendment, enough to block it. His amendment was defeated, 62 to 19.
During debate, Senator Wadsworth of New York, who has been an uncompromising opponent of woman suffrage, explained his attitude as being actuated by the motive of preserving to the States the right to determine the question, each State for itself.
"No vote of mine cast upon this amendment would deprive any of the electors of my State of any privilege they now enjoy," said the Senator. "I feel so strongly that the people of the several States should be permitted to decide for themselves, that am frank to say that, if this amendment, instead of being drafted to extend woman suffrage all over the country, were drafted to forbid the extension of the franchise to women in the States, I would vote against it. Even though one might be opposed on general principles to the extension of the franchise to women, one cannot logically object to the people of a State settling that question for themselves.
"It seems to me that it is incumbent upon a Senator in considering his attitude on this matter to regard the nation as a whole and to give consideration to the wishes of the people of the various States which have expressed themselves from time to time."
Overriding State Votes
Senator Wadsworth spoke of the results in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Louisiana, Texas, Wisconsin, and other States where woman suffrage was defeated at the polls.
"Now the question is," he resumed, "whether the people of these States are competent to settle the question for themselves. There is no tremendous emergency facing the country, no revolution or rebellion threatened, which would seem to make it necessary to impose on the people of these States a thing they have said as free citizens they do not require or desire. Is it contrary to the spirit of American institutions that they shall be left free to decide these things for themselves?
"My contention has been, with respect to an amendment to the Constitution, that, if it be placed there, it should command the reverence and devotion of all the people of the country. The discussion here yesterday makes it perfectly apparent that, in part at least, in a certain section of this country, this proposed amendment will be a dead letter. No pretense is made that it will be lived up to in spirit as well as in letter. That same attitude has been manifest in the discussion of the last amendment to the Constitution, ratified last Winter. Today there are thousands of people all over the United States who are attempting to contrive ways by which the prohibition amendment can be evaded. This attitude shows an utter lack of appreciation of the Constitution as a sacred instrument, a lack of realization of the spirit of self-government."
Senator Smith of South Carolina opposed giving women the right to vote, he said, because to allow it would induce "sectional anarchy."
Signing of the Resolution
Immediately after its passage by the Senate the Suffrage Amendment was signed. In appreciation of the fifty-year campaign of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, the guests were limited to representatives of that association and members of Congress, and the gold pen used was presented to the national association. The women chosen to represent the national association were Mrs. Wood Park of Massachusetts, who for two years has been in charge of the association's Congressional work: Mrs. Helen Gardener of Washington, D. C.; Mrs. Ida Husted Harper of New York, Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton of Ohio, Miss Mary G. Hay, and Miss Marjorie Shuler of New York.
Besides Speaker Gillett, who signed the bill, the members of the House present were Frank W. Mondell, majority leader; Champ Clark, minority leader and ex-Speaker, under whom the amendment first passed the House, and John E. Raker, Chairman of the committee which won the suffrage victory in the House last year.
The Senators present at the signing of the bill for the Senate were Albert B. Cummins, President Pro Tempore, who signed the measure; James E. Watson, Chairman of the Suffrage Committee; Charles Curtis, Republican whip; A. A. Jones, Chairman of the Suffrage Committee in the last Congress; Thomas J. Walsh of Montana, Morris Sheppard, Joseph E. Ransdell, and Reed Smoot.
To celebrate the passage of the amendment the national association will give a reception next Tuesday evening at its Washington headquarters to the members of the House and Senate who voted for the resolution and to their wives. These will be the only guests.
Miss Paul, Chairman of the National Woman's Party, issued a statement, in which she said: "There is no doubt of ratification by the States. We enter upon the campaign for special sessions of Legislatures to accomplish this ratification before 1920 in the full assurance that we shall win."
"The last stage of the fight is to obtain ratification of the amendment so women may vote in the Presidential election in 1920," said Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, President of the association. "This we are confident will be achieved. The friends of woman suffrage in both parties have carried out their word. In the result we can turn our backs upon the end of a long and arduous struggle, needlessly darkened and embittered by the stubbornness of a few at the expense of the many. 'Eyes front', is the watchword as we turn upon the struggle for ratification by the States."
Prospects of Ratification
Suffrage leaders say quick ratification is assured in twenty-eight States in which women now have full or Presidential suffrage. These States are Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Washington, California, Kansas, Arizona, Oregon, Montant, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Rhode Island, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Nevada, and Texas.
Legislatures now in session are: Illinois, will adjourn late in June; Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, adjourn end of June or first of July; Wisconsin, Florida, in session until June 1, cannot ratify, because an election must intervene between submission of amendment and ratification.
Legislatures to meet comparatively soon, or with prospects of meeting soon, are: Michigan and Texas, extra sessions called in June; Georgia, to meet this month; Alabama, to meet in July; Louisiana, possibility of extra session before September; New Jersey, movement for extra session soon; Maine, special session in October; Iowa, special session in January; Kentucky, South Carolina, and Mississippi, meet in January; Virginia, meets in February; Maryland, meets during 1920; Ohio, meets in June.
Today's victory for suffrage ends a fight that really dates from the American Revolution. Women voted under several of the Colonial Governments. During the Revolution women demanded to be included in the Government. Abigail Adams wrote her husband, John Adams, "If women are not represented in this new republic there will be another revolution." From the time of the Revolution women agitated for suffrage by means of meetings and petitions. In 1848 a woman's rights convention was held at Seneca Falls, N. Y., arranged by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton as the first big suffrage demonstration. From 1848 to the civil war efforts were made to have State laws altered to include women, and Susan B. Anthony became leader of the movement.
For five years after the civil war suffragists tried to secure interpretation of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments which would permit them to vote. In 1872 Miss Anthony made a test vote at the polls, was arrested, and refused to pay her fine, but was never jailed. In 1875 Miss Anthony drafted the proposed Federal amendment, the same one that was voted on today. In 1878 the amendment was introduced in the Senate by Senator Sargent of California. It has been voted on in the Senate five times, including today. In 1878 the vote was 16 yeas to 34 nays; in 1914 it failed by 11 votes, in 1918 it failed by two votes, and on Feb. 10, 1919, it failed by one vote. It has been voted on three times in the House. It failed there in 1915 by 78 votes. In 1918 it passed the House with one vote to spare. On May 21, 1919, it passed the House with 14 votes more than the necessary two-thirds.
Foreign countries or divisions of countries in which women have suffrage are: Isle of Man, granted 1881; New Zealand, 1893; Australia, 1902; Finland, 1906; Norway, 1907; Iceland, 1913; Denmark, 1915; Russia, 1917; Canada, Austria, England, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, and Wales, 1918; Holland and Sweden, 1919.
Copyright 1919 The New York Times
Sunday, February 15, 1920
Booms Mrs. Catt for Presidency
Minnesota Delegate's Suggestion Rouses Furor in Suffrage Convention
Praise Hays and Cummings
League Takes the Place of Old Association That Won the Fight
CHICAGO, Feb. 14 - The National American Woman's Suffrage Association today came to the defense of Will Hays, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, who has been attacked by anti-suffragists for aid rendered to the suffrage cause, and congratulated the Republican Party "for having a Chairman who is astute enough to recognize the certain trend of public affairs and to lead his party in step with the inevitable march of human progress."
The resolution was adopted by a vote of 190 to 22, which was later made unanimous.
Democratic women then introduced a resolution thanking Homer Cummings, Democratic National Chairman, for help he rendered their cause, and it, too, was adopted by unanimous vote.
Delegates at the ratification banquet tonight were brought to their feet with a cheer when Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt was proposed for President by Mrs. Peter Olsen of Minnesota. Mrs. Catt waved the suggestion aside with a smile.
Commenting on the fact that the convention program contained the advertisements of two candidates for President, Mrs. Olsen said:
"Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt for President. That is what I would put on the program Others are starting booms. Why can't we? I say this in all seriousness. It is time we did honor to our living leaders."
Mrs. Olsen also was applauded when she predicted: "The League of Women Voters will see to it that the saloon is out to stay out."
Elected permanent convention Chairman of the Congress of the League of Woman Voters, Mrs. Catt today outlined the policies of the new organization and declared women should affiliate with the political parties.
Mrs. Catt's keynote address came at the conclusion of the first session of the new league, at which the work of organization was begun.
Today's meetings were concluded with a ratification celebration banquet tonight at which prominent suffrage workers addressed the delegates.
Deplores League Criticism
"There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding the League of Women Voters," Mrs. Catt declared, in addressing the new body. "There is evident opposition, largely political.
"Persons interested in enrolling members in their political parties are making rather cutting criticisms. They think the league will keep women out of politics. That must not be. For sixty years we have waited for political parties to give us the vote. No State has given it until the political parties had consented.
"The only way to get things in this country, is from the inside of the political parties. More and more the parties have become the agencies through which powerful things have been accomplished. It is not a question of whether it is right for us but rather a realization of the fact. They are powerful.
"Why have the Governors in the West acted so independently of the women voters? We expected that they would c all special sessions immediately after the amendment had passed. The reason is this: That the women voters have been a sort of ladies' auxiliary. There has been no common body to exert an influence.
"Women must get into the parties. Without, we should continue to be auxiliaries. We've been sixty years urging men to confide in the abilities of women. Prove your capacity from within the parties.
"You have a struggle ahead. There are inner circles in the parties where you will not be wanted, but it is just there that you must go. There is a danger, too, that you will be too timid, too conservative. If you are going to trail along five years behind the parties, it would be better that you never take up politics. Be five years ahead."
To Direct League
Affairs of the league, it was decided today, would be in charge of ten National Directors elected for one year. Seven of the Directors would represent divisions of the country and three would be elected at large. The Board of Directors would elect a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer, and would meet annually in each of the seven districts.
A national manager also will be chosen by the board, "at a sufficient salary to get the best available talent in the country." An Executive Council also was provided for, to be composed of the Presidents of state auxiliaries and chairmen of standing committees.
The association decided to establish a foundation for the study of politics at Bryn Mawr and to establish a chair in the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, both as a memorial to the late Anna Howard Shaw. Mrs. George O. Miller of Pennsylvania, was appointed chairman of the memorial fund. Mrs. Grace Howard Lewis of Buffalo, a close friend of the late suffrage President, announced a gift of $1,000 to the memorial fund.
Evidence of partisan activity was given repeatedly today. Four women, although declared out of order by the chair, rose to insist that the word "nonpartisan" be kept in sight, and another delegate asked that "unpartisan" be used in the permanent name of the Voters' League, which is yet to be chosen.
Following the morning session Democratic adherents, especially delegates from the Southern States, complained openly that the convention had been packed with Republicans.
Copyright 1920 The New York Times
Saturday, February 14, 1920
Delegates Join in 30-Minute Demonstration Over Their Coming Victory
Associations to Dissolve
League of Women Voters Also Will Be Organized as an Independent Body
CHICAGO, Feb. 13 - Governors of the various States that have not ratified the Federal suffrage amendment will receive telegrams demanding immediate consideration and prompt action by the Legislatures as a result of action decided upon today at the opening of the fifty-first annual convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
Delegates to the convention numbering more than 2,000 wish ratification to be completed so that all women of the country can participate in the Presidential election.
Demand on the various State executives for a changed attitude toward woman voters followed the receipt of a telegram indicating that a special session of the Oklahoma Legislature would be called Feb. 23 to consider ratification of the amendment.
Particular attention was directed by the convention against Governor Hart of Washington, the only equal suffrage State where no move has been made to call a special session. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, President of the association, was directed to send to the Governor the following telegram:
"Washgton is now the only enfranchised State which has not taken action toward ratification of the Federal Suffrage amendment. Thirty-five ratifications are assured in the immediate future. The nation has been informal for many years that Washington approved woman suffrage. It therefore looks to yu to call an immediate session of your Legislature, and once more announce Washington's endorsement of woman suffrage by ratification of the Federal amendment."
Condemn Washington Governor
The message was dispatched following receipt of a telegram from the Washington League of Woman Voters saying:
"We were a pioneer suffrage State, the fifteenth State to be enfranchised. Therefore we resent the disgraceful humiliation put upon us by the stubborn refusal of our Governor to listen to our united demand for a special session to ratify the suffrage amendment."
With the reading, amid enthusiastic cheering of a telegram of congratulation from President Wilson, the convention became a victory jubilee patriotic celebration and political rally rolled into one. For thirty minutes the delegates assembled in the Gold Room at the Congress Hotel and each supplied with a horn, indulged in a wild demonstration of joy.
A din of horns resounded. The delegates lined up by States and marched up and down the aisles waving banners. Women stood on chairs and led State cheers and songs, and the whole assemblage united in singing "America" and "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Mrs. Catt Reads Message
During a lull in the cheering Mrs. Catt read this telegram from President Wilson:
"Permit me to congratulate your association upon the fact that its great work is so near its triumphant end, that you can now merge it into a league of women voters to carry on the development of good citizenship and real democracy, and to wish for the new organization the same success and wise leadership."
Mrs. Stanley McCormick of Massachusetts, First Vice President, moved that a reply be sent conveying the association's gratitude for President Wilson's "constant co-operation and help, with deep regret for his recent illness."
Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout, Chairman of the Committee on Local Arrangements, in her address of welcome expressed the hope that the ratification campaign would "make future conventions unnecessary."
Mrs. Catt then asked Mrs. Stanley McCormick to take the chair and began her address.
"We have no official proclamation announcing that our amendment has been ratified by the necessary thirty-six States," she said, "but the ratifications already completed and the special legislative sessions already called for ratification bring us within a very few of the required number. There is no earthly power that can do more than delay by a trifle the final enfranchisement of women.
Nevada Sends Official Word
"Thirty-one States have ratified. Our able assistant, Mrs. Helen S. Gardener, has been camping on the doorstep of the Legislature to see that the certificates are rushed to Washington as soon as they are issued. I had a telegram from Robert Lansing, Secretary of State, today announcing that he had received the certificate of ratification from Nevada, which ratified the amendment on Feb. 7.
"I have just received a message from the Governor of Arizona announcing the ratification by that Senate. You read it in the newspapers this morning, but we do not take the newspapers for our authority.
"Here is something that hasn't been printed in the newspapers. I have just received word from the Governor of New Mexico saying he is going to call a special session of the Legislature on Monday. The Governor of Oklahoma calls his session on the 23d. Five other State Legislatures have asnnounced their readiness to ratify. That will make thirty-eight States altogether, but only three of the five Governors have promised to call their sessions in the near future, and that makes the necessary thirty-six."
Mrs. Catt laid the failure of the suffrage amendment to pass the Sixty-fifth Congress at the doors of Senators Pomerene and Hitchcock, Democrats, and Senators Borah and Wadsworth, Republicans, and blamed them for the necessity of calling special sessions of the Legislatures.
The Executive Council at the night session recommended that the association dissolve as the object of many years' endeavor, the obraining of the vote for women, was about to be attained.
Another recommendation, which was approved, was that the League of Women Voters, now a section of the Suffrage Association, be organized as a new and independent body. It also was recommended that the auxiliaries of the association retain their relationship to the Board of Directors to be elected by this convention, but that they change their names, objects, and constitutions to conform to those of the National League of Women Voters.
Copyright 1920 The New York Times
Friday, February 13, 1920
Suffragists Split By Party Politics
Mrs. Bass Attacks Republican Women Who Spread Propaganda at Convention
May Break Out On Floor
Mrs. Catt Predicts Speedy Success of Amendment on Eve of Chicago Session
CHICAGO, Feb. 12 - Party politics overshadowed all other issues on the eve of the fifty-first convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Party lines were being so tightly drawn tonight that the most skillful leadership will be necessary to hold the gathering to a strictly non-partisan course.
The powder was touched off by the Democratic women, who promise to liven several issues that will come up on the floor. Mrs. George Bass, member of the Democratic Executive Committee, and referred to as the "spokeswoman for the Administration," issued a statement sharply criticizing the Illinois Republican Women's Executive Committee for placing a full-page paid advertisement in the program of the convention.
Mrs. Bass's remarks were chiefly directed against the first sentence printed in heavy type at the head of the advertisement, which read:
"To the Republican Party you owe the passage of the Federal suffrage amendment, and it will be responsible for the ratification soon to come."
"In regard to this advertisement I will say I was greatly shocked." said Mrs. Bass. "The Democratic Party in Congress and in the States has done more to give the women in the United States suffrage than any other party, and President Wilson is the only President who has lifted his voice and his influence in the cause of suffrage."
Earlier in the day Mrs. Bass had issued a reply to the statement made on Wednesday by Will H. Hays, Republican National Chairman, in which she declared the "mere act of giving women suffrage does not automatically give them all the privileges of party management."
"Some changes in party rules and election and primary laws are necessary to give women equal representation with men," she said.
Republican Women Stand Firm
Mrs. Fletcher Dobyns, Chairman of the Illinois committee which inserted the advertisement, declared that the Republican women refused to be drawn into a controversy concerning it.
Miss Mary Garrett Hay of New York, speaking for the Republican Women's National Committee, said:
"The advertisement was not inserted by the national organization. It was paid for by the State organization. It seems to me it rather shows the alertness of the Illinois women and their progressiveness. I would call it something of a business coup."
That the matter probably will find its way to the convention floor was intimated by one of the Republican delegates, who said such a matter "could best be handled by the convention itself by resolution."
Another question in which party lines may crop out is that of the merger of the suffrage association with the National League of Women Voters, the first congress of which will be held on Saturday. The Democrats look upon it as a superfluous organization. The Republican women speak of it tolerantly as a sort of innocuous organization, probably helpful, if anything, to the Republican Party. The "neutrals," those who are waiting final ratification of the suffrage amendment before declaring party allegiance, declare that the league will serve both as a school of citizenship for women and as a nonpartisan lobbying organization to support the enactment of laws in which both Democratic and Republican women are interested.
But while politics hummed up and down the corridors of the Congress Hotel, it was strictly barred from the six preliminary conferences which were in session all day and ended tonight at half a dozen dinners, following which the most prominent speaker delivered addresses. Mrs. Catt, Miss Hay, and other prominent suffragists spent the entire day hurrying from one conference to another and back to the meeting of the Board of Directors of the association, which was in session all day behind closed doors.
Copyright 1920 The New York Times
June 4, 1920
Western Women Active
Begin Work for Early Ratification of Suffrage Amendment
CHICAGO, June 4 - Illinois women tonight were jubilant as a result of passage of the equal suffrage amendment by the United States Senate. Some of the leaders were roubtful that ratification by thirty-six states could be obtained in time for the women to vote in the next Presidential election. Mrs. Catherine Waugh McCulloch, Evanston lawyer, said there was no doubt about Illinois, and that an effort would be made to have the Legislature the first in the country to ratify.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., June 4 - No sooner was the word flashed here that the Senate had passed the Woman Suffrage Amendment than the Indiana Woman's Franchise League had its President on the way to the State Capitol to urge Governor Goodrich to call a special session of the Legislature to ratify the Federal amendment. Although not fully satisfied with the answer of the Governor, the women have not given up hope of a special session.
Governor Goodrich said that he was heartily in sympathy with the cause, and if it became necessary to call a special session to hasten woman suffrage he would do so.
Copyright 1919 The New York Times
Wednesday, June 9, 1920
Suffrage Pickets Get Little Notice
March Up and Down Before Convention Hall with Banner, but Are Lost in Hurrying Crowds
CHICAGO, June 8 - The tamest feature of the convention's opening was the picketing by the National Woman's Party in protest against the refusal of the Governors of Connecticut and Vermont to call special sessions to ratify the suffrage amendment, already ratified by thirty-five of the requisite thirty-six States.
The women were there. They carried their purple, white and gold banner, which sought, in a variety of slogans, to place responsibility for failure to ratify the amendment squarely upon the Republican Party, and to set forth all the bad things 17,000,000 women could and would do to that party next November if it did not get busy right away and make national enfranchisement an accomplished fact.
Silently the women moved along the curb on Wabash Avenue or backed up against the Coliseum walls. But they made no demonstration of any sort - were, in fact, forbidden to speak to any one - and a vast majority of the hurrying thousands did not even notice them. There was no attempt to enter the building or to molest the delegates.
Copyright 1920 The New York Times
Sunday, August 29, 1920
EDITORIAL: The Woman of Thirty
It is almost cruel to recall the nineteenth century wit who offered to solve the suffrage question. It would suffice, he said, to permit all women to vote after thirty - the sly inference being that none would qualify. If the author of this merry jest is still alive, even he must find his taunt somewhat faded. Women in fighting for the vote have shown a passion of earnestness, a persistence, and above all a command of both tactics and strategy, which have amazed our master politicians. A new force has invaded public life and it is wielded by leaders who, whatever their foibles, perforce admit their three decades. A world that has hitherto recognized only the power of feminine youth and beauty is on its knees - no less - before the woman of thirty. What is to be the upshot?
It is doubtless true that women will divide much as men have done among the several parties. There will be no solid "woman vote." Having individual opinions and preferences, they will be individually swayed by them in respect to any given political issue or personality. But this is only half of the story. Even the democratic franchise cannot quite unsex either men or women. Hitherto the distinctively feminine instincts and aspirations have centered in winning the right of suffrage; but now that it is won, a vast, united force has been let loose. That political issues and leaders should continue to be merely man-made is inconceivable.
It is a fair guess, and indeed a fact already exemplified, that one distinctive interest of the woman politician will be in what is called welfare legislation - the regulation of the conditions of life and of industry with reference to the health and vigor of the nation, for the present and especially for future generations. Such issues should rouse all the powers of sisterly and motherly instinct; but as yet they have not developed an intensity, and especially a skill in leadership, at all comparable to that displayed in the suffrage campaigns. Perhaps it is because the feminine strength was divided between Albany and Washington; all may be well, now the great victory is won. Yet there is another possibility.
Unlike suffrage, questions of human welfare can seldom be answered by a categorical yes or no. If we legislate an eight-hour day for women, we are subject to unexpected repercussions. Seasonal industries like canning and millinery are crippled and their employees deprived of much valued overtime pay. If we legislate against night work, we hear from elevator girls and ticket choppers, who suffer a serious loss of employment. So the women welfare workers are confronted by others of their sex who demand in the name of freedom that they be permitted to work as they choose. It is not a question of black or white, but of delicately shaded values and the interplay of a thousand nicely adjusted forces, economic and social. The talents required are openness to evidence, accurate foresight and wise tolerance.
Women are beginning to have a sense of this, and they are developing a flexibility of mind and a capacity for compromise that make political discussion a thing very different from what it has been. Again, in the current campaign both parties are appealing to the feminine abhorrence of bloodshed, and especially to the desire to protect brothers and sons; but, while one party declares that the League of Nations will end all wars, the other, with equal assurance, declares that it will ceaselessly embroil us. Once more there is need of openness of mind and accurate foresight - the exercise of which is adding a new talent to the woman of thirty. By degrees the bickerings of politics as practiced by men are developing a really vital view of the situation. Women who are fit to be mothers of the nation know that there is no sovereign remedy against death in any form, and that the one sure way to make life honorably safe is to face its responsibilities with a clear mind and a high heart. True citizenship means service and sacrifice, the giving as well as the taking.
Truly, we live in a new day and are blessed with new manners. Time was when it seemed a baffling fact that the decade of the feminine struggle for freedom was the decade when hobbles became tightest and heels most toppling. Now we know: it was necessary to convince men that even in politics women can still be feminine. With victory assured, the woman of thirty is already dressing more sedately. Once, at the most intellectual dinner tables, the departure of the ladies was a signal for the men to duck beneath the mahogany for things which, like Desdemona's handkerchief, were not lost but only mislaid. That also was the prerogative of the unenfranchised, and is also a vanishing ceremony. Some men still linger over their cigars, but only at debutante dinners, where the lure is callow youth. In circles dominated by the woman of thirty, cigars are laid aside half smoked and the men clamor at the drawing-room door to know how soon they may be admitted.
Copyright 1920 The New York Times
Source: All the text files here are from edition of The New York Times, 1919-1920. Under US Copyright law, copyright does not extend beyond 75 years and these are now in US public domain. The situation may be different in other countries
This text is part of the Internet Modern History Sourcebook . The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern European and World history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use of the Sourcebook.
(c)Paul Halsall September 1997
| i don't know |
What does the internet acronym FTFY mean? | FTFY meaning - What does FTFY mean? Slang Meaning
FTFY meaning
FTFY meaning
SlangMeaning.net is a website designed to help everyone understand slang words, phrases, abbreviations, and acronyms often said or typed by teenagers and other social media users.
What does FTFY mean?
FTFY Meaning: Fixed That For You
F T F Y : Fixed That For You
“FTFY” stands for “Fixed That For You”. “FTFY” is usually used in online conversations and message boards when someone makes a mistake or they have a differing opinion or view on something.
| fixed that for you |
Commander of the Coalition forces during the First Gulf War, which general had the nickname Stormin' Norman? | What does FTFY mean? - FTFY Definition - Meaning of FTFY - InternetSlang.com
What does FTFY mean?
This could be the only web page dedicated to explaining the meaning of FTFY (FTFY acronym/abbreviation/slang word).
Ever wondered what FTFY means? Or any of the other 9117 slang words, abbreviations and acronyms listed here at Internet Slang ? Your resource for web acronyms, web abbreviations and netspeak.
FTFY is "Fixed That For You"
The definition of FTFY is "Fixed That For You"
FTFY means "Fixed That For You"
So now you know - FTFY means "Fixed That For You" - don't thank us. YW !
What does FTFY mean? FTFY is an acronym, abbreviation or slang word that is explained above where the FTFY definition is given.
| i don't know |
Connect Four, Battleship, Twister, Yahtzee, Hungry Hungry Hippos, and The Game of Life are all games produced by what US game company? | Milton Bradley Board Games - List of Milton Bradley Boardgames
Milton Bradley Board Games
MiltonBradley BoardGames
List of Milton Bradley Board Games
Milton Bradley board games include classic board games like Battleship, Connect Four, Hungry Hungry Hippos, The Game of Life, and Axis & Allies . The Milton Bradley Company was founded in 1860 in Springfield, Massachusetts. At one time, Milton Bradley was probably the largest publisher of boardgames and family games in existence. In addition to the games listed above, Milton Bradley bought Selchow and Righter and took ownership of Scrabble and Parcheesi too. Milton Bradley is now wholly owned by Hasbro, but it's still in existence as one of their brands, just like Wizards of the Coast and Parker Brothers.
Milton Bradley games usually (but not always) fall into one or more of five categories:
Children's games
Board game versions of tv game shows
Dexterity games
Here's a list of Milton Bradley board games. I've included brief descriptions of the games, and linked to our full info page on each game that we have a page for. (In a couple of places I linked to a page on another one of our websites which had information about the game.)
13 Dead End Drive - This one has been published in many editions, one of the most common of which is the 1993 edition from Milton Bradley, which sells for around $25 or $30 on eBay. The game takes place in a 3 dimensional house and has bluffing and deduction elements.
Animorphs: The Invasion Game - A licensed board game based on the Animorphs intellectual property. It's somewhat collectible, and you can expect to pay at least $40 for a good condition copy of the game.
Ants in the Pants - A game for toddlers where they try to land their ants into Fido's pants.
Axis & Allies - A classic World War II themed board game with countless variants and expansions. We have a full page about Axis & Allies.
Bargain Hunter - A 1981 Milton Bradley release for 2-4 players. Each player starts with $1000 in game money and has to furnish an apartment as nicely as possible for as little money as possible.
Barrel of Monkeys - A toddler's game that depends mostly on dexterity. Players try to pick up plastic monkeys.
Battle Cry - Recreates several Civil War battles, but it's not a complicated game at all. This was originally a Milton Bradley game, but it's now branded as an Avalon Hill game. (Both companies were bought by Hasbro though.)
Battle Masters - A fantasy themed miniatures game from 1992.
Battleship - This was originally a pencil and paper game, but Milton Bradley tricked it up a little bit with some game pieces. Electronic Battleship was a popular variant when I was younger.
Beat the Clock - A board game version of the game show, which is one of the niches Milton Bradley specializes in.
Bermuda Triangle - A thematic game from 1976 in which the players try to operate ships in and near the Bermuda Triangle. (At the time, the "mystery" of the Bermuda Triangle was a pretty popular topic of discussion.)
Blockbusters - Another game show themed board game, this one from 1982.
Break the Bank - Based on the game show of the same name.
Breaker 19: The CB Trucker Game - A 1976 board game attempt to cash in on the CB craze from the 1970's. Players pick up and deliver goods in their "trucks."
Broadside - A game of naval combat. Like most Milton Bradley games, it's pretty straightforward and simple. 1962.
Broadsides and Boarding Parties - Players control ships during the age of sail, and they try to position themselves so that they can hit their opponent with cannonballs.
Buckaroo - Like many Milton Bradley games, this one has a strong dexterity component, and it's aimed at children.
Candyland - The classic children's board game in which the players race to the end of the board. Games don't get any simpler than this, and any child older than about four will get pretty bored with Candyland pretty quickly.
Catnip - One player is a cat, while the other players are mice, trying to escape from the cat. A children's game.
The Checkered Game of Life - The forerunner of The Game of Life, and one of the earliest board games published by Milton Bradley.
Cheyenne - A children's board game from 1958, based on the television show of the same name.
Chicken Limbo - A children's game version of the limbo dance, where the players try to limbo underneath the legs of a chicken.
Concentration - One of the more popular game board versions of a television game show, this one has been published in at least two dozen editions.
Connect Four - A two player board game that's played with a vertical board. It's played with colored disks, which are inserted at the top of the grid. Your goal is to get four of your disks adjacent to each other before your opponent is able to do so.
Conquest of the Empire - A Roman Empire themed game from 1984. Players try to conquer their neighbors' areas.
Conspiracy - A 1973 spy game with economic aspects. A revised version called Casablanca was published in 1991, but that version is NOT a Milton Bradley product.
Cootie - A simple roll and move game for kids from the 1940's. Milton Bradley bought the rights to the game in 1986.
Crack the Case - A party game where the players try to solve one of several mysteries by asking questions.
Crocodile Dentist - Similar to Operation, only instead of a surgeon operating on a patient, you're a dentist pulling teeth from a crocodile.
Crossfire - A 1971 board game where players try to knock pucks into the opponent's goal.
The Dark Crystal Game - A 1982 game based on the eponymous movie. It's a straightforward roll and move race game, but there is a timed aspect to the game.
The Barnabas Collins Dark Shadows Game - A 1969 game based on the cult television show. The player's goal is to assemble a skeleton from various game parts.
The Dark Tower - A 1981 board game with an electronic tower. Players assemble an army, gather keys, and defeat the evil in the dark tower.
Dogfight - A rules light World War I aerial combat game published originally in 1962.
Don't Break the Ice - A game for kids where you tap out blocks of ice without knocking the polar bear down.
Don't Spill the Beans - Another kids' game. There's a pot, and each player takes a turn adding a bean to the pot. The goal is to add beans to the pot without making it tip over.
Downfall - Players manipulate colored disks by turning knobs, but they're also manipulating their opponents disks at the same time. A two player board game.
Easy Money - A 1935 game that's very similar to Monopoly .
Eye Guess- Based on the late 1960's game show.
Family Feud - The board game was almost as popular as the television game show on which it was based, and it was published in at least eight different editions.
Fireball Island - Another 3 dimensional children's game. Players are trying to reach the top of a mountain.
Fortress America - Set in an alternate future where all of the other countries in the world attack the United States. (This is also listed in our science fiction board games section.)
Fraggle Rock - A children's game that uses a spinner. Published in 1984.
Fraidy Cats - A 1994 children's game where players manipulate cats on a fence. Muggs the Motorized Mutt tries to knock the cats down.
The Game of Life - A board game simulation of an entire person's life, from their education to retirement. Based on The Checkered Game of Life from 1860.
The Game of Life: A Jedi's Path - A Star Wars themed version of The Game of Life. Players can choose between the light side and the dark side.
The Game of Life: Pirates of the Caribbean - This version of The Game of Life is based on the Disney park attraction, not the movies.
The Game of Life: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - And this version of The Game of Life is based on the movies, not the Disney park attraction.
The Game of Life: Twists and Turns - A new edition of The Game of Life that focuses less on money and more on life experiences.
Game of the States - An educational game for children that teaches them about the states. Originally published in 1940.
Go for Broke - Players start with $1 million, and their goal is to spend all of it. The first player to spend all his money wins.
Go to the Head of the Class - A 1936 game where players answer questions about various academic subjects like language, science, art, etc.
The Goonies - A 1985 game based on the eponymous movie.
Guess Who? - A guessing game for kids where they can use the process of elimination.
Hands Down - A 1964 board game similar to the card game slapjack.
The Harlem Globetrotters Game - A 1971 licensed board game featuring the basketball team. The game uses a cardplay mechanism to simulate scoring baskets in a basketball game, but it doesn't actually require any basketball knowledge in order to play.
Headache - A board game similar to Trouble, complete with a pop-o-matic dome in which you roll dice.
HeroQuest - A Dungeons & Dragons style adventure game where players take the roles of adventurers exploring an underground maze.
Heroscape - A fantasy battle game with painted miniatures. Numerous expansions exist, and the game is very popular.
High Rollers - Based on the mid 1970's game show hosted by Alex Trebek.
Hollywood Squares - There was a board game version of this game who in the 1970's, which is appropriate, since that was really the hey-day for this show. (The later editions of Hollywood Squares were pretty lame.)
Hit the Beach - A 1965 board game with a World War II theme. The player's goal is to defeat the Japanese forces.
Hungry Hungry Hippos - A game of interest to children, mostly. Almost entirely random. The board consists of plastic hippos who try to gobble up tiny balls.
Jackpot - Based on the television game show from the 1970's.
Jenga - An example of a game with a large dexterity requirement. Players take turns moving pieces of a tower and trying to avoid knocking down the structure as they do so.
Jeopardy! - Believe it or not, Jeopardy! wasn't always hosted by Alex Trebek. The original version of this board game dates back to when Art Fleming hosted the show.
The Joker's Wild - Based on the television game show with the same name.
King Oil - A 1974 board game in which the players buy properties and drill for oil.
KooKooNauts - A light-hearted game where players try to escape from a kooky planet.
Laser Attack - A 1978 science fiction board game in which the players are trying to defeat an alien ship that's shooting lasers at earth.
Let's Make a Deal - A board game version of the television game show that made Monty Haul famous.
Littlest Pet Shop - A children's board game with Pet Shop miniatures.
Mall Madness - A roll and move children's game with a shopping mall theme from 1988.
Marvel Comics Superheroes Strategy Game - A 1980 abstract strategy game with Marvel Comic book trappings.
Match Game - Another Milton Bradley board game version of a televised game show.
Matchwitz - A 1970 version of an Asian game called NIM.
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Game - A 1994 board game based on the children's show.
The Moon Mullins Game - A 1938 board game based on the comic strip.
Mouse Trap - Players build a mousetrap, then they try to capture each others' mice with the trap.
Mr. T - A board game based on the 1980's cartoon show starring Mr. T.
My Little Pony - A board game based on the 1980's cartoon.
Mystery Mansion - A 1984 children's game where you search a mansion for treasure.
Mystery Date - A 1965 board game aimed at young girls.
Name that Tune - Based on the television game show.
New Kids on the Block - A themed game from 1990 based on the band.
Now You See It - Another game show inspired board game.
Omega Virus - Players explore a space station to try to stop the Omega Virus.
Operation - Another example of a game with a dexterity element. Players try to remove objects from a "patient." The game uses metal pincers and electronic pieces of metal on the body parts, which the "surgeon" is supposed to avoid touching. Lots of fun for little kids.
Park and Shop - In this board game, you drive your car to a shopping mall, and then you visit all the stores on your shopping list. Sounds like my wife's entire life.
Pass the Pigs - This is really a dice game, but it's played with miniature pigs, not dice. You get points based on how the pigs land. Fun, but entirely random.
Password - A board game version of the popular game show from the 1960's and 1970's. (There was also a version called Password Plus.)
Perfection - A timed game where players put pegs in holes in the game board.
Pirate and Traveler - Originally published in 1936. Players travel and eventually battle pirates.
Posse Thirteen against One - A strategy game from 1970 where one player takes the role of the bad guy being chased by the posse of thirteen (the other player). The "characters" are represented by colored pegs, white and red.
Pretty Pretty Princess - A roll and move game for little girls where you get to put on costume jewelry when you land on certain spaces.
The Price Is Right - A boardgame version of this most popular and venerable of television game shows.
Pyramid - Multiple versions of both the television game show and the board game based on the show exist, the most famous being $20,000 Pyramid.
Rack-O - More of a card game than a board game. Players arrange cards in numeric order in a rack.
Real Ghostbusters - A themed version of Which Witch? based on the cartoon.
Rock-Jocks - A dexterity board game where players control mountain climbers with super stretching arms.
Sale of the Century - A 1970 board game based on the television game show.
Scattergories - A popular party game and word game.
Scotland Yard - One player takes on the role of a criminal while the other players portray the police who are chasing him through the streets of London.
Sealab 2020 - A 1973 board game based on the television show.
Shark Attack - A 1988 children's board game with a shark theme. (The shark eats other fish, not people, unfortunately.)
Shenanigans - A three dimensional carnival themed board game for kids.
Shogun - A 1986 board game set in feudal Japan. The name was later changed to Samurai Swords, and then it was later changed again to Ikusa.
Skirmish - Recreates the American War of Independence in a board game format.
Slide 5 - Similar to Connect Four, but with a changeable game grid.
The Smurf Game - A 1981 children's board game based on the cartoon.
Space Crusade - Space marines battle aliens. Co-produced with Games Workshop.
Spider-Man - A 2002 board game based on the comic book. Features Spider-Man and several of his traditional villains, like the Vulture.
Splat! - A children's racing board game, but with play-dough pawns that you get to smash in certain situations.
Square Mile - A 1962 board game from Milton Bradley with a real estate development theme.
Star Trek - A 1979 board game base on Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Star Trek: The Next Generation - A Klingon Challenge - A VCR board game. (For those of you who don't remember VCR's, that was yesterday's version of the DVD. The game included a video component.)
Star Wars Epic Duels - Recreates light sabre battles in a board game format.
Stratego - A classic two player board game version of capture the flag. The game is played on a grid with each player having 40 pieces.
Street Fighter II - A 1994 board game based on the video game.
Stump - A 1968 board game played with cards and rings.
Sweet Valley High - A 1988 board game based on the novels.
Three on a Match - A game show based game.
Thundarr the Barbarian - A 1982 children's game based on the cartoon series.
Thundercats - A 1985 children's game based on the cartoon series.
Thunder Road - A board game knockoff of Car Wars from Milton Bradley.
Times to Remember - A trivia type game, where players read about events on cards and then guess during which year those events took place.
Trouble - A race game with a pop-o-matic dice roller.
Tuba Ruba - More of a party game and a dexterity game than a board game.
Twister - This isn't really a board game at all, but it's a lot of fun. Players put their hands and feet on various colors on a mat. The appendage and the color are determine at random with a spinner.
Uncle Wiggily - This game was first published in 1916, and it's based on the Howard Roger Garis childrens books.
Upwords - A game that's very similar to Scrabble, only played in 3 dimensions instead of 2. Upwords has recently been rebranded as Scrabble Upwords, since the games are so similar.
Voice of the Mummy - A 3 dimensional board game where players move around a pyramid collecting gems.
Wheel of Fortune - Was there a game show on the air in the 1970's that Milton Bradley DIDN'T produce a board game version of?
Where's the Beef? - A 1984 board game inspired by the then-famous Wendy's advertising campaign.
Which Witch? - Another 3 dimensional kids game, this one features a haunted house that the players are trying to escape from.
The Who, What, or Where Game - Another tv game show converted into a boardgame.
Why - A 1958 board game based on an Alfred Hitchock television show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Win, Lose, or Draw - Based on the game show, this one has been published in multiple editions.
Yahtzee - A classic dice rolling game with poker aspects. Multiple variants were published over the last few decades.
You Don't Say! - A 1963 game based on a game show.
This isn't a complete list of Milton Bradley board games, but we think it comes pretty close. Contact us if we left off any notable games, and we'll update the page.
| Milton Bradley |
True or false: an adult centipede has exactly 100 legs? | Board games you played as a kid
Board games you played as a kid
I was an expert at Connect 4 and Stratego. Absolutely unbeatable!
by Anonymous
Monopoly until my mother banned it.
Clue
many others when we were at the summer cottage (no TV there)
by Anonymous
reply 3
01/22/2015
O board scared the fuck out of me as a kid- yikes! Never again, I seriously don't even want to spell it. Another game (not a board game) that really flipped me out was light a a feather stiff as a board, CREEPY!
I always loved Monopoly, when I was really young I loved Mouse Trap and Candyland.
by Anonymous
r2 why did your mom ban Monopoly?
by Anonymous
and that board game which had shaking taxis. Anyone remember that one?
by Anonymous
Why did your mother ban Monopoly, r2?
by Anonymous
reply 8
01/22/2015
There was a board game shaped like a big black triangle. Can't remember what it was called.
by Anonymous
reply 9
01/22/2015
I loved those build-a-contraption games like Mouse Trap and Crazy Clock, and the family was big on Clue and Life.
In addition to Parker Brothers' Monopoly, Milton Bradley put out a copycat game called Easy Money.
by Anonymous
His mother was a Communist.
Monopoly -- NYET!
reply 12
01/22/2015
My mother banned Monopoly because it caused too many fights, mostly my older sister and brother.
by Anonymous
LOL, r13! Did they fist fight, scratch and bite?
by Anonymous
reply 14
01/22/2015
No, yelling at each other, silent treatment for days, crude comments directed at each other, that kind of thing.
You knew it was getting intense when my brother would aim the dice at her token, or at her houses and hotels.
by Anonymous
I can just hear it! "fuck you, you Mediterranean Avenue whore!"
by Anonymous
reply 16
01/22/2015
My sister was no prize either. About ten years ago we were playing Trivial Pursuit, all adults by then, and she'd hum the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" background music when people were trying to concentrate.
Then if you got it wrong, she'd do The Price is Right loser horn.
by Anonymous
reply 17
01/22/2015
Cards, not board, but as a precocious kid I used to love to play Mille Bornes. My mom was a huge fan if Trouble - with the Popomatic cube!
by Anonymous
reply 20
01/23/2015
All but one of my favorites have already been listed here - Risk, Pay Day, Clue, and Life were in heavy rotation in my house.
There is one more though that I wonder why we even had since my family is not remotely interested in art in any way. Do people know the board game Masterpiece? It's subtitled 'the art auction game.'
You buy and sell cards that represent actual paintings by famous artists. I have a feeling it isn't manufactured anymore and I don't think I've seen it anywhere except for in our closet. But I took that game when I moved away from home and still have it.
by Anonymous
reply 21
01/23/2015
R21, yes I do remember Masterpiece! I hadn't thought of it until you posted (same with Stratego from OP).
by Anonymous
Monotony and Scribble are available at Sam Drucker's store, dahlings!
by Anonymous
Hours of backgammon in my late teens, early 20s; Monopoly of course; Risk was fun
by Anonymous
reply 25
01/24/2015
Sorry caused a lot of fights in my house. It got to the point where my mom took out all the Sorry cards and we played the game without them.
by Anonymous
reply 26
01/24/2015
Cards, Uno, Sorry, Scrabble, Boggle, Chinese checkers, Monopoly... I miss those days. Now I stare into my iPhone and play CandyCrush.
by Anonymous
reply 27
01/24/2015
Squatter. It is an Australian game in which you win by getting the most sheep and best surviving floods and drought (though I was rarely allowed to actually play as my older siblings did not trust me with the little sheep pieces. I was clumsy and could wipe out a mob of sheep with one sweep of my arm.)
by Anonymous
Monopoly
Rook (card game)
Life. I got it when I was about 12. Played it a lot with friends then put in closet. Took it to college and we made drinking game with it while we played.
Was at my parents house over Christmas and saw it! Took it down, opened it up and on the inside lid was written: We were here! 7/16/80 and 5 of us had signed our names. Below that was written in my college friend's handwriting: We were here, too! 1/8/87 and again 5 of us had signed our names. My friend Leila who'd written it in 87 is dead. Died of rare cancer several years ago. I suddenly missed her so much. I'm not getting rid of that game.
by Anonymous
reply 29
01/24/2015
There was a game back in the 70's called The Godfather Game, which I dimly recall was a NYC-located version of Monopoly. My friend, his two sisters, and I would play it; however, the older sister was ... shall we say ... high strung, so after a few times his mom kiboshed it for good. I do not recall whether the girl actually ever threw anything, but the screaming got rather intense.
My own family's game was Yahtzee.
by Anonymous
Scrabble
As a young kid, Candyland
Authors -- more a card game than a board game (And, the game is from the 19th century; I'm not.)
by Anonymous
reply 43
01/24/2015
I was watching an episode of Sherlock recently where Watson REFUSED to play Clue(do) with Sherlock anymore: "No, it's IMPOSSIBLE for the victim to have been the killer as well!"
by Anonymous
01/24/2015
Nobody else ever played Tryce?
It was one of those 3-M games from the '70s that came in a box shaped like a book, in order to store them on bookshelves. Tryce was my favorite. It was a lot like gin, except there were letters on the cards and in addition to runs and groups you could also play words.
by Anonymous
reply 45
01/24/2015
The Inventors was a really fun Parker brothers game. Before Hasbro bought them, they almost always had a new board game out every Christmas. Great designs and usually a gimmick (patent and dice machine for Inventors, six dice shaker for Gambler, stop thiefs electronic clue sound maker).
by Anonymous
Clue (I wanted to be Miss Scarlett, but I always settled for Professor Plum)
Monopoly (The top hat was so dashing)
Yahtzee (I was obsessed with keeping score)
Othello (My mother could never beat me even though I was only 9)
Card games - Gin, 500 Rummy, Pinochle
Headache (Like Trouble but with colorful cone-shaped playing pieces)
Nothing, and I mean nothing, could compete with my Spirograph. I could spend hours and hours with that thing....
by Anonymous
01/24/2015
The parents played bridge and cribbage.
Us kids played Backgammon, Monopoly, Clue, Masterpiece, Battleship, Score Four, Tripoley, Michigan Rummy, Cooties, Mr. Potato Head, Careers, Life, Mouse Trap, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Go to the Head of the Class, Othello, Mind Maze, Parcheesi, Sorry!, Operation, Scrabble, Yahtzee!, Twister, Rook, Uno, Shanghai, Mah Jongg, The Beatles Flip-Your-Wig game, Spirograph, labyrinths and other wooden puzzles. One of our favorite games was the simple card game called Pit.
Michigan Rummy was our whole-family board game. But as long as we had the chips out, we ended it with a couple of poker hands so the kids could learn the basics.
Then in later years, we had all of the Trivial Pursuits and all themes and variations of them, Pictionary, Win, Lose or Draw, Make-A-Scene, The Big Picture, Scattergories, Balderdash, Tabloid Teasers, Mad Gab, Taboo!, Cranium, Scruples, Pirateer, Catch Phrase, Cards Against Humanity, and just a couple of weeks ago a new one called Telestrations, which turned out to be funny.
by Anonymous
Amongst many Republican warmongers, I believe Draft Board Dodger was popular.
by Anonymous
reply 58
01/24/2015
That's it, R40. I had a friend who had a game called "Billionaire," which was about investing in the stock market. We played it often.
by Anonymous
01/24/2015
Aggravation, Perfection.
Not so much board games but activity games, really liked Tip-It, Kerplunk, Barrel of Monkeys. Ants in the Pants, if that hasn't been mentioned.
Hands Down was okay. And Battling Tops.
Neighbor kid had Rebound and Rock'em Sock'em Robots. Another had Toss Across.
Wonder if R9's game was Tri-Ominos.
Never heard of Tryce, R45. Would probably enjoy it though, a rummy variant with words.
by Anonymous
Does anyone remember "Hide N Thief"
by Anonymous
reply 61
01/26/2015
Another one - does anyone remember "Sinking of the Titanic" board game? The top half of of the board (the ship) rotated further under the bottom half with each player's turn. You had to collect one "survivor," one food chest, and one water keg, and then get off the ship before it sank (disappeared under the playing board). Then you made your way to the rescue ship. Those who left the ship without the three required items could land next to another player's lifeboat and "steal" one of the needed items. Horribly morbid ... and great fun!
by Anonymous
[quote]Monopoly (The top hat was so dashing)
That alone makes you a homosexual
by Anonymous
10/22/2015
[quote]His mother was a Communist. Monopoly -- NYET!
Actually, 'Monopoly' was originally invented by a woman with lefty politics. She called it 'The Landlord's Game.' The Parker Brothers basically stole it from her.
[quote]To Elizabeth Magie, known to her friends as Lizzie, the problems of the new century were so vast, the income inequalities so massive and the monopolists so mighty that it seemed impossible that an unknown woman working as a stenographer stood a chance at easing society’s ills with something as trivial as a board game. But she had to try.
[quote]She began speaking in public about a new concept of hers, which she called the Landlord’s Game. “It is a practical demonstration of the present system of land-grabbing with all its usual outcomes and consequences,” she wrote in a political magazine. “It might well have been called the ‘Game of Life’, as it contains all the elements of success and failure in the real world, and the object is the same as the human race in general seem[s] to have, ie, the accumulation of wealth.”
by Anonymous
reply 68
10/22/2015
Scrabble, the family favorite. Last Christmas I played it with my 8-year-old grand nephew, so the tradition continues.
Monopoly, Risk, Operation Chutes and Ladders. Trivial Pursuit as an adult. But in my family, we played cards more than anything else: gin, canasta, spades, bridge.
by Anonymous
reply 69
10/22/2015
we played "Randy Land" as s kid. we cut the board out of a porn magazine. it was a pornographic version of Candy Land. I'll never forget Peppermint Prick Forest and Balls Falls!
by Anonymous
[quote]I played it with my 8-year-old grand nephew
I was gonna ask how old are you, like a 100
[quote]But in my family, we played cards more than anything else: gin, canasta, spades, bridge.
But this answered it.
reply 71
10/22/2015
We used to play a combo Monopoly and Risk. One team member played Monopoly to make money so the other person could buy armies to play Risk. It took forever.
by Anonymous
reply 72
10/22/2015
Clue, Stop Thief (the electronic version of clue and much more entertaining), Pit, Chutes and Ladders, Uncle Wiggly, Life, Electronic Battleship, Balderdash, Win, Lose Or Draw, Trivial Pursuit.
There were four kids in my family. We had an entire closet devoted to board games. If we ever dared mutter that we were bored, my mom would tell us to go play a game. And we did. I still love playing board game today as an adult...so much more fun with wine.
by Anonymous
reply 73
10/22/2015
We had a bunch of the 3M Games: Contigo, Facts in Five, Mr. President, Stocks and Bonds, TwixT. But we the usual Operation, Monopoly, Clue, Stratego, Battleship, RIsk, Candyland, several varieties of Trivial Pursuit, Cranium, Pictionary, but I'm surprised to hear people mention Labyrintspel since we considered it an individual skill game. It was magical though, I spent countless hours on it, probably because I was so uncoordinated it was really hard.
by Anonymous
reply 76
10/22/2015
Younger: Chutes and Ladders, Operation Elementary School: Monopoly, Risk, Life, Yahtzee, Chinese Checkers, Backgammon Middle School: Talking Football, Talking Baseball,
by Anonymous
reply 77
10/22/2015
Super Spy. It was a battery-operated board game and you had move your board piece across the board and avoid tripping the alarm.
by Anonymous
reply 78
10/22/2015
Board games based on movies and/or TV shows. I had the Charlie's Angel's board game and it was as lame as it appears.
by Anonymous
10/22/2015
I loved The Masterpiece Game and Careers. And I also had a Columbo board game.
I notice a lot of board game cafes popping up where you go and sign up to play a game in a cafe. Sometimes the wait times are long. I wonder why Parker Bros. and the rest don't reissue some of these board games. They'd make a bundle. Really, the only ones they still sell are ones like Monopoly, Game of Life and Scrabble. The rest, you can find on ebay but games like Masterpiece aren't sold any longer.
by Anonymous
reply 80
10/22/2015
In addition to many of the usual listed above, Axis and Allies, Civilization and other strategy board games. Loved the ones with electronic components too: Dark Tower, Mall Madness, etc.
Played the heck out of Stop Thief and its maritime equivalent Lost Treasure.
Our family quickly outgrew the simple board games and got more involved in the more complex and thematic ones.
by Anonymous
Monopoly, Payday, Life, Checkers etc.
Scattergories and Scrabble were my favorites.
The Mad Magazine Game was my favorite when I was in elementary school. I got in for my birthday from someone in my class. Anyone remember it?
Also, there was was weird game with galaxy backed cards...like a Trivial Pursuit for younger kids. My brother used to memorize every card and answer or knock the board over if he was losing. What a gem.
Risk was too slow for me.
When I was really young, I loved Don't Tip The Waiter. You piled food on his tray until he tipped over. The waiter was a total stereotype.
by Anonymous
10/23/2015
Ah, what about Cooties? The little love bug...
Interesting to read about the Billionaire game. My folks were 'children of the Depression' and held onto stuff. As a kid we played a game from that era called "Corner the Market" and it was a lot of fun as I recall, not as complicated as Billionaire seems (never played that one) and players attempted to gain control of major commodities - a stock market game. I wonder if any of my siblings still has it...I don't.
Another old game which we played and I still have with all the pieces intact is a board game called "Cross Words" - - - seems the prototype for Scrabble. It has a timer, a little glass-and-wood hourglass with ultra-fine white sand. When the sand runs down all the way to the bottom, your turn is done.
by Anonymous
reply 83
10/23/2015
The best was an old version of the game show Concentration. It had a plastic game board and you uncovered the puzzle underneath by answering the questions.
Mousetrap was great, but I don't remember ever actually playing the game, we just fucked around with the trap.
by Anonymous
reply 84
10/23/2015
I bought a shit load of pristine vintage and classic board games, from an estate sale in France, often in the french version, and brought them as a hostess gift to the ski chalet of some friends of mine.
Evidently, only Monopoly is still played.
by Anonymous
What about the Ungame? Boring shit for the goody goody Christian kids.
by Anonymous
reply 86
10/23/2015
[quote]"Corner the Market" and it was a lot of fun as I recall, not as complicated as Billionaire seems (never played that one) and players attempted to gain control of major commodities - a stock market game. I wonder if any of my siblings still has it...I don't.
Is what your thinking of Pit?
by Anonymous
10/23/2015
A bunch that were already listed. A couple that haven't been mentioned yet:
Peanut Butter and Jelly. You had to earn squares (4 each) of bread, PB, jelly, and more bread to make a sandwich in your tray. But the pieces had to be earned in order - for instance, earning a square of jelly did you no good if you didn't have a square of bread to build it on.
The Guiness Book of World Records game. I only vaguely remember this one, but you traveled around the board and there were 5 or 6 different challenges you had to perform, and you tried to beat the other players challenge performance. I remember one challenge (it might have been Strength) had these little bricks that you would place end-to-end and holding the two ends, you had to lift them in the air. And I always stunk at it, maybe managing six bricks, while my neighbor could lift around ten bricks. And then he would crow about how strong he was even though he was a scrawny kid, and I was much taller/broader. Punk.
by Anonymous
reply 88
10/23/2015
I had the Bionic Woman board game. It was by Parker Bros. It was confusing to say the least and not much fun.
by Anonymous
reply 89
10/23/2015
I lived at a lake every summer. There was no TV reception there so all of the kids at the lake played board games to occupy our indoor time. Our favorite game was Pit. It's not strictly a board game, but it was a riot to play. Anyone else know it?
by Anonymous
Password. I loved the little sleeve thing you read the word in.
by Anonymous
reply 97
08/31/2016
The ones we played the most as kids were Monopoly and Clue. During the summer my sister and I had Monopoly games with the kids next door that went on for days. I have never employed any other Monopoly token than the top hat. Yes, it IS so dashing!
The only time that I was not Professor Plum in Clue, I was Miss Scarlett. Mr. Green's smoking jacket and cigarette holder were intriguing but ultimately he was just too fey. Nobody ever wanted to be him.
THE most played game of all in my family had to be Aggravation. My mother loved it and would make any and everyone in the family play with her to pass the time during the winter when she couldn't be gardening. Also played it for hours with her to wind down after her shifts as a nurse's aide. She was almost impossible to beat even if she would handicap herself by forfeiting turns and the like. My dad eventually quit playing with her saying that he'd like to win at least occasionally! After she died, I kept the game board and framed it. My sister who quilts designed and made a quilt based on the board for our game geek nephew who loved playing that game with his grandparents.
by Anonymous
09/02/2016
The details of my life are quite inconsequential.
My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a 15 year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink, he would make outrageous claims, like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy – the sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical: summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring, we’d make meat helmets. When I was insolent, I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds. Pretty standard, really.
by Anonymous
09/02/2016
r101
That's what you get for being such a horrible child, that no parent could possibly ever love.
by Anonymous
| i don't know |
Shamu, caught in 1965, was what type of animal? | The fate of SeaWorld’s ‘Shamu’ show was forecast by the very first whale performers - The Washington Post
The fate of SeaWorld’s ‘Shamu’ show was forecast by the very first whale performers
The inside track on Washington politics.
Be the first to know about new stories from PowerPost. Sign up to follow, and we’ll e-mail you free updates as they’re published.
You’ll receive free e-mail news updates each time a new story is published.
You’re all set!
By Sarah Kaplan By Sarah Kaplan November 11, 2015 Follow @sarahkaplan48
SeaWorld plans to phase out its "Shamu" killer whale show at its San Diego park next year, SeaWorld executives say. (Reuters)
Ted Griffin had a vision of himself on the sleek, black-and-white back of an adult orca, zipping through the sea spray along that faint blue line between water and sky.
To Griffin, it was never only a dream — it was a plan. To the rest of the world, it was crazy.
Until Griffin captured and displayed America’s first show orca 50 years ago, the sea creatures were something to be feared, not befriended. “Killer whales” (which are actually a species of dolphin) were respected, even worshiped, by some native cultures, but for the most part they were viewed with deadly dread. Fishermen sometimes shot them because they interfered with their catch. Divers were taught that the whales would viciously attack any human on sight. One ancient Roman observer wrote that the creatures “cannot be properly depicted or described except as an enormous mass of flesh armed with savage teeth.”
Then, in June of 1965, Griffin bought a 22-foot orca from a group of fisherman who had accidentally caught him near British Columbia (it cost him $8,000 and a win in an arm-wrestling contest). He gave the animal a name — “Namu” — a backstory and a host of human qualities, and by the time Griffin finally rode his whale several weeks later, the creatures had become a cause célèbre. Killer whales were now a lovable icon, a conservation imperative and the sudden stars of a spectacle everyone wanted to see.
In a March 7, 2011 photo, trainers Joe Sanchez, left, Brian Faulkner and Kelly Aldrich, right, work with killer whales Trua, front, Kayla, center, and Nalani during the Believe show in Shamu Stadium at the SeaWorld Orlando theme park in Orlando, Fla. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)
Half a century later, the world’s most famous keeper of captive killer whales, SeaWorld San Diego, has announced that it will be phasing out “theatrical” stunts like Griffin’s famous first ride. Amid plummeting profits, regulatory challenges, widespread criticism about the treatment of captive whales — not to mention the ethics of keeping them in the first place — and one very effective documentary , the park says it will unveil a new, more natural kind of “orca experience,” one without the antics and acrobatics.
The change does not apply to SeaWorld’s 10 other U.S. parks, but it is perhaps a sign of things to come. American audiences are growing increasingly uncomfortable with animal entertainers, SeaWorld’s splashy shows — plagued by ailing animals and dangerous and sometimes deadly accidents involving human trainers — in particular.
Then again, the writing has been on the wall for 50 years. To understand what’s happening with SeaWorld San Diego’s last performing whales, you don’t have to look any further than what happened to the very first ones captured and displayed by Griffin.
Namu, Griffin’s first captive orca, arrived at the Port of Seattle in July 1965 to unprecedented fanfare, according to Canadian magazine the Tyee . A flotilla of researchers, reporters and anyone else who could get their hands on a boat paddled out alongside the whale’s floating steel cage. Thousands of onlookers lined bridges and docks, cheering as the black-and-white behemoth was towed into the harbor. Namu appeared on the front page of every newspaper in the Pacific Northwest — and many outside it — as well as T-shirts, key chains, mugs and coloring books sold at the Seattle Aquarium, his new home.
Namu wasn’t the first killer whale to be put on display, but he was the first to be put to work in the kind of acrobatics orcas are now known for. Far from the “killers” of legend, orcas are playful, intelligent and unusually amenable to having small, enthusiastic two-legged creatures sitting astride their backs while clutching their dorsal fins. Griffin, Namu’s keeper and trainer, came to see Namu as a “pet,” he said, one that was very nearly human.
“I had loved Namu passionately, perhaps with the same capacity and energy that often exists between women and men,” Griffin said in a memoir about his time with the whale. “I had wanted to spend every minute with my companion.”
Shortly after Namu’s arrival, Griffin set out in search of a finned companion for Namu. In October 1965, he got what he was looking for: a 14-foot female orca he and a colleague were able to trap in a corner of the Puget Sound. They brought her back to Seattle, placed her in Namu’s enclosure and waited for sparks.
They never came. Instead, the female whale became increasingly aggressive toward both Namu and Griffin. When SeaWorld came looking for an orca for its facility in San Diego, Griffin offered them the young female for $70,000, according to Outside magazine.
“They wanted to call the whale Namu, and they wanted the rights to the name, and I wouldn’t do that,” he recalled to PBS .
Instead, the park settled on a portmanteau of “she” and “Namu.” (Apparently they weren’t interested in just giving the whale a name of her own.) Their new attraction would be named Shamu.
“And that’s how it all started,” Griffin concluded.
“It all” was several decades of aggressive whale trapping for theme parks and aquariums around the world, much of it done by Griffin himself. He and colleague Don Goldsberry sold some 30 whales during seven years of hunting, each of which sold for a $20,000 or $25,000, according to the Seattle Times . They may have rounded up as many as 10 times that number; the others escaped or were released.
Or were killed. Of the dozens Griffin captured, 11 orcas died after being tangled in his nets or injured during a chase. Five of the deaths came in one fateful event at Penn Cove , a curve in Washington’s Whidbey Island where Griffin had set up a whale catching operation.
During the 1970 capture, more than 80 whales wound up in Griffin’s net — far more than he wanted. And a few of them died before he could free them. Rather than sell the animals to a rendering plant, as he usually did, Griffin ordered the creatures to be weighted and sunk, hoping to avoid bad press.
But the plan didn’t work. Three of the bodies later washed ashore, their bellies slit and filled with rocks. Newspapers started asking questions, onlookers became outraged. Shortly afterward, Washington state passed legislation banning the capture of orcas in Puget Sound, and two years later, the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act ended almost all other orca captures.
Meanwhile, orcas that had already been captured were surviving with only varying success. Namu, Griffin’s beloved first capture, died within a year of his arrival at the Seattle Aquarium; he fell ill after swimming in the polluted waters of the Puget Sound, Griffin told PBS , and, delirious, got tangled in the netting of his enclosure and drowned.
At SeaWorld in San Diego, Shamu also ran into problems. In her sixth year at the park, Shamu — who had previously been acting erratically — bit a young woman who fell off her back during a training session. According to legal documents , the trainer suffered 18 to 20 wounds requiring as many as 200 stitches. Shamu was taken off the performance circuit, and she died several months later.
Dawn Brancheau, a whale trainer at SeaWorld Adventure Park, performing during a show in 2005. Brancheau was killed in an accident with a killer whale at the SeaWorld Shamu Stadium on Feb. 24, 2010. (Julie Fletcher/Orlando Sentinel/AP)
Several of the subsequent stars of the park’s shows, all referred to as Shamu in honor of the original orca, have also behaved violently toward trainers. According to David Kirby, author of “ Death at SeaWorld ,” 15 percent of all orcas at SeaWorld parks have been involved in “acts of serious aggression” against trainers.
The effects of captivity on orcas are still debated. The Humane Society and other animal rights groups argue that the large and social animals fare poorly at aquariums and parks, where they lack companionship and are more susceptible to infection. Wild whales have a longer life expectancy, the group said in a 2011 report , and are less likely to exhibit “aberrant” behavior, including attacks on people. Captive orcas have been implicated in the deaths of at least four people since 1965; there are no records of wild orcas ever killing a human.
But SeaWorld says that its captive whales connect people with nature on a scale that would be impossible if orcas only existed in the wild, and that the money it makes from exhibiting the animals goes back into protecting their habitat and preserving the species.
“SeaWorld … contributes immensely to conservation through its effect on people’s thinking,” Brad Andrews, the park’s Chief Zoological Officer, told PBS . “Conservation [has] to be a group effort, and if the public doesn’t receive the sensitivity, the education, the concern, then how is conservation going to happen?”
A recent study of SeaWorld whales co-authored by researchers from SeaWorld and the Minnesota Zoo found that there is no significant difference between the survival rates of captive and free-ranging whales. That report was commissioned by SeaWorld.
Regardless of the merits of SeaWorld’s arguments, people seem to have drawn their own conclusions. The 2010 killing of a beloved and highly qualified trainer by an orca that had already been involved in two other deaths, a focus of the 2013 documentary “Blackfish,” turned public opinion against the park’s circuslike spectacles. However intelligent, lovable and playful killer whales might be, they’re not “pets,” as Griffin described Namu.
SeaWorld’s profits have plummeted 84 percent since “Blackfish” was released, according to Time .
“We start everything by listening to our guests and evolving our shows to what we’re hearing,” SeaWorld chief executive Joel Manby told the San Diego Union-Tribune , “So far that’s what we’ve been hearing in California. They want experiences that are more natural and experiences that look more natural in the environment.”
As for Griffin, the man who started it all? He says that he wouldn’t take back any of the choices he made — not the orca captures; not the sale of Shamu; not that first, fateful voyage from British Columbia to the Port of Seattle with Namu in tow.
But he doesn’t go near whales anymore, he told PBS in 1997 — the last time he gave a lengthy interview. He doesn’t even go in the water. Like SeaWorld’s, his association with whales has been tainted by decades of bad history.
The closest he gets is in his boat, the orcas’ squeaks, screeches and clicks reverberating against his hull.
“It’s because I know what whales do underwater,” he told PBS . “My boat follows the whales, and I ride with them.”
national
| Killer whale |
Those poor “Three Blind Mice” of nursery rhyme fame had their tails cut off by the farmer’s wife using what sharp instrument? | 10 Things You Didn't Know About SeaWorld - SeaWorld of Hurt
10 Things You Didn’t Know About SeaWorld
1. Their Sunburns Are Covered Up With Black Zinc Oxide
Orcas at SeaWorld spend most of their time floating listlessly at the surface of the water with little to no shade from the hot blistering sun. In the wild, orcas spend up to 95 percent of their time submerged and would find shade in the depths of the ocean, but at SeaWorld their tanks are far too shallow. Their deepest tank is 40 feet deep —not nearly deep enough to give them a reprieve from the harsh elements. Because of this, orcas have perpetual sunburns, which are shielded from the public eye with the help of black zinc oxide, which matches their skin. Although zinc oxide is also used as a sunblock, orcas almost always have sunburn before it is applied.
2. Some Orcas Were Kidnapped and Sent to SeaWorld
Five orcas currently at SeaWorld were kidnapped from their ocean homes, as were others who have since died. For example, Tilikum , a 32-year-old orca, was captured at the age of 2 by a marine “cowboy.” Tilikum wasn’t taken from his natural environment because he was injured—instead, he was torn away from his family against his will and confined to a small concrete tank for a hefty profit.
3. Killed If Not Captured
In 1965, the first-ever orca show at SeaWorld was performed by a female orca named Shamu at SeaWorld San Diego. During Shamu’s capture, her mother was shot with a harpoon and killed before the young orca’s very eyes by a marine “cowboy” named Ted Griffin. Griffin’s partner, Don Goldsberry, later worked for SeaWorld and was assigned to bring orcas into the park. He continued kidnapping and slaughtering orcas, and at one point, he hired divers to slit open the bellies of four orcas, fill them with rocks, put anchors around their tails, and sink them to the bottom of the ocean so that their deaths would not be discovered.
© Dr. Newby
4. Trainers Masturbate the Whales to Collect Sperm
In nature, orcas choose their own mates. But at SeaWorld, orcas are forced to breed on a regular basis. Male orcas are trained to float on their backs, and their trainers masturbate them to collect their sperm. Females are artificially inseminated and forced to breed at a much younger age than they would in nature. Katina is used as a virtual breeding machine and is even being inbred with her own sons.
5. Unsafe For SeaWorld’s Trainers
SeaWorld’s corporate incident log contains reports of more than 100 incidents of orca aggression at its parks, often resulting in injuries to humans and even causing one death by extensive internal bleeding.
Following a 2006 attack by an orca on a trainer at SeaWorld in San Diego, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health concluded that it was “only a matter of time” before someone was killed while interacting with the orcas. A further investigation into these attacks could have prevented injuries and deaths.
6. Orcas In Captivity Have A Shorter Lifespan
Orcas in the wild have an average life expectancy of 30 to 50 years—their estimated maximum life span is 60 to 70 years for males and 80 to more than 100 for females. The median age of orcas in captivity is only 9.
© Free Morgan Foundation
7. Collapsed Dorsal Fins Are Not Normal or Healthy
In captivity, all male orcas have collapsed dorsal fins as adults, which is a sign of an unhealthy orca. SeaWorld claims that this condition is common and natural for all orcas. However, collapsed dorsal fins are caused by the unnatural environment of captivity and are rarely seen in the wild. Only 1 to 5 percent of male orcas in some populations (and none in others) have fully collapsed dorsal fins.
"Shamu" (Tilikum) | Milan Boers | CC BY 2.0
8. Trainers are Performers, not Biologists
Contrary to popular belief, trainers often have no formal education in marine biology. Their main purpose is to entertain and put on a “good” show for visitors, not educate people about the intelligence, social nature, or natural families, foraging behavior, and habitats of the animals held at SeaWorld.
Photo credit: eschipul | CC by 2.0
9. SeaWorld Fails to Care for Animals
On January 11, 2012, the USDA issued an official warning to SeaWorld San Antonio for its “repeated failure to provide drain covers that are securely fastened in order to minimize the potential risk of animal entrapment”—a violation that resulted in the death of a sea lion.In March 2013, prompted by PETA’s complaint about a child who had been bitten by a dolphin at SeaWorld, the USDA conducted an investigation and cited the marine park for several violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including the use of expired surgical materials, some almost a decade old. The USDA also documented that a dolphin tank and the areas surrounding the orca performance tank were in disrepair and contained cracked and crumbling concrete and rusty beams that could pose a threat to the health and safety of both the animals and workers. The USDA pointed out that the unsafe conditions “might create a health risk if these pieces of concrete fall off into the pool and get ingested, or if they become abrasive” and that they “do not facilitate cleaning and disinfection.”
© Ingrid N. Visser, Ph.D.
10. Animals Suffer in Cramped, Unnatural Living Conditions
SeaWorld confines whales and dolphins—who often swim up to 100 miles a day in the wild—to tanks that, to them, are the size of a bathtub.
SeaWorld presents itself as a family establishment full of fun “educational” activities. However, these activities harm animals physically and emotionally. SeaWorld has the financial means and ability to create coastal sanctuaries, where the orcas would have a more natural and less stressful life and where they could feel the tides and waves; see, sense, and communicate with their wild relatives and other ocean animals; and engage in other natural behavior that they are now denied. However, the park instead chooses to stick with the same inhumane business model that it has used for 50 years, despite all the violent and deadly incidents and evidence of harm. Please say NO to SeaWorld and its enslavement of animals by refusing to buy a ticket to this abusement park, and ask the marine park to release these animals to sanctuaries.
| i don't know |
August 21st was the anniversary of Hawaii joining the union, the last state to do so, in what year? | Hawaii becomes 50th state - Aug 21, 1959 - HISTORY.com
Hawaii becomes 50th state
Publisher
A+E Networks
The modern United States receives its crowning star when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a proclamation admitting Hawaii into the Union as the 50th state. The president also issued an order for an American flag featuring 50 stars arranged in staggered rows: five six-star rows and four five-star rows. The new flag became official July 4, 1960.
The first known settlers of the Hawaiian Islands were Polynesian voyagers who arrived sometime in the eighth century. In the early 18th century, American traders came to Hawaii to exploit the islands’ sandalwood, which was much valued in China at the time. In the 1830s, the sugar industry was introduced to Hawaii and by the mid 19th century had become well established. American missionaries and planters brought about great changes in Hawaiian political, cultural, economic, and religious life. In 1840, a constitutional monarchy was established, stripping the Hawaiian monarch of much of his authority.
In 1893, a group of American expatriates and sugar planters supported by a division of U.S. Marines deposed Queen Liliuokalani, the last reigning monarch of Hawaii. One year later, the Republic of Hawaii was established as a U.S. protectorate with Hawaiian-born Sanford B. Dole as president. Many in Congress opposed the formal annexation of Hawaii, and it was not until 1898, following the use of the naval base at Pearl Harbor during the Spanish-American War, that Hawaii’s strategic importance became evident and formal annexation was approved. Two years later, Hawaii was organized into a formal U.S. territory. During World War II, Hawaii became firmly ensconced in the American national identity following the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
In March 1959, the U.S. government approved statehood for Hawaii, and in June the Hawaiian people voted by a wide majority to accept admittance into the United States. Two months later, Hawaii officially became the 50th state.
Related Videos
| one thousand nine hundred and fifty nine |
5W-20, 10W-30, and 20W-20 are common weights of what commodity? | August this day in history For The Month of August
1934 Adolf Hitler becomes Germany's Fuhrer
1943 PT-109 Commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy Sunk
1964 Gulf of Tonkin Attack On US Destroyer Maddox
1990 Iraq Invades Kuwait
1914 Germany and France Declare war
1981 US Air Traffic Controllers Strike
1892 The parents of Lizzie Borden found murdered
1941 Nazi Troops Within 50 miles of Kiev
1944 Anne Frank Captured By Germans
1989 US The Savings and Loan Crisis
1934 Dust Bowl Drought Continues In Mid West
1957 "American Bandstand" makes its network debut on ABC
1962 Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her bedroom
1975 Dutch Elm Disease Kills 3 million trees in Britain
1983 At&T Broken Up
1926 Gertrude "Trudy" Ederle Swims English Channel
1945 Nuclear bomb Hiroshima
1965 Voting Rights Act Signed Into Law
1965 Beatles Release the Album "Help!" In UK
1997 Microsoft Buys Stake in Apple Computers
1947 Kon-Tiki Expedition Completes Trip across the Pacific Ocean
1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Passed
1998 US Embassies Bombed Kenya
2007 Barry Bonds 756th Home Run
1963 "The Great Train Robbery" UK
1974 Richard Nixon Announces his resignation following the Watergate Scandal During a nationally televised broadcast
1976 First Legionnaire’s Disease Harrisburg, Philadelphia
1988 The Burmese 8888 Uprising
1925 Ku Klux Klan Mass Meeting Washington 50,000 marchers
1936 Jesse Owens wins fourth gold medal Berlin Olympics
1945 Atom Bomb Dropped On Nagasaki
1969 Sharon Tate Found Murdered ( Charles Manson )
1897 Automobile Club of Great Britain Formed
1945 Truman Announces Japanese Surrender
1954 Construction on the St. Lawrence Seaway began at Massena, New York.
1977 The " Son Of Sam " Serial killer David Berkowitz Arrested
1990 Magellan Space Craft Arrives At The Planet Venus
1929 Babe Ruth first player in the history of baseball to hit 500 home runs
1965 Race riots Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California
1991 911 Emergency Number pioneered in Schaumburg
1992 Mall of America Opens
1955 Minimum Hourly Wage Raised To $1.00 Per Hour
1964 South Africa Barred from the Olympic Games
1981 IBM Releases It's First Personal Computer
1990 Tyrannosaurus Rex / Sue Discovered South Dakota
1961 East Germany Border Closed To West Germany
1966 China has announced It's Cultural Revolution
2006 Tokyo Power Blackout
1944 Paris is Liberated by the allies
1953 Iran Military Coup Supported By United States
1958 Packard Cars End Production
1987 Hungerford, UK Killing Spree by Michael Ryan
August 20th :
1920 First Commercial Radio Station Detroit, Michigan
1940 Winston Churchill makes speach "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
1968 "Prague Spring", Czechoslovakia Soviet troops crush protests and restore order.
1989 Marchioness Disaster River Thames London
1911 The Mona Lisa Stolen in France
1959 Hawaii becomes the 50th state in the United States
2006 Saddam Hussein crimes against humanity trial Begins
1902 Cadillac Started In Detroit
1941 Germany Attacks Leningrad
1992 Hurricane Andrew Strikes Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana
2003 Alabama chief justice, Roy Moore, is suspended
1905 New Orleans Yellow Fever Kills Hundreds
1999 West Nile virus Continues It's Spread Around The Country
1948 Berlin Airlift Increases Aircraft Numbers
1954 Communist Party Outlawed United States
1985 Union Carbide Bhopal Disaster
1996 Hurricane Dolly Strikes Mexico
1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. Gives "I Have A Dream Speech"
1968 10s Of Thousands Anti-Vietnam War Protestors Chicago
1996 Charles, Prince of Wales and his wife, Princess Diana, formally divorce
1949 Russian Troops Mass On The Border Yugoslavia
1949 The Soviet Union test their first atomic bomb
1966 The Beatles play their final US Concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco
2005 Hurricane Katrina Strikes New Orleans
1935 Wealth Tax Act Passed in the United States
1959 First Mini goes on sale in Britain for £497
1963 Direct Line Set Up Between Moscow and Washington to prevent the possibility of an accidental war
1989 Leona Helmsley convicted and sentenced
1888 Jack the Ripper Kills His First Victim
1954 Hurricane Carol Strikes Long Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island
1997 Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed are killed in a car crash in Paris
2005 Curfew Placed On New Orleans
These are only a few of the stories included this day in history pages for each day in August ,
The People History
| i don't know |
Jiminy Jillickers! Ultimately played by Milhouse, what is the name of Radioactive Man's sidekick? | Fallout Boy | Simpsons Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
“Jiminy jillickers!”
―Fallout Boy's catchphrase
Fallout Boy is the sidekick in the comic book series Radioactive Man . In the series, Fallout Boy first appeared in a 1950s Radioactive Man film serial shown at a comic book convention in the episode " Three Men and a Comic Book ", and it was implied that the actor who played Fallout Boy might have been gay. However, unlike many Simpsons characters, he has only made a handful of appearances since.
Contents
[ show ]
Origin
Fallout Boy was an average bookworm, until one day he met billionaire playboy Claude Kane (Radioactive Man) at a radioactivity convention. A tall piece of machinery fell towards them. Claude grabbed Rod and jumped over the rail, Claude holding onto the machine. The machine came to life, and as the ray passed through Claude, it hit Rod. Rod received a pint-sized version of RM's powers, and became Fallout Boy.
Film
Milhouse as Fall Out boy in Tapped Out
Milhouse was chosen to play Fallout Boy in the Radioactive Man movie and was later replaced by Mickey Rooney; but the film was aborted because Springfield took the film's budget and Milhouse had refused to be part of the film since the beginning.
Later in future episodes, Milhouse wears that costume from time to time.
He sometimes reminds other people that he was cast as Fallout Boy.
Also in future episodes, the movie called 'Radioactive Man Re-Rises,' was finally made without Springfield and Milhouse's involvement because of the incident Springfield was responsible for, as well as the director's poor choices.
Real Life
While Radioactive Man is a broad parody of many superheroes, most obviously containing elements of Batman and Superman (and the comic incorporates an origin story similar to Marvel 's The Hulk ), among others, Fallout Boy is mainly a parody of Robin (with his costume, references as being the 'young ward' of Radioactive Man, and his younger age and sidekick status) with elements of Spider-Man (his fictional comic book origin, for example).
Additionally, Fallout Boy also appears in a real-life comic book titled Radioactive Man, published by Bongo Comics (a comic created in part by Matt Groening , the creator of The Simpsons). In these comic books, Fallout Boy's real name is Rod Runtledge, he has a brother named Dodd Runtledge, and they live in Zenith City. Rod is a high school nerd living with his aunt, Aunt June, an obvious reference to Spider-Man's alter ego, Peter Parker, who lives with his Aunt May. The band Fall Out Boy was named after this character. Though loyal to Radioactive man, Fallout Boy was shown to be a far more competiant Crime Fighter.
Popular Culture
When a band from Chicago was playing at a local concert, they asked the audience for a suggestion for a band name. Somebody screamed “Fallout Boy” (referring to The Simpsons' Fallout Boy). The band chose the name and stuck with it. In many interviews, the band says how the name "Fallout Boy" was an idea from a fan and is a superhero sidekick from The Simpsons. Fall Out Boy has been a band ever since.
Appearances
| Fallout Boy |
On Aug 23, 1939, Germany signed a non-aggression pact with what other country, paving the way for the Nazi invasion of Poland? | Fallout Boy | Radioactive Man Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Edit
Fallout Boy appears in the TV series almost as many times as Radioactive Man, often as a role Bart Simpson fantasizes about taking. According to the show, he first appeared in Boffo Comics' Interesting Stories #27 fighting the Communist Block alongside Radioactive Man. [1] Like Radioactive Man, Fallout Boy has a catchphrase of his own: "Jiminy jillickers!" While Radioactive Man tends to spoof Superman or Batman , Fallout Boy tends to spoof Robin and Spider-Man .
Fallout Boy accompanied Radioactive Man in his non-comic appearances from the start. He appeared in the 1950s black-and-white TV series and film serials played by Buddy Hodges . [2] Hodges would also star in the 1980 film "Radioactive Man III: Oh God Not Again" as Fallout Boy's great-grandfather. [3] Fallout Boy also appeared in the campy 70s TV series [4] and as a slightly older sidekick in the 1990s animated series. [5]
In 1995, Hollywood attempted to make another Radioactive Man picture, filmed in Springfield. The film would star Milhouse Van Houten as Fallout Boy. Among numerous other factors, Milhouse's inability to cope with the pressure of the role caused the film to ultimately get shelved (but not before Mickey Rooney attempted the role). [4]
Comics Biography
Edit
Rod Runtledge grew up in Zenith City . At one point in his childhood, his parents and his brother Dodd disappeared while flying in the jungles of South America. Consequently, Rod grew up with his aunt June and gradually slipped into a life of juvenile delinquency, playing hooky, stealing, greasing back his hair, wearing a leather jacket, and reading questionable comics. An encounter with Radioactive Man started him on the path to changing his ways. [6]
In going straight, Rod transformed himself from a juvenile delinquent into a meek nerd. During a radioactivity demonstration attended by rod and Claude Kane III, a piece of equipment called a xeno-ray broke loose from its moorings, knocking over Rod and Claude. It let out a burst of energy, imbuing Rod with a fraction of Radioactive Man's powers. Soon after, Aunt June took ill with a "brain fever" and had to go to a nursing home. After a bribe to a child welfare worker, Rod became Claude Kane III's young ward. [7] By Radioactive Man #9, Rod had taken on the mantle of Fallout Boy. [8] He works with the Superior Squad frequently, but the squad doesn't consider him a member or allow him in their base because of his status as a sidekick. [3]
Rod eventually did reunite with his long-lost brother Dodd. After attending an Armed Forces Day Barbecue with Radioactive Man, Rod went to pick up his pictures and got Dodd's by mistake. Dodd had resurfaced in Zenith. Rod tracked his brother down and found him under the thrall of his old enemy Hypno Head , who had also captured Radioactive Man, Bleeding Heart , and Black Partridge . Fallout Boy ultimately rescued them all and helped defeat Hypno Head, reuniting with his brother and saving the day. [9] Dodd initially went to military school, but eventually he moved in with Rod in Claude Kane's mansion, where they shared bunk beds. [10]
Fallout Boy, for his part, briefly got depowered shortly after in Radioactive Man #220. He turned to reporting for his school newspaper, writing a column where he went by the name of "Mr. Proactive." His lack of powers made him vulnerable to getting kidnapped. Indeed, some subterranean hippies soon kidnapped him and held him hostage until Radioactive Man rescued him. [11] He eventually regained his powers and by 1980 had become Fallout Boy again. [3]
The Bang Gang with Fallout Boy in Radioactive Man #575.
Fallout Boy occasionally leaves Radioactive Man out of irritation with his mentor. In 1984, he hired publicist Libby Biaz , who advised him to go undercover with an outlaw biker gang known as the Bang Gang (based on the GoGangs from American Flagg! ). The gang briefly used him as a mascot until he left the group and went back to his old mentor. [12]
Alternate Versions
Edit
In Radioactive Man #22 (August 1955), Gloria Grand accidentally travels to the future through an alien saucer. In 1995, Claude has become too old to act as Radioactive Man (and has somehow found a way to extricate the shrapnel from his head), so Rod Runtledge takes over the position. [13] Using a device obtained from Radioactive Man-Beta , the present Fallout Boy actually has the ability to speak with his future self as Radioactive Man (not knowing he's actually talking to himself). Fallout Boy causes his future self a lot of problems when he accidentally gives Dr. Crab and Dr. Broome the idea to travel to the future to see how their schemes unfold. This sparks a 12-part crossover that takes place in the 1970s. [14]
Powers
Like Radioactive Man, Fallout Boy possesses superhuman strength, superhuman durability, and flight, but all to a lesser extent than Radioactive Man. [8]
In Popular Culture
The band Fall Out Boy took its name from this young hero, after a fan suggested it at a concert. [15]
Notes
| i don't know |
During WWI, manufacturers of what product relabeled themselves as Liberty Cabbage to avoid anti-German sentiments? | PPT - APUSH REVIEW PowerPoint Presentation - ID:1513598
APUSH REVIEW
APUSH
Which of the following statements about the settlers that arrived at Plymouth in 1620 is not true?
their original goal was a landfall farther south, at the northern edge of Virginia Company territory
while English, they had lived for a time in the Netherlands
they had experienced persecution in England for their religious beliefs and sought to separate from the Church of England
they probably would have starved to death without the assistance of local Indians
they became the dominant political and religious force in New England in the 1630s and 1640s
(E) they became the dominant political and religious force in New England in the 1630s and 1640s
Explanation:Often referred to as Pilgrims or Separatists, the 102 passengers on the Mayflower sought religious freedom first in the Netherlands and then in the New World. While originally intending to land farther south near the Hudson River, the ship was buffeted by storms and landed first on Cape Cod and then Plymouth in what is now Massachusetts. Despite early hostile encounters, local Indians assisted the 53 who had survived the first winter. Another group of settlers, mainly composed of Puritans, established Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 and became the dominant force in New England.
The biggest surrender in American military history, involving almost 12,000 U.S. soldiers, occurred where during World War 2?
Kasserine Pass in North Africa
on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippine Islands
at the Battle of the Bulge in northern Europe
on Guadacanal Island in the South Pacific
at Anzio Beach in Italy
(B) on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippine Islands
Along with the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands. After resistance proved futile, American General Ned King surrendered his troops to the Japanese. The captured American and Filipinos were then forced to participate in a brutal 75-mile march to prison camps which resulted in thousands dying of thirst, beatings, and executions. The Japanese commanding general, Masaharu Homma, was tried and executed for war crimes following Japan's surrender in 1945.
Henry Ford did which of the following in mass-producing automobiles in the 1920s?
he hired more Jews in management positions
he utilized a style of management that delegated corporate decisions to professionals in specialized divisions
he paid his workers higher wages than they could receive with comparable jobs
he paid his workers lower wages than they could receive with comparable jobs
he instituted worker-management teams to share decision-making about
Answer:(C) he paid his workers higher wages than they could receive with comparable jobs
Explanation: Ford began paying his workers $5 per an eight-hour work day in 1914, almost double the rate for comparable work with longer hours. His action reduced employee turnover and increased worker efficiency. Ford also used assembly lines for the mass production of inexpensive automobiles.
Vice-president George H.W. Bush succeeded Ronald Reagan as president following the 1988 election. Before him, the last incumbent vice-president who was directly elected president rather than succeeding a president who died in office was
Martin Van Buren
Harry Truman
Answer: (A) Martin Van Buren
Explanation: . George H.W. Bush followed Reagan's two terms as president and built a solid reputation for decisive action with the Operation Desert Storm success against Iraq. Economic stagnation at home and Bush's decision to break his "Read My Lips. No New Taxes" pledge caused his popularity to fall and he was defeated by Bill Clinton in 1992. Andrew Jackson's second vice-president, Martin Van Buren, was elected president in 1836. Johnson, Coolidge, Roosevelt and Truman all succeeded presidents who died in office.
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
finally removed the British presence from the Ohio River Valley
reduced the authority of the federal government in the western territories
provided a procedure for admitting new states to the Union
resulted in Shays' Rebellion
divided land into sections that were then sold to investors
Answer: (C) provided a procedure for admitting new states to the Union
Explanation: The Northwest Ordinance, in addition to prohibiting slavery in the Northwest Territories, provided that residents could apply for statehood when the population reached 60,000 inhabitants. New states came in on the same level as the original 13 states. In 1803 Ohio became the first state admitted under the provisions.
In which pair is the first event an immediate cause of the second?
Assassination of James Garfield in 1881-the Pendleton Civil Service Act
Election of John Adams in 1796-Twelfth Amendment's adoption
Sinking of the Lusitaniain 1915-U.S. entry into World War I
Assassination of Alexander Hamilton in 1804- end of the Federalist Party
Germany's invasion of the Sudetenland in 1936-U.S. entry into World War II
Answer: (A) Assassination of James Garfield-the Pendleton Civil Service Act
Explanation: President James Garfield was assassinated by a disappointed office-seeker in 1881. Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883, creating a set of civil service exams for federal positions to reduce the spoils system in which the president had the authority to appoint many employees.
Which of the following is not true of explorer Henry Hudson
he led voyages in search of both a Northeast and a Northwest Passage to Asia
his crew on the ship Discovery mutinied and either set him adrift or murdered him in what is now known as Hudson Bay
he sailed for both the British and Dutch
he assumed that any passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans would be long and difficult
he explored the Hudson River and helped the Dutch establish a claim to New Netherlands (New York)
Answer: (D) Hudson assumed that any passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans would be long and difficult
Explanation: Hudson, who sought a route from Europe to Asia in both the eastward and westward directions, assumed that a narrow strip of land separated the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. How he died is not known, though his mutinous crew on the Discovery is thought to have either murdered him or set him adrift on a small boat in Hudson Bay in 1611.
Which of the following statements about the World War II Potsdam Conference is notaccurate
Prime Minister Winston Churchill left the meeting following his party's defeat in an election in Great Britain
the Allied leaders decided to defeat Germany first, then focus on Japan
it was decided that Nazi leaders would be tried as war criminals
Pres. Truman officially informed Soviet Premier Stalin of the existence of the atomic bomb
all of the statements are accurate
Answer: (B) the Allied leaders decided to defeat Germany first, then focus on Japan
Explanation: Germany had already surrendered by the time of the Potsdam Conference. Churchill was recalled to London and replaced by Clement Attlee. The planning for the Nuremberg Tribunals began at Potsdam. Stalin was informed about the atomic bomb, though Soviet spies on the Manhattan Project had probably already provided him that information.
Muckraking writers of the Progressive Era exposed
unsafe meat packaging
bed-and-breakfast hotels
Answer: (A) the dumbbell tenement
Explanation: Originally designed for one family, the dumbbell tenements were divided (often multiple times) to accommodate more families, mainly on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The Tenement Act of 1879 required each room to have a window, necessitating the construction of air shafts. This led to a dumbbell shape, wider at the street and back, narrower in the middle to accommodate the airshaft. The overcrowding, lack of adequate sanitation, and insufficient fresh air supply eventually led to their being banned in New York City. The New Law of 1901 required each tenement to have a large courtyard.
Which of the following were contributions of the Protestant Reformation to the founding of America?
the creation of a number of denominations that suffered persecution and sought religious freedom in the New World
the concept of the priesthood of all believers, which promoted individualism and aided the development of democracy
an emphasis on literacy, as the Bible was translated into the language of the people and not limited to only those who could read Latin
a challenge to religious authority which led logically for some to a challenge to political authority
all of the above were contributions
Answer: (E) all of the above were contributions
Explanation: The Protestant Reformation, which began in Germany but soon spread to the rest of Europe and then the New World, led to the formation of many religious groups, as the challenge to religious authority gave many individuals and groups the confidence to form their own sects. Central to the Reformation is the concept of the priesthood of all believers, essentially stating that each Christian has direct access to God and needs no intermediary. This religious independence view easily translated to a similar attitude towards political authorities. Luther, besides breaking with the Roman Catholic Church, translated the Bible into German, thus giving access to it for those not able to read or understand Latin.
Which of the following was not a characteristic of the Whig Party?
many of its members eventually became Republicans
it opposed President Jackson’s policies
it was united in its support for the expansion of slavery into the western territories
it was particularly popular among evangelical Protestants
It supported internal improvements paid for by the federal government
Answer: (C) it was united in its support for the expansion of slavery into the western territories
Explanation: The Whig Party became deeply divided on the issue of slavery. Many of its members, including Abraham Lincoln, quit the party and joined the newly formed Republican Party which was formed in 1854. The Whigs generally opposed Jackson, supported Clay's American System which included internal improvements, and gained support from evangelical Protestant voters.
The Fugitive Slave Act was a provision of which of the following
the Missouri Compromise
the Ostend Manifesto
Answer:(C) the Compromise of 1850.
Explanation:Although the Constitution supported the return of runaway slaves (Article IV, Section II) and fugitive slave bills had been passed prior to 1850, the inclusion of the Fugitive Slave Law in the Compromise of 1850 proved to be the most controversial. Southerners demanded it in exchange for concessions to the North, such as California's admission as a free state. Abolitionists hated it and saw its federal enforcement as an example of Southern "slave power."
Which of the following decisions of the Marshall Court is improperly matched with its description?
Marbury v. Madison--established the principle of judicial review by overturning an act of Congress, the Judiciary Act of 1789
McCullough v. Maryland--ruled that a state could not tax a federal agency, in this case the Bank of the U.S.
Gibbons v. Ogden--gave the federal government undisputed control over interstate commerce
Fletcher v. Peck--established the principle that state laws conflicting with the U.S. Constitution were invalid
Dartmouth College v. Woodward--states were no longer sovereign since they had signed the Constitution
Answer:(E) Dartmouth College v. Woodward--states were no longer sovereign since they had signed the Constitution
Explanation:In the Dartmouth College decision, the Supreme Court upheld a charter that predated New Hampshire's statehood, thus establishing the principle that charters are binding contracts and cannot be broken by a state legislature. In Cohens v. Virginia, the Court ruled that ratifying the Constitution meant that states were no longer sovereign entities. State courts were required to submit to federal authority.
In Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Parliament is seen as the enemy of freedom, but King George III is viewed with respect
colonists are encouraged to cut their ties with Great Britain
colonists are encouraged to find areas of compromise with Parliament and King George III
colonists are encouraged to ignore political issues and focus on economic advancement
an argument is made that the colonists are represented virtually in Parliament because they are still British subjects
Answer: (B) colonists are encouraged to cut their ties with Great Britain
Explanation:Written in January 1776, following Lexington and Concord but prior to the Declaration of Independence, Common Sense directly challenged those who asserted that the American colonies should remain within the British Empire. Paine urged colonists to sever their ties with the mother country, contending that Great Britain had abused the colonies. He concluded that "'tis time to part."
Which of these was not a position formerly held by President Thomas Jefferson?
governor of Virginia
vice-president of the United States
president of the 1787 Constitutional Convention
member of Virginia's House of Burgesses
Answer: (D) President of the 1787 Constitutional Convention
Explanation:George Washington served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Jefferson was Minister to France at that time. Jefferson did however serve in Virginia's House of Burgesses, as governor of Virginia during the Revolutionary War, as the first Secretary of State, and as vice-president to political enemy John Adams. Jefferson's greatest skills were probably not as a politican or diplomat, however, but as a political philosopher and visionary. He penned the Declaration of Independence and following his terms as president, planned the curriculum and designed the buildings of the University of Virginia. At a dinner of Nobel Prize winners in the White House in 1962, President John Kennedy ad libbed "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House – with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
Of the factors listed below, which one proved critical to the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs?
the overwhelming number of Spanish soldiers
the total lack of organization of the Aztec political and military system
the support of Portuguese soldiers
the pacifist nature of the Aztecs
a smallpox epidemic spread by contact with the Spanish soldiers
Answer: (E) a smallpox epidemic spread by contact with the Spanish soldiers
Explanation:Smallpox devastated the native populations of the New World. The Aztec population, estimated at 30 million when the Spanish arrived in Mexico, was down to 3 million by 1568 and 1.6 million in 1620. Despite having an army of perhaps only 600 Spaniards, Hernan Cortes was able to eventually defeat the Aztec forces and claim Mexico City for Spain in 1521. BUT IF “THE AZTEC USE OF A TRIBUTE SYSTEM” HAD BEEN A CHOICE IT WOULD BE JUST AS TRUE. And if the religious tenet concerning the return of the Gods in the year “Reed One” had been a choice, it would have been just as good b/c this idea predisposed Aztecs to the idea of apocalypse. Had it been JUST a matter of numbers, then 600 v. 1.6 million is still a long shot
Which of the following 19th century social reformers advocated a secular curriculum for public schools, more and better-equipped schoolhouses, higher pay for teachers, and universal compulsory education?
Dorothea Dix
White House Counsel John Dean
Press Secretary Ron Ziegler
Answer: (C) Vice-President Spiro Agnew
Explanation:Spiro "Ted" Agnew, governor of Maryland, was selected by Richard Nixon to be his running-mate in the 1968 election. Agnew was an important piece in Nixon's "Southern Strategy" and became a popular figure for his attacks on Democrats. Though there was some talk of replacing him in the 1972 election, Nixon chose Agnew again as his running-mate. After an investigation turned up a number of criminal charges, Agnew pleaded no contest, resigned from office, and was given a $10,000 fine. He later paid over $260,000 to the state of Maryland. Agnew was replaced by Gerald Ford as vice-president. Agnew was the second vice-president in history to resign, the first being Andrew Jackson's first vice-president, John C. Calhoun.
During World War I, anti-German attitudes led to
some German cities and street names being renamed
libraries burning their German-language books in public bonfires
German being dropped from high school curricular offerings
mob violence
all of the above
Answer: (E) all of the above
Explanation:Suspicion of the loyalty of German-Americans (and Dutch, Swiss, and other European-Americans confused with Germans) was widespread in the U.S. and resulted in a number of anti-German actions, including banning of German language instruction in schools, renaming sauerkraut "liberty cabbage," book-burnings, and mob violence, including a lynching of a German-American in Illinois who was accused of making disloyal remarks. The Committee of Public Information, led by George Creel, published inflammatory anti-German posters to sell Liberty Bonds and encourage army recruitment.
Name the individual who was described in the following ways by these observers for his actions in 1859:Herman Melville--"the meteor of the war“Henry David Thoreau--"an angel of light“Frederick Douglass--"His zeal in the cause of freedom was infinitely superior to mine. Mine was as the taper (candle) light; his was as the burning sun.“
Abraham Lincoln
William Lloyd Garrison
Answer: (B) John Brown
Explanation:Fanatical abolitionist John Brown led a raid on an arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia in 1859 in an attempt to start a slave uprising. The raid failed and Brown was captured and hanged. While many Southerners viewed him as an example of the irrational hatred of abolitionists, in the North he was seen by many as a martyr. Douglass wrote of Brown: "John Brown began the war that ended American slavery and made this a free Republic."
Who was the abolitionist leader and publisher of The Liberator who referred to the U.S. Constitution as "the most bloody and heaven-daring arrangement ever made by men for the continuance and protection of a system of the most atrocious villany ever exhibited on earth?"
Theodore Weld
Answer: (B) William Lloyd Garrison
Explanation:
Garrison was a member of the American Colonization Society which supported sending ex-slaves back to Africa, but broke with them in 1830 and began publishing The Liberator in 1831. He advocated for the immediate and complete abolition of slavery and rejected any attempts at compromise on the issue. He wrote: "I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. . . . I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD."
Which of the following is not an example of religious revivalism in American history?
the mass rallies of Billy Graham
the preaching of George Whitefield during the Great Awakening
the Cane Ridge, Kentucky camp meetings
Billy Sunday's tent meetings
the radio broadcasts of Father Charles Coughlin
Answer: (E) the radio broadcasts of Father Charles Coughlin
Explanation: Revivalism, usually appealing to listeners' emotions, has a long tradition in American history. Charles Coughlin was a Roman Catholic priest who developed a following of radio listeners during the 1930s by politically attacking the New Deal programs of Franklin Roosevelt and preaching a message of anti-Semitism while offering apologies for Italy's Mussolini and Germany's Hitler. Billy Graham and Billy Sunday held huge revival meetings to spread their message of the need for religious conversion. George Whitefield was an inspiring and highly effective preacher of the Great Awakening in the 1730s, while the Kentucky Cane Ridge meetings beginning in 1800 led to revivals through the frontier regions of the U.S.
As a response to Booker T. Washington's call for accommodation and gradualism in the Atlanta Compromise, W.E.B. DuBois encouraged African-Americans to
pursue vocational training
focus exclusively on economic gains and not become involved in politics or social reform issues
engage in activism and pursue higher education
adopt a passive and submissive attitude in their dealings with whites in authority
all of the above
Answer: (C) engage in activism and pursue higher education
Explanation:Washington and DuBois provided two very different sets of recommendations for the advancement of African-Americans. Washington encouraged a gradual approach of economic and political progress and a reliance on developing skills through vocational education. DuBois urged an activist role and a liberal arts education for African-Americans.
Which of the following statements about the French & Indian War are accurate?I. The British national debt greatly increased as a result of fighting the warII. The French gained a great deal of territory at the 1763 Peace of Paris negotiationsIII. Indian tribes were divided in their loyalties, with some assisting the French and others the BritishIV. Following the war, the British implemented several new colonial policies, including restricting the westward settlements of American colonists
I, II, and IV only
I, III, and IV only
I and III only
all of the statements are true
Answer: (B) I, III, and IV only
Explanation:The French & Indian War, known as the Seven Years' War in Europe, pitted British and French forces against one another in battles along the Ohio River Valley, New England, and in Canada. Some Indian tribes, such as the Huron, allied themselves with the French while others, including the Mohawks, assisted the British. France gave up almost all of its North American possessions at the conclusion of the war and while the British gained considerable territory, they also acquired a huge debt and a growing sense that the American colonies should pay for their own defense.
The Eisenhower administration opposed the military actions of Great Britain and France in which location in 1956?
French Indochina
Cuba
Answer: (D) Egypt
Explanation:After Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956, Great Britain, France, and Israel coordinated attacks on Egypt in the Sinai Peninsula and at several locations in Egypt. The U.S. opposed the actions. After the invasion, which was largely successful, the U.S. pushed for a cease-fire and U.N. peacekeepers were put in place.
“You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.” This quote is representative of
the bimetallism position of the 1890s
a supporter of Andrew Jackson in the war over the recharter of the Bank of the U.S.
a Democrat-Republican's response to Federalist policies
a supporter of Reaganomics
an opponent of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
Answer: A) the bimetallism position of the 1890s
Explanation: William Jennings Bryan, the Democrat and Populist candidate for president in 1896, delivered the "Cross of Gold" speech as he campaigned across the country in support of adding silver as an official currency in a fixed ratio in relation to gold. Bryan lost the election and bimetallism faded as a national issue.
Which of the following New Deal programs funded artists, actors, and writers?
Works Progress Administration
National Youth Administration
Answer: (A) Works Progress Administration
Explanation:The WPA funded theatrical productions, dance recitals, state histories, and art projects large and small in an attempt to assist out-of-work artists. The Federal Art, Theatre, and Writers' Projects were criticized by many for being a form of socialism.
Which of the following was not an accomplishment of John C. Frémont?
he invaded California during the Mexican-American War
he was the first Republican candidate for president
he led several significant explorations of the West
he was promoted by Pres. Lincoln for his actions in Missouri during the Civil War
he was a senator from California
(D) he was promoted by Pres. Lincoln for his actions in Missouri during the Civil War
Explanation:Frémont, nicknamed "The Pathfinder," led several important expeditions through the West before his military and political careers. He served in both the Mexican-American and Civil Wars and was selected to represent California in the U.S. Senate when it became a state in 1850. The newly formed Republican Party chose him as their candidate in 1856. Frémont was relieved of command in Missouri by Lincoln during the Civil War, however, when he emancipated slaves and confiscated the property of secessionists in 1861. Lincoln hoped to keep the border states from seceding and Frémont's actions, if allowed to stand, might antagonize those states.
Which president is incorrectly matched with the quote?
Franklin Roosevelt--"the only thing we have to fear is fear itself“
Abraham Lincoln--"with malice towards none, with charity for all“
Gerald Ford--"my fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men“
Theodore Roosevelt--"the world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion“
Andrew Jackson--"nullification means insurrection and war; and the other states have a right to put it down"
Answer:(D) Theodore Roosevelt--"the world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion"
In Franklin Roosevelt's 1933 inaugural address, he stated "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." In his second inaugural address in 1865, Lincoln pledged "with malice towards none, with charity toward all." On pardoning Richard Nixon in 1974, Ford declared "our long national nightmare is over." In his address to Congress in April 1917, Woodrow Wilson stated "the world must be made safe for democracy." Jackson, facing the South Carolina nullification crisis in 1832, stated "nullification means insurrection and war; and the other states have a right to put it down."
The founders of the California missions in California
were Jesuits
were universally praised for their compassionate policies towards Indians
established a series of missions roughly one-day's walk apart along California's coast
helped control the spread of disease
helped Spain establish a dynamic and lucrative economic system throughout California in the 1700s
Answer:(C) established a series of missions roughly one-day's walk apart along California's coast
Explanation:Franciscan fathers established the California missions along El Camino Real (the King's Highway) in locations approximately one-day's walk apart. Mission administrators were criticized both in Mexico and Spain for cruel and exploitative practices involving Indians living near the missions. Concentrating populations near the missions resulted in the rapid spread of disease. Alta ("upper") California never proved to be a profit center for Spain, which relinquished its control with Mexico's independence in 1821.
Which of the following was not part of George Washington's administration?
Benjamin Franklin--Postmaster General
Revolutionary Youth Movement
Which was an offshoot of Of SDS
The 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act required that funds acquired from the sale of federal lands be used to support
the education of freed slaves
state colleges offering agricultural education programs
the purchase of guns, ammunition, and uniforms for Union soldiers
the education of Indian tribes
the construction of railroads linking the east and west coasts
Answer: (B) state colleges offering agricultural education programs
Explanation:The Morrill Act, passed by Congress during the Civil War, proved to be a major contributor to the development of state colleges throughout the U.S. Each state received 30,000 acres of federal lands to be sold, with the proceeds going to colleges intending "to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts."
Slavery was officially outlawed in the border state of Kentucky
when Ulysses S. Grant expelled Confederate troops from the state
with the implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation\
with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution
with the Supreme Court's decision in the Slaughterhouse Cases
with Lincoln's re-election in 1864
Answer: (C) with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution
Explanation:As a border state, Kentucky was excluded from the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared the end of slavery for those living in states in rebellion against the United States effective January 1, 1863. This was an important consideration for Lincoln, as he needed to keep the border states from joining the Confederacy while still convincing European nations to stay out of the war. The 13th Amendment, ratified in December 1865, officially ended slavery throughout the U.S.
The 1924 National Origins Act
temporarily halted all African immigration
was designed to restrict immigration from northern and western Europe
created a quota system for immigration to the U.S.
was opposed by Samuel Gompers, head of the American Federation of Labor
focused exclusively on immigration from Latin America
Answer:(C) created a quota system for immigration to the U.S
Explanation: The National Origins Act, which was part of the Immigration Act of 1924, established the first national quotas on immigrants. Quotas were set at two percent of the number of foreign-born residents of a given country already living in the U.S. Germany, Great Britain, and Ireland had the largest quotas. Gompers, head of the American Federation of Labor, supported immigration restrictions.
The U.S. committed to giving the Philippine Islands their independence
following Emilio Aguinaldo's uprising after the Spanish-American War
with the passage of the 1916 Jones Act
with the Platt Amendment
in 1946 after WWII showed the problems of colonialism
with the Teller Amendment
Answer: (B) with the passage of the 1916 Jones Act
Explanation:The Treaty of Paris transferred control of the Philippine Islands from Spain to the U.S., although many in America opposed the continued U.S. presence there. The Jones (or Philippine Autonomy) Act of 1916 declared the intention of the U.S. to give the Philippines their freedom, though no date was specified. Their independence was achieved with the surrender of the Japanese in 1945.
The nullification crisis during the Jackson administration arose over which issue?
the re-charter of the U.S. Bank
protective tariffs
removal of the Cherokee Indians
Answer: (B) protective tariffs
Explanation: The concept of nullification, that states need not obey federal laws they felt unconstitutional, emerged first during the Federalist Era in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Tariffs, which are taxes on imports, were seen by many Southerners as benefiting the North while placing a financial burden on Southern citizens, who lacked a significant manufacturing basis and thus had to import more products. South Carolina's legislators, angered by the 1828 Tariff of Abominations, were still unhappy even though the Tariff of 1832 passed by Congress and signed by Jackson, reduced tariff duties. A state convention voted 136-36 that the tariffs were unconstitutional and unenforceable in South Carolina. This controversy, which Jackson saw as a challenge to his authority as president, provided states' rights arguments later used in the secession of the South before the Civil War.
“The wilderness masters the colonist. It finds him a European in dress, industries, tools, modes of travel, and thought. . . It strips off the garments of civilization and arrays him in a hunting shirt and moccasin. . . .Little by little he transforms the wilderness, but the outcome is not the old Europe. . . .The fact is, that here is a new product that is American. . . .” This statement was made by which famous American historian?
Carl Degler
Muller v. Oregon
Answer: (B) Munn v. Illinois
Explanation:In the 1876 Munn case the Supreme Court supported the position of the Grange which held that business interests used for public good could be regulated by state governments. The case proved important to the growth of government regulation of businesses, including railroads.
Baker v. Carr, (1962)
A landmark United States Supreme Court case that retreated from the Court's political question doctrine, deciding that reapportionment (attempts to change the way voting districts are delineated) issues present justifiable questions, thus enabling federal courts to intervene in and to decide reapportionment cases. The defendants unsuccessfully argued that reapportionment of legislative districts is a "political question," and hence not a question that may be resolved by federal courts.
Commonwealth v. Hunt
The MASSACHUSETTES Supreme Court established that trade unions were not necessarily criminal or conspiring organizations if they did not advocate violence or illegal activities in their attempts to gain recognition through striking. This legalized the existence of trade organizations, though trade unions would continue to be harassed legally through anti-trust suits and injunctions.
Muller v. Oregon (1908)
In Justice David Josiah Brewer's unanimous opinion in Muller, the Court upheld the Oregon regulation making it illegal for a female employee to work more than ten hours in a single day. The Court did not overrule Lochner 1905 (HOWEVER - a New York law restricting the weekly working hours of bakers was invalidated), but instead distinguished it on the basis of "the difference between the sexes." The child-bearing physiology and social role of women provided a strong state interest in reducing their working hours.
"That woman's physical structure and the performance of maternal functions place her at a disadvantage in the struggle for subsistence is obvious. This is especially true when the burdens of motherhood are upon her. Even when they are not, by abundant testimony of the medical fraternity continuance for a long time on her feet at work, repeating this from day to day, tends to injurious effects upon the body, and as healthy mothers are essential to vigorous offspring, the physical well-being of woman becomes an object of public interest and care in order to preserve the strength and vigor of the race." 208 U.S. at 412.
The dramatic increase in numbers of printed periodicals (newspapers and magazines) in the period between 1828 and 1860 was partly a result of
improvements in education making literacy almost universal
changes in the printing process which allowed photographs to be included in periodicals
the rapid increase in population as economic conditions drastically improved
the transportation revolution which led to more rapid movement of information
the impact of the Second Great Awakening
Answer: (D) the transportation revolution which led to more rapid movement of information
Explanation: Publications--local, regional, and even national--exploded in numbers in the 19th century. By 1828, New York City alone produced 161 newspapers. The speed by which information could be disseminated increased as improvements in transportation developed. In addition, political parties and candidates could broaden their appeal by gaining exposure beyond a limited geographic area.
The Three Mile Island incident of 1979
resulted in a loss of power to most of the state of Pennsylvania
demonstrated the potential danger of a nuclear power plant meltdown
made clear that foreign oil was not sufficient to supply American energy needs
led to an increase in terrorist attacks on power-generating facilities
caused the U.S. to cease all nuclear power plant usage
Answer: (B) demonstrated the potential danger of a nuclear power plant meltdown
Explanation: The release of radioactive gas and a near meltdown of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant resulted in the evacuation of over 100,000 residents of the nearby area. Consequences were that Americans became overly fearful of nuclear power, the cost of constructing new plants became impossible to justify, and the US became increasingly vulnerable to the whims of OPEC
Which of the following provisions is not an example of the Constitution modifying the Articles of Confederation?
Congress has the power to control interstate commerce
amending the Constitution requires 2/3 vote of Congress and 3/4 approval of states
passage of legislation requires a majority vote in both houses of Congress plus the president's signature
two houses of Congress, one based on population and one giving equal votes to each state, hold legislative power
only the Congress, not the states, is allowed to declare war
Answer: (E) only the Congress, not the states, is allowed to declare war
Explanation: The Constitution sought to create "a more perfect Union" and many of its provisions drastically modified the Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Second Continental Congress. Under the Articles, Congress had no effective control of interstate commerce, amending the Articles required a unanimous vote of the states, legislation required nine of the 13 states approving, and there was one house of Congress with each state equally represented. The Articles did reserve the right to declare war for Congress, which is also one of its powers under the Constitution, but did provide that "no State shall engage in any war without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, unless such State be actually invaded by enemies."
Which of the following was not true of protective tariffs in the first half of the 19th century?
they resulted in revenue for the federal government, often funding internal improvements
they were generally favored by New England
they were generally opposed in the South
they resulted in lower prices for consumers
they were resented by European product manufacturers
Answer: (D) they resulted in lower prices for consumers
Explanation: Protective tariffs increased the prices of European imports, thus making home-grown manufactured goods more competitive. This supported the expansion of manufacturing interests, particularly in the New England states, but increased prices for consumers.
Nearing defeat in the Korean War, North Korea launched a successful counterattack on the United Nations forces in 1950 Immediately following
President Truman's removal of Douglas MacArthur
the entrance of China into the war
the withdrawal of most of the American troops
promises from the Soviet Union of nuclear weapons
the withdrawal of Japanese troops
Answer: (B) the entrance of China into the war
Explanation: United Nations forces had successfully pushed North Korean troops north of the 38th parallel in 1950. Then China added 200,000 ground troops in support of North Korea. A force of 30,000 U.N. troops was surrounded at Chosin Reservoir but managed to escape. The combined Chinese and North Korean forces quickly recovered North Korean territory, though the war continued until the signing of the armistice in 1953.
The chief reason for legislators from northern states favoring the passage of the Missouri Compromise was that it
prohibited slavery's expansion in the Louisiana Territory lands north of 36° 30' latitude, with the exception of Missouri
quieted residents of Maine who had been clamoring for statehood
added Missouri to the U.S. as a slave state
finally settled the slavery question in the U.S.
ended slavery in the border states of Maryland, Delaware and Kentucky
Answer: (A) prohibited slavery's expansion in the Louisiana Territory lands north of 36° 30' latitude
Explanation: The Missouri Compromise prevented slavery's expansion into the territories north of the 36° 30' line, but allowed Missouri, north of the line, to enter as a slave state. To maintain the balance in the Senate between slave and free states, Maine was separated from Massachusetts and became its own state. Far from settling the controversy, the Missouri Compromise postponed legislative solutions to the 1850s. Jefferson, in referring to the Missouri discussion, described it as being "a fire bell in the night, [it] awakened and filled me with terror. I considered it at once as the knell of the Union."
After Mo. comp
During the Progressive Era, the Prohibition movement was supported by all but which of the following?
the Anti-Saloon League
several Protestant denominations, including Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians
the Women's Christian Temperance Union
German and Irish immigrants
prominent female reformers such as Susan B. Anthony and Frances Willard
Answer: (D) German and Irish immigrants
Explanation: Prohibitionists, who sought to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol, gained their widest political support during the Progressive Era and in 1919 persuaded enough states to approve the 18th Amendment, the only amendment that was later repealed. The Anti-Saloon League, many mainline Protestant denominations, the WCTU, and women reformers, including leading suffragists, supported Prohibition. German and Irish immigrants, mostly Roman Catholic, generally opposed Prohibition.
One of the truly national forms of architecture that developed in all regions of the country in the early 19th century, this style often featured porticos, pilasters (shallow rectangular columns projecting from a wall), and friezes and reflected a growing pride in democracy.
Georgian
“Here With The Breeze” Tara
Answer: (E) Greek Revival
Explanation: The Greek Revival style was used extensively in both public buildings and homes throughout the U.S. in the first half of the 19th century. Strongly encouraged by Thomas Jefferson, who chose Benjamin Latrobe to design the U.S. Capitol, it often featured exterior columns like those in Greek temples. It often mixed American motifs with the classical Greek elements. Latrobe, for example, used tobacco leaves and corn cobs in his Capitol details.
The U.S. committed to giving the Philippine Islands their independence
following Emilio Aguinaldo's uprising after the Spanish-American War
with the passage of the 1916 Jones Act
with the Platt Amendment
in the 1898 Treaty of Paris
with the Teller Amendment
Answer: (B) with the passage of the 1916 Jones Act
Explanation:The Treaty of Paris transferred control of the Philippine Islands from Spain to the U.S., although many in America opposed the continued U.S. presence there. The Jones (or Philippine Autonomy) Act of 1916 declared the intention of the U.S. to give the Philippines their freedom, though no date was specified. Their independence was achieved with the surrender of the Japanese in 1945.
What is not true of the presidential election of 1960?
John F. Kennedy won the national popular vote by less than 1/10 of one percent
Richard Nixon's background as a Quaker proved controversial
televised debates provided an important advantage for Kennedy
when Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested during the campaign, Kennedy attempted to get him released, while Nixon refused to become involved
Kennedy chose a vice-presidential running-mate from the South, while Nixon chose a running-mate from New England
Answer: (B) Richard Nixon's background as a Quaker proved controversial
Explanation: While Kennedy had to explain to Protestant voters that his Roman Catholic faith would not impact his presidency, Nixon's religious background was not an issue. The 1960 election's popular vote margin (118,000) was the smallest in the 20th century (Al Gore won over 500,000 more votes in the 2000 election but George Bush was awarded Florida's electoral votes and the presidency by a Supreme Court decision). The series of televised presidential debates were seen as significant pluses for Kennedy, as was his support for King after his arrest. Lyndon Johnson of Texas and Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. of Massachusetts were the Democratic and Republican vice-presidential candidates.
Alfred T. Mahan's influential 1890 book asserted that
the great empires of history had great navies
infantry was more important in wartime than ships
establishing naval bases around the world was unimportant
the U.S. should not establish a colonial empire
war with Spain in the Caribbean was unwise
(A) the great empires of history had great navies
Explanation: Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 in 1890. In it, he reviewed military history and concluded that great navies were essential for success. His writings had tremendous impact on the U.S., which developed a battleship fleet partly because of his ideas, as well as other nations, particularly Japan.
Which of the following statements are true about Indians living in North America before Spanish explorers reached the continent?I. Tribes in the Southwest developed elaborate canal systems to sustain agricultureII. Several written languages were developedIII. Mississippi River Valley residents built huge temple mounds and a city near present-day St. Louis that may have had 40,000 residentsIV. Horses enabled hunters to range far from their tribe in search of foodV. The buffalo was a major source of food and clothing for Plains Indians
I, II, and V
All of the statements are true
Answer: (B) I, III, and V
Explanation: The Hohokan people of the Southwest used a sophisticated system of canals to bring water to their crops. Cahokia, where huge mounds were built, was a city that may have been larger in population than London, England in 1250 AD. Several Plains Indian tribes were dependent on the buffalo for their survival. No evidence of written Indian language exists until Sequoyah, a Cherokee, created his syllabary in 1821. Horses, which eventually became very important to Indian life, were brought by the Spanish.
Which of the following is not part of the Bill of Rights?
"the privilege of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it...“
"excessive bail shall not be required...nor cruel and unusal punishments inflicted...“
"no soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner...“
"Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech...“
"no person...shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself..."
Answer: (A) "the privilege of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it..."
Explanation: Habeas corpus, literally "you shall have the body," is protected in Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution. It requires an authority such as a jailer to allow an individual to have a formal hearing to be informed of an alleged crime and not be unlawfully detained. B is part of the 8th, C the 3rd, D the 1st, and E the 5th Amendments, all part of the Bill of Rights.
The following quote is from which American educator? “The reason that the present school cannot organize itself as a natural social unit is because…common and productive activity is absent…When the school introduces and trains each child of society into membership with such a little community, saturating him with the spirit of service, and providing him with the instruments of effective self direction, we…shall have the deepest and best guarantee of a larger society which is worthy, lovely, and harmonious.”
James Conant
Theodore Sizer
Answer: (C) John Dewey
Explanation: John Dewey, American educator and philosopher, emphasized the importance of relevant education for students. He opposed rote memorization and encouraged teachers to place students at the center of the curriculum. Dewey viewed education as a critical element in democracy and established what became known as the progressive education movement. He wrote "Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself.“ Horace Mann was more concerned about removing sectarian dogma from schools, and public supported, content rich schools taught by trained teachers at “Normal” schools
One purpose of the previous World War I poster was to
cut into the profits being made by American farmers trying to take advantage of the increased demand for food
give ordinary citizens the opportunity to participate in the war effort
sell Liberty Bonds
allow American agricultural goods to compete against German goods on the world market
discourage American families from eating foreign-grown vegetables
Answer: (B) give ordinary citizens the opportunity to participate in the war effort
Explanation: The Victory Gardens encouraged by the Committee of Public Information in this poster provided Americans with a chance to feel part of the war effort, in addition to reducing domestic demand for agricultural products. Victory Gardens were also encouraged during World War II.
France signed an alliance with the United States and participated openly in the American Revolutionary War following
a demonstration of American strength in winning a major battle
the issuance of the Declaration of Independence
the diplomatic mission of Thomas Jefferson
Spain's concluding a treaty with the United States
growing opposition to the war in Great Britain by Whigs
Answer: (A) a demonstration of American strength in winning a major battle
Explanation: The American victory at Saratoga in 1778 resulted in the surrender of 5800 British troops under the command of Gen. Burgoyne. This was the largest surrender in British history and convinced the French who had previously resisted Benjamin Franklin's requests to provide money, soldiers, and naval support to the American cause which proved crucial to the eventual victory at Yorktown in 1781.
According to British economist John Maynard Keynes, who has had a major impact on U.S. economic policies since the 1930s, which of the following is true?
an increase in tariff rates is useful in overcoming a depression
a balanced budget is the key to economic stability and prosperity
the best cure for a depression is a reduction in the national debt
the primary problem of the Great Depression was excessive government spending
budget deficits can lead to an expanding economy
Answer: (E) budget deficits can lead to an expanding economy
Explanation: British economic theorist John Maynard Keynes was an advocate of government spending as a source of economic growth. He advocated governmental deficit financing (spending more in a budget year than collected revenue). While not publicly embracing Keynsian ideas, Franklin Roosevelt created a number of new federal jobs, particularly in the Second New Deal. Despite frequent calls for fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget from politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties, in practice virtually all administrations have used deficit financing. In 1965 economist Milton Friedman was quoted as saying "We are all Keynsian now" and in 1971 Republican President Richard Nixon remarked "I am now a Keynesian in economics" as he took the U.S. off the gold standard.
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the North had all of the following advantages except:
more railroad mileage
superior naval resources
Answer: (C) unity of opinion concerning war aims
Explanation: The North had overwhelming advantages at the start of the Civil War, including a larger free population, more railroads, greater industrial capacity, a government that was recognized by foreign nations, and a navy. The South, at the same time, had much greater unity among its white population in support of its war aims which helped it to endure across five Aprils (1861-1865).
President Bill Clinton
was successful in his campaign to end discrimination against homosexuals in the military
was openly criticized by his vice-president, Al Gore, who condemned his interaction with Monica Lewinsky as not just inappropriate, but immoral
strongly supported the passage of the North America Free Trade Agreement
became the only president in American history to be impeached and convicted
admitted to having extramarital affairs with Jennifer Flowers, Paula Jones, and Monica Lewinsky
Answer: (C) strongly supported the passage of the North America Free Trade Agreement
Explanation: Clinton's early efforts to end anti-gay discrimination in the armed forces failed. Al Gore did not comment on Clinton's behavior which led to impeachment, only the second for a president in American history. While impeached by the House of Representatives, he was not convicted by the Senate. Clinton never admitted directly to having affairs with a series of women. He did push for passage of the North America Free Trade Agreement in 1993.
Who is the author of the following quote:
"But I take higher ground. I hold that in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two, is, instead of an evil, a good - a positive good. "
Thomas Jefferson
John C. Calhoun
Answer: (E) John C. Calhoun
Explanation: Calhoun, who served as Andrew Jackson's first vice-president, was a staunch defender of slavery. Rather than apologizing for it, he asserted in an 1837 speech to the U.S. Senate, that without slavery, white supremacy would be at risk. Southern slavery, he added "exempts us from the disorder and dangers resulting from this conflict[of whites and free blacks]."
A fundamentalist in the 1920s would believe all but which of the following?
the words of the Bible were inspired by God
Jesus was the son of Virgin Mary
the world was created in six days in 4004 B.C.
the first five books of the Bible were written over many years by many different authors
Jesus rose from the dead following his crucifixion
Answer: (D) the first five books of the Bible were written over many years by many different authors
Explanation: Fundamentalism became a powerful force in American Protestantism in the first two decades of the 20th Century. Fundamentalists believed in the deity of Jesus, the virgin birth, the Atonement at the Crucifixion, the resurrection of Jesus, and the inerrancy of the Bible, among other tenets of Christianity. Other Christians rejected this approach as narrow and anti-science and interpreted the Bible, particularly Genesis in a figurative way. The most famous forum for fundamentalism came at the 1925 Scopes Trial in which William Jennings Bryan was cross-examined by Clarence Darrow on his literal interpretation of the Bible. Fundamentalists of the 1920s believed (as modern fundamentalists still do) that the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, were all written by Moses.
All of the following were goals of MOST Progressives except
the end of corruption in municipal governments
making government more efficient
a rejection of capitalism and the adoption of socialism
protecting the interests of consumers
Answer: (D) a rejection of capitalism and the adoption of socialism
Explanation: While some Progressives were sympathetic with aspects of socialism, most rejected it as being too extreme. Progressives sought to use government and social action to reform society. Political corruption, political bosses, child labor, poor working conditions, and unsafe foods and drugs were all targets of Progressive reformers.
"Under a government which imprisons unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.…Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence...If a thousand men were not to pay their tax bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood."These sentiments from Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” profoundly influenced which pair below?
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas
Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman
John C. Calhoun and Jefferson Davis
Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington
Answer: (D) Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Explanation: Thoreau refused to pay his taxes in Concord, Massachusetts because of his opposition to the Mexican-American War, inspiring America's most famous single night in jail. Gandhi and King utilized Thoreau's ideas in crafting their successful campaigns of civil disobedience by opposing political authority and oppression in India and the southern U.S. in the 20th Century.
While the U.S. remained neutral, Americans volunteered for the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in 1936 to support the Republican side in which nation's civil war?
Manchuria
[MC All]
Answer: (C) Rwanda
Explanation: Civil war broke out in Rwanda between Hutu and Tutsi armed forces and common people following the plane crash of Rwanda's president in 1994. Despite repeated requests for peacekeeping assistance from Western powers, including the U.S. and France, no major outside help came for the few United Nations troops sent as peacekeepers. The resulting violence took 800,000 lives. In a famous press conference exchange about what constituted genocide, a U.S. State Department official refused to label the Rwanda situation genocidal, instead stating that "acts of genocide" had taken place.
Which of the following is not true about the growth of American railroads prior to the Civil War?
the early standarization of track widths allowed rapid expansion and the use of imported British locomotives
the need for accurate clocks and timekeeping became more important as rail routes developed
transporting goods on canals was still cheaper in many cases than on railroads
by 1850, the U.S. had more miles of track than all of Europe combined
most engines were fueled by wood, an inexpensive energy source
Answer: (A) the early standarization of track widths allowed rapid expansion and the use of imported British locomotives
Explanation: One of the obstacles to expansion of American railroads in the second quarter of the 19th century was the lack of standardized track width, which did not become established until after the Civil War. Before then, as many as 20 different widths were used in addition to the eventually adopted standard of four feet eight and one-half inches. Railroad schedules required accuracy in timekeeping and helped spur the adoption of time zones. While transporting goods on railroads was much cheaper than roads in most cases, canals remained cheaper in many markets, though railroads had the advantage of being able to run year-round. The growth in railroad mileage was massive, particularly in the 1840s and 1850s. Abundant and cheap wood, rather than coal, fueled most American steam engines, unlike the British railroads.
Which of the following is not true about Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving did not actually become a national holiday until 1941
the 1621 feast of Separatists at Plymouth Plantation included a Patuxet Indian named Squanto
Abraham Lincoln made the last Thursday in November the national day of Thanksgiving in 1863
George Washington was the first president to issue a national proclamation of Thanksgiving
it is almost certain that the 1621 Plymouth Thanksgiving menu included sweet potatoes
Answer: (E) it is almost certain that the 1621 Plymouth Thanksgiving menu included sweet potatoes
Explanation: While cranberries, a native American fruit, may have been on the 1621 menu, sweet potatoes, a New World crop Columbus introduced to Europe following his visits, almost certainly were not, as they were not in the Wampanoag diet and potatoes, both the white and sweet varieties, did not become a staple crop in western Europe until the 18th century. We know the Wampanoag Indians who shared the meal with the Plymouth settlers brought deer, so venison was undoubtedly consumed. As for turkeys, a definite maybe.
Which of the following is not accurate about the 1783 Newburgh Conspiracy?
it was mainly the result of American Revolutionary War veterans not being paid by Congress
Britain had already removed all of its troops from the colonies so there was no danger of war resuming
the conspiracy collapsed because of respect for General Washington among the Continental Army officers
Alexander Hamilton and others hoped to use pressure on Congress to create a stronger federal government that included a tax on imports
it occurred in Newburgh, New York about 60 miles outside New York City.
Answer: (B) Britain had already removed all of its troops from the colonies so there was no danger of war resuming
Explanation: Although the British had surrendered at Yorktown in 1781 and peace negotiations were continuing in Paris, British troops still occupied New York City. A group of Continental Army officers, many of whom had not been paid for months, hatched a plan to force Congress to pay their wages. Alexander Hamilton quietly supported their efforts, as he saw it as a way to have Congress enact tariff duties, which he felt were vital for the new nation's economic success. Washington read a speech to the officers in Newburgh, New York which was not persuasive. But after he took out a letter and had to put on glasses to read it, he said "Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in the service of my country." This apparently reminded the officers of Washington's leadership and personal sacrifices during the war and the conspiracy died. The back-pay issue was not resolved by Congress for many years.
President Wilson sent General John Pershing across the Mexican border in pursuit of which Mexican rebel leader?
Pancho Villa
[MC All]
Answer: (E) Woodrow Wilson
Explanation: Jackson, elected in 1828, fought in the Creek War and the War of 1812. Harrison, elected in 1840, was the victorious general at the Battle of Tippecanoe against the Shawnee Confederacy in 1811 and also served in the War of 1812. Taylor, elected in 1848, was a general in the Mexican-American War. Roosevelt, who took office in 1901, led a group of Rough-Riders into battle in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Wilson, a history professor and later president of Princeton University, had no military experience upon his election in 1912, though he served as commander-of-chief of American forces during World War I from 1917-1918.
Which Spanish conquistador explored the American Southwest in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola and may have ventured as far north as Kansas in 1542?
Hernando de Soto
[MC All]
Answer: (C) Francisco Coronado
Explanation: Coronado and his group of about 300 Spanish soldiers and four Franciscan priests ventured north from Mexico, reached the Grand Canyon, and encountered a number of Indian tribes while searching for the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola in a 1540-1542 expedition.
Which famous Depression-era American novel depicted the journey of the Joad family from Oklahoma to the Central Valley of California?
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Babbittby Sinclair Lewis
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
[Default]
[MC All]
Answer: (E) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Explanation: Steinbeck's novel was met with severe criticism when it was published in 1939 for its sympathetic portrayal of Tom Joad, a young father who supports farm workers in opposition to the agricultural owners of California. It later won both the Nobel and the Pulitzer Prize for literature and became a feature film starring Henry Fonda.
Significant domestic anti-war sentiment developed in which of the following American wars?I. War of 1812II. Mexican-American WarIII. World War IIIV. Korean WarV. Vietnam War
I, II, and III
[MC All]
Answer: (B) I, II and V
Explanation: New England was the center of anti-war agitation during the War of 1812 as the residents felt the brunt of the trade embargo with Great Britain. Some Federalists plotted at the 1814 Hartford Convention to secede from the U.S. and join Canada. During the Mexican-American War, New England again had the largest group opposing the war, as abolitionists and other northerners saw the attack on Mexico as a means of adding slave territory to the U.S. While in its early years, the Vietnam War enjoyed the support of a cross-section of Americans, by 1965 a significant anti-war element emerged, particularly on college campuses. World War II and the Korean War were generally supported by the American public.
Which of the following was not one of the issues that caused the War Hawks to recommend war with Great Britain in the years leading up to the War of 1812?
the forced impressmentof American sailors on to British ships
desire for Canadian land
a dispute over the Oregon border
British military support for Indian tribes in the Ohio River Valley
the Chesapeake-Leopardincident
Answer: (C) a dispute over the Oregon border
Explanation: The War Hawks, mostly Democrat-Republicans from the south and west in the U.S. House of Representatives, urged President Madison to make war with Great Britain for a variety of reasons, including the impressment of American sailors, desire for Canadian lands, military aid to the Shawnee Confederation by the British, and the Chesapeake-Leopard incident, in which the British Leopard fired on the U.S. frigate Chesapeake off the Atlantic coast in 1807. The Oregon boundary dispute arose during the 1840s and was settled by the Oregon Treaty of 1846.
Which of the following 1960s Supreme Court decisions affirmed the principle of "one person, one vote" and required states to reapportion districts so that rural districts with small population did not exert more power than urban districts with larger population?
Tinker v. Des Moines
Loving v. Virginia
Answer: (C) Baker v. Carr
Explanation: The 1962 Baker v. Carr decision ruled that reapportionment was a judicial, not merely a political matter and that courts could intervene to insure a fair distribution of voters within a state. Before this decision, rural (and often more conservative) districts wielded more political influence than more heavily populated urban districts. The decision still permitted the type of gerrymandering present in the map above, in which districts are drawn in such a way to protect incumbents. As long as the number of voters is roughly equal in districts, this practice has not been successfully challenged in federal courts.
An example of a "gerrymandered" district, Illinois, 2005
Which American wrote:"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
Elijah P. Lovejoy
George Washington
Answer: (D) Thomas Jefferson
Explanation: This quote of Jefferson's, which circles his statue in the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., is from a letter to Benjamin Rush in 1800. Jefferson explains his belief that the First Amendment separates church and state and forbids the establishment of a state religion, which is the "tyranny over the mind of man" that Jefferson opposes. Obviously he was NOT referring to SLAVERY!
Which of the following World War II-era (December 1941-August 1945) events did not occur in California?
the establishment of the Manzanar camp for interned Japanese-Americans
the Zoot Suit riots in which Mexican-Americans were beaten by soldiers on leave
a Japanese submarine shelling a pier north of Santa Barbara in 1942
a 1943 riot in a federally-sponsored housing project left 35 blacks and 9 whites dead
the movie "Casablanca" starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman was produced in Hollywood
Answer: (D) a 1943 riot in a federally-sponsored housing project left 35 blacks and 9 whites dead
Explanation: The 1943 race riots occurred in Detroit, Michigan and lasted for three days. Racial tension between blacks and whites led to violence. Early in June 1943, 25,000 Packard plant workers, who produced engines for bombers and PT boats, stopped work in protest of the promotion of three blacks. Police were accused of harassing and arresting blacks while ignoring the illegal actions of whites. Federal troops finally were called in to quell the rioting. All of the other events took place in California during World War II.
While better known for his patent of the cotton gin, Eli Whitney also promoted the process of interchangeable parts in the manufacture of what items?
Shoes
Steam engines
Answer:(B) muskets
Explanation: Whitney, who was plagued by a number of lawsuits in his efforts to manufacture cotton gins, won a government contract to produce muskets in 1798. While Whitney did not invent the concept of interchangeable parts nor even completely achieve it in his gun factory which finally met the government's order in 1809, he did contribute to the American industrial revolution with his methods of specialized divisions of labor.
Which of the following headlines would not have been published during the administration of the 43rd U.S. president, George W. Bush?
"Hurricane Katrina Devastates New Orleans“
"World Trade Center, Pentagon Attacked by Hijacked Planes“
"Iraq Invades Kuwait“
"No Child Left Behind Signed Into Law“
"John Roberts Succeeds William Rehnquist as Chief Justice"
Answer:(C) "Iraq Invades Kuwait"
Explanation: The 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was a cause of the first Gulf War, conducted during the administration of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president. All of the other headlines could have been seen from 2001-2009 during George W. Bush's two terms in office.
Which American religious group expected the Second Coming of Christ on several dates in the 1840s and whose followers became the core of the Seventh Day Adventist denomination?
Mormons
Ireland
Answer: (D) Spain
Explanation: Americans numbered about 450 out of the 3,000 volunteers in the International Brigade which fought against the forces of Francisco Franco beginning in 1936. Communist and liberal groups in the U.S. provided support to the Brigade and Paul Robeson visited the troops and gave a concert. Franco's forces, aided by Germany and Italy, defeated the Republicans in 1938.
Which of the following is true of women in Iroquois society?
they controlled all aspects of tribal life
they sometimes became chiefs
they served as religious priests
their main responsibilities were hunting and fishing
the elder women selected the male chief
Answer: (E) the elder women selected the male chief
Explanation: In the matrilineal system of Iroquois government, women played an important role in the political and social life of the tribe. Clan mothers selected the representatives to speak at tribal meetings. Property passed from mother to daughter, and women had the responsibility of nominating the male chiefs and also removing them if duties were not correctly performed. Women participated in tribal discussions and were consulted in all matters of importance to the community and the Iroquois Confederacy.
Which of the following groups was the first to be the target of immigration restriction by federal congressional legislation?
Norwegians and Swedes
Africans
Answer: (D) Chinese
Explanation: The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act implemented the first governmental restriction on immigration from a nation or region and prevented virtually all new immigration from China for a period of ten years. It was not until the 1920s that a system of quotas was established according to nationality. The Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1943 by the Magnuson Act which allowed a total of 105 Chinese immigrants per year.
The Gospel of Wealth
was developed and promoted in an essay by John D. Rockefeller
directly and immediately provided handouts to homeless individuals
encouraged wealthy individuals to contribute to the betterment of others
was the impetus for the Social Gospel movement
reflected closely the values expressed in the New Testament
Answer: (C) encouraged wealthy individuals to contribute to the betterment of others
Explanation: In contrast to the Social Gospel which was based on the New Testament and sought to promote social justice for the poor, the Gospel of Wealth advocated that rich Americans distribute their money to the needy in ways that made sure it would not be wasted. In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie wrote "we shall have an ideal state, in which the surplus wealth of the few will become, in the best sense, the property of the many, because administered for the common good, and this wealth, passing through the hands of the few, can be made a much more potent force for the elevation of our race than if it had been distributed in small sums to the people themselves."
The “Breakers” Newport R.I.
Both the "South Carolina Exposition and Protest" and the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions were concerned with
the Alien and Sedition Acts
tariff policies
the concept of states' rights
the spread of slavery into the territories
the conflict between Andrew Jackson and his first vice-president, John C. Calhoun
Answer:(C) the concept of states' rights
Explanation: States' rights is based on the concept of nullifcation, the idea that a state can choose to disobey a federal law it finds unconstitutional, which was first developed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison during the crisis caused by the passage of the Federalist Party-sponsored Alien and Sedition Acts. John C. Calhoun built on this argument in his "South Carolina Exposition and Protest" in the struggle that developed between South Carolina and the federal government over tariffs and state vs. federal powers. When the southern states seceded to form the Confederacy in 1861, the sentiments of nullification and states' rights provided the ideological framework for the new government.
"Under a government which imprisons unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.…Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence...If a thousand men were not to pay their tax bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood."These sentiments from Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” profoundly influenced which pair below?
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas
Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman
John C. Calhoun and Jefferson Davis
Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington
Answer: (D) Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Explanation: Thoreau refused to pay his taxes in Concord, Massachusetts because of his opposition to the Mexican-American War, inspiring America's most famous single night in jail. Gandhi and King utilized Thoreau's ideas in crafting their successful campaigns of civil disobedience by opposing political authority and oppression in India and the southern U.S. in the 20th Century.
Reconstruction policies between 1867 and 1876 followed most closely the wishes of
President Abraham Lincoln
Northern Republicans in Congress
Answer: (E) Northern Republicans in Congress
Explanation: Northern Republicans, particularly the group labeled the Radical Republicans, exerted the most influence on Reconstruction policies following the end of the Civil War. Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 was probably the worst possible scenario for the post-war Southern WHITES, as he had proposed a much more lenient set of policies than the Radicals, who wished to not only see the Republican Party succeed in southern states (as did Lincoln), but to punish the former Confederates for slavery and the Civil War.
Which of the following statements about the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention are accurate? I. Anti-war activists, including the Youth International Party (Yippies), assembled in Chicago to protest Vietnam War policies.II. Protestors and members of the media were attacked by members of the Chicago police during demonstrations.III. Vice-president Hubert Humphrey received the Democratic nomination.IV. Mayor Richard Daley urged police officers to use restraint in their dealings with protestors in Grant and Lincoln Park
I, II, and III only
I, II, and IV only
I and II only
I, III, and IV only
all of the statements are true
Answer: (A) I, II, and III only
Explanation: The eventful spring of 1968 witnessed President Lyndon Johnson announcing his decision not to seek re-election, the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and Vietnam War protestors assembling in Chicago to protest governmental policies during the Democratic Convention. Violent clashes between protestors and the police escalated during the Convention week and Mayor Daley was criticized from the Convention's podium for his forces using "Gestapo tactics" by Senator Abraham Ribicoff. Many members of the media covering the protests were treated for injuries suffered as a result of police beatings. Humphrey received the nomination but lost to Richard Nixon in the November general election.
"The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked" is from "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God," a sermon delivered by which of the following?
Cotton Mather
Dwight L. Moody
Answer: (B) Jonathan Edwards
Explanation: Edwards was perhaps the most famous preacher of the 18th century Great Awakening which split Puritans into Old and New Light factions and spurred religious revivals throughout the American colonies. Edwards' imagery of hell was alleged to be so effective that parishoners held onto the pew in front of them to prevent their falling into hell's fires. In contrast to the emotional, overwrought preaching style characteristic of later revivalists, Edwards dispassionately read his long sermons while staring at the bell rope at the back of the church.
Which of the following was not part of the background of President Herbert Hoover, who served from 1929 to 1933?
worked as a mining engineer throughout the world, including Australia and China
administered the U.S. Food Administration during World War I
served as Secretary of Commerce for Presidents Harding and Coolidge
elected governor of California
coordinated assistance efforts after the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927
Answer: (D) governor of California
Explanation: Hoover, the first president born west of the Mississippi River (in Iowa) attended Stanford University, obtained a degree in mining, and began a successful career as a mining engineer. Woodrow Wilson asked him to head the Food Administration during World War I for which he received high praise for his administrative skills, and both Republican presidents Harding and Coolidge included him in their cabinets as Secretary of Commerce. When the 1927 flood occurred, the governors of several affected states asked Hoover to coordinate the relief efforts. His first and only elected position was president of the U.S. and he served only one term.
"Call me Ishmael" is the opening line of what famous example of 19th century American Romantic literature?
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville\
Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
The dying need but little, dear by Emily Dickinson
Answer: (B) Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Explanation: While critically panned by many when published in 1851, Moby-Dick by Herman Melville has been since viewed as one of the greatest novels in world literature. It depicts the search for a great white whale by Captain Ahab. Melville writes: "The White Whale swam before him as the monomaniac incarnation of all those malicious agencies which some deep men feel eating in them, till they are left living on with half a heart and half a lung."
Which of the following New Deal critics developed a very popular Share Our Wealth plan during the Great Depression using the slogan "Every man a king but no one wears a crown?"
Dr. Francis Townsend
Norman Thomas
Answer: (D) Huey Long
Explanation: Huey Long served as both governor and senator from Louisiana and built a following with his populist message of taxing the rich and providing $5000 for every family. Share Our Wealth clubs were set up across the nation and Franklin Roosevelt saw Long as a political threat in the 1936 presidential election. Long was assassinated, however, in September 1935.
The incident between Congressman Preston Brooks and Senator Charles Sumner in 1856 proved that
slavery would result in war if compromises were not enacted between the North and South
sectional violence had spread to the Kansas territory
sectional violence had spread to the floor of Congress
the violence that occurred during Bleeding Kansas would be repeated in other territories
the Constitution was not meant to include African-American slaves
Answer: (C) sectional violence had spread to the floor of Congress
Brooks was removed from office in a Congressional Censure, but was re-elected by his south Carolina constituents and sent back to Congress. They also sent him thicker, bigger canes in the hope that next time…
When the Soviets and East Germans blockaded highway, river, and rail traffic into Berlin in 1948, the United States and its Allies
initiated the Marshall Plan
airlifted supplies into West Berlin
allowed for Soviet control of Hungary in exchange for a promise of lifting the blockade
refused to act
Answer: (C) airlifted supplies into West Berlin
Explanation: The Berlin Airlift provided a dramatic response to the Soviet and East German attempt to force the Allies to abandon West Berlin. Over 200,000 flights brought 13,000 tons of food and supplies to Berlin each day for nearly a year. The Soviets abandoned the blockade in May 1949.
Check point
Charlie
Who drew this? What theme?
The disputed presidential election in 1876 between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden was decided by
an electoral commission
the Freedmens
Answer: (A) an electoral commission
Explanation: Several Southern states had disputed electoral results. An electoral commission was appointed to select the president. The commission divided 8-7 to give all 20 disputed votes, and hence the election, to Republican Hayes, who trailed Democratic candidate Tilden considerably in the popular vote. Along with the Republican victory, troops were removed from the South in what is often referred to as the Compromise of 1877 and seen as the end of Reconstruction.
Arrange the following in correct time order: I. the restoration of the English monarchyII. the Puritans' Great MigrationIII. the Separatists arrival at PlymouthIV. the Protestant Reformation
I, II, III, IV
IV, I, III
Answer: (B) IV, III, II, I
Explanation: The Protestant Reformation began with Martin Luther's nailing of the 95 Theses to the Wittenberg church door in 1517. The Separatists (or Pilgrims) arrived at Plymouth at 1620 following a brief time in Holland. The Puritan Great Migration occurred during the 1630s as Puritans fled England under the reign of Charles I who was executed for treason in 1649. Charles II became king in 1661 in the restoration of the monarchy.
For the first time in its history, NATO forces were sent into combat in 1994 in what region of the world?
Afghanistan
farming
Answer: (E) farming
Explanation: American farmers, who had generally prospered with the increase in demand for agricultural products in the years during and immediately after World War I, saw their farm income drop by two-thirds from 1920 to 1930.
The British military strategy in the critical American Revolution year of 1777 was to
build military strength in southern colonies
isolate New England from the rest of the colonies
occupy the city of Boston
control all of the major cities of the colonies
capture the Continental Congress
Answer: (B) isolate New England from the rest of the colonies
Explanation: Following the defeat of Hessian and British forces at Trenton and Princeton, in 1777 the British sought to pursue a strategy of isolating New England, seen as the hotbed of colonial opposition, from the rest of the colonies. The plan failed with the surrender of over 5800 of General Burgoyne's troops at Saratoga in New York.
Arrange the following in correct time order: I. the restoration of the English monarchyII. the Puritans' Great MigrationIII. the Separatists arrival at PlymouthIV. the Protestant Reformation
I, II, III, IV
II, IV, I, III
Answer: (B) IV, III, II, I
Explanation: The Protestant Reformation began with Martin Luther's nailing of the 95 Theses to the Wittenberg church door in 1517. The Separatists (or Pilgrims) arrived at Plymouth at 1620 following a brief time in Holland. The Puritan Great Migration occurred during the 1630s as Puritans fled England under the reign of Charles I who was executed for treason in 1649. Charles II became king in 1661 in the restoration of the monarchy.
President Nixon resigned in August 1974 after
Vice-President Ford requested him to do so
the Supreme Court ruled 8-0 against him in U.S. v. Nixon
White House Counsel John Dean admitted illegal actions when interviewed by the Senate Watergate Committee
the House of Representatives voted to impeach him on 11 charges
he lost the support from Senate Republicans that he needed to avoid Watergate-related impeachment convictions
Answer: (E) he lost the support from Senate Republicans that he needed to avoid Watergate-related impeachment convictions
Explanation: President Nixon sought to avoid the political fallout from the Watergate scandal, despite the resignation of his closest aides, transcripts of White House conversations, and widespread calls for his resignation from the media and Democrats. On August 5, 1974, formerly supportive Republican members of Congress announced they would vote for impeachment . On August 9th Nixon became the first president to resign from office. New President Gerald Ford later pardoned Nixon for any Watergate crimes, stating "Our long national nightmare is over."
The principles of the women's rights movement developed at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention were expressed in a document patterned after
the Magna Carta
the French Declaration of the Rights of Man
Answer: (C) the Declaration of Independence
Explanation: At the Seneca Falls Convention, women and men gathered together for the first time to demand the right to vote for women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton read the Declaration of Sentiments, modeled after the Declaration of Independence, which included "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal," along with a list of abuses in which "man" was substituted for King George.
Which of the following was not an example of the increasing tension between rural and urban America in the 1920s?
the Scopes "Monkey" Trial
fundamentalism vs. modernism struggles
Answer: (D) the Sacco-Vanzetti case
Explanation: The trial of John Scopes in Dayton, Tennessee pitted rural fundamentalists against urban modernists. The KKK experienced a 1920s revival and was a growing force in rural America. The 18th Amendment, outlawing the purchase, sale, and transportation of liquor was particularly resented in rural areas. Sacco and Vanzetti were convicted and executed for killing a paymaster in Massachusetts, causing international protests, but had little impact in rural parts of the U.S.
In which of the following did the U.S. and Great Britain agree to limit naval armaments on the Great Lakes?
Rush-Bagot Agreement
Jay Treaty
Answer: (A) Rush-Bagot Agreement
Explanation: The Rush-Bagot Agreement, signed by the U.S. and Great Britain in 1817, demilitarized the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain and helped improve relations between the U.S. and Great Britain. It led to the establishment of a demilitarized border between Canada and the U.S. which is 5527 miles long.
During the 1968 Tet Offensive
North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces launched major attacks on U.S. and South Vietnamese positions throughout South Vietnam
U.S. warships were allegedly fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin
South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated in Saigon
B-52 bombers launched a massive air attack on Hanoi and Haiphong in North Vietnam
American forces secretly invaded Cambodia
Answer: (A) North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces launched major attacks on U.S. and South Vietnamese positions throughout South Vietnam
Explanation: The January 1968 Tet Offensive of North Vietnamese forces caught American military leaders by surprise, as targets were attacked throughout South Vietnam. In Saigon, the American Embassy was temporarily overrun by enemy troops. American public support for the war dropped following Tet and by March 31st, President Lyndon Johnson announced that he would not seek re-election to the presidency.
["In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to 'preserve, protect, and defend' it. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."In which speech and when did Abraham Lincoln make the statement? question here]
Lincoln-Douglas debate—1858
Gibbons v. Ogden
Answer: (B) McCullough v. Maryland
Explanation: In the 1819 case, the state of Maryland sought to tax the Bank of the U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the opinion ruling that "the power to tax was the power to destroy," forbidding a state from taxing a federal institution. This decision strengthened the implied powers of Congress and the federal government.
Which of the following was not a belief of the Puritans who settled in New England in the 1630s and 1640s?
predestination--God chose those who were destined for heaven before they were even born
the Bible should be read by everyone, so education was essential
worship should be plain (no musical instruments), as should churches (no stained glass)
the individual congregation chooses its own ministers and recognizes no other religious authority
the confessional booth was a necessary element of each Puritan church
Answer: (E) the confessional booth was a necessary element of each Puritan church
Explanation: Confession of sins to a priest and the confessional booth were two of the elements of Roman Catholic worship that were rejected by Protestant leaders in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The Puritans who emigrated to New England felt that the Church of England was becoming too much like the Catholic Church which Henry VIII had rejected during the English Reformation. Puritans did believe, however, in predestination, universal education, plain worship, and the autonomy of individual congregations.
Which of the following were part of the Great Society programs of the Lyndon B. Johnson presidential administration? I. Food Stamp ActII. Head StartIII. MedicareIV. Civil Rights Act of 1965V. Elementary and Secondary Education Act
I, III, and V only
I, II, III, and IV only
I and III only
II, III, IV and V only
all were Great Society programs
Answer: (E) all were Great Society programs
Explanation: In a speech in May 1964, Johnson stated "We are going to assemble the best thought and broadest knowledge from all over the world to find these answers. I intend to establish working groups to prepare a series of conferences and meetings—on the cities, on natural beauty, on the quality of education, and on other emerging challenges. From these studies, we will begin to set our course toward the Great Society.” Great Society programs sought to eliminate poverty and racial injustice.
Which of the following was an element of the Commerce Compromise at the 1787 Constitutional Convention that would have been promoted by delegates from New England states?
no taxes on exports
federal tariffs to restrict the importation of European products
2/3 vote rather than a simple majority needed to pass commerce bills in Congress
slaves counted for 3/5 of white citizens for the purpose of representation in the House of Representatives
no congressional interference with slavery for 20 years
Answer: (B) federal tariffs to restrict the importation of European products
Explanation: New England, the center of American manufacturing, strongly favored protective tariffs to keep out European goods and produce revenue for the federal government. Southern states favored (A) no taxes on exports and (C) a 2/3 vote for the passage of any commerce bill. Southerners would have also favored (D) slaves being counted for the purpose of representation and (E) no interference with slavery for 20 years, both elements of the Three-Fifths Compromise.
At which of the following conferences did Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill support self-determination, a new permanent system of general security (a new League of Nations), and the right of people to regain governments abolished by dictators?
San Francisco Conference
U.S. v. Spirit of ’76
Answer: (B) Schenck v. U.S.
Explanation: In upholding a 10-year jail sentence for the distribution of ant-war pamphlets, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote ''The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent. It is a question of proximity and degree.''
Which of the following groups supported gradually eroding slavery's presence in the U.S. and encouraged a back-to-Africa program?
Republican Party
Liberty Party
Answer: (C) American Colonization Society
Explanation: The American Colonization Society, co-founded by Henry Clay, included Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe as strong supporters, pursued a gradualistic approach to ending slavery in the U.S., and helped establish the nation of Liberia as a home for repatriated slaves. Its influence waned in the 1830s as more strident abolitionist groups arose, though Abraham Lincoln was still referring to African colonization as an option in 1862. Perhaps as many as 13,000 ex-slaves settled in Liberia.
Which of the following European nations established a 17th century colonial presence on the north rim of South America, in the Caribbean, and in the American colonies of Delaware and New York?
the Netherlands
Emergency Relief Appropriation Act
Answer: (A) Glass-Steagall Act
Explanation: The Glass-Steagall Act, or Banking Act of 1933, created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and introduced other banking reforms intended to control speculation. The Glass-Steagall Act was repealed in 1999.
Which of the following statements is true concerning the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act?
it was used by the federal government to effectively crush monopolies
it led to the federal government’s control of the utilities
it was effective against all trusts except the railroads
it resulted in greater harmony between businesses and the federal government
it had little immediate impact on big business corporations
Answer: (E) It had little immediate impact on big business corporations
Explanation: Due to the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the phrase “combinations in restraint of trade,” it had little immediate effect. The Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) was able to target monopolists more effectively.
Anti-slavery groups in the 1830s and 1840s could often find support from which of the following? I. Second Great Awakening evangelicals such as Charles G. FinneyII. women's rights advocates such as Angelina GrimkeIII. Democratic Party politicians such as Andrew JacksonIV. the Whig Party
I and II only
I, II, and III only
I, II, and IV only
all were supportive of anti-slavery groups
Answer: (D) I, II, and IV only
Explanation: Charles Finney founded Oberlin College which was a center of abolitionism. Women's rights leaders recognized that the slaves and women had similar issues with oppressive white males. The Whig Party provided a base for anti-slavery politicians and offshoots formed the Republican Party. Democratic Party leaders such as Jackson did not generally support anti-slavery groups.
While it may have been diplomatically significant and inspirational to slaves, free blacks, and abolitionists, the Emancipation Proclamation can be seen as being morally flawed because
it was ignored by everyone involved
it did not free slaves in the border states of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware
Lincoln signed it only to prevent the imminent collapse of Union forces following Antietam
Jefferson Davis announced that all free blacks in the North were now slaves
Democratic politicians opposed it
Answer: (B) it did not free slaves in the border states of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware
Explanation: Lincoln, while seeing both the domestic and international advantages of announcing the end of slavery in the South, needed to avoid offending the border states, so he exempted their slaveholders from the decree, which took effect on January 1, 1863. "I think to lose Kentucky is nearly the same as to lose the whole game," he commented. "Kentucky gone, we can not hold Missouri, nor, as I think, Maryland. These all against us, and the job on our hands is too large for us. We would as well consent to separation at once, including the surrender of this capital." Lincoln hoped the border states would renounce slavery voluntarily.
Which explorer is incorrectly matched with the region he explored?
Cabrillo—California
Loving v. Virginia
Answer: (B) Miranda v. Arizona
Explanation: In 1963 Ernesto Miranda was convicted of rape based on a confession after he had been arrested for robbery. The Supreme Court overturned an Arizona court's ruling which had upheld his conviction. Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote "The person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he has the right to remain silent, and that anything he says will be used against him in the court of law; he must be clearly informed that he has the right to consult with a lawyer and to have the lawyer with him during interrogation, and that, if he is indigent, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him..."
One of the advantages of the South at the start of the Civil War was
a diversified economy with a strong manufacturing base
a comprehensive railroad system
a larger population than the North
Answer: (C) a well-trained and experienced group of military officers
Explanation: The Confederacy was able to draw on a large number of officers who had been trained at West Point and who had served in the Mexican-American War. Robert E. Lee was asked by President Lincoln to command the Union forces in 1861. Lee declined, as his home state of Virginia had seceded and he chose not to prosecute war against it.
Which of the following events from the 1850s is not in the correct chronological order?
publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
execution of John Brown
the 1971 Santa Barbara spill
the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire
Answer: (A) Three-Mile Island
Explanation: Three-Mile Island refers to a Pennsylvania nuclear power plant partial core meltdown in 1979. The Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in Alaska in 1989, spilling millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Alaska. Love Canal, a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, was built near a toxic waste dump. Serious health problems for residents resulted in the relocation of hundreds of families. An oil spill bespoiled California beaches off Santa Barabara in 1971.
“When a nation is at war many things that might be said in time of peace are such a hindrance to its effort that their utterance will not be endured so long as men fight and that no Court could regard them as protected by any constitutional right.” This statement was made by…in which Supreme Court decision?
John Marshall // Cherokee Nation vs Georgia
Roger Taney // Dred Scott vs Sanford
Antonin Scalia // Griswold vs Connecticut
Oliver Wendell Holmes // Schenckvs U.S.
Earl Warren // Gideon vs Wainwright
Answer: D) Oliver Wendell Holmes // Schenckvs U.S.
Explanation: Holmes delivered the majority opinion in the Schenckcase, in which he also presented the "clear and present danger" doctrine.
Samuel Gompers attempted to win gains for labor by
uniting skilled and unskilled workers into one big union
organizing industrial or vertical unions
campaigning actively for the election of AFL members
organizing skilled craft unions
urging civil disobedience as a means to win public support
Answer: D) organizing skilled craft unions
Explanation: Unlike the earlier Knights of Labor which welcomed skilled and non-skilled members, the AF of L focused on skilled craft members. Gompers was its president from its founding in 1885 until his death in 1924. Gompers emphasized economic gains for workers, including higher wages, shorter hours, and safe working conditions.
Which of the following is not true of the Iran-Contra scandal of the Reagan administration
Oliver North testified about his involvement before Congressional hearings
weapons were sold to Iran with the profits going to the pro-American Contras in Nicaragua
it was illegal for aid to be given to the Contras without Congressional approval
the goal was to foment ill-feelings between Iran and Iraq
Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger was convicted of lying about the scandal and sentenced to prison, but was pardoned by President George H.W. Bush
Answer: (D) the goal was to foment ill-feelings between Iran and Iraq
Explanation: The goal of the complicated Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scheme was to obtain funds to aid the anti-communist Contras in Nicaragua without congressional knowledge.
In the 1869 Black Friday or Gould-Fisk scandal
railroad companies were involved in illegally creating monopolies
two speculators attempted to use their influence with the Grant administration to control the gold market in the United States
Southern scalawags used Reconstruction funds for their own enrichment
Indian agents in the Black Hills of South Dakota overcharged for supplies delivered to Sioux Indians
the New York Stock Exchange collapsed
Answer: (B) two speculators attempted to use their influence with the Grant administration to control the gold market in the United States
Explanation: Jay Gould and James Fisk almost accomplished their goal of controlling much of the gold in the United States by recruiting Grant's brother-in-law and convincing President Grant not to sell government gold. When Grant became aware of the scam, he sold millions of dollars of gold to lower the price. The result was a financial panic that tarnished the Grant administration.
Which of the following were sources of the new imperialist American ideology of the 1890s?I. Social DarwinismII. The belief in the inherent superiority of the Anglo-Saxon raceIII. A new manifest destiny strain, suggesting that every nation should be English in language, religion, and customsIV. The idea that as the American frontier closed, interests would turn outward to foreign frontiers
none of the above
I, III, and IV only
all of the above
Answer: (E) all of the above
Explanation: The 1890s witnessed a new form of manifest destiny, with Latin America and the Pacific as areas of focus. Social Darwinism suggested that as in nature, in society, only the strong survive. The superiority of white-skinned people, particularly Anglo-Saxons, was also a factor, characterized in Rudyard Kipling's poem "The White Man's Burden." Frederick Jackson Turner's thesis that the close of the American frontier would lead to looking for further areas of expansion was also part of the 1890s ideology.
Which of the following were results of the 1773 Boston Tea Party?I. Quebec Act passed, expanding colony of Quebec and challenging claims of Massachusetts Bay to Ohio River Valley landsII. town meetings were restrictedIII. port of Boston closedIV. new Quartering Act passed, allowing easier access to colonial homes by British soldiers
all of the choices above
I, II, and III only
I, II, and IV only
II, III, and IV only
none of the above
(A) all of the above
Explanation: he explanation should have been reworded to read: Angered by the destruction of the chests of tea and the challenge to British authority that the Boston Tea Party represented, Parliament passed a series of laws known as the Coercive or Intolerable Acts, all of which provided even more reason for resentment among those chafing at the colonies' treatment by Great Britain. The Quebec Act, passed by Parliament soon after the Coercive Acts, also caused resentment in Massachusetts as it extended the borders of Quebec and challenged land claims in the Ohio River Valley.
Which of the following does not describe the depression beginning in 1929?
decline in international trade
rise in unemployment
Answer: (C) inability to produce goods to supply demand
Explanation: American industry had significant production capacity in 1929, but the Depression's economic effects significantly reduced the demand for products. As wages fell and unemployment increased, consumers purchased fewer goods, leading to higher inventories, price drops, and even more unemployment.
In the 1972 Furman v. Georgia decision, the Supreme Court ruled that to be constitutional, the death penalty needed to
be administered by lethal injection
not be arbitrary and inconsistent
decided by a 12-0 jury decision
appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court
applied to those with a normal or higher IQ
Answer: (B) not be arbitrary and inconsistent
Explanation: The Supreme Court determined in the Furman decision that arbitrary and inconsistent administration of the death penalty violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment protections of the Constitution. This led many states to alter their procedures for death penalty cases.
The purpose of the 1964 Freedom Summer in Mississippi was to
protest the escalation of the Vietnam War
help and encourage African-Americans to become registered voters
force the Interstate Commerce Commission to declare segregated transportation facilities unconstitutional
persuade the state legislature to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment
desegregate schools
Answer: (B) help and encourage African-Americans to become registered voters
Explanation: Freedom Summer, also known as the Mississippi Summer Project, sought to register as many black voters as possible in a state where very few had registered previously. Fierce resistance to the over 1000 volunteers who poured into Mississippi resulted in violence and the deaths of four civil rights workers. While a small percentage of Mississippi's black citizens registered to vote, the campaign brought national attention to the segregation practices of the South.
In the Scottsboro Boys case of the 1930s
white boys were accused of raping two white women
the defendants were found guilty by all-white juries
all nine defendants were eventually executed
a gang fight occurred between whites and blacks
the U.S. Supreme Court intervened to stay the executions of the boys
Answer: (B) the defendants were found guilty by all-white juries
Explanation: The nine Scottsboro boys were African-Americans accused of raping two white women in Alabama in 1931. They were convicted by all-white juries and sentenced to death, though eventually all were released from prison.
Which of the following are true of writs of habeas corpus I. According to the Constitution, they cannot be suspended except in cases of rebellion or invasion II. President Lincoln temporarily suspended them during the Civil War III. They prevent cruel or unusual punishment IV. They require a court to determine if a person is being detained lawfully
all of the above
I and II only
Answer: (C) I, II, and IV only
Explanation: A writ of habeas corpus guarantees that an individual may not be unlawfully detained and that an imprisoning authority such as a jailer must deliver a person to a court to determine if this has taken place. The Constitution gives Congress the right to suspend it in time of war and President Lincoln did just that in 1861 because of concern over unrest in Maryland.
President Richard Nixon
was impeached by the House of Representatives for obstruction of justice and abuse of power
resigned to allow Vice-President Spiro Agnew to take over the reins of power
apologized to the American people for his decisions and declared he was wrong to abuse power
resigned from office before the House could impeach him, which it was likely to do
gained increasing support from the Republican Party and the American public as he released information about his involvement
Answer: (D) resigned from office before the House could impeach him, which it was likely to do
Explanation: After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 1974 U.S. v. Richard M. Nixon decision that the White House tapes needed to be turned over to the Special Prosecutor, members of Nixon's Republican Party convinced him to resign rather than fight impeachment hearings. Nixon became the first president to resign from office.
According to the 19th century cult of domesticity
men and women entered marriage as equal partners in terms of duties and responsibilities
men's first responsibility were as husbands, not as wage-earning providers
women were encouraged to work outside the home
religion was of little importance to a woman fulfilling her role
the home was the proper sphere for women, who were expected to be virtuous and submissive
Answer: (E) the home was the proper sphere for women, who were expected to be virtuous and submissive.
Explanation: The cult of domesticity reasoned that women should be pious, subservient to their husbands, and focused on the home in their activities.
| Sauerkraut |
On August 21, 1911, Italian patriot Vincenzo Peruggia stolen what "moderately famous" painting from the Louvre, which was not recovered for 2 years? | Untitled Document
>From its beginning, the relationship between Europe and America has
been marked by profound ambivalence. Europe (especially Britain) was
both admired and resented, held up for imitation and cursed. For much
of American history Europe was respected for its culture,
aristocratic manners, eloquence, and social prestige but feared for
its class struggles, authoritarianism, state religions, and fratricidal
wars. The Europeans felt Americans were uncouth, excessively
individualistic, and violent. Although the upper classes were often
anti-American, the working class initially viewed the United States
as the land of opportunity, equality, and freedom.
The United States became the world's most successful mu It
iracial and multiethnic society, but its roots were European (over 80
percent of Americans derive from European stock). The culture, laws,
and instititutions also largely came from Europe, especially from
Britain. But although Europe greatly influenced the United States until
World War ll, thereafter the United States has shaped Europe. And
although for much of American history, Europe was a mecca for
American artists and literati, after World War 11 American culture
became more self-confident and assertivea reflection of U.S.
military and economic might. No longer would the United States shy
away from involvement with Europe; instead the United States
determined to stay in Europe, rebuild it, and pressure the Europeans
into economic cooperation through a customs union and into the
military alliance through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO). NATO would protect Europeans from the Soviet Union and from
one another. The result is a partial Americanization of Europe and the
dominance of American culture, technology, business methods, and
science. American power and influence created a good deal of
hostility, especially from the British and French, who resented the
loss of their leadership. But overall, American and Europeans
respected each other, depended on each other, and created, by massive
reciprocal relationships, the Atlantic Community, the greatest
political economic and cultural association in world history.
AN AMBIVALENT HERITAGE Euro-American Relations
Most Americans have always regarded Europe as the continent from
which they traced their ancestry. As American historian Daniel ].
Boorstin put it, "our roots were European; we got our religion,
common law, constitutionalism and political ideals of liberty, justice
and equality from Europe." Americans equally derived their fears of
aristocrats, feudalism, and monopoly from Europe. The vast size and
wealth of the American continent and its pioneering history tended to
make Americans more confldent, self-reliant, and individualistic than
Europeans. European travelers to America traditionally stressed
Americans' untoward bumptiousness. But at the same time, Americans
felt insecure and culturally inferior compared with Europeans.
Despite Americans' reputation for national exuberance they have
periodically experienced moods of national despondency that were
more profound in the nineteenth than in the twentieth century. As a
diarist put it just before the outbreak of the Civil War, "We are a
weak, divided, disgraced people, unable to maintain our national
existence....It's a pity we ever renounced our allegiance to the British
Crown.''l Despite periodic recurrences of national melancholy, the
achievements of World War 11 brought about a major change in
attitude: Americans became more confident in their experiment. They
wanted to export the advantages of their
system to the world at large and increasingly believed, at least until
the Vietnam War, in the worth, even the superiority, of U .S . culture,
political and economic systems, science, and technology.2
The United States began as an outgrowth of Europemore
speciflcally, a British colony. The first English people to settle
permanently on this side of the Atlantic arrived at Jamestown in
1607 . British sovereignty thereafter extended over what later
became the thirteen coloniesa loose chain of territories wedged
between the Atlantic Ocean and the Allegheny Mountains. British
America would stay under the British Crown for more than a century
and a half, a time as long as that which. elapsed between the
enunciation of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 and the present day. A
lexicographer such as Noah Webster might stress the peculiarity of
the American language (in his Amencan Dictionary, 1828); but in fact
American English never diverged from British English in the same way
Afrikaans diverges from High Dutch. Britain, its empire, and the
United States remained linked by a common tongue and culture that
would become strongly influenced by American usage.
The mutual impact was profound. Americans accepted from Britain
not only folkways, language, and culture but also a legal system based
on British Common Law, British parliamentary institutions, and
British local govemment. The founding fathers had all been bom
British subjects; they discussed politics according to the norms
familiar to educated English of a liberal disposition. Well-schooled
Americans of the period had read Shakespeare and Milton; they were
familiar with the King eames Bible and the Book of Common Prayer,
which deeply influenced American as well as British thought and
speech. American lawyers had read great British jurists such as Sir
William Blackstone. Literate Americans were familiar with the
philosophy of Locke and Hume. Americans and British people read the
same folktales and the same nursery rhymes, sang the same tunes,
and had the same traditiQns of voluntarism and religious diversity.
When Americans took up arms against the British Crown, they fought
in defense of what they considered the liberties due to true English
citizens, liberties previously secured by the English Parliament
against the English king during the seventeenth century.
Although Anglo-America would come to dominate most of
PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
North America, observers living in 1750 would have found such a
forecast surprising. Two hundred and fifty years ago, a prophet might
well have predicted that the heirs of Spain, dominant in most of South
America, Central America, and what is now the American Southwest,
would win the struggle for continental supremacy. Others might h=87ve
bet on the French, who occupied a huge belt of territory stretching
from Canada along the Mississippi Valley down to New Orleans and the
Gulf of Mexico. But it was the English-speaking peoples who won out
in the course of extended conflicts; English traditions of
constitutional government prevailed over royal absolutism or the
trust in centralized govemment that characterized France and Spain.
But though the bulk of North America remained English speaking,
great differences arose between America and the homeland. Britain
was a monarchy supported by a hereditary aristocracy and an
established church. The American colonists rejected all these
institutions. Within the United Kingdom, as constituted at the time of
the War of Independence, there were few immigrants and slavery was
outlawed. The United States, by contrast, had substantial foreign
minorities (especially Germans) and a small AfricanAmerican
population, mostly enslaved. From the beginnings of American settler
society, American relations with Britain, and indeed with Europe as a
whole, were marked by profound ambivalence.
The American War of Independence was indeed the first American
civil war. In the thirteen colonies, all those who would not or could
not fit into the American political culture and middleclass society
many of the rich and well bom at the top, as well as outsiders such as
Native Americans, Scottish Highlanders, povertystricken tenant
farmers, and some African Americanssided with the king against
those colonists who backed the Continental Congress and General
Washington. European opinion was likewise split. All those who
accounted themselves as progressives, as philosophes, or as moderate
reformers were apt to see the future with the United States. By
contrast, it was eIchurch and king" mobs that bumed the houses of
pro-American sympathizers in England.
George Washington's farewell address (1796) wamed against
"passionate attachments" to speciflc countries; it did not set the
United States on an isolationist course, however. It was Thomas
Jefferson in his first inaugural address (1801) who emphasized no
"entangling alliances" with foreign governments. The War of 1812
with Britain reinforced American distrust and determination to resist
foreign interference in the Westem Hemispherehence the Monroe
Doctrine (1823). One reason the United States refused to take part in
the anti-slave trade campaign after 1807 was bitter memories of
British seizure and search tactics. In fact, it was the British claim to
the right to search suspected slave ships that was a major cause of
the War of 1812. Not until the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 was
the issue solved: an African American squadron was delegated to stop
American ships suspected of carrying slaves. Thus America again
began cooperating with European powers, and the isolationist spirit in
the United States weakened. Throughout the history of the United
States, national interests have impelled American presidents and
Congress to actively engage with foreign states. American foreign
policy has always aimed to keep the nation whole and indivisible, to
protect its borders and frontiers, to keep hostile foreign powers out
of North America, and to ensure American commerce access to
markets and resources worldwide.3
>From its beginning a free-trading America sought to buy and sell
throughout the world. Commodore Matthew C. Perry opened up eapan to
American commerce after 1854, and at the Berlin Conference of
1884-1885, the United States insisted that the Congo region be a
free-trade area. Then, in 1899, Secretary of State John Hay
proclaimed an open door policy for trade with China. In World Wars I
and II the Americans retumed to Europe to fight alongside the
democracies. After World War II, the United States fought for global
trade liberalization through the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT) . The United States, then, has never been a truly
isolationist nation but rather a neutralist one.
>From the late nineteenth century on, however, despite numerous
diplomatic disputes between Britain and the United States, a special
relationship developed between the two countries, much closer than,
say, the relationship between Spain and the Argentine or
PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
France and Quebec. Upper-class Americans took the British upper
class as their model: Harvard and Yale prided themselves on their
affinity to Oxford and Cambridge. Americans have always drawn
heavily on British books; many a rich American in the late nineteenth
century boasted of marrying his daughter to a British aristocrat with
a splendid title and an empty purse. The U.S.Canadian frontier
remained unfortified, setting up an intimate connection between U.S.
and Canadian expansion to the West as settlers crossed and recrossed
the frontier without hindrance.
In retum, many Europeans admired, even idealized America.
Goethe, a German poet, apostrophized the United States at the
beginning of the last century in a poem entitled Amerika, du hast es
besser: "America, you are better off than we are; may God preserve
you in future from Europe's moumful legacy, from romantic ruins,
from tales of bandits, knights, and ghosts." America, Alexis de
Tocqueville had written admiringly (1834-40), may justly boast of "a
marvellous combination . . . the spirit of religion and the spirit of
freedom." Religion supplies to freedom "the divine source of its right."
Freedom also stands indebted to those many newcomers "who came in
waves to plant themselves on the shores of the New World .... When
the immigrants left their motherland, they had no idea of any
superiority of some over others. It is not the happy or the powerful
who go into exile, and poverty with misfortune is the bestknown
guarantee of equality among men."4
Tocqueville may have somewhat romanticized America, but he was
rarely wrong. Religion affected American political culture in many
ways. Pastors and church elders left their imprint, both in promoting
moral idealism and in giving American politics and academe a
peculiar touch of self-righteousness. Equally important, as
Tocqueville had stressed, was the role of the immigrants. These men
and women had come to the United States for economic, political,
religious, or racial reasons; they had crossed the ocean to escape the
authority of nobles, monarchs, religious authorities, landlords, and,
more recently, commissars. (Anticommunism in America was
strengthened by successive waves of refugees from Eastern Europe,
China, Cuba, and Vietnam.) Generally speaking, these newcomers were
ambivalent toward their respective countries of origin but were self-
consciously patriotic toward the land of their
adoption. Americanson the wholewere accustomed to self help and
more respectful toward the self-made man or woman than most
Europeans. Americans were for self-improvement, were informed, and
were active in self-govemment and voluntarism. e. S. Mill and
Tocqueville said that Americans were self-reliant, individualistic,
practical people; they were also joiners and pluralists from many
different cultures. Americans were also used to striking
differencesofwealthandfamiliarwithethnicandreligiousprejudice. But
the country was too vast and varied to permit the emergence of a
nationally recognized upper class. An old family in Boston counted for
nothing in Los Angeles. High.ranks in the civil service and the armed
forces did not carry the same prestige as they did in Europe. The
average Texan or Nevadan might not even recognize the names of
eastern prestige schools such as Phillips Exeter Academy in New
Hampshire or Hotchkiss School in Connecticut.
That system made for a surprising degree of stability given the
enormous disparities that divided U.S. society. Until recently,
Americans voted more oftenin national, state, and local elections
than the citizens of any other country. There was a great army of
unpaid activists. (During the 1960 presidential elections, for
instance, some 4,000,000 volunteers were busy organizing rallies,
ringing doorbells, mailing envelopes, and so on.) Each presidential,
each gubematorial candidate had to create or rebuild a personal
organization in a country where people moved often over enormous
distances. The American system accommodated flux in a way that no
European system could rival. It gave temporary places of prominence
to an extraordinarily large number of people and provided for political
alliances of the strangest kind, even alliances that might cut across
ideological divisions. Kipling, the bard of the empire, puzzled over the
American spirit's strange shifts of mood
That bids him flout the Law he makes,
That bids him make the Law he flouts
Till, dazed by many doubts, he wakes
The drumming guns that have no doubts.S
But even Kipling had no doubts that the American spirit would find
salvation at last.
Lord Bryce, in The American Commonwealth ( 1888 ), wanted the
United States to be a world power and its democratic system to
spread to Europe. Israel Zangwill, an Anglo-Jewish writer, at the end
of the century called America God's crucible, the great melting pot
that would fuse and reform the European peoples, an attitude
reflected by the countless immigrants who flocked to the United
States from Europe during the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries.
The America of fact did not always turn out to be the goldene
medinah, the golden state of the Jews, or the Land der unbeeeneten
Moglichkeiten, the land of unlimited opportunities of the Germans.
Nevertheless, they came by the millionsGermans, Scandinavians,
Irish, and later, people from Eastem and Southern Europe including
Poles, Russians, eews, Italians, and Greeks. At the tum of the century,
there was also a massive increase in the number of Spanish-speaking
people (not so much Spaniards from Europe as Mexicans and, after
World War 11, Puerto Ricans and Cubans), as well as newcomers from
the Far East.
The precise ethnic makeup of the American people is hard to
disentangle because of intermarriage and murky ethnic and racial
boundaries. By the time of the 1980 census, 50 million persons
reportedthemselvestobeofEnglishorigin(thelargestsinglegroup), but
more than half of those listed other ethnic origins as well. The same
applied to the 49 million who put down German and to those who
described themselves as Scottish or Welsh by descent. Three quarters
of the 40 million Americans who categorized themselves as Irish also
reported other ancestries; the same went for 4 million Swedes and
for a majority of the 3.5 million Norwegians. Twelve million said that
they were of Italian origin, but only 7 million of those indicated
exclusively Italian ancestry. A majority of the 8 million who claimed
Polish ancestry also reported forebears of other nationalities:6 But
despite massive recent immigration from Latin America and Asia,
something like four-fifths of the U.S. population remains of European
origin (including that large proportion of Hispanics who describe
themselves as "white" on the census forms). These boundaries remain
tenuous. No matter what their nationality, Americans would marry
whom they pleased (but usually before World War 11 within the same
religious cohort).
Despite their diverse ethnic roots, the great majority of
Americans stayed in the land of their adoption. They took up
citizenship and came to feel at home in a country whose people were
not expected to know their place but would rather make their place.
Immigration created ethnic lobbies of a specifically American kind.
Naturalized citizens used their political influence to help the cause
of their kinfolk in Europe: Irish Americans supported the cause of
Irish independence against Britain; Polish Americans agitated against
the rule of the Russian czars, Jews strove for Israel; and Czechs
moved against the Hapsburgs. Immigration also acted as a spur to
further immigration, as newcomers commonly helped other relatives
and friends to make the long joumey across the Atlantic. Indeed,
immigrants' letters to friends and relatives at home provided more
accurate and relevant information about the United States than a
great many academic tomes on the subject.
The United States thus always seemed a land of opportunity to
foreigners and immigrants seeking the "American dream." The United
States was the flrst great nation to achieve modernization in the
sense of eliminating hereditary class distinctions, reducing class
barriers, opening up equal opportunities, and creating a mass
consumer society.
Of course, there were many critics. From the early beginnings of their
country, Americans were derided as uncouth and lawless; later they
were widely portrayed as nouveaux riches even more than those
wealthy Argentinians and Creoles who were satirized in the light
comedies of nineteenth-century France. Americans were supposedly
materialistic, brash, Philistine. Their society was said to be
artificial, without organic links, lacking both a traditional peasantry
and an aristocracy rooted in the soil. Americans were etemally
restless, always on the move. Americans were reportedly greedy,
crude, devoid of tragic imagination. They had no respect for their
betters. Neither Heinrich Heine, a romantic revolutionary, nor Jakob
Burckhardt, an imaginative conservative, could stand America. "When
good Americans die, they go to Paris," Oscar Wilde scoffed in A
Woman of No Importance. "Indeed? And where do bad Americans go?
Oh, they go to America!" Americans had other supposed failings. They
were insufferable in their moral pretentiousness, a characteristic
that they were thought to share with their English cousins.
"Corruption, Immorality, Irreligion, and
9 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
above all, Self Interest" ruled the United States, argued an
aristocratic British diplomat at the beginning of the nineteenth
century. "There is no faith and no knowledge of the Lord amongst most
of our brethren; in the United States the younger generation inherit
nothing from their parents except what is needed to make their way
in this world," echoed an Orthodox Jewish visitor from Eastern Europe
at the end of the century.7
In theory, the British should have been the most pro-American
among EuropeansBritons and Americans were so-called cousins. As
we pointed out earlier, many Americans were indeed Anglophiles,
especially upper-class people from the East Coast. But their
sentiments were not necessarily reciprocated in Britain. Indeed, the
traditional British establishment was apt to look down on Americans
as brash and uncultured. (Some old-fashioned Tories, for example,
criticized Winston Churchill on the grounds that he was
halfAmerican.) Qualities regarded as virtuous in the United States
enthusiasm, dedication to hard work, openness, and lack of class
consciousnessseemed vices to a great many old-fashioned,
upperclass British people, though not to the bulk of British workers.
Views hostile to the United States were widespread in Europe at
large; indeed, there was a curious continuity in European critiques
concerning America and the Americans. Long before the thirteen
colonies attained their independence, Swiss immigrants found that
alles ist gane anders hier (everything is quite different here). Many
liked the changefreedom from caste distinctions, higher living
standards, personal freedom:
But there was another side to America. Woe betide those who did
not make good, who missed their families in the old country, or who
longed for security and accepted custom.
AN AMBIVAI.ENT HERITAGE=0910=091=0911=09PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
In this country there are innumerable religionsReformed,
Sabbatarians, Tumblers, Quakers, Atheists who have no religion, no
churches and no schools, who believe neither in God nor the Devil, in
Heaven or Hell. There are also countless tongues here English,
Swedish, Gaelic, High German, Low German, Dutch. . . This is a refuge
for exiled sectarians, an asylum for all manner of evil-doers from
Europe, a confusing Babel, a refuge for unclean spirits, a homestead
for Satan, in truth a new Sodom.
Likewise Charles Dilke, an English Radical who toured the United
States during the 1860s. He described Americans in terms normally
associated with postindustrial America. Americans were foolishly
permissive toward their children, who "never dream of work out of
school hours, or of solid reading that is not compulsory" and, as a
rule, tum out to be "forward, ill mannered, and immoral."9 American
women were too independent; crime was rife in America; American
courts combined excessive legalism with excessive leniency; there
were too many foreign immigrants not likely to be absorbed in the
general population. Americans were addicted to strange cults that
appealed not just to the poor and the ignorant but to solid citizens
who ought to know better. Americans were too soft to fight. (At the
outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846, European military
opinion thus widely predicted an American defeat, as did the London
Times.) America offended, above all, the rich and the well-bom. As
Charles Francis Adams, the U.S. minister in London, explained during
the U.S. Civil War, "the great body of the aristocracy and the
commercial classes are anxious to see the United States go to pieces
while the middle and lower classes sympathize with us."'=A1
>From the end of the nineteenth century, there were two new twists to
anti-American sentiment. Americans intervened in countries where
they were not wanted. "To whom do I owe the displeasure of this
intrusion," Dame Europe coldly asks Uncle Sam (according to a British
cartoon of the Cuban war of 1898). "My name is Uncle Sam," goes the
reply. "Any relation of the late Colonel
Monroe?"(PresidentJamesMonroe,frameroftheMonroeDoctrine), Dame
Europe chillingly responds." Above all, there were attacks from the
left. According to Marx, who admired the United States, the American
colonization of Califomia (taken forcibly from
Mexico),theoccupationofAustralia,andtheopeningofChinaand Japan
were progressive developments, part of the historic task incumbent
on the bourgeoisie to establish a world market and a global system of
production.e2 Thereafter, self styled progressive opinion in Europe
underwent a decisive shift, as European socialists debated at length
the contradictions of U.S. monopoly capitalism. They also wondere-d
why an advanced capitalist country such as the United States failed
to develop a great revolutionary movement or at least a solidly
proletarian party among the disinherited mass of immigrants. Few of
these critics accepted the commonsense explanation that the great
majority of immigrants liked what they found and had no wish to
make fundamental political changes. The real or assumed deflciencies
of the American working class were explained in terms of a false
consciousness imposed on them by their masters. The Americanlike
the ]ewwas equated with the city slicker, the huckster, the rootless
cosmopolitan. By the end of the nineteenth century, the entire
ideology and vocabulary of antiAmericanism was already well in
place.
The Americans were as ambivalent about Europe as Europeans were
about America. Americans were immigrants. Immigrants from
whatever country are apt to look on their own or their ancestors'
homeland with some degree of nostalgia. But immigrants also leave
home for some good causewhether poverty, persecution, or mere
boredom. Thus, the old country may be remembered with dislike, at
times with blank hatred. Europe at its best was respected for culture,
aristocratic elegance, and social prestige. By the end of the last
century, Britain and, to a lesser extent, France had become the mecca
of American artists, literati, social climbers, and millionaires who
married their sons to the daughters of aristocratic families. London
was associated with the best of men's tailoring; Paris, with feminine
elegance and avant-garde art; Berlin and Gottingen, with scholarship.
(Later, in American movies, foreign accents were de rigueur for
wicked countesses, pastry cooks, psychiatrists, and
AN AMBIVALENT HERITAGE 1e=091=0913=09PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
vampires. ) On a more serious note, Americans owed a profound debt
to European science, art, and scholarship, as well as industrial skills,
business enterprise, and investment. Throughout the nineteenth
century, the United States remained a massive importer of European,
especially British, capital.
>From their country's beginning, Americans had seen themselves as
a new nation, with new laws and a new and free polity. The French
observer Crevecoeur had long ago insisted, in his Letters from an
American Farmer ( 1782), that America had transformed Europeans
into new people unburdened by respect for duchesses, counts, bishops,
or churches. Yet a greaE many American intellectuals did not share his
optimism. They felt they lived in a cultural wilderness that lacked
Europe's great past. For culture and tradition, educated Americans had
long looked to Europe, and thousands had crossed the Atlantic to find
in Europe inspiration, training, or a more sophisticated way of life.
Indeed, it was not until after World War 11 that American culture
became self-confident and assertivein part a reflection of U.S.
military and economic power.
There was, however, another side tO the coin. Europe was also
regarded as a potential menace. Sophisticated and supercilious
European diplomatists were suspected of wishing to involve innocent
Americans in foreign wars not of their making. Popery, libertinism,
and unbelief, in addition to subversion and revolt, were associated at
various times with Europe by frightened nativists. The fear was that
Europe might corrupt America, which was intended by God (claimed
eohn Winthrop) as a "city built upon a hill, the eyes of all people are
upon us." Above all, Americans, themselves descended from
immigrants, have been ambivalent about each generation of new
immigrantsusually poorer and less skilled than the old-timers.
Wide open and unguarded stand our gates
And through them presses a wild and motley throng
Men from the Volga and the Tartar steppes,
Featureless figures from the Hoang ho,
Malayan, Scythian, Teuton, Celt, and Slav
Fleeing the Old World's poverty and scorn.
That poem by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, written a century ago, struck an
answering chord among many of his countrypeople who dreaded the
strange-looking newcomers from Europe and elsewhere. The
immigrants were feared on many groundsas competitors willing to
depress the American workers' living standards by working for lower
wages and also as potential subversives, "hyphenated Americans,"
with no loyalty to their country of adoption. In fact, these suspicions
were misconceived. Militants among the immigrants formed a small
minority. The great majority had no intention of overthrowing the
republic that had given them refuge; they looked for advancement
through individual effort, not to a revolutionary transformation of
society. Nevertheless, stereotypes concerning subversion,
libertinism, and unbeliefwere at various times associated with
Europe by nativist opinionas was popery, or Catholicism.
Throughout American history, ethnic preferences have shifted in time,
with the most recent arrivals usually being the most unpopular. By
the end of the last century, for example, Scandinavians had found
acceptance; jokes about dumb Swedes were replaced by taunts at
stupid Poles or Italians (who by then did much of the unskilled work
previously associated with Northern European immigrants). Then came
jeers at Jews who were moving into the textile and other light
industries. The foreigners least distmsted by the end of the
nineteenth century were the British. This would have surprised
Americans who had lived through the Revolutionary War or the Anglo-
American War of 1812, at which time patriotic propaganda described
the British as brutal, supercilious, and hypocritical. (Indeed, many
British immigrants, disliking their native country's class structure,
were just as vocal in their criticism.) Anti-British sentiments were
reinforceed during the late nineteenth century by Irish newcomers
full of hatred for their homeland's British oppressors. There was also
trouble during the U. S. Civil War when the British upper class (as
distinct from the workers) was apt to side with the South, while eohn
Bull was denounced in the United States as
But throughout the nineteenth century British immigrantsfarmers,
professional people, artisans, and skilled workerskept coming to the
United States. (Indeed, far more people migrated to the United States
from the United Kingdom after the United States had attained
independence than before. ) The British immigrants were, on the
average, better educated, better qualified technologically, and
wealthier than newcomers from Eastem and Southem Europe. The
British people who arrived in the United States did not regard
themselves as a minority; their presence in the United States was
regarded by the American White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP)
establishment as a welcome counterweight to assorted foreigners
(mostly Catholic) from Eastern and Southem Europe, slightingly
referred to as "dirty whites." The British immigrants helped offset
the anti-British sentiment occasioned by the Civil War in the North
and by a variety of lesser disputes between Britain and the United
States over the Canadian boundary, flshery rights, and suchlike.
But WASP culture had dominated the United States from the
seventeenth century on and shaped the American character, according
to Richard Brookhiser in The Way of the WASP (1991). No immigrant
group has yet been able to establish a rival way of life. The WASPs
had political power, economic dominance, and social prestige. Their
institutions were Ivy League schools, the Episcopal church, Wall
Street, and the State Department. Although elitist, WASPs allowed
people of character and intelligence to join. WASP values, claims
Brookhiser, made America great, wealthy, and independent. The most
important values were success due to hard work, civic-mindedness,
antisensuality, and "conscience watching over everything."
Immigrants to America were expected to adopt these values; they
mostly did, and the country flourished as a result. The white
Protestant establishment weakened after World War 11 and in the
1980s staggered under attacks from multiculturalisma most
unpleasant alternative to the WASPs' culture.
The United States was from its beginnings the immigrants' refuge par
excellence. In this capacity the United States was far more
signiflcant than any other country, be it Australia, Brazil, Canada, or
the Argentine. By contrast, few Americans sought permanent homes
for themselves abroad, except a handful of blacks who went to
Liberia, Finnish Americans who migrated to the Soviet Union,
15 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
and a small number of American Jews who settled in Israel. But
Americans of whatever race, color, or creed rarely changed their U.S.
nationality. Overwhelmingly, they preferred real or alleged domestic
ills to the putative advantages of foreign lands.
There were, of course, exceptions. Not all foreign-born
immigrants to the United States remained in America; some went
back to countries such as Britain, where there was no religious or
racial persecution. The role of the returned American immigrant
British, German, Mexican, Italian, Greek, etc.remains to be studied.
Frequently he or she returned home with new ideas and some
accumulated savings that enabled her or him to rise both socially and
economically. In addition, American entrepreneurs, from the end of
the last century, began to set up affiliates in Europe, especially in
Britain, where U.S. flrms such as Singer and Ford and discount stores
such as Woolworth found no language barriers to impede their work.
>From Britain, American trusts often extended their operations to the
British colonies and the European continent.
AMERICA IN THE GLOBAL ARENA
Relations between Britain and the United States improved in other
ways, too. By the end of the last century, the British government
stood resolved to avoid conflicts with its so-called American cousins
at almost any cost. To Britain, imperial Germany with its great High
Seas Fleet seemed an immeasurably greater menace than the United
States. Hence, the British generally sympathized with the United
States during the Spanish-American War of 1898. (Kipling's
muchmisquoted poem "Take Up the White Man's Burden" was written to
encourage Americans in their imperial venture.)
The Spanlsh-American War formed another watershed in U.S.
relations with foreign countries. Earlier wars fought by the United
States had been confined to the North American land mass, had not
involved transmaritime expansion, and had widened existing rifts
within the U.S. electorate, pitting practitioners of American
realpolitik against those who considered themselves godly. (For
example, the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848, had been popular in
the slave states, unpopular in New England.) The Spanish-
American War, by contrast, had more enthusiastic and united support
from Americans than all previous and most subsequent wars engaging
the United States. Chauvinists determined to teach objectionable
Latins a lesson suddenly found themselves in thorough agreement
with humanitarians determined to end Spanish imperialist oppression
in Cuba. (There was, moreover, no Spanish ethnic lobby in the United
States. Spaniards were more likely to emigrate to Latin America than
to the United States, whereas Spanish Americans, including Mexican
Americans, were more apt to side against Spain than with Spain.)
Although the postwar annexation of the Philippines created bitter
divisions, the campaign to expel the Spaniards from the New World
met with almost universal approbation. America now stepped into the
global arena with imperial ambitions and one of the world's major
navies. The Spanish American War thus inaugurated a revolutionary
change in world affairs.
Fear of foreign entanglement was also weakened by the
subsequent war in the Philippine Islands and American participation
intheBoxerreliefexpeditiontoBeijing (1900)actionsunthinkable as
late as 1884, when the U.S. Senate opposed sending observers to the
Berlin conference to discuss African affairs, everi though Americans
were important traders and explorers in the region. When Theodore
Roosevelt became president in 1901, he was determined that the
United States should play a greater role in world affairs. And he saw
to it that it did. Roosevelt was the most activist president in U.S.
history until Woodrow Wilson. For example, in 1904 Roosevelt called
a peace conference to end the Russo-Japanese war in order to
maintain a power equilibrium in Asia. (The desire to maintain a
balance of power was the principal reason for U.S. intervention
against Germany in World Wars I and ll.) At the Algeciras conference,
called in 1906 to discuss Germany and France's quarrel over Morocco,
Roosevelt even got the German kaiser to compromise.
Even more striking was the United States' economic impact overseas.
>From the 1870s onward, American farmers in the Middle West sent
cargoes of grain and meat overseas; improved shipping and methods of
refrigeration cheapened the costs of transport. European producers,
including British aristocrats and Prussian
17 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
Junkers, found it increasingly difficult to comptete with Americans
(and also Argentinians and Australians) . As a manufacturing nation
and as a producer of vital raw materials such as coal, iron, and steel,
the United States began to overshadow the major European countries.
(By 1914, the United States already turned out nearly five times as
much steel as Britain and more than twice as much as the German
Empire. The United States produced nearly three times as much pig
iron as Britain and twice as much as Germany.)le The United States no
longer fitted into the accepted framework of European great power
relationships, a fact as yet unrecognized by most policymakers and
theoreticians on both sides of the Atlantic. Yet American economic
influence was beginning to be apparent, especially in Britain.ls
How would Americans use this enormous might? When World War I
started, the answer seemed clear: the Americans would not use this
power at all but would stay clear of European entanglements.
European affairs no longer seemed the business of a people whose
forebears had left their native shores for good reasons and badto
escape religious persecution, to avoid the draft, to escape poverty, to
evade the unwelcome attention of tax gatherers, rent collectors, or
wronged maidens. Public opinion regarding World War I was,
moreover, divided along cleavages of class and ethnicity that
remained characteristic of American politics. British Americans
naturally sympathized with Britain's cause. The U.S. Eastern
establishmentlinked to the British upper class through ties of trade,
education, and sometimes marriagewas also sympathetic and
receptive to the claim that Britain represented the causes of
parliamentary democracy and small nations. Danes and Norwegians
tended to support the Western allies, as did Italians, Serbs, Czechs,
and Romanians, who were generally hostile to the Hapsburg Empire
allied to Germany.
But there was also substantial support for Germany. Swedes were
often Germanophiles (unlike Danes and Norwegians). Subsequent Nazi
stereotypes notwithstanding, eews were apt to regard the German
cause with sympathy and side with their former countrypeople.
Yiddish-speakers from Eastem Europe found the pogrom-ridden
czarist monarchy more objectionable than the German Empire, which
did not persecute eews and whose citizens
AN AM81VALENT HERITAGE 18=091=0919=09PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
spoke High German, a tongue closely linked to Yiddish. The Irish (about
4.5 million people) likewise formed a major bloc. To most Irish, any
foe of Britain's seemed a friend. Moreover, the Irish, who, like the
Italians and the Jews, had mainly settled in big cities along the
Eastem seaboard, formed an influential lobby, powerful especially in
municipal politics.
Above all, there was a substantial German minority: more than 8
million of America's 105 million people at the time had been bom in
Germany or had at least one German parent. The Germans, who were
concentrated in the Middle West, had long been settled in the United
States (one-tenth of the Union forces during the Civil War consisted
of Germans). Germans as a group had done well in the United States.
The German cultural influence, moreover, had been considerable. The
United States was heavily indebted to German models for the
structure of postgraduate training and for experts and expertise in a
variety of academic disciplines: between 1815 and 1914 an estimated
9,000 to 10,000 Americans went to German universities. Germans
were reputed to be thorough, hard-working, and sentimental. It was a
time when loan words from the German language consisted only of
such friendly sounding ones as Lieder, Kindergarten, and Oktoberfest
Gestapo, Paneer, and Endlosungwere as yet unknown.
The strength of isolationist sentiment in the United States ensured
that the country at first stayed neutral. But when imperial Germany
began to conduct unrestricted warfare against Great Britain, the
United States was drawn in. American lives were lost; American
ships went to the bottom of the sea. To make matters worse, British
intelligence caught Germans in a plot (revealed in the Zimmermann
note) proposing an alliance between Germany, Mexico, and eapan if the
United States went to war. Mexico would then recover the lost
territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, which the United States
had taken after winning the MexicanAmerican War. Ironically,
imperial Germany's military victory over Russiaa feat never
achieved by the Third Reichworsened Germany's political condition.
Once the Romanov dynasty fell, the Westem allies' cause was no
longer tainted by association with czarist absolutism; the allies'
claim to be defending democracy seemed more credible than ever, not
only to people of Anglo-Saxon stock but also to Jews, Poles, Balts,
Finns, and other reluctant subjects of the former czars.
In 1917, the United States entered World War 1. In military terms
alone, the U.S. contribution was not as impressive as that of Britain
or France. In economic and diplomatic terms, however, the
contributions were unmistakable. President Woodrow Wilson issued
his Fourteen Points (proclaiming the right of national
selfdetermination) unilaterally; the United States had become the
world's most productive economy. Having been an importer of capital,
the United States switched to being an exporter. Without American
financial support, Britain could not have continued the war
effectively. By 1917 its gold reserves were virtually exhausted; most
of its American assets had been sold. Even though Britain in 1918
commanded the world's largest navy, the largest air force, the
greatest number of tanks, and the greatest colonial empire, it was
American power that underpinned the alliance.
The global balance of power thereby underwent a decisive shiftone
that German planners were slow to understand. For all the efficiency
of their staffwork, the Germans failed to grasp that the United
States' economic potential now heavily outclassed that of any
European power. Germany, whose priority should have been to keep the
United States out of the war at any cost, instead gravely
underestimated the Americans, a mistake that would continue to be
made for generations to come. World War I also carried other lessons.
Despite its internal divisions, the American Republic rested on much
more solid foundations than its critics imagined. There was social
unrest. But there was never, at any time, the slightest chance of a
social revolution. Moreover, despite its multiethnic character, the
United e3tates developed none of the ethnic flssures that plagued the
czarist, the Hapsburg, and later the Soviet empires.
True enough, the U.S. involvement in World War I led to an outbreak of
anti-German hysteria, with vandalism, the public buming of German
books, and the renaming of towns and even foods (frankfurters became
hot dogs; German cabbage became liberty cabbage). The Germans in the
United States encountered particular animosity for a tim
AN AMeIVALENT HERITAGE as the United States. The German lobby,
moreover, was badly divided into Protestants and Catholics, "church
Germans" and secularists, progressives (such as Govemor John Peter
Altgeld of lllinois), and conservatives. However, once the United
States entered the war, German Americans remained loyal to their
adopted country, and in time anti-German sentiment abated. Whatever
political strength an ethnic lobby in the United States had, such a
lobby would never be used as a fifth column on behalf of a foreign
country.
Having played a decisive part in the war, the United States might have
been expected to dominate the peace. Instead, America once more
retreated from Europe, disillusioned with "the war to end all wars."
The United States would not join the League of Nations pioneered by
President Wilson. His Fourteen Points were forgotten. ("Fourteen
Points," scoffed Georges Clemenceau, the great French war leader,
"ten were enough for the Almighty.") The United States refused to
commit itself to future help for Europe; for instance, no guarantees
were given France against future German aggression. There was
contempt in Congress for those European countries (except Finland)
that defaulted, wholly or in part, on their war debts.
Isolationism found expression in restrictions on immigration.
(Those included a quota system, elaborated in 1924, which was
designed to favor Northern Europeans against assorted Slavs, Latins,
Greeks, Jews, and Turks. Chinese and eapanese were excluded
altogether.) Isolationism also went with high tariffs (popular in
particular with Republicans and embodied in legislation such as the
Emergency Tariff Act of 1921). There was bitter hostility toward
those suspected of having "gotten us into war." Critics derived from
everypartoftheAmericanpoliticalspectrum, includingMidwestem
Republicans who denounced Wall Street, the City (London's financial
center), and an intemational cohort of arms manufacturers, the so-
called merchants of death. It became almost a truism that the United
States had gone to war to save the bankers and merchants
PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
who had strained themselves to the utmost to supply Britain and
France with credit and arms. Isolationism was also reflected in U.S.
defense policies. With its huge economic potential, the United States
could easily have become the world's premier naval power. Instead,
the United States, at the Washington Naval Conference (1922), settled
for parity with Britain; the U.S. Air Force remained puny; and the U.S.
Army was reduced to a size that could not have confronted even a
minor European army, such as that of Belgium or Switzerland.
There was no effective political cooperation between the United
States and its former allies after the war or during the Great
Depression or during the rise of nazism. Despite American
isolationism, however, U.S. cultural influence on Europe grew apace.
Americans continued to come to Europe as tourists, performers,
merchants, and students. American artists crossed the Atlantic, as
did American prizefighters and American entertainersj especially
black artists. Hollywood movies conquered the worldneither German
UFA nor Sovfllm could compete on the world market with American
studios. The mass-produced car, cheap enough for ordinary people to
buy, seemed peculiarly American. (In Europe, by contrast, the
automobile long remained the chosen vehicle of the rich.) eazz was
the Americans' music par excellence, no matter how loudly
traditionalists objected; jazz triumphed in the dance halls and even
affected classical music (as in Ernst Krenek's jazz opera Uonny spielt
aufl ) . American performers scored brilliant successes in the
European capitals (even the Nazis, who denounced jazz as the
decadent production of Negro and eewish Untermenschen, had to
permit modified forms of jazz at their receptions). Americans saw
themselves as harbingers of modernity, mass culture, mass
production, and mass consumption. Many European intellectuals shared
these assumptions. "Skyscrapers," eean Paul Sartre reflected, "were
the architecture of the future, just as the cinema was the art and
jazz the music of the future."'6 Meanwhile, American intellectuals
bemoaned the fact that the United States had produced few great
artists, musicians, or writers and depreciated America's cultural
achievements. Not until the 1930s did some Americans begin to
appreciate the richness of American cuiture. But it was the
achievements of World War 11 that produced confidence, optimism,
and a sense of America's greatness.
Then as now, of course, the traffic in ideas went both ways.
Americans went to Europe to study German management methods,
nuclear physics, and linguistics; German engineering; French art;
British banking and maritime technology, as well as being Rhodes
Scholars. Americans remained profoundly indebted to European
pioneers in every fleld, from architecture to zoology. In music, even
the saxophone, that quintessentially modern American jazz
instrument, had been invented in Paris by Adolphe Sax, a
contemporary of Richard Wagner's. All the same, the American
contribution was in some ways unique and so was American economic
power. By the mid- 1 920s, when the world economy had temporarily
recovered from World War 1, the United States had become the
world's largest exporter and the principal source of new, as opposed
to existing, capital investments. Roughly half America's new
investments went to Europe, particularly Germany, where U.S. private
investors for a time helped pay for reparations and for the funding of
the Weimar Republic's welfare state. (Most of the war debt was never
repaid.) It was a time when even theeCommunists
withalltheirdislikeofWallStreet,hadasoftspotfor"Fordism,"that
speciflcally American combination of mass production methods and
high wages.
Equally important later on was the impact of the New Deal. Despite
pessimistic forecasts, American capitalism did not collapse as a
result of the Great Depression; communism did not develop into a
mass movement; fascism did not take root among Americans. (Most
Italian Americans stood alooffrom fascism; the great majority of
German Americans had no sympathy for Hitler, whose followers in the
United States, organized in the German-American Bund, never
amounted to much.) The New Deal aroused widespread admiration in
Europe among moderates, conservatives, Social Democrats, and Labour
party supporters alikeAmerica provided public works such as
highways, dams, electrical projects, even mural art but without the
militarism that accompanied such projects in totalitarian countries.
Europeans had other reasons for looking with favor at the United
States. For all its restrictions on immigration, the United States
remained by far the most open country in the world for people seeking
refuge from nazi, fascist, and later communist oppression.
23 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
The newcomers during the 1930s, many of them Jewish or linked to
Jews by ties of friendship or marriage, included famous scientists,
actors, poets, novelists, fllmmakers, physicians, and historians in one
of the great intellectual migrations of European history. A goodly
number came from Britain, but the bulk of them derived from German-
speaking Central Europe, Poland, and the lands of the former Austro-
Hungarian Empire.
The United States was now coming into its own in every sphere of
intellectual endeavor. Up to 1933, when Hitler took over, Germany had
always produced the largest number of Nobel Prize winners in
medicine and the sciences. From then onward the balance of power
irreversibly shifted; henceforth the United States always headed the
list. U.S. predominance continued even after the European refugee
scholars of the 1930s had begun to retire from their positions at U.S.
universities. (Between 1957 and 1990 the United States gained 113
Nobel Prizes in the sciences and economics, as against 53 won by the
European Community [EC] countries and 2 by Japan. ) Not all the
newcomers, of course, liked the United States or remained
permanently; for example, Thomas Mann and Bertold Brecht returned
to Europe after World War ll. Nevertheless, the great migration
strengthened existing intellectual ties between Europe and North
America. American science, technology, and business methods and
organizations had clearly reached world stature.
The United States also became involved in Europe's ideological
struggles. To millions of Americans, the Spanish civil war (193639)
in particular became a conflict between good and evil. No other
foreign civil strife had ever aroused similar passions in America. The
supporters of the Spanish Republic included not merely active
Communists, a small but relatively influential group, but a broad
alliance of moderate socialists, liberals, and self-styled progressive
conservatives. To them, the war meant a crucial struggle against
fascism worldwidea view popularized not only by Ernest Hemingway
and leftist intellectuals but also, later, by popular movie
personalities such as Ingrid Bergman in For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Franco supporters were less numerous but also influential. They
derived not so much from declared Fascists but from militant
antiCommunists and Catholics aghast at the persecution of nuns and
priests at the "reds"' behest. Several thousand Americans departed
to fight in Spain with the Loyalists in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade; to
most American intellectuals the Spanish civil war henceforth
provided a mirror in which world events would continue to be
reflectedwith progress forever arrayed against reaction, vice
against virtue, capitalism against socialism.
Nevertheless, the bulk of the American people remained
neutralist. However much professors and joumalists might argue
about the Spanish civil war or nazism in Germany or Stalinism in
Russia, the mass of the U.S. population wished to remain uninvolved.
Once World War 11 started in Europe, however, the Allied cause
aroused sympathy among the great majority of Americans. But despite
President Roosevelt's endeavors (Lend-Lease Act, 1941) and the
Anglophilia of the old East Coast establishment, the United States
would probably not have entered all-out war but for )apan's attack on
Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and Germany's declaration of war
against the United States.
Yet once having stepped into the arena, the Americans meant to win
with a resolve never grasped by either German or Japanese
policymakers. The United States rejected an "Asia First" strategy
advocated by traditional isolationists and instead concentrated its
main efforts against Hitler, who was correctly perceived as the main
enemy. The immense resources of the United States proved decisive in
winning the war. After Pearl Harbor, there was in the United States a
political unanimity not witnessed again until the gulf war fifty years
later. American society, though ethnically mixed, displayed its
accustomed cohesion during World War II. German Americans, Italian
Americans, Japanese Americans overwhelmingly proved loyal. The
American way of life made a strong appeal even to German prisoners
of war in the United States. (There were something like 400,000 of
them, as against only 50,000 Italians; of a selected sample of those
retuming to Germany, 74 percent left with friendly feelings toward
the United States. They included men of subsequent prominence in the
Federal Republic of Germany.)
American private enterprise, though controlled and restricted
PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
by extensive governmental regulation, staged a miracle of
mobilization never previously seen in world history. Big science came
into its own, flnanced with huge public grants, linked to the
universities and to a massive industrial complex. The American fleet
became the world's mightiestas if Pearl Harbor had never occurred.
The U.S. Air Force came to dominate the skies. No one who ever saw
the giant air armadas that filled the sky during the invasion of
Normandy will ever forget the sight, a shattering display of American
or American-subsidized British air power. The United States deployed
the greatest army ever sent overseas in world history. The Gl's were
better dressed, better paid, and more expansively equipped than any
European soldiers. In the European imagination the olive-uniformed
Yankstall, gangling, gum chewingappeared astonishing in their
self-confidence. British soldiers might resent the Yanks' superior pay
and their reputation for courting British women with perfume and silk
stockings unavailable in British shops. But though he might scoff at
the Americans, Tommy Atkins (Britain's Gl Joe) was glad at heart that
the Yanks had come. The United States had been the "arsenal of
democracy," and this the Allies appreciated.
The American army, moreover, seemed more democratic than
European armies. There were no separate sergeants' messes in the U.S.
Army, as there were in the British army; proportionately more U.S.
enlisted men became officers than in the British army. Americans
performed impressively, especially at tasks requiring engineering
skills or complex organization of the kind involved in seaborne
landings. Germans soldiers might taunt the Americans for their initial
inexperience or lack of discipline. But members of the Wehrmacht
were impressed by the massive weight of firepower that Americans
could deploy and their ability to learn fast from previous errors.
Every German soldier would infinitely sooner be taken prisoner by the
Americans than by the Russians or even the French; to be sent to a
prisoner-of-war camp in the United States was accounted a first
prize in the Wehrmacht's lottery of defeat. Above all, once the
fighting stopped, Germans without exception preferred to dwell in the
American than the Soviet zone of occupation.
The Americans also consolidated their economic supremacy. Whereas
much of Europe had suffered devastation on an unparalleled
scale, the American homeland witnessed an extraordinary growth of
American industrial productivity and an unprecedented rise in the
gross national product (from $11.0 billion, in 1929 prices, in 1939 to
$180.9 billion in 1945). For many Americans, the wardespite its
hardships and dangerstumed into a positive experience, creating an
almost universal labor shortage, which meant that wages rose and
that formerly unemployed workers had money to spend on luxuries as
well as necessities. Millions of black Americans migrated North and
found jobs in industry that had formerly been denied to them.
Hostility, education and job discrimination against Catholics
andJewsdiminished.Millionsofwomenmovedintothelaborforce; many of
them stayed in their newfound posts after the war, with the result
that five million more women were in paid employment by 1946 than
in 1941. In the United States, at war's end prosperity created new
expectations and overall a new sense of optimism and well-being.
By their joint exertions, the United States and Britain restored
the prestige of democratic govemment, badly tamished during the
1930s when nazism and fascism had appeared to be the wave of the
future. American society and the American economy worked. The
intemational effect of U.S. (and British) democracy was enormous.
Unlike Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, neither Roosevelt nor Churchill
feared plots from theirgenerals. American societybased on a
modified free enterprise principlecreated a productive miracle that
would have appeared improbable even to writers of science flction.
The American and British alone had a credible record of maintaining
civil liberty. (The intemment of Japanese Americans in the United
States and of many German Jewish refugees in Great Britain was a
regrettable departure from the Allies' high standards; however, the
civilian prisoners in every other belligerent country Germany, Japan,
France, the Soviet Unionwould have gladly traded places with those
in Anglo-American hands. )
World War 11 was likewise decisive in shaping future relations
between the United States and its Western Allies. President
Roosevelt's great design (the Atlantic Charter) differed much from
what later. transpired. Roosevelt believed that there could be a
permanent partnership between the United States and the Soviet
Union. Treated with consideration, granted its rightful sphere of
27 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
influence in Eastem Europe, the Soviet Union would collaborate with
Western capitalism in a new world order. This would be run through
the United Nations but would be essentially based on a partnership
between the "Big Four"the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and
Britain. Relations with Britain would be friendly, but the British, as
well as the French and the Dutch, would have to surrender their ill-
gotten empires in the cause of world peace.
In fact there was friction between the United States and the
Soviet Union during the war. By contrast, U.S. ties with Britain (and
the so-called white Dominions, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa), were infinitely tighter than with any other country. U.S. and
British diplomatists might disagree over Soviet ambitions or the
future of the British Empire; U.S. and British strategists might
quarrel over the impending invasion of the European continent; U.S.
and British sailors would customarily get into fights when going
ashore in the same port. But U.S. and British economic and defense
policies were much more closely coordinated than those of any
sovereign allies. This special relationship remains just as real fifty
years laterd7
Relations with France, by contrast, were much worseand remained
so for years to come. Roosevelt personally disliked Charles de Gaulle,
France's wartime leader. Indeed, the two stood worlds apart. De
Gaulle was a proud and touchy soldier, a believer in realpolitik,
intensely preoccupied with his country's prestige, sure that he alone
embodied his country's glory and esprit. Roosevelt, intensely civilian
in his ethos, never awed by martial splendor, was convinced that the
United States should guide the world into a new moral order that
would supersede old world power politics. Roosevelt refused to
regard de Gaulle as France's only legitimate representative.
Roosevelt, moreover, always projected domestic politics on the
foreign screen, there was no French voting lobby in the United States,
as there was a Polish, an Irish, and a Jewish lobby. French interests
thus were held of small account.
U.S. relations with Italy, oddly enough, were easier. The German
alliance was unpopular in Italy; Mussolini's much-heralded "pact of
steel" with Hitler would never have survived a popular referendum.
Once the Allies were firmly entrenched in Italy and Germany's defeat
seemed certain, Mussolini fell and Italy switched sides. The
Italians cooperated with the Allies, and the United States began to
render massive aid to its former enemy, a policy welcomed with
special enthusiasm by Italian Americans, by Catholics of all ethnic
backgrounds, and by other enemies of Stalinism who feared the
challenge posed by the powerful Italian Communist party.
U.S. opinion regarding Germany was much more complex. After
World War 1, there had arisen a feeling of guilt among many
intellectuals, a sense that Germany had been victimized by allied
rapacity in the Treaty of Versailles ( 1919). There was no such
proGermanism after World War 11the Nazis, with their murderous
campaigns and death camps, had tOO grossly besmirched their
country's reputation. Indeed it was intellectually fashionable to be
hostile to Germany; sophisticates who would have blanched at
expressing the slightest hostility to Jews or blacks could indulge in
anti-German remarks to their heart's content. Nevertheless,
antiGermanism in the United States never became as powerful as it
did for a time in Britain during World War ll, when leading
intellectuals such as A. J. P. Taylor, Sir Lewis Namier, and Hugh
Dalton became vigorous proponents of anti-Germanism. The United
States, by contrast, never felt in mortal danger of Germany; about
one-fifth of the U.S. population traced their descent wholly or partly
to Germany. German names such as Eisenhower, Spaatz, and Nimitz
were conspicuous among the list of the United States' greatest
commanders; the German impact was profound on the Lutheran
churches and, to a lesser extent, on the Catholic church. Once the war
had ended and the Morgenthau plan to reduce Germany to a "potato
patch" was seen to be a blunder, there was little doubt that a
reformed and repentant Germany would work its way back into
American esteem. West Germany came to be seen as the dynamo for
restructuring Europe and as the shield, with U.S. help, against Soviet
might.
World War 11 was also fraught with other far-reaching consequences.
Americans became convinced that only a united Europe free of
economic nationalism, trade wars, and custom duties would prevent
future European wars; the United States should constitute a model for
Europeans to follow. A political federation, however, would only work
if sustained by a prosperous and expanding economy. Hence U.S.
policymakers became convinced, during the war, that the United
States must provide flnancial aid and that the New
29 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
Deal should be exported to Europe. The Atlantic Charter, the Four
Freedoms, Lend Lease all reflected the Americans' new spirit of
humanitarian interventionism.
By contrast, there was in Europe, when the war ended, a pervasive
pessimism expressed in gloomy philosophies such as existentialism.
Entire cities lay in ruins, millions of people had lost their lives in
battle, in bombing, or in death camps. To return even to prewar
normalcy seemed for many Europeans an unattainable fantasy.
Compared with the Europeans' pessimism, the Americans had a
healthy optimism. The Americans' belief in economic growth, in a
dynamic society sustained by mass production, in mass consumption,
and in social equality provided that element of hope that would prove
essential for Europe's postwar recoveryd8
America also continued to influence Europe's popular culture. Jazz
remained a major contribution of black Americans. U.S. popular music
also derived inspiration from the traditional strains of the American
West (themselves influenced by Mexican corridos, or ballads) and
from tunes brought across the Atlantic by European immigrants
English, Irish, German, Jewish, Italian, and others. American music in
turn spread through the remotest parts of the globe; musicians such
as Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong were acclaimed as much abroad
as at home. Also acclaimed were American movies, some of which
were fantasies that spread disinformation concerning the real
America. American movies and musical comedies similarly supplied
much of Europe's entertainment; all modern fairy-tale characters
Superman, Donald Duck, Bambi, the Wizard of Oz, the heroic cowboy
came from America.
To the old-style European liberal, the United States was the bastion
of freedom. To the refugee scientist of the 1930s, the United States
provided new academic opportunities as well as shelter. To social
reformers (including British Labourites such as Ernest Bevin and
Harold Laski), the United States was the land of the New Deal. To the
efficiency expert, the United States was the country that pioneered
mass production methods. America was also the land in which a
person might redeem failures suffered in the old country.
Alternatively, the "rich uncle from America" appeared in melodrama
as a deus ex machina, ready to help an ambitious young man in his
career. (This theme returned in the 1980s in Heimat, an enormously
popular German television series.) And even critics of the United
States such as Bertrand Russell or Arnold Toynbee never hesitated
privately to make money in a country they denigrated in public.
The United States dominated not only Europe but the world. The
United States held a temporary monopoly of nuclear arms. It stood
supreme in the natural and physical sciences. In religious terms
regarding the number of practicing believers and trained personnel
and financial resources, the United States was at once the world's
largest Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish country. America contributed
more to intemational charity than the rest of the world combined:
terms such as "]oint" and ".Care" packages entered the international
vocabulary. Even international bodies such as the United Nations
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) were largely
financed with the American taxpayers' money.
Overall, American English came to be what Latin had been to the
literate classes of medieval Europethe principal language of
international communications as well as a prestige symbol. (The use
of English spread through textbooks, teacher exchanges, student
travel, tourism, imported fllms, television programs, and jazz and
through English terminology in intemational organizations, banking,
aviation, maritime communications, and the military. English also
dominated in the social sciences and scientiflc and technological
publications.) The role of English became particularly important in
smaller countries such as Sweden and Holland; neither French nor
German could equal the importance of English throughout Europe and
the world at large. American broadcasts also had tremendous political
influence. Few Americans realize the enormous impact that the Voice
of America, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Liberty (beamed to the
Soviet Union) had on the Soviet satellites.'9
The United States moreover enjoyed special advantages with regard
to its civic culture. The U.S. Constitution of 1787 is the world's
oldest written constitution and has helped make the United States one
of the most politically stable countries in the world. (Even during the
stormy 1960s, hardly any revolutionary professed a willingness to
abolish the Constitution, however much he or she expressed hostility
to the hated "system" in general.) The American Constitution was
studied with interest by the founding fathers of the German Federal
Republic and the Italian Republic after World War
31 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
II and later by scholars and politicians during the Soviet Union's
demise. The Federalist Papers would remain relevant when the works
of Lenin and Stalin were moldering in the attic. American federalism,
the system of checks and balances, of the separation of powers, has
been modifled but has endured and remained a strength of American
democracy. No Marxist-inspired constitution could make a similar
claim. And European Community enthusiasts speak of a federal union
of nations to form a United States of Europe.
At the same time the United States enjoyed a high level of
interest in politics, media attention to political affairs, pride in the
country, a sense of civic duty, and trust in political institutions.
American constitutionalism helped integrate wave after wave of
immigrants into the U.S. political culture. Up to the late 1 960s, U.S.
respondents in public opinion polls thought more highly about their
own political system and displayed more participatory and supportive
attitudes than non Americans. Americans, on the whole, also felt
more certain of their ability to influence governmental action than
most Europeans. Not surprisingly, the United States after World War II
saw itself as the major actor in world history.
The partial Americanization of Europe had begun in wartime and
continued after 1945. The United States, as the "arsenal of
democracy," had equipped its Allies and provided the majority of
forces for the war in the West and in the Pacific. Millions of troops
had been stationed first in Britain, then in occupied Western Europe.
Americans brought new habits, attitudes, and diets to Europeans.
Mores and morals became more open and friendly and less class
biased. Thousands of GI brides linked families across the Atlantic;
sexual liaisons numbered in the millions. The GI's brought new
ambition and appetites to help break down national stereotypes.
Military govemments ruled West Germany, Austria, and Italy, reshaped
their governments, and helped liberalize their education systems and
economies. The Marshall Plan (1947-51) was set up to revitalize
Western Europe, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
was put together to defend the region against the threats of
communism and Germany. The United States had truly come into its
own; as Churchill noted at war's end, "America stands at this moment
at the summit of the world."
ATTITUDES WITHIN THE ATLANTIC COMMUNITY AFIER 1945
What of the attitudes within the Atlantic community as it evolved
between the end of World War 11 and the 1980s? On both sides of the
Atlantic there remained a good deal of ambivalence. AntiAmericanism
continued to be influentialmuch of it reactionary and antimodern.
Americans were resented for their political and economic power,
their bragging, and their riches. America was identified with the real
or imagined evils alike of urbanism and free enterprise. Some
Europeans were envious and resentful of the United States. The
British Labour party, according to Anthony Crosland, resented the
United States because it took over leadership from the British and
because of the success of capitalism over socialism. Certain British
and European conservatives were anti American because of the U.S.
role in encouraging decolonization. (The 1956 Suez crisis was the
most serious clash between European colonialism and American
anticolonialism.)2=A1 Westem Europe's dependency on the United States
was another source of anguish and resentment. The United States not
only helped Europe recover but also defended it against the Soviet
Union. Dependency hurt some Europeans' pride but helped push them
into working toward a United States of Europe to stand as a third
force between the United States and the USSR.
The partial Americanization of Europe was somewhat balanced by
the increasing influence of Europe on America. The ordinary
immigrant from Western Europe was no longer an unskilled or
semiskilled worker or farmer, as he or she had been in the olden days.
The bulk of European newcomers were highly skilled technicians or
professionals. European professors lectured at U.S. universities;
European scientists worked at U.S. institutes. European investors
played a major part in U.S. economic life. In terms of acquiring
business assets in the United States, British, German, French, and
Dutch investors between them played a much more important role
than the much-discussed Japanese. There was ever-increasing
cooperation between major corporations in the United States and
Europe. For example, Daimler-Benz, a German giant, collaborated with
U.S. corporations such as Westinghouse in manufacturing
33 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
machinery required for mass transit, including engines for subways
and automated train control components. Daimler subsidiaries
manufactured heavy-duty trucks in the United States or turned out
medical equipment. Indeed, Daimler's activities in the United States
became so complex that the company had to open an offlce in
Washington, D.C., just to handle relations with the U.S. govemment. As
Daimler's chairman put it, "collaboration sans frontieres is more and
more becoming an indispensable prerequisite for one's own economic
and technological success."2t
Europe also influenced day-to-day living in the United States to
an extent not understood by professional anti-Americans, who
believed that cultural influence was a one-way street. An American
executive might wake up to the buzz of a German-made Braun alarm
clock, prepare Italian espresso in a German-manufactured Krups
coffee maker, eat a croissant from the French-owned Vie de France
bakery chain, spread butter supplied by the Anglo Dutch Lever Group,
purchased at a Giant supermarket owned by the Dutch Alber Hejn
Group. Thus refreshed, the executive would have a hot shower with
the new Lever 2000 soap, shave with a Norelco shaver from Philips,
then slip into an Italian-made suit from Giorgio Armani. Thereafter he
might ride to the office in a Swedish Volvo filled with gas at a BP
(British Petroleum) station, pick up a Spanish business associate at
the Watergate Hotel (owned by the British Trusthouse Forte Company
), and discuss a new best-seller published by Doubleday (just acquired
by the German firm of Bertelsmann). C'est la vie.
The United States and Europe also came to resemble one another in
more fundamental ways. American life became much more
bureaucratized than in the olden days; U.S. bureaucracies rivaled their
European counterparts in arrogance and complexity. At the same time,
the U.S. intelligentsia assumed a much more prominent place in U.S.
Iife than two generations earliera development already familiar to
Europeans.
Still, to nationalists in Europe, the United States was the dominant
player in world politics, and the Europeans had to depend on the
Americans for their military defense until the collapse of the Warsaw
Pact in 1989. In the twenty-first century the Europeans may become
the world's economic leaders, but they have yet to prove
that they have military and political power equal to the United
States or indeed that they can act forcefully as a political unit.22
Charges of economic imperialism were hurled at the United States
throughout the postwar decades. Although the United States saw
itself as an anticolonial power, leftists defined the United States as
imperialistic because of its economic penetration of world markets.
Lenin (Imperialism, 1917) defined imperialism as the last stage of
capitalism; he thus made the United States appear as an imperialist
power even though it had no colonies. West German leftist youths
claimed that the United States had colonized Germany. The French had
long preached against the American challenge, and the British left
widely accepted the Marxist definition of the United States as a
neocolonialist power.-Opposition to American economic takeovers
therefore was widespread in Europe from 1945 on; the European
Economic Community (EEC) adopted a partially protectionist policy in
1958, and American multinationals who set up plants in Europe were
perceived by Jean Louis Servan-Schreiber as embodiments of The
American Challenge (first published in Frerich in 1967).
American self-criticism was the source of much of this
antiAmericanism in Europe. The attacks on American society by
American liberal-left academics and journalists focused on the
failures of capitalism, on the industrial-military complex, on civil
rights abuses, and on the policy of containment. Critics such as Paul
Baran, Noam Chomsky, Herbert Marcuse, Vance Packard, and Susan
Sontag helped convince many Europeans of America's evil. Naive
actresses such as eane Fonda and Shirley MacLaine or Communist
party functionaries such as Angela Davis were believed when they
fantasized about American society. American newspaper columnists
were among the worst America-bashers. Walter Lippmann kept saying
that the cold war was America's fault. Anthony Lewis claimed that
the United States was the most dangerous and destructive power in
the world, and Tom Wicker claimed in the 1980s that the American
system did not workthis at a time of the greatest prosperity and
military power in the country's history.23
Much anti-Americanism in postwar Europe therefore was reinforced
by American movies, television, drama, and popular music,
PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
for these all too often display only the worst aspects of American
societyits criminality, racism, and violence. Nevertheless, many
Americans found it hard to understand why, having saved Europe from
self-destruction in World Wars I and 11 at great loss of American
lives and having then helped rebuild that region after World War ll,
they were resented and treated with distrust.
Given the murderous history of communism, there could be no
objective justiflcation for treating the United States and the USSR as
moral equivalents. Nevertheless, many European and U.S. intellectuals
seldom stopped criticizing the United States, while excusing
communism's failures. Some church officials even claimed that
communism was morally superior to capitalism. Luckily,
antiAmericanism never forced the United States to retreat into
isolation or a "fortress America" mentality. The United States
remained committed to NATO and globally containing communist
expansionnot always with success.
Until the Vietnam War, the majority of Europeans liked the United
States and believed it was seriously committed to their security.
Thereafter, European distrust of U.S. Ieadership and judgment
increased. Public opinion polls in Western Europe from 1954 to 1982
were generally more favorable than unfavorable to the United States
but suspicious of U.S. political judgment.
There was also concern by scholars such as Paul Kennedy (The Rise
and Fall of Great Powers, 1987 ) about the U.S. commitment to be the
world's police force and U.S. ability to sustain its military status as a=
superpower. The United States supposedly had overreached itself by
spending too much on defense at a time when the U.S. economy
suffered from slow growth, a loss of technical super iority in many
fields, national budget deficits, a trade deficit, and the poor
education obtained by so many American high school students. Above
all, the United States encountered criticism from the peace
movements and the various Green parties, which censured the U.S.
policy of nuclear deterrence. There was bitter resentment concerning
the arms buildup initiated by President Carter and accelerated by
President Reagan. Stephen Haseler has best summed up the nature of
European anti Americanism as not just opposition to U.S. policies but
resentment of U.S. power and material success and a feeling of
dependency on this superpower.
In the postwar period, many of Europe's elites believed that
American democracy was without real culture and was excess=92vely
individualistic. The United States incurred censure at the same time
for being vulgar and elitist, bellicose and soft, materialistic yet
preachy. Anti-Americanism appealed to those who equated the United
States with modernity in its worst aspectswith the destruction of
customary family and religious ties. But the United States also was
blamed for failing to develop the Third World in an adequate manner,
for hogging too many of the world's resources. Anti-Americanism
pleased nationalists of every description, who
denigratedtheUnitedStatesasacollectionofrootlesscosmopolitans
drawn from every nation on earth. But then the United States was also
lambasted for its real or assumed chauvinism. Anti-Americanism
frequently went with hostility to the Americans' capitalist
ruthlessness. Yet U.S. capitalists were also denounced for their
alleged inability to compete on the world market against Japanese
and German competition.
Anti-Americanism appealed in particular to social elitesnot so much
the traditional upper classes but to leftist television producers,
joumalists, academics, clergy. They took pride not merely in their
assumed superior intellectual ability but also in their social and
aesthetic chic. Hence they widely enjoyed sneering at President
Reagan as a former B-movie actor and at Prime Minister Thatcher for
being a grocer's daughter from Grantham who bought her clothes at
Marks and Spencer's (the British equivalent of Macy's). An American
variant of this creed particularly blamed the WASPs. Thus Charles
Reich's The Greening of America (1970) clailned that Americans found
work empty, pointless, and enslaving, lampooning the WASPs with
special severity. The political traditions of the American bourgeoisie
were widely regarded with contempt; political freedom, personal
liberty, limited government were exposed to ridicule. By contrast,
now-discredited revolutionaries such as Fidel Castro and Che Guevara
were held up for emulation.
>From the late 1970s on, the intellectual conhguration of the Westem
world began to change. By that time the prestige of communism was
on the decline; only a handful of true believers and revolutionary
theologians considered that communism represented a superior
morality and superior economic eMciency. Not that anti-
37 PETER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
Americanism ended. The United States did have worse crime and drug
problems than any Western European country. A new breed of European
right wingers resented the United States as the homeland of
feminism, multiculturalism, and other real or reputed cultural ills.
There was also, from the 1980s onward, a new form of
antiAmericanism inconceivable thirty years earlierthe equation of
the United States with inefficient management, shoddy workmanship,
and economic decline a l'anglaise. Exaggerated as those impressions
might be, they derived in part from genuine deficiencies and also from
grave errors in public relations. (It was surely one of President Bush's
major errors to take, on an official trip to Japan, twenty-one
corporate executivesincluding a senior offlcial from General Motors
who had just announced the layoff of 74,000 workers, the closing of
numerous plants, and, in the bargain, an $80 million compensation
package for the upper echelon of management. ) Z4
Above all there was anti-Americanism homemade. Few foreigners
ever denounced the United States with the same passion as Paul
Fussell, an American writer to whom the United States was BAD, in
capital letters, and hell was other Americans.es Such sentiments
widely appealed to a moral coalition whose members drew their
inspiration from three separate traditionsreligious (particularly
Quakers, Unitarians, Episcopalians, Jews); secular humanist (both
Marxist and non-Marxist); and bohemian (including outsiders of every
kind who gloried in their own alienation from society).
Overwhelmingly they rejected the doctrine of original sin; they
repudiated the past and put their trust into a glorious future.
Whatever their philosophical antecedents, they regarded themselves
like seventeenth-century Puritansas a chosen band, a moral
vanguard, destined to lead the oppressed masses from presentday
America, the new Egypt, to a promised land of the vanguard's own
creation.
The impact of anti-Americanism, however, should not be exaggerated.
The history of the Atlantic Community since the end of 1945 had,
after all, been an extraordinary success story, at least for that part
of Westem Europe that, as the British Economist put it, had been
"lucky enough to have been liberated (or defeated) by the Americans."
Whereas the first part of the present century had been
a time of disaster, the second had seen a period of peace unmatched
since the post-Napoleonic era. "The average West European's income
(at 1990 prices) has risen more than 300 percent from $4,860 a year
in 1950 to $20,880 in 1990. Life expectancy for West Europeans went
up in that time from 67 to 76 years."26
True enough, both Westem Europe and the United States suffered
from serious social problems. In Westem Europe there were, for
example, new ethnic tensions, as Western Europe became a magnet for
immigrants. By 1992 the share of foreign-born people in many
Western European countries was indeed higher than in the United
States, the world's classic country of refuge. ( In 1991 the share of
foreign-born persons amounted to about 17 percent in Switzerland, 11
percent in France, 9 percent in Belgium, 7.5 percent in Germany, 6.3
percent in Britain as against 6 percent in the United States.) Of
course no European country could compare with the United States as
regards ethnic diversity. The United States in particular continued to
suffer from bitter racial rivalries, as expressed, for example, in the
1992 riots in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, the United States' problems
seem manageable when compared with those of other multiethnic
countries such as Russia, Romania, Yugoslavia, and many others.
Europeans widely appreciated America's relative tranquillity. Within
the United States the moral coalition proved unexpectedly flssiparous
as militant feminists, ecologists, gays, and minority advocates
increasingly pursued divergent aims. The moral coalition could not
easily gain a mass following in a country whose citizens, in public
opinion polls, overwhelmingly expressed satisfaction with their own
lives. (The same generalization applies to Westem Europe. )
The breakdown of communism in the former Warsaw Pact countries
weakened anti-Americanism both directly and indirectly. The
enormous propaganda campaign directed and financed by the Soviet
Union and its allies suddenly ceased. Marxists of every kind were
suddenly put on the defensive. Why hae they failed to foresee
communism's impending disaster? Why had they so widely failed to
understand the demographic, moral, and economic ravages experienced
by every country that had ever been under communist rule? Moreover,
by the 1980s, even before the breakup of the Soviet Union, some of
the old-fashioned anti-Americanism of the French left had lost its
sting. Jean Paul Sartre, once the country's most
39 PETER DUIGe:AN AND L. H. GANN
influential intellectual, and anti-Americanism, once de rigueur among
the smart set, became pass=8E. From the 1980s onward it became
acceptable among the literati to talk of la France qui gagne (the
France that makes money), to appear preppy (bon chic, bon genre), and
even to praise wines from Califomia. As Richard Bernstein put it, "the
noisome, Sartrean, fashionably leftist jargon that treated the United
States as a bourgeois and therefore philistine tyranny, an
'imperialist' menace posing a threat at least as grave as the one posed
by the Soviet Union has become nngard (fusty, old fashioned in French
youth jargon)."27
As regards the future, the news is both bad and good. The United
States and the Western European countries share comparable social
problems. Voters in most Westem countries faced rising rates of
taxation, budget deficits, rising costs of social services, and
dissatisfaction with the public services states were meant to
deliver. In the United States, as in Europe, television dominated
popular leisure. Religious attendance had widely diminished, and
traditional values were in decline. Unemployment had turned into a
pervasive problem, though generally worse in Westem Europe than in
the United States. Both Europeans and Americans were forced to
adjust to a world where manufacturing industries required far fewer
workers than in the past, a world where job opportunities for the
unskilled, the semiskilled, and the archaically skilled kept
diminishing. On both sides of the Atlantic the number of children born
out of wedlock has greatly increased since the 1960s; it was 25
percent in the United States in 1993. In the United States the
illegitimacy rate for whites now nearly equals the black rate of the
mid-1960s, when scholars such as Daniel Patrick Moynihan flrst
sounded the alarm over the decline of the black family.28 But in
Westem Europe too the traditional family structure has weakened: the
percentage of womenheaded families has gone up and with it, drug
consumption, crime (especially juvenile crime), and the feminization
of poverty. Western Europe, like the United States, must cope with
massive immigration and the resultant ethnic hostilities. In dealing
with these and associated problems, Americans and Europeans can
profit by learning from one another's experiences.
The breakdown of traditional authority has also affected politics on
both sides of the Atlantic. Forty years ago, an Irish workman in
a big American industrial city was likely to vote for the Democratic
party, attend a Catholic church, and loyally support his union. A Welsh
miner would probably vote for the Labour party, attend chapel, and
likewise take pride in being a union man. A Bavarian woman would in
all likelihood support the Christian Democratic party and go to mass.
By contrast, a Walloon steelworker in Belgium would probably be a
loyal socialist in politics and an agnostic in religion; in all likelihood,=
he would make sure that his daughter voted socialist and married a
socialist.
By the l990s, these certainties had greatly weakened. Political
allegiances had become more fluid than in previous generations.
Governing parties were in trouble all over the Atlantic Community.
Besmirched by scandal, the Christian Democratic (CD) party in Italy
had abdicated its leadership, which derived from the CD's opposition
to the once-powerful Italian Communist party. The cold war having
ended, Italian voters now feared the Mafia much more than the
communists, and the Italian judicature had begun a revolutionary
assault against Italy's former "political class." In France, the
Socialist party had, by 1994, been reduced to a shadow of its former
self. In Germany, confidence in the three main political parties had
diminished. In Canada the ruling Progressive Conservative party had
been shattered in the 1993 election. In the United States, the two
major parties were riddled by intemal disputes over issues such as
health care, conservation, and the adoption of the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in
1993.0nbothsidesoftheAtlanticethnicandregionaldifferences had
widened within many countriesthis at a time when the Soviet threat
from without had gone. In the United States political arena there were
heightened tensions between whites and blacks, gays and straights,
feminists and traditionalists. Outside the United States regional
loyalties had gained strength in countries as diverse as Belgium,
Spain, Italy, and France. (A French cartoon showed two Frenchmen in
conversation. "I am a xenophobe," proclaims the first. "Of which
region?" asks the second.) Worse offstill was Yugoslavia, which had
turned into a European Lebanon.
But the good news outweighed the bad. The Soviet Empire had joined
the former Western colonial empires in oblivion. The cold war ended.
A "hot war" seemed so unlikely that all NATO members
prTER DUIGNAN AND L. H. GANN
reduced their armed forces. The psychological impact of
decommunization meant that all over Europe, East and West, former
Marxist-Leninists were revising their resum=8Es. Nobody had ever heard
anything, seen anything, said anything, known anything, except for
handful of oldsters now on sickbeds, in their dotage, or in exile.
Communism had ended not with a bang but with a whimper. Academic
Marxism was in the doldrums in every Westem country except the
United States, where left-wingers had been less exposed to the
practice of "real existing socialism" than their colleagues in the
formerly communist countries.
Diplomatic relations between the United States and its Western
European allies were remarkably good. Unlike Britain and France, the
United States had not attempted to place obstacles in the way
ofGermanreunification.GermanyremainedWashington'sprincipal ally in
Europe, as well as a major trading partner. U.S.-British relations did
not remain as close under President Clinton as they had been under
President Bush and even more so under President Reagan. In President
Reagan's day, admiration for Margaret Thatcher nearly equaled the
respect paid to Winston Churchill in World War ll. Nevertheless,
President Clinton took pride in being an Oxford man, and no major
issues divided the two countries. No matter what theoreticians might
say, a "special relationship" continued to link the United States with
Britain and Ireland, the only two European countries where United
States tourists could feel at home without having to leam a new
language. Franco-American relations suffered from disputes over
tariffs (especially those concemed with U.S. farming imports and U.S.
movies). But again, there were no major disputes over principles. The
visceral anti-Americanism of eeanPaul Sartre's day had disappeared.
On the contrary, a reputed familiarity with the writings of Milton
Friedman had become politically acceptable. To be a connoisseur of
California wines was deflnitely chic. Spain's democracy had turned
out to be a striking success, and no one askedas many scholars did in
the 1970s whether it would last. The Portuguese dictatorship had
become a remote memory. Franco German, Anglo-French, or Anglo-
German wars of earlier years had come to seem light years away. The
United States, it was widely believed, would never again have to be
involved in intra-European conflicts.
AN AMBIVALENT HERITAGE 42=09e=0943=09PETER DUIONAN AND L. H. GANN
The United States was also bound to beneflt from the EC's
creation of a single market (flnalized in 1993). The EC stands out as
one of the United States' chief trading partners, and the United States
seems bound to proflt from the EC's transformation into a single
marketwith freedom for people, capital, and services to move within
the EC's border. The United States also is a model for those European
federalists who aim at turning the EC into a United States of Europe.
(The Maastricht Treaty, put into force in 1993, indeed looked to a
superfederation with a uniform currency, a joint foreign and security
policy, and a common social charter.) In our opinion, those goals are
unattainable, and the United States has little interest in supporting
them. No matter what constitutional lawyers might say, effective
sovereignty in the EC would continue to rest with the constituent
statesnot the federal power, as it does in the United States. The
reason for that state of affairs is simple: the EC is a union of twelve
diverse states with different languages and cultures. If push came to
shove, the EC would never go to war to prevent one of its member
states from secedingunlike the Unired States in the Civil War, the
Swiss Corefederation in the so-called Sonderbundskrieg, or Nigeria in
the civil conflict against Ibo secessionists. The United States in
future would have to accept Westem Europe for what it was and what
it remainsan association of states linked both to one another and to
the United States by ties of history, commerce, and a common culture.
Given the state of Europe flfty years ago, this is indeed a mighty
change for the better. The Western world truly has cause to be
grateful.
of the Democratic World, t945-1958 (Oxford, Eng.: Blackwell, 1992).
Mark P. Lagon and Michel Lind, "American Way: The Enduring Interests
of U. S. Foreign Policy," Policy Review, Summer 1991, pp. 38-44. See
also Peter Duignan and L. H. Gann, The United States and Africa: A
History (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1984), chap. 5. Alexis
de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, ed. e. P. Mayer (Garden City,
N.Y.: Doubleday, 1969), p. 33. See also Daniel J. Boorstin, America and
the Image of Europe (New York: World Publishing, 1964). "An
American," Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling (New York: Doubleday,
1910), pp. 97-99. Nathan Glazer, "The Structure of Ethnicity," Public
Opinion, OctoberNovember 1984, pp. 2-5. Cited respectively from
Pierre Berton, The Invasion of Canada, ]812-1813 (Ontario: Penguin
Books, 1988), p. 42, and Arthur Hertzberg, The Jews in America: Four
Centuries of an Uneasy Encounter (New York: Simon and Schuster,
1989), p. 157.
Leo Schelbert and Hedwing Rappold, eds, Alles ist gane andcrs hier:
Auswanderer-Schicksale in Briefen aus zweieahrhunderten (Olten and
Freiburg: Walter-Verlag, 1977), pp. 42, 67,100,115. Charles
Wentworth Dilke, Greater Britain: A Record of Travel in
Englishspeaking Countries during 1866-67 (Philadelphia: J.B.
Lippincott, 1869), p. 219. eames M. McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom:
The Civil War Era (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), p. 549.
Cartoon reprinted in Thomas A. Bailey, A Diplomatic History of the
American People (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1974), p. 467.
Marx to Engels, October 8,1858, in On Colonialism: Articlesfrom the
New York Tribune and other Writings by Karl Marx and Frederick
Engels (New York: International Publishers, 1972), p. 322. Cited in
David Dimbleby and David Reynolds, An Ocean Apart: The Relationship
between Britain and America in the Twentieth Century (New York:
Random House, 1988), p. 25. A. e. P. Taylor, The Struegle for the
Mastery of Europe 1848-1918 eOxford, Eng.: Clarendon Press, 1954),
pp. xxlx-xxx, for detailed flgures. Cited by Dimbleby and Reynolds, An
Ocean Apart, pp. 44.
Economic, and Cultural Relations with Europe, 1919-1933 (Ithaca,
N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1984), p. 178.
Dimbleby and Reynolds, An Ocean Apart, pp. 335-36. David Ellwood,
"The American Challenge and the Origins of the Politics of Growth," in
M. L. Smith and Peter M. R. Stirk, eds., Making the New Europe: European
Unity and the Second World War (London: Pinter, 1990), pp. 184200.
See also Duignan and Gann, The Rebirth of the West, chaps. I and Z.
Richard Grenier, "Around the World in American Ways," Public Opinion,
March 1986, pp. 3-5. Paul Hollander, Anti Americanism: Critiques at
Home and Abroad: 1965-1990 (New York: Oxford University Press,
1991). Stephen Haseler, AntiAmericanism: Steps in a Dangerous Path
(London: Institute for European Defense and Strategic Studies, 1986).
Steve Dryden, "Europe in America," Europe, June 1991, pp. 6-8. Peter
S. Rashid, "Made in Europe," Europe-, June 1991, pp. 11-12. Haseler,
Anti-Americanism, pp. 17-18. Ibid., pp. 24-25. Sidney Blumenthal,
"Short-Termers: Bush and the CEO's," New Republic, 27 eanuary 1992,
pp. 15-16. Paul Fussell, BAD: Or the Dumbing of America (New York:
Summit Books, 1991). "Europe's Open Future," The Economist, 22
February 1992, p. 47. "European Immigration," Christian Science
Monitor, August 1991, p. 22. Richard Bernstein, Fragile Glory: A
Portrait of France and the French (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990), p.
144. Forsurvey,seeCharlesMurray,LosingGround(NewYork:BasicBooks),
PETER DUIGNAN took his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Stanford University
and lectured for three years there before joining the Hoover
Institution in 1960. He is now Lillick Curator and senior fellow at the
Hoover Institution, where he directs a program of European studies.
He has been awarded Ford, Guggenheim, and Rockefeller fellowships,
was a visiting scholar at St. Antony's College, Oxford, and atJesus
College, Cambridge, and was elected a member of the Institute for
Advanced Study, Princeton, for 1987. He is general editor of Western
European Studies and has coedited Politics in Western Europe in that
series. He has written, with L. H. Gann, The Rebirth oftheWest:
TheAmericanieationoftheDemocraticWorld, 1945-1958 (1991) and,
with L. H. Gann, the forthcoming The U.S . and the New Europe,
19451993 (Blackwell Publisher).
| i don't know |
Having overcome her own addiction to alcohol and prescription medicine, what former first lady opened a treatment center for chemical dependency in Rancho Mirage, CA? | other groups, agencies, etc.; help our clients in sustaining a drug free ...
Cri-Help
... CRI-HELP. CRI-HELP is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1971 to help substance ... a small, grass roots organization, CRI-HELP was one of the first ...
CRIENGLISH
... CRI Home - About Us - Contact Us - Jobs - Photo- Forums - Talk China ... to play CRI audio files. 2000 | XP | Mac. Help for Audio Problems ...
Cancer Research Institute: Exploring the body's immune system as a way to prevent, control and cure cancer
The Cancer Research Institute funds research aimed at furthering the development of immunological approaches to control cancer, cure cancer and to prevent cancer. ... This field, which CRI helped pioneer and develop, has been ... for the 19th Annual CRI Awards Dinner, which was held ... Plans for Eleventh Annual CRI C
Counseling
Counseling.com
One stop access for all counseling needs. For the community there are manyresources: counseling FAQs, library, glossary, therapist locator, chat room, ...
HealthyPlace.com Mental Health Communities
Information on psychological disorders, psychiatric medications. Includes mentalhealth chats, support groups, journals, diaries, online psychological tests ...
Association for Death Education and Counseling
Multi-disciplinary professional organization, death education, bereavementcounseling, and care of the dying. Calendar of events, certification program, ...
Latest Counseling News
Bankruptcy reform tops list of consumer credit counseling sessions (BizJournals)Albuquerque plays host this week to leaders in consumer credit counseling at a time when new bankruptcy laws promise to have a profound impact on the industry.Counseling Hearing in Archdiocese Bankruptcy Case (Oregon Public Broadcasting)Lawyers for those alleging clergy sex abuse will ask a federal bankruptcy judge Monday to allow the Archdiocese of Portland to pay for psychological counseling sessions for their clients.First drug counseling, treatment center to open in Arab sector (Haaretz Daily)The Al Sam association, which provides drug counseling and treatment for teens and their parents, decided Monday to op
Conifer Park
Conifer Park Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Center
Click here to open Conifer Park Brochure.pdf & print if desired; the link ...The Conifer Park treatment program is multidisciplinary in scope and ...
Conifer Park Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Center
Conifer Park Outpatient 526 Old Liverpool Road Liverpool ,NY 13088 Phone: 315-453-3911... Conifer Park Outpatient 79 Glenridge Road Glenville, NY 12302 ...
Job Search Results on CareerBuilder.com
Clinical Direct
SuperPages from Verizon has listings for many more Clare businesses.
Santa Monica Mirror: CLARE Foundation Receives $1 Million Gift
CLARE Foundation Receives $1 Million Gift. Earmarked for New Culver City Family Center. Santa Monica's CLARE Foundation received a $1 million gift from the Chicago-based Esper A.
Clare Foundation
© Copyright CLARE Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement
St. Clare's, Oxford - independent college - IB, English language courses, Study Abroad
An International College based in Oxford, England
Latest Clare Foundation News
Webwise (RedNova)The Immune Deficiency Foundation website is a comprehensive resource for nurses. A knowledge of immunology is vital to nurses' understanding of the aetiology and management of a wide variety of conditions.Columbia Spectator - CU Profs Awarded Academic Grants (Columbia Daily Spectator)This Web site was designed using Web standards. Learn more about the benefits of standardized design. Four Columbia professors were granted thousands of dollars to study topics ranging from German resistance during Nazi Germany to the nature-nurture debate.Johnson County support groups (The Indianapolis Star)All meetings are free and open to the public, except as noted. Alateen helps those 12 and older gain a better understanding of how alcoholism in a friend or relative affects lives. Meetings are from 8 to 9 p.m. Fridays at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Indianapolis.
Alcohol RehabSections
Christian Alcohol Rehab
Faith Home Inc in Greenwood, SC Drug Rehab
... Drug Rehab Home|Contact Us|About Us States :: SC Rehabs by City :: Treatment Centers in SC Drug Rehab or Treatment Center Name : Faith Home Inc Christian Alcohol and Drug Rehab CLICK HERE FOR MORE ...
Drug Alternative Program - Christian alcohol and drug rehab recovery homes
A residential Christian home offering drug and alcohol recovery and rehab programs for adult men. The Drug Alternative Program promotes rehabilitatio
Chemical Dependency
Chemical Dependency
... Chemical Dependency. The Chemical Dependency Department at Massillon Community Hospital (MCH) provides ... Treatment at MCH's Chemical Dependency Unit is based on the fact that ...
Chemical Dependency
What is Chemical Dependency, alcoholism, and addiction? ... For our purposes, the term chemical dependency, refers to a primary illness or disease which is ... to a mood-altering chemical. Chemical dependency includes both drug addiction ...
LRGH -- Chemical Dependency
Chemical Dependency Program. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the w
Institutional information about this Ann Arbor, Michigan facility, including access to the Patient Education Resource Center.
Benefits of Classroom Centers
The children are free to move from center to center to explore, manipulate, create, and work where their interests take them.Our centers include:
Learning Centers/ Literacy Centers - A resource of ideas and more...
Below you will find pictures of centers, various links about centers, and printable centers that you may use in your classroom!
Arizona Cancer Center: A National Cancer Institute-designated...
The Arizona Cancer Center provides diagnostic and treatment services for patients with cancer and blood disorders.
Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
Organisation devoted to re-expressing the essentials of Buddhism for modern Western society. Includes teachings, history, and links to Centers...
Latest Centers News
not to hold the Center For Orthopaedic Care responsible for any action ...
UAMS Center for Orthopaedic Research
UAMS Online ... UAMS Medical Center. The Center for Orthopaedic Research at UAMS brings together basic scientists ... University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Center for Orthopaedic Research ...
Mission & Values
... into new location The Center for Orthopedic Surgery moved into their new quarters next to the NorthStar Surgery Center. ...
THE CENTER FOR ORTHOPAEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE
Information on arm & leg injuries including arthroscopy, ligament tears, ACL injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff injuries, surgery of the arm & leg, joint replacement, arthritis, cartilage transplants,Hyalgan. ... Listen to a World Trade Center Attack Witness. ... c)1999 - present by The Center for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine - ALL RIGHTS ...
Washington Musculoskeletal Tumor Center - Experience and innovation in the treatment of sarcomas and other tumors of...
Washington Musculoskeletal Tumor Center in Washington DC - treatment of and education about bone and soft tissue sarcomas, cancers and benign tumors in the arms, legs,
9 million as a result of Medicare overbilling charges ... As reported by BNA, The Carrier Clinic agreed to repay $1.9 million ...
Welcome to the Carrier Clinic
Welcome to Carrier Clinic
Somerset Medical Center, Carrier Clinic Discuss Consolidation Of Inpatient Behavioral Health Services
... plan today to explore a future collaboration with Carrier Clinic. The medical center has notified the state ... If the unit is closed, Carrier Clinic will continue to manage the ...
Carrier Clinic - AnyDoctor.info
Carrier Clinic. Sponsored Links. MSN Search: carrier clinic. Search results. Welcome to the Carrier Clinic. 16 Jul 2005 at 5:36am ... Welcome to Carrier Clinic Carrier Clinic, Clinic, Health, Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety NOTE to the User: E-mail ...
Carrier Clinic
Carrier Clinic. P.O. Box 147, County Rt. 601. Belle Mead, NJ 08502. Phone: (800) 933-3579. (908) 281-1000. Fax: (908) 281-1680 ... Referral: To make a referral or schedule an appointment call Carrier Clinic. ...
Latest Carrier Clinic News
The Selma Times-Journal: Local (Selma Times-Journal)Ninth life? After living for a few days without food or water in a drawer in a hotel room at the Jame
Team Foundation Server simply connects the project ... project plan into Team Foundation Server) and can be ... Darren Jefford explores Team Foundation extensibility. Announcing the MSBuild ...
The Caron Keating Foundation
The Caron Keating Foundation is a fund raising partnership set up by Gloria Hunniford, Paul & Michael Keating. The Foundation will offer financial support to professional carers, complimentary healing practitioners and support groups dealing with...
Latest Caron Foundation News
Caron Foundation Speaks Out About New Treatments for Alcoholism (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)According to a recent article that ran across the Associated Press Newswires on September 14, 2005 - New Drugs Trying to Carve Out Niche as Treatments for Alcoholism by Mark Jewell - new drugs, in addition to counseling and 12-Step programs, are looking to become the new standard treatment for alcohol abuse.Caron Foundation Strongly Opposes Change in Classification of `Alcopops' (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)The Caron Foundation, a national leader in chemical dependency treatment located in Pennsylvania, concurs with the findings of James Mosher, director of the Center for the Study of Law and Enforcement Policy for the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation.Caron Foundation Responds to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Updated Guidelines Regarding (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)According to an article in The Wall Street Journal by Jane Spencer on August 23, 2005, the NIH recently issued updated guidelines for the treatment of alcohol-dependent patients, encouraging family practitioners to consider drugs in addition to traditional therapies.
Alcohol RehabSections
. ... Anytime two such excellent health care providers as Cardinal Hill and UK HealthCare pool their ...
Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital Website - Brought to You by HospitalLi...
cny used car dealers online - cardinal hill hospital cheap charter airlines ...
halloween greeting cards halloween greeting cards | cardinal sin philippines photo:: cardinal pools | seven cardinal virtues || cardinal hill hospital | cardinal tickets amtrak cardinal in dyer ...
Cardinal Hill Healthcare System
Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital Cardinal Hill of Northern Kentucky Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Center/Easter Seals of Louisville Camp KYSOC Cardinal Hill Specialty Hospital (LTACH) Cardinal ...
Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital Lexington, Kentucky (Hospitals)
USA > Kentucky > Lexington > Health > Medicine > Hospitals Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital A leader in providing acute physical rehabilitation services, Cardinal Hill ...
drug rehab into alcoholism and drug treatment Alcohol Rehab Center Hayes County eight Texas individualized California ...
California Drug Rehab Programs Alcohol Rehab Programs Newport Beach
... Drug Rehab Programs, Alcohol Rehab Programs. Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab ... successful and affordable Drug Rehab Programs and Alcohol Rehab center in Newport Beach, California! ...
Alcohol rehab and drug dependency treatment program.
Offers drug, chemical and alcohol rehab programs to help with addiction in a Southern California abuse treatment center.
Drug Rehab Drug Rehab Addiction Centers Drug Addiction Treatment Drug Rehabilitation Rehab Program
... by drug and alcohol abuse, and ineffective drug and alcohol rehabilitation methods
Buprenex
Heroin Cure ~ Buprenex ~ Heroin Withdrawal ~ Prevent Newborn Dependency
See this web site for a heroin cure. ... as an opiate reversal drug, will be Buprenex. Buprenex will be used to cure the withdrawal symptoms of ... is usually measured in hours when using Buprenex. Depending on how fast ...
The Coleman Institute - Opiate Dependant Detox, Naltrexone Implant, Accelerated Detox
... What are the properties of Buprenex that make it useful? Buprenex has partial agonist and partial antagonist ...
Buprenex Injectable - Buprenex Injectable Resource
Buprenex Injectable
Buprenex Online, Description, Chemistry, Ingredients - Buprenorphine - RxList Monographs
Buprenorphine. Buprenex ??????. (buprenorphine hydrochloride) Injectable. Rx Only. DESCRIPTION. Buprenex (buprenorphine hydrochloride) is a narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act due to its chemical derivation from thebaine. ... limited solubility in water. Buprenex is a clear, sterile, injectable agonist-antagonist ...
Buprenex
Facts about alcohol at College Drinking
Provides information about the dangers of high school and college drinking.
Binge drinking in dolescents nd college Students
Binge Drinking in Adolescents and College Students...
What is Binge Drinking?
What is Binge Drinking?
Latest Binge Drinking News
Binge drinking still a problem on college campuses (KOTA)With the new school year upon us, college students across the nation adapt to their new lifestyle of academics, living on their own, and for many, drinking.New fight on binge drinking (Southport Visitor)SEFTON is backing a British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) initiative that sets new standards in relation to binge drinking and happy hour promotions.Drinking, depression linked to smoking, UW study says (La Crosse Tribune)Smokers are more likely to report heavy or binge drinking and experience more depression and anxiety than former smokers and nonsmokers, according to a study released Thursday.
Alcohol RehabSections
ation comprised of the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences, the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center and the Betty Ford Center. (Rancho Mirage)
Betty Ford Biography
Betty Ford Biography.Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Bloomer was born in Chicago on April 8, 1918 and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
First Lady Bio Betty Ford
Her valiant efforts to overcome her dependency led to the founding of the Betty Ford Clinic, which opened in 1982...
Latest Betty Ford News
Finkbeiner, Ford will compete for Toledo mayor (Toledo Blade)Carty Finkbeiner and Jack Ford will spar in Round 2 of the Toledo mayor s race, and the incumbent mayor has already thrown the first punch. Mr. Finkbeiner, Toledo s mayor from 1994 to 2002, won yesterday s primary election with nearly 37 percent of the vote, final results showed.Commerce News... (MainStreet Newspapers)Henry Ford Wood, 81, of Jefferson, died Sunday, September 11, 2005. Born in Jackson County, he was the son of the late Elmer and Willie Catherine McGinnis Wood. He was a retired painter with the Sears Corporation and was Baptist.Today in History - Sept. 16 (AP via Yahoo! News)Today is Friday, Sept. 16, the 259th day of 2005. There are 106 days left in the year.
Alcohol RehabSections
Increased Federal Funding Needed for HIV/AIDS Mental and Behavioral
Increased F
Arms Acres
Arms Acres Inc in Carmel, NY Drug Rehab
Arms Acres Inc in Carmel, NY Drug Rehab and treatment center Data and Information on Arms Acres Inc...
usnews.com: Health: Directory of America's Hospitals: Arms Acres --
Arms Acres.Services provided.At a glance Services provided By the numbers...
Arms Acres
Arms Acres is a 129-bed residential alcoholism and substance abuse treatment facility situated on a beautiful 54-acre sitein Carmel, New York.
Arms Acres : Residential Treatment : The Addiction Recovery Guide
» Introduction » Center Comparison Chart » Addiction Institute of NY.Arms Acres » Ashley » B.H. Palm Beaches » Better Way of Miami...
Arms Acres Inc Rehab New York / Ny Therapy Info
NY Resources.NY Schools.Find a Therapist.A
beautiful Sedona, Arizona, Desert Canyon Treatment Center is helping people end addictions to alcohol, drugs, and ... The Desert Canyon alcohol and drug treatment program works with ...
Arizona Alcohol Rehab
Arizona Alcohol Rehab. Alcohol arizona rehab. Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Addiction Resources. Information on Alcohol arizona rehab and tennessee alcohol rehab... Alcohol Arizona Rehab. Didn't find what you were searching for? ... Effects Of Alcoholism. Arizona Alcohol Rehab. Alcoholism Physical ...
arizona alcohol rehab
Information on alcohol rehab, drug rehab, alcohol abuse. ... to be familiar with the reputation of any arizona alcohol rehab company you happened to be dealing with ... about a company most arizona alcohol rehab sites have a section titled ...
buy generic Antabuse, cheap Antabuse online HomeAbout UsShopping guide Welcome ! Members New User Login Sign up Shopping Cart Items : 00 Total : $ Go to Cart Toll Free: 866-343-7716 Products Refill ...
Generic Antabuse (Disulfiram): buy generic antabuse to treat chronic alcohol...
... com Products List Select your products here : ----------Select---------- Allegra Amaryl Amlodipine Amoxil Amoxicillin Antabuse Atorvastatin Avapro Azithromycin Bactrim DS Celecoxib Celexa Cetirizine ...
(Antabuse). Buy discount Disulphiram (Antabuse) online at http://www.myovers...
... CycrinRocaltrolTerazol 3Triphasil Generic Antabuse (generic name: Disulphiram) Qty. Name Our Price Units 30 Antabuse 250mg $45.33 Add to Cart 60 ...
Latest Antabuse News
A look at drugs to treat alcohol abuse (CNN.com)ANTABUSE: A decades-old aversion therapy drug designed to discourage drinking by making users sick if they drink alcohol. NALTREXONE: A generic medication that can block the brain chemicals that make addicts feel good after drinking or taking drugs like heroin.Medicine Could Help Alcoholism ; Studies Suggest Drugs May Fix Imbalances in Brains of Addicts (RedNova)Above all else, John Bauhs credits a drug for helping him stop drinking -- a story line some alcoholics, doctors and drug companies hope will become more common as new treatment options emerge. Bauhs tried practically everything he could think of to stop during 25 years of drinking.Drugs carving niche to treat alcoholism (Seattle Times)Above all else, John Bauhs credits a drug for helping him stop drinking — a story line that some alcoholics, doctors and drug companies...
Alcohol RehabSections
Alcoholism and addiction treatment programs and facilities, residential andoutpatient. Free, county-funded, insurance and private pay. Drug and alcohol ...
Drug Rehab Treatment Centers Alcohol Drug Rehabilitation Programs
Alcohol and drug treatment centers , drug rehab facilities and detox centers.Inpatient, residential and outpatient programs for alcoholism and addiction.
Drug Rehabilitation Drug Rehab Center Alcohol and Drug Treatment ...
drug rehabilitation, drug rehab center, substance abuse and alcohol treatmentcenters in northern california, offering comprehensive drug and alcohol ...
Latest And Alcohol Rehab News
Queens Drunk Driver Fighting Rehab Deal (1010wins.com)(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) A judge said Wednesday that the city's probation department must show why a man who served jail time in a drunken-driving crash that killed an 11-year-old boy and critically injured his best friend should report to an alcohol treatment center.Daily Times Leader (Daily Times Leader)When are drugs or alcohol a problem? People do not need to see statistics to know the horror that drug and alcohol abuse can cause, but the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has them.Koren Robinson finishes rehab, signs with Minnesota (Seattle Times)Koren Robinson, a troubled underachiever with Seattle agreed to terms Tuesday on a two-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings.
Alcohol RehabSections
And Alcohol Rehab In
Holistic Drug Rehab Center for alcohol, crack, heroin, and prescription drug addictions. It's not too late to get help for you or a loved one. Read about our holistic road to recovery treatments ... The Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center offers a unique approach to addiction recovery at an ... Our approach to drug and alcohol addiction treatment has 3 components, encompassing ...
Alcohol Rehab -
Drug and Alcohol Rehab Counselor. Provides education and training for those seeking employment, job advancement, or transfer to baccalaureate and/or graduate degrees in the field of substance ... Sign up for our Alcohol Rehab newsletter here! ... Drug And Alcohol Rehab Center. Drug And Alcohol Rehab Program. Alcohol Rehab Northern California ...
Alcohol Rehab
... Alcohol Rehab Alcohol Rehab resources updated daily. Rehab. Drug Rehab. Drug Rehab Center ... Drug Rehabs. Christian Rehab. Alcohol Rehab. Drug Rehab Centers. Healthsouth Rehab ...
Drug Rehab Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers Drug Treatment Center Programs
... Drug Rehab and alcohol rehab services is a no-cost public benefit service designed to help addicts ... We at Drug and Alcohol Rehab Services know our nation's drug re
drug and alcohol rehab centers alcohol-treatment education and expertise to ...
Drug Rehab - Substance Treatment Resource & Directory
The online drug rehab center resource. ... providing individuals with the ability to search and locate alcohol and drug rehab centers in the United States ... than 11,000 alcohol and drug rehab centers from every state in ...
Drug Rehab Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers Drug Treatment Center Programs
... Drug Rehab and alcohol rehab services is a no-cost public ... Alcohol rehab programs, Drug rehab centers, dual-diagnosis drug treatment centers, sober living homes, and therapeutic ...
Drug Rehab Center Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Drug Rehab Program
find drug rehab treatment programs, This site has a comprehensive list of drug rehabilitation centers that treat addiction and alcoholism. Also, includes alcohol detox programs. ... Drug and alcohol rehab centers should offer a variety of treatment programs that can ... residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options. While alcohol and drug addiction progress ...
Latest And Alcohol Rehab Centers News
CRC Health Group, Nation"s Largest Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Treatment Rehab, Holds Grand Opening in Cupertino (PR Web via Yahoo! News)Cupertino, CA (PRWEB) September 8, 2005 -- The country"s largest drug addiction and alcoholism treatment provider, CRC Health Group, will hold the Grand Opening of its new headquarters in Cupertino, CA, and a news conference at 10 AM, Monday, Sept. 12, featuring Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey (the country"s longest-serving "Drug Czar," now an International Studies professor at West Point);CRC Health Group, The Nations Largest Drug Addiction And Alcoholism Treatment Rehab Grand Opening In Cupertino, News (PR Web)News Conference to feature 4-Star Gen. Barry Mccaffrey, Cong. Mike Honda, Ca State Drug Addiction Program Director Kathryn Jett, Mayor Patrick Kwok, City Councilors; Crc Health Group Ceo Dr. Barry Karlin to host: Will Announce Revolutionary Online Treatment Success Figures; New Strategies For Opiate, Oxycontin, And Methamphetamine Crises; Internets Maximizing Drug Treatment Assi
And Alcohol Rehab Center
Drug Rehabilitation Drug Rehab Center Alcohol and Drug Treatment ...
drug rehabilitation, drug rehab center, substance abuse and alcohol treatmentcenters in northern california, offering comprehensive drug and alcohol ...
Directory of Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Centers
Alcoholism and addiction treatment programs and facilities, residential andoutpatient. Free, county-funded, insurance and private pay. Drug and alcohol ...
Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Alcohol Rehab Programs
Chemical Dependency, substance abuse and drug rehab treatment facility at SoberLiving by the Sea Treatment Centers.
Drug Rehab Treatment Centers Alcohol Drug Rehabilitation Programs
Alcohol and drug treatment centers , drug rehab facilities and detox centers.Inpatient, residential and outpatient programs for alcoholism and addiction.
Latest And Alcohol Rehab Center News
Queens Drunk Driver Fighting Rehab Deal (1010wins.com)(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) A judge said Wednesday that the city's probation department must show why a man who served jail time in a drunken-driving crash that killed an 11-year-old boy and critically injured his best friend should report to an alcohol treatment center.Rehab center offers hope against addiction (The Beaufort Gazette)RIDGELAND -- The sign on the wall of the New Life Center's conference room has the answer many Jasper County residents need to help them combat drug and alcohol addi
alcohol-rehab-massachusetts - alcohol-rehab-massachusetts Resources for alcohol-rehab ...
Drug Rehab Centers Alcohol Rehabilitation Center - Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation for Alcohol, Heroin, ...
... The Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center offers a unique approach to addiction ... money individualized over alternative drug and alcohol rehab Alcoholism Treatment Grant County ...
Alternative Alcohol Treatment
Alternative Alcohol Treatment. How To Locate An Alcohol Rehabilitation Center In California. Alcohol rehab in California refers to the centers that help. people in California to get rid of the menace of. alcoholism. ... Alcohol Rehab. Alcohol Rehab ... Alcohol Rehabilitation Center. Alcohol Abuse Treatment. Alcohol Drug Rehab. Alternative Alcohol Treatment. Drug Alcohol Treatment Center California. Alcohol ...
alternative alcohol rehab
... Information about "alternative alcohol rehab" on the Web. ... Alcohol Rehab - Able To Change Recovery. alternative alcohol rehab. 1. alcohol treatment center florida ...
Latest Alternative Alcohol Rehab News
A Leading Medical Supply Company Increases Sales By 100% (RedNova)Medical Home Products, Inc. (Pink Sheets:MHPT), http://www.medicalhomeproducts.com, today released its unaudited June 30, 2005 financial results. The company's sales for the first half of 2005 exceeded the sales of all of 2004 representing an increase in sales of over 100 percent.New Addiction Treatment and Drug Rehab Referrals Web Site Launched (Medical News Today)After months of hard work and dedication from a team of healthcare and addiction treatment specialists,... www.recoveryconnection.org has been officially launched. www.recoveryconnection.org provides extensive information about addiction - a complicated and tragic disease affecting about 20 million people and their
Little Hill and Alina Lodge of Blairstown NJ ... Little Hill and Alina Lodge. Substance Abuse Services ...
ARG:Little Hill - Alina Lodge
Little Hill - Alina Lodge. Click here to visit. the Little Hill - Alina Lodge website. Long Term Residential Program. The Program. "In Its Own Words" STATISTICS. Self Description: ... "Little Hill-Alina Lodge is a long term, residential rehabilitation center specializing in treatment chronic relapse ...
Little Hill/Alina Lodge - Drug Rehab
The online substance treatment recovery resource. ... Little Hill/Alina Lodge. 61 Ward Road ...
Substance Abuse Treatment Center - About Step Ahead Inc.
... WHO? Alina Lodge is offering a five-day residential program for people wanting to resolve codependency ... Alina Lodge Family Director Donna Pittala, a Master's L
Holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment specializing in addiction recovery and substance abuse relapse prevention. ... Addiction outreach program starting at First Christian. Alcoholism Remains Under-Diagnosed AMA Says ...
Alcoholism Home Page
The starting place to find information, resources and the lastest news about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery issues on the Internet. ... Alcoholism 101About Drug AbuseEffects of AlcoholDo I Have A Problem?How to QuitFind a Meeting12 Step RecoveryDomestic ... Sign Up Now for the Alcoholism / Substance Abuse newsletter! ...
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
Journal contents, abstracts and author instructions. Searchable. [Subscription required for full-text]
Alcoholism: Getting the Facts
Your browser does not support JavaScript! Your browser does not support JavaScript! Search NIAAA ... For many people, the facts about alcoholism are not clear. What is alcoholism, exactly? How does it differ from alcohol abuse ...
Alcohol Rehab
Drug Rehab Center Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Drug Rehab Program
find drug rehab treatment programs, This site has a comprehensive list of drug rehabilitation centers that treat addiction and alcoholism. Also, includes alcohol detox programs. ... Prescription Drugs. Hallucinogens. Alcohol Rehab. Adolescent Substance ... Drug and alcohol rehab centers should offer a variety of treatment programs that can meet individual needs and ...
Rehab
... Rehab Rehab resources updated daily. Rehab. Drug Rehab. Drug Rehab Center ... Drug Rehab. Drug Rehab Program. Drug Rehabs. Christian Rehab. Alcohol Rehab. Drug Rehab Centers. Healthsouth Rehab ...
Alcohol Rehab
Your questions answered for alcohol rehabilitation and addiction treatment centers. Which is best for you and the different types of programs. ... When you're looking for information on buying Alcohol Rehab it can all seem very overwhelming ... because we've sorted through all the Alcohol Rehab sites on the internet and have found ...
Drug Rehab - Substance Treatment Resource & Directory
The online drug rehab center resource. ... individuals with the ability to search and locate alcohol and drug rehab centers in the United States ... day and outpatient drug and alcohol rehab programs throughout the United States ...
Drug Rehab Alcohol Rehabilitation Ce
Alcohol Rehab Treatment
Drug Rehab Program, Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab, Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center
Holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment specializing in addiction recovery and substance abuse relapse prevention. ... The Holistic Addiction Treatment Drug Rehab Center offers a unique approach to addiction ... Our Drug and Alcohol Rehab Treatment Team deals not only with drug and alcohol abuse, but ...
drug rehab and alcohol rehab
Chronic relapse Drug Rehab. Often drug treatment thought thinks caring drug rehab Michigan through copy Tennessee been. ... said drug and alcohol treatment blink Alcohol Rehab Program Wyandot County we
Alcohol Rehab Texas
Drug Rehab Centers Alcohol Rehabilitation Center - Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation for Alcohol, Heroin, ...
... The Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center offers a unique approach to ... County Alcohol Rehab Sioux County loves caring drug rehab Texas Alcohol Rehab Center Appomattox County feels ...
Alcoholism and addictionIndex alcohol rehab texas
This website provides detailed information on alcohol rehab texas. ... ... Detox, Texas. Drug Rehab, Texas. Addiction ... Texas. Outpatient Drug Rehab, Texas. Alcoh
Selecting a drug rehab for yourself or someone you care about may be one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. ... Drug Rehab. Drug Rehab Program. Drug Rehab Center. Drug and Alcohol Rehab. Drug Rehab Centers ...
DRUG REHAB
DRUG REHAB HELP site for links on drug rehab san francisco ... Rehab - Acl Rehab ... Drug Francisco Rehab San For Drug And Alcohol Treatment Centers ... drug francisco rehab san, drug francisco rehab san, drug francisco rehab san ...
Drug Alcohol Rehab San Diego
... Drug Alcohol Rehab San Diego Selected Resources. Search Results For Drug Alcohol Rehab San Diego ...
Alcoholism and addictionIndex
Also, includes alcohol detox programs. ... Drug and alcohol rehab centers should offer a ... all alcohol and drug rehab centers are the same?????????they can differ significantly in philosophies, program options ...
Drug alcohol rehab program
Drug alcohol rehab program resources. Home. drug rehab program, drug reha porglam (drug in nj rehab) drug rehab center cannot be drug rrhab center. drug rehab houston. drug alcohol rehab. Best drug alcool reab by florida drug rehab. ... Purchase drug alcohol rehab program, drug arcohor rehb pogram related to drug help look program rehab and find details ...
Drug Rehab Program, Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab, Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center
Holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment specializing in addiction recovery and substance abuse relapse prevention. ... Our Drug and Alcohol Rehab Treatment Team deals not only with drug and alcohol abuse, but with the ... Our drug and alcohol rehab program has helped people from all over ...
Alcohol rehab program
Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Addiction Resources. Information on Alcohol rehab program and alcohol drug in new program rehab state york ... Alcohol rehab program. alcohol arizona rehab. Home. alcohol rehab center. alcohol rehab program. florida alcohol rehab. alcohol rehab texas ...
alcohol rehab program
alcohol rehab program. Recovering addicts provide a holistic drug-and-alcohol rehabilitation program that specializes in treating chronic relapse. www.drugr
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DRUG REHAB PROGRAM drug and alcohol rehab program southern california drug rehab program ... drug ...a-drug-rehab-program/ 2. California drug rehab ...
Drug Rehab Programs Alcohol Rehab Programs - Orange County, California
Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab Center. Drug Rehab Programs, Alcohol Rehab Programs located steps from the sand in Newport Beach, California ... Beach, California. If you are currently seeking treatment in a drug rehab program or alcohol rehab program for persons ... is a California drug rehab center which has ...
Spencerrecovery.com - Drug rehab, chemical dependency and alchohol abuse center.
... Offers drug rehab and alcohol treatment in a substance abuse center located in Laguna Beach, California ... three phases of this program consist of medical detoxification, primary ...
California Drug Rehab Programs Alcohol Rehab Programs Newport Beach
Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab Center. Drug Rehab Programs, Alcohol Rehab Programs located steps from the sand in Newport Beach, California ... Beach, California. If you are currently seeking treatment in a drug rehab program or alcohol rehab program for persons ... is a California drug rehab center which has ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab Program In California News
Meth arrests may lead to rehab (The Union)Six people arrested in a July 28 methamphetamine raid in Penn Valley all are expected to enter a much-debated drug rehabilitation program established by Proposition 36.Downey to Love: I beat drugs, so can you (Detroit Free Press)This man knows whereof he speaks. Having battled drugs and alcohol and gone through stints in rehab, newlywed actor Robert Downey Jr . is now reaching out to troubled singer-actress Courtney Love .CRC Health Group, Nation"s Largest Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Treatment Rehab, Holds Grand Opening in Cupertino (PR Web via Yahoo! News)Cupertino, CA (PRWEB) September 8, 2005 -- The country"s largest drug addiction and alcoholism treatment provider, CRC Health Group, will hold
Alcohol Rehab Palm Beach
Palm Beach Drug Rehab in Palm Beach, Florida, FL Drug Rehab Centers Drug Treatment Drug Rehabilitation Rehab ...
Contact us for a free consultation. We will find the correct solution for your specific addiction problem. Our list contains all the best treatment resources located in Palm Beach, Florida.
Drug Addiction And Alcohol Rehab
... Rehab West Palm Beach Results ... Rehab West Palm Beach Results. Cocaine Rehab Tampa Results. Fort Wayne Drug Rehab Programs Results. Florida Drug Rehab Programs Results. Alcohol ...
Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment
Subutex and Suboxone have been studied in over 2,000 patients and shown to be safe and effective treatments for opiate dependence. ... caring drug rehab from Drug Rehab Centers in Palm Beach Gardens Alcohol Rehab Center Las Animas ... County Drug Rehab Centers in Palm Beach Gardens Alcohol Rehab Center Hayes County ...
Palm Springs Drug Detox Center Results
... Rehab Center West Palm Beach Results ... Rehab Centers in Palm Beach Gardens caring drug ... Centers Bonita Springs therefore, drug treatment treatment & detox Drug and Alcohol ...
Royal Palm Beach Drug Rehab in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, FL Dr
Rehab, Oregon Outpatient Drug Rehab, Oregon Alcohol Rehab, Oregon Drug Detox, Oregon DRUG ...
oregon alcohol rehab
... oregon alcohol rehab :: alcohol rehab :: Articles. oregon alcohol rehab. Here's an interesting article related to oregon alcohol rehab ... article (ref: oregon alcohol rehab ) was brought ...
Oregon Alcohol Rehab
... Oregon Drug Rehab Oregon Drug Rehab Alcohol Centers Drug Treatment Drug ... Oregon Inpatient Drug Rehab, Oregon Outpatient Drug Rehab, Oregon Alcohol Rehab, Oregon Drug Detox, Oregon ...
Oregon Drug Rehab and Alcohol, News
... To Find Drug Rehab and Treatment Centers ... drug and alcohol rehab centers Oregon. Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Alcohol Rehab Programs ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab Oregon News
Calendar - Sept. 14 - Sept. 21, 2005 (Newport News-Times)National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE): noon, Shilo Inn, Newport. Lunch can be purchased. Guest speaker: Ron Benfield, PUD board director, will speak on public utilities issues. South County, 547-4532; Central County, 574-8896; North County, 994-5760.County women find safety from drugs, alcohol in new Diamond Lake Oxford House (The News-Review)Some of them ran in the same drug circle, spent time together in jail or shared the devastation of losing children to protective services.Wednesday (today) (Newport News-Times)South County Diabetes Support Group: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Waldport Community Center (senior center). Pat Loose, RN educator presents new topic each month.
Alcohol RehabSections
Home | About Us | Treatment Centers | Addiction News | Links Alcohol Treatment Alcohol drug treatment center Alcohol Withdrawal Chicago alcohol rehab Christian alcohol rehab Alcohol Rehab New York ...
alcohol new rehab york, alcohol new rehab york information
alcohol new rehab york Information and resources for alcohol new rehab york can be found here. Use the links below to find the information you are looking for. alcohol new rehab york Headlines for ...
Alcoholism and addictionIndex new york drug rehab
... html Drug and Alcohol Treatment Rehab Rehabilitation Centers Programs Directory New York NY - Sober.com is committed to helping the addicted and families of drug abuse and drug addiction to find ...
Drug Alcohol Rehab at Desert-canyon.com
... of beautiful Sedona, Arizona. C
New Jersey treatment centers and facilities, drug rehabs and detox centers.Hospital inpatient, residential and outpatient programs for alcoholism and drug ...
Alcohol and Drug Counseling and Rehabilitation Center Resource List
University of Medicine and Denistry of New Jersey, Piscataway,NJ (908) 235-5730... Inpatient Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Facilities (Hospital Based) ...
Drug Rehab and Treatment Centers
... Drug Rehab New Hampshire, Drug Rehab New Jersey, Drug Rehab New Mexico ...Alcohol rehab is a place where an individual who has a drinking problem can ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab New Jersey News
'Try again Tuesday' (NorthJersey.com)The hope in his voice never wavered. "This is Christian Foster. You told me to call back to see if a bed's available," the strapping 27-year-old would always say, his mother Kass recalled.Timberwolves reach deal with Griffin (Sports Illustrated)Griffin, the seventh overall pick by New Jersey in the 2001 draft, revived his career last season by averaging 7.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 70 games.Roundup: Wolves re-sign Griffin; Raptors reel in Bonner (USA Today)Eddie Griffin re-signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. Griffin, the seventh overall pick by New Jersey in the 2001 draft, revived his career last season by averaging 7.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 70 games. Also Monday, free-agent forward Matt Bonner re-signed with the Raptors.
Alcohol RehabSections
Alcohol Rehab New England
alcohol rehab new england Information, find resources and articles about alcohol rehab new england. Your one stop information articles about alcohol rehab new england ... More search result for alcohol rehab new england. Accessibility... The Basics. ...
New England Drug Rehab in New England, North Dakota, ND Drug Rehab Centers Drug Treatment Drug Rehabilitation Rehab ...
Contact us for a free consultation. We will find the correct solution for your specific addiction problem. Our list contains all the best treatment resources located in New England, North Dakota.
Drug Rehab
Drug Rehab. Friday, March 18, 2005 ... results for: alcohol rehab new england Find news related to alcohol rehab new england Ultraedit ... supernovae drug rehab new ...
New England Rehab
... New England Rehab. Drug rehab program for alcohol and drug abuse in Canada and New ... - New England Rehab ... on rehab resources new england rehab, rehab Sponsored Links new england ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab New England News
Fantasy look at Week One (South Coast Today)The fantasy drafts are in the books and all that is left is to let the new football season unfold -- and, of course, to make all the right moves with you
Your one stop information articles about alcohol rehab michigan ... Resources of alcohol rehab michigan from filipinobarkada.com ... More search result for alcohol rehab michigan. The Good Citizen ...
Drug Rehab Program, Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab, Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center
Holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment specializing in addiction recovery and substance abuse relapse prevention. ... Our Drug and Alcohol Rehab Treatment Team deals not only with drug and alcohol abuse ... Drug Rehabilitation Ohio, Miami, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Missouri, North ...
Drug Rehab Centers Alcohol Rehabilitation Center - Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation for Alcohol, Heroin, ...
... The Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center offers a unique approach to addiction recovery at an affordable price ... Landry Parish does off alcohol treatment michigan drug rehab written ...
alcohol rehab michigan Resources
Addiciones Drug Detox and Alcohol Detox and Ibogaine Drug Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Drug Rehab and Alcohol Rehab Alternative and Holistic Medicine Addiction Treatment Resources and Drug Rehab ...
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Rehab Rehabilitation Centers Programs Directory M...
... abuse, crack, cocaine, heroin, alcohol, marijuana addiction.The Home ... is not a conventional drug rehab, drug rehabilitation, or drug ... Street, Suite 200 MALDEN MASSACHUSETTS, 02148 781.324.2043 781 ...
Affordable ibogaine
... Addiciones Drug Detox and Alcohol Detox and Ibogaine Drug Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Drug Rehab and Alcohol Rehab Alternative and Holistic Medicine Addiction Treatment Resources and Drug Rehab ...
Alcohol Drug Withdrawal Treatment Addiction Rehab Resources
Information about Drug and Alcohol Addiction Rehab Inside are resources for: Cocaine Addiction and Treatment Heroin Addiction and Treatment Drug Treatment Information Drug Treatment Centers ...
alcohol rehab massachusetts
Alcohol Rehab Online Resources Alcohol Rehab Online If you have found it difficult to find the wealth of information you need about alcohol rehab massachusetts, then breath a sigh of relief because ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab Massachusetts News
Probe Long Island Alcoh
Drug and alcohol ...
Drug Rehab Treatment Centers Alcohol Drug Rehabilitation Programs
Alcohol and drug treatment centers , drug rehab facilities and detox centers.Inpatient, residential and outpatient programs for alcoholism and addiction.
Spencerrecovery.com - Drug rehab, chemical dependency and alchohol ...
Drug rehab, chemical dependency and alcohol abuse treatment center.Offers drugrehab and alcohol treatment in a substance abuse center located in Laguna ...
Drug Rehabilitation Drug Rehab Center Alcohol and Drug Treatment ...
drug rehabilitation, drug rehab center, substance abuse and alcohol treatmentcenters in northern california, offering comprehensive drug and alcohol ...
Drug Rehab Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers Drug Treatment Center ...
Drug rehabilitation, alcohol rehab programs, drug rehab center, substance abuseand alcohol treatment centers, offering comprehensive drug and alcohol ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab In News
Freed DWI killer is sent to rehab (New York Daily News)The drunken driver who killed 11-year-old Vasean Alleyne has been quietly released from jail - but his freedom could be short-lived. Probation officials told John Wirta yesterday that he has to attend an in-patient alcohol treatment program for one year starting tomorrow, according to Wirta's lawyer.K
Alcohol Rehab Hospital Atlanta Ga
Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Atlanta - Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation and Trea...
... Dunwoody Ga, Atlanta, GA Alcohol Recovery (404) 627-9164 1660 ... GA Comprehensive Outpatient Rehab (404) 265-4634 261 Parkway Dr ... Mcgill Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA Northside Hospital Rehabilitation ...
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Rehab in Georgia: drug, alcohol addiction and substan...
... 1639 Pierce Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322 Phone: (404 ... Type of Care: Hospital inpatient Special ... Parkway, Cumming, GA 30040 Phone: (770) 781 ... of Georgia alcohol rehab and drug rehab ...
Newport Detox Center Inc in Atlanta, GA Drug Rehab
... 2): City/ST/Zip: Atlanta, GA 30312 Phone: (404 ... Type of Care: Non-hospital residential (24 hour ... provides data on drug rehab centers across the U.S ... If you need a drug or alcohol rehab please contact ...
Alcohol Rehab Colorado
... rehab connecticut alcohol rehab dallas alcohol rehab facility alcohol rehab florida alcohol rehab hospital atlanta ga alcohol rehab in texas alcohol rehab massachusetts Copyright � 2001-2005 Business ...
Alcohol Rehab Florida
Drug Rehab Treatment Centers Alcohol Drug Rehabilitation Programs
Alcohol and drug treatment centers , drug rehab facilities and detox centers.... Twelve Oaks Recovery-Florida: Alcohol Rehabilitation, drug treatment, ...
Addiction treatment center, addiction recovery, Florida rehab ...
The Beachcomber, an addiction treatment facility and rehab in Florida for ...Alcohol Facts, Alcoholism, Alcohol Abuse, Effects of Alcohol, Alcohol ...
Drug and Alcohol treatment program - counseling and rehabilitation
Provides alcohol rehabilitation Florida, alcoholism rehab, drug rehab programand detox center. We have a unique and helpful addiction recovery program. ...
Drug Rehab Centers Rehab Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Drug ...
drug rehab alcohol rehabilitation detox centers ... Florida Drug Rehab DrugTreatment Rehabilitation in Florida Find the right Florida drug rehab or drug ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab Florida News
Chiefs' Peterson not expecting Vermeil back for 2006 (Centre Daily Times)When the 2006 NFL season gets under way in 12 months, Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson fully expects his head coach and longtime friend, Dick Vermeil, to be observing it from the porch of his home in Chadds Ford, Chester County, Pa., rather than on the sideline of Arrowhead Stadium.Dwight Gooden Spents Night In Florida Jail (Cl
alcohol facility rehab Information and resources for alcohol facility rehab can be found here. Use the links below to find the information you are looking for. alcohol facility rehab Headlines for ...
Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Alcohol Rehab Programs
... were established to provide alcohol and drug treatment to those ... as being one of the top 10 rehab centers in the world by Forbes ... male, 30-day drug treatment facility nestled in the California ...
Alcohol Rehab Facility
Alcohol Rehab Facility Alcohol rehabilitation is most effective when done in an alcohol detox or drug rehab center under the supervision of a doctor. Medications are generally prescribed in drug ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab Facility News
Freed DWI killer is sent to rehab (New York Daily News)The drunken driver who killed 11-year-old Vasean Alleyne has been quietly released from jail - but his freedom could be short-lived. Probation officials told John Wirta yesterday that he has to attend an in-patient alcohol treatment program for one year starting tomorrow, according to Wirta's lawyer.WATTS MARVELS AT RICHARDS AND WORRIES ABOUT WOOD (ContactMusic)Cancer survivor CHARLIE WATTS marvels at his ROLLING STONES bandmate KEITH RICHARDS' constitution because the guitarist has outlived many who have died living his kind of lifestyle.Koren Robinson gets second chance with Vikings (The Chippewa Herald)The former Seahawk caught 78 passes for 1,240 yards three season ago. EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Stuck in an alcohol treatment center in South Carolina, Koren Robinson wasn't sure where his life was headed.
Alcohol RehabSections
Featured Links. Additional Alcohol Rehab In Connecticut Resources ... Rehab, Connecticut Inpatient Drug Rehab, Connecticut Outpatient Drug Rehab, Connecticut Alcohol Rehab, Connecticut Drug Detox, Connecticut DRUG ADDICTON: Alcohol ...
delaware drug and alcohol rehab
... Information about "delaware drug and alcohol rehab" on the Web. ... Rehab - Treatment Center and Alcohol Rehab Directory. ... Arkansas California
Alcohol Rehab Colorado
Drug Rehab Centers Alcohol Rehabilitation Center - Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation for Alcohol, Heroin, ...
... The Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center offers a unique approach to addiction ... County ten planted Colorado bold Texas liked brushed walked Alcohol Rehab Center Moultrie County ...
Alcoholism and addictionIndex colorado drug rehab
This website provides detailed information on colorado drug rehab.
alcohol rehab in colorado
... Information about "alcohol rehab in colorado" on the Web. ... Alcohol Rehab - Able To Change Recovery. alcohol rehab in colorado ...
alcohol rehab and colorado Resources
Drug Rehab Resources. Internet Resources. Featured Links. Additional Alc
Alcohol Rehab Clinics
Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Alcohol Rehab Programs
... php �2003 Sober Living Rehabilitation Centers & Treatment Programs Addiction Recovery Treatment, Mental Health Services, Eating Disorder Clinics Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers & Treatment Programs ...
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Rehab Rehabilitation Centers Programs Directory -
... Your Online Source For: eating disorders treatment, mental health care services, drug rehab centers, alcohol rehabilitation programs, drug detox and alcohol detoxification, dual diagnosis treatment ...
erectile dysfunction clinics dallas rehab drug alcohol sexual dysfunction po...
... Try erectile dysfunction clinics dallas erectile dysfunction clinics dallas Leave erectile dysfunction clinics dallas You�ll ask me: Why does a person need erectile dysfunction clinics dallas? I�ll ...
Drug Rehab & Alcohol Treatment Guide - Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation, Addict...
... More Seniors Enter Drug Rehab (CBS News) While most people entering rehab clinics are still younger adults, researchers say alcohol and drug abuse presents a growing threat to America's burg
and teaching drug abusers how to live comfortably without drugs and alcohol should be the primary function of drug rehab centers. Traditional drug addiction treatment modalities advocate that ...
Drug Rehab Treatment Centers Alcohol Drug Rehabilitation Programs
... Treatment Centers Two | Treatment Facilities- Men Only | Treatment Facilities-Women Only | Burning Tree Ranch Treating Alcohol and Drug Dependence. We are an Alcohol and Drug Rehab specializing ...
Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Alcohol Rehab Programs
... php �2003 Sober Living Rehabilitation Centers & Treatment Programs Addiction Recovery Treatment, Mental Health Services, Eating Disorder Clinics Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers & Treatment Programs ...
Drug Rehab Centers Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment Programs Residential Alc...
... Sitemap Addiction Resources Alcohol and Drug Rehab Center and Residential Treatment Programs ... ... to New Hope Recovery Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers, Chicago Illinois' newest ...
Drug Rehab Centers R
Alcohol Rehab Centers In
Alcohol Drug Rehab Treatment Addiction Alcoholism Rehab Treatment ...
Conventional alcohol and drug rehab centers do not work for the majority and canbe harmful to an alcoholic or drug addict. People have a better chance of ...
Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Alcohol Rehab Programs
Chemical Dependency, substance abuse and drug rehab treatment facility at SoberLiving by the Sea Treatment Centers.
Latest Alcohol Rehab Centers In News
CRC Health Group, The Nation"s Largest Drug Addiction And Alcoholism Treatment Rehab Grand Opening In Cupertino, News (PR Web via Yahoo! News)Cupertino, CA (PRWEB) September 8, 2005 -- The country"s largest drug addiction and alcoholism treatment provider, CRC Health Group, will hold the Grand Opening of its new headquarters in Cupertino, CA, and a news conference at 10 AM, Monday, Sept. 12, featuring Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey (the country"s longest-serving "Drug Czar," now an International Studies professor at West Point);CRC Health Group, The Nations Largest Drug Addiction And Alcoholism Treatment Rehab Grand Opening In Cupertino, News (PR Web)News Conference to feature 4-Star Gen. Barry Mccaffrey, Cong. Mike Honda, Ca State Drug Addiction Program Director Kathryn Jett, Mayor Patrick Kwok, City Councilors; Crc Health Group Ceo Dr. Barry Karlin to host: Will Announce Revolutionary Online Treatment Success Figures; New Strategies For Opiate, Oxycontin, And Methamphetamine Crises; Internets Maximizing Drug Treatment Assistance AndProbe Long Island Alcohol Rehab Centers (1010wins.com)(1010 WINS) (LAKE GROVE, Long Island) The federal government reportedly will investigate Long Island-based Lake Grove Schools and Treatment Centers, which ran sober homes for recovering substance abusers.
Alcohol RehabSections
Alcohol Rehab Center
Drug and alcohol rehab center for drug and alcohol abuse at our holistic addiction rehab center. It's not too late to get help for you or a loved one. Read about our holistic road to recovery treatments ... Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center For Drug & Alcohol Abuse: Our drug and alcohol rehab center treatment programs are facilitated by highly skilled professionals with years of ...
the highest quality of treatment available to adults suffering from alcohol and drug dependency
Affordable, confidential and exclusive residential and out-patient drug and alcohol treatment. ... alcohol rehab center. Alcohol Rehab Center But it cannot stop there - It is critical that the ... Substance Abuse alcohol rehab center Half-day courses provide a more comprehensive ...
Spencerrecovery.com - Drug rehab, chemical dependency and alchohol abuse center.
... Drug rehab, chemical dependency and alcohol abuse treatment center.Offers drug rehab and alcohol treatment in a substance abuse center located in Laguna Beach ...
Drug Rehab Program, Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab, Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center
Holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment specializing in addiction recovery and substance abuse relapse prevention. ... Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center. It's not too late to get help. Holistic Drug Rehab Center - ... Holistic Addiction Treatment Drug Rehab Center offers a unique approach ...
Alcohol rehab center
Find Everything about Drug Rehab Center In Michigan Here. ... Discover more about drug rehab center in florida ... Rehab. Houston Drug Rehab ... The Holistic Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center offers a unique approach ... Four thirdly, Alcohol Rehab ...
alcohol-rehab-center-in-florida
Information on alcohol rehab, drug rehab, alcohol abuse. ... When you decide on purchasing alcohol-rehab-center-in-florida online check out their returns policy. Many alcohol-rehab-center-in-florida sites offer no obligation ...
Drug Rehab - Drug Rehab Center In Florida
Comprehensive resources for your Drug Rehab Center In Florida search ... Rehab Center Nc. Alcohol California ... Rehab In Minnesota. Christian Drug Rehab Center In California. Delaware Drug And Alcohol Rehab. Drug Florida Panhandle Rehab. Drug Rehab ...
christian drug rehab in florida best in christian drug rehab in florida
Free information about Florida Drug Rehab. And All about Florida Drug Rehab ... rehab in florida. drug rehab center in florida. florida alcohol drug rehab. center drug florida in rehab ... rehab center in florida. florida drug rehab center ...
Latest Alcohol Rehab Center In Florida News
Chiefs' Peterson not expecting Vermeil back for 2006 (Centre Daily Times)When the 2006 NFL season gets under way in 12 months, Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson fully expects his head coach and longtime friend, Dick Vermeil, to be observing it from the porch of his home in Chadds Ford, Chester County, Pa., rather than on the sideline of Arrowhead Stadium.Macomb accuses man in '98 death (Detroit News)ARMADA TOWNSHIP -- Life in sunny Florida is over for murder suspect Thomas Vincent MacLean. Life behind bars may be next.Roundup: Wolves re-sign Griffin; Raptors reel in Bonner (USA Today)Eddie Griffin re-signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. Gri
Alcohol Rehab Center Fl
alcohol center florida in rehab, alcohol center florida in rehab information
... Center GEORGIA Drug Rehab ... http://www.narcononrehab.com/ 22. Drug Rehab Programs, Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers, Mental Health Services,... ... of Columbia(DC) Fed. States of Micro(FM) Florida(FL ...
The Living Web - Alcohol Rehab Center Fl
Alcohol Rehab Center Fl Rehabilitation Web Directory and Resources TheLivingWeb.net S U P E R P O R T A L Sports Weather Money Health Humor Travel Freebies Movies Contests News Fun Maps Kids Love ...
4 Drug Rehab - FL Treatment Center and Alcohol Rehab Directory
... Services South FL Comm College FL Ctr for Dual Disorders Grove ... Keys Outpatient Twelve Oaks Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center ... Affairs Medical Center Substance Abuse Rehab (SAR) Program ...
alcohol center in michigan rehab, alcohol center in michigan rehab
Adolescent drug addiction, drug rehab centers, alcohol rehabilitation, eating disorder and alcoholism treatment center, located in Malibu California.
Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers Alcohol Rehab Programs...
Chemical Dependency, substance abuse and drug rehab treatment facility at Renaissance Malibu Treatment Center...
Drug Rehab Programs Alcohol Rehab Programs - Orange County,...
Drug Rehab Center, Alcohol Rehab Center. Drug Rehab Programs, Alcohol Rehab Programs located steps from the sand in Newport Beach, California...
California Drug Rehab Residential Treatment Program
California 30-day, drug rehab, Equine therapy and substance abuse residential treatment is offered at Sunrise Recovery Ranch in Southern California.
Narconon Southern California Rehab Addiction Treatment Center
Located on the oceanfront in beautiful Newport Beach California, Narconon is a long-term inpatient drug and alcohol rehab center for people...
Alcohol Rehab California Center
Structured Drug Rehab, California Drug Rehab, alcohol rehab center
Our Structure Bridgeback-The Palms is an Orange County Adult Alcohol & Drug Sober Living Certified Facilities Program located in Orange County, CA. We are committed to providing a place where ...
Alcohol Rehab Information - Alcohol California Center Treatment
... Treatment Alcohol And Drug Addiction Treatment Alcohol And Drug Rehab Alcohol And Drug Treatment Center Alcohol California Center Treatment Alcohol Center Colorado Treatment Alcohol Center Drug ...
California Drug Rehab & Alcohol Detox Treatment & Recovery Center | Qualifie...
... & Certification | Sequoia Center is licensed through the State of California Department of Alcohol ... ... us at [email protected] Sitemap Alcohol & Drug Rehab Frequently Asked Qs The Sequoia ...
Nebo Center, California Drug Rehab California Drug Rehab Alcohol Treatment A...
... Video Free Information Pack Free "Success" Magazine Free Drug Info Booklet Nebo Center, California Drug Rehab and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Information To find out if there are any drug rehab ...
Find the right Ohio drugrehab or drug rehabilitation treatment center ideally suited to your specific ...
Ohio Drug Rehab Alcohol Treatment Addiction Rehab Information
Find Drug Rehab, Drug Rehab Center, Drug Rehab Centers, Drug Rehabilitation,Alcohol Rehabilitation, Drug Treatment, Alcohol Treatment in Ohio.
Washington Court House, Ohio Drug Rehab Ohio Drug Rehab Alcohol ...
Our drug rehab counselors will help you find the right drug rehab solution foraddiction problems for Washington Court House, Ohio.
Ohio Drug Rehab Drug Treatment Rehabilitation in Ohio
Find the right Ohio drug rehab or drug rehabilitation treatment center ideally... Heritage Home is a residential drug and alcohol treatment program for men ...
When the horse was brought to the Northern Plains in the 18th Century, the lives of the Dakota ... We are an Alcohol and Drug Rehab for adult men and ...
Alcohol Center Drug Rehab
Minimumcustody inmates burden is my feet US dropped alcohol center drug rehab Gov Jon. ... nation offenders in alcohol center drug rehab authoritys HUDmandated alcohol center drug rehab who failed ... confront the innovative will horse supplement supply stay to renovate ...
Horse Rescue And Rehabilitation | The Drug Rehabilitation Center
Find the Best Content for Horse Rescue And Rehabilitation on our Website. Our Search tool is an excellent resource for finding quality content, articles and photographs on Horse Rescue And Rehabilitation. ... Alcohol and Drug Rehab Books, Medical Theories and History. Downloadable formats also Available. Horse Rescue And ...
Alcohol Rehab - Malibu Alcohol Rehab
... Go Home Alcohol Rehab Newsletter Archives Alcohol Rehab Links Advertise on this site Add URL ... and other disorders in the midst of a 2000-acre working quarter horse ...
Latest Alcohol Horse Rehab News
If you build it, they will play (Poughkeepsie Journal)Erosion, grading and diagrams may not be as exciting as fireworks, views of the Hudson River and live music on a summer evening.Borrego Comes From 9th to Win (Los Angeles Times)DEL MAR — Outsiders must have thought the owners of Borrego were daft when they turned down a $4-million offer for the horse some time ago.
Alcohol RehabSections
| Betty Ford |
Killing thousands, the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried on Aug 24, 79AD when what volcano erupted? | One Hour AT A Time | VoiceAmerica
One Hour AT A Time
Monday at 12 Noon Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness Channel
Recovery, whether it is from substance abuse or a mental illness, or both requires a treatment plan, which in many cases is as effective as treatments for other chronic illnesses. “One Hour AT A Time” will increase awareness about recovery and decrease the discrimination against individuals in the recovery process. Host Mary Woods, will help people understand the recovery of adults and families living with co-occurring substance use disorders and psychotic and/or affective illness over the course of a lifetime. Helping individuals develop the skills and knowledge they need to take personal responsibility for their health and supporting individuals in their efforts to get on with life beyond illness has been Mary’s mission and she now brings that mission to the airwaves. Broadcasting live on VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness every Monday afternoon at 12 PM Pacific, “One Hour AT A Time” – where recovery begins with education.
ecard
Mary Woods
Mary is the CEO of WestBridge Community Services. She is also a Registered Nurse and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor with more than 25 years experience in substance abuse services and community mental health programs. Mary has conducted extensive workshops and trainings with a primary focus in Motivational Interviewing, Stages of Change Theory and Integrated Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders. She is also a contributor to the development of the Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment Practitioners and Clinical Supervisors Workbook and Practice Demonstration Video. Mary was the Chairperson of the NH State Board of Licensing for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professionals. She has been a member of the NH Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor’s Association since 1984, and has served as the Northeast Regional Vice President for the NAADAC, the Association of Addiction Professionals, President of NAADAC and is currently past president of NAADAC.
October 2013
September 2013
9/30/2013: From Prescription Drug Samples to Addiction: A Doctor’s Journey to Hell and Back with Guest Steven Farber, MD Listen Now
9/23/2013: Finding Forgiveness and Self Respect by Working Steps 8-10 with guest Allen Berger, Ph.D. Listen Now
9/16/2013: Special Encore Presentation: Options for Troubled Teens,a Look at the Continuum of Care and Therapeutic Schools Listen Now
9/9/2013: Mind Without a Home: A Memoir of Schizophrenia with Guest Kristina Morgan Listen Now
August 2013
October 2007
Peter Abaci, MD
Dr. Abaci has been in private practice for over 13 years and has treated thousands of patients with complex and sometimes debilitating pain problems. He serves as the Medical Director and Co-Founder of the nationally recognized Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center, located in Los Gatos California. Dr. Abaci has devoted his career to developing impactful comprehensive treatment approaches for some of medicine’s most challenging and difficult problems. He also serves as a clinical instructor at the Stanford Pain Clinic. Take Charge of Your Chronic Pain is an instructive guide that embodies Dr. Abaci’s philosophy on how to overcome the devastating effects of chronic pain and achieve optimum health. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Take Charge of Your Chronic Pain
Miles Adcox, MS
Miles is the CEO of Onsite. Onsite is a leader in providing therapeutic programs and services worldwide. Miles also owns and operates Onsite Music Publishing. He co-founded Peak Performance Brain Training and a long-term trauma program for women. He also co-founded a Trauma certification program and runs the American Society of Experiential Therapist (ASET). He previously ran a long-term, young adult treatment center for trauma, eating disorders, and addictions. Miles speaks nationally on topics including organizational health, family systems, and emotional wellness. He has been a featured guest expert on The Dr. Phil Show, The Doctors, A&E’s Intervention, and several national radio shows. Miles lives in Nashville and frequently works with the music industry, providing coaching and consulting to those in need. Miles worked in the sports and oil industries prior to a life changing transformation where he discovered his true passion: leading and motivating people into positive change. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Therapeutic and Educational Consulting
Thomas A. Ahern
Thomas A. Ahern is a former School Psychologist and CT Public School Administrator working as the Director of Clinical Outreach for Aspen Education Group, the nation’s leading provider of therapeutic education programs for underachieving young people. Mr. Ahern has served in leadership positions in education and behavioral healthcare for most of his 25 year professional career, including Director of Partial Hospitalization, Adult Education Director, Assistant Principal and private practitioner. Mr. Ahern has long been an advocate for new models in behavioral healthcare services for students founding several innovative programs that integrate resources from both the public and private sectors to improve the continuum of care for teens and young adults. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Options for Troubled Teens,a Look at the Continuum of Care and Therapeutic Schools with guests Mary Jo DeGrandi, Director, Academy at Swift River and Thomas A. Ahern,Director for Aspen Education Group
Dr. Xavier Amador
Dr. Amador is an internationally sought-after speaker, clinical psychologist, professor at Columbia University, Teachers College, in New York City, the Founder and Director of the LEAP Institute and author of eight books including the national best seller “I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help!” Dr. Amador’s expertise has made him a regular contributor to the Today Show and a featured guest on ABC Good Morning America, Prime Time Live, CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, 60 Minutes, CNN, Dateline, ABC’s World News Tonight, Fox News, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and many others. His forensic cases include the Unabomber, PFC Lynndie England, Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping, and Zacarias Moussaoui trials. Dr. Amador has over 25 years experience working with adults, families, and couples. Dr. Amador was co-chair of the last text revision of the Schizophrenia and related disorders section of the DSM IV-TR (often referred to as the “Psychiatrists’ Bible”). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment
Peter Amato
Peter Amato’s life has been one of transformation, growth and change. He has studied with Deepak Chopra, Andrew Weil, and Zen master and Nobel Peace prize nominee, Thich Nhat Hanh. Realizing that a new model for healthcare was needed, Peter founded three distinct companies: Inner Harmony Wellness Centers, Inner Harmony Group and Harmony Spa and Retreat. He is also Managing Partner of Integrative Life Centers. Peter was cofounder and past chair of the National Integrative Medicine Council and has worked closely with the American Cancer Society and the Center for Disease Control. Peter is an international lecturer who travels extensively. For nearly two decades Peter has worked as a transformational consultant with organizations and groups in four key areas: education, healthcare, recovery and addiction and corporate. Peter’s latest book is Soul Silence: A Unique Approach to Mastering the 11th Step. Peter has a Masters Degree in Transpersonal Psychology from Saybrook University where he is pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Mind-Body Medicine. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Inner Harmony Approach to Enlightened Recovery with Guest Peter Amato, President and Founder, Inner Harmony Wellness Centers
Joe Amico
Joe Amico is a Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor and Certified Addictions Specialist, international speaker on LGBT issues and radio talk show host. He serves as President of NALGAP: The Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and Their Allies; National Marketing Coordinator for Sante Center for Healing, and Pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in West Brattleboro, VT. In addition he serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Addiction Professional Magazine, CSAT/SAMHSA’s Steering Committee on Crystal Meth; the Clinical Issues Committee of NAADAC; and the Board of Directors for the New England ATTC. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Latest and Greatest on LGBTQ issues
Sara Ansell
Sara Ansell, MA Program Manager, Porch Light Initiative Sara Ansell joined Mural Arts in May 2011. She manages all aspects of the Porch Light Initiative and works closely with Yale to support their evaluation efforts. Ansell holds a dual Masters Degree in Social Work and Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, and brings extensive experience in managing projects, conducting research, and analyzing policy around a variety of topics within the field of public health. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Public-private partnerships to improve community health: a conversation with Philadelphia leaders Dr. Arthur Evans, Joseph Pyle, Jane Golden, and Sara Ansell.
Katherine Armstrong
Katherine Armstrong is a part of the consulting team from the Philadelphia based firm Dunleavy & Associates, and works with the marketing and leadership teams at WestBridge with ongoing marketing and development initiatives. Most significantly, she assists with the writing and process management of the annual appeal and annual report. She graduated from Bowdoin College in 2008 with a BA in Art History and minor in Sociology. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recovery is a Marathon, not a Sprint: Recovery from Dual Disorders with Guests Lindy Fox Smith and Katherine Armstrong
Andrée Aubrey, LCSW, CTTS,
Andrée Aubrey is a LCSW who began working in 1999 to improve access to treatment for tobacco dependency by training rural physicians on the US PHS clinical practice guidelines. While Director of Big Bend Area Health Ed. Center (AHEC) she co-authored (with Mary Dailey) a six week group cessation intervention, Quit Smoking NOW, which is being used in FL.
Currently, Ms. Aubrey is a faculty member and Director of the AHEC Program at the FSU College of Medicine where she is responsible for a Dept. of Health tobacco program grant with a focus on addressing tobacco treatment in behavioral health. She guest lectures in various College of Medicine courses to include tobacco education in the medical school curriculum and trains clinical faculty in evidence-based interventions for tobacco, including Motivational Interviewing. Ms. Aubrey collaborated with the FSU College of Social Work to create an elective course, offered annually, which prepares students as Tobacco Treatment Specialists. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Let's Help People Quit: Tobacco is the Problem, Not the Solution
Donna Bachowski
Donna Bachowski, Department Manager, Reference Central, has 17 years of experience in many facets of public library operations. Prior to joining the Orange County Library System in July 2006, Bachowski was a library director for several years in New Jersey. She has overseen the development of Mobile Services at OCLS, is the project manager for the Orlando Memory Project, and coordinates the Right Service at the Right Time outreach and training. Bachowski has a Masters of Library Science from the University of South Florida and a BA in Library Science and History from the University of Southern Mississippi. Bachowski is an active member of the American Library Association and Public Library Association. She is a frequent presenter at national and regional conferences. Sheri Chambers is the Digital Content Manager and has been with the Orange County Library System since October 1994. She holds a MLS from the University of South Florida. Currently she leads the Digital Content Team in the creation of digital products. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Margie Friedman and Barbara Multer-Wellin
Margie Friedman and Barbara Multer-Wellin, Executive Producers View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Michael C. Barnes, Esq.
Managing Attorney DCBA Law & Policy
In his practice of law, Mr. Barnes provides strategic counsel to businesses, not-for-profits, licensed professionals, fiduciaries, and individuals. He has served as primary legal counsel to national health care service providers, including during start-up and stabilization stages; to international pharmaceutical manufacturers seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of new drug applications. In his public policy practice, Mr. Barnes advises corporations, health care providers, and national non-profits on issues including prescription drug abuse, medication safety, and pain care. Mr. Barnes obtained his Juris Doctor degree from George Mason University School of Law and was recognized by the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section as Outstanding Law Graduate in the Practice of Family Law. He earned a master’s degree in international economic policy from La Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He received his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Flagler College. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Timely Legal Issues in Addiction Treatment
Michael F Barnes, Ph.D., LPC
Dr. Barnes has more than 30 years' experience as a clinician, program administrator, clinical supervisor and counselor educator. He brings significant expertise in the areas of addiction treatment, trauma therapy, and marriage and family therapy, with a specific interest in the development of trauma-integrated addiction treatment. He formerly served at University of Colorado Denver as Assistant Clinical Professor and the Training Coordinator in the Master's Program in Counseling. Dr. Barnes received his BA in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, his M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh, and his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Florida State University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and approved clinical supervisor for individuals seeking licensure as professional counselors and marriage and family therapists in Colorado. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Secondary Trauma: Helping Families Recover
Andrea G. Barthwell , MD
Andrea Grubb Barthwell, M.D., F.A.S.A.M., is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the global health care and policy-consulting firm EMGlobal LLC and Director at Two Dreams Outer Banks Treatment Center. President George W. Bush nominated and the U. S. Senate confirmed Dr. Barthwell to serve as Deputy Director for Demand Reduction in the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). As a member of the President's sub-cabinet, Dr. Barthwell was a principal advisor in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) on policies aimed at reducing the demand for illicit drugs. Dr. Barthwell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University, where she serves on the Board of Trustees, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School. Following post-graduate training at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University Medical Center, she began her practice in the Chicago area. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Evidence Based and Empirically Based Treatment for Recovery Enhancement
Andrea Grubb Barthwell, M.D.
Andrea Grubb Barthwell, M.D., F.A.S.A.M., is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the global health care and policy-consulting firm EMGlobal LLC and Director at Two Dreams Outer Banks Treatment Center. President George W. Bush nominated and the United States Senate confirmed her to serve as Deputy Director for Demand Reduction in the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) from January 2002 - July 2004. As a member of the President's sub-cabinet, Dr. Barthwell was a principal advisor in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) on policies aimed at reducing the demand for illicit drugs. Dr. Barthwell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Barthwell is a past president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and in 2003, Dr. Barthwell received the Betty Ford Award, given by the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Treatment and Recovery Enhancement for Sustained Recovery with Andrea G. Barthwell, M.D., F.A.S.A.M.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell
Kristin Barton Cuthriell, Med, MSW, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and the author of the book, The Snowball Effect: How to Build Positive Momentum in Your Life. Over the past twenty-three years, Kristin has worked to bring positive change to others in her community. She has worked as an elementary school teacher, a middle school teacher, a licensed psychotherapist, a Girl Scout leader, and a Sunday school teacher inspiring others through love, support, and education. Currently, she is counseling children, teens, and adults in a clinical practice setting. Her experience also includes working for a nonprofit organization, a community mental health center, and an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital. Kristin lives with her husband and their two children in Virginia. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Snowball Effect: How to Build Positive Momentum in Your Life Guest Kristin Barton Cuthriell, MEd, MSW, LCSW
Melody Beattie
Melody Beattie is the author of numerous best-selling books, including Codependent No More, Beyond Codependency, The Language of Letting Go, More Language of Letting Go, and 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact. Her other recent titles include The Grief Club, Gratitude, and The New Codependency. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Codependent No More Celebrates 25 Years with Melody Beattie Author of a New Book The Codependent No More Workbook
Dr Cesar Benarroche
Dr Cesar Benarroche is a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He did his residency in psychiatry at the University of Rochester, N.Y and subsequently completed a fellowship in Psychiatry at Yale University. Dr. Benarroche was a faculty member at Yale University’s Department of Psychiatry for nine years where he was Director of the Transitional Unit at the Yale Psychiatric Institute and Director of one of the outpatient divisions of the Connecticut Mental Health Center. He is a Board Certified psychiatrist with over 30 years of psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, teaching, and research experience. He has been the Medical Director of Lifeskills of Boca Raton for the past ten years. He is also involved in clinical medication trials and has a busy extensive outpatient practice in Boca Raton since 1987. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Addiction and Mental health:The chicken or the Egg and Who Is in Control of that Brain? – Special Encore Presentation!
Andrea Bengtson, MA, MSW
Clinical Coordinator of Services, On-Campus Active Minds Advisor Boston University: The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is affiliated with Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Boston University. The Center is a research, training, and service organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons who have psychiatric disabilities by improving the effectiveness of people, programs, and service systems. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
“Raising Mental Health Awareness on Campus”
Leah Claire Bennett, Ph.D.
Leah Claire Bennett, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist with the Professional Enhancement Program of Pine Grove Behavioral Health & Addiction Services. She received her Master's and Doctorate degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Dr. Bennett has experience with the local county Drug Court program, The University Counseling Center, and the VA. Dr. Bennett has worked with the Professional Enhancement Program for the past four years in vocational and relational issues. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Taming Disruptive Behavior
Sarah Allen Benton
Sarah is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in a counseling center at a college in Boston, Massachusetts. She is the leader of the Alcohol Skills Training Program directed towards helping college-age problem drinkers and has made a variety of psycho-educational presentations including Mindful Drinking: Moderate Drinking for College Students and The Truth About Ecstasy (club drug). In 2003, Sarah received a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology degree from Northeastern University in Boston. She has held several counselor positions at McLean Psychiatric Hospital (affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital) in the Klarman Eating Disorders Center and the Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Institute. She is currently the vice-president of the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation of Greater Boston. Sarah is also a proud member of a 12-Step Recovery Program and has been sober since February 2004. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic
Allen Berger, Ph.D.
Allen Berger, Ph.D., is a public speaker and nationally recognized expert on the science of recovery. He is the author of 12 Stupid Things That Mess Up Recovery and 12 Smart Things to Do When the Booze and Drugs Are Gone. His latest book is 12 HIDDEN REWARDS OF MAKING AMENDS: Finding Forgiveness and Self-Respect by Working Steps 8-10. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Finding Forgiveness and Self Respect by Working Steps 8-10 with guest Allen Berger, Ph.D.
Claudia Black, M.S.W., Ph.D.
Claudia Black, M.S.W., Ph.D. is a renowned addictions and codependency expert, author and trainer internationally recognized for her pioneering and contemporary work with family systems and addictive disorders. Since the 1970s Dr. Black’s work has encompassed the impact of addiction on young and adult children. She has offered models of intervention and treatment related to family violence, multi-addictions, relapse, anger, depression, sex addiction and women’s issues. Dr. Black designs and presents training workshops and seminars to professional audiences in the field of family service, mental health, addiction and correctional services. She is the Sr. Editorial Advisor for Central Recovery Press and serves as Senior Clinical and Family Services Provider for Las Vegas Recovery Center. She serves on the Advisory Board for the National Association of Children of Alcoholics, and the Advisory Council of the Moyer Foundation. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Deceived: Facing Sexual Betrayal, Lies and Secrets
Jeanne Blake
Jeanne Blake is a medical and science journalist and president of Blake Works, an executive leadership communication coaching firm. She is also founder of Family Health Productions, which produces Words Can Work® multimedia about the public and mental health challenges young people face growing up. Jeanne has appeared on Oprah, Today, CNN, and been featured on NPR and Bloomberg Radio. She is a guest columnist for USA TODAY on qualities of leadership. She is an affiliated faculty member of Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addiction and a trustee of McLean Hospital, Harvard's largest psychiatric facility. As a broadcast journalist, she earned the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and was recognized for her work on healthcare and public health issues. Jeanne Blake speaks nationally to healthcare professionals, parents and work/life professionals. You can read more at www.blakeworks.com and www.wordscanwork.com. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Keeping Kids Safe: Vital Conversations
Benjamin Boone
Benjamin Boone, now in his early 30s, was diagnosed with schizophrenia the day after he graduated with a degree in writing and literature from Emerson College in Boston. In the past decade Boone has written in genres from travel writing to historical fiction and science. At 17 he penned his first book, “Tracks”, about his experiences on European trains. The book was followed by “The West Indian Way”, which details adventures in the Caribbean. Since publishing “Minority of Mind” this year Boone has been speaking around the country about quality of care issues, family dynamics, and advocating for those with mental illness. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Journey Through Madness and Back with Guest Benjamin Boone
William G Borchert
William G. Borchert is an Emmy nominated screenwriter who wrote the movies "My Name Is Bill W." starring James Garner and James Woods and "When Love Is Not Enough" starring Winona Ryder and Barry Pepper. He has also written a number of books including, "The Lois Wilson Story: When Love Is Not Enough," "Sought Through Prayer and Meditation," "50 Miracles That Changed Lives," and "1,000 Years of Sobriety."
Bill is an entertaining and informative speaker, carrying his own message of recovery to medical groups, college campuses, large business organizations and recovery conventions across the country. Bill is also a Trustee of the non-profit Willingway Foundation in Statesboro, Georgia that sponsors and supports college students in recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction and also holds workshops to help educate and fight against the stigma of addiction. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Charles Brady PhD., ABPP
Director OCD and Anxiety Program Lindner Center of HOPE
Dr. Charles F. Brady directs the Lindner Center of HOPE’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Anxiety treatment program. He leads the research and development of the Center’s psychiatric rehabilitation programming. Dr. Brady is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years experience on the staff and faculty of the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Psychiatry. In addition to providing clinical service at UC, he trained and supervised interns, doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, psychiatric residents, psychiatric fellows, and psychiatrists. Dr. Brady earned his Doctorate of Clinical-Community Psychology from University of South Carolina and completed his post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He has completed training in the treatment of OCD and OCD spectrum disorders through the Behavior Therapy Institute. Dr. Brady is Board Certified in Clinical Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Diagnosis and Treatment of OCD
David H. Brendel
David H. Brendel, M.D., Ph.D. practices psychiatry in the Boston area and teaches ethics and professionalism at Harvard Medical School. He has written and spoken extensively on the ethics of integrating scientific and humanistic approaches in psychiatric practice. His book, Healing Psychiatry: Bridging the Science/Humanism Divide, was published by the MIT Press in 2006 and released in paperback in 2009. He has also written and published on the ethics of using online technologies, such as Google and Facebook, in contemporary medical and psychiatric practice. More information about Dr. Brendel's clinical, academic, and media work is available on his website:www.drdavidbrendel.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Ethics of Using Internet Technologies in Medical Practice with Guest, David H. Brendel, M.D., Ph.D.
Richard Broom
Richard Broom was born April 1946 in Albany, NY. In 1966 Broom was drafted into the Army. Broom remained in the US Army until he took an honorable discharge in 1968. He then returned to graduate from Hudson Valley Community College in 1970 and reenrolled in S.U.N.Y at Albany. In 1982, Broom was incarcerated and spent 359 days in the county jail while awaiting trial and sentencing. For approximately the next ten years, Broom remained in the Florida Department of Corrections. On March 9th, 1993, Broom was released on parole. On January 1st, 1997, Broom began working as a therapist in a small treatment center in South Florida called Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches. The center now has three separate treatment centers with over 150 beds. Broom remains at this center as a primary therapist. The book (Cocked and Loaded) will not be officially printed until November 09. The book is Richard Broom’s journey through substance abuse, into discovery and through continued recovery. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Cocked and Loaded
Carver Brown
Carver was asked to join Pine Grove Behavioral Health as Alumni Coordinator in 2008. There he helped initiate the Days of Hope program, a follow up initiative to stay connected to the graduates and also facilitates the Back to Basics program which has become a successful 12 step experiential workshop. Recently Carver is working with Dr. Patrick Carnes to present and develop the Gentle Path through the Twelve Principles Workshop Series in Phoenix, Arizona. This Series takes participants through the Principles behind the Twelve Steps to gain a perspective on applying these important disciplines to significant areas of their lives. Carver also serves on the Board of TPAS Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services (TPAS)
Brené Brown, Ph.D.
Dr. Brené Brown is a professor and vulnerability researcher at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. Because vulnerability is at the center of many thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, her research topics cover a broad range of emotions and experiences, including shame, courage, and authenticity. Brené spent the first five years of her decade-long study focusing on shame and fear, and is now using that work to explore a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness. She poses the questions: How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough – that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy? Brené is the author of I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power (Gotham, 2007) and two forthcoming books, The Gifts of Imperfection: Letting Go of Who We Think We Should Be and Embracing Who We Are (Hazelden, 2010) and Wholehearted: Spiritual Adventures in Falling Apart, Growing Up, and Finding Joy (Hazelden, 2011). She is also the author of Connections, a psychoeducational shame resilience curriculum that is being facilitated across the nation by mental health and addiction professionals. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Gifts of Imperfection
J.R. Bruns, M.D.
J.R. Bruns, M.D., is a psychiatrist and medical director of La Mer Integrative & Behavioral Medical Group. After earning his Bachelor of Arts in Pharmacology at UCSB, he obtained his Medical Degree at Case Western School of Medicine. Following the completion of his psychiatric residency at USC, he was an assistant clinical professor. Dr. Bruns is a noted speaker, lecturer and expert on a wide variety of anxiety disorders, social phobias, and behavioral disorders. He and his wife Jeanne have been married for 37 years, raised three children, and currently reside in Southern California. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Why Men Prowl and How to Not Become the Prey
Michael J. Burke
Michael J. Burke practiced law for twenty-five years in Howell, Michigan where he was raised with his nine brothers and sisters. Michael and his wife purchased the family home and it was there that they raised their two daughters. He was actively involved in the community, enjoyed a successful law practice and was a devoted father. Never Enough: One Lawyer's True Story of How He Gambled His Career Away, is the shocking, true story of Michael J. Burke, who went from being a successful lawyer, loving father and husband, and respected member of his community to a closet alcoholic and gambling addict to the tune of $1,600,000, using clients' trust funds. On June 18, 2001, he was sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution to his victims in the amount of 1.6 million dollars. Follow Michael Burke as he descends into his addictions, then must confess all to his family and clients. Read about his arraignment, and the actual transcripts from his sentencing. Burke shares stories of his prison life, and then the painful narrative of how his lies and deceit affected his family. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Never Enough: One Lawyer's True Story of How He Gambled His Career Away
Bill Burnett
Bill Burnett has written songs and comedy material for a wide variety of artists. He was the co-creator and Executive Producer of Nickelodeon’s hit carton series ChalkZone, for which he wrote or edited all the stories and special songs. He is currently Creative Director of his own Communications and Production company, Stretch Media, and is developing films for Sony, DreamWorks, and other Hollywood studios. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Imagine Recovery
Jerry Burton
Jerry is a certified brain injury specialist who has been in the human services field for 30 years, divided almost equally between MH/MR and TBI. He currently serves as director of Development for Whitemarsh House, a personal care facility located in Flourtown, Pa. Prior to coming to Whitemarsh House, Jerry served for 10 years as administrator and residential manager at Success at Rockridge, a TBI facility located in Quakertown, Pa, where he established "Rockridge Live", the annual music event for clients, their families and friends. Think American Idol with no losers. Jerry maintains that it could be only done through the universality of music. A similar program is in the works for Whitemarsh House. Jerry is also a musician, composer, performer, and record producer. He studied music at Berklee College of Music in Boston and at the proverbial "School of Hard Knocks'. His latest work is "SIDEWAYS", a CD by Bishop Clay, a Pittsburgh area group. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Real American Idols; Performing with a Brain Injury
Jan Cairnes
Jan Cairnes joined Hanley Center in 1998. She has co-authored two prevention programs, Bounce: Be a Resilient Child, for children ages 6 to 12; and Aging to Perfection, an education program for older adults. She is published in Parenting Plus Magazine and has spoken at numerous conferences. Jan is a founding member of Professionals Against Doping and Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education Taskforce and served as vice president of their board for five years.
Jan is the recipient of the 2006 Sports Illustrated Award and increased the number of SI school awards given in Florida from 4 to 17 through her fundraising efforts. She was a 2007 finalist for Sun-Sentinel’s Sports Person of the Year.
Jan was recently named to the Prevention Transformation Initiative Design and Development Team for the State of Florida Department of Children and Families Prevention System. Jan is also a national trainer for Active Parenting, Mental Health First Aid and other programs. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Take a Minute: Preventing Adolescent Substance Abuse
Karen Carpenter-Palumbo
Karen Carpenter-Palumbo is the new President/CEO of NAATP and began her new position on April 4, 2011. Prior to accepting the position, Ms. Carpenter-Palumbo served as Commissioner of the State of New York Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services from 2007 through 2010. She also has extensive experience working in the mental health field and other health related organizations, as well as in the insurance industry. She has been a strong advocate for both the private and public sectors of the addiction treatment field, and brings that strong commitment to the field to her new position at NAATP. Carpenter-Palumbo holds a Master of Social Work degree, and has been the recipient of many awards for the work she has done in the addiction field, among them the 2010 SAMHSA Science and Service Award, the 2010 Spirit Award from the international Nurses Society on Addictions, and the 2009 Ramstad-Kennedy Award for Outstanding Leadership. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A New Day for Addiction Treatment
Elizabeth Carpenter-Song
Elizabeth Carpenter-Song, Ph.D., is a medical and psychological anthropologist. She studied anthropology at Dartmouth College (A.B., 2001) before pursuing graduate studies in anthropology at Case Western Reserve University (Ph.D., 2007). She received postdoctoral training in culture and mental health in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School through a National Institute of Mental Health Fellowship. She is currently Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center. Her work explores lived experiences of mental illness and the contemporary context of mental health services in the U.S. Much of her research focuses on the lives of people of color and people living in poverty in the U.S. She conducts research among individuals living with severe mental illness and addictions in Washington, D.C. in the context of a research and training collaboration between Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center and Howard University funded by the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR RRTC H133AO80063; PI: R. Whitley). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Lived Experiences of Recovery among People Living with Psychiatric Disabilities
Joey Carroll
Joey Carroll made his way onto the comedy scene on a dare. His first open mike got him his first paid gig. Joey has been described as a cross between George Carlin and Dennis Miller. His no holds barred style has won him the respect of his fellow comedians and the laughter of his audiences. Edgy is his favorite way to work. His act has something for everyone. Joey Carroll’s comedy has taken him around the world. While performing at Los Angeles’ prestigious Improv he was discovered by AKA Productions and immediately booked to use his sharp wit and flawless comic timing to bring much needed laughter to our troops around the world. Most recently Joey Carroll was a standout act at the Boston Comedy Festival. While appearing in the Hazardous show Joey was selected to perform at the Best of the Fest showcase. While performing with Bobcat Goldthwait during the Montreal Comedy Festival he was cast to appear with Bobcat in Comedy Central’s Pulp Comics. Joey’s clean observational comedy makes him a perfect act for just about any venue. Joey’s website is http://joeycarroll.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Supporting the Troops with Humor
Ralph E. Carson, LD RD PhD
Ralph E. Carson, LD, RD, PhD, has been involved in the clinical treatment of addictions, obesity, and eating disorders for over 30 years using a neuropsychobiological approach. With a BS from Duke University and BHS from Duke University Medical School, coupled with a BS in nutrition from Oakwood College and a PhD in nutrition from Auburn University, he offers a unique understanding of health, wellness, exercise, and nutrition and how they all affect brain health. He currently consults with numerous addiction and eating disorder treatment centers throughout the country as well as being a highly sought-after speaker at various conferences and workshops. He is an active board member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). Working with Academy Medical Systems, he developed workshops for professional groups throughout the United States on topics such as exercise therapy, sports nutrition, eating disorders, and childhood obesity. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Brain Fix: What's the Matter with Your Gray Matter: Improve Your Memory, Moods, and Mind
Dr. Hilarie Cash, PhD, LMHC
Dr. Hilarie Cash, PhD, LMHC is the executive director of reSTART, an Internet Addiction Recovery Program in Fall City WA. The reSTART program is the first dedicated in-patient facility for video game and internet addicts in North America The reSTART: Internet Addiction Recovery Program is specifically oriented towards launching tech-dependent youth and adults back into the real world. The individually tailored program is designed to assist participants with an Internet and/or computer-based behavioral addiction to break the cycle of dependency. The 45-day abstinence based recovery program exposes participants to a variety of activities and everyday life skills which are often avoided or underdeveloped as a result of ongoing computer, video game and Internet abuse. Dr. Cash is also the author of Video Games and Your Kids. Video Games and Your Kids is for parents who are worried that their children may be spending too much time playing video games. Based on research and the authors' clinical experience, the book explains what gaming addiction is, how much gaming is too much, and the affects gaming has on the body and brain. The authors give gaming advice on each stage of life; birth-2 years, ages 2-6, elementary school years, adolescence, and adult children still living at home. Where there is a problem, the authors provide parents with tools that will help the parents successfully set appropriate limits for their children. It also explains the need to consult with professionals and use the process of formal interventions when the addiction is so severe that the parents are no longer able to manage the situation. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Video Game and Internet Addiction
Sierra Castedo
Sierra Castedo is the Director of The Center for Students in Recovery at The University of Texas at Austin. Sierra became involved in collegiate recovery first as a student in need, and now serves the Center that changed her life. She is the Southwest Region Representative on the board of the Association of Recovery in Higher Education, a Peer Recovery Support Specialist, a founding member of the Recovery Oriented Community Collaborative (ROCC), a founding member of Young People in Recovery – Austin, a graduate of SAMHSA’s Project LIFT, and is finishing an MA at UT Austin. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Bringing Recovery to Campus
Tom Catton
Tom Catton has been in long-term recovery for thirty-nine years. His story appears in a twelve-step fellowship text with more than seven million copies in circulation around the world. Tom is invited to speak in the US and internationally several times a year at twelve-step conventions in front of audiences ranging from 500 to 10,000 people. He has been taking twelve-step meetings into the prison system in Hawaii since 1984. He has been active in service positions over the years, including serving on a committee that met for over three years to write a recovery text for a twelve-step fellowship. Tom is on the advisory board of the Buddhist Recovery Network, and is also trained in Tibetan singing bowl therapy. He leads a Buddhist recovery meditation group that meets twice a month in Hawaii. Catton is the author of a book titled “The Mindful Addict: A Memoir of the Awakening of a Spirit”. The book illustrates how spiritual connection and the practice of meditation can promote healing and enhance recovery. The book also emphasizes how an addict’s life can be changed through the guidance of a Higher Power and living a life of humble service based on love and selflessness. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Mindful Addict: A Memoir of the Awakening of a Spirit
Sheri Chambers
Sheri Chambers is the Digital Content Manager and has been with the Orange County Library System since October 1994. She holds a MLS from the University of South Florida. Currently she leads the Digital Content Team in the creation of digital products. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Right Service at the Right Time and Imagine Recovery: A CD of Music Carrying the Message of Recovery
Richard Cheu
Richard Cheu is an author, ordained deacon and hospital chaplain in the Archdiocese of New York, stress-management consultant, and caregiver. He provides pastoral counseling at Bellevue Hospital, the Visiting Nurse Service inpatient hospice, and other New York City medical facilities. He formerly was a neurophysiologist and Emergency Medical Technician. An undergraduate research fellow in embryology at Stanford University, he received a B.A. degree in Biological Sciences, and an M.A. in biology with a specialization in endocrinology at the University of Oregon. He received a M.B.A. at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Living Well with Chronic Illness - a Practical and Spiritual Guide with guest Richard Cheu
Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D., Ph.D.
Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D., Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been treating clients for more than 35 years. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Soundmindz.org a popular mental health site. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psycho-logical Association. Currently in private practice, Dr. Ciaramicoli has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, lecturer for the American Cancer Society, Chief Psychologist at Metrowest Medical Center, and director of the Metrowest Counseling Center and of the Alternative Medicine division of Metrowest Wellness Center in Framingham, Massachusetts.
In addition to treating patients, Dr. Ciaramicoli has lectured at Harvard Health Services, Boston College Counseling Center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore as well as being a consultant to several major corporations. Dr. Ciaramicoli has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows and is also the author of several books. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Parental Resistance in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Bud Clayman
Director, Writer, Principal Subject Bud was a young adult in college (Radio-Television-Film; Temple University) when mental illness struck. Over the years, he has been diagnosed with Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and most recently with Asperger’s Syndrome. As a filmmaker, Bud’s vision of this documentary is clear. “I want people to understand that there is more to mental illness than pain and problems. My recovery is about acceptance and getting on with life.” View Guest page
Episode Listing:
OC87: The Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger’s Movie
Dr. Diego L. Coira
Dr. Diego Coira is Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Director of The Debra Simon Center for Integrated Behavioral Health and Wellness at Hackensack University Medical Center. He is board certified in Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine. Dr. Coira was named to the 2014 list of Best New York Doctors by New York Magazine as well as being selected by Castle Conelly's list of 2014 top doctors in psychiatry. He is also the recipient of the 2002 Harvey J. Shwed Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence from New Jersey Medical School and the Institute for Nursing 2009 APPLE Award acknowledging Physician Partners Liaison Excellence. Dr. Coira and his team successfully integrated the acute care inpatient psychiatric unit into a medical psychiatric unit over eight years ago. This year he expanded the concept of integrative services to the outpatient Behavioral Health Division in a newly designed Wellness Center. http://www.hackensackumcfitnessnyg.com/ View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Crystal Collier, PhD, LPC-S
Director of the Behavioral Health Institute, Houston
Dr. Crystal Collier has been working with adolescents and adults suffering from mental illness, behavior disorders, and substance abuse since 1991. She has been licensed by the State of Texas as a professional counselor since 1999 and counselor supervisor since 2008. She possesses a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a doctorate in counselor education. Her area of expertise includes adolescent brain development, prevention programming, independent living skills training, parent coaching, and training new clinicians. Crystal is currently the Director of the Behavioral Health Institute and the Choices Prevention Program for The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston. Her innovative, comprehensive prevention program, Choices, recently was selected for the 2015 Prevention and Education Commendation from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Raise Their Brain: The Science of Preventing High-Risk Behavior
Holly Cook
Holly is a licensed professional counselor/mental health service provider who brings 25 years experience in the addictions and mental health fields to the Integrative Life Center. She has had the opportunity to receive training over the years with several of the "masters" in the therapy field such as Jay Haley, Chloe Madanes, Luigi Boscolo and William Glasser. In addition to her clinical training and experience, Holly has managed several programs and received numerous awards for her leadership in the United States and Germany. As an international trainer and consultant, Holly has provided training on various topics such as trauma and addiction, Motivational Interviewing, adolescent development and treating adolescent substance abuse, developing trauma-informed services and creating effective treatment systems for women on welfare. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Marijuana - How The History Has Led Us To Where We Are Today
Steven Crawford, M.D.
Steven Crawford, M.D. is a Board Certified Psychiatrist and the Associate Director of The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt. Dr. Crawford has served in a leadership role with The Center for over twenty years, during which the program has grown into a 26-bed facility and become one of the leading eating disorder treatment centers in the country. Dr. Crawford completed his medical training at The University of Maryland School of Medicine and continues to serve on the faculty there, where he teaches medical students about the identification and treatment of eating disorders. He also serves as a lead investigator in federally funded research grants, is a recent past president of the Maryland Psychiatric Society and currently serves as Chair of Med Chi’s Committee on Scientific Activity. Over the past several years, Dr. Crawford has been named by Baltimore Magazine as one of the city’s “Top Doctors” and was recently recognized by The Daily Record as one of Baltimore’s “2010 Health Care Heroes.” View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Eating Disorders: From Risk Factors to Recovery
Mary Lou Darst
As a child, Mary Lou Darst traveled the world with her military family. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature, a Master of Science in Multicultural Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Visual and Applied Design. Darst has taught English language arts in public schools for 20 years and English as a Second Language for six years at three junior colleges. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Secrets my dad never told me - How World War II defined a family with guest Mary Lou Darst
Charles “Bud” Dasey
Charles “Bud” Dasey was a 19-year-old sailor when he landed on Normandy 70 years ago. Now 89, he travels around with his "D-Day in a box" exhibit, visiting schools and museums teaching children about what happened there. The one box of D - Day memorabilia has grown to several boxes over the years. Dasey and his wife also made a 3-D model of the invasion that contains hundreds of small pieces.
Dasey also had the opportunity to return to Normandy a few years ago and added two items to his D - Day box collection. He still lives in the Boston area and attends many civic and veteran events View Guest page
Episode Listing:
D - Day In A Box with Guest Charles "Bud" Dasey
Diane Davey
Diane Davey is the Program Director at the OCD Institute, a residential treatment program and research site at McLean Hospital, specializing in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She is also the President of the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, a national advocacy group dedicated to educating people about OCD, helping patients find appropriate treatment, training treatment providers, and raising money for research. Davey received her undergraduate degree in Nursing from Boston College and her Masters in Business Administration from Boston University. Prior to working at the OCD Institute, she worked in several other capacities at McLean Hospital, and was also the Program Director of an independent venture called Community Based Services, which provided in-home services primarily to patients with OCD. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - myths and truths
Brenda Davis
Brenda Davis lives with her husband of 24 years in Cordova, TN with their five dogs. Brenda graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1975 with a Veterinary Medicine Degree. She practiced veterinary medicine in a mixed animal practice which she owned and operated for 25 years in Hope, AR. Brenda also worked for the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service as a Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian and retired in 2012. Brenda and her husband, Hugh, have a blended family of 6 children and 16 grandchildren. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Finding the Courage to Reach Out for Help with guest Brenda Davis
Tom Davis
Tom Davis is the Jersey Shore regional editor at Patch.com. He was previously an award-winning editor and reporter in New Jersey for The Record of Bergen County where he wrote “Coping”, one of the nation’s only mental health columns, for five years. He was named "Citizen of the Year" in 2007 by the American Psychiatric Association's New Jersey chapter. He also teaches journalism classes at Rutgers University and has taught a groundbreaking course on mental health issues in the media at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. He was one of six people in the nation to win the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowship in 2004. Tom is also the editor, writer and publisher of Coping with Life blog, which deals with life, family and mental health. He holds a M.S. degree from Columbia University. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Legacy of Madness
Mary Jo DeGrandi
Mary Jo DeGrandi is the Director of Admissions at the Academy at Swift River, a therapeutic boarding school located in western Massachusetts. For the past 20 years, Mary Jo has worked as an educator and clinician specializing in adolescents and families in many settings, including therapeutic boarding schools, therapeutic wilderness programs, and residential treatment centers, as well as in traditional and non-traditional academic environments. She brings this hands-on experience and understanding of the continuum of care for adolescents to her work with families. Her goal of providing the best information and guidance to families in need is supported by the philosophy of care within the Aspen Education Group, as well as by the professionalism and ethics of her colleagues who work for and with the Academy. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Options for Troubled Teens,a Look at the Continuum of Care and Therapeutic Schools with guests Mary Jo DeGrandi, Director, Academy at Swift River and Thomas A. Ahern,Director for Aspen Education Group
Mary Jo DeGrandi
Mary Jo DeGrandi is the Director of Outreach & Marketing at PRN for Families. She has been has been working with families and youth at-risk youth for over 20 years, and holds a Master’s degree in Ecopsychology, which focuses on the connection between human behavior, health, and the natural environment. She has professional experience working in both therapeutic and academic settings. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Family Preservation: A Community-based Model of Support for Struggling Families
Michael DeLeon
Michael R. DeLeon is the founder of Steered Straight, Inc. a non-profit organization designed to carry a message regarding the extreme dangers of drugs, gang-involvement and criminal activity. Michael also founded the Project Pride Program while incarcerated in prison which messages that consequences are severe and life-lasting. Michael is an ex-offender who after nearly 8 years of drug addiction and gangs, spent 12 years in prison and half-way houses for a gang-related homicide. Since Michael’s release from prison, he has earned 3 Associates Degrees, a Baccalaureate Degree in Business Management, with a minor in Criminal Justice and a CADC Educational Certificate. Michael is now obtaining his Master’s Degree in Addictions Counseling and pursuing his LCADC. Michael has appeared as a Keynote Speaker and presented workshops on Addiction Disorders and is currently producing a documentary film on marijuana with Congressman Patrick Kennedy and former ONDCP Deputy Director Kevin Sabet. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Straight Talk on the Drug Epidemic
Michael R. DeLeon, Director and Producer, MarijuanaX
From the Producer and Director who was the first to address the heroin and opiate epidemic in New Jersey through film, Kids Are Dying, and who later went on to document the national epidemic in An American Epidemic, Michael DeLeon brings you the most poignant and relevant documentary on marijuana to date. MarijuanaX takes you on a journey of what was promised and what has transpired. This film challenges the mainstream media’s take on marijuana like never before. Meet people affected by the drug that most think is harmless. Listen to people in Colorado who have been devastated by the drug, talk about what is really taking place. This is a film that will make everyone question their positions, however it will surely make you look at the issue differently. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
It's Not Marijuana - It's Marijuana X
William Francis “Bill” Denehy
William Francis “Bill” Denehy is a former major league baseball player for the New York Mets. Once considered a top prospect, sharing his rookie card with Tom Seaver, “Baseball Bill” badly injured his arm the first month of his career. Bill unsuccessfully tried to stay in baseball with the aid of multiple cortisone shots, which exacerbated his long-time struggles with anger and addiction. He later coached the University of Hartford, was a minor league pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox, and a radio announcer. He is now in long-term recovery and belongs to the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. Denehy’s new memoir is Rage: The Legend of ‘Baseball Bill’ Denehy (co-written with sports author Peter Golenbock). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Addiction, Anger, and the Road to Recovery with Guest Bill Denehy
Jimmy Destri
Jimmy Destri is a born and bred Brooklynite having lived in around the New York City area his entire 54 years. He currently lives in Windsor Terrace with his wife Roberta and their children James, 11 and Rienna, 3. Though still a partner of the band Blondie, Jimmy is currently serving as a full time drug counselor/therapist at NYC's Carnegie Hill Institute while pursing his drug and alcohol license at NYC's C.U.N.Y. At Carnegie Hill Institute, a long established and respected outpatient recovery center in New York City, Jimmy spends 5 days a week helping some of the city's acute and chronically addicted find new life and hope, using the newest therapeutic tools of the trade. He claims that he's been incredibly lucky, not once in life, but twice, having found a new calling that he's equally passionate about. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Client Centered Approach in Treatment
Gayatri Devi, MD, FACP, FAAN
Gayatri Devi, MD, FACP, FAAN, is a Clinical Associate Professor at NY University School of Medicine, and an Attending Physician at Lenox Hill Hospital. She is a board certified neurologist, with additional board certifications in Pain Medicine, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Neurology. She is an elected fellow of the American College of Physicians, and of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Devi has specialized in the early diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders related to aging and menopause for 20 years.
Dr. Devi has over 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals on the topic of memory loss and has presented at conferences worldwide. Her current focus of research is the use of brain stimulation to treat Alzheimer's disease, and other memory and cognitive disorders.
Dr. Devi serves as consultant to the NY State Committee for Physician's Health and also serves as a neurologic consultant to the NFL in the assessment of players with concussions and other sports related injuries. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Why Forgetting Is Important To Us
Pete Earley
In a Washingtonian Magazine cover story entitled, Top Journalists: Washington's Media Elite, Pete Earley was described as one of a handful of journalists in America who "have the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency." A former reporter for The Washington Post, he is the author of nine nonfiction books and three novels. His book, CRAZY: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness, tells two stories. It describes his attempts to help his college age son, Mike, after he becomes ill with bipolar disorder and is arrested. It also describes a year that Earley spent at the Miami Dade County Jail where he followed persons with mental disorders, who had been in jail, out into the community to see what sort of services they received. His book was one of two finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 and has won awards from Mental Health America and the American Psychiatric Association. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness
Bill Eddy
Bill Eddy is an attorney, therapist, mediator, and the President of the High Conflict Institute based in San Diego, California. Mr. Eddy provides training to professionals worldwide on the subject of managing high-conflict personalities. He is an international speaker, presenting seminars throughout the United States, Canada, France, Sweden, and Australia. He is the developer of several methods for managing high conflict people in any situation – including in family law, mediation, and the workplace. As an attorney, he is a Certified Family Law Specialist in California. He has represented clients in family court and provided divorce mediation services for over 20 years. Prior to becoming a lawyer, he provided psychotherapy to children and families as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He is the author of ten books for managing high-conflict situations, including "It's All Your Fault: 12 Tips for Managing People Who Blame Others for Everything.” View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Personality Disorders in Daily Life
Norman H. Edelman, M.D.
Norman H. Edelman, M.D., is the American Lung Association’s leading medical authority, having served as Chief Medical Officer for 25 years. Dr. Edelman also provides patient care as a teaching clinic supervisor and is a Professor of Preventive Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Physiology and Biophysics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr. Edelman is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and has published extensively in the field of pulmonary diseases and control of breathing. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The “Quitter in You” - A New Smoking Cessation Campaign Norman H. Edelman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, American Lung Association Michael Jaeger, M.D., Managing Medical Director, WellPoint - WI
Charles Elias
Charles Elias is the founder and owner of PRN for Families. He holds a BSW with a minor in Youth Agency Administration from Colorado State University and his MSW from the University of Denver. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Addictions Counselor in the state of Colorado. Charles is a member of NAADAC, and NASW. Charles is trained in family preservation by the Homebuilders Program of the State of Washington, Institute for Family Development. PRN for Families is built around this model and philosophy of supporting families so that they can live safely together. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Beyond ADHD with Guest Jeff Emmerson
Gary Enos
Gary Enos has been editor of Addiction Professional magazine since the publication’s founding in 2003. He has served as a writer and editor on topics in the addiction and mental health fields since 1994, having worked as executive editor at Manisses Communications Group in Providence, RI, until the company’s closing in 2005. He is a graduate of Brown University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Achieving Clinical Excellence in Behavioral Healthcare with Guests Dennis Grantham and Gary Enos
Carlton K. Erickson
CARLTON (CARL) K. ERICKSON, a research scientist, is a distinguished Professor of Pharmacology, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, and Director of the Addiction Science Research and Education Center in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Texas at Austin. He has published over 260 peer-reviewed and professional articles, and is an Associate Editor of the scientific journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. He is the author of a 2007 book titled The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment, which won a Hamilton Book Award in 2008. He is a recipient of the Betty Ford Center Visionary Award (2000), the 2003 Pat Fields SECAD Award, the 2004 Fred French Award for Educational Achievement, the Nelson J. Bradley Award for Lifetime Achievement (2007), and the John P. McGovern Award for Excellence in Medical Education (2009). A popular speaker and lecturer both nationally and internationally, Carl has spoken to approximately 85,000 health professionals and people in recovery since 1978. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Addiction Essentials: The Go-To Guide for Clinicians and Patients
Cali Estes
With 18 years experience as a Therapist, Life Coach and Wellness Coach, Cali Estes is currently a private practitioner. Cali has been featured on NBC News, MSN Money, etc. for her work with Addictions and has published work ADD and Relationships. Cali has presented at National conferences and is currently a CADAAC supported Continuing Education Provider. She founded The Addictions Academy and has teamed up with Diversified Intervention Group to offer Recovery Coaching, Intervention, Anger Management and Family Recovery Coaching Certifications to Professionals. She has presented worldwide and is a sought after Sober Coach and Life Coach. Degrees and certifications: Master’s Degree in CRJ; BA in Psychology; Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor; Certified Addictions Professional; Nationally Certified Recovery Coach; Certified Personal Trainer; Certified Yoga Teacher; Nationally Certified Interventionist Practitioner; Certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and in Psychodrama. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Stress and Addiction in the Business World with Guest Cali Estes, The Addictions Coach
Sue E. Estroff, Ph.D.
Sue E. Estroff, Ph.D. is Professor in the Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, and research professor in the departments of Anthropology and Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr Estroff’s research areas include: individuals with chronic illness and disabilities; cultural approaches to psychosis; sociocultural factors that influence the course of psychiatric disorders; disability income policy and practice; illness narratives; moral reasoning and the production of knowledge in qualitative scholarship; reconsidering the association of violence with persons with psychiatric disorders; and complexities of consent in maternal fetal surgery. Estroff has served as a consultant to the Carter Center’s Mental Health Stigma program, The Hogg Foundation Scientific Advisory Board, and is a member of the mental health services in specialty mental health settings review committee at NIMH. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Cultural Approaches to Psychosis
Arthur C. Evans Jr
Arthur C. Evans Jr, PhD Commissioner of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) In his capacity as Commissioner, Dr. Evans is leading a major initiative to transform how behavioral health care and intellectual disability services are delivered in Philadelphia. Since Dr. Evans’ appointment in November 2004, Philadelphia has begun a transformation of its entire system to one that focuses on recovery for adults, resiliency for children and self-determination for all people who use intellectual disability services. Dr. Evans is a clinical and community psychologist. He holds a faculty appointment at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He held faculty appointments at the Yale University School of Medicine and Quinnipiac University. Dr. Evans has extensive experience in transforming systems of care while serving in several national leadership roles. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Public-private partnerships to improve community health: a conversation with Philadelphia leaders Dr. Arthur Evans, Joseph Pyle, Jane Golden, and Sara Ansell.
Jean Fain, LICSW
Jean Fain, LICSW is a licensed psychotherapist and a teaching associate in psychiatry at Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. In her private practice in Concord, Massachusetts, she uses hypnosis and mindfulness to treat everyday eating issues. Her health articles have appeared in O: The Oprah Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Shape and more. She has dedicated her work to helping others keep physically, emotionally and mentally fit. Visit her at www.jeanfain.com. Most people say that when they lose weight and look better, they’ll like themselves more. Jean Fain suggests that we’ve got it all backward. “The best way to lose weight and look your best is to stop dieting and start with loving who you are.” With The Self-Compassion Diet, this Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychotherapist shares a revolutionary new model for lasting weight loss. Combining the best of four proven weight-loss methods—self-love, mindfulness, self-hypnosis, and group support—this unique mind-body approach cultivates true self-acceptance which paradoxically produces remarkable physical changes. The Self-Compassion Diet is available in two complementary formats. The book describes the four weight-loss methods. The audio edition guides listeners through the exercises described in the book. Used together, this powerful combination can speed learning and boost success. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Self Compassion Diet: A Step-by-Step Program to Lose Weight with Loving-Kindness
Steven H. Farber, MD
Steven H. Farber, MD, received his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital. He completed an internal medicine residency program and cardiology fellowship at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Farber specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases for over twenty-five years. He founded HEART of Montgomery County, a non-profit organization created to improve access to affordable healthcare for the community’s indigent and uninsured population. In 2003, Dr. Farber published Behind the White Coat, a personal memoir, and co-authored Stepping Stones to Success with Deepak Chopra and Jack Canfield in 2011. His latest book, As Sick as Our Secrets, is a powerful and compelling description of his journey to hell and back. Dr. Farber recently received a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
From Prescription Drug Samples to Addiction: A Doctor’s Journey to Hell and Back with Guest Steven Farber, MD
Alicia Farrell
Alicia Farrell, Ph.D. is an accomplished cognitive psychologist, professional speaker and founder of Clearview Consulting. Some of her noteworthy accomplishments include, 9 years as a university professor, twice a fellowship award recipient in support of research on Wisdom, published research scientist and an expert problem solver. Her life’s work is to educate and coach people, and organizations, on how to maximize brain power and solve problems. She also has a private practice working with children, adults, couples and families who want to make healthy and durable changes in their lives. Dr. Farrell brings 20+ years of expertise and passion to her work. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Weeding Out Fact From Fiction: The Effects of Marijuana and Technology on Our Children's Brain Development
Morgan Fawcett
Morgan Fawcett was diagnosed at 15 with FASD's. He researched ARBD's and ARND's, talked to professionals and educators about FAS, 7 months later announced that he wanted to make a difference by bringing education and awareness to the youth about FAS. He has done that and more for the last 3.5 years. He has hosted concerts in Juneau, AK for International FAS Day, held a three day event in Murfreesboro, AR. Morgan has gifted over 500 Native American Flutes to at-risk youth and developmentally challenged individuals. To date he has spoken at over 150 events and schools. He brings his music and his story to all that will listen. Morgan is on the board of First Nations Composer Initiative, Tobacco Coalition and Task Force. He is a recipient of the First Nations Composer Initiative Grant and has been honored with a Citation for his work by the Alaska State Legislature. Morgan's three CD's help him continue on with his work. You can find him at Pow Wows, Schools, Health Fairs, Drug and Alcohol rehabs, Homeless shelters and many more. He will be attending College of the Siskiyous in 2011 as his schedule will allow. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: a Journey with Native American Flute Music
Patricia Fennell
Patricia Fennell, MSW, LCSW-R is a researcher and clinician specializing in chronic illness, trauma, forensics and hospice care. Her organization, Albany Health Management Associates, treats and examines global health care concerns through clinical care, consulting, and professional education utilizing the Fennell Four Phase Treatment (FFPT™) approach. She is frequently invited to lecture throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Africa and to consult with federal government, management consultancy and patient advocate organizations, including Fortune 150 organizations and the CDC, in areas including chronic illness, innovation and trauma. Her publications include the books Managing Chronic Illness: The Four Phase Treatment Approach and The Chronic Illness Workbook. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Breaking the Cycle of Violence and Trauma: How to Use the Four-Phase Roadmap
Peter Ferentzy
Peter Ferentzy holds a Ph.D. in Social and Political Thought from York University. His dissertation is a historical sociology of the origins and recent development of the modern concept of addiction with an emphasis on how it has interacted with ideas about mental illness and compulsions in general. Dr. Ferentzy has studied and written extensively on Gamblers Anonymous, as well as other issues related to pathological gambling. His two most recently completed studies involve: 1. The history of ideas related to addiction with an emphasis on problem gambling wherein special attention is paid to the role of metaphoric conceptualization in the construction of scientific discourse; 2. A street level, ethnographic study of gambling patterns among crack users in downtown Toronto. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Dealing With Addiction -- Why the 20th Century Was Wrong with Guest Peter Ferentzy, Ph.D.
Karen Fitzhugh
Karen Fitzhugh has a BA in Psychology; MA in Educational Psychology; and PhD in Special Education and Educational Psychology. Fitzhugh has served on the board of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) for six years and founded Government Relations Committee. She is also a member of the board of the Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare. Since 2004, she has served the therapeutic school industry as both a Head of School and a Senior Vice President. Prior to entering the therapeutic school realm, Fitzhugh worked in acute psychiatric care services and private practice. Additionally, Fitzhugh has served as the Executive Director for a home for abused, abandoned, and neglected girls and founded a charter school as part of this project. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
In Pursuit of Perfection: Young Women in America with Guest Karen Fitzhugh, Executive Director, Sovereign Journey
Michael Fitzpatrick
Michael Fitzpatrick is coauthor with William G. Borchert of 1000 Years of Sobriety and author of the first book under the Legacy 12 imprint, We Recovered Too. He is one of the leading historians and speakers in the field of alcoholism, specializing in the development of the Twelve Step movement. He owns what is possibly the largest audio archive related to the Twelve Step movement ever assembled: more than three thousand original reel-to-reel recordings of the voices of the men and women who pioneered the Twelve Step movement. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Living The Twelve Traditions In Today's World with AA historian Michael Fitzpatrick
Michael Fitzpatrick
Michael Fitzpatrick is coauthor with William G. Borchert of 1000 Years of Sobriety and author of the first book under the Legacy 12 imprint, We Recovered Too. He is one of the leading historians and speakers in the field of alcoholism, specializing in the development of the Twelve Step movement. He owns what is possibly the largest audio archive related to the Twelve Step movement ever assembled: more than three thousand original reel-to-reel recordings of the voices of the men and women who pioneered the Twelve Step movement. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Special Encore Presentation: Bob & Bill Speak: AA Co-Founders tell their Stories with Guest Michael Fitzpatrick
Victoria Fleming
Dr. Victoria Fleming, Ph.D., is an educator, author, and clinician. She received her undergraduate degree from Marquette University and graduate degrees from Indiana University. She was on the faculty at Miami University and Northwestern University before retiring from academia to pursue a full-time clinical practice in the northern suburbs of Chicago, where she lives with her husband and two children. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Top Ten Myths of Love - Why It’s Time To Forget The Fairytale with Relationship Expert Victoria Fleming, Ph.D.
Lisa Frederiksen
Consultant, author of eight books and national speaker with 25 years experience, Lisa Frederiksen has been presenting on substance abuse, addiction, dual diagnosis, underage drinking and help for the family centered around 21st century brain and addiction related research since 2004. Her books, Loved One In Treatment? Now What! and If You Loved Me, You’d Stop!, frame her work, including training/workshops/presentations for Stanford Medical School, Ft. Irwin National Training Center, County of Santa Clara Dep. of Alcohol & Drug Services, SMC Bar Association Family Law Section and NAMI Santa Clara County. Lisa Frederiksen and her associate at BreakingTheCycles.com, Caroll Fowler, MA, MFT, work with drug addicts/alcoholics and families (if applicable) to develop Contractual Continuing Care Plans. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Re-wiring the Brain - Understanding Neural Science and Its Contribution to Long-term Recovery for Both the Drug Addict/Alcoholic and the Family
Mark A. Frye
Dr. Mark A. Frye is Chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic. His clinical interests are in mood disorders, (bipolar disorder, treatment resistant depression) with a research focus in clinical trials, pharmacogenomics and brain imaging. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Jim Gamache, MSW, MLADC, ICAADC
Jim Gamache, MSW, MLADC, ICAADC Director of Quality Improvement WestBridge View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Bridging the Gap Between 12 Step Recovery and Co-Occurring Disorders
Joani Gammill, RN
Joani Gammill, RN has appeared regularly on Dr. Phil, where she has led interventions that have inspired millions of viewers. Before her career as an interventionist, she worked as a registered nurse in medical facilities, including a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. She is the author of The Interventionist and Painkillers, Heroin, And The Road To Sanity. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Real Solutions For Long Term Recovery From Opiate Addiction with Guest Joani Gammill
Joani Gammill, RN, BRII
Joani Gammill, RN, BRII appears regularly on the Dr. Phil Show where she leads interventions that have inspired millions of his viewers. Before her career as an interventionist, she worked as a registered nurse in medical facilities, then in a state-run -drug-and-alcohol-rehabilitation center. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Interventionist: Behind the scenes with Joani Gammill, a recovering addict who turned her life around to help others
Lynn Garson
Lynn Garson graduated from Tulane University with a degree in art history and holds a law degree from Emory University School of Law. She has lived in Paris, New York, and Hong Kong and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a practicing healthcare attorney with a prominent national law firm. In her earlier days as a retailer, she owned one of Atlanta’s best-known gift and tabletop stores. Recently, Lynn published her first book, Southern Vapors, which chronicles her rise and fall - from silver spoon to straitjacket and back. She details the privileges of her upbringing, the slow decline that eventually saw her treated in a low-income mental health facility, and her empowering comeback. Lynn plans to continue her work as a healthcare attorney while also sharing her story in hopes that - through her struggles - she can influence positive change and encourage more people to find their comeback stories. Lynn’s website for Southern Vapors is www.southernvapors.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Journey through Recovery with Guest Lynn Garson
Christopher K. Germer, PhD
Christopher K. Germer, PhD is a clinical psychologist in private practice, specializing in mindfulness- and acceptance-based treatment. He has been integrating the principles and practices of meditation into psychotherapy since 1978 and has taken numerous journeys to India to explore the varieties of meditation. Dr. Germer is a Clinical Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School and a founding member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. He lectures internationally on mindfulness and self-compassion, is a co-editor of the professionally acclaimed book Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, with author Christopher K. Germer, PhD
Nassir Ghaemi
S. Nassir Ghaemi MD MPH, is a psychiatric researcher with expertise in bipolar disorder, and training in philosophy and public health. He is the author of A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness¸ a New York Times Best Seller (Penguin Group, 2011), as well as The Rise and Fall of the Biopsychosocial Model: Reconciling Art and Science in Psychiatry (Johns Hopkins Press, 2009), and A Clinician's Guide to Statistics and Epidemiology in Mental Health (Cambridge University Press, July 2009). Previous books include The Concepts of Psychiatry (Johns Hopkins Press, 2003, 2007), and Mood Disorders: A Practical Guide (2nd edition, 2007). He has also published over 100 scientific articles or book chapters, and serves on the editorial board of numerous journals. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Historical and Cutting-Edge Perspectives with Guest S. Nassir Ghaemi, MD MPH
Seth J. Gillihan, PhD
Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Psychiatry Department at the University of Pennsylvania. His publications include research articles and book chapters on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety and depression, how CBT works, and the use of brain imaging to study psychiatric disorders. Dr. Gillihan's clinical practice is in Haverford, PA View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Overcoming OCD: A Journey to Recovery
John Giordano
John Giordano is the president and co-founder of G & G Holistic Addiction Treatment Center he started over twenty-years ago. He is the proud recipient of a Doctor of Human Letters from Sinai University in Jerusalem. John is a recovering addict with twenty-four years of sobriety to his credit. John is a therapist, Certified Addiction Professional (CAP), a Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), and a Certified Criminal Justice Specialist (CCJS). John also earned a Masters Certification in Neurolinguistics Programming (NLP), and is a Certified Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Specialist. He is a professional expert witness for the state and federal government. John is a Karate Grand Master 10th degree black belt and is in the Karate Hall of Fame. John, an ordained minister, is the chaplain offered of the North Miami Police Department. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Evolution of Treatment: Where Science Meets Recovery
Jane Golden
Jane Golden, MFA Executive Director, City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program Since the Mural Arts Program began in 1984 as a component of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network, Jane Golden has been its driving force, overseeing its growth from a small city agency into the nation's largest mural program, a catalyst for positive social change and a model for community development across the country and around the globe. Under Golden’s direction, in partnership with communities, grassroots organizations, city agencies, schools and philanthropies, the Mural Arts Program has created over 3,000 landmark works of public art, earning Philadelphia international recognition as the “City of Murals.” View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Public-private partnerships to improve community health: a conversation with Philadelphia leaders Dr. Arthur Evans, Joseph Pyle, Jane Golden, and Sara Ansell.
Ray Gonzalez
Ray Gonzalez is currently the Executive Director at the Center for Cognition & Recovery in Beachwood, Ohio where he has helped develop CETCLEVELAND®, a community-based version of CET. He has more than 37 years of direct service, administration and program development for persons recovering from mental illness. Mr. Gonzalez is a former CEO of a 403 bed state psychiatric hospital, founded and led PLAN of Northeast Ohio for 21 years. He has a Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) from Ohio State University, with ACSW and LISW-S credentials. A NAMI member for 27 years, Mr. Gonzalez has co-lead four CETCLEVELAND®, groups, has presented on CETCLEVELAND®, at over 85 local, regional and national conferences and workshops, and has helped establish 36 CETCLEVELAND®, Programs in 12 states. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Beyond Treatment As Usual For Major Mental Illness
Mark Goulston, M.D.
Dr. Mark Goulston is associated with the thirty five year old Life Adjustment Team in Culver City, CA which helps severely and frequently relapsing mentally ill patients successfully transition to independent living often following in patient treatment. By treating people where they live they have dramatically reduced relapse. He is a Board Certified psychiatrist who has been a suicide and violence specialist, a UCLA professor of psychiatry for more than twenty five years and an FBI and police hostage negotiator trainer. He is the author of seven books including the #1 bestselling books, Get Out of Your Own Way and Just Listen. He contributes to Psychology Today, Huffington Post and co-hosts a Dr. G and Lisa radio show carried on NPR and commercial radio stations. He also currently advises heads of companies, organizations and treatment programs and speaks internationally. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone
Dennis Grantham
Dennis Grantham is editor- in-chief of Behavioral Healthcare magazine, a business publication and website that serves the needs of executives and senior medical, clinical, information technology, and operations staff who develop and deliver mental health and substance use disorder treatment. Behavioral Healthcare covers policy, management, technology, funding, and treatment trends that affect the availability, quality, and funding of mental health and substance use treatment services nationwide. Dennis was trained as a journalist at Allegheny College and went on to earn a Master’s degree in technical and professional writing at Carnegie Mellon University. Before joining Behavioral Healthcare magazine, he managed corporate communications and public relations for technology and manufacturing companies. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
"Come Back When You're Ready" The Paradigm Shift In Contemporary Treatment Of Addictions.
Dan Griffin
Dan Griffin has worked in the mental health and addictions field for over fifteen years. His company is Griffin Recovery Enterprises. He most recently worked for the Minnesota Judicial Branch for eight years as the state drug court coordinator. His graduate work was centered on the social construction of masculinity in the culture of Alcoholics Anonymous. He completed training as a CD counselor at Hazelden, in Center City, Minnesota in 1999. Griffin is the author of the groundbreaking book, A Man’s Way through the Twelve Steps. He is also the co-author of Helping Men Recover, the first comprehensive curriculum for men focused on men’s unique issues and needs. Mr. Griffin received the President’s Award in 2006 for his leadership in the addiction and recovery field in Minnesota. Griffin lives in Minnesota with his wife and daughter and has been in long-term recovery for fifteen years. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Improving Men’s Treatment: Why Gender Matters
Dr. Michael Groat
Dr. Michael Groat, Director of Menninger’s Adult Division, also serves as assistant professor, Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine. He received his master’s degree at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and his doctorate in counseling psychology from the State University of New York, Albany. He interned at Albany Psychology Internship Consortium, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY; completed a four year clinical psychology fellowship in psychodynamic psychotherapy, family therapy and systems consultations at the Austen Riggs Center, Stockbridge, Mass. He is a current candidate in adult psychoanalysis at the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies, Houston. He is a past fellow of the American Psychoanalytic Association and Anna Freud/Yale Child Study Center research program. Dr. Groat’s interests concern mentalizing informed treatments, personality assessment, suicide resilience and therapeutic. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Role of Attachment in Treating and Understanding Addictions with Guest Michael Groat, PhD, The Menninger Clinic
Will Hall
Will Hall was diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent a year in San Francisco's public mental health system. Will learned to live with his voices, visions, and difficult mental states without medications, and went on to become a leading mental health advocate who has spoken and organized internationally. Will co-founded the Massachusetts support and activism community Freedom Center, which offers groups and holistic alternatives such as acupuncture and yoga, and is on the coordinating collective of The Icarus Project. He has consulted in Argentina, Mexico, and Peru for Mental Disability Rights International. The author of the "Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs," Will has also appeared in the New York Times and National Public Radio, was profiled in the Newsweek magazine article "Listening to Madness," and is host of the FM community radio show Madness Radio (www.madnessradio.net). Will is a counselor in private practice and teaches and consults internationally. His websites include: www.willhall.net and www.madnessradio.net View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Alternative Ways to Manage Mental Illness
Kasey Harlin
Kasey Harlin, MA CADC CCDP-D is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Certified Co-occurring Disorders Professional-Diplomat in the state of Missouri. She has 21 years of experience working with adolescents with substance use disorders and is the Founder and Program Director for PFH’s Achieving Recovery Through Creativity A.R.T.C. program. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Creating Hope, Creating Change: An agencys mission to assist others to achieve their potential. Guests Jim Wallis, VP, Preferred Family Healthcare and Kasey Harlin, MA CADC CCDP D
Harry Haroutunian, MD
Harry Haroutunian, MD, is an internationally known speaker and authority on addiction-oriented topics—including drug misuse among older adults. He is widely read online and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show and Dr. Drew On Call as well as in The New York Times and Cosmopolitan. Board certified in both addiction and family medicine, Dr. Haroutunian serves as physician director of professional and residential programs at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California. He is the author of Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery. In his new book, NOT AS PRESCRIBED: Recognizing and Facing Alcohol and Drug Misuse in Older Adults, Dr. Harry Haroutunian addresses the increasingly urgent issue of Polypharmacy. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recognizing and Facing Alcohol and Drug Misuse in Older Adults
Mary P. Hauser
Mary P. Hauser has over 40 years of Addiction and Behavioral Health field experience including directing prevention, intervention, treatment and research programs; serving as adjunct faculty at multiple universities; and serving as a consultant at the State, Federal and Inpatient/Outpatient program level. Ms. Hauser has a Masters Degree in Psychology and has lectured and trained extensively around the country. Since 1999, Ms. Hauser has been the Vice President of the Addiction Services Division at Dominion Diagnostics. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
"Under the Influence": Contemporary Challenges of Designer Drugs (Spice/K2/Ivory Wave)
Randy Haveson, M.A.
Founder and Executive Director Randy Haveson has been working as a counselor and university administrator since 1987. He has an M.A. in counseling and extensive experience working as a therapist in treatment centers, private practices, and agencies, primarily in the field of addiction. Randy has also served as a drug and alcohol counselor and coordinated substance abuse education programs on three college campuses around the country, receiving national recognition for his work with students and administrators. As well as being the founder of The HERO House, Randy is also a professional speaker, traveling across the country to educate college students about alcohol and other drug use and abuse, as well as topics related to leadership and self-esteem. Randy has been in recovery from his own addiction since May of 1984. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recovery and the College Student
Skip Haynes
Skip Haynes is formerly of the Chicago rock group, Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah and penned the classic-rock hits “Lake Shore Drive (LSD)” and "Snow Queen”. Skip now owns the Laurel Canyon Animal company, a record label in Los Angeles that creates music about, for and with animals. He is also a graphic designer and an animal and political activist. His new book, The Book of Rehab is a funny and practical everyman's approach to drug addiction. Skip has interviewed on NPR’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon, CNN with Jeanne Moos, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, World News Tonight, BBC, The L.A. Times, the New York Post, Newsweek, USA Today, the Washington Post, AARP Magazine and Life Magazine. His music has been played on radio/television all over the country for the past forty years. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Book of Rehab - A New Approach to Drug Addiction with Guest Skip Haynes
Philip Hemphill, Ph.D., LCSW
Philip Hemphill, Ph.D. is the Director of the Professional Enhancement Program at Pine Grove Behavioral Health & Addiction Services. He is responsible for the management and clinical supervision of professional patients in an outpatient/residential setting. Dr. Hemphill has pioneered the assessment and treatment of professionals with 'disruptive' behavior and has co-authored a book in 2013 titled, Taming Disruptive Behavior. He received both his Master's and Doctorate from Tulane University. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Gregory V. Hickman, M.D.
Medical Director, Andrews Institute for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Gregory V. Hickman, M.D. graduated from the Univ. Of Tennessee College Of Pharmacy with a B.S. in Pharmacy in 1982 and completed his medical degree at the East Tennessee State Univ. College of Medicine in 1986. He completed his residency in anesthesiology at UAB in 1990. In 1990, Dr. Hickman began performing interscalene blocks for post-op shoulder surgery pain relief. As a pioneer of leading-edge pain management techniques, Dr. Hickman began working with Dr. James Andrews and joined him in opening the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, FL. Dr. Hickman serves as the Medical Director of the surgery center where he played an instrumental role in establishing the Institute. He has also led a specialized program designed to enhance pain management techniques for ambulatory surgery that benefit patients in their homes as well as through rehabilitation. Dr. Hickman is a board-licensed anesthesiologist certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Academy of Pain Management. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Opioid Abuse Post-Surgery and Tips for Safe Pain Management
Sharon L. Hicks
Sharon L. Hicks is a retired executive and community volunteer living in Honolulu. Her first book “How Do You Grab a Naked Lady?” was inspired by her mother. For more information visit www.sharonlhicks.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Daughter’s Story: A Life with Mom Dealing with Mental Illness Guest Sharon L. Hicks
Kevin P. Hill, M.D., M.H.S.
Kevin P. Hill, M.D., M.H.S., is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard’s McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, and an addiction consultant with a number of professional sports organizations. His marijuana research is funded by the National Institute of Health, the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and the American Lung Association. In 2013 he was awarded the Alfred Pope Award for Best Research Paper by a Young Investigator at McLean Hospital, and he has authored or coauthored articles in more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Spirituality in Recovery
Susan M. Hoisington, Psy.D
Sue earned her Master's in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 1989, and her Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas in 1998. She has been employed with Hazelden since 1989 and has expertise in treating co-occurring disorders, addiction and mental health issues across the full continuum of care. She is the former training director for the APA-accredited psychology pre-doctoral internship program and is an adjunct associate faculty member of the Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Dual Disorders, What every Addiction Professional Needs to Know
Marya Hornbacher
Marya Hornbacher is the author of the Pulitzer-Prize short-listed book Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia, the acclaimed novel The Center of Winter, and the recent New York Times Bestseller Madness: A Bipolar Life. Her work has been translated into sixteen languages. An award-winning journalist, Hornbacher is also a mental health advocate, and lectures widely on both writing and mental health. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
I Didn't CAUSE IT, I Can't CHANGE IT. How Mothers of Adult Children with Co-occurring Disorders Have Coped.
Dr. Michael Jaeger
Dr. Michael Jaeger serves as the managing medical director for WellPoint’s affiliated health plan in Wisconsin. He is responsible for the administration of medical services for products and provider networks in Wisconsin. Dr. Jaeger has more than 25 years of combined experience as a practicing physician, residency educator and health plan medical manager. Dr. Jaeger is a licensed and board certified specialist in Family Medicine. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The “Quitter in You” - A New Smoking Cessation Campaign Norman H. Edelman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, American Lung Association Michael Jaeger, M.D., Managing Medical Director, WellPoint - WI
Debra Jay
Debra Jay is coauthor with Jeff Jay of Hazelden’s best-selling Love First and is a certified addiction counselor and interventionist. She is also the author of No More Letting Go (Bantam, 2006), It Takes A Family: A Cooperative Approach to Lasting Society (Hazelden 2014), and numerous journal and magazine articles on addiction. She has appeared on Oprah several times and The Dr. Oz Show, among other TV shows and is an in-demand keynote speaker at behavioral health conferences and treatment centers internationally. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
It Takes a Family: A Cooperative Approach to Lasting Sobriety with Guest Debra Jay
Jeff Jay
Jeff Jay is a certified addiction specialist, popular speaker and consultant, and co-author with Debra Jay of the best-selling book Love First. His work as appeared on CNN, The Jane Pauley Show, PBS, Forbes Online and numerous professional journals. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and has served as president of the Terry McGovern Foundation in Washington, DC, and as trustee for several clinical and professional organizations. Jeff’s latest book is Navigating Grace: A Solo Voyage of Survival and Redemption. Jeff has been specializing in interventions since the early 1990s. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Navigating Grace: A Solo Voyage of Survival and Redemption
Producers Todd Wider and Jedd Wider
For over sixteen years, Todd and Jedd Wider have produced numerous successful feature documentary films including the 2012 King’s Point nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short, the multiple Primetime Emmy Awarding winning Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (2012), the Emmy Award nominated Semper Fi: Always Faithful (2011), the multiple Emmy Award nominated Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer (2010), 2008 Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary and 2009 Emmy Award Winner for Best Documentary, Taxi to the Dark Side (2007), the 2008 Sundance favorite Kicking It (2007) broadcast by ESPN, about the Homeless World Cup soccer tournament, the POV film A Dream in Doubt (2007) about the first post 9/11 revenge killing, What Would Jesus Buy? (2007) about our obsession with materialism and consumption, and A Time to Stir about the Columbia University student uprisings in 1968. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
GOD KNOWS WHERE I AM
Michael W. Johnson
Michael W. Johnson joined CARF as Managing Director of the Behavioral Health accreditation area in 2013. His responsibilities include the maintaining of standards for behavioral health, training and marketing to the behavioral health industry. A Certified Addictions Professional, Michael has more than 30 years of experience as a clinician, manager, and executive working in mental health, substance abuse, and intellectual disabilities. Michael has been a leader in the industry, providing expertise to national and state initiatives in training, accreditation, and EMR adoption. He was a CARF surveyor for 16 years and holds a Master's degree in communications from the University of Central Florida. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Achieving Quality through CARF Accreditation with Guest Michael W. Johnson, M.A., C.A.P., Managing Director of Behavioral Health for CARF International
Brian Johnson M.D.
Brian Johnson M.D. is Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Anesthesia at SUNY Upstate and Co-Chair of the annual workshop of the American Psychoanalytic Association, “The Addicted Patient in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.” He is an affiliated research investigator at the Syracuse VA Medical Center; Center for Integrated Healthcare from which he has received a grant for a metanalysis of pain treatments; NSAIDs versus opioids. Dr. Johnson received his BS in engineering biology from Columbia University and his MD from New York Medical College. He went through two years of internal medicine residency in New York City, completed his psychiatry residency at Cambridge Hospital, and his analytic training at the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute. He was on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for 30 years until moving to SUNY Upstate in 2008. While training residents in psychiatry at Harvard, Dr. Johnson treated about 15,000 patients undergoing detoxification. Dr. Johnson is a long-term member of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Johnson’s publications focus on neuropsychoanalytic treatment of patients with addiction, prescription drug abuse and treatment of chronic pain. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Zombification by Drugs
Scott Johnston
Director, Writer Scott’s background is a blend of psychology, writing, and media production. After college (Communications and English; Butler University), he wrote and produced for an advertising agency before entering the developmental disabilities field, followed by a career in psychiatric rehabilitation. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
OC87: The Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger’s Movie
Kauley Jones
Kauley Jones is President of PCI a national medical development company. With over 2o years in the medical field Kauley is an expert in researching the best in cutting-edge evidence based services. Prior to establishing PCI, Kauley was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for an international specialty diagnostic laboratory. This expertise lead to the development of the PCI STEP Plan which is transforming the addiction medicine field by improving client outcomes. Kauley is no stranger to the addiction medicine field as she personally spent 5 months in a residential rehab in the 1980’s. Kauley has a passion to see every individual in recovery have access and receive benefit from the information and services in the PCT STEP plan. Kauley has been a speaker at the ILI Practice Development Conference, the IPC Conference, the 2010 HealthCare Conference and the recent Evolution of Treatment: An Experiential Conference facilitated by The National Institute for Holistic Addiction Studies. Kauley also currently serves on HealthMax medical advisory board. To contact Kauley Jones please email [email protected] or go to www.pciSTEPplan.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Substance Induced Chronic Inflammation
Joyce Jorgenson
Joyce Jorgenson, co-director of Cultivating CommUnity Collaboratives, works with diverse groups of community stakeholders to address issues of community health and well being. She is also the interim director for the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) NH. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Harry Josephson
Harry Josephson grew up in a small town in southwest Ohio. He received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and law degree from Capital University Law School. Josephson now works at a large financial services firm where he has been for 30 years. He has two children, a son, 25, and a daughter, 12. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Growing up with Addiction
Herb Kaighan
Herb Kaighan was given the gift of freedom from alcohol on February 21, 1984. As a result of being guided through the Twelve Steps, in 1998 he experienced a profound spiritual awakening. Since then Herb has been very involved in carrying the message of recovery through spiritual awakening by leading presentations, workshops, and retreats. He is the author of Twelve-Step Guide to Using the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book (2004) and Twelve Steps to Spiritual Awakening: Enlightenment for Everyone (2010). His personal journey includes 7 years in seminary; a graduate education in psychology, and 40 year career in human resources consulting (retired Nov. 2006). Herb also completed a 3 year training for Spiritual Directors at Mt. St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles and teaches courses on Twelve-Step Spirituality to theologians as an adjunct professor at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Twelve Steps to Spiritual Awakening with guest Herb Kaighan
Dr. Yvonne Kaye
Dr. Yvonne Kaye is an international speaker with subjects ranging from Spirit Soaring, Laughter Roaring, to post traumatic stress disorder and bereavement. She is a Storyteller, Addictionist, Thanatologist, Care-sharer veteran radio talk show host, Interfaith Minister, author, columnist, keynote speaker and trainer for corporations. Her work is eclectic and appropriate for all professions, Veterans Administration, and many others, believing in the power of the human spirit. Involved with long term illness, post trauma and crises, Dr. Kaye is a strong advocate of humor and spirituality. She uses her own life experiences as a basis of her work which is now involved with First Responders, Nurses, Veterans suffering with PTSD , and addiction. She is a Spiritual Coach and her philosophy is “Laughter is the miracle healer”. Dr. Kaye has received many humanitarian awards as well as the prestigious Matty Muir Award for work with victims of crime. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Grief and complications of Addiction and Relapse with Guest Yvonne Kaye, PH.D
Scott Kellogg, PhD
Dr. Scott Kellogg received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the CUNY Graduate Center, and he is presently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at New York University. Having trained in both schema therapy and gestalt therapy, he is currently a psychotherapist and a supervisor at the Schema Therapy Institute. Dr. Kellogg has created the Transformational Chairwork Training program and he is currently teaching this method of psychotherapeutic dialogue to practitioners in both the United States and Europe. He is also a leading advocate for Gradualism, a vision of healing that seeks to utilize and integrate the best aspects of the harm reduction, scientific, and traditional treatment approaches. In his writings, he has looked at such topics as addiction treatment, identity theory, trauma and violence, contingency management, harm reduction, and assessment. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Crisis in Treatment and Helping People Change
Brixton Key
Brixton Key was born in Isleworth, England in the 1950s to a party-loving Mum and an errant Dad. Expelled from boarding school, which he attended on a scholarship, Brixton landed a gig with the British music weekly Melody Maker, writing under the name of Mark Plummer. He left for America to manage Chris Isaak in the 1980s, guiding the pop idol and actor’s career as MTV started ruling the airwaves. In the 90's Brixton suffered a life-threatening brain aneurism. After he recovered, on the advice of his stepson he began writing fiction. Brixton lives with his girlfriend Josephine in a downtown San Francisco loft. In the late night hours he reads his favorite authors under skyscraper shadows, and works on his sequel of the Charlie Six trilogy, There Ain't No God Here. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Overcoming Adversity with Legendary Music Manager Brixton Key
Terry Kirkman
Terry Kirkman-CADC-11 is a NADAAC member, and the Clinical Director for MAP, the Musicians” Assistance Program. He is best known for being a founding member of the sixties vocal group, The Association and composer of such songs as Cherish, Enter The Young and Never My Love. He finally quit the concert road in 1984, the year he ended his dependence on drugs and alcohol. Terry’s participation in this project marks the first time he has performed publically as a solo Artist, as well as the first time he has performed “Salina Fats” solo and the way he originally wrote it. Retired from clinical work, Terry now lives with his wife Heidi in Pasadena, CA where he spends time working on three books. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Imagine Recovery
Carol Kivler
Carol Kivler is a passionate consumer advocate, speaker, author and founder of Courageous Recovery. She speaks to consumers, their loved ones and healthcare professionals to raise awareness, instill hope and combat stigmas surrounding mental health diagnoses and treatments. Carol shares her journey of recovery from four bouts of medication-resistant depression and her positive experience with the life-saving treatment ECT. In addition to her book, The ABCs of Recovery from Mental Illness, Carol is also the author of Will I Ever Be the Same Again? Transforming the Face of ECT (Shock Therapy). Carol is the founder and president of Kivler Communications, a corporate training and international executive coaching firm. Carol is a member of the Board of Directors of NAMI Mercer NJ and an In Our Own Voice presenter. She is a member of the National Speakers Association and the Consumer Advisory Board of the APNA. In addition, Carol writes a weekly blog for Esperanza Magazine. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Courageous Recovery – Changing the face of mental illness with guest Carol A. Kivler
Ian Koch
Ian graduated with a BA from Champlain College, and a MS from the Program of Community Mental Health at Southern New Hampshire University. Ian is also a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) in VT and NH, internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor through IC&RC, holds a Certificate in Integrated Mental Health and Substance Abuse and is an internationally Certified Addiction Specialist. In addition, Ian has received a Certificate of Advanced Study from Saint Michael’s College, in Unitive Psychology. This course work was designed to integrate many aspects of addiction treatment and the principles of recovery. Ian has worked with thousands of addicts/alcoholics and their families to help them recover from the devastating effects of addiction. He has also been invited to speak in hospitals and colleges to share his experience as someone who has recovered from this illness. Today, Ian works for an inpatient alcohol and drug rehabilitation center, Seabrook House in NJ. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Addiction, Families and the Truth of 12-Step Recovery with guest Ian Koch, Seabrook House
Alex Koroknay-Palicz
Alex Koroknay-Palicz, originally from Michigan, moved to the DC area after attending American University. During his senior year in high school, Alex successfully changed the policy of several age-discriminatory stores in his hometown of Holland, MI. In his capacity as NYRA's Executive Director, Alex has appeared on CNN, PBS and Fox News and has been quoted in most major newspapers in the country, and was the subject of a feature article in the Washington Post. In addition to his role as NYRA's Executive Director, Alex serves on the board of the Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth. Alex was voted into office in 1999. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Drinking Age 18?
Dr. Heidi Kraft
Heidi Squier Kraft received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of California - San Diego School of Medicine in 1996. She joined the Navy during her internship at Duke University Medical Center, serving as both a flight and clinical psychologist. Her active duty assignments included the Naval Safety Center, the Naval Health Research Center, and Naval Hospital Jacksonville, FL. In 2004, she deployed to Iraq for seven months with a Marine Corps surgical company, serving as the Officer in Charge of the Combat Stress Platoon. Rule Number Two is a memoir of that experience. She left active duty in 2005 after nine years in the Navy, and now serves as the deputy coordinator for the US Navy Combat Stress Control program. She lives in San Diego with her husband Mike, a former Marine Corps Harrier pilot, and 7-year-old twins Brian and Megan. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Combat Stress
Dr. Barbara Krantz
Dr. Barbara Krantz, Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director of Research of the noted nonprofit Hanley Center addiction treatment facility, has been practicing medicine in South Florida for over thirty years. Dr. Krantz is American Board of Addiction Medicine certified as well as board certified in Family Practice. Dr. Krantz is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Medical Women’s Association, the American College of Family Practitioners, the American Osteopathic Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. She has lectured on numerous topics, including the bio-chemistry of the brain as it relates to addiction. In 2008, the Palm Beach County Medical Society honored Dr. Krantz as a Heroes in Medicine award recipient for her leadership, active community philanthropy and commitment to the field of medicine. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Pharmageddon
James Krehbiel
James P. Krehbiel, Ed.S., LPC, CCBT is an educator, writer, licensed professional counselor and nationally certified cognitive-behavioral therapist practicing in Scottsdale, Arizona. He specializes in treating anxiety and depression for adults and children. He served as a teacher and guidance counselor for 30 years and has taught graduate-level counselor education courses for Chapman University. In 2005, he self-published Stepping Out of the Bubble: Reflections on the Pilgrimage of Counseling Therapy (Booklocker.com). His latest book, Troubled Childhood, Triumphant Life: Healing from the Battle Scars of Youth (New Horizon Press) is about the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult functioning. He offers solution-focused strategies to assist adults in overcoming the perils of the past. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
How Adults Can Triumph Over Troubled Childhoods
Darlene Lancer
Darlene Lancer, JD, LMFT, is a licensed family therapist with 27 years of experience working with individuals and couples. She regularly lectures on self-esteem, codependency, and addiction. Author of Conquering Shame and Codependency, Codependency for Dummies and 10 Steps to Self-Esteem, she has also published numerous articles. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Conquering Shame and Codependency with Guest Darlene Lancer, JD, LMFT
Judith Landau
Judith Landau, MD, DPM, LMFT, CAI, CIP, BRI II, is a child, family and community neuropsychiatrist, specializing in resilience and overcoming adversity across cultures. Co-developer of the Evidence-Based, Best Practice ARISE Continuum of Care, Dr. Landau draws 30+ years of research and experience aimed at facilitating long-term healing for survivors of trauma and their families including those suffering from addiction, PTSD, and head injury. Author of numerous peer-reviewed publications, she has taught in 100+ countries, trained more than 1000 Certified ARISE Interventionists, and consulted to UN, WHO, NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA, SAMHSA, and several international governments. She is the recipient of awards for AAMFT’s Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Marriage and Family Therapy and AFTA’s Innovative Contribution to Family Therapy. Currently recognized as a global addiction and trauma pioneer, Dr. Landau continues to change the future of addiction by identifying trauma that spans generations. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Invitational Intervention and Resiliency with Guest Judith Landau, MD, DPM, LMFT,
Elaine and John Leadem
The Leadem’s are Licensed Clinical Social Workers in NJ and PA. Their combined investment in the delivery of quality addiction recovery treatment spans over 60 years. They maintain a commitment to personal and professional growth that is grounded in state of the art treatment methodology and a core belief in the spiritual principles embedded in the 12 Steps philosophy of recovery. They are committed to leading by example and proudly acknowledge that they would never ask of a client more than they have accomplished themselves. Elaine and John are seasoned therapeutic retreat masters and it was out of the work they did with recovering couples during these retreats that a unique blue print for recovery was created that their clients christened a Shared Program of Recovery ©. Their clinical practice and published works have been inspired by their sustained commitment to practice the principles of recovery in all their affairs. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
5 Ways To A Sober Romance with guests Elaine and John Leadem
George E. Leary Jr., M.A.
George E. Leary Jr., M.A., provides mental health services to addicts and those living with HIV/AIDS. He established and operated two recovery houses in Baltimore, Maryland, and served for nine years on a mobile crisis intervention team. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY KID?: When Drugs or Alcohol Might Be a Problem and What to Do About It with Guest George Leary
Dr. Jerry Lerner
Dr. Jerry Lerner joined Sierra Tucson in Dec 2010 as Chief of Pain Medicine and was appointed Interim Medical Director in December 2012. Dr. Lerner received his medical education and specialty training at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is Board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management. His treatment philosophy is to serve as a guide and facilitator, bringing together knowledge and appreciation of medical, surgical, rehabilitation, and alternative strategies to serve individuals with pain, trauma, and disabilities. He is the former medical director of Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital, Mount Carmel Health and Rehabilitation Center, Performance Enhancement Rehabilitation, and The Center for Integrative Pain and Rehab. He has been a clinical instructor at the Medical College of Wisconsin for over 20 years and has served frequently as a medical-legal expert on cases involving injuries, pain, and disability. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Pain Management with guest Jerry Lerner, MD, Chief of Pain Medicine, Sierra Tucson
Nicholas Lessa, MA, LCSW, CASAC
Nicholas Lessa has been managing high quality, outpatient treatment centers for substance use disorders in New York since 1991. Mr. Lessa is currently the Chief Executive Officer and partner of Inter-Care, Ltd., with outpatient treatment programs in mid-town Manhattan and Westchester. He is a licensed clinical social worker, a master’s level psychologist, and a credentialed alcohol and substance abuse counselor. He is the lead author of two books: Wiley Concise Guides to Mental Health: Substance Use Disorders and Living with Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. Mr. Lessa is an Associate Adjunct Professor at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work and Adelphi University’s School of Social Work. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment: Effective Ingredients for Quality Care
Petros Levounis, MD, MA
Petros Levounis, MD, MA, is the Director of The Addiction Institute of New York (formerly Smithers) and Chief of Addiction Psychiatry at St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York City. Dr. Levounis is a board-certified addiction psychiatrist, Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). His academic interests include the psychotherapy and psychopharmacology of addiction, the teaching of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, gay and lesbian mental health, and the behavioral addictions. Dr. Levounis is the co-author of the self-help book “Sober Siblings: How to Help Your Alcoholic Brother or Sister and Not Lose Yourself” (DaCapo Books/Perseus, 2008). He is currently writing a textbook on “Co-occurring Substance Use and Other Psychiatric Disorders” for addiction counselors and a textbook on “Motivation and Change” for general psychiatrists. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Valentine and Tina: Love in the time of crystal methamphetamine
Michelle Lipinski
Michelle Muffett-Lipinski, M Ed, is the Founder of the icanhelp(SM) Program and the Founder/Principal of Northshore Recovery High School (NSRH) in Beverly, MA. For 20+ years, she has served in roles as Biology, Health and Chemistry teacher along with leadership and service roles such as Alternative Education Director and Adolescent related Health Advisory Boards. She focuses on developing rigorous academic programs that address the “whole-child”, particularly students most at-risk of academic and social failure. Michelle developed NSRH as a response to the overwhelming amount of students presenting with significant mental health/substance use disorders. NSRHS is a specialized high school designed to meet the diverse academic and emotional needs of adolescents struggling with substance use and its co-occurring disorders. Michelle also started the icanhelp program, operated through Potential Connections LLC, to address the number of students who are unable to connect with a trusted community partner. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Developing Adolescent Peer Recovery Supports in Our Communities with guests Michelle Lipiniski, Founder/Principal of Northshore Recovery High School, Beverly, MA and Dr. Jim Howland, Social Worker
Franklin Lisnow, MEd, MAC
Franklin Lisnow, MEd, MAC, Executive Director of CeDAR (The Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation ). Mr. Lisnow has over 35 years of experience in treating chemically dependent individuals and their families. He served as vice president of a 110-bed Pennsylvania treatment center and co-founded the Vermont Addiction Counselors Association. He is past president and 10-year board member of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. Mr. Lisnow currently serves on the board of the Society of Addiction Counselors of Colorado. A frequent national spokesman and lecturer about addiction treatment issues, he has authored numerous articles and publications in the addiction field. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Addiction Treatment Issues
Angela Lutz
Working more than a decade within the health and fitness industry, Angela Lutz has achieved numerous certifications including Holistic Life Coaching from the Chek Institute, Fitpro through Apex Fitness Bodybugg Program, Certified Personal Trainer through American Fitness and Aerobics Association (AFAA) and Pilates Certification with National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). As a Holistic Life Coach (HLC), author and speaker, Angela has worked with groups in various churches, schools, and corporations. Specializing in nutrition plans, and identifying and overcoming the root issues of disorderly eating, Angela presents truths, dispels the rumors, and shows you, step-by-step, how to initiate authentic change to last a lifetime. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
“Heal the Heart, Change the Mind, Heal the Body.” with guest Angela Lutz
George MacDonald
George MacDonald is an accomplished writer, actor and comedian. George has over 23 years sober and spreads his recovery message through the gift of comedy. George has performed with such stars as Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Dane Cook, and Dennis Miller, just to name a few. George is also a playwright, some of his works include: At The Funny Factory, Waiting for Whitey, and Whistling Past The Graveyard. George is a member of The Dramatist Guild of America, Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild and The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Comedy and Recovery
Dan Mackler, LCSW
Daniel Mackler, LCSW is the director of the 2008 documentary “Take These Broken Wings,” a feature-length film on recovery from schizophrenia without medication. He is also the co-author (with Matthew Morrissey, LMFT) of the 2010 book “A Way Out of Madness: Dealing with Your Family After You Have Been Diagnosed with a Psychiatric Disorder,” published by ISPS-US, the United States chapter of the International Society for the Psychological Treatment of Schizophrenia. Additionally, he is the co-editor (with David Garfield, MD) of “Beyond Medication: Therapeutic Engagement and the Recovery from Psychosis”. He is presently completing two new feature-length documentaries on alternative European treatment programs for people diagnosed with psychosis (the Family Care Foundation in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the Open Dialogue Approach in Western Lapland, Finland), for which he has received a grant from the Santa Fe Community Foundation. Daniel was also a psychotherapist in New York City for ten years. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recovery from Psychosis without Medication
Bill MacPhee
Bill MacPhee appears on the ‘One Hour at a Time’ radio show to discuss “Living with Schizophrenia”, his advocacy work in the mental health field, and the creation of Magpie Publishing, Inc. Since Magpie’s debut in 1994, Bill has prided himself on his work as a mental health advocate to help those who struggle with schizophrenia, just as he once did. In addition to producing SZ Magazine & Anchor Magazine, Bill travels throughout North America to give inspirational talks about how he pulled himself from the depths of depression to become the successful businessman, husband and father he is today. Bill is also the focus of Canadian film maker Mark Ashdown’s 2009 film, Life After Mental Illness: The Story of Bill MacPhee, which not only highlights Bill’s life with schizophrenia, but the stigma attached to the illness as well. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Living with Schizophrenia
Katy MacRae
Katy MacRae is a licensed clinical social worker, currently employed at Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital. She is a consultant and educator for therapists, providing inservices and online training. Her current fields of interest include technology for therapists (including HIPAA compliance for email and texting) and Mindful Creativity, a technique of blending artmaking with meditation. She can be reached via her website, www.katymacrae.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Mindful Creativity for Client Engagement
Judy Magnon
Judy Magnon trained as an RN at New Hampshire Hospital School of Nursing and received her Bachelor's from New England College. She became Board certified in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing in 1985. She became licensed as an addictions counselor in New Hampshire in 1993. She has over 40 years in the field of mental health and over 20 years in the addictions field. She has worked in a variety of settings, including NH Hospital, mental health centers, a VA hospital and the US Army Nurse Corp, in multiple states. She has presented on Co-Occurring Disorders and ACT Teams around the country. She is currently Program Director of WestBridge South in Brooksville, Florida. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Assertive Community Treatment is a proven alternative to inpatient care with guest Judy Magnon
Azfar Malik, MD
Azfar Malik, MD, MBA, FAPA, is a board-certified in psychiatry and neurology with secondary certification in both addictive and geriatric psychiatry. He is chief executive officer of CenterPointe Hospital; board chairman of his private group, Psych Care Consultants; assistant clinical professor, department of psychiatry at Saint Louis University Health Science Center, and principal investigator and president of Psych Care Consultants Research. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Psychiatry and Dual Diagnosis with Guest Azfar Malik, MD, MBA, FAPA - Chief Executive Officer ,Center Pointe Hospital
Alison K. Malmon
Alison Malmon is the founder and Executive Director of Active Minds, Inc., the only national organization dedicated to utilizing the student voice to raise mental health awareness on college campuses. Alison started Active Minds following the suicide of her brother, Brian, who had experienced depression and psychosis for three years while in college but had concealed his symptoms and not received the support he needed. On March 24, 2000, as Alison was wrapping up her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania, Brian ended his life. Recognizing that few students were talking about mental health although many were affected, Alison wanted to change campus culture. She became dedicated to combating the stigma of mental illness by encouraging students to seek help at an early stage, and preventing future tragedies like the one that took her brother’s life. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Active Minds on Campus
Ronald W. Manderscheid, Ph.D.
Ronald W. Manderscheid, Ph.D., has served as the Director of Mental Health and Substance Use Programs at the Global Health Sector of SRA International since 2006. In this capacity, he is developing new demonstration and research projects around mental health and substance use services, programs, and systems, using a public health framework. Previously, Dr. Manderscheid served as Branch Chief, Survey and Analysis Branch, for the federal Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), SAMHSA. During the Clinton National Health Care Reform debate, Dr. Manderscheid served as Senior Policy Advisor on National Health Care Reform in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He served as principal editor for eight editions of Mental Health, United States. Each month, he prepares the Manderscheid Report for Behavioral Healthcare. Dr. Manderscheid has also worked in a variety of positions with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Healthcare Reform and Addiction Treatment
Omar Manejwala, M.D.
Omar Manejwala, M.D., is the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Catasys in Los Angeles. Dr. Manejwala is a psychiatrist, a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He has extensive addiction experience and a passion for integrated treatment approaches. Previously, Dr. Manejwala served as Medical Director at Hazelden. Prior to Hazelden he was the associate medical director at the Farley Center and the executive chief resident in Psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center. He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and earned his MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School. Dr. Manejwala appears frequently in the national media to address the topic of addiction and compulsive behaviors. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Craving - Why We Can’t Seem To Get Enough with Guest Omar Manejwala, M.D. SVP and Chief Medical Officer, Catasys, Inc.
Velvet Mangan
Velvet Mangan has been a transformational activist in the recovery community focusing her efforts on the healing and wellbeing of young women. She has incorporated her years of life experience and knowledge of women’s suffering and addiction into her mission and ultimately her sense of purpose. Velvet opened her doors and her heart to restore the soul sickness she once suffered from herself years ago and has now developed one of the leading women’s drug and alcohol treatment programs in Southern California, Safe Harbor Treatment Center. By breaking the silence women are so used to enduring in the grips of addiction, Velvet continues to change the stigma and barriers women face day to day. Velvet is an inspiration to young women who walk side by side with her learning what it means to be authentic, to live in ones truth, to live in recovery, to live in sobriety, and most importantly to live in love. To learn more about Velvet and her work visit www.safeharborhouse.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Intervening on young women suffering in silence with guest Velvet Mangan
Donna Marston
Donna Marston is the author of Peeling The Onion: A Mother’s journey of healing and learning through the years of my son’s drug addiction and recovery. She currently speaks at Rehabilitation Centers, Peer and support groups about co-dependency, enabling, addiction and recovery. For more information or interested in having her speak at your event, please contact her at [email protected]. Donna also is the Founder of Families Sharing Without Shame, a parent support group. For meetings schedule visit www.families-sharing-without-shame.com. Donna has also written articles for a Southern NH newspaper about enabling and co-dependency. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Mother's Journey of Dealing With Her Son's Drug Addiction & Recovery
Dr. Lisa Marzilli
Dr. Lisa Marzilli holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy Degree with a sub-specialty in pharmacokinetic research and a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy. She has worked in the home infusion/oncology industry and in retail pharmacy, focusing largely on outpatient educational services and wellness programs in disease-state-management. She joined Dominion Diagnostics in 2009 to focus on clinical research and specialized educational programs. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
"Under the Influence": Contemporary Challenges of Designer Drugs (Spice/K2/Ivory Wave)
Prakash Masand
Prakash Masand, MD, is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Global Medical Education (GME) and Chief Scientific Officer at the Atlanta Institute of Medicine and Research. He has served as Consulting Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center and Director of Therapeutic Area Development, Neurosciences Medicine at Duke Clinical Research Institute. He is the founder of psychCME, a leading program for continuing medical education, which was acquired by OPTUMHealth. He was also named a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. The author of more than 300 abstracts, articles, and chapters, Dr. Masand’s work has been published in journals like The New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Psychiatry, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, and Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Dr. Masand serves on several editorial boards and is a frequent speaker at medical meetings around the world. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Depression in America: What You Need to Know with Guest Prakash Masand, MD
Jennifer Matesa
Jennifer Matesa has written about health and life transformation for more than twenty years, including Navel-Gazing: The Days and Nights of a Mother in the Making, Knowing Stephanie, and just released THE RECOVERING BODY: Physical and Spiritual Fitness for Living Clean and Sober. In 2010 she established the blog Guinevere Gets Sober (www.guineveregetssober.com), for which she has interviewed many scientists, practitioners, authors, and ordinary folks with stories about recovering from addiction. She has contributed to many publications, and has taught writing at the University of Pittsburgh. Since 2012 she has regularly educated groups of medical students about ways to prevent, identify, and respond to addiction in their patients. In 2013 she was awarded a yearlong fellowship with the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in recognition of her public education about the human potential to heal. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Physical and Spiritual Fitness for Living Clean and Sober with Guest Jennifer Matesa
Ingrid Mathieu
Ingrid Mathieu, Ph.D., holds a master's in transpersonal psychology and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. As a psychotherapist and writer, she is interested in emotional sobriety, holistic health and authenticity. Since 2004, she has been working with substance dependent clients and their families. She maintains a private practice in Beverly Hills, CA and writes a blog for Psychology Today called Emotional Sobriety. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
RECOVERING SPIRITUALITY: Achieving Emotional Sobriety in Your Spiritual Practice
John McAndrew
John McAndrew is a singer/songwriter and piano player from St. Paul, MN who lives in Nashville, TN. Recent appearances include: The 50th Anniversary of NATO; The Elizabeth Taylor Whitman-Walker Fund-raiser; The Betty Ford 25th Anniversary Alumni Banquet; The National Town Hall Meeting with Colin Powell; The Summit (TASA) Nashville, TN; The Utah School of Alcohol and Addictions, Salt Lake City, UT; and US Journal of Science Conference, Las Vegas, NV. John performed his composition, “Like We Were Made of Gold” at the closing ceremonies of the 2000 International AA Convention at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN. While touring, John speaks and performs for recovery audiences across the country, working regularly with Cumberland Heights in Nashville, TN, The Betty Ford Center in California, English Mountain Recovery in Sevierville, TN, WestBridge in Manchester, NH, Hazelden in Center City, MN, and Cirque Lodge in Sundance, Utah. “Good Enough,” his last album was released by MauiKat Records in Los Angeles. Three of his songs are featured in the film, “Jesus Mary and Joey“, starring Olympia Dukakis and Stacy Keach. Johns’ song, ”Give Me New Eye’s”, is featured in the film called “Jakes Corner” starring Diane Ladd and B.J. Thomas. John’s newest project is called, “I Am Home” a live concert DVD, CD and Broadway one man show. His music is also featured in the new film,” One Little Red Wagon” directed by David Anspaugh, out in 2011. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
I Am Home, a Journey of Recovery through Music
Tennie McCarty
Tennie McCarty is a certified addictions specialist and licensed counselor in chemical dependency. She has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network’s “Addicted to Food,” Nightline, The Dr. Oz Show, The Joy Behar Show, Intervention, and others. Described as morbidly obese by a doctor at the age of 13, she suffered from an eating disorder that went un-diagnosed and un-treated for decades. In recovery from bulimia and compulsive overeating and a survivor of abuse, Tennie has grown up to become an internationally esteemed therapist, mother of four and the CEO of the residential treatment center, Shades of Hope. Co-founded by Tennie in 1987, Shades of Hope is an all addictions treatment center specializing in the treatment of eating disorders; offering experience, strength and hope to the women and men desperate to recover from the disease of addiction. The mother of a recovering anorexic, Tennie has a unique insight into the nature of disordered eating. Her expertise manifests itself through her work in anger reduction, family sculpting and intensive addiction recovery workshops. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Eating Disorders with guest Tennie McCarty
Lee McCormick
Lee McCormick is the founder of The Integrative Life Center in Nashville, The Ranch Recovery Center in Tennessee, and The Canyon Treatment Center in Malibu, California and has been a creative force in the Mental Health and Recovery scene for over 15 years. He founded Spirit Recovery Inc. to produce Healing and Recovery conferences and Spiritual Journeys around the world. Lee is also a founder in Nashville’s Integrative Life Center and IOP/PHP Community Recovery program in Nashville, Tennessee. Lee also has authored The Spirit Recovery Meditation Journal to assist people in reclaiming their lives. Lee is the executive producer and has a leading role in the documentary Dreaming Heaven, the true story of the experiences of 18 people over five days at Teotihuacán. He has led many journeys to this place of power and has developed a far-reaching relationship with the mystery of the shamanic world that is present there. The documentary chronicles one of these experiential journeys. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A New Beginning with Guest Lee McCormick
Dr. Robert N McLay
Robert Neil McLay is a psychiatrist and the Research Director for the Mental Health Directorate at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Dr. McLay’s primary research interests involve the effects of stress on the brain. He has studied this at the molecular, cellular, behavioral, and clinical levels. He is currently involved in trials examining the use of Virtual Reality in the treatment of PTSD, the genetics of this disorder, and the role of sleep and medications in resilience against combat stress. He is the author of the upcoming book Ghosts and the Machine: stories of Iraq, Afghanistan and Virtual Reality Treatments for PTSD. He served with the Navy at NMCSD, Marine Base Twenty-nine Palms, Naval Hospital Yokosuka, and was deployed with First Marine Division to Iraq in 2008, where he served as the psychiatrist for Camp Fallujah Iraq. While in Iraq was the first provider to use Virtual Reality to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the combat environment. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Virtual Reality Treatment for PTSD
Dr. David Mee-Lee
Dr. Mee-Lee is a leading expert in co-occurring substance use and mental disorders with over thirty years experience in person-centered treatment and program development. He is not your usual psychiatrist, nor is he your usual educator. He writes and speaks in down-to-earth, jargon-free language and makes learning challenging and enjoyable. Audiences consistently express satisfaction with his combination of rich content and practical approach delivered in his engaging style. His down-to-earth upbringing in Australia coupled with his Chinese heritage makes for an interesting mix of dry humor and quiet wisdom. David is a Board-certified psychiatrist and is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM). He is also Chief Editor of the ASAM Patient Placement Criteria and is a Senior Advisor to The Change Companies. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Cultural Clashes in Co-Occurring Disorders: Clinical Dilemmas in Assessment and Treatment
David Mee-Lee, M.D.
David Mee-Lee, M.D., is Senior Vice President for The Change Companies®. He is a board-certified psychiatrist, and is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM). Dr. Mee-Lee has trained and consulted for hundreds of organizations, ranging from small mental health centers to government departments and national behavioral healthcare companies. Dr. Mee-Lee is also Chief Editor of the Revised Second Edition of the ASAM Criteria. He has over 30 years experience in person-centered treatment and program development for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. Dr. Mee-Lee earned his medical degree from the University of Queensland, Australia, in 1972. He earned an M.S. in Psychiatry from Ohio State University in 1976. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The ASAM Criteria - Getting Up to Date with Guest David Mee-Lee, M.D., Senior Vice President, The Change Companies
Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D.
Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D. is the Research Director of The Melissa Institute and Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He has served as Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Miami, School of Education. He is one of the founders of cognitive behavior therapy. North American clinicians voted Dr. Meichenbaum "one of the 10 most influential psychotherapists of the 20th century." He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Clinical Division of the American Psychological Association in 2008. He has published extensively, and his most recent book is Roadmap to Resilience. He is one of the founders of The Melissa Institute. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Roadmap to Resilience: Specific Ways to Bolster Resilience with Guest Don Meichenbaum , Ph.D.
Andrea Meier
Andrea Meier is on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, New Hampshire. She has an extensive clinical background as a dually licensed addiction and mental health clinician in Vermont. In the past, she served as Clinical Supervisor of a co-occurring adolescent treatment program in Burlington, Vermont. Her current research and training interests are in developing the evidence-base for integrated psychosocial therapies, and understanding effective approaches to clinician training and clinical supervision. She is working with Dr. Mark McGovern in the Addiction Health Services Research section of the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center (PRC). Current research projects funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) include topics of addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and integrated treatment within community and Veteran Affairs behavioral health care centers. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT)
Nancy Merrill PMHCNS,BC
Nancy Merrill PMHCNS,BC has been in the field of psychiatry since 1977. She is currently the program Director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services at McLean Hospital in Belmont Massachusetts. In her 18 years at McLean she has been part of the various teams that developed Naukeag, Fernside and the Brook. She has participated in several national research studies and served for several years as the co-chair of NURS the advanced practice nursing group. She has a private practice specializing in the treatment of people with addictive disorders and the families of people with addiction disorders. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
“Up In Smoke: Be A Quitter” with guest Nancy Merrill PMHCNS,BC Director of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, McLean Hospital
Jeffrey Miller, DC, DABCO
Dr. K. Jeffrey Miller is a native of Shelby County, Kentucky. He received his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa in 1987. After graduation he completed postdoctoral orthopedic training through Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, Texas. In 1993 Dr. Miller became the first chiropractic orthopedic specialist to practice full-time in the state of Kentucky and was youngest chiropractic orthopedist in the country. He is both a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedist (DABCO) and a Fellow of the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedist (FACO). In Dr. Miller’s book titled “The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction”, Dr. Miller gives his readers 50 activities for creating a positive outlook. If you are looking for tools to aid in your overall wellness and health, the activities in Dr. Miller’s book can strengthen that process. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction
Jerry Moe
Jerry Moe, MA, MAC, CET II is Vice President, National Director of Children’s Programs at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, and Denver, Colorado. An Advisory Board Member of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA), he is internationally known as an author, lecturer, and trainer on issues for young children from addicted families. Jerry received the 2005 America Honors Recovery Award from the Johnson Institute, the 2000 Ackerman/Black Award from NACoA for “significantly improving the lives of children of alcoholics in the United States and around the world.” Jerry’s latest book is Understanding Addiction and Recovery Through a Child’s Eyes: Hope, Help, and Healing for Families. Jerry’s work has been featured on numerous television shows and publications. He was featured on the PBS documentary Lost Childhood: Growing Up in an Alcoholic Family. He was also recently featured in the Nick News special, “Under the Influence: Kids of Alcoholics, which won the Emmy award in September 2011. Jerry has been developing programs and facilitating groups for children from addicted families since 1977. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
How Children Recover from the Addiction in their Family with guest Jerry Moe, Betty Ford Center
Jamison Monroe, Jr.
Jamison Monroe, Jr., Founder and CEO of Newport Academy, went through years of personal recovery and treatment programs for drug abuse as a teen before finally getting sober. Newport Academy is the culmination of Jamison’s journey and desire to create an unrivaled setting to help teens and their families recover from the destructive effects of behavioral health issues. Today, Newport Academy is the nation's leading treatment center for teens and young adults. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
New Parity Laws And What It Means For Insurance Coverage with guests Jamison Monroe, Jr. CEO, Newport Academy and Carolyn Reinach Wolf, Attorney in Mental Health Law
Kristina Morgan
Kristina Morgan is a poet with a master of fine arts from Arizona State University. She is currently working and managing her co-occurring disorders (schizophrenia and alcoholism) with medication and Twelve Step recovery. Mind Without A Home is her first book. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Mind Without a Home: A Memoir of Schizophrenia with Guest Kristina Morgan
Kathy Moser
Kathy Moser is an award winning songwriter and performer in long-term recovery. With four albums released she tours nationally. For the past five years she has combined her passions for music and recovery. Through workshops and performances she has helped thousands of people explore and strengthen their recovery skills. In the songwriting workshops, people in early recovery write, rehearse and record an original song on a recovery topic. These workshops have created a growing body of recovery music with titles like “Fake It Til You Make It.” Her concerts present these songs, as well as her original material. Whether taking a guided tour through the landscape of early recovery or celebrating the gift of recovery, these concerts always have audiences singing along. She often performs with her band “The Promises Collective.” She has performed at Father Martin’s Ashley, Alina Lodge, Rutgers Summer Institute on Addiction Studies, The Cape Cod Symposium, and Gosnold on Cape Cod. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Making Music for Recovery Success with Guest Kathy Moser
William C. Moyers
William C. Moyers is the Vice President of Public Affairs and Community Relations at the Hazelden Foundation and author of the New York Times best-selling book Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Now What? An Insider’s Guide to Addiction and Recovery with guest William Cope Moyers
Kathleen M. Murphy, PhD, MT-BC
Kathleen M. Murphy received her doctorate in Music Therapy from Temple University. She has been working as a music therapist for over 25 years. Kathleen has worked in medical, mental health, and educational settings with both children and adults. She has created music therapy programs in nursing homes, hospitals, and schools. Dr. Murphy is the Director of Wellness & Complimentary Therapies, at Seabrook House, a residential treatment facility for adults diagnosed with substance use disorders. She provides group and individual music therapy sessions in the short-term residential program, and the women’s extended care program. She has developed music and imagery based sleep hygiene protocol for use by individuals in recovery who are experiencing sleep difficulties. She has developed a stress management program based on the principles of AA/NA. Dr. Murphy serves on the Board of Directors of the American Music Therapy Association. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Benefits of Music Therapy in Treating Addictions
Craig Nakken
Craig Nakken is the author of several Hazelden titles, including the perennial best seller, The Addictive Personality. He is a popular public speaker and a highly respected private practice counselor, with years of working in the frontlines in a number of treatment facilities. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
FINDING YOUR MORAL COMPASS: Transformative Principles to Guide You in Recovery and Life with Craig Nakken
Dr. Tammy Nelson
Tammy Nelson PhD, is a sex and relationship expert, an international speaker, author and a licensed psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience working with individuals and couples. She holds a Doctorate in Philosophy, a PhD in sexology from the American Academy of Clinical Sexology a Certified Sexologist, a Diplomate of the American Board of Sexology, a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Registered Art Therapist, and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and Certified Imago therapist. She is the author of several books including, "Getting the Sex You Want; Shed Your Inhibitions and Reach New Heights of Passion Together" as well as “What’s Eating You? A Workbook for Anorexia and Bulimia.” She has been a featured expert in Glamour Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health Magazine, and a source in Time Magazine. She has written for Psychotherapy Networker and other trade journals and can be followed on her blog www.tammynelson.org/blog/. Her website is www.drtammynelson.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Imago Relationship Therapy and Sexuality Counseling
Lisa Neumann
Lisa Neumann is president and founder of Competency Coaching, a life and recovery coaching organization that seeks to help not only addicts, but those who love them. She is the founder of The Art of Sobriety Workshops. Workshops designed for both the addict and the codependent in the relationship. Lisa has helped hundreds of men and women regain their integrity and evolve into recovered and productive individuals. Lisa is the author of Sober Identity: Tools for Reprogramming the Addictive Mind. She does a weekly radio program in Panama City, Florida which includes on-air coaching for addicts seeking help with the challenges of recovery and their personal evolution. Lisa currently resides in Southern California with her family. She is a mom, recovered addict/alcoholic, an athlete (most of the time), a pseudo-cook (time and kid’s appetite permitting), and most importantly a trusted friend. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Sober Identity - do you know how to reprogram your addictive mind? Guest Lisa Neumann
Eric Newhouse
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eric Newhouse has been an editor of the Tribune since 1988, serving as news editor, editorial page editor and projects editor respectively. He also served as a juror for the 2007 and 2008 Pulitzer Prizes, judging the entries in the explanatory reporting category. Before joining the Tribune, Newhouse had an 18-year career with The Associated Press, the national wire service. Newhouse won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for “Alcohol: Cradle to Grave,” a 12-part series of stories that were published once a month throughout 1999. It was also honored by the NAADAC, the Society of Addiction Professionals; the Research Society on Alcoholism; and the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. One of his books, “Faces of Combat, PTSD & TBI,” was published by Issues Press in the fall of 2008. You can learn more about the book at its Web site: www.FacesOfCombat.US View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Faces of Combat: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury
Katherine (Kathy) Norgard, MSW, Ph.D.
Dr. Norgard consults and teaches locally and internationally in the field of psychodrama and is an associate faculty member at ASU College of Public Programs. She has worked extensively assisting political refugees who are seeking asylum. Norgard speaks and advocates for the prevention and early detection of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), and is involved in prison reform. Norgard authored Hard to Place: A Crime of Alcohol (about FASD), a children’s book on the Montessori teaching method, co-authored a text on child abuse and neglect, and various other articles. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Joseph Nowinski, Ph.D.
Joseph Nowinski, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who has taught at the University of California–San Francisco and the University of Connecticut and has served as supervising psychologist at the University of Connecticut Health Center. He is the author of Twelve Step Facilitation Therapy (TSF), which is listed in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, and Almost Alcoholic: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Drinking a Problem?, with coauthor Robert Doyle. He blogs regularly for the Huffington Post and Psychology Today View Guest page
Episode Listing:
If You Work It, It Works: The Science Behind 12-Step Recovery
Dr. Cardwell C. Nuckols
Dr. Cardwell C. Nuckols is described as “one of the most influential clinical and spiritual trainers in North America.” Dr. Nuckols’ passion and mission is to assist in the integration of emerging scientific research with traditional spiritual and self-help wisdom. From this integration comes knowledge, inspiration and technique helpful to those whose practice assists alcoholics, addicts and other mental health patients find healing and their personal road to recovery. Dr. Nuckols is widely published, having authored more than 60 journal articles, 30 books and workbooks, 50 DVDs, CDs and videos, and 25 audiotape series. His latest publication is entitled The Ego-Less SELF: Achieving Peace and Tranquility Beyond All Understanding (HCI). Dr. Nuckols’ first book Cocaine: Dependency to Recovery, is a trade best seller, as are, his booklets Quitting Heroin, Quitting Alcohol and Quitting Marijuana (Hazelden). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Spirituality and Recovery with Guest Cardwell C. Nuckols, Ph.D.
Rosemary O’Connor
Rosemary O’Connor is founder of Recovery Services for Women and a certified recovery/life coach. She has been a workshop facilitator for Bayside Marin and on staff of the Alta Mira Recovery Programs, Muir Wood Adolescent Family Program, and Five Sisters Ranch. Rosemary serves on the advisory board of Stepping Stone, the oldest alcohol and drug recovery program for women in northern California. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Sober Mom's Guide to Recovery
Patricia O’Gorman, Ph.D.
Patricia A. O’Gorman, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned psychologist, coach, and public speaker. She is recognized for her work with women and children of alcoholics, focusing on trauma. Her warm, humorous persona has made her a favorite inspirational speaker. Her latest book, The Girly Thoughts 10-Day Detox Plan: The Resilient Woman’s Guide to Saying NO to Negative Self-Talk and YES to Personal Power is a prequel to The Resilient Woman: Mastering the 7 Steps to Personal Power, published in 2013. For more information on Dr. O’Gorman and her books, visit: patriciaogorman.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Codependency with Guest Patricia O'Gorman, Ph.D.
Li AiXinJueLuo O’Hara
Li AiXinJueLuo O’Hara MS CAGC II received her Master’s degree from Oregon State University in Counseling Psychology in 2006. Since that time she has conducted group and individual counseling for gambling addiction. Her clients have been Caucasian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Laotian and Thai. Li is an Asian Services Coordinator at Volunteer of America Oregon. Li also holds a Master of Art Degree in Education from China, Dalian University of Technology which was a joined program with the British Council. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Problem Gamblers and Significant Others in the Asian Community; Differences and Similarities with guest Li AiXinJueLuo O’Hara
Lorie Obernauer, Ph.D.
Lorie Obernauer, Ph.D., founder and president of LO Group, Inc. provides consultation and coaching services to organizations and individuals in the area of addiction recovery management. Consultation services for addiction treatment organizations focus on the design, development, and implementation of robust recovery support and alumni services programs. In her recovery coaching practice, Lorie offers recovery education to clients, empowering them to create a joyful, balanced life in recovery. Lorie is also the founder of TPAS, a national organization that champions treatment center alumni professionals and long term recovery support initiatives. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services (TPAS)
Dr. David Ohlms
Dr. David Ohlms is CenterPointe Hospital's Medical Director for Chemical Dependency Services. He is a psychiatrist who has specialized in addiction disease for 40 years. Dr. Ohlms an internationally recognized expert in the field of addiction, and is perhaps best known for popularizing the concept that alcoholism is a primary disease. Dr. Ohlms earned his certification in addiction medicine from the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) in 1986 and was appointed a Fellow of the Society in 1997. In 2006, he was named a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. In 2007 he received the Missourian Award for having pioneered changes in the treatment of addictions in his home state of Missouri. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Dual Diagnosis Treatment Protocols with Guest David Ohlms, MD, CenterPointe Hospital
Mary Olson, Ph.D., LICSW
Mary Olson, Ph.D., LICSW is an international lecturer in the fields of communication and family therapy. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Smith College School for Social Work and an affiliate of the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical School MA. In 2001, she was Fulbright professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Jyvaskyla and has been a visiting professor at other universities in Finland, Italy, and the US. From 1990-1995, under Dr. Carlos Sluzki, Chairman, she was the Director of the Clinical Externship in Systemic Family Therapy in the Department of Psychiatry, Berkshire Medical Center. She has numerous publications on the open dialogue approach, training in network and language-based therapy, eating disorders treatment, and the effects of managed care. She has an independent psychotherapy and consultation practice at the Mill River Institute in Haydenville, MA. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Open Dialogue Approach
Susan Mullins Overman
Susan Mullins Overman, LMHC, TEP has worked with eating disorders, trauma and substance abuse for the past 20 years. She is a primary therapist at Hyde Park Counseling Center, a women's residential treatment center in Tampa, Florida. Susan is a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner of Psychodrama, an action method of doing therapy. Susan uses psychodrama and other experiential methods with clients individually and in group. Along with Sandra Seeger, LMHC, PAT she co-founded South Tampa Psychodrama Training. They have presented trainings on psychodrama locally and nationally. They are the authors of “Sociodrama A Deux: A New Hybrid” published in the Journal of Psychodrama, Sociodrama and Group Psychotherapy. Susan is the past secretary of the local Tampa Bay Chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. She is on the scholarship committee for the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama and is past president of the Tampa Bay Association for Women Psychotherapists. Susan has a Master’s Degree in Mental Health and Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Psychodramatic Approaches to Working with Addictions,Susan Mullins Overman, LNHC, TEP, Primary Therapist, Hyde Park Counseling Center
Cheryle Pacapelli
Cheryle Pacapelli is a woman in long-term recovery from alcohol and other drugs for 25+ years, she joined HOPE for New Hampshire Recovery as the Executive Director in September 2014. She comes to HOPE from Connecticut where she worked as a Program Manager for Recovery Housing, Director of Operations, and the Director of Recovery Services at CT Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) from 2004-2012. During her time at CCAR she managed three Recovery Community Centers, Telephone Recovery Support Program, Recovery Housing Program, Volunteer Services, Recovery Coach Training, Recovery Training Series, and Recovery Walks. She is the co-owner of Stepping Stone House, a transitional living home for men in recovery seeking to transition from treatment and jail back into mainstream society. Cheryle has been providing and implementing recovery support services for over 10 years. Cheryle has a passion for helping others to maintain and sustain their recovery. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Hope for NH Recovery
Andrew J. Pace BS CAC
Andrew J. Pace BS CAC - Andy is the founder and managing director of Little Creek Lodge. He holds a degree from New York State University in Human Services, Certified Addictions Counselor and Certified Gambling Counselor with 20 years in recovery. Andy has been an in-patient treatment counselor and lead counselor for ten years and also has had a private counseling practice for 4 years. As a professional drummer and musician for over 30 years, Andy has performed worldwide with C&C Music Factory, Gary US Bonds, Taylor Dane, The Brat Pack, Cover Girls and many others. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Engaging Young Men in Recovery with Guest, Andrew J. Pace, BS CAC, Managing Director, Little Creek Lodge
Dottie Pacharis
Dottie Pacharis is the mother of a bipolar son who took his life five years ago. After her son died from untreated bipolar disorder, she became an advocate for giving families more control over the healthcare needs of people with mental illness. Dottie is retired from a law firm in Washington, D.C., and lives with her husband, George, also retired. They divide their time between Fort Myers Beach, Florida, and West River, Maryland. She volunteers at the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Naples, Florida during the winter months and in Annapolis, Maryland during the summers. Recently Dottie has learned that the United Methodist Women’s Reading Program Committee has selected Mind on the Run to be on its 2013 reading list. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Mind on the Run - A Bipolar Chronicle with Guest Dottie Pacharis
Wendy Parmley
Wendy Parmley suffered a disabling bike accident in September 2011. Unable to return to her 20 year nursing career because of her injuries, Wendy began writing her book, which details her own healing journey following her mother’s suicide. She now sees suicide prevention and suicide survivors’ support as her new life’s work. Wendy has long advocated for suicide prevention and has participated on various professional and community based groups dedicated to that end. She also recognizes the need to unashamedly support those who must continue to live in the painful aftermath of a loved one’s suicide and passionately lends her voice to that cause. Prior to her accident, Wendy worked in nursing, earning her MBA from Brigham Young University in 2007. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Hope after Suicide - One Woman’s Journey from Darkness to Light with Guest Wendy Parmley
Alkesh Patel
Triple boarded in General Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Dr. Alkesh Patel has a wealth of experience and expertise in the addiction field. Prior to joining Mountainside Treatment Center, he completed his addiction training and worked at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York as Associate Director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Training Program. His clinical work focused on developing integrated treatment programs for patients with chronic pain and addiction. At Mountainside, Dr. Patel provides medication management to clients in all levels of care including clients with dual diagnoses. Under his care, clients receive the full continuum of psychiatric services. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Current Opioid Epidemic in America
Paige Paul
A graduate of the College of Santa Fe, BA, and Southwestern College, MA, Paige has been working in inpatient treatment settings with an addiction focus for the past two years. She is experienced in working with co-occurring disorders in all phases of the recovery process, and has received extensive training in sexual addiction. As a skilled Art Therapist, Paige utilizes this creative therapy to facilitate growth and empower patients from within. Paige currently facilitates the Men’s Sexual Integrity Program. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Sex Addiction and it’s Behavioral Manifestations: an Inpatient Treatment Approach
Paul Pellinger
Paul has a career that spans over 20 years in addiction treatment. He has worked as a counselor, manager, court appointed liaison, and consultant. Over the years Paul has helped open some of the most successful treatment facilities in South Florida, along with providing career changing opportunities to those whom share the same passion of helping those in need. As Chief Strategy Officer, Paul brings his years of wisdom and insight directly to Recovery Unplugged staff and clients. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recovery Inspired by Music
Dr. Mel Pohl, MD, DFASAM
Mel Pohl, MD, DFASAM is board certified in Family Practice, certified by American Board of Addiction Medicine and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Las Vegas Recovery Center. He is on the planning committee for ASAM’s “Common Threads, Pain and Addiction” Course and co-chair of ASAM’s Pain and Addiction Workgroup.
He is a nationally known speaker and co-authored Pain Recovery: How to Find Balance and Reduce Suffering from Chronic Pain; Pain Recovery for Families: How to Find Balance When Someone Else’s Chronic Pain Becomes Your Problem Too and A Day without Pain.
His newest book with Kathy Ketcham from Da Capo Press, The Pain Antidote - Stop Suffering from Chronic Pain, Avoid Addiction to Painkillers, and Reclaim Your Life was published in 2015.
He just filmed a show for PBS on chronic pain called “The Pain Antidote” which will air in August, 2016 around the country. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Day Without Pain
Dr. Richard A. M. Powell
Dr. Richard A. M. Powell graduated from Westbrook University in Weirton, W. V., Central States College of Naturopathic Medicine in Columbus, Ohio, International Academy of Medical Acupuncture in Carefree, Ariz. and Wellcoaches, Inc. A naturopathic physician specializing in neurobiofeedback, life and wellness coach, pastoral counselor and CEO of Southern Idaho Naturopathic Clinic, he currently resides in Twin Falls, Idaho with his wife and four sons. Powell believes in family and community and is an active volunteer with the United States Air Force Auxiliary - Civil Air Patrol, Twin Falls County Sheriffs Departments Search & Rescue and the Boy Scouts of America as well as an avid scuba diver, private pilot, repelling and other outdoor sports. Dr. Powell is an advocate for homeless and abused children and children from dysfunctional homes and children from less advantage homes. Dr. Powell feels that he has one purpose in life and that is to help others achieve the most out of lives. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Failure is not an option!
Neal Powers
Neal Powers earned critical acclaim for his first novel, Millie's Honor. He writes with a keen eye and a wry sense of humor. A retired FAA aviation safety inspector and pilot, motorcyclist, artist, and musician, his recent Op-Ed columns about PTSD and returning combat veterans have appeared in newspapers across the US, including the Washington Times. In 2003, at Neal Powers’ 40th high school reunion, he and his classmates waxed nostalgic about growing up in a much safer era. Afterwards, though, he realized that something about that didn’t ring true to him. He and his classmates lived under constant threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. The CIA was meddling with governments around the world. His generation endured the Vietnam War and the violence that accompanied the civil rights movement. Retelling this history from the inside out became the impetus behind Powers’ first book, Millie’s Honor, and its sequel, Letters to Millie. His new book chronicles the struggles a complex cast of characters from the town of Raleigh, modeled after his hometown of Fulton, Missouri, as they navigate the challenges of their time. The show will focus on the historical events that most shaped Neal’s generation, Why friends, family, and a sense of community are more essential in coping with life’s difficulties more than ever and lessons this generation can learn from the triumphs and mistakes of the previous. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Sense of Community with Neal Powers, author of Letters to Millie
Sharlene Prinsen
Sharlene Prinsen and her husband Sean have been married for nine years and have two children. She is a teacher in Northern Wisconsin. This is her first book. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Survival on the Front Lines of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction with guest Sharlene Prinsen
Peter Przekop, DO, PhD
Peter Przekop, DO, Ph.D., is an academic physician with appointments in neurology, pediatrics, and psychiatry and an osteopath who directs the pain management track at the Betty Ford Center, a part of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. He is Board Certified in Neurology and Addiction Medicine. Since 2004, he has been a member of the faculty at Loma Linda University Medical School, where he holds appointments in psychiatry, pediatrics, and neurology. His interests are in the relationship between pain and brain dysfunction, and he utilizes various techniques including functional imaging studies. He founded the Pediatric Chronic Pain and Headache Clinic at Loma Linda Children's Hospital in 2008. He has published over 40 articles and is active in teaching students, residents, and fellows. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Conquer Chronic Pain
Joseph Pyle
Joseph Pyle, MA President, Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation Joseph Pyle, MA, has more than 20 years’ experience in behavioral health, serving eight years as a CEO at various institutions including MeadowWood Behavioral Health System, Northwestern Institute of Psychiatry, Malvern Institute, Friends Hospital, and presently serving as President of the Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Public-private partnerships to improve community health: a conversation with Philadelphia leaders Dr. Arthur Evans, Joseph Pyle, Jane Golden, and Sara Ansell.
Toni Raiten-D’Antonio
Toni Raiten-D’Antonio is a psychotherapist in private practice, a professor of social work at Empire State College in New York, and a writer. Her two previous books, The Velveteen Principles and The Velveteen Principles for Women, have inspired hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide and have been used to train professionals in such varied settings as public schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and state prisons. A former television and stage performer, she is also a much sought-after public speaker who has entertained, motivated, and educated college students, health care professionals, charitable groups, and the New York Jets football team. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Ugly As Sin: The Truth About How We Look and Finding Freedom from Self-Hatred
Annie Ramniceanu
Annie Ramniceanu is the Associate Executive Dir. of Clinical Programs at Spectrum Youth & Family Services in Burlington, VT. She was an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate Counseling Program at the UVM and appointed by BISHCA to serve on the Independent Panel of Mental Health Care Professionals. She consulted on the SAMHSA/CSAT Treatment Improvement Protocol Manual on Best Practices for Clinical Supervision. Annie was the Past Pres. of the VT Addiction Professionals Assoc. and serves as Chair of VT’s Alcohol & Drug Certification Board. She’s on the Executive Committee of the IC&RC; a global leader in certifying Alcohol and Drug Counselors. In 2012 she was awarded the Burlington’s BPW “Woman of Achievement” award. She was also chosen as one of VT’s 25 Most Outstanding Women by Vermont Works for Women Labor of Love. She is a graduate of Columbia University and completed a Masters in Science in Counseling at the UVM. She is licensed in VT as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Alcohol and Drug Counselor. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Wilderness Therapy
Carolyn Reinach Wolf
Carolyn Reinach Wolf is an Executive Partner in the law firm of Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Einiger, LLP and Director of the Firm's Mental Health Law practice. Ms. Wolf's practice concentrates in the areas of mental health and health care law, representing mental health and health care professionals, major hospital systems and community hospitals, institutional and community outpatient programs, skilled nursing facilities, higher education institutions, individuals and families. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
New Parity Laws And What It Means For Insurance Coverage with guests Jamison Monroe, Jr. CEO, Newport Academy and Carolyn Reinach Wolf, Attorney in Mental Health Law
Mark R. Reinhart
Mark R. Reinhart has been a practitioner of the arts for the balance of his life. He is a Fifth Generation student/practitioner/teacher of Yang Family Taijiquan, and is trained in Sun Style through his certification with Dr. Paul Lam's Tai Chi for Health Programs.® Reinhart’s training covers a wide array of External and Internal martial arts styles and numerous Qigong styles and systems. Reinhart holds a Masters in Medical Qigong and is a Medical Qigong Therapist of record at the Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (China). He has extensive, and ongoing, training in Chinese Herbal/Dietary Medicine, Essential Oils, Classical and Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as Neuromuscular Therapy (St. John Method). Reinhart is a Professional Member of the National Qigong Association (NQA) and is currently serving as President. He is a regular presenter at the NQA’s National Conferences, and teaches extensively working with support groups and hospital-affiliated organizations. His book, Tune Up… You’re on in Ten Minutes was published in 2004. He is based in Hazleton, PA. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Three Rivers/12 Steps: Qigong for Recovery
Peter Rosch
Peter Rosch is the writer and creative force behind numerous ad campaigns including LEVI’S, MILLER BREWING CO., and the new critically acclaimed Fear No Susan Glenn AXE commercial. When he isn’t writing ads, educating his fans via his blog Level9Paranoia.com, outlining ideas for books and films, or performing as his alter ego, Joey Jo Jo, in NYC’s most prolific douche rock band, The Future, you will most likely find him playing fetch with his cat, Target. Yes, his cat plays fetch. In October, Rosch will celebrate four years of sobriety. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Addiction Recovery with guest Peter Rosch
Mark Rose
As an addiction professional for the past 17 years, Mark Rose has been involved in diverse scientific, forensic, and publication endeavors, included authoring scientific papers published in peer-reviewed psychiatry and addiction journals, researching and writing courses for physician audiences, testifying in criminal trials as a court-validated expert witness in addiction, providing expert opinion to attorneys, conducting research on the effects of cocaine use on the human brain, and on the helping activities of sponsors in Alcoholics Anonymous, writing books on prescription opiates and alcoholism. As a licensed psychologist for 16 years, Mark Rose has performed psychological, intellectual, chemical dependency and disability evaluations on the clientele of criminal defense, disability, and personal injury attorneys. Mark Rose also works as a medical writer with the pharmaceutical and medical device industry, and with organizations providing continuing medical education to physicians. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Surprising facts about ALCOHOL: It's History, Pharmacology, and Treatment with Mark Edmund Rose, M.A.
Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, MD
Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, MD, is currently a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital. Ken Rosenberg has produced many educational related films and videotapes over his career. Some of his works include: “Through Madness: The Subjective Experience of Psychosis,” WNET (1992), “Why Am I Gay?: Stories of Coming Out in America,” HBO (1993), “Back From Madness,” HBO (1996), “Drinking Apart: Families Under the Influence,” HBO (2000), “Cancer: Evolution to Revolution,” HBO, (2000), and “Bedlam”, independent short film about psychiatry (2009). From 1994-2009, Ken Rosenberg has been a consulting editor for the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy. He has also written many articles on health related topics, two of which are “Sexual Dysfunctions Among Psychiatric Patients” (2001) and “Studies of Sexual Dysfunction Among Severely Ill Psychiatric Patients” (2001). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Sexual Medicine in Psychiatry and Addiction
Michele Rosenthal
Michele Rosenthal is a bestselling author and certified professional coach. She is a former faculty member of the Clinical Development Institute for Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center and the founder of HealMyPTSD.com. She is also a trauma survivor who struggled with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for over twenty-five years before making a full recovery. In her role as a mental health advocate Michele is the winner of the Survivor Advocate Award (Mending Broken) and finalist for the Health Activist Hero Award (WEGO Health). She has also made frequent media appearances. Michele’s books include the recovery memoir, Before The World Intruded: Conquering the Past and Creating the Future, (selected as a finalist for the Books For A Better Life Award, Next Generation Indie Book Award, and the International Book Award); Your Life After Trauma: Powerful Practices for Reclaiming Your Identity; and Heal Your PTSD: Dynamic Strategies that Work. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Your Life After Trauma
Mary Anne Roy
Mary Anne Roy is a licensed psychologist with extensive experience in the mental health and substance abuse fields working with children, adolescents and adults. She has been with Crossroads since 2010 as a counselor and clinical supervisor. In her current role as clinical director, Dr. Roy oversees all of Crossroads’ outpatient and residential clinical practices at the agency’s four sites. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Gender-Responsive Addiction Treatment For Women
Dr. Margaret Rutherford, Clinical Psychologist/Author
Dr. Margaret Rutherford has been in clinical practice for over twenty years in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She graduated in 1992 from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where she served as Chief Intern at Parkland Hospital. She’s the author of the eBook, “Seven Commandments of Good Therapy,” which is available on her website, Dr. Margaret Rutherford: Helping You Believe In Yourself ( http://DrMargaretRutherford.com.) Her writing and expert advice can be found on The Huffington Post, The Mighty, Readers Digest, Prevention, as well as many other online venues. She received the Arkansas Psychological Association’s 2009 Private Practitioner of the Year award, and is an adjunct psychiatry faculty member at the University Of Arkansas For Medical Sciences. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Perfectly Hidden Depression
Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D.
Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D., is Director of Drug Policy Institute at University of FL and an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. With Patrick J. Kennedy, he co-founded Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana). He is a policy consultant to domestic and international organizations and advises non-governmental organizations working to reduce drug abuse. He is an advisor to the UN and other multi-national organizations. Dr. Sabet’s blog is housed at Huffington Post and he contributes to op-ed pages, including Washington Post, New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times. Two op-eds earned him “Five Best Columns” by The Atlantic. He is winner of John P. McGovern Award for Drug Prevention given by Institute for Behavior and Health and Robert DuPont, founding director of National Institute on Drug Abuse. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. from Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar, and B.A. in Political Science from University of CA. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Perils of Big Pot -the Big Tobacco of our time
Anne Salter
Anne Salter, LCSW, MFT, CSAT has been working with families, adult individuals and couples, and conducting workshops, retreats, as well as groups for 30 years. Her focus has always been on emotional healing of the self. She specializes in relationship work using family of origin therapy and experiential techniques such as psychodrama, gestalt and family of origin sculpting. She has studied family and group work from many masters, including Virginia Satir, Sharon Wegscheider Cruse and John Heider. Anne Salter is also an addiction specialist, certified by John Hopkins University in 1978. She has taught addiction courses at Barry University, presented addiction seminars around the United States and worked as a consultant to area treatment centers, conducting training for other therapists. She is a certified sex addiction therapist after undergoing training under Patrick Carnes, Ph.D. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Family Stew, Our Relationship Legacy with guest Anne Salter
Jenni Schaefer
Jenni Schaefer is an internationally known author and speaker whose work has helped change the face of recovery from eating disorders. Her appearances on shows like Dr. Phil and Entertainment Tonight, in publications ranging from Cosmopolitan to The Washington Post, and before live audiences have brought a world of hope to men and women seeking real solutions. "I want people who struggle with eating disorders to know it is possible to move from being 'in recovery' to being 'fully recovered,'" she says. "I want them to get into life and follow their dreams, not be stuck in or defined by an eating disorder." With her latest book, Goodbye Ed, Hello Me: Recover from Your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life (McGraw-Hill), Jenni takes readers a giant step further on her journey and theirs, outlining the path from recovery to liberation. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
goodbye ed, hello me
Nancy Scherlong
Nancy Scherlong, LCSW, PTR, M/S has a Master’s degree in Social Work and is licensed in both NY and CT states with Foundations and Wellness training from the Mentor Coach Foundation, a Registration and Mentor/Supervisor credential in Biblio/Poetry Therapy from the International Federation for Biblio-Poetry Therapy, and over 20 years of institute training in therapeutic writing, action methods of psychodrama and trauma processing techniques. Nancy is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor from the Integrative Institute for Nutrition in NYC. She has extensive experience in group facilitation, particularly with: communication and relationship enhancement, women in transition, adolescent socialization skills, creativity seminars, corporate wellness and stress management and healthy living workshops and psychodynamic and educational groups utilizing the arts as a path to wellness. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Expressive Writing with Mental Health and Addiction
Terry D. Schneekloth
Dr. Terry D. Schneekloth is a Consultant in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic Rochester, Co-chair Division of Addiction, Pain and Transplant Psychiatry and Psychology, director of Mayo Addiction Services, and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in Mayo’s Graduate School of Medicine. His academic and clinical interests include alcoholism, transplant psychiatry, mood and anxiety disorders, and treatment of impaired professionals. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Challenges of Treating Alcoholism and Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders with Guests Mark Frye, M.D. and Terry Schneekloth, M.D., from Mayo Clinic
Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD
Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD is the new Medical Director for Boston Area Team at WestBridge. He is ABPN board certified in adult psychiatry. He graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine with AOA honors. He received psychiatry training at Harvard Medical School, completing adult psychiatry residency at Cambridge Health Alliance, where he was chief resident for addiction services. He completed specialty fellowship training in addiction psychiatry at Harvard/Partners Health Care where he developed clinical specialty areas, including young adults with dual diagnosis and outpatient treatment of opioid dependence. He is trained to provide evidence-based therapies for addiction including motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy. He was nationally recognized for his research on buprenorphine treatment for opioid dependence as the winner of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Young Investigator Award. He currently has a prestigious Dupont-Warren research fellowship from the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry. In addition, he is principal investigator on several grants, including an ongoing NIH-supported randomized controlled trial of mindfulness training vs. cognitive-behavioral therapy for smoking cessation, which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. He conducts lectures and trainings on the integration of mindfulness into addiction treatment and recovery programs. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
"Mindfulness in Addiction Treatment and Recovery"
Alan Schwarz
Alan Schwarz is a national correspondent for The New York Times. Schwarz was a finalist for the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for his multi-year series of more than 120 articles on the dangers of concussions in football, which have been widely credited with revolutionizing the respect and protocol for head injuries in almost every major youth and professional sport. Before joining the times he was a nationally-recognized baseball writer and the author of the best-selling book, "The Numbers Game: Baseball's Lifelong Fascination with Statistics." He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in mathematics. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Study Drugs – The Abuse of Prescription Drugs for Education with Guest Alan Schwarz, a national correspondent for The New York Times
Paula Davies Scimeca, RN, MS
Paula Davies Scimeca, RN, MS, obtained her baccalaureate degree in Nursing from Adelphi University and her master’s degree in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing from the State University of NY at Stony Brook. Her career has spanned over three decades, with the first ten years spent in medical, surgical and critical care nursing. With over twenty years’ experience in addiction and psychiatric nursing, she is a recognized expert who presents nationally on the subject of addiction recovery in nurses. Author of “Unbecoming A Nurse” and “From Unbecoming A Nurse to Overcoming Addiction,” she serves on the Board of Trustees for the International Nurses Society on Addictions’ Foundation for Addiction Nursing. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Addiction Recovery in Nurses
David Sheff
David Sheff, the author of the New York Times best-selling memoir “Beautiful Boy” about his son Nic’s decade-long struggle with addiction, and the author of the new book, “Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy.” David’s new book examines drug abuse and treatment, based on the latest scientific evidence and his own expertise as an investigative journalist. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Teen and Adolescent Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse with Guest David Sheff
Joseph Shrand, MD
Joseph Shrand, MD, is an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the Medical Director of CASTLE (Clean and Sober Teens Living Empowered), an intervention unit for at-risk teens that is part of High Point Treatment Center in Brockton, Mass. Dr. Shrand was formerly on staff at Massachusetts General Hospital as well as the Medical Director of the McLean Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Ambulatory Care and Adolescent Residential Programs. With more than 20 years as a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Shrand has vast experience in the field of adolescent anger management and conflict resolution which has made him a sought after speaker. He is also affectionately known as Dr. Joe, as he was Joe in the original PBS TV Children’s TV show, ZOOM, which won two Emmy Awards in the early 1970’s. Dr. Shrand is the only ZOOM kid to have published any books. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Outsmarting Anger with guest Joseph Shrand, MD, Harvard Medical School
Terrence Daryl Shulman
Terrence Daryl Shulman is a native Detroiter. Mr. Shulman completed his undergraduate degree in English Literature at the University of Michigan in 1987. He graduated from The Detroit College of Law in 1991 and has been an attorney-at-law since 1992 specializing in mental health law and criminal defense work. He returned to and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1997 and has since then been a full-time certified social worker and addictions therapist. He worked as a counselor at a chemical dependency clinic from 1997 – 2004 and was the clinic director from 1998 – 2000. Since 2004, Mr. Shulman has been the Founder/Director of The Shulman Center for Compulsive Theft & Spending in metro-Detroit. He counsels clients in person and by phone from across the U.S. and Canada. He has authored four recovery books: “Something for Nothing: Shoplifting Addiction and Recovery” (2003), “Biting The Hand That Feeds: The Employee Theft Epidemic” (2005), “Bought Out and $pent! Recovery from Compulsive $hopping and $pending” (2008), and “Cluttered Lives, Empty Souls: Compulsive Stealing, Spending and Hoarding” (2011). Mr. Shulman has organized and presented at many conferences across the U.S. He has also been featured in numerous media interviews including The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004. Mr. Shulman has been in recovery himself since March 1990 from addictive-compulsive shoplifting and stealing. He is the founder of C.A.S.A. (Cleptomaniacs And Shoplifters Anonymous) which has support groups in the metro-Detroit area and across the U.S. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Cluttered Lives, Empty Souls: Compulsive Stealing, Spending and Hoarding with guest Terrence Shulman
Shannon Shy
Shannon Shy is a senior civilian attorney with the Department of the Navy and a retired U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Lieutenant Colonel. In 1997, while on active duty with the Marines, he was diagnosed with a severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder or "OCD." His OCD had become so severe he became practically non-functioning. He constantly found himself in a seemingly endless loop of intrusive and irrational thoughts, mental anguish, physical pain, and odd behaviors. Finally, after some nudging from his wife and a colleague and after one very memorable OCD episode, he called a psychiatrist. With the aid of doctors, medication, and behavioral therapy, he developed an effective behavioral strategy (what he calls “Ground Rules and Checkpoints”) to manage his OCD. He now lives a very happy and productive life and has for many years--without medication and without doctors. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
It’ll be Okay: How I kept OCD from ruining my life
Janet Singer
Janet Singer is an advocate for OCD awareness, that obsessive-compulsive disorder, no matter how severe, is treatable. At age 18, her son suffered from OCD so debilitating he could not eat. Today, thanks to exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, he is living life to the fullest. Janet recounts her family’s story in her book, Overcoming OCD: A Journey to Recovery. She also writes regularly for PsychCentral.com and Mentalhelp.net, and has been published on many other web sites including Beyond OCD and Mad in America. She started her own blog, ocdtalk (www.ocdtalk.wordpress.com). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Overcoming OCD: A Journey to Recovery
Michael Skinner
Michael Skinner is a nationally known award-winning advocate survivor addressing the issues of trauma, abuse and mental health concerns through public speaking and his music – he has spoken at the National Press Club, was a keynote presenter at a conference held by the United Nations, The State Department and Georgetown University on the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and adults and he has appeared on many TV, radio and Internet shows – he was part of the Oprah Winfrey Shows that addressed the issues of males sexually abused as children. His music and advocacy website has been visited by well over a million visitors and he has formed the non-profit, the Surviving Spirit, that offers Hope, Healing and Help for those impacted by trauma, abuse and mental health through the creative arts, a monthly newsletter and website. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Surviving Spirit: Healing the Heart Through the Creative Arts, Education and Advocacy with guest Michael Skinner
Joel Slack
Joel Slack is a leader in the national and international mental health consumer advocacy movement. He uses his lived experience with mental illness, treatment and recovery to develop innovative programs that create opportunities for his peers and advance the issues of respect and recovery at all levels of the mental health system.
Over his 30-year career, Joel transformed mental health systems by spearheading the creation of senior management positions for Peers, reformed the culture of mental health organizations by sharing his RESPECT Seminar to over 400,000 participants in 42 countries and most recently, he developed the RESPECT Institute, a program that helps participants to heal and prepares them to confidently articulate and share their stories of recovery to audiences across the state of Missouri and Georgia.
Joel is a graduate of Allegheny College and resides in Montgomery, Alabama. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
RESPECT Institute -RI: helping participants develop the skills necessary to transform their experiences of mental illness, treatment and recovery into educational and inspirational presentations
Ann W. Smith
Ann W. Smith MS, LMFT, is a nationally recognized leader and expert in the field of codependency, presenting at conferences throughout the U.S., Canada, and Finland. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, she has spent nearly thirty years researching the impact compulsive disorders have on individuals and family systems. Ann is also the director of Breakthrough at Caron—a program she designed for Caron Treatment Centers aimed at helping adults shift destructive life patterns, improve relationships, and foster personal growth. Ann's experience has landed her interviews with National Public Radio, Newsweek, Us Magazine, Redbook, U.S. News and World Report, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and numerous other newspapers, magazines, and radio and TV programs across the U.S. Currently, she is a contributor to Psychology Today's website through her popular blog, Healthy Connections. Ann has also authored Grandchildren of Alcoholics: Another Generation of Co-dependency. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Overcoming Perfectionism - Finding the Key to Balance and Self-Acceptance with Guest Ann W. Smith, MS, LMFT
Lindy Fox Smith
Lindy Fox Smith, MA, LADC, is a Trainer and Consultant, in the field of co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. She retired from the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, after working there for 23 years as a Sr. Research Associate. She worked on research projects examining the effectiveness of treatment for people with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Working with Robert Drake, Ph.D., M.D., she has been involved in research, diagnostic assessments, supervision, training, and consultation. She has a great deal of clinical experience providing group and individual treatment to consumers with dual diagnoses. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recovery is a Marathon, not a Sprint: Recovery from Dual Disorders with Guests Lindy Fox Smith and Katherine Armstrong
Barry Solof, MD
Barry Solof, MD, FASAM is a graduate of Yale Medical School and has been practicing addiction medicine for 35 years. He was the Regional Chief of Addiction Medicine for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, as well as an Associate Professor of Psychology at Los Angeles City College. Dr. Solof is the Medical Director of Michaels’ House, a nationally recognized rehabilitation facility for addiction and co-occurring disorders, located in Palm Springs, CA. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Current Trends in Addiction Treatment with Guest Barry Solof, MD, FASAM
Tuesdae Stainbrook
Dr. Tuesdae Stainbrook is an infectious disease physician in central Pennsylvania. She is board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases and has a master’s degree in public health. Dr. Stainbrook has a large hepatitis C treatment population and is considered to be one of the largest hepatitis C providers in Pennsylvania. She has been crucial in bringing community and physician awareness and free hepatitis C testing to her area. In 2007, she was honored with the Viral Hepatitis Award of Excellence given by the Commonwealth of PAH Department. Dr. Stainbrook is the author of a new book Hepatitis C: What you need to know, which provides answers and detailed lifestyle changes for patients and their families. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
What you need to know about Hepatitis C with guest Dr. Tuesdae Stainbrook
Heather Stang
Heather Stang, M.A., is the author of the newly released book, Mindfulness and Grief. As a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner, meditation instructor, and bereavement group facilitator, Stang’s passion is helping individuals manage stress and restore balance to their lives after the trauma of loss. Based on an 8-week program developed by Stang herself, Mindfulness & Grief offers weekly themes that incorporate meditation, yoga, journaling and creative expression to calm the mind, strengthen the body and regulate emotions. Heather lives and works in Frederick, Maryland and is a member of the Association of Death Education and Counseling (ADEC). Stang offers private Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy sessions, retreats and Yoga for Grief groups. For more information about Mindfulness & Grief, visit www.MindfulnessAndGrief.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Mindfulness and Grief with Guest Heather Stang, M.A.
Tracy Stecker
Tracy Stecker, Ph.D. is a psychologist at the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center. She developed a curriculum titled Using a Brief Intervention to Motivate Clients to Get Help in collaboration with Hazelden. Her focus is on treating veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan returning with PTSD and/or substance abuse issues. Several of these projects have been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute for Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Personal Stories of Healing from PTSD with guest Tracy Stecker, Ph.D.
Luke Stoeckel
Luke Stoeckel, PhD is the Director for Clinical Neuroscience at the MGH-Harvard Center for Addiction Medicine. He is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist. He completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard College, his graduate studies in the Medical/Clinical Psychology program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and internship/postdoctoral training at MGH and Harvard Medical School (HMS). His research focuses on the investigation of abnormal brain-behavior relationships in disorders such as addiction, obesity, and schizophrenia. He has received several prestigious awards including the Norman E. Zinberg addiction research fellowship from the HMS Department of Psychiatry, a Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD) Young Investigator Award, and an NIMH NCDEU New Investigator Award. His research aims to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of addiction in order to develop new, more effective individualized therapies and is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. Finally, he serves as a resident advisor for first-year students at Harvard College. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Addicted Brain with Guest Luke Stoeckel, PhD
Misti A. Storie, MS
Misti A. Storie, MS, is currently the Education and Training Consultant for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. Storie is the Technical Writer for Integrating Treatment for Co-occurring Disorders: An Introduction to What Every Addiction Counselor Needs to Know, as well as previous educational seminars entitled New Horizons: Integrating Motivational Styles, Strategies and Skills with Pharmacotherapy, Pharmacotherapy: Integrating New Tools into Practice, New Innovations in Opioid Treatment: Buprenorphine and Medication Management for Addiction Professionals: Campral Series that toured across the United States from 2006 to 2009. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Dual Disorders, What every Addiction Professional Needs to Know
Ed Storti
Ed Storti, Author, Lecturer and Intervention Specialist, is an International and California Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor and Board Registered Interventionist. He has choreographed over 3,600 motivational interventions throughout the world. Ed’s educational lectures and presentations on Motivational Intervention, Professionalism in the Workplace, The Disease of Appetite and Professionalism for Intervention Specialists are requested by medical centers, chemical dependency facilities, universities and national conferences. Ed is a member of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors and the Association of Intervention Specialists. He is on the Board of Directors for the House of Hope Foundation, San Pedro, CA. He is the recipient of the 2009 Spirit Award from the Gooden Center, Pasadena, CA. and the 2011 Pillar of the Community Recognition Award from Sierra Tucson Treatment Center, Tucson, AZ. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Storti Model of Intervention with guest Ed Storti
Charles Strauss
Charles Strauss, LICSW is a clinical social worker in private practice in the Boston area. He works across the full range of gender and sexuality, providing individual, relationship, and family therapy for both youth and adults. He facilitates the Bisexual and Bi-Curious Men's Group at Fenway Community Health, Boston's preeminent health clinic focused on the needs of the LGBT community. He was awarded the Bisexual Resource Center’s Unsung Hero Award. He is a member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the organization responsible for establishing standards of care in the allied health professions. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Sexuality and Gender with Guest Charles Strauss
Scott Strode
Scott Strode, an accomplished tri-athlete, mountaineer, ice-climber, outdoorsman, and recovering alcoholic, is the Founder and Exec. Dir. of Phoenix Multisport. Phoenix Multisport has offered a unique approach to combating substance abuse by fostering a supportive, physically active community for individuals who are in recovery and those who choose to live a sober life. In Sept. 2012, Scott received the first CNN Hero award and in Dec. Scott took part in a TV broadcast honoring all Top 10 Heroes. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Fellowship and Fitness with Guests Scott Strode, Founder, Phoenix Multisport and Gary Enos, Editor, Addiction Professional Magazine
Nicholas Strouse
Prior to founding Westport Family Counseling, Director, Nicholas Strouse studied and worked with treatment teams at several major hospitals, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and Silver Hill Hospital. Mr. Strouse did his undergraduate work at New York University, received his masters from Adelphi University, and attended classes at the Child Trauma Institute, where he trained in EMDR. Mr. Strouse is certified in EMDR and specializes in the use of adaptive treatment strategies. Mr. Strouse has given several presentations on Trauma and the Recovery of Self, and he is currently preparing lectures on The Physics of Love, and Technology and the Adolescent Brain; in addition, he is working on a book, The Avatar Self: The Psychology Of Living In The Digital World. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing 'EMDR'
Richie Supa
Richie Supa is a New York singer/songwriter with over 300 songs recorded and 4 solo albums to his name. Artists who have cut his songs reads like a who’s who of the music industry, with over 50 million records sold. Supa has been a behind-the-scenes voice in the legendary rock band Aerosmith for years, including being a touring member. Richie’s greatest personal accomplishment is his 27 year recovery. Over this time Richie has helped thousands of addicts with his personal insight and inspiring music. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recovery Inspired by Music
Sylvester “Skip” Sviokla III, MD
Sylvester “Skip” Sviokla III, MD is a 1967 graduate of Harvard College and a 1972 graduate of Harvard Medical School. He was owner and medical director of Skip Sviokla Entertainment Medicine, Inc. and of Medical Weight Management, Inc. in MA. Additionally, he has served as an emergency-room director, a chief of occupational medicine, and a VP of outpatient services in a number of hospitals. In recent years since his struggle with substance abuse and the loss and eventual reinstatement of his medical license, he has received certification from the American Society of Addiction Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He is a staff orientation speaker for Rhode Island Hospital, where he talks to incoming physicians about the perils of substance abuse and addiction in the medical community. He is the medical director of several methadone clinics in RI and co-owns a substance abuse clinic dedicated to helping others get well and regain their lives. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
A Doctor’s Journey through Addiction to Recovery with Guest Sylvester “Skip” Sviokla III, MD
Lauren T.
"In The Big Book Simplified, Lauren T. aims to clarify the key messages in The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. The workbook follows the chapter format of The Big Book, and each chapter concludes with multiple choice and discussion questions. Lauren, an active member of Overeaters Anonymous, wrote this book with a fellow recovering in A.A. They generalize the message of healing to all addicts by writing about “addiction” instead of “alcoholism.” Several rehab facilities are teaching the book to their clients, and it sits on the shelves of many bookstores, including www.amazon.com. Lauren is also working on other business ideas related to recovery from addiction. She has extensive marketing experience working for Fortune 500 companies and startups alike in industries ranging from television to finance. In her free time, Lauren likes to practice yoga, travel, cook and read. She is a native Californian who has lived in Connecticut, New York, England, Spain, and Israel." View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Big Book Simplified
TAADAS
TAADAS is a statewide, consumer-oriented, association representing thousands of consumers in recovery, family members, healthcare professionals & providers. The mission of TAADAS is to provide a collaborative voice for addiction, co-occurring, prevention and recovery support services to effect positive change in their state. For more information about TAADAS, please visit www.taadas.org View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recover Tennessee with guests from TAADAS
Raymond V. Tamasi
Raymond V. Tamasi is the President/CEO of Gosnold on Cape Cod – the region’s leading substance abuse and mental health organization. He has been with the company since 1972 and was appointed CEO in 1991. During his tenure at Gosnold, Mr. Tamasi has overseen the development of innovative and progressive programs. Over the past 42 years, he has led the company from its humble beginnings as a small, single floor detox unit to a regional authority on addiction prevention, intervention, education, treatment and recovery. Raymond has worked tirelessly to serve those affected by addiction and to expand access to quality treatment programs through the development and implementation of innovative and cost-effective initiatives. These efforts have been honored by several behavioral health and addiction treatment organizations. Raymond is committed to redefining addiction prevention, intervention, education, treatment and management by treating addiction as the chronic illness that it is. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Redefining Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Management
Raymond V. Tamasi
Mr. Tamasi joined Gosnold at its inception in 1972 and has served in a number of clinical and administrative positions including addiction counselor, Director of Counseling Services, Program Director, and Vice-President. He was named Gosnold’s President/CEO in 1992. He oversees the Gosnold inpatient, residential, and outpatient programs that comprise the Cape’s largest behavioral health treatment organization. Mr. Tamasi is on the Board of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, a member of American College of Healthcare Executives, the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment, Cape Cod Hospital Board of Incorporators, and the Association for Behavioral Health. Before joining Gosnold, Mr. Tamasi worked in the private sector for 7 years in the greater New York area. He received a Bachelor's of Arts in Economics from Rutgers University and has a Masters in Education with a concentration in Counseling and Healthcare Administration from Cambridge College. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Extended Care Engagement to Improve Patient Outcomes with Guest Raymond V. Tamasi, President and Chief Executive Officer, Gosnold
Dr. Andrew Tatarsky
Dr. Tatarsky holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The City College of the City University of New York (1986). He has specialized in the field of substance use treatment for over 25 years working as a counselor, psychologist, program director, trainer, advocate and author. Dr. Tatarsky is a founding executive board member of the Association for Harm Reduction Therapy. Some of his written works include: Developing your healthiest relationship to marijuana: A harm reduction approach, Addiction, meaning and understanding, Harm reduction psychotherapy: Extending the reach of traditional substance use treatment. His book: Harm Reduction Psychotherapy: A New Treatment for Drug and Alcohol Problems (2007) has been an essential piece of work in the area of harm reduction, which can be a guiding stone for many clinicians and clients on their treatment journey. Dr. Tatarsky is also on the editorial boards of Harm Reduction, an on-line journal and the international Journal of Drug Policy. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Harm Reduction
Kathleen Tavenner Mitchell
Kathleen Tavenner Mitchell is currently the Vice President and National Spokesperson for the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and a noted international speaker on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Women and Addictions. Ms. Mitchell is a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor (LCADC) , has a Master of Human Services (MHS) degree and twenty-five years of experience as a national educator, clinician, and lecturer. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Pat Taylor
Pat Taylor, Executive Director, Faces & Voices of Recovery, leads a nationwide campaign working to mobilize the recovery community to seek and implement public policies that support recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs; break down barriers that preclude access to recovery; change public attitudes to prioritize addiction recovery and show the public and policymakers that recovery is happening for millions of Americans and their families in communities across America. She has over 30 years of experience developing and managing local and national public interest advocacy campaigns on a range of issues including healthcare, community development and philanthropy. She directed the Alcohol Policies Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and the Advocates Senior Alert Process at the health advocacy group Families USA and is a graduate of the University of Michigan. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Recovery Community Organizes and Speaks Out with guest Patricia Taylor, Executive Director, Faces and Voices of Recovery
Doug Tieman
Doug Tieman has been the President and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers since 1995 and has spent 30 years in the addiction treatment field in treatment center and industry leadership positions. He began his career with the Hazelden Foundation, and has served as Chairman of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, a member of the American College of Addiction Treatment Administrators. He is currently a Board Member of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Foundation for Addiction Research, and serves on the Behavioral Healthcare Editorial Advisory Board.
Following undergraduate degrees from both Concordia and Northwood Universities, Mr. Tieman completed the Minnesota Management Institute at the University of Minnesota, and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Concordia University. He is the recipient of several awards. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Epidemic of Addiction Among Seniors and How Leadership Lessons Can Be Applied To Every Age and Stage of Life
Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D.
: Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., is a research psychiatrist specializing in schizophrenia and manic-depressive illness (bipolar disorder). He is founder of the Treatment Advocacy Center and Executive Director of the Stanley Medical Research Institute, which supports research on schizophrenia and manic-depressive illness. His work at the Stanley Medical Research Institute includes participating in ongoing collaborative research on viruses and other infectious agents as a cause of these diseases. He is also a Professor of Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and an Adjunct Professor at the George Mason University School of Law. Dr. Torrey has appeared on national radio and television (outlets like NPR, Oprah, 20/20, 60 Minutes, and Dateline) and has written for many newspapers. He received two Commendation Medals by the U.S. Public Health Service, a 1984 Special Families Award from NAMI, a 1991 National Caring Award, and in 1999 received a research award from the International Congress of Schizophrenia and a humanitarian award from NARSAD. Dr. Torrey is also the author many books and papers, including a new book titled “The Insanity Offense: How America's Failure to Treat the Seriously Mentally Ill Endangers Its Citizens” View Guest page
Episode Listing:
The Insanity Offense
Genevieve Tregor, M.S., Founder and Facilitating Teacher
Genevieve received a MS in Kinesiology, from California Polytechnic State University. She has completed the MBSR Teacher Training Practicum as required by the University of Mass. Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness in Medicine advanced teacher training, she is a Certified Instructor of Radiant Heart Qi Gong, and a Certified Instructor of Physical Fitness and Training through the Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research. Genevieve has worked in the healthcare sector in public health, mental health research, and health education. When she experienced a debilitating back injury she began to explore in-depth the intersection of mind, body and spirit. Genevieve engaged in an intensive inquiry into the nature of wholeness; exploring various traditions including Talmud and Catholic Mysticism, and eventually immersed herself in the Buddhist tradition with the practice of Vipassana (also known as Mindfulness or Insight Meditation). View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Cara Tripodi, LCSW
Cara Tripodi, LCSW, CSAT owns S.T.A.R-Sexual Trauma and Recovery in PA, focusing on sexual addiction, sexual anorexia and love/relationship addiction. As a thought leader on out of control sex and partners of intimate betrayal, Ms. Tripodi began the 1st intensive program for partners of sex addicts and co-authored Intimate Treason, a book for partners of sex addicts. She’s a Board Member of the Society for Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH), an organization dedicated to research of problematic sexual behaviors. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Intimate Treason: Healing the Trauma for Partners Confronting Sex Addiction with guests Claudia Black, PhD and Cara Tripodi, LCSW
Christopher Tuohy
Christopher Tuohy has played in a variety of musical groups; and led his own groups in Las Vegas performing at many of the major Hotel’s. Chris was awarded a scholarship to Julliard in New York City and was a graduate student in the University of Maryland’s Music Program. Chris has a BA Degree in Music and Dance. He is the Artistic Director of FORTE, a Music, Dance and Art Studio that opened August 2011 in Washington State. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Imagine Recovery
Cynthia Moreno Tuohy
Cynthia Moreno Tuohy is the Executive Director of NAADAC, the Association of Addiction Professionals. She previously served as the Executive Director of Danya Institute and the Central East Addiction Technology Transfer Center and the Program Director for Volunteers of America Western Washington. In addition, she has 20 yrs experience as administrator of multi-county, publicly funded alcohol/drug prevention/ intervention/ treatment centers for all ages. For over 19 years, Moreno Tuohy has been an international trainer in a variety of topics including Domestic Violence/Anger Management and Conflict Resolution. She has served as President of NAADAC, Certification Board Commissioner, International Chair, Treasurer and Legislative Chair for NAADAC. Moreno Tuohy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and is certified both nationally and in Washington State. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Romancing the Brain in Recovery with Guest Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, B.S.W., NCAC II, CCDC III, SAP
Maureen Underwood
Maureen Underwood is a licensed clinical social worker and certified group psychotherapist with over thirty-five years of experience in mental health and crisis intervention. From 1985 to 2000, she was the coordinator of the New Jersey Adolescent Suicide Prevention Project. In this role, she initiated collaborative relationships between mental health and educational systems, providing in-service training, consultation on policy development, and assistance in the implementation of procedures for school-based crisis management. She has also provided clinical training in suicide assessment for emergency room mental health screeners. Maureen is the co-author of Managing Sudden Traumatic Loss in the Schools, the author of the National Association for Social Work's policy statement on adolescent suicide, and the co-author of the Lifelines School-Based Youth Suicide Response Program. Currently she is the clinical director of the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Bullying and Teen Suicide: Are they related and how? Guest Maureen Underwood, LCSW
Nicky VanValkenburgh
Nicky VanValkenburgh is the author of "Train Your Brain, Transform Your Life: Conquer Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in 60 Days, Without Ritalin." This book was voted “Best Self Improvement Book of 2011” by the Mom’s Choice Awards and “Best Motivational Book” by Reader’s Favorites Awards. She was also a Grand Finalist in the USA Today Book Awards, in the Health: Alternative Medicine category. Nicky is a motivational writer with 20 years experience writing for newspapers and magazines. She has a Master's in Journalism, and a Bachelor's in Psychology. She is also a contributing writer for Upstate Parent, Low Country Parent and Palmetto Parent magazines, which are published in South Carolina, with a circulation of a quarter million people. Nicky is also the Director of www.TrainYourBrainTransformYourLife.com which spotlights her book and 60-day brain training program for ADHD. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Jaime W. Vinck
Jaime W. Vinck, MC, LPC, NCC, Chief Clinical Officer for Sierra Tucson
Jaime Vinck joined Sierra Tucson in August 2014 as Chief Clinical Officer. She oversees the overall program design and provisions in management for all Sierra Tucson programs including Family Therapy, Primary Therapy, the Therapeutic & Recreational Activities Program (TRAP), Continued Care, Integrative Therapies and Residential Therapies.
Prior to joining Sierra Tucson, Vinck served in a number of positions, including Corporate Clinical Director, with Journey Healing Centers from 2006-January 2014. She helped develop its Dual Diagnosis, Family Education, Intensive Outpatient, and Equine Psychotherapy Programs. She also began her own private practice in Scottsdale in 2007, where she continues to focus on couples and families struggling with addiction and mental illness.
Just prior to joining Sierra Tucson, Vinck served as Clinical Director of Northridge Counseling in Scottsdale. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Being Mindful of Your Recovering Loved One During the Holidays
Howie Vogel
Howie Vogel is the Executive Director of Double Trouble in Recovery Inc. Howie is in charge of the overall supervision and management of the Double Trouble in Recovery program throughout New York State. Through the years Howie has started over 400 groups Across New York State and has trained and assisted many other states (Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina, Alaska, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey and the list can go on) in the development of DTR groups, throughout these states. Mr. Vogel has played a critical role both in the adaptation of the intervention, and in the forging of an effective link between the formal treatment (TSF therapy) and the DTR community. He is also supporting the research of “Effectiveness Self-Help for Dually Diagnosed persons”, with, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. Howie’s heartfelt attitude toward DTR is truly a driving force to its success. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Double Trouble in Recovery
Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis is VP at Preferred Family Healthcare (PFH), a leading Behavioral Health Organization in Missouri and Kansas providing Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment services. His experience has been in overseeing and implementing innovative opportunities for PFH’s adolescent and adult clients to receive quality care and services no matter personal and geographic circumstances. Jim has been employed at PFH for 10 years. Prior to this, Jim worked 15 years with at-risk Adolescents and their families as a Juvenile Officer and was employed with the Missouri Division of Youth Services as a Service Coordinator and Facility Manager. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Creating Hope, Creating Change: An agencys mission to assist others to achieve their potential. Guests Jim Wallis, VP, Preferred Family Healthcare and Kasey Harlin, MA CADC CCDP D
Pat Webster, Ph. D.
Pat Webster, Ph. D., worked with alpha males and females, and their mates in her private psychotherapy practice in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She was formerly an assistant clinical associate at Duke University. In her personal and professional life she continues to learn to manage her own alpha assets and liabilities. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Psychotherapists. She is second degree black belt in karate and a sailor. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Winning At Love
Margaret Wehrenberg
Margaret Wehrenberg, Psy.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and an expert on the treatment of anxiety and depression. She has extensive training and expertise in the neurobiology of psychological disorders. She is co-founder of the Reflex Delay Syndrome (RDS) Research and Training Institutes, founded to promote research and treatment for this disorder affecting academic, social and emotional functioning in children. She earned her M.A. specializing in psychodrama and play therapy with children. She was trained in addictions counseling and has years of experience in that field, working with the U.S. Army in Germany and Lutheran Social Services in Illinois before beginning a private psychotherapy practice. Since obtaining her doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, she has specialized in treating clients with trauma and anxiety disorders. Dr. Wehrenberg is the author of The Anxious Brain, Anxiety + Depression, and The 10 Best Anxiety Busters. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Anxiety and Depression
Michael Weinberger
Michael Weinberger is a dynamic and inspiring speaker frequently asked to speak on topics including Coping with Mental Illness and Addiction. He was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder in 1994 and has learned how to not only cope, but to thrive while living with his illness. Michael teaches individuals how to adjust their mindset to be mindful and grateful for everything their life! Michael is the founder and creator of APlanForLiving.com, a digital mindfulness manager and wellness platform. Everyone has problems and Michael's approach helps people apply gratitude, spirituality and mindfulness to their daily lives. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Recovery Through Mindfulness
Robert Weiss LCSW, CSAT-S
Robert Weiss LCSW, CSAT-S is Founding Director of The Sexual Recovery Institute, Los Angeles and Director of Sexual Disorders Services at The Ranch Treatment Center in Nunnelly Tennessee. A UCLA MSW graduate, Mr. Weiss received extensive post-graduate sexual disorder’s training with addiction author and clinical leader, Dr. Patrick Carnes. Mr. Weiss is author of Cruise Control: Understanding Sex Addiction in Gay Men, co-author of Untangling the Web: Sex, Porn and Fantasy Addiction and Cybersex Exposed, with Dr. Jennifer Schneider, along with numerous peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Mr. Weiss also provides professional training and program development for the US military and multi-addiction treatment centers around the United States, Europe and Asia. Recent media appearances include ESPN, The Today Show, Oprah Winfrey, Larry King Live and Dateline NBC. In a field with few genuine experts Mr. Weiss is a specialized, knowledgeable and recognizable provider in the field of intimacy, addiction and sexual disorders. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Getting out of the Doghouse: How to Heal Relationships Fractured by Multiple Infidelity and Sex Addiction
Sis Wenger
Sis Wenger is President and CEO of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA), a leading prevention education, advocacy, and membership organization focusing on children and families affected by addiction in the home. Sis created and managed a training institute that trained over 10,000 school, court and community professionals. She taught addiction studies at the college level for 9 years, spent 10 years as a lead substance abuse trainer, written numerous articles, co-authored books, and program materials, including SAMHSA’s Children’s Program Kit and Help Is Down the Hall: A Handbook on Student Assistance. She has also directed The Clergy Education and Training Project® that has created training manuals for clergy education. Her specialty is children and families impacted by parental addiction. She has been the recipient of multiple awards, including two presidential awards and the NIAAA Senator Harold Hughes Award for translating research into practice. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Alcoholism and Family with Sis Wenger, President & CEO, National Association for Children of Alcoholics
Robert Whitaker
Robert Whitaker is the author of four books. His first, Mad in America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill was named by Discover magazine as one of the best science books of 2002, while the American Library Association named it one of the best history books of that year. His second, The Mapmaker’s Wife: A True Tale of Love, Murder and Survival in the Amazon, was named by the American Library Association as one of the best biographies of 2004. It was translated into eight foreign languages. In 2008, Crown published On the Laps of Gods: The Red Summer of 1919 and the Struggle for Justice that Remade a Nation, which the San Francisco Chronicle selected as one of the best 50 non-fiction books of that year. On the Laps of Gods was also awarded the Anthony J. Lukas work-in-progress prize. His newest book, Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America, was published by Crown in the spring of 2010. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Mad in America
Tim White
Tim White is a Jacksonville, Florida businessman, philanthropist and Christian singer who found faith at the bottom of the bottle. Tim and his ministry devote their efforts to leading people to experience the healing power of God in their lives. His new inspirational country CD, The Long Road Home, and his first book, At the End of the Road: One Man’s Journey from Chaos to Clarity, provide insight into his own storied history of substance use and recovery. Both can help those struggling to find their path from chaos to clarity. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Safeguarding One’s Recovery from Addiction Through the Holidays with Guest Tim White
William (“Bill”) White
William (“Bill”) White is a Senior Research Consultant at Chestnut Health Systems, past-chair of the board of Recovery Communities United and a volunteer consultant to Faces and Voices of Recovery. He has a Master’s degree in Addiction Studies from Goddard College and has worked full time in the addictions field since 1969 as a street worker, counselor, clinical director, trainer and researcher. His book, Slaying the Dragon - The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America, received the McGovern Family Foundation Award for the best book on addiction recovery. His widely read papers on recovery advocacy were recently published in the book Let’s Go Make Some History: Chronicles of the New Addiction Recovery Advocacy Movement. His latest publication is a monograph entitled Recovery Management and Recovery-oriented Systems of Care: Scientific Rationale and Promising Practices. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
American Culture of Recovery
Elin Widdifield
Elin Widdifield received her MA in counseling from Tufts University and completed an externship in family therapy at The Philadelphia Child Guidance Center. She has worked extensively with adolescents, families, young adults, and sexual assault survivors. Elin has documented oral histories, including life experiences of combat veterans. Elin resides in North Carolina where she is on the boards of NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), and the UNC Center For Excellence in Community Mental Health. She is the mother of two sons. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Behind The Wall: The True Story of Mental Illness As Told By Parents
Mary Widdifield
Mary Widdifield received her MA in English writing from San Francisco State University where she received the Wilner Award for short fiction. Mary’s fiction and essays have appeared in Transfer Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, and Able Muse. Mary is a grant writer for nonprofits. She lives in Northern California with her husband, and two children. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Behind The Wall: The True Story of Mental Illness As Told By Parents
Dr. Christopher Willard (Psy. D.)
Dr. Willard works part time as a psychologist at Tufts University and part time in private practice as a therapist and consultant. Chris trains teachers, therapists and medical professionals in mindfulness practices through the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, where he recently joined the board of directors. In addition, Chris consults with organizations and media about educational, psychological, and relational issues. Chris’s first book is titled “Child’s Mind: Mindfulness Practices to Help Children Be More Focused, Calm and Relaxed” and currently is working on his second book about maintaining mental health in the workplace through mindfulness and positive psychology. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Mindfulness with Kids and Teens
Mark Joseph Williams
Mark Joseph Williams is an expert Life & Recovery Coach known for his ability to help people succeed both personally and professionally. Mark has more than 25 years of project leadership, retained search and human resources consulting experience.
Mark is on staff of The Mental Health & Wellness Center Consulting Group, LLC, Madison, NJ. He serves as a recovery/sober coach/interventionist and therapist with a focus on treating the entire family using a case management model with both his internal and external colleagues. Mark also serves as an independent consultant for IE Counseling based in Far Hills, NJ where he conducts psycho/social assessments and provides counseling for individuals and families pertaining to legal issues.
A graduate of King’s College, BA, Philosophy and Columbia University, MS, Social Work, Mark is a professionally trained psychotherapist (LCSW), accomplished author, public speaker, mitigation specialist and spiritual director. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Living An Authentic Life in Recovery
Dr. Michael D. Winer
Dr. Michael D. Winer is a healer and a teacher of the healing arts. He is a chiropractic physician, having received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his doctorate degree from Western States Chiropractic College. He has been in clinical practice in Portland, Ore. Since 1986. In recent years, Michael has created clientele across the United States and internationally, including Austria, South Africa, The Netherlands, Germany and Bermuda. Michael is the author or Light Medicine: Evolving Our Body, Our Life and Our Planet and Healing: The Path to Freedom. For more information on Michael and his work, visit www.michaelwiner.com View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Light Medicine with Guest Dr. Michael D. Winer
Lisa Sue Woititz
Lisa Sue Woititz managed Dr. Woititz’s Institute for Counseling and Training for a number of years and has worked in the mental health, substance abuse, and criminal justice fields. Her book Unwelcome Inheritance: Break Your Family’s Cycle of Addictive Behaviors, interweaves her hard-won insights with her mother Janet Woititz’s unpublished writings to show how multiple generations of people affected by addiction continue to model the addictive behaviors learned from their own parents. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Unwelcome Inheritance: Break Your Family's Cycle of Addictive Behaviors
Mary Ryan Woods
Mary Ryan Woods, RNC, LADC, MSHS, is CEO of WestBridge. For the past 30 years Mary has worked in a variety of addiction treatment settings. Mary is past president of NAADAC, the National Association of addiction Professionals, the largest Addiction professional group in the U.S. In 2001, Mary started WestBridge, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the recovery of families and individuals who experience co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Bridging the Gap Between 12 Step Recovery and Co-Occurring Disorders
Mary Yost, MLDAC, BC-DTR
Mary Is a NH Licensed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor. She specializes in the management of chronic pain and substance abuse related issues, integrating one’s spiritual beliefs into their counseling process. Mary incorporates movement and art modalities into her practice. She also offers hypnosis and meditation techniques as part of her treatment work as requested. Mary holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling and Dance/Movement Therapy from Antioch University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Dance from the College of Saint Theresa, Winona, MN. She is an Advanced Level Dance Movement therapist and teaches graduate students. Mary currently works at Pastoral Counseling Service in Manchester NH. PCS is non-profit community counseling agency that has been providing spiritually-oriented psychotherapy services and community programs since 1979. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Integrating Body-Mind practices into Suboxone treatment for opiate dependence
Mary Young
Mary Young: has been in the behavioral health field for the past nineteen years. She has worked in acute care psychiatric/addiction hospitals and residential treatment centers for adolescents. Mary spent the last four years in an adult addictions inpatient and outpatient treatment center in Louisville, Kentucky. She joined Life Healing Center Santa Fe in October 2010. At the onset of her career in behavioral health, she completed a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and began work in this field as a clinician. During the ensuing nineteen years, Mary has worked at virtually every level in inpatient facilities, the last 10 at the at the administrative or Executive Director level. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
Sex Addiction and it’s Behavioral Manifestations: an Inpatient Treatment Approach
Koren Zailckas
Koren Zailckas was 23 when she wrote the international bestseller Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood, an unapologetically candid and extremely controversial account of her experiences as an underage drinker. The book sparked a national conversation about teenagers and alcohol, earning her literary praise, igniting talk show debates and helping to change national policy. Her new book titled “FURY” takes readers on another journey into Koren’s life and the struggles that many others may have. In addition to pursuing the origins of Zailckas’s deep-seated, displaced rage, FURY also offers an intimate portrait of a romance, as well as an unflinching examination of growing up in a family where talking about or dealing with anger was off limits. A story about becoming a woman, a wife, a mother and, most importantly, it is a story about becoming more human. View Guest page
Episode Listing:
| i don't know |
What salad dressing (containing mayonnaise, anchovies, chives and sour cream) was named after a 1921 play? | Green Goddess Dressing
Green Goddess Dressing
Green Goddess Dressing is a creamy herbed salad dressing.
The main ingredients are anchovy, garlic, mayonnaise and vinegar, along with parsley, tarragon and chives for colour, and other seasonings.
some versions will combine the tarragon and vinegar by calling for tarragon vinegar;
some versions will swap in green onion for the chives;
some versions call for a few drops of green food colouring to heighten the dramatic effect of the greenness;
some versions play with the mayonnaise by either adding in sour cream and / or yoghurt, or swapping the mayonnaise out and one or both of the aforementioned in instead;
some versions add about 6 oz (180g) of fresh spinach leaves.
Commercial bottled brands used to be made in North America by Wishbone, Seven Seas and Kraft. It appears that just the Seven Seas and Kraft versions are now (2007) available. Commercial brands have green food colouring added.
The dressing can also be used as an accompaniment to artichokes.
To assemble the actual, "authentic" salad made with the dressing, you spread iceberg and other leafy salad greens on a plate. In the centre, place a cooked artichoke bottom filled with cooked shrimp. Dress with the dressing, then garnish with cherry tomatoes.
History Notes
The food writer Marlene Parrish asserts that the 1920s original dressing contained both spinach and chervil (sic), but she doesn't state the source for this. [1]
The first cookbook appearance of the recipe that CooksInfo.com is currently aware of was in 1949.
GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
1 teasp. chopped tarragon
1 teasp. tarragon vinegar
Combine anchovy, onion, chives, parsley, tarragon and tarragon vinegar. Add mayonnaise. Mix gently until blended. Serve over romaine, escarole and chicory, and add endive if you wish, tossed lightly in wooden bowl. Yield, 1 3/4 cups dressing." [5]
The Charleroi Mail of Charleroi, Pennsylvania suggested the salad on 10 March 1952 (page 2) for part of a St Patrick's Day menu: "From San Francisco comes this naturally green mayonnaise", and then gives a Green Goddess recipe calling for both mayonnaise and whipped sour cream, and either chives or green onions, as well as lemon juice. The suggested lettuce is iceberg.
At the Booth Memorial Hospital Open House and Bazaar held 29 October 1952 in Oakland, California, one table at the bazaar featured bottles of Green Goddess salad dressing made by the women from the Hilltop branch of the Women's Auxiliary. (The Hilltop ladies also sold "growing plants" and "mystery packages"). (Found in The Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. 12 October 1952, page S-8).
In 1953, the Oakland Tribune suggests Green Goddess Salad for Memorial Day: "What could be better than Green Goddess Salad for your Memorial Day Dinner. This Green Salad with its wonderful garlicky dressing is an old favourite with Bay area food fanciers." (The Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. 28 May 1953, page 19.) The recipe calls for chives or green onions, lemon juice, tarragon wine vinegar, 1 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup sour cream. It suggests using the dressing on mixed salad greens.
A 1954 abberation appearing in the Syracuse Herald Journal (Syracuse, New York. 30 May 1954, page 13) adds mustard and Worcestershire sauce. It also drops the chives or green onions, and calls for just bog-standard onion in their place, minced. (It retained the anchovy, mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley and garlic.)
[1] Parrish. Marlene. "Classic salads share California pedigree." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1 August 2002.
[2] "This is the Story of Your Town" column by Jack Burroughs. The Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. 5 January 1950, page 33.
[3] Ames Daily Tribune. Ames, Iowa. 2 March 1951, Page 7.
[4] Paddleford, Clementine. This Week Magazine. 23 December 1951. As quoted in Alexander, Kelly and Cynthia Harris. "Hometown Appetites." New York: Gotham Books. 2008. Page 170.
[5] Mueller, Irma. "Item-wised" column. Palatine Enterprise of Palatine, Illinois. Friday, 11 January 1952, page 4.
Literature & Lore
Green Goddess Dressing is reputedly named after the play called "The Green Goddess" [6], written in 1920 by William Archer (Scottish writer, 1856 - 1924).
Robert Burns Mantle (1873 - 1948), a New York drama critic, selected the play for inclusion in his Best Plays series of 1920 - 1921. It was brought to the screen first as a silent movie in 1923, then with sound in 1930.
In the play, three people are in a plane that has crashed in the fictional kingdom of Rukh in mountains near India. They are taken prisoner by the Rajah of that Kingdom, who was played in all versions by George Arliss (1868 - 1946) from England. He was nominated for an Oscar in the 1930 film version of it.
Philip Roemer
In the first half of 1923, Arliss toured with the play in several parts of America, including San Francisco (possibly March in San Francisco [7] -- in May, he was back in New York speaking at an actor's Equity meeting. From September 1923 till the end of 1924 Arliss was in London doing a run of it at the St James's.) While in San Francisco, he stayed at The Palace Hotel (still extant as of 2007.) The hotel's chef at the time, Philip Roemer (also seen spelt Reomer and even Bromer [8]), decided to name a salad dressing after the movie / play that Arliss was starring in.
More precise information about exactly when Reomer could have named the dressing might perhaps be obtained from one of Arliss's autobiographies:
Up the Years from Bloomsbury.Boston, Mass. : Little, Brown. 1927
On the stage : an autobiography. London : J. Murray. 1928
My Ten Years in the Studios Boston : Little, Brown, 1940.
_________________________
[6] Not the same as Tarzan and The Green Goddess 1938.
[7] "Morris Ankrum of Berkeley, who achieved some fame in amateur theatricals in and about the University of California, is a member of George Arliss' "Green Goddess" company and stands a chance of going to England with the star. Ankrum is doing two small parts in the piece." -- From Curtain Calls Column. In The Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. 13 March 1923, page 10.
[8] In Betty Crocker's "101 Delicious Bisquick Creations" (1933, 32 pp.), Roemer puts forward a Chicken Pie recipe made with Bisquick. There is a photo of him, and his name is spelled "Philip Roemer."
Salad Dressings
| Green Goddess |
What can be a musical instrument, a type of brake, and a type of cylindrical container? | The Food Timeline: history notes--salad
Food historians tell us salads (generally defined as mixed greens with dressing) were enjoyed by ancient Romans and Greeks. As time progressed, salads became more complicated. Recipes varied according to place and time. Dinner salads, as we know them today, were popular with Renaissance folks. Composed salads assembled with layers of ingredients were enjoyed in the 18th century. They were called Salmagundi . Today they are called chef's salad.
Why do we call it salad?
The basis for the word salad is 'sal', meaning salt. This was chosen because in ancient times, salt was often an ingredient in the dressing. Notes here:
"Salad, a term derived from the Latin sal (salt), which yielded the form salata, 'salted things' such as the raw vegetables eaen in classical times with a dressing of oil, vinegar or salt. The word turns up in Old French as salade and then in late 14th century English as salad or sallet."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford Univeristy Press:Oxford] 2nd edition, 2006 (p. 682)
"Etymologically, the key ingredient of salad, and the reason for its getting its name, is the dressing. The Romans were enthusiastic eaters of salads, many of their differing hardly at all from present-day ones--a simple selection of raw vegetables...--and they always used a dressing of some sort: oil, vinegar, and often brine. And hence the name salad, which comes from Vulgar Latin Herba salata, literally 'salted herb'."
---An A-Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 294)
Etymological notes & historic uses, Oxford English Dictionary:
"Salad
[a. OF. salade (14th c.), a. Pr. salada = OIt. salata, Pg. salada (cf. It. insalata, Sp. ensalada): ta, f. *sal and cf. quot. 1687 s.v. SALADING. c1390 Forme of Cury (1780) 41 Salat. Take persel, sawge, garlec [etc.]..waische hem clene..and myng hem wel with rawe oile, lay on vyneger and salt, and serue it forth."
"Although the ancient Greeks and Romans did not use the world "salad," they enjoyed a variety of dishes with raw vegetables dressed with vinegar, oil, and herbs...The medical practitioners Hippocrates and Galen belived that raw vegetables easily slipped through the system and did not create obstructions for what followed, therefore they should be served first. Others reported that the vinegar in the dressing destroyed the taste of the wine, therefore they should be served last. This debate has continued ever since...With the fall of Rome, salads were less important in western Europe, although raw vegetables and fruit were eaten on fast days and as medicinal correctives...The term salade derived from the Vulgar Roman herba salata, literally 'salted herb'. It remained a feature of Byzantine cookery and reentered the European menu via medieval Spain and Renaissance Italy. At first "salad" referred to various kinds of greens pickled in vinegar or salt. The word salade later referred to fresh-cooked greens of raw vegetables prepared in the Roman manner."
---Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, Solomon H. Katz, editor and William Woys Weaver, associate editor [Charles Scribner's Sons:New York] 2003, Volume 3 (p. 224-5)
[NOTE: This book contains far more information than can be paraphrased here. Ask your librarian to help you find a copy.]
At the tail end of the 19th century (in the United States) the domestic science/home economics movement took hold. Proponnents of this new science were obsessed with control. They considered tossed plates of mixed greens "messy" and eschewed them in favor of "orderly presentations." Salad items were painstakenly separated, organized, and presented. Molded gelatin (Jell-O et al) salads proliferated because they offered maximum control.
"Salad greens, which did have to be served raw and crisp, demanded more complicated measures. The object of scientific salad making was to subdue the raw greens until they bore as little resemblance as possible to their natural state. If a plain green salad was called for, the experts tried to avoid simply letting a disorganized pile of leaves drop messily onto the plate...This arduous approach to salad making became an identifying feature of cooking-school cookery and the signature of a refined household...American salads traditionally had been a matter of fresh greens, chicken, or lobster, but during the decades at the turn of the century, when urban and suburban middle class was beginning to define itself, salads proliferated magnificently in number and variety until they incorporated nearly every kind of food except bread and pastry...Salads that were nothing but a heap of raw ingredients in dissaray plainly lacked cultivation, and the cooking experts developed a number of ingenious ways to wrap them up...The tidiest and most thorough way to package a salad was to mold in in gelatin."
---Perfection Salad: Women and Cooking at the Turn of the Century, Laura Shapiro [North Point Press:New York] 1986 (p. 96-99)
Culinary evidence confirms salads of all kinds were very popular in America in the 1920s. Entire books were devoted to the topic. Some of the more popular were:
The Edgewater Beach Hotel Salad Book, Arnold Shircliffe [Hotel Monthly Press:Evanston] 1926
Bettina's Best Salads and What to Serve With Them, Louise Bennett Weaver & Helen Cowles LeCron [A.L.Burt:New York] 1923
Fancy Salads of the Big Hotels, Henri Kegler [Tri-Arts:New York] 1923
Salads and Sandwiches, Originated and Published in Woman's World Magazine [Woman's World:Chicago] 1924
Eventually, the hold of domestic science relaxed and tossed salads once again found their way on American tables. Tossed salads regained favor. Today, American salads range from the uninspired classic" lettuce wedge, tomato & cucumber doused with bottled dressing to tantalizing creations composed of interesting greens, asian fruits and vegetables, crisp noodles lightly tossed with sesame seed soy sauce. Lettuce-free salads (tomato and fresh mozzerlla) and exotic fruit combinations (kiwi, mango, strawberry) are found in upscale restaurants and suburban supermarket salad bars. Busy home cooks have the option of assembling "salad in a bag" adorned with ready-cut veggies (broccoli, cauliflower), baby carrots, tiny tomatoes, and packaged crunchies (flavored croutons, nuts, mini crackers, onion crisps). No cutting involved.
The ingredients and presentation of classic Candle Salad (aka Candlestick, Candlette, Night Cap) suggest it was a dish of the 1920s. That is when creative fruit salads of all sorts were created and pineapples were actively promoted to American cooks. Our survey of historic newspapers confirms does not reveal any specific person/place/company credited for the "invention." If we had to guess? We'd say Dole, manufacturer of both pineapples and bananas, was the driving force behind this item. Think: Pineapple Upside Down Cake . Bananas were widley availble to American cooks from the 1880s forward. Coinicidentally, Maraschino cherries were also introduced in the 1920s.
Candle salad, a relatively simple and inexpensive combination, was generally promoted as a festive holiday dish for its unusual presentation. It was recommended for Christmas, Halloween and children's birthday parties. The earliest print reference we find for Candle Salad is dated 1916. It was presented in this socialite menu; no description or recipe included: "Fruit Cocktail, Chicken a la King, Mashed Potatoes, Buttered Peas, Rolls, Olives, Candle Salad, Cheese Straws, Fancy Cakes, Nut Ice Creams, Candies and Nuts, Coffee."---Oelwein Daily Register [IA] April 5, 1916 (p. 4)
By the end of the decade, Candle Salad was being promoted as a time-honored tradition on par with Santa and is reindeer. Print evidence fails to substantiate the claim. Notice how the recipes grow more complicated as the decade progresses.
[1921]
"A decorative Christmas candle salad is made by placing half of a small banana in the center of ring of pineapple. The light on the candle is represented by a piece of red cherry."
---"The How in Houses," Los Angeles Times, December 18, 1921 (p. VIII16)
[1923]
[1674: Blount...a dish of meat made of cold Turkey and other ingredients.]
"Salmagundi. a term dating back from the 17th century...In writing about salads of the 17th century, C. Anne Wilson (1973) explains the term thus: 'Sometimes an egg and herb salad was further enhanced by the addition of cold roast capon, anchovies and other meat or fish delicacies. Late in the 17th century the name of salmagundi was applied to mixtures of this type, and was subsequently corrupted to Solomon Gundy.' Hannah Glasse (1747) has three recipes for Salamongundy, but sums up the essence of this dish at the end of the third recipe: 'but you may always make a Salamagundy of such things as you have, according to your Fancy.'"
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 684-5)
[NOTE: Mrs. Glasse's original Salmagundi & modernized version, courtesy of Food History News/Sandra L. Oliver
The famous 1926 Edgewater Beach Hotel Salad Book, Arnold Shircliffe (we have a 1955 12th printing copy) contains a salad recipe titled "Chef's Special." (p. 43) It is a far cry from what we know today as chef's salad. It is composed of romaine, endive, grapefruit, pineapple, olives, cream cheese, pimentoes. This book also contains a recipe for Salmagundi (p. 170). Ingredients are lettuce, cabbage, anchovies, chicken, hard-boiled egg yolks, parlsey, green beans. The earliest recipe we have titled "Chef's Salad" in an American cookbook was published in 1936.
[1936]
Rub a salad bowl with:
Garlic
1/2 cup fine grated imported Roquefort cheese
1 cup Brown Derby Old-Fashioned French Dressing
Cut finely lettuce, watercress, chicory, and romaine and arrange in salad bowl. Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds, dice finely, and arrange in a strip across the salad. Dice breasts of chicken and arrange over top of chopped greens. Chop bacon finely and sprinkle over the salad. Cut avocado in small pieces and arrange around the edge of the salad. Decorate the salad by sprinkling over the top the chopped eggs, chopped chives, and grated cheese. Just before serving mix the salad throughouly with French Dressing."
---The Brown Derby Cookook [Doubleday & Company:New York] 1949 (p. 22)
"Derby Chef Salad, serves 2
4 cups mixed greens (lettuce, romaine, chiclory, watercress)
1/2 cup diced celery
[1845]
"Chicken Salad.
The fowls for this purpose should be young and fine. You may either boil or roast them. They must be quite cold. Having removed all the skin and fat, and disjointed the fowls cut the meat from the bones into very small pieces, not exceeding an inch. Wash and split two large fine heads of celery, and cut the white part into pieces also about an inch long; and having mixed the chicken and celery together, put them into a deep china dish, cover it and set it away. It is best not to prepare the dressing till just before the salad is to be eaten, that it may be as fresh as possible. Have ready the yolks of eight hard-boiled eggs. Put them into a flat dish, and mash them to a paste with the back of a wooden spooon. Add to the egg a small tea-spoonful of fine salt, the same quantity of cayenne pepper, half a gill of made mustard, a gill or a wine-glass and a half of vinegar, and rather more than two wine-glasses of sweet oil. Mix all these ingredients thoroughly; stirring them a long time till they are quite smooth. The dressing should not be put on till a few minutes before the salad is sent in; as by lying in it the chicken and celery will become tough and hard. After you pour it on, mix the whole well together with a silver fork. Chicken salad should be accompanied with plates of bread and butter, and a plate of crackers. It is a supper dish, and is brought in with terrapin, oysters, &tc. Cold turkey is excellent prepared as above. An inferior salad may be made with cold fillet of veal, instead of chickens. Cold boiled lobster is very fine cut up and drest in this manner, only substituting fore celery, lettuce cut up and mixed with the lobster."
---Directions for Cookery in Its Various Branches, Miss [Eliza] Leslie [Carey & Hart:Philadelphia] (p. 147-8)
[1865]
"No. 90.--Turkey Salad.
Cut some of the meat from a cold boiled or braised turkey in small pieces, and put them into a deep dish with four table-spoonfuls of good salad oil, and one and a half of vinegar, a small onion, a shallot, some parsley, green tarragon, and chervil, all chopped fine, and salt and pepper. Let the pieces of turkey soak in this for four hours, turning them occasionally, and covering the dish closely. Then put some well-dried and shred lettuce on a dish, take the pieces of turkey from the oil and vinegar, and arrange them in the centre of the lettuce. Take two raw yolks of eggs, beat them a little in a basin, and add by slow degrees the oil, vinegar, chopped herbs, etc., from which you have taken the turkey, stirring all the time till the sauce is quite smooth; taste it, and, if necessary, add more salt or pepper; pour this sauce over the turkey and salad; arrange round the edge, or in a pattern in the centre, as you like best, olives and slices of hard-boiled eggs alternately, and serve."
---What to Do with the Cold Mutton [Bunce and Huntington:New York] 1865. (p. 57)
[1869]
"Chicken Salad. A pair of fowl weighing about six pounds will make a nice dish of salad. The chickens should be well boiled. Take off all the skin (some persons do not use the dark meat; it is quite as tender as the white, and when dressed, does not show the difference); chop the meat very fine (be sure to take out good heads of tennis-ball lettuce into quarters; wash it all clean, and lay it in ice-water for two or three hours, that it may be crisp). If celery is used, split it fine, and put into ice-water as long as you would the lettuce, as it must be brittle to be good."
---Mrs. Putnam's Receipt Book [Sheldon and Company:New York] (p. 240)
"Chicken salad. Made by not chopping or cutting the chicken, is very nice. Either boiled or roast chicken may be skinned, then pull the meat off the bone in small pieces, and dress it the same as the other chicken salad. The chicken myst be cooked very tender to pull off in nice pieces. For evening company it is best to cut the lettuce or celery, and mix with the meat or lobster, and serve it in a salad bowl." (Ibid, p. 124)
[1877]
According to American food historian Sylvia Lovegren, Chinese ingredient-inspired salad/dressing originated in the 1930s. Our survey confirms several 1930s mainstream America recipes titled "Chinese Chicken Salad." They are a far cry from what Anerican diners expect today. Our Chinese food history sources confirm raw salads were not tradtional fare in Asia. So unfolds another delicious page in Chinese-American cuisine.
"Salad made with uncooked vegetables was not consumed in traditional China, for raw salads were dangerous and had little appeal to most Chinese; instead, Chinese salads were customarily made of parboiled or stir-fried vegetables and served with hot or cold."
---Food in China: A Cultural and Historial Inquiry, Frederick J. Simoons [CRC Press:Boca Raton FL] 1991 (p. 148)
"There are many different types of cold chicken salad in China, although most of them seem to originate in Szechwan. One of the most popular is pong pong (or bong bong) chicken, which is basically shredded chicken and bean sprouts dressed with a peanut butter, red pepper, and garlic sauce. But the Chinese chicken salad that was being consumed in such quantities by the fashionable set--probably among rising young record and film producers on the West Coast--probably orginated in California. This version is a cold mixture of shredded iceberg lettuce, crispy fried noodles, the strips of roasted chicken, all tossed with a slightly sweet sesame oil--tinged dressing made sprightly with flecks of hot red peppers. There is a similar chicken salad, known as so see chicken, made popular at Johnny Kan's restaurant in San Francisco, but Kan's version omits the fried noodles."
---"Exotic Interlude I," Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads, Sylvia Lovegren [MacMillan:New York] 1995 (p. 109-110)
Who was Johnny Kan ?
Predictably, our early 20th century salad cookbooks [1900-1950s] offer several recipes for various "Oriental" Salads. The surprise? None of these recipes are similar to the menu items we expect today. Neither did these books offer anything close to contemporary Asian/Oriental-style (sesame soy ginger) salad dressing. One recipe circa 1923 consisted of diced prunes, dates, figs, chopped nuts, diced pineapple topped with "One cup salad dressing." These salads were generally topped with Vinaigrette or spiced mayonnaises. None of the examples we found included sesame, or ginger. Some did employ soy sauce. Our survey of American newspapers confirms Chinese Chicken Salads were indeed popular in the 1930s. As one might expect, there were several variations for both salad and dressing. Asian salads/dressings , as we know them today, first surfaced in the mid-1960s. Articles confirm the popularity and diversity of this salad/dressing grew in subsequent decades. Asian-style salad dressings were promoted in the 1980s as healthier alternatives to traditional selections. Thai flavors are introduced in the 1990s. Today there are many variations on this ubiquitious recipe.
A survey of Chinese Chicken Salad recipes through time
[1936]
"Chinese Chicken Salad
Probably one of the most popular company luncheon salads in is the chicken salad. There is a standard recipe for it and to that one recipe most people cling. Here is a grand new one that really deserves a chance at your next luncheon, accompanied by clear soup, and chocolate ice cream, cake and tea. What better menu could you ask:
1 cup almonds
In France, oil & vinegar dressings are called vinaigrette. The term "French dressing" (used to denote vinaigrette and its many variations) became popular in Britain and America in the late 19th century. The tomato-based French dressing we Americans currently purchase in grocery stores probably also began in the twentieth century.
Why two names for the same dressing?
"Vinaigrette...The word, which originated as a diminutive form of French vinaigre (vinegar), was first used in English as long ago as 1699 (John Evely mentioned it in his book on salads, Acetaria) but it did not really become established until the end of the nineteenth century. French dressing, which originated around 1900, is a widely used synonym in British English. In French, vinaigrette was also applied formerly to a sort of small two-wheeled carriage, from a supposed resemblance to a vinegar-seller's cart."
---A-Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 359)
"Vinaigrette. A cold sauce made from a mixture of vinegar oil, pepper, and salt, to which various flavourings may be added...Vinaigrette is used especially for dressing green salads...It is considred to be a typically French sauce and is often called "French dressing" in Britain. It was a French emigre, Chevalier d'Albingac, who started the fashion in London high society for salads dressed in ths way."
---Larousse Gastronomique, Jenifer Harvey Lang [Crown:New York] 1988 (p. 1137)
A buffet of "French" dressings through time:
[1390]
A Forme of Cury [English cook book]
[1475]
"On Seasoned Lettuce...
They say the divine Augustus was preserved in a time of ill health by the use of lettuce, and no wonder, because it aids digestion and generates better blood than other vegetables. It is eaten cooked or raw. You season raw lettuce this way if it does not need washing...put it in a dish, sprinkle with ground salt, pour in a little oil and more vinegar and eat at once. Some add a little mint and parsley to it for seasoning so that it does not seem entirely bland..."
---Platina: On Right Pleasure and Good Health, [Italian:1475, original text in Latin], translated by Mary Ellen Milham [Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies:Tempe] 1998 (p. 213)
[1669]
1 clove garlic (peeled and sliced in two)
Method:
1. Place ingredients in order given in a pint jar; shake thoroughly or beat with spoon until consistency of maple syrup.
2. Keep in cooler and shake or beat well before using.
Makes 1 1/2 cups dressing."
---Prudence Penny's Cook Book, Prudence Penny, [Prentice Hall:New York] 1939 (p. 208)
Cobb Salad, as we know it today, was introduced by Bob Cobb, owner of the Brown Derby restauarant in Los Angeles California sometime in the late 1920s. An amalgam of interesting greens, meat, cheese, and eggs, this dish descends from 17th century Salmagundi . 1940s Chef's salad may have been inspired by the Cobb.
"During the first four years the original Little Hat Derby added only two items to its menu--a salad and a cake . The salad was almost an accident. Bob Cobb, growing weary of the steady hot-dog-hamburger diet, found an avocado in the icebox. He chopped it up, along with some lettuce, celery, and tomatoes, plus a strip of bacon and some salad dresing, and had that for his dinner. Several days later he tried it agian, adding other ingredients which he had purchased on his way to work: breast of chicken, chives, hard-boiled egg, watercress, and a wedge of Roquefort cheese for the dressing. And that's how the Cobb Salad was born. Today, the Cobb Salad, though many restaurants serve it under other names, is a national favorite."
---Brown Derby Cookbook, forward by Robert H. Cobb and introduction by Marjorie Child Husted [Doubleday & Company:Garden City NY] 1949 (p. 6)
[NOTE: According to this source, the first Brown Derby restaurant opened February 1926. This timelines the genesis of Cobb Salad between the years 1926 & 1930.]
Cobb Salad, Serves 4-6
1/2 cup fine grated imported Roquefort cheese
1 cup Brown Derby Old-Fashioned French Dressing
Cut finely lettuce, watercress, chicory, and romaine and arrange insalad bowl. Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds, dice finely, and arrange in a strip across the salad. Dice breast of chicken and arrange over top of chopped greens. Shop bacon finely and sprinkle over the salad. Cut avocado in small pieces and arrange around the edge of the salad. Decorate the salad by sprinkling over the top the chopped eggs, chopped chives, and grated cheese. Just before serving mix the salad thoroughly with French Dressing." (p. 22)
We know from Apicius that Ancient Roman cooks prepared shredded cabbage dressed with vinegar, eggs and spices. Food historians generally agree the term "cole slaw" is of Dutch origin, implying perhaps that the true progenitor of modern coleslaw is most likely a Medieval creation with Roman roots. Mayonnaise is an 18th century invention, meaning the recipe (as we know it today) is only about 200 years old.
The origin of the term "cole slaw' holds much interest for food historians. Notes here:
"Coleslaw means literally 'cabbage salad'. English borrowed and adapted the word from Dutch koolsla at the end of the eighteenth century, probably from Dutch settlers in the USA, and the first printed example of it shows its outlandishness tamed to cold slaw--a folk-etymological modification often repeated in later years. English does however have its own equivalent to Dutch kool, 'cabbage', namely cole. Like kool, this comes ultimately from Latin caulis, 'cabbage', whose underlying etymological meaning is hollow stem'."
---An A to Z or Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 85)
About cole slaw in America
"Coleslaw. Also, "cabbage salad," Shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, and seasonings, usually served cold as a side dish. The words are from Dutch koolsla, a combination of kool, "cabbage," and sla, "salad" a dish that was known in America in print by 1785. Because it is usually served cold, some call the dish "cold slaw" in contrast to "hot slaw," but there is no relation to the temperature in the etymology."
---The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 92)
"The earliest European settlers on North America's eastern shores brought cabbage seeds with them, and cabbage was a general favorite throughout the colonies. The Dutch who founded New Netherland (New York State)...grew cabbage extensively along the Hudson River. They served it in their old-country ways, often as koolsla (shredded cabbage salad). This dish became popular throughout the colonies and survives as coleslaw...By the 1880s, cabbage and its cousins had fallen from favor with the upper class because of the strong sulfurous odors these vegetables give off when cooking...But this sturdy and versatile vegetable never disappeared from middle-class kitchens."
---Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Andrew F. Smith [Oxford University Press:New York] 2004, Volume 1 (p. 147)
"Cool sla, cabbage salad, has, of course become cole slaw; in the nineteenth cnetury housewives who had forgotten, or never known, that cool is Dutch fo "cabbage," were already miscalling the dish "cold slaw," which gave illegitimate birth to "warm slaw.""
---Eating in America: A History, Waverley Rood & Richard de Rochemont [William Morrow and Company:New York] 1976 (p. 302-3)
Peter G. Rose, New Netherlands foodways historian, states Peter Kalm mentions coleslaw in his Travels in North America; The English Version of 1770 (p. 347): "...he describes how his Dutch landlady served him "an unusual salad," which "tastes better than one can imagine...cabbage... cut in long thin strips" dressed with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, well mixed to evenly distribute the oil." Soruce: The Sensible Cook: Dutch Foodways in the Old and New World [Syracuse University Press:Syracuse NY] 1989 (p. 28). Her modernized version of this 18th century salad (based on Mr. Kalm's description) here:
"Cabbage Salad.
2 cups green cabbage, cut into thin strips
2 cups red cabbage, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil or 1/4 cup melted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Mix the above ingredients well ahead of dinner time so that the flavors can marry."
---ibid (p. 116)
About mayonnaise (and its ancient egg, vinegar & spice precursors)
If you want to learn more about cabbage we recommend:
The Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson
The History of Food, Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat
The Cambridge World History of Food, Kiple & Orneals
Nectar & Ambrosia, Tamra Andrews (cabbages in mythology & folklore!)
Raw vegetables in various forms appear in appetizer sections of American cookbooks of the 19th century. These were often stuffed (celery with cream cheese) or presented as garnish (radish florets). A survey of primary sources reveals raw vegetable platters with dip began showing up in the 1940s. At that time they were not called crudites. Our survey of cookbooks, magazines and newspapers articles confirms the use of the term "crudite" in American print at least to the 1960s. These vegetable platters were promoted by women's magazines (easy & portable), gourmet journals (creative and colorful), restaurants (inexpensive & easily assembled), and health professionals (raw vegetables are excellent for fighting cancer and other diseases).
What exactly are crudites (pronounced croo-dee-tay)?
"Crudites. Raw vegetables or fruits served as an hors d'oeuvre, generally thinly sliced, grated or cut into little sticks and accompanied by cold sauces. Crudites include carrots, celeriac, cucumber, sweet peppers, red cabbage, celery, fennel, fresh broad (fava) beans, cauliflower (in very small florets), tomatoes, mushrooms, radishes, small artichokes, quarters of grapefruit, orange and apple, round slices of banana sprinkled with lemon, slices of avocado and, although it is cooked, beetroot (red beet). The various items are often presented as an assortment, with several sauces. A plate of crudites may also include a hard-boiled (hard-cooked) egg in mayonnaise."
---Larousse Gastronomique, Complete revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 381)
[NOTE: the original 1938 French edition of Larousse Gastronomique also contains an entry for crudites. There is no entry in the classic 1961 edition.]
"In French, crudite literally means 'rawness'. Hence its application, in the plural, to an hors d'oeuvre dish or small pieces of raw vegetable, such as celery, cucumber, carrot, peppers, or cauliflower, served with a dip of mayonnaise or similar cold sauces. Its introduction into English is comparatively recent."
---An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 99)
Sample recipes
[1942]
"Raw-Vegetable Hors D'Oeuvres
Among the simplest and most popular hors d'oeuvres are pieces of raw vegetable such as small cauliflower flowerets, carrot strips or curls, cucumber fingers or wedges, strips of green pepper, celery curls and hearts, endive and tomato wedges. These are served without toothpicks. Keep in ice water until ready to serve; drain thoroughly. If desired, serve with a sauce (see Cold Dunking Trays, p. 266). Provide salt for those who may prefer to eat the vegetables without sauce."
---Woman's Home Companion Cook Book, Willa Roberts [P.F. Collier & Son:New York] 1942 (p. 268)
[1949]
"Raw Vegetables.
Several plates of raw vegetables or a plate of various mixed raw vegetables is acceptable in the melange of things served for hors d'oeuvres. They should be the choices the market affords and should be carefully cleaned and crisped in ice water before serving. Radishes: The tiny rosy ones as fresh and crisp as you can find them. If the tops are fresh and green, leave them on for eye appeal. Onions: Tiny green onions, carefully cleaned and freshened in water. Always a pleasant addition. Celery. Celery hearts, strips of celery, or stuffed celery (using any of the canape spreads) are good addition. Fennel: The anise-flavored Italian root is a change. Pepper: Strips or rings of green pepper. Carrot: Strips of tender raw carrot. Watercress: Watercress is a decorative addition as well as a delicious tidbit. Tomatoes: Sliced tomatoes, plain or with French dressing. Stuffed Eggs: Any of the recipes for stuffed eggs are acceptable for this type of service. Or you may serve: Eggs a la Russe. Cut peeled hard-cooked eggs in half. Place them in a serving dish, yolk side down, and cover with Russian dressing. Decorate with capers."
---The Fireside Cook Book, James A. Beard [Simon & Schuster:New York] 1949 (p. 35)
[1965]
"Crudites. Prepare a mayonnaise and add to it 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, a dash of Tobasco, and 3 tablespoons chopped parsley. Blend well. Serve as a sauce for the crudites. Arrange a selection of raw vegetables as attractively as possible on individual plates or on one large platter. You might combine cherry tomatoes, scallions, radishes, celery and asparagus. These may be eaten with the fingers. If you choose vegetables such as carrots, or celeriac, which can be cut in julienne strips or shredded, a fork is in order. One three-star restaurant in France serves a 'bouquet of crudites' as a first course in which the vegetables are cut very fine and each is served in a different sauce. It is the most appetizing dish imaginable."
---James Beard's Menus for Entertaining, James Beard [Dell Trade Paperback:New York] 1965 (p. 145)
[NOTE: Mr. Beard's Mayonnaise recipe appears on p. 346. Happy to send if you need.]
[1966]
"Crudites (Raw vegetables)...pack a variety of raw vegetable tidbits in each of 4 plastic sandwich bags. These might include raw cauilflowerettes, celery hearts, radishes, young raw green asparagus."
---"The Fast Gourmet," Poppy Cannon, Chicago Daily Defender, May 24, 1966 (p. 19)
[1972]
"Crudites. For party-goers or party-givers who want taste without waist, these raw crisp vegetables, called crudites in France, could be a favorite hors d'oeuvre. Prepare them an hour or more before use and refrigerate until party time. Provide individual platters for all with...vegetables weighed in advance...[Suggested vegetables, with instructions for preparation:] beans (green or wax), bean sprouts, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, celeriac (celery root), Chinese cabbage, Chinese snow peas, cucumbers, fennel, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mushrooms, parsley, pimentos, spinach, radishes, scallions, squash (summer), tomatoes, watercress...Suggested dips for individual servings: Pimiento Dressing, Tangy French Dressing, Mock Hollandaise Sauce (recipes included, happy to send.)
---Weight Watchers Program Cookbook, Jean Nidetch [Hearthside Press:Great Neck NY] 1972 (p. 253-254)
[NOTE: this recipe includes Weight Watcher "counting" points.]
[1995]
"Crudites is the kind of dish that's easy to take for granted. There's nothing big deal about crisp and colorful vegetables arranged around a ramekin of tangy dip. Or is there? "It's been on our menu for 16 years," says David Evans, co-owner of The Great Lost Bear, a popular local eatery in Portland, Maine, where checks average about $15. "We could never take it off." That menu at The Bear is certainly big--about 120 items--and written with an eye for humor. The crudites with curry dip--which fetches $3.95 and accounts for more than 1% of the meal mix--is labeled "Some Like it Raw," followed by a brief description. The Bear's version of crudites is simple. The featured vegetables include celery, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, cauliflower and broccoli, chosen because they are all readily available, consistently priced and don't need any cooking. If par-cooking is not an issue, then potatoes and string beans can be added to the list of vegetable choices. Of course, any of the raw vegetables could be blanched or steamed slightly, Just be sure not to overcook, and to shock them immediately in ice water. Some more unusual or seasonal vegetables also make excellent crudites: snap peas, fennel, assorted radishes, jicama, cherry tomatoes, olives, asparagus, watercress sprigs, cooked artichokes or even boiled broad beans. And don't stop with vegetables. Fruit crudites--with a sweetened yogurt, creme fraiche or sour cream dip--makes a festive breakfast or brunch item. How you cut, hold and present these products will determine how appealing the dish is to customers. Because the vegetables for "Some Like It Raw" at The Great Lost Bear are all used in other menu items, no special prep is involved and there is virtually no waste. According to Evans, everything is cut into convenient large slices except for the mushrooms, which are halved, and the trimmed broccoli and cauliflower florets. Evans' cooks do all the prep This crudites presentation with piquant bagna cauda dip features both raw and par-boiled vegetables ahead of time, and store the vegetables in water in the refrigerator. For service, chosen pieces are blotted and strewn on a big plate. The curry dipping sauce that accompanies The Bear's crudites has not changed in the last 16 years. It's a simple blend based on a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream. The dip has become their signature. Vinaigrettes also make sprightly dips, especially if flavored vinegars or oils are used--although one that is completely emulsified and will not separate is both better tasting and better looking. Bean, legume, or vegetable purees provide reduced-fat alternatives with flavor and body. Consider offering customers a choice of different dips. There's also a resurging popularity in the close cousin of crudites--fondue--where a warm cheese sauce provides the centerpiece for a presentation that can include raw and/or par-cooked vegetables and bread cubes. Another hot dip for cool crudites is bagna cauda, a rustic, anchovy-and-garlic-flavored dipping sauce whose name translates as "warm bath" in Italian."
---"A way with crudites," Kerri Conan, Restaurant Business, June 10, 1995 (p. 98)
When did fruit salad originate? The answer depends upon how define the dish. Fruit salads (ie combinations of various fresh, dried, candied [with sugar], stewed and/or fruits with vegetables) since ancient times. The ingredients and recipes depended upon what was available (country, seasons) and socio-cultural attitudes toward the ingredients (was raw fruit considered healthy or not?).
Fruit salad, as we know it today [a variety of fresh, often tropical, fruits], surfaces in the mid-19th century. Ambrosia is popular variation featuring coconut. Culinary evidence confirms sometimes fruit salad was mixed with sugar and alcohol, thus the term " fruit cocktail ." Non-alcoholic versions of this recipe were concocted during Prohibition. Also popular in the 1920s were jellied fruit salads. Think: Jell-O molds. During World War II fruit salads were promoted to ensure proper amount of vitamin C were included in the American diet. Both canned and fresh fruits were recommended. Fruit salads in northern Europe (Germany, for example) evolved differently. These recipes used mayonnaise.
"Fruit salad, an item which has adorned millions of menus in the western world, was first recognized as a dish in the mid-19th century....It is of course possible to have a 'salad' of dried fruits and nuts, as in the Middle Eastern khoshab; and, further east, Indonesia offers the spicy fruit salad rujak, which is patently different from anything in the western world."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 323)
A sampler of American fruit salad recipes:
[1863]
"Apricots, Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Currants, and Like Berries in Salad. Dust the bottom of a dish with white sugar, put a layer of slices of apricots, oranges, peaches, or pears, or a layer of the others entire, and dust again; repeat the same till the whole is in, then add over the whole a pinch of grated nutmeg, and French brandy or rum to suit your taste, and serve."
---What to Cook and How to Eat It, Peirre Blot [New York:1863] (p. 202)
[1896]
Fruit cocktail, a sweetened mix of assorted diced fruits served in a decorative stemmed glass, is generally presented in the appetizer course. Unlike its culinary cousins Ambrosia (dessert) and Fruit Salad (salad), it was also commercialized. Early recipes are variously monikered "fruit cup" or "fruit cocktail." The crossover was sorely noted by domestic scientists. Coincidentally? This period marked the crossover between several late 19th health foods (most notably breakfast cereal & peanut butter)and sweet commercial profits.
[1901] "We have fallen so much into the fashion of practicing a 'course luncheon with what are sometimes called 'fruit cocktails' that we have almost lost sight of the value of the fruit cup as a final course of sweets at dinner or luncheon. Our English cousins apply the name 'dessert' to fruits alone. We give it, indiscriminently, to puddings, pies, ices, jellies, custards and fruits whatver may be the name or nature of the dishes following the main business of the dinner. In bringing our present subject to the front, we harmonize wth the nomenclature of both nations. Our fruit cup is especially convenient to the sagacious housemother, now that the changing seasons invite latitude and indifference to foods that have been partaken of freely all winter. The full maturity of the berry is not yet here..."
---"School for Housewives," Marion Harland, Los Angeles Times, May 15, 1910 (p. VIII6)
"In these latter days many American cooks make a mixture of fruit, sugar and alcohol, and serve them as "salad." These are not salads; are heavy, rather unwholesome, and will never take the place of a salad. I much prefer to call them fruit cocktails, and serve them as first course at at luncheon or a twelve o'clock breakfast; or a dessert, and serve them with the ices at the close of the meal. Fruits mixed with mayonnaise dressing, and served as a salad are unsightly, unpalatable and little nauseating. One cannot think of anything more out of keeping than white grapes in a thick mayonnaise. The simple so called French dressing is delicate and most worthy of recommendation. Over lettuce, cress or celery it certainly makes a palatable and wholesome dinner salad, and one in which children can be freely indulged. Such fruits as apples, pears, cherries, and pineapples, mixed with celery or lettuce, with French dressing, make an agreeable dinner salad."
---Mrs. Rorer's New Cook Book, Sarah Tyson Rorer [Arnold and Company:Philadelphia] 1902 (p. 439)
[1911]
"Menu for Independence Day
Fruit Cocktail, Olives, Radishes, Lobster Bisque, Crown Roast of Lamb, Mint Sauce, Carrots, Peas, Latticed Potatoes, Artichoke or Tomato Jelly Salad and Cheese Straws, Cherry Pie or Strawberry Ice Cream with Martha Washington Cake, Demi-Tasse, Fruit Punch."
---"Uncle Walt," Los Angeles Times, June 30, 1911 (p. II4)
[1924]
"Fruit Cocktail
For the fruit cocktail mix in a cold bowl equal parts of peeled and diced honey dew melon, peeled and diced oranges, peeled and diced firm ripe peaches, peeled and diced apricots, pitted cherries, and diced pineapple. Set in ice box for three hours before serving. Divide into tall stem glasses and top each glass with a large strawberry dipped in powdered sugar."
---"Pracitcal Recipes," Los Angeles Times, A.L. Wyman, December 8, 1924 (p. A8)
"1913...Fruit cocktail is created by a California canner."(p. 79) "1927...Fruit canners agree upon a single "recipe" for fruit cocktail." (p. 161)
---American Century Cookbook, Jean Anderson [Clarkson Potter:New York] 1997
Period cookbooks, old newspapers, and culinary reference books confirm the popularity of iceberg (also known as crisphead) lettuce in the 1920s. They do not, however, reveal claimants (hotels, chefs, restaurants) to the invention of the classic American wedge-type salad served with creamy dressing. The general concensus of current sources squarely places this salad as a ubiquitous menu entry of the 1950s and 1960s. The lettuce wedge lost its place in the 1970s when consumers were intrigued by more interesting salads. Recently, the iceberg wedge salad has resurfaced as a "reinvented" item on trendy menus. The new accompaniments are blue cheese (Maytag, esp.) and nuts. What was Iceberg lettuce ?
About Iceberg wedge salad
"There once was a time--before the arrival of mesclun , frisee, endive, spring mix, packaged salads, radicchio and arugula--when iceberg lettuce dominated the produce aisle. Quartered, shredded, its leaves pulled off and transformed into cups for canned pears, it knew no rival until the 1970s when Caesar Chavez called for a boycott to protest the working conditions of California lettuce pickers. Tastes changed, too. The wedge of iceberg drowning in a thick dressing was replaced with vinaigrette-tossed leaf lettuces (especially romaine) and smaller, more exotic "designer" greens, all more nutritional and more flavorful than the "neutral" iceberg. Iceberg--a head lettuce, as opposed to a leaf lettuce--is also known as "crisphead" lettuce since one of its chief virtues (some say its only virtue) is that it stays fresher longer than leaf lettuces."
---"Market Watch 6/23: Iceberg Lettuce," Jeanne McManus, The Washington Post, June 23, 1999, Pg. F04
"Take one wedge of iceberg lettuce. Open a bottle of dressing and pour. Garnish with a tomato slice. You've got salad, 1960s-style."
---"Salads with Sizzle; How Do YOu Dress Up a Salad into a Meal? Chefs Offer Their Suggestions," Leslie Kelly, Spokesman Review (Spokane, WA), June 18, 1997 (p. D1)
"Short of heating up a TV dinner, there are few more blatantly retro gestures than ordering a wedge of iceberg lettuce covered in a thick, creamy salad dressing. The lettuce itself remains popular in the United States. It still accounts for 70 percent of the lettuce raised in California, but that share is declining (in the mid-1970's it was as high as 80 percent), and anyone dining at fancier restaurants around the United States might wonder if it hadn't disappeared entirely, displaced by frisee, dandelion greens, oak leaf, lollo rosso, exotic cresses, microgreens, sprouts -- anything, in short, that's green, has a leaf, and is not iceberg. But iceberg somehow manages to hang on. Steakhouses refuse to give it up. And in some very unlikely places, it has earned a strange kind of cachet..."It's one of those things that's synonymous with growing up in America," Mr. Otsuka said. "Everybody has a comfort level with it. Served cold, it's very nice on the palate, with a good crunch." Marc Meyer, at Five Points, anoints a wedge of the stuff with a modernized, Europeanized blue cheese dressing made with picon cheese from Spain, toasted almond slices and radishes...Despite its shortcomings, iceberg has always had its fans. James Beard was one. "Many people damn it," he once wrote, "but when broken up, not cut, it adds good flavor and a wonderfully crisp texture to a salad with other greens." It also keeps longer than other lettuces, he pointed out. Flavor? Surely the iceberg stands supreme as the blandest of all greens. Little pieces? Most Americans side with the prim instructions given in the first "Joy of Cooking." "Heads of iceberg lettuce are not separated," the directions read. "They are cut into wedge-shaped pieces, or into crosswise slices." The lettuce is a relative newcomer, and confusingly named. A lettuce that went by the name of iceberg was developed in the 1890's, and somehow the name resurfaced when new varieties of durable, easily shippable crisphead lettuce began emerging in California in the mid-1920's. In 1948, the iceberg we know today was born. Why iceberg? No one seems to know, although one popular theory holds that the name refers to the tons of ice that chilled it in the days before refrigerated rail cars. The big, cold wedge is a cornerstone of American cuisine. It survives, and so do the sludgelike dressings that drape it like heavy velvet curtains -- the great, goopy family that includes blue cheese, green goddess, ranch and Thousand Island. I went for the wedge the other day at Del Frisco Double Eagle Steak House. It arrived under a lavalike green ooze, a creamily high-caloric green goddess dressing lumpy with tender bits of avocado....Michael Jordan's The Steak House...the wedge wore a blue cheese dressing...John Schenk, the chef at Clementine, tuned in to this particular frequency years before tony restaurants began playing with iceberg..."
---"CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; An Offering to the Green Goddess," William Grimes,The New York Times, June 14, 2000, (p. F1)
While icberg lettuce was employed for a variety of salads, the "classic" American restaurant wedge topped with a generous dollop of creamy dressing was sometimes called "Heart of Lettuce." Creamy Roquefort was the traditional dressing.
[1916]
"Lettuce Salad and Roquefort Dressing
Lettuce hearts
3 tablespoonfuls Roquefort cheese
2 hard-cooked eggs
Place the lettuce hearts in a salad bowl which has been rubbed over with the cut clove of garlic. Mix together the mustard, salt, paprika, vinegar, and beat in olive oil until thick; then gradually add the cheeese and the hard-cooked yolks of eggs rubbed through a sieve. Pour over the lettuce and serve garnished with the whites of eggs."
---Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes, Marion Harris Neil [David McKay:Philadelphia] 1916 (p. 214)
[1949] "Heart of Lettuce Salad
Form cups from better outer leaves of iceberg lettuce. Cut head into 4 to 6 wedge shaped pieces, then arrange a wedge in each cup of lettuce. Make one to two lengthwise, then cross-wise cuts almost through the wedge to make cutting of salad with fork easier. Garnish with strip of pimento, celery curl and carrot strips. Top with favorite dressing."
---"Salads," Chicago Defender, December 10, 1949 (p. 20)
[1950]
Pasta salad, as we Americans know it today, descends from a long line of dressed macaroni dishes, both hot and cold. Dressings (oil/vinegar, mayonnaise, cream sauces) and additions (vegetables, herbs, spices) varied according to culture and cuisine. In early 20th century we begin to find recipes for macaroni salad in American cookbooks. These were typically dressed with mayonnaise and served in cold molded presentations. Think: perfect domes of chilled macaroni salad served as "sides" in diners & delis. Alternatives? A side of cottage cheese or coleslaw. In the USA, "Macaroni salad" generally denotes a mayonnaise dressed side dish, popular for picnics. "Pasta salad" is generally dressed with vinaigrette . Both are served chilled, can welcome chopped vegetables (celery, onion, olives)and are popular sides in hot weather. Which macaroni shape to use? Elbow macaroni is traditional in the USA.
According to a survey of articles published in the New York Times, recipes titled "pasta salad" were published in the early 1960s. They proliferated in the 1980s, when Nouvelle Cuisine delighted in creating dishes with gourmet pastas of various shapes, sizes, and colors. Pasta salad was a trendy way to carbo-load back in the Yuppie era. This simple, economical dish was promoted on two fronts: upscale, affordable cuisine and practical way to use leftovers. Before long? Mainstream American food companies began promoting "pasta salad" box kits. These can still be found in our grocery stores today.
[1916]
1/2 pound (58 sticks) macaroni
1 1/2 tablespoonfuls fresh grated horseradish
1 teaspoonful sugar
1 pint (2 cups) whipped cream
Crisp lettuce leaves
Break the macaroni into small pieces, boil in plenty of boiling salted water until tender, then drain and cool. Mix the horseradish with the sugar, salt, and whipped cream; fold in the macaroni and serve heaped on lettuce leaves. Another Method.--Boil one package of macaroni, then rinse it with cold water and drain. Cut it into short lengths, place one-half of it in a jar of vinegar in which boiled beets have been pickled, and let it remain until colored a pretty pink. Line a salad dish with crisp lettuce leaves and arrange the pink and white macaroni in alternate rings. Garnish with sprigs of parsley and tiny leaves of lettuce. Serve with boiled salad dressing. Spaghetti may be used in the same way."
---Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes, Marion Harris Neil [David McKay:Philadephia] 1916 (p. 216)
[1927]
"Elbow Macaroni Salad. A nutritious and Satisfying Summer Dish. Put one package elbow macaroni in three quarts of boiling salted water, cook until tender, which will generally take about ten minutes; stir occasionally,. The place elbow macaroni in colander and shake until thoroughly drained. Never start to cook in cold or merely warm water. Method.--Mix cooked elbow macaroni with one cup mayonnaise, add one onion (grated), two green peppers (chopped)), Serve on lettuce leaf garnish with chopped egg and slices of green pepper."
---"Tested Recipes," Washington Post, July 24, 1927 (p. 12)
[1930]
Oriental noodle salad
Food historians tell us noodles aka (macaroni, pasta) quite likely developed independently in two centers of origin: Asia and Europe. Notes here . Over time, noodle recipes developed according to culture and cuisine. Think cold macaroni salad with mayonnaise, onions & egg [Germany], oil/vinegar dressing & fresh veggies [Mediterranean cuisine], veggie-laden pasta salads. "Chilled noodles," [aka Oriental Noodle Salad, Chinese Noodle Salad] as we American know them today, appears to descend from the Asian tradition of serving noodles for fast meals. Think: noodle bars . Food of the people: delicious, versatile, filling. Hot or cold! American-style Chinese Chicken Salad dates to the 1930s. The dressings (& vegetables, spices, flavors) enjoyed in popular chilled oriental noodle salads of the 1980s/1990s partied harmoniously along this successful culinary theme. WHO among us does not like cold leftover lo-mein (or pizza while we're talking about fridged leftovers?). USA Oriental noodle salad simply, elegantly, intelligently, moved the cold noodle concept to the next level. Special Asian dressings were developed for these new salads.
Our survey of historic USA newspapers suggests this cold noodle salad was introduced to American diners in the early 1980s. This coincided with a resurging interest in "new" asian cuisine [apart from standard Chinese-American fare] AND carbo-loading diets. Think: chilled Italian pasta salad featuring small bite colorfully presented veggies & dressing. Cold Far east-inspired followed suit. Both salad types were promoted to savvy lunchers as a healthy, economical, delicious alternative to standard fast, American traditional, or continental fare. As true with many recipes of this type, there are many variations and names. In the case of Oriental noodle salad, recommended noodles range from traditional (soba) to fast food ( ramen ). In a pinch "Italian" pasta products work just fine. The underlying culinary elements are cold noodles dressed oriental-type sauce. Sesame oil and peanuts are common, but not required, elements.
[1981]
"Karen Lee's Cold Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce
8 ounces thin Chinese egg noodles or Japanese buckwheat noodles (soba) 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter or sesame butter 5 tablespoons brewed black tea 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chili oil 2 teaspoons Oriental sesame oil 2 teaspoons wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 scallion, chopped. 1. Boil noodles until tender, drain, rinse in cold water and set aside, covered. 2. Mix peanut butter with tea until peanut butter has dissolved. Add soy sauce, chili oil (more or less depending on how spicy you want the dish), sesame oil, vinegar, sugar and garlic. Pour sauce over noodles and toss. 3. Sprinkle with scallions, toss again and serve. Yield: 4 servings."
---"Being Creative When a Picnic Impulse Hits," Florence Fabricant, The New York Times, May 27, 1981 (P. C1)
[1983]
"A revolution is under way in American cooking. It has become the primary focus for cooking schools and cookbooks, young chefs and new restaurants...Thousands of words have been written about the revolution, which highlights a mixture of culinary cultures; a return to the rustic, the homespun and the simple; an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry in place of red meats; the use of meat as a condiment rather than the center of the meal, and the disappearance of thick gravies and cream sauces. A look at the combined impact of these elements leads to a somewhat unexpected conclusion, one that the professionals are just beginning to talk about: Nutrition and good food can co-exist...
"Cold Chinese Noodle Salad
2/3 c. Cabbage, shredded finely
1 1/2 c. Celery, diced
1/8 c. Sweet red pepper
1. Mix boiling water, vinegar, salt and sugar; heat to boiling point.
2. Soften gelatine in cold water; dissolve in boiling liquid.
3. Add lemon juice; strain, chill, stirring occasionally. 4. When slightly thickened, add vegetables.
5. Turn into moistened moulds; chill.
Note.--The jelly mixture of this salad may be used for moulding other vegetables, as asparagus and pimiento, beets and celery, carrots and peas. Vegetable stock may be used as part of the liquid in the jelly."
---The Canadian Cookbook, Nellie Lyle Pattinson, Revised and Enlarged Edition [Ryerson Press:Toronto] 1947 (p. 205)
[1962]
Potato salad
Potatoes (a new world food) were introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. By the end of the century many countries had adopted this new vegetable and integrated it into their cuisines. Preparation methods and recipes were developed according to local culinary traditions.
Arnold Shircliffe, executive chef of Chicago's legendary Edgewater Beach Hotel, traced the origin of the potato salad to the 16th century. These are his notes:
"Early potato salad: John Gerrard in 1597 writes about potatoes and their virtues and said that "they are sometimes boiled and sopped in wine, by others boiled with prunes, and likewise others dress them (after roasting them in the ashes) in oil, vinegar and salt, every man according to his own taste. However they be dressed, they comfort, nourish and strengthen the body." This is one of the first potato salads mentioned in any book."
---Edgewater Beach Hotel Salad Book, Arnold Shircliffe [Hotel Monthly Press:Evanston IL] 1928 (p. 231)
Potato salad-type recipes were introduced to America by European settlers, who again adapted traditional foods to local ingredients. This accounts for regional potato salad variations in the United States. Potato salad, as we know it today, became popular in the second half of the 19th century. Cold potato salads evolved from British and French recipes. Warm potato salads followed the German preference for hot vinegar and bacon dressings served over vegetables.
Print evidence confirms recipes for potato salads were often included in 19th century American cooking texts. These recipes had many different names. The Cassells Dictionary of Cookery [London:1875?] contains three recipes for potato salad, one without notes [presumably British or American], a French recipe and a German recipe.The French recipe is very similar to the first and is also served cold. The German recipe required bacon. Early cold potato salad recipes often called for "French dressing" (Our notes on French dressing here ). Some recipes specifically indicate this is an economy dish, "a good way to dispose of leftover potatoes." During the 1940s mayonnaise began to supplant French dressing as the congealer of choice. It is interesting to note that during both World Wars recipes for German-style potato salad did not bear that country's moniker. They were simply listed as "hot potato salad."
This is what the food writers have to say:
"Potato salad. A cold or hot side dish made with potatoes, mayonnaise, and seasonings. It became very popular in the second half of the nineteenth century and is a staple of both home and food-store kitchens. Hot potato salad, usually made with bacon, onion, and vinegar dressing, was associated with German immigrants and therefore often called "German potato salad."
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 253)
"There seems to be no dogma concerning the origins of potato salad, but Germany is a good place to begin. As a country with lots of potatoes and lots of recipes for potatoes, Germany almost certainly was among the first to look at cooked small new potatoes or cut chunks of larger spuds and imagine them blanketed with dressing. The dressing they came up with was a classic. Kin to the heated dressing used to wilt spinach salad, this one thrilled German taste buds, raised as they were on sauerkraut and sauerbraten with vinegar bite. Some versions featured a little coarse mustard, others cut the sour with a little sugar, and most added bacon and even its flavorful drippings. By the time the notion of potato salad reached France, vinegar wasn't quite good enough. The French demanded full-scale vinaigrette, and it was no sweat to satisfy their demands. Whenever you see something called "French potato salad," it's a safe bet you're in for potatoes (and probably other vegetables, too) in a light vinaigrette, with Dijon mustard and sweet tarragon.
When potato salad caught on in the United States, in the second half of the 19th century, it was probably by way of German immigrants. To this day, most people who know how to cook, or at least know how to eat, understand that "German potato salad" will be served warm, will feature no mayonnaise, and will be pleasantly tart with vinegar.The American idea of making potato salad with mayonnaise has no recorded history - but then again, neither does the idea of mayonnaise itself. Clearly a sauce created in France using egg yolks, oil and either lemon juice or vinegar, little is clear after that. Virtually every French bible of cuisine explains the name differently, ranging from a link to "Magon," the Carthaginian general who helped his brother Hannibal battle the Romans," to a possible misspelling of "Bayonnaise," hailing from the town of Bayonne in France - and later, less romantically, New Jersey.
However it got the name, mayonnaise became the favored dressing for American potato salad for more "There seems to be no dogma concerning the origins of potato salad, but Germany is a good place to begin. As a country with lots of potatoes and lots of recipes for potatoes, Germany almost certainly was among the first to look at cooked small new potatoes or cut chunks of larger spuds and imagine them blanketed with dressing. The dressing they came up with was a classic. Kin to the heated dressing used to wilt spinach salad, this one thrilled German taste buds, raised as they were on sauerkraut and sauerbraten with vinegar bite. Some versions featured a little coarse mustard, others cut the sour with a little sugar, and most added bacon and even its flavorful drippings. By the time the notion of potato salad reached France, vinegar wasn't quite good enough. The French demanded full-scale vinaigrette, and it was no sweat to satisfy their demands. Whenever you see something called "French potato salad," it's a safe bet you're in for potatoes (and probably other vegetables, too) in a light vinaigrette, with Dijon mustard and sweet tarragon.
When potato salad caught on in the United States, in the second half of the 19th century, it was probably by way of German immigrants. To this day, most people who know how to cook, or at least know how to eat, understand that "German potato salad" will be served warm, will feature no mayonnaise, and will be pleasantly tart with vinegar.The American idea of making potato salad with mayonnaise has no recorded history - but then again, neither does the idea of mayonnaise itself. Clearly a sauce created in France using egg yolks, oil and either lemon juice or vinegar, little is clear after that. Virtually every French bible of cuisine explains the name differently, ranging from a link to "Magon," the Carthaginian general who helped his brother Hannibal battle the Romans," to a possible misspelling of "Bayonnaise," hailing from the town of Bayonne in France - and later, less romantically, New Jersey. However it got the name, mayonnaise became the favored dressing for American potato salad for more than a century. Its sweet, creamy mouthfeel served up just the right delight when wrapped around solid, dependable American potatoes."
---"A world of potato salads; Labor Day tradition gets global makeover," John DeMers, The Houston Chronicle, August 29, 2001 (Food: p. 1)
"Despite its popularity in this country, potato salad is not an all-American creation. Potato salad is said to be of Teutonic origin, prepared when boiled potatoes were tossed with oil, vinegar and seasonings, a dish known now as German potato salad. The French, Norwegians, Swedes, Russians and Italians all have their own versions. Germans make a marvelous warm potato salad to which they add tiny bits of fresh tomato and red and green bell peppers, then toss the whole concoction with a warm bacon and onion dressing. The Greeks also prefer warm potato salad, with garlic, olive oil and lemon. Italian potato salad is apt to have ample amounts of fresh parsley, often chunks of salami and is dressed with an olive oil and vinegar dressing. American potato salad is heavier and heartier than European versions. Some people like lots of additions such as onion, sweet pickles, celery, hard-cooked eggs, pimento, chives, olives and parsley."
---"Potato salad revisited," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 28, 1989 (Food p. 1)
Sample recipes:
---Herball or General Historie of Plants, John Gerard [London]
[1863] "The same [potatoes], in salad
Cook them [potatoes] without water in an oven, or hot cinders, if handy; then peel and cut them in thin slices; place them in a salad dish, season with chopped parsley, sweet oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and serve. You may used butter instead of oil if you serve warm; you may also add slices of beets, and of pickled cucumbers, according to taste."
---What to Eat and How to Cook It, Pierre Blot [Appleton and Company:New York] (p. 194)
[1878]
"Potato Salad.
When materials for a salad are scarce, this is a good way of disposing of cold potatoes. Slice them, and dress them with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, precisely like any other salad; adding a little chives, or an onion, and parsley chopped fine. If oil is not agreeable, use cream or a little melted butter."
---Jennie June's American Cookery Book, Mrs. J. S. Croly [Excelsior Publishing:New York] 1878 (p. 122)
Taco salad is a modern variation on the traditional Tex-Mex dish. These recipes begin to show up in American cookbooks/magazines in the 1960s.
"Taco Salad. This salad arrived with the Tex-Mex fast-food franchises, which began to pepper the country in the 60s...The man who whetted our appetite for "hot and spicy" was Glen Bell, who opened the first "Taco Bell" in Downey, California. That was 1962. Did Taco Bell originate the Taco Salad? I've been unable to proved it did. Or didn't. The first recipe I could find for Taco Salad appeared in the May 1968 issue of Sunset."
---American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century, Jean Anderson [Clarkson Potter:New York] 1997 (p. 305)
Here is the recipe from Sunset Magazine, May 1968, p. 167
"Taco Salad
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 medium head iceberg lettuce
1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese
2 medium sized tomatoes, peeled and cut in wedges
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 and 1/2 c. corn chips or tortilla chips
Fry meat and onion over medium-high heat; stir until the meat is crumbly and has lost its pinkness and the onion is tender. about 7 minutes. Stir in the salt, chili powder and tomato sauce; keep hot.
Shred the lettuce and arrange on individual salad plates. Top each with the meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Arrange on each salad tomato wedges and avocado slices, if used. Place corn chips around edges of salads and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
AR, Alhambra, CA
If you like more hotly seasoned Mexican foods, you might add chopped canned green chilis or liquid hot pepper seasoning to taste; stir into the meat mixture with the tomato sauce."
Tossed salad
When and where did tossed or mixed salad begin? Excellent question. The answer depends (in part) on how you define tossed greens/mixed salad. Food historians tell us rudimentary mixed (several types of greens) salads were known to neolithic peoples. Salads composed of fresh mixed greens dressed in vinegar and spices were enjoyed by Ancient Romans. This culinary tradition survived from European Medieval times to the very end of the 19th century. Some cuisines preferred warm salads, others, cold. In the late 19th century (USA) the domestic science/home economics movement took hold. They considered tossed plates of mixed greens "messy" and eschewed them in favor of "orderly presentations." Salad ingredients were painstakingly separated, organized, and "glued together" with mayonnaise or gelatin. Molded gelatin salads proliferated because they offered maximum control.
Enter: tossed salad
Our survey of American cookbooks and newspapers confirms mixed, tossed salads regained popularity in the 1930s. Home economists promoted fresh vegetables as important (inexpensive) dietary supplement during the Great Depression. Coincidentally? This is when atrfully crafted large wooden salad bowls were introduced. Overnight? Tossing salad in front of company became trendy. Wooden salad bowls remain popular today.
[1934]
"A Salad Bowl Salad
Don't always hide the secrets of your salad making within the four walls of your kitchen. Sometimes carry all the "fixins" right to the table in a big roomy wooden or china bowl or even a gay kitchen mixing bowl and toss and serve there. To the greens in the salad bowl--a mixture of them is always nice--you may add rosy red radishes, whole or in slices; crisp cucumber, thinly sliced; tender young scallions; asparagus, cooked, chilled and cut in suitable pieces; thin green pepper rings; crisp celery; ripe, green or stuffed olives; or tomatoes, cubed or sliced. A lone strip of cold bacon may be cut in small pieces and added. And toss in that one cold potato, cut in cubes, or the spoonful of peas or string beans, or the one remaining stalk of asparagus. Slices of hard-cooked egg or pieces of cold meat, chicken or fish, contribute to a hearty salad too. And cheese either cubed, sliced or broken in pieces is always a welcome addition to the salad bowl. The mellow flavor of avocado adds much to the fruit salad look especially when raw strawberries, halves of cooked prunes, sections of orange, pineapple or grapefruit, fresh or canned are combined with it! And don't froget the grapes. Such combinations as the above tossed and turned in a well-seasoned French or Mayonnaise dressing make a salad fit for the gods. And don't forget to cut a peeled bud of garlic rubbed on the inside of your salad bowl or dropped into your French dressing for a short time is a favorite seasoning to many."
---Good Housekeeping Cook Book, Dorothy B. Marsh et al [Good Housekeeping:New York] 2nd edition, 1934 (p. 60)
Culinary evidence (old cookbooks, menus etc.) confirms meat (ham) and mayonnaise-type salads were popular in America from colonial times present. These were culinary traditions brought to our shores by European (esp. German) settlers. Lobster and chicken salads were most common and extremely popular in the mid-late 19th century. Tuna salad is an early twentieth century recipe. Why? Because canned tuna was first introduced and mass marketed to the American public in 1903. American cookbooks in the 1930s and 1940s offer tuna salad recipes as alternatives to salads made from chicken and turkey. One might conclude this fishy substitution was not immediately embraced on its own merits.
"Tuna Salad Popular. In California the tuna is beign introduced generallly in the best restaurants, not only because it is new, but becuase people are beginning to value it for what it is. Tuna salads are getting to be popular. The housekeeper can prepare the fish in a dozen different ways."
---"Tuna Now Popular Fish Food," Christian Science Monitor, February 19, 1913 (p. 11)
Here is an early recipe:
[1916]
1 hard-cooked egg
2 or 3 stuffed olives.
Line a salad dish with shredded lettuce. Break the fish into pieces and place it on top of the lettuce. Mix the salt, red pepper, lemon-juice, and vinegar toghether and pour over the fish. Chill, and when ready to serve, decorate with the capers, slices of hard-cooked egg, and the stuffed olives. Service with mayonnaise dressing. Another method.--Flake one can of Tuna fish with a silver fork, add one and one-half cupful of diced celery and one-half cupful of broken English walnut meats, mix with mayonnaise--or boiled dressing. Serve on crisp lettuce leaves."
---Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes, Marion H. Neil [1916] (p. 245-6)
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 343)
"Waldorf salad...Oscar Tschirky...created this salad for a 'society supper' to which 1,500 persons came from Boston, Baltimore, and Philadelphia...For Sheila Hibben, food editor of The New Yorker, his creation was a mixed blessing. She thought his combination of apples and mayonnaise headed American housewives in the wrong direction 'and bred the sorry mixture of sweet salads' that remain very much on the gastronomical scene..."
---American Food: The Gastronomic Story, Evan Jones [Vintage:New York] 1981, 2nd ed. (p. 398)
"This American classic first was introduced at the old Waldorf Hotel in New York. Oddly, it was an off-the-cuff creation by the maitre d'hotel, Oscar Tschirky, rather than an inspiration of the chef."
---"Apples fill a variety of culinary needs and are available all year long," Peter Kump, Chicago Tribune, February 15, 1990, 11A
The original recipe
Waldorf salad
Peel two raw apples and cut them into small pieces, say about half and inch square, also cut some celery the same way, and mix it with the apple. Be very careful not to let any seeds of the apples be mixed with it. The salad must be dressed with a good mayonnaise.
---The Cookbook by "Oscar" of the Waldorf, Oscar Tschirky [Saafield Publishing Company:Chicago] 1908 , copyright 1896 (p. 433)
California Pistachio Commission
"[1901] Dole's company becomes Hawaiian Pineapple Company and is incorporated in this year. James Dole becomes known as "The Pineapple King," because he was able to successfully grow and harvest this crop that had failed so many others. His company puts canned pineapple in every grocery store in the country and makes the name "Hawaiian" almost synonymous with "pineapple."
Molded salads combining all sorts of ingredients (especially mini-marshmallows) were all the rage in the 1920s. The history of Jell-0 . Jell-O instant puddings were test marketed in 1950.
The oldest recipe we found specifically titled "Watergate Salad" is this:
[1975]
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple (undrained)
1 box instant pistachio pudding mix
1 1/2 cups small marshmallows
1 (9-ounce) box whipped topping mix
1 cup or less walnuts or pecans
Mix undrained pineapple with pudding by pouring pudding into pineapple. Stir. Add rest of ingredients. Stir by hand. Chill before serving. C.K."
---"Anne's Reader Exchange," Washington Post, November 13, 1975 (p. C17)
WATERGATE CAKE
"A new Watergate crisis is sweeping the Washington area, but this time only homemakers and a few business men seem to care... The crisis stems from the growing popularity of a recipe for a concoction called "Watergate Cake," which demands large quantities of powdered pistachio pudding mix, both in the layer cake and in its light green icing. Apparently, only one firm, Royal Pudding, a division of Standard Brands, Inc., distributes pistachio pudding in the Washington area. Supermarkets haven't been able to get engouh to cope with the demands, which began around Thanksgiving time and was very heavy at Christmas. Store shelves have been regularly stripped of the mix the same day it is displayed...If the sales spurt is not directly attributable to the popularity of Watergate Cake... "The we don't knoe why this product has suddenly taken off. It's been just phenomenal..." Barry Scher, a spokesman for Giant Foods, placed the blame not only on the recipe, but also on a coincidental shortage of pistachio nuts. "That was about five months abo, the spokesman said, "And as it ended, this recipe began circulating around. We were bombarded. We hate to admit it, but we just can't keep the mix on the shelf. The onset of Watergate cake mania--and the resulting effort to close the supply-demand gap --has tested old friendships and challenged the ingenuity and competitive instincts of many a Washington-area homemaking... No one, meanwhile, seems able to pinpoint the origin of this Watergate, the recipe for which has appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Washington Post. Nor can anyone explain how the cake got its name or why pistachio is the main flavoring. One current explanation leans on the presence of crushed walnuts in the cake--"bugs" in the parlance of kids. Like the Giant spokesman, Harold Giesinger, proprietor of the Watergate Pastry shop, had no thoughts on where the recipe originated-- except that it was not with his bakery. "We haven't invented anything to which we'd attach a name like that," he said. Nor, he added, does his shop rely on pistachio as a key ingredient in any of its products. "A private source may have put it together, " he said of the recipe. Wherever Watergate Cake started, the pudding firm would like more more problems like it. Gagan suspects some people have been buying more pistachio pudding mix than they'll ever use, simply becuase it's hard to get...Further relief is in sight. Another manufacturer, General Foods, scanning the Watergate-assisted pistachio market, has decided to jump in. Its version is expected to hit the supermarket shelves in March..."
---"A Watergate Cake Mania," Alexander Sullivan, Washington Post, February 26, 1976 (p. B2) [Recipe included, see below 1976]
"According to my sister-in-law who lives in Waynesboro, Virginia, the name of the cake became prominent in that part of the country because--Nixon liked Pistachio Nuts, hence (and a rather far-fetched reasoning) the name for the Watergate Cake, because synonymous with--Pistachio Nuts, Mrs. Nixon and Watergate. I had neither heard of Pistachio Pudding or the Watergate Cake until last fall we stopped to visit them, and she had the cake all ready for us to eat. However, her recipe is much different than the one printed in the Washington Post Thursday in your column. Sincerely yours, Virginia K. Wiszneauckas, Wheaton, Md." ---"That Cake," Washington Post, March 11, 1976 (p. VA2)
The earliest recipe we find for pistachio cake also employs a packaged cake mix. Note! This is "mock pistachio"!
[1962]
Pistachio-Almond
Into [angel food mix] cake batter, fold a few drops green food color, 1/4 teasp. Almond extract, 3/4 minced, blanched almonds."
---Good Housekeeping Cook Book, Dorothy B. Marsh [Good Housekeeping:New York] 1962 (p. 457)
Compare with these:
"Pistachio...The word originated in Persian as pistah, and reached the West via Greek pistakion. English originally borrowed it from French as pistace."
---An A-Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 258)
"Pistachio nut. A native of central Asia and member of the cashew family, the pistachio nut has been cultivated for some 3,000 years and has a long history of popularity in the Mediterranean world. But it was not until the 1930s, with the advent of vending machines, that pistachio nuts (also called pistache) imported from Italy became something of a rage in the United States as a snack food...Following World War II, the evergreen trees that bear pistachios were imported to California, and although the imported nuts are still dyed, most American-grown pistachios are sold without dye, in naturally tan shells."
---Cambridge World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple & Kriemhild Conee Ornelas [Cambridge University Press:Cambridge] 2000 Volume 2 (p. 1835)
"The dying of pistachios is not a Middle Eastern tradition but is said to have originated with a Brooklyn street vendor named Zaloom who colored his pistachios red to distinguish them from his competitors. The idea caught on--especially in the East--that most pistachios used to be dyed red. This is no longer true, with only about 15 percent of those sold today so colored."
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 243)
Pistachio cookery
"This pistachio, with its unique color and mild but distinctive flavour, has always been a luxury, costing three or four times as much as other nuts. It is generally eaten roasted and salted as a dessert nut. In cooking it is often used as a garnish or decoration, both in sweet and savory dishes. For example, it figures in in some of the finest pilaf dishes and in European pates and brawns which are served in slices, so that the nuts appear as attractive green specs or slivers."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 610)
"In Mediterranean and Oriental cooking, pistachios are used in poultry sauces and stuffings and also in hash. In classic cuisine they garnish galantines, brawn (head cheese) and mortadella. In India pistachio puree is used to season rice and vegetables. Pistachios go best with veal, pork and poultry. Their green color (often accentuated artificially) makes them popular for creams (especially for filling cakes, such as the galacien) and for ice creams and ice-cream desserts. In confectionery it is especially associated with nougat."
---Larousse Gastronomique, Completely revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 900)
arugula & rocket ... chicory ... iceberg lettuce ... lamb's lettuce ... romaine lettuce ... water cress
The food historians and linguists tell us lettuce was [most likely] first cultivated by the ancient Greeks, possibly as early as the 6th century BC. There is some controversy regarding the date because there were several ancient plants fitting the description of lettuce at that time.
"Wild lettuce was gathered for millennia by hunter-gatherers and was still being gathered by humans at the time of the ancient Greeks. The latter probably began its cultivation, which was continued by the Roman. The first cultivated letuuce was Lactuca serriola, which is native to the Mediterranean region."
---The Cambridge World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple and Kriemhild Conee Ornelas [Cambridge University:Cambridge] 2000, Volume Two (p. 1801)
"The ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated the lettuce, especially as a salad. In the East its cultivation possible dates from an earlier epoch. Nevertheless it does not appear, from the original common names both in Asia and Europe, that this plant was generally or very anciently cultivated. There is no Sanskrit nor Hebrew name known, nor any in the reconstructed Aryan tongue. A greek name exists, tridax; Latin, latuca; Persian and Hindu, kahn; and the analogous Arabic form chuss or chass. The Latin form exists also, slightly modified, in the Slav and Germanic languages, which may indicate either that the Western Aryans diffused the plant, or that its cultivation spread with its name at a later date from the south to the north of Europe. Dr. Bretscheider has confirmed by supposition that the lettus is not very ancient in China, and that it was introduced there from the West. He says that the first work in which it is mentioned dates from A.D. 600 to A.D. 900."
---Origin of Cultivated Plants, Alphonse de Candole [Hafner Publishing Company:New York] 1964 (p. 96)
"Other new Roman arrivals [to Britain] were the garden varieties of a number of green vegetables, among them cabbage, beet, mallows, orache (atriplex), lettuce and endive..."
---Food and Drink in Britain From the Stone Age to the 19th Century, C. Anne Wilson [Academy Broadway:Chicago IL] 1991 (p. 195)
"Lettuce..was introduced to Britain by the Romans, who commonly ate it cooked rather than raw. This tradition continued into and beyond the Middle Ages...but by the seventeeth century the memory of it was dying out (John Eveyln...in his Aceteria is extravagant in his praise of lettuce as a raw salad vegetable, but of cooked lettuce he notes only as an afterthought."
---An A-Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 189)
---Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 183)
"Both leaf and head lettuces were commonly grown in colonial and early American times. Lettuce was highly perishable and was available only locally in season. However, lettuce became more readily availble in the twentieth century with the development of crisphead lettuce (iceberg is the most familiar). With sturdy leaves forming a compact, round head, these lettuces can be transported over long distances without damage. Distributed by railroad from California and Arizona, lettuce becmae an important year-round food in America. During the 1920s and 1930s its production doubled."
---Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Andrew F. Smith editor [Oxford University Press:New York] 2004, Volume 2 (p. 32)
[1877]
"Salad a la Romaine.
Freshen two heads of lettuce in plenty of cold water. When about to serve mix in a bowl three tablespoonfuls of oil, one of lemon juice, one-third of a small onion grated, inch of cayenne, white pepper and salt to taste, and a small pinch of powdered sugar: break the lettuce into the bowl; well mix, turn into the salatiere, garnish with hard-boiled eggs, and serve."
---"Receipts for the Table," New York Times, January 28, 1877 (p. 9)
[NOTE: This recipe does not specify the type of lettuce to be used. "Heads" imply standard USA lettuce, not the more leafy Romaine.]
[1886]
"There is another kind [of lettuce], high in favor in Paris and in some localities in this country for its tenderness and delicate flavor, but not liked by marketmen, because it will not bear rough handling. The time will come, however, when there will be such a demand for this species that all first-class provision dealers will keep it. The French call it Romaine, and in this country it is sometimes called Roman lettuce. It does not head. The leaves are strng and not handsome whole; but one who uses the lettuce never wishes for any other."
---Miss Parloa's New Cook Book, a Guide to Marketing and Cooking, Maria Parloa [Estes and Lauriat::Boston MA] 1886 (p. 52)
Arugula (aka Rocket) is an "Old World" cruciferous plant. The leaves have been used for centuries in salads. They have a tangy, mustardy-flavor, which makes the salad interesting in flavor and texture. Americans "discovered" this tasty green in the 1990s.
"The rocket is a Eurasian plant with spicily hot-tasting dandelion-shaped leaves that are used in salads. It has become much more widely known in Britain following the salad revolution of the late twentieth century. The name rocket comes via French roquette from Italian ruchetta, a diminutive form of ruca, which in turn comes from Latin eurca. This meant literally caterpillar', and was applied to the plant because of its hairy stems. It may have been derived from er, hedgehog'."
---An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 284)
"Rocket, Eruca sativa, a plant which grows wild in Asia and the Mediterranean region, has been introduced elsewhere, including N. America (where it is known by its Italian name, arugula), and cultivated for use as a salad plant. Its flavour, akin to that of horseradish or some sorts of cress, is strong in mature leaves, so these are added to salads with discretion. Young leaves may be used freely. Their popularity as a smart ingredient in western restaurants may obscure then fact that they are grown and liked in some places, e.g. the north of Sudan...In classical Rome the plant was cultivated both for its leaves and for its seeds, used as a flavouring. The seeds can also be used to produce and oil."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 667)
"Arugula-Also known as "rocket" and "garden rocket," this native of Europe and western Asia...is a cruciferous plant that has long provided tender, slightly bitter, mustard-flavoured greens for the salad bowls of southern Europeans and Italian-Americans. Lately, it has become widely available in the United States, where it has been naturalized. Its leaves resemble those of the radish, which is a close relative. The seeds of arugula are also eaten, and they yield an oil that is used for culinary puroses, as a lubricant, and in medicines."
---Cambridge World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple & Kriemhild Conee Orenlas [Cambridge University Press:Cambridge] 2000, Volume Two (p. 1722)
"Rocket, salad vegetable, one of the best native Mediterranean species. Rocket was grown in classical Greek kitchen gardens and was equally familiar to Romans. Apart from the use of the leaf, rocket seed is called for as a culinary spice in Apicus. Rocket had an enduring reputation among aphrodesiacs...Because of this reputation rocket was often served at dinners mixed with lettuce, an antaphrodesiac, so that their qualities would conteract one another."
---Food in the Ancient World From A to Z, Andrew Dalby [Routledge:London] 2003 (p. 282)
Based on the number of print newspaper references per decade "arugula" gained marked interest in the 1990s and became popular in the 2000s. The plant was known, but not particularly favored, from Colonial times forward. Presumably, this accounts for the dearth of references & recipes.
[1911]
"Rocket: a rather coarse garden-plant whose young leaves are occasionally used as a pot-herb or for salads. The flowers resemble orange blossoms in odor."
---The Grocer's Encyclopedia, Artemas Ward [National Grocer:New York] 1911 (p. 532)
[1919]
"B. Vulgaris...Rocket. Winter Cress. Yellow Rocket. Europe and temperate Asia. This herb of northern climates have been cultivated in England for a long time and as an early salad and also in Scotland, where the bitter leaves are eaten by some. In early times, rocket was held in some repute but is now banished from cultivation yet appears in gardens as a weed...Rocket is included in the list of American garden esculents by McMahon in 1806. In 1832, Bridgeman says winter cress is used as a salad in spring and autumn and by some boiled as a spinage."
---Sturtevant's Notes onf Edible Plants, edited by U.P. Hedrick, Report of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station for the Year 1919 II [J.B. Lyon Company:Albany NY] 1919 (p. 82)
[138]
"Roquette. This is a salad vegetable resembling Cress in taste. It is served as a salad in the same manner, and is very popular with the Creoles."
---The Original Picayune Creole Cook Book, 9th edition [Times-Picayune Publishing Co.:New Orleans LA] 1938 227)
[1960]
"It would seem almost impossible that the most appealing and relatively abundant salad green could be available in New York and yet be relatively unknown. But there is one, and it leads to the suspicion that there may be more. The one in question has more names than Joseph's coat has colors. The fact of the matter is that this green with the pungent and fascinatinf flavor goes by different names from one market to the next. Ask Italian green-grocers for arugula, rucola or ruccoli; ask other markets for rouquette, rocket salad or, simply, rocket...Most Italian chefs know...that arugula or rocket...is the secret ingredient in many of their salads-about-town. Considering the public unawareness of the plant, it has an astonishing availability...New York does not have a corner on the vegetable's availability in the United States. Rocket salad is tremendously popular in the Creole country of Louisiana."
---"Food News: A Green by Any Name," Craig Claiborne, New York Times May 24, 1960 (p. 33)
Salad green, cooked vegetable, and (when times are tough) coffee substitue .
"Chicory. Semantic problems abound with chicory (Cichorium intybus)--also called succory, radicchio, and red chicory), endive...and escarole, which is the broad-leafed variety of endive. All three are members of the dandelion family, but there the resemblance ends. Cichoirum endivia, native to India, was the ancestor of endive and known to the Egyptians as well as to the ancient Greeks and Romans. By contrast, C. Indybus is native to Europe, but the names nonetheless remain confused. In the United States, chicory is generally called Belgian edive, although this is also referred to simply as endive. The French, too, call it endive...and radicchio is chicory's Italian name...Chicory as well as endive roots are ground to become a natural coffee substitute...or in addition to regular coffee for added flavor and reduced caffeine. However, the tight hearts of Belgian endive and radicchio are also attractive and slightly bitter ingredients in salads; in addition, their braised leaves can be a vegetable dish in their own right."
---Cambridge World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple and Kriemhild Conee Ornelas [Cambridge Unviersity Press:Cambridge] Volume Two, 2001 (p. 1753)
"Chicory...decribes a group of perennial cultivated plants developed from wild chicory, a common plant of Europe, W. Asia, and Africa...Chicory was used as a vegetable and for salad in classical Greece and Rome, but was not apparently cultivated. The leaves of the wild plant are not too bitter if gathered young. From the 16th century onwards modern cultivated forms, with larger and less bitter leaves, were developed...The practice of taking up chicory plants in the autumn, cutting off their leaves, and replanting the roots in a dark cellar so that they regrow small, white leaves originated in France. The original French variety called, like the wild plant, Barbe de Capucin is unusual in that the roots are replanted on their sides in angled banks and the shoots grow horizontally. Around 1850 a Belgian grower, experimenting with uses for old musroom compost, discovered the superior cigar-shaped form Witloof...The large-rooted variety of chicory which is used as a coffee substitute was developed in Holland during the second half of the 18th century, when coffee was newly fashionable and very expensive. All over Europe people experimented with substitutes: grains, figs, acorns, and all kinds of root, especially dandelion and chicory. Chicory was judged the most acceptable."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 167-8)
"Chicory can be served raw in salads--with vinaigrette and often with hard-boiled (hard cooked) eggs and any of the various ingredients used in winter salads, including beetroot (red beets), apples, nuts, cheese and orange or grapefruit quarters. For cooked dishes, chicory heads are braised and drained; they can then be coated with bechamel sauce, sprinkled with noisette butter, served with gravy or with plain butter and herbs topped with grated cheesse and browned, or made into a puree. They can be served as an accompaniement to roasts and poultry. They can also be braised, made into a chiffanade or prepared as fritters (espsecially when served with fish). As a main dish, chicory is braised rolled in slices of ham and coated with a port and raisin sauce, or stuffed (with a fatty or lean stuffing) and browned on top."
---Larousse Gastronomique, completely revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 278)
"Chicory. American nomenclature is very confusing for this salad green called Cichorium intybus, with its curly leaves and bright blue flowers...Chicory is quite bitter and is often mixed with other salad greens. The same plant's roots are dried and ground into a granular powder, often referred to as "succory," that resembles coffee and is used as an additive to or substitute for real coffee in Creole and cajun cooking, a legacy of the French influence on these cuisines...Adding chicory to coffee began in New Orleans during the food-scarce Civil War."
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 73-4)
---An A-Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 184)
""Cornsalad," so named because these plants with small, bluish flowers grow in cornfields, actully refers to any of several plants of the genus Valerianella...these European natives--found throughout North America as well--provide slightly bitter-tasting leaves that are much appreciated in salads. The various types of cornsalad were considered weeds until the seventeenth century, when they began to be cultivated, and cultivation doubtless accounts for the different varieties now identified... Common names and synonyms: European cornsalads, fat-hen, field salad, hog salad, lamb's-lettuce, lamb's quarter, mache...marsh salad."
---World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple & Kriemhild Conee Orenelas [Cambridge University Press:Cambridge] 2001, Volume Two (p. 1763)
"Lamb's Lettuce. A plant with rounded leaves in a rosette form, which is usually eaten raw in a salad. It is also known...in France, as mache, doucette, valerianelle potagere, raiponce, and oreielle-de-lievre. It grows wild in fields, usually in autumn, but is cultivated in France from September to March and gives a good flavour to a winter salad. There are several varieties..."
---Larousse Gastronomique, completely revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 668)
Simple, elegant, inexpensive, and famous. What more could a chef ask for? American cookbooks confirm chefs were serving artfully cut lettuce coated in French dressing in fancy restaurants from the late 19th century forwards. What makes Caesar salad different? A memorable origination story (or two or three) and documented Hollywood flair.
"And now we come to it--the most talked-of salad of a decade, perhaps of the century. Like all recipes that have become widely known, several chefs and restaurateurs have claimed to have originated the salad. Actually many of them have had a hand in promoting it, though not necessarily as a Caesar. As for its origin, the best guess seems to be that the whole thing started in Tia Juana, during prohibition, but whether it was actually created by one named 'Caesar,' or just named for him, is a matter of considerable discussion. The salad is at its best when kept simple, but as it is invariably made at table, and sometimes by show-offs, it occasionally contains far too many ingredients."
---West Coast Cook Book, Helen Evans Brown, facsimile reprint [Cookbook Collectors Library] 1952 (p. 308)
Classic theory of origin:
"Caesar salad. A salad of romaine lettuce, garlic, olive oil, croutons, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and, often, anchovies. It was created by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who opened a series of restaurants in Tijuana, Mexico...On Fourth of July weekend in 1924 at Caesar's Palace, Cardini concocted the salad as a main course, arranging the lettuce leaves on a plate with the intention that they would be eaten with their fingers. Later Cardini shredded the leaves into bite-sized pieces. The salad became particularly popular with Hollywood movie people who visited Tijuana, and it became a featured dish at Chasen's and Romanoff's in Los Angeles."
--- Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 50-51)
[NOTE: Most sources cite the restaurant as Cesar's (or Caesar's) Place.]
"It was an accident! But now Caesar Salad is tossed in handsome salad bowls, coast to coast-and on purpose! A well-known restaurateur, Caesar Cardini, concocted this zesty salad some 35 years ago at Tijuana, Mexico. Here is the true story, told to us by his daughter Rosa. One holiday weekend a throng of tourists descended on Caesar's Place. A few crates of romaine, half a case of eggs, a wheel of Italian cheese, some lemons, and dry bread-that was all the food left by Sunday morning. What to do for the hungry crowd at dinner? Caesar thought he'd have to close shop for the remainder of the holiday. Instead he decided to invent a new salad form the ingredients he had on hand. He got out the eggs, the lemons, the Parmesan cheese, the bread, and the big bottle of olive oil to which he previously had added garlic. With the romaine lettuce as the only greens, he experimented with a little of this and that in the dressing. Finally, to bind the dressing ingredients together, he came up with the idea of coddling the eggs for a minute, then tossing them with the salad. (Yes, that's right the original Caesar Salad was not made with completely raw eggs.) The loaves of bread he cut in tiny cubes and slowly oven-toasted them to add to his salad at the very end. (The anchovies, now a familiar ingredient in Caesar Salad, didn't become part of the recipe until some 10 years later.) While the waiters kibitzed, Caesar demonstrated his creation. 'Take everything to each table,' he instructed, 'and make a ceremony of fixing the salad. Plenty of fanfare. Let guests think they're having the specialty of the house.' And the guests did! So rapidly did the news of this remarkable salad spread, that diners flocked to Caesar's Place just to learn the recipe. Soon West Coast restaurants adopted it; then it appeared on the finest menus in every state. Caesar Cardini's reward? In Paris at the 1951 meeting of the International Society of Epicures, his salad was acclaimed the greatest recipe contribution of the United States in 50 years. But it was really at Tijuana, Mexico that the now world-famous Caesar Salad was born. You'll find many variations of Caesar Salad, but here Rosa Cardini, who operates the food specialty shop her father started in Los Angeles and who bottles the original Caesar salad dressing, share his authentic recipe and salad know-how."
---"The Original Caesar Salad," Myrna Johnston, Better Homes and Gardens, March, 1960 (p. 78, 152)
Story 2:
"It has been fairly well established that the late Caesar Cardini created the Caesar salad at hist restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. Or did he? The latest word is that an Italian woman named Beatriz Santini composed the salad in Austria in 1918. Hard put for food in a country impovershed by war, she soft-boiled eggs, which were plentiful, and added them to a bowl of romaine lettuce. A little Parmesan cheese, a dressing of wine vinegar and olive oil, and the creation was complete. Cardini never met Santini. So how did he come up with the same idea? He didn't, we are told. The link was Santini's son, Livio, who emigrated to Tijuana. Livio Santini got a job with Cardini, who had opened a bar and restaurant on Second Street about 1924. One day, a hungry Santini mixed up a bit of his mother's salad. A wealthy customer from La Jolla invaded the kitchen as Santini was crunching romaine, and she asked for a taste. It pleased her so that she ordered a serving from Cardini, who came out to find what Santini was eating. One week later, the salad was on the menu, ceremoniously mixed at table side by a captain and busboy. Thus, the start of the Cardini legend. The teller of this tale was no tale-spinner. It was Livio Santini himself. Now 78, Santini was a guest of honor at Tijuana's recent first Caesar salad celebration."
---"Hail, Caesar! Doubts raised Over Origin of Famous Salad," Barbara Hansen, Los Angeles Times, September 13, 1984 (p. J1)
Story 3:
"Sr. Alex Cardini, of Cardini's Restaurant in Mexico City, affirms that he invented the original Caesar Salad in 1926, naming it after his brother."
---A World of Vegetable Cookery, Alex D. Hawkes [Simon and Schuster:New York] 1968 (p. 138)
The anchovy debate:
Food historians agree anchovies were not part of the original recipe. These salty fillets infiltrate in the 1930s.
"Cardini was adamant in insisting that the salad be subtly flavored and argued against the inclusion of anchovies, whose faint flavor in his creation he believed may have come from the Worcestershire sauce. He also decreed that only Italian olive oil and imported Parmesan cheese be used."
--- Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink (p. 51)
"According to Santini...his mother used no anchovies, no lime or lemon juice and no croutons in her salad...The controversial anchovy, acknowledged by either Beatriz Santini nor Caesar Cardini, wound up on several salads.".
---"Hail, Caesar! Doubts raised Over Origin of Famous Salad," Barbara Hansen, Los Angeles Times, September 13, 1984 (p. J1)
"The shocking truth is that while a proper Caesar always has anchovy, an authentic one never does. In its original form, Caesar salad was more a culinary tourist trap than a great American food standard, famous for the tableside show that came with the salad, not the anchovy. Yet it is the anchovy that most Caesar aficionados consider vital; only Caesar wimps ask for their salad sans the small fry. So where did the anchovy come from?...The most common theory involves Worcestershire sauce. The thinking is that Someone, Somewhere Along the Way...ran out of Worcestershire sauce...saw anchovy on the list of ingredients and made the brilliant substitution. 'We can't figure it out,' said Rosa Cardini, daughter of the salad's inventor...Cardini envisioned his a subtle salad, but as Rosa pointed out, subtle is exactly what anchovies aren't."
---"Caesar! Origin of the Species," Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, October 16, 1988 (p. L103)
When did Ceasar Salad become popular in the USA?
Conventional wisdom places the invention of this salad in the mid-20s. Our survey of contemporary sources suggests its was known, but not served, in southern California until a decade later. After WWII descriptions published in trendy journals (think: Gourmet) sparked interest. By the mid-1950s everyone who was anyone in the USA knew what a Caesar Salad was. This coincides with the passing of Mr. Cardini.
"Jean Harlow, Mable Hormand and all the stars would come to Tijuana and ask for a Cesar's salad, [Cesar Cardini] recalled...But it didn't become famous until 1937 when a screenwriter, Manny Wolfe, one of my regular customers, went to the house of Murphy restaurant here, called for the ingredients and made the salad. The manager, Di Ciro, called it his salad,. But Wolf took the recipe to the Brown Derby and Chasen's and they called it Caesar salad."
---"Chef Who Invented Caesar Salad Frowns on Apers," Aline Mosby, San Mateo Times, June 16, 1952 (p. 11)
"...Hollywood's great delicacy, the Caesar Salad...The Caesar Salad, which Mike Romanoff'll let you have at a sacrifice--only 2 Bucks--is glorified garlic. It's garlic with glamor�he first time I heard of a 2-buck salad, I wanted to render unto Caesar what was Caesar's--a big loud razberry. They my beautiful wife...pointed out that it was an aristocrat of foods. Like stone crabs in Miami, oysters Rockefeller in New Orleans, lobsters in Boston, cream cheese and bagels in New York. 'Why do they call it Caesar salad?' I kept asking. And finally I found it was invented by an Italian named Caesar Cardini in his Tijuana restaurant, called Caesar's. Edmund Lowe tasted it there and brought it to Hollywood. Caeser's ex partner, Peter Friggerio, formerly at the Colony and Marguery in New York, is now the captain at Henri's here where, of course, you can get a wonderful Caesar Salad. But confidently, the French-born Henri De Charpentier, who's chef there and used to be at Lynbrook, L. I. thinks it's a big mistake to have such a huge glamorous salad before the main course."
---"Dressing up Garlic, Early Wilson, Zanesville Times Recorder [OH], February 1, 1947 (p. 4)
"Los Angeles revisited a few weeks ago, for the first time in two years, revealed more conclusively than almost anything else that the gastronomic highlight of the current moment is an arrangement called Caesar's Salad and that its consumption is constant, universal, and something to make the public prints in any fountainhead of good living like GOURMET, as it has. Caesar's Salad, which is only infrequently encountered in restaurants in the East, but which will inevitably arrive in New York one of these fine days, is based on romaine instead of lettuce, chopped-up anchovies, a liberal inclusion of heavily garlic-flavored croutons, French dressing made slick by the inclusion of a couple of whole raw eggs, and the whole thing liberally showered with grated Parmesan. At Romanoff's, where we were taken to luncheon by GOURMET's own Stephen Longstreet, with an assortment of local characters which included Bob Hope, Gregory La Cava, Barbara Stanwyck, and Hedda Hopper at adjacent tables, we were introduced to Caesar's Salad. At Dave Chasen's, where we dined that evening with Robert Hanley, the newly discovered and flourishing decorator of the County Strip, we were immediately advised that Caesar's Salad was the thing to have. The next evening at Hansen's Scandia Restaurant in Sunset Boulevard, the assembled chivalry to a man commanded Caesar's Salad, and subsequent skirmishes with the menus at Perino's, the Vine Street Brown Derby, the garden restaurant of the Town House, and other ranking restaurants of the City of Angeles evolved the conviction that Caesar's Salad is as much of a part of the Hollywood pattern as swimming pools or the new look."
---"Along the Boulevards," Lucius Beebe, Gourmet, June 1948, [no recipe] accessed online
Who was Cesar Cardini?
An Italian immigrant who wound up in Tijuana. Obviously savvy, Mr. Cardini operated a successful restaurant offering trendy cuisine to America's glamoros Hollywood stars. He left Tijuana in 1935 because Mexican regulations against gambling were crushing his business. Mr. Cardini eventually settled in Los Angles, running an imported foods store. He cashed in on his claim to fame by selling his dressing. He passed away at the age of 60 in 1956.
"Mr. Cardini devised the salad while operating the restaurant and hotel which still bears his name in Tijuana. Since 1935 he has lived in Los Angeles and was active in the marketing of the salad dressing he concocted. He was born in Lago Maggiore, Italy, worked many European hotels and came to the United States when he was 20. For a time, before going to Tijuana, he owned a restaurant in Sacramento...He leaves his widow Camille, a daughter Rosa...two sisters [living in Italy] and two brothers, Alex and Caudencio, who are in the restaurant business in Mexico City."
---"Cesar Cardini, Creator of Salad, Dies at 60," Los Angeles Times, November 5, 1956 (p. 31)
"Discouraged by failure of the Mexican government to lift the ban on border gambling, Caesar Cardini has closed his gay Tijuana caf� forever."
---"Resort owner Quits �Forever,�" Reno Evening Gazette, July 1, 1936 (p. 2)
"Caesar now runs an Italian grocery store on La Ciegna boulevard, movietown's restaurant row. He's regaining his claim to the salad fame by manufacturing his Caesar salad dressing in a tiny kitchen behind his store."
---"Chef Who Invented Caesar Salad Frowns on Apers," Aline Mosby, San Mateo Times, June 16, 1952 (p. 11)
Vintage recipes
Several publications claim they have "the original" recipe. All of them are slightly different. Our gastronomic guess says the simpler the recipe, the closer to the original. And? Most definatley NO ANCHOVIES! Most probably Worcestershire. There are no Caesar Salad (or approximations) recipes in these trendy Southern California publications: Corona Club Cook Book [1925], Ebell Society Cook Book [1926] or Fashions of Foods in Beverly Hills [1931]. The oldest print recipe food historians have identified (based on ingredients & method) was published in Sunset (magazine) March, 1945 . Curiously? It's called "Romaine Salad." No reference to Caesar. The casual reader could easily miss the connection. The Caesar dressing appears in the The Brown Derby Cookbook/Cobb [1949] but not the salad. We hypothosize this omission may be at testament to the salad's "star power." Enjoying a Caesar Salad was a glamorous public event, complete with live tableside show. Sunset Cook Book/Annabel Post [1960] mentions the March 1945 recipe but prints the 1957 version (with anchovies, p. 19).
2 eggs, cooked 1 monute
Juice of one large lemon
6 to 8 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Crush garlic in small bowl, pour over the oil, and let stand several hours. Brown the croutons (preferably made from stale sourdough French bread) in 1/4 cup of the garlic oil, stirring often. (If you prefer, you can toast the bread cubes in a slow oven.) Tear romaine into a large salad bowl, sprinkle with salt, and grind over a generous amount of pepper. Pour over remaining garlic oil and toss until every leaf is glossy. Break the 1-minute eggs into salad; squeeze over the lemon juice, and toss thorougly. Add chopped anchovies and grated cheese, and toss again. Lastly, add the croutons, toss genetly, and serve immediately. Serves about 12."
---The Sunset Cook Book, Annabel Post, home economics editor [Lane Book Company:Menlo Park CA] 1960 (p. 19)
[1960]
Food historians generally credit Philip Roemer, chef of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, for the creation of Green Goddess Salad dressing. It was allegedly made in honor of George Arliss, an actor starring in a play by that same name. The year is fuzzy because the play ran in the 1920s followed by a popular film version in the 1930s. Our survey of historic American cookbooks confirms mayonnaise-based salad dressing recipes proliferated during the early decades of the 20th century. In fact? Entire books were devoted to salads at that time. We examined several books and found several recipes for mayonnaise-tarragon-anchovy dressings-onion dressings. Given the noteriety of Green Goddess, it seems surprising to find recipes named such first surfacing in the late 1930s-early 1940s. Sometimes they are called "Green dressing."
"In the mid-1920s, actor George Arliss starred in a William Archer play called The Green Goddess. During the San Francisco run, he stayed at the Palace Hotel and dined often at its Palm Court Restaurant. To honor Arliss, chef Philip Roemer created a new mixed green salad with a creamy herb dressing. "Green Goddess," he called it."
---The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century, Jean Anderson [Clarkson Potter:New York] 1997 (p. 267)
"Green Goddess. A salad or salad dressing made from anchovies, mayonnaise, tarragon vinegar, and other seasonings, The salad was created at San Francisco's Palace Hotel (now the Sheraton-Palace) in the mid-1920s at the request of actor George Arliss (1868-1946), who was appearing in town in William Archer's play The Green Goddess (which opened in New York in 1921 ans as twice made into a motion picture [1923 and 1930] starring Arliss)."
---The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 144-5)
[NOTE: This book contains a recipe supplied by the Sheraton-Palace, no date.]
Green Goddess recipe sampler
[1931]
"Green Goddess Salad Dressing
One cup mayonnaise, garlic, 1 tablespoon French dressing, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chives chopped fine, 1 tablespoon tarragon, 4 fillets of anchoves.---La Casa Pico Tea Room"
---Fashions in Foods in Beverly Hills, Compiled by the Book Section Beverly Hills Womans Club [Beverly Hills], 3rd edition 1931 (p. 26)
[1937]
"Green Goddess Salad Dressing
Combine three tablespoons finely chopped parsley, three tablespoons sliced green onion, two tablespoons chopped chives or tops of green onions, one two-ounce can anchovy fillets, one cup mayonnaise, one tablespoon tarragon vinegar, two tablespoons lemon juice, one-fourth teaspoon salt and dash of pepper. Mix well. Makes two cups dressing and serves eight."
---"Requested Recipes," Marian Manners, Los Angeles Times, December 31, 1937 (p. A6)
[1946]
"Green Goddess Salad Dressing.
The Palm Court of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco has become famous for its Green Goddess salad dressing, and I have the gracious permission of Mr. Edmond A. Reider, general manager of the Palace Hotel, to include this marvelous dressing.
8 to 10 fillets of anchovies
1 piece of young onion
Little parsley and tarragon leaves, chopped fine
3 cups mayonnaise
Rub a bowl with garlic, or use a little garlic-flavored oil. Mix the above ingredients; add a little tarragon vinegar and finely cut chives. Cut romaine, escarole, and chicory. Mix all together and serve. use 1 tablespoonful for each person."
---Trader Vic's Book of Food & Drink, Victor Bergeron, with an introduction by Lucius Beebe [Doubleday & Company:New York] 1946 (p. 197)
[1949]
"This California creation...originated in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. And Miss Genevieve Callahan says in her appetizing volume, "The California Cook Book," that it was named in honor of George Arliss when he was appearing in "The Green Goddess." This recipe, tested in our kitchen, as it comes from our informant, follows:
Green Goddess Salad
About Roquefort cheese
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 670
Roquefort...has been made for thousands of years...but the earliest known record of it in English is not before 1726."
---An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 286)
"According to legend, Roquefort was discovered centuries ago-possibly before the Christian era...The legend has it that a shepherd boy in the rocky country of the Causses left his lunch of bread and ordinary curd cheese in one of the cool caves of the district, thinking to come back for it later in the day. But it was weeks before he returned to find his abandoned lunch. Then, with the morbid curiousity of those who cannot throw anything away without peeking first, he looked, he smelled, and then he tasted. At which there may well have followed on of the greatest Aha's in gastronomic history...And since 1411 when Charles VI issued a decree restricting the name Roquefort fo the cheese made int he Roquefort district of the Causses, no other...could be called Roquefort."
---The Cheese Book, Vivienne Marquis and Patricia Haskell [Leslie Frewisn:London] 1964 (p. 127-8)
Recommended reading: The Roquefort Adventure/Henri Pourrat p> Roquefort salad dressing: Our food history sources indicate Roquefort dressing, as we know it today, may be a relatively new item. None of the sources we checked credit a particular person/place with the invention. We do know that creamy cheese dressings were not part of early modern French cuisine. Roquefort dressing/sauce is not included in Escoffier's Guide Culinaire [1907]. It is the "dressing of choice" for classic American Iceberg Wedge salad , circa 1950s-1960s.
[1911]
Roquefort...is generally eaten in small quantities at the end of a dinner. It is especially delightful if rolled with half its bulk of butter, sprinkled liberally with cayenne pepper and spread on toasted biscuits. It is also used to fill the hollow parts of stalks of celery, etc."
---The Grocer's Encyclopedia, Artemas Ward [New York] (p. 123)
[1916]
"Roquefort cheese dressing.
Mix one-fourth cupful of Roquefort cheese to a paste with one-third cupful of olive oil, add one-half teaspoonful of mustard, salt and pepper to taste and enough paprika to make it a creamy pink color, then add one tablespoonful of vinegar and beat the dressing while slowly adding more olive oil until it is thin enough to serve. This dressing is suitable for lettuce, tomatoes and other green vegetable salads."
---Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes, Marion Harris Neil [David McKay:Philadeliphia] 1916 (p. 171-2)
Russian
There is some controversy regarding the origin of Russian Salad and Russian Salad Dressing. Primary evidence confirms these recipes were known in Russia in the 19th century. They were introduced by the French and known as "Vinaigrette" or "Salad Olivier." American food historians generally believe that Russian Salad/Dressing are American inventions based on selected ingredients associated with Russian cuisine. Russian dressing, as we know it today, it is a creamy vinaigrette concoction. These dressing were popular in the 19th century. This is also the base for French Dressing .
"Russian dressing. A salad dressing made form mayonnaise, pimiento, chile sauce, green pepper, and chives. It is so called possible because the mixture was thought to resemble those found in Russian salads, but it is American in origin, first found in print in 1922."
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 278)
"I rather doubt that you will find a recipe for Russian dressing in any Russian cookbook, and it seems quite definately of American origin. To the best of my knowledge you won't find it in the French repertory of cooking under sauce Russe or otherwise. It is my belief that the original recipe for the dressing contained caviar, in addition to mayonnaise, chili sauce, horeseradish, and grated onion, and that this is the source of the name."
---Craig Claiborne's The New York Times Food Encyclopedia, compiled by Joan Whitman [Times Books"New York] 1985 (p. 376)
"Like strawberries Romanoff, other dishes that Americans associate with Russia carry Russian names but are not part of the traditional cusine. These include russian dressing, a mixture of mayonnaise and chili sauce...Some food writers claim that russian dressing got its name because it once contained caviar, but that is unlikely. The name probably refers to the Russian love of pickles, as pickles or relish are often added to the dressing."
---Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Andrew F. Smith editor [Oxford University Press:New York] 2004, Volume 2 (p. 379)
The earliest print reference we find for Russian Dressing is a menu from the Gridiron Club: "Endive Salad, Russian Dressing..." Washington Post, October 10, 1911 (p. 1). According to the article below, Russian salads and their dressings were fashionable in the years immediately preceding The Great War. Predictably, every cook offered a unique interpretation of this particular salad.
Early recipes
[1912]
"Vegetable Salad, Russian Dressing
For this delicious salad, arrange on lettuce some string beans, asparagus, beets and corn. Serve with Russian dressing, which is made by thinning a mayonnaise dressing with chili sauce, chopped parsley, onion and green pepper."
---"Tested Recipes," Wilkes-Barre Times [PA], December 4, 1912 (p. 16)
[1914]
"Russian Dressing
A very excellent recipe for "Russian Dressing" is as follows: Get a large bowl and mixer, then beat yolk of 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon of mustard and 1 of salt, a dash of paprika and 1/2 cup vinegar. Mix up well and, while mixing, add 1 pinch olive oil and continue mixing until thick. Strain one-half bottle of chili sauce throuh a cloth and mix what remains with the dressing. Add some chopped chives and a dahs of Worcestershire sauce and the dressing is complete."
---"Household Department," Boston Daily Globe, January 23, 1914 (p. 14)
What we Americans know as Russian Salad originated in the that country in the 19th century. It was created by a French chef and composed (partly) of native ingredients. Most notably, beets and pickles. In Russia it was called "Salad Olivier," after the chef who concocted it:
"Salad Olivier. This salad is a creation of a French chef, M. Olivier, who in the 1860s opened a fashionable Moscow restaurant, The Ermitage, where the salad became so popualr that ever dinner in the restaurant included it. The original recipe involved grouse meat, crayfish tails, and truffles. The most respected chefs in town tried to re-create the dish, but it never came out as well as at The Ermitage, possible because of the unique compound flavoring of the mayonnaise, whose secret M. Olivier never divulged."
---The Art of Russian Cuisine, Anne Volokh [MacMillan:New York] 1983 (p. 60)
"As for 'Russian salad', as interpereted in western countries (i.e. diced cooked vegetables in or with mayonnaise), it was essentiallly a French-Russian creation called Vinegrety which had a dressing of oil and vinegar."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 676)
Compare these recipes:
Thousand Island dressing
Many food historians credit Sophia LaLonde , of Clayton NY, with the invention of Thousand Island dressing. Her recipe, as legend has it, was popular with vacationers summering in the Thousand Island region between New York and Canada. LaLonde's hotel, now renamed the Thousand Island Inn, stills serves the "original product." We've been there and it is delicious! Historians also credit two other originators for this dressing: Oscar Tschirky, of the Waldorf Astoria [NYC] and Chef Theo Rooms [Chicago]
"National Culinary Progress, official organ of Progressive Culinary Association, published at Chicago, give the origin of Thousand Island Dressing. Chef Theo Rooms of the Drake Hotel, Chicago, is credited as being the originator of this famous dressing. It was first produced in The Blackstone of Chicago, when this hotel was first opened, and Mr. Rooms was the chef de garde manger. The magazine quotes Mr. Rooms to the effect that it was first called Blackstone Dressing. Later, Mr. Rooms, in collaboration with Albert Awater, maitre d'hotel of the Blackstone, gave to it the name Thousand Island Dressing. Another story of its creation is that it origainted in the home of George C. Boldt, in the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River, and that it was served under the name of Thousand Island Dressing in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, before served in The Blackstone." ---Author's note, The Edgewater Beach Hotel Salad Book, Arnold Shircliffe [Hotel Monthly Press:Evanston IL] 1926 (p. 261-262)
The Blacktone connection
The earliest print reference we found for Blackstone Dressing was a dinner menu from the Hotel Holland Cafe, Duluth Minnesota, September 19, 1915, 6 to 8PM. "Head lettuce and Orange Salad, Blackstone Dressing," Duluth-News Tribune (MN), September 19, 1915 (p. 11). The earliest recipe we found was this:
[1919]
"Blackstone Dressing
Mix with four tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise dressing four tablespoonfuls of whipped cream, two of chili sauce and two of tomato catsup with two of vinegar. Roquefort cheese may be added if desired."
---"Helps for Home Needs," Pueblo Chieftan [Colorado], Feburary 28, 1919 (p. 5)
What were the original Thousand Island dressing ingredients? If the owners of the hotel (now holders of the trademark) won't divulge, it is unlikely we will ever know. There is no recipe for Thousand Island Dressing in Oscar Tschirky's famous Cookbook by "Oscar" of the Waldorf, circa 1908. Our survey of historic American newspapers offers the earliest references to Thousand Island dressing in 1912. Recipes begin to show up in American cookbooks about as 1916. As one might expect, there were several variations!
Surprisingly? The oldest print reference we found to Thousand Island Dressing came from a Texas newspaper:
"At University of Texas tent at the State Fair yesterday, Miss Rich gave a lecture on "Salds and Salad Dressing,"...Demonstration is given. Tomato and green pepper salad, vegetable salad with thousand island dressing and stuffed cherry salad were prepared. The following is a recipe for the vegetable salad and the dressing...thousand island dressing. This dressing is made by adding chopped onions, green pepper, nut meats, olives and pimentos to any good mayonnaise or cooked salad dressing."
---"University of Texas Tent is Thronged," Dallas Morning News [Texas], October 19, 1912 (p. 9)
[NOTE: the name of this dressing is NOT capitalized in this article.]
Sample early recipes:
[1912]
"Thousand Island Dressing
Take one cup mayonnaise dressing, mix, with one-half cup whipped cream, add small amount of Tarragon vinegar, one-half teaspoonful of Imperial Sauce, then chop one hard boiled egg, one green pepper, one pimento, one pinch chives, mix well together and squeeze the juice of one lemon before serving. This sauce can be served with any kind of salad."
---"Thousand Island Dressing," Kansas City Star [Missouri], November 26, 1912 (p. 7)
[1914]
"Thousand Island Dressing
Some one has asked you for the recipe for "Thousand Island" dressing. it is the oil mayonnaise, made as usual, then enough chili sauce added to satisfy the desires of the cook...The influx of recipe for the dressing...indicated, and after weeks of vain solicitation for the formula, reminds one of the beraking up of a 'log jam' in rivers that border lumbering districts. Were I to undertake the publication of one-half that like before me, there would be room for nothing else in our Corner for a month to come. The oddest part of the flood is that no three recipes are alike. One is ready to ask if tha number may not, in the long run, rival that of the islands from which the formula borrowed its name. The honorable authority authority quoted above has apparently supplied the key to the enigma. All have one and the same foundation. And many have builded thereupon."
---"Marian Harlan's Helping Hand," Marian Harland, Chicago Daily Tribune, February 6, 1914 (p. 16)
[1916]
"Thousand Island Dressings
No. 1.--Mix one-half cupful of mayonnaise dressing with one-half cupful of whipped cream, add two tablespoonfuls of chopped pimientoes, one tablespoonful of chopped green peppers, one chopped hard-cooked egg, one-half teaspoonful of chopped chives, one-half tablespoonful of tomato catchup and one-half tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. Stir well together and serve with any green salad.
No. 2.--Rub one hard-cooked egg through a sieve, add two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped onion, two small cooked or canned beets, finely chopped, one half cupful of mayonnaise dressing, one tablespoonful of sieved chili sauce and four tablespoonfuls of thick cream. Chill before using.
No. 3.--Put one-half cupful of olive oil into a jar, add the strained juice of half a lemon and half an orange, one tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, one teaspoonful of onion-juice, six chopped olives, six chopped cooked chestnuts, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth teaspoonful of paprika, one teaspoonful of walnut or mushroom catchup, one teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar, a few drops of Tabasco sauce and one-fourth teaspoonful of mustard. Cover the jar and shake the mixture for eight minutes. Serve with lettuce, endive, tomato and combination salads."
---Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes, Marion Harris Neil [David McKay:Philadelphia] 1916 (p. 168-9)
[1917]
| i don't know |
Known for his love of Ludwig van, what is the name of the piano playing character in the Peanuts comic strip? | Schroeder | Peanuts Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Noah Johnston (2015)
Daniel Thornton (2016)
"I kind of like Schroeder. He’s fairly down to earth, but he has his problems too. He has to play on the painted black piano keys, and he thinks Beethoven was the first President of the United States."
Charles M. Schulz on Schroeder
Schroeder is a major male character in the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz . He is distinguished by his precocious skill at playing the piano, as well as by his love of classical music and the composer Ludwig van Beethoven in particular. Schroeder is also the catcher on Charlie Brown's baseball team and the object of Lucy van Pelt 's unrequited love .
After Linus van Pelt and Snoopy , Schroeder is probably Charlie Brown 's closest friend; he once angrily denounced Violet for giving Charlie Brown a used valentine well after Valentine's Day had come and gone (only to be undercut when Charlie Brown eagerly accepted it), and he is one of the few baseball players who has any respect for Charlie Brown as a manager (although he is as capable of ire at Charlie Brown's poor performance as anyone else, such instances are few and far between).
Contents
History
Schroeder's first appearance in the strip from May 30, 1951.
Schroeder was introduced as a baby on May 30, 1951 . Within a short time, however, he had aged to nearly the same age as the other characters. He initially had no notable characteristics, but Schulz eventually had the idea to incorporate his daughter Meredith's toy piano into the strip. He decided to give it to the strip's newest character, and thus the character as he is known to millions of fans was born. The origin of his name can be found in Schulz's 1975 book, Peanuts Jubilee:
"Schroeder was named after a young boy with whom I used to caddy at Highland Park golf course in St. Paul. I don't recall ever knowing his first name, but just 'Schroeder' seemed right for the character in the script, even before he became the great musician he now is."
In the September 24, 1951 strip, Charlie Brown makes an attempt to show the infant how to play a toy piano, but is quickly embarrassed when Schroeder completely outclasses him. However, his love for Beethoven specifically did not begin until October 10 of that same year.
Character and appearance
A bust of Ludwig van Beethoven, Schroeder's favorite composer and hero.
Even though Schroeder is an accomplished musician, his piano is only a toy, and the black keys are merely painted on to the white keys. In one strip, Charlie Brown tries to get him to play a real piano, but Schroeder bursts out crying, intimidated by its size.
Ludwig van Beethoven is Schroeder's favorite composer, as revealed in the February 27, 1955 strip. In it, Lucy takes his bust of Beethoven and smashes it, but Schroeder simply takes another one from a closet full of Beethoven busts. Every year, Schroeder marks Beethoven's birthday on December 16, although in a series of strips from December 1957 he forgets the date, is in shock when he finds out about it the following day and feels terrible for several days afterwards. When Charlie Brown's baseball team was required to have a sponsor to play games, Schroeder chose "Beethoven" as a sponsor. In the early strips, Schroeder also played music by other composers. Schulz once remarked that he had originally decided to depict Johannes Brahms as Schroeder's favorite composer, but decided that Beethoven sounded "funnier."
Another distinguishing character trait of Schroeder is his constant refusal of Lucy's love. Lucy is infatuated with Schroeder, and frequently leans against his piano while he is playing, professing her love for him. However, since Beethoven was a lifelong bachelor, Schroeder feels that he must emulate every aspect of his idol's life - even though it is insinuated that he reciprocates Lucy's feelings. In a story arc where she and the rest of her family have moved out of town, Schroeder becomes frustrated with his music and mutters disbelievingly that he misses her. Despite his constant animosity towards her, Schroeder would come to realize that Lucy has unwittingly become his muse and he cannot play without her. In the December 16, 1984 strip [1] , Schroeder kisses Lucy on the cheek, but when Lucy turns around, she sees Snoopy instead. Believing Snoopy was the one who kissed her, she runs away screaming, while Schroeder calls for her to come back; showing he has some feelings for Lucy.
Schroeder declares himself to be a hockey player in the strip from December 7, 1971 .
Schroeder is a member of Charlie Brown's baseball team , often seen as a catcher (notably as far from outfielder, Lucy, as possible). In this capacity, he has often been shown to provide backhanded compliments on Charlie Brown's pitching. Also, he will run through a list of complicated signals, only to end up with something to the effect of, "Just throw it down the middle. He'll hit it out no matter what you throw, anyway." He is also described as a good hitter, 'one of the best on the team' Charlie Brown said in one strip. He has also shown a love for hockey in some of the Peanuts comic strips, as well as some television specials.
The shirt that Schroeder wears has thick black stripes. In the animated TV specials and movies, it is colored purple.
Schroeder lives on 1770 James Street, which was revealed in the August 14, 1952 strip. He mentions that the street number is easy to remember because it was the year that Beethoven was born.
Relationships
Charlie Brown
Chralie Brown reads the story of Beethoven's life to the young Schroeder. Strip from October 10, 1951.
Schroeder is one of Charlie Brown 's closest friends. They have conferences on the pitcher's mound, in between pitches, mostly about Beethoven. He also often encourages Charlie Brown during a baseball game, whereas the rest of the team say, "Don't let us down by showing up!"
Charlie Brown is one of the few people Schroeder will allow to lounge against his piano, as he and Charlie Brown are good friends, and he knows that Charlie Brown respects his love of Beethoven. When they were younger, Charlie Brown would read Schroeder the story about Beethoven's life. Charlie Brown, in fact was the one that introduced Schroeder to the piano.
At various times Schroeder has been the first to defend Charlie Brown, for example, in one strip he berates Violet for giving Charlie Brown a used Valentine the day after Valentine's day just to avoid any guilt.
Lucy
Sunday strip from January 18, 1970 .
Frieda, like Lucy, likes to lie on Schroeder's piano, and Schroeder usually does not like it when she does it. He does not have any feelings for Frieda.
Snoopy
Snoopy will often watch and dance as Schroeder plays his piano, and many times, Snoopy will play with the notes. In the later years when the notes actually fell off the piano, Snoopy played with those too.
Schroeder's piano
See main article: Schroeder's piano .
Schroeder first plays a toy piano in the strip from September 24, 1951.
The piano's capability is illustrated in 1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas . Lucy asks Schroeder to play "Jingle Bells". Schroeder plays it in the style of a conventional piano, then manages to generate the warm tones of a Hammond organ, but Lucy cannot recognize the tune until the now-irritated Schroeder plays it, with one finger, in the tones of a normal toy piano. It is the only time in the history of the television specials that his toy piano ever actually sounds like a toy piano, with 'plinking' sounds.
Schroeder is normally a very impassive character, content to play his music, but can be angered quite easily if his music or his idol Beethoven are insulted. In one short Lucy points out to him the woefully inadequate single-octave range of a toy piano; an angry Schroeder yanks it out from under her and sends her flying. On another occasion, Lucy asks if pianists made a lot of money, and Schroeder flies into a rage, saying, "Who cares about money?! This is art, you blockhead! This is great music I'm playing, and playing great music is an art! Do you hear me? An art! Art! Art! Art! Art! Art!" (the last five words punctuated by slamming his hands against his piano).
The musical notes Schroeder plays also seem to have substance; characters are able to touch them as they appear in the air. Snoopy, for example, once decorated a Christmas tree using a handful of them, and has on at least one occasion been seen dancing atop the musical staff containing the notes.
On three occasions, Lucy has destroyed Schroeder's piano in an attempt to be rid of the "competition" for his affection. She first threw it into the Kite-Eating Tree , which apparently eats pianos as well. Her second attempt had her throw the piano down a sewer, from which it was was eventually washed into the river and out to sea. Schroeder ordered his replacement pianos from the Ace Piano Company. Along with his new piano, Schroeder received an autographed photo of Joe Garagiola . Another time Lucy destroyed both his piano and his bust of Beethoven; Schoeder calmly picked out a new piano and bust from a closet well-stocked with duplicate pianos and busts.
Portrayals
Chris Doran first voiced Schroeder in animation, in 1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas . Various actors have portrayed Schroeder since then, including Todd Barbee , who also voiced Charlie Brown from 1973 to 1974. Noah Johnston voiced Schroeder in The Peanuts Movie in 2015.
The Broadway musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown featured Skip Hinnant as Schroeder in the 1967 version, and the African-American actor Stanley Wayne Mathis in the 1999 version.
Trivia
In the TV special Play It Again, Charlie Brown , Schroeder addresses Peppermint Patty as "Patricia". This is one of the very few occasions where she is called by that name.
Schroeder is one of the many Peanuts characters to appear in the video game Snoopy's Street Fair , in which, he plays his toy piano .
The video game character Lucas from Mother 3 has a resemblance to him
| Schroeder |
Name the 1995 movie from the IMDB plot summary: "A boat has been destroyed, criminals are dead, and the key to this mystery lies with the only survivor and his twisted, convoluted story beginning with five career crooks in a seemingly random police lineup."? | The Peanuts Movie (2015) - IMDb
IMDb
There was an error trying to load your rating for this title.
Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later.
X Beta I'm Watching This!
Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.
Error
Watch Now
From $14.99 (HD) on Amazon Video
Snoopy embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their arch-nemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home to win the love of his life.
Director:
a list of 36 titles
created 18 Feb 2014
a list of 38 titles
created 02 Jan 2015
a list of 29 titles
created 20 Sep 2015
a list of 41 titles
created 11 months ago
a list of 41 titles
created 9 months ago
Title: The Peanuts Movie (2015)
7.1/10
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.
Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 45 nominations. See more awards »
Videos
Edit
Storyline
Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole gang are back in a heartwarming story. A new girl with red hair moves in across the street, and Charlie Brown falls in love. Now he tries to impress the red haired girl to make her feel like he's a winner, but Charlie Brown just can't do anything right. At the same time, Snoopy is writing a love story about his continuing battles with The Red Baron. Then Charlie Brown has accomplished something never done before. He gets a perfect score on his standardized test, but there has been a mistake. Should he tell the truth and risk losing all of his newfound popularity? Can Charlie Brown get the girl to love him or will he go back to being a nothing? Written by Adam Nunez
Franklin: Mr. Ice. Guy. See more »
Genres:
6 November 2015 (USA) See more »
Also Known As:
Blue Sky Studios Peanuts by Schulz See more »
Box Office
$44,213,073 (USA) (6 November 2015)
Gross:
Did You Know?
Trivia
The script was created in 2006 by Charles M. Schulz 's son and grandson Craig Schulz and Bryan Schulz , respectively. See more »
Goofs
At one point Snoopy determines which way the wind is blowing by dropping a handful of grass. The grass is carried away by the wind, but the snowflakes fall straight down as if there is no wind. See more »
Quotes
Lucy van Pelt : I oughta slug you. Ugh! I've been kissed by a dog! I have dog germs! Get hot water! Get some disinfected! Get some Iodine!
During the credits, Lucy and Charlie Brown perform the football gag See more »
Connections
Performed by Flo Rida feat. Michael Fitzpatrick (as Fitz)
Courtesy of Atlantic Entertainment Corp.
(Contains a sample of "54-46 Was My Number"
Courtesy of Island Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises/
Courtesy of D&F Music, Inc.)
Absolutely Faithful Adaptation that "Sparky" Would Be Proud Of
6 November 2015 | by christopher-cole83
– See all my reviews
Ten stars is too low of a rating! I am a thoroughly invested Peanuts fan, and have been for as long as I can remember (I'll be 32 this year). Peanuts is far and away my all time favorite cartoon. I have always appreciated the blend of childhood innocence with deep theology and philosophy that is present throughout the 65 years since the world was introduced to the lovable blockhead Charlie Brown (actually 68 years going back to 'Li'l Folks').
This movie continues the blend: both modern and classic animation styles that I believe set Blue Sky Studios apart from and ahead of both Pixar and Dreamworks; a classic Vince Guraldi soundtrack with some tastefully and not overdone modern sound; but best of all nearly all the classic tropes and references to story lines blended together in a thoroughly entertaining story that might have come from Schulz himself.
Without giving too much away, this movie has everything any and every super fan of Peanuts could want: kite eating tree; baseball; hockey; an epic battle with the Red Baron; Lucy's booth; Schroeder's toy piano and Beethoven; Snoopy sneaking into school; Leo Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'; and Charlie Brown pining away for the little red headed girl.
As I said, ten out of ten is too low a rating.
37 of 53 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
| i don't know |
If I'm on vehicles named Ganges Gertie, Irrawaddy Irma, Orinoco Ida, or Zambesi Zelda, what Disney World Magic Kingdom attraction am I on? | 25 Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Fun Facts | WDW Fan Zone
25 Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Fun Facts
Tweet
The Magic Kingdom was the first of the four main theme parks to open on Walt Disney World property and whether it’s your favorite or not I think we can all agree that there is something very special about this place. It is rich in history and detail so I thought I would share 25 very interesting and fun facts about the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom.
1. When the Magic Kingdom opened on October 1, 1971 the price for an adult admission was $3.50.
2. The 8 E ticket attractions located in the Magic Kingdom were:
Country Bear Jamboree
It’s A Small World
Jungle Cruise
Space Mountain
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
3. The tallest building in the Magic Kingdom is Cinderella’s Castle at 189 feet tall. The outside walls of Cinderella’s Castle is entirely made out of fiberglass. Also, there are 18 towers and 13 gargoyles.
4. On the Jungle Cruise attraction the name of the head salesman who offers two shrunken heads for one of the passengers is Trader Sam.
5. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel once known as Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1917. Disney purchased the carrousel in 1967 from Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey. The carrousel’s original name is Liberty.
6. The Astro Orbiter attraction located in Tomrrowland opened in 1974 under the name Star Jets.
7. The Tiki Room in Adventureland was originally known as the Tropical Serenade and it was sponsored by the Florida Citrus Growers.
8. The Swiss Family Robinson Tree House stands 60 feet tall and weighs 200 tons and is made of concrete and polyethylene leaves.
9. The Winnie the Pooh attraction in Fantasyland is housed in the site where Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride existed until 1998.
10. The names of the 6 trains of the Big Thunder mountain Railroad are:
IB Hearty
UR Courageous
UR Daring
11. The swinging suspension bridge that you travel to cross Tom Sawyer island to Fort Langhorne was named after Samuel Langhorne Clemens who most of us know as Mark Twain.
12. The Liberty Bell replica found in the center of Liberty Square was built out of the same cast mold as the original Liberty Bell located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
13. The Walt Disney World Railroad is an authentic 1928 steam-powered train.
14. The now extinct Mickey’s Toontown Fair was originally known as Birthdayland and then Mickey’s Starland.
15. To bcome a Galactic Hero at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin you need to score at least 900,000 points.
16. The name of the loveable audio-animatronic dog in the Carousel of Progress is Rover.
17. Stitch’s Great Escape attraction in Tomorrowland is housed in the site of the former Alien Encounter attraction that closed in 2003.
18. The Tomorrowland Speedway, an original Magic Kingdom attraction opened under the name Grand Prix Raceway and later changed to the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway. In 2008 the Indy was dropped from the name.
19. The People Mover formerly known as the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (“TTA”) was originally named the WEDway People Mover. The initials WED stand for Walter Elias Disney.
20. The design of Main Street USA was inspired by Walt Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri.
21. The names of the Jungle Cruise River boats are:
Amazon Annie
Wamba Wanda
Zambesi Zelda
22. Splash Mountain in Adventureland has a five-story plunge at a 45-degree angle at a speed of 40 miles per hour.
23. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin attraction in Tomorrowland is housed at the site of the former Disney’s Take Flight attraction that closed January 1998. Disney’s Take Flight attraction was previously known as Delta Dream Flight until Delta dropped their sponsorship in June of 1996.
24. The names of the 3 talking heads who introduce the Country Bear Jamboree are Buff, max, and Melvin.
25. The Magic Kingdom was actually built above ground. Depending on where you are in the park you may be as high as the 3rd story. The ground level (underground to guests) is a complex city of corridors called utilidors whose walls are color coded to signify the location. The utilidors function like a city below the park consisting of complicated tunnels with cafeterias, employee check cashing services, rehearsal rooms, and sanitation stations just to name a few.
Stuart Sternberg is a founder of WDW Fan Zone you can find him on Google + , Facebook , and follow him on twitter @disneygeekdad .
Related posts:
| Jungle Cruise |
After the invasion of Poland, which was the next country to be invaded by the Germans in World War II? | 50 Things You Didn't Know About Disney World - Disney Movies Overview
Home > latest news > 50 Things You Didn’t Know About Disney World
50 Things You Didn’t Know About Disney World
Think you know everything about Walt Disney World Resort and its four world-class theme parks – Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Think again! Even the biggest Disney fanatic will be amused, intrigued or surprised by some of the 50 fascinating Disney World facts listed below . . .
1. Walt Disney World encompasses 30,500 acres, making it approximately the same size as San Francisco.
2. When Disney’s Magic Kingdom first opened its doors on October 1, 1971, adult admission cost $3.50.
3. The opening day crowd at Disney’s Magic Kingdom was approximately 10,000 guests.
4. The eight “E ticket” attractions at Disney’s Magic Kingdom were Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, Jungle Cruise, It’s a Small World and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea.
5. The estimated annual attendance at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is 16.2 million, followed by Epcot with 9.9 million, Disney-MGM Studios with 8.6 million and Disney’s Animal Kingdom with 8.2 million.
6. Cinderella Castle is Disney’s tallest structure at 189 feet, followed by Space Mountain at 183 feet.
7. Both the Carousel of Progress and It’s A Small World made their debut at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.
8. The 180-foot-tall Spaceship Earth at the entrance to Epcot weighs approximately 16 million pounds.
9. The Haunted Mansion uses state-of-the-art Omnimover vehicles called “Doom Buggies.”
10. The jolly headhunter who shows up near the end of the Jungle Cruise is known as “Trader Sam.”
11. In conjunction with the 2006 release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men’s Chest, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney’s Magic Kingdom was renovated to add several characters from the movie such as Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa.
12. The icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, The Tree of Life, stands 14 stories, features more than 300 animal carvings and is 50 feet wide.
13. Built in 1917, Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel in Fantasyland was once located at Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey.
14. The Great Movie Ride at Disney-MGM Studios is housed in a replica of Mann’s Chinese Theater.
15. Astro Orbiter first opened in Tomorrowland in 1974 as Star Jets.
16. The Hall of Presidents had its origins as an audio-animatronic exhibition called “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” which premiered at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.
17. Originally known as the “Tropical Serenade,” the Tiki Room in Adventureland was once sponsored by Florida Citrus Growers.
18. The 60-foot-tall Swiss Family Treehouse in Adventureland weighs approximately 200 tons and is made of concrete and thousands of polyethylene leaves.
19. Cinderella Castle, the centerpiece of Disney’s Magic Kingdom, features 18 towers and 13 gargoyles.
20. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at Fantasyland is located on the site of the former Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
21. The “Spirits of America” statues in The American Adventure at Epcot represent Adventure, Compassion, Discovery, Freedom, Heritage, Independence, Individualism, Innovation, Knowledge, Pioneering, Self-Reliance and Tomorrow.
22. Towering four stories over DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Dino-Sue is an exact replica of the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered.
23. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland features six trains: I.B. Hearty, I.M. Brave, I.M. Fearless, U.B. Bold, U.R. Daring and U.R. Courageous.
24. The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – Starring Aerosmith at Disney-MGM Studios launches you at a speed of 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds.
25. A swinging suspension bridge leads from Tom Sawyer Island to Fort Langhorne, which was named after Samuel Langhorne Clemens (better known as Mark Twain).
26. The replica of the Liberty Bell that can be found in the center of Liberty Square was built from the same authentic cast as the original in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
27. The exit to Haunted Mansion features crypts with humorous names inscribed such as I.M. Ready, Rustin Peese, Pearl E. Gates, Manny Festation, Dustin T. Dust and Asher T. Ashes.
28. The Walt Disney World Railroad, which serves approximately 1.5-million passengers annually, is an authentic 1928 steam-powered train.
29. The Mission: SPACE thrill ride at Epcot is so authentic that motion sickness bags are available just in case of emergency.
30. Mickey’s Toontown Fair was once known as both Mickey’s Birthdayland and Mickey’s Starland.
31. Sonny Eclipse, an “intergalactic lounge singer,” performs daily at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café in Tomorrowland.
32. In order to rank as a “Galactic Hero” at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, you must score 900,000 to 999,999 points.
33. The audio-animatronic dog in the Carousel of Progress is named “Rover.”
34. Astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper and Jim Irwin were present at the grand opening of Space Mountain in 1975.
35. Stitch’s Great Escape in Tomorrowland lies at the former site of ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, which closed in 2003.
36. One of the original attractions at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Tomorrowland Indy Speedway was once known as Grand Prix Raceway.
37. Recently renamed The Seas with Nemo & Friends, The Living Seas pavilion opened at Epcot in 1986 and was originally sponsored by United Technologies.
38. “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience,” a 3-D film at Epcot, is located in Future World at the former site of “Captain EO,” another 3-D adventure that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starred Michael Jackson and Anjelica Huston.
39. Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus was the first champion at the Walt Disney World Open Invitational, which made its debut in 1971.
40. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority was originally called the WEDway People Mover (WED standing for Walter Elias Disney).
41. Disney’s Magic Kingdom, which encompasses approximately 107 acres, is itself larger than Disneyland, which only covers 80 acres in Anaheim, California.
42. The design of Main Street U.S.A. was loosely based on Walt Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri.
43. The Swiss Family Treehouse is of the species Disneyodendron eximus or “Out-of-the-Ordinary Disney Tree.”
44. The 189-foot-tall water tower icon at Disney-MGM Studios is known as the “Earffel Tower.”
45. Jungle Cruise riverboats include Amazon Annie, Bomokandi Bertha, Congo Connie, Ganges Gertie, Irrawaddy Irma, Kwango Kate, Mongala Millie, Nile Nelly, Orinoco Ida, Rutshuru Ruby, Sankuru Sadie, Senegel Sal, Ucvali Lolly, Volta Val, Wamba Wanda and Zambesi Zelda.
46. Splash Mountain in Adventureland features a five-story, free-fall plunge at a 45-degree angle into a splash pool at a speed of 40 miles per hour.
47. The 8,500-acre Disney Wilderness Preserve, which lies 15 miles South of Disney World, features a Conservation Learning Center and hiking trails.
48. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is located at the former site of If You Had Wings in Tomorrowland.
49. The three “talking heads” who introduce the Country Bears Jamboree are named Buff, Max and Melvin.
50. Approximately 46 million people visit Walt Disney World – including Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney – annually.
| i don't know |
True or False: A duck’s quack doesn’t echo? | Duck's Quacks Don't Echo? : snopes.com
Claim: A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
FALSE
Origins: Anyone who has used the Internet more than a week has probably received at least one of those annoying lists of "facts": dozens and dozens of items of no real significance that somebody thought would be cool for you to know. It is indeed fortunate that the lists are usually composed of
items of no real significance, because many of the entries are of dubious veracity. The purpose of these lists apparently is not to educate the masses (however trivially), but to induce readers into the information age equivalent of a scavenger hunt, sending them scurrying all over the Internet in an attempt to verify the truthfulness of the entries. Ours is one of the virtual doors that gets knocked on quite frequently by these scavengers, and while we're glad to help, our job is never done because anyone can make up lists like
these: just
invent four or five of the most far-fetched statements you can imagine, and follow them with the phrase "and no one knows why." To wit:
Ostrich eggs have no yolks, and no one knows why.
Julius Caesar was left-handed, and no one knows why.
Banging your head against a solid wall really hurts, and no one knows why.
The winner (so far) of the Most Ludicrous Entry contest is the claim that a duck's quack doesn't echo. Unfortunately, it's also the item we're most frequently asked about. The premise is just silly: a duck's quack (and presumably, of all the sounds known to man, only a duck's quack) has some special sonic property that causes it not to echo. We're not talking about a situation where a landform
creates an acoustic shadow (a phenomenon under which even loud sounds can be inaudible to nearby listeners), but the claim that a duck's quack doesn't echo under any conditions.
One of the main problems with such a claim is that the term "a duck's quack" is non-specific. Different species of duck make different sounds, and there are a lot of breeds of duck in the world. And anyone who has spent time around ducks knows that even within the same species of duck, a male's quack can sound nothing like a female's. (Female mallards, for example, make loud honking sounds, but male mallards produce a much softer, rasping sound.) Do all these varied sounds, without exception, fail to produce echoes?
I could dismiss this one merely from personal experience. Although I grew up in suburbia, much of my youth was spent raising various kinds of domesticated animals, particularly ducks and geese. When our ducks got to quacking in unison, I could most assuredly hear the cacophony of sound as it echoed off the stone walls that surrounded our yard and entered my bedroom window. So could neighbors who lived a few hundred feet down the street and frequently called us to complain about the noise. The surprise was not that our ducks' quacks didn't echo, but that they echoed so remarkably well.
Fortunately, we now have more than my personal experience to offer in debunking this myth, as an acoustic research experiment carried out in 2003 by Trevor Cox of the acoustics research center at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester set this legend to rest:
Acoustic expert Trevor Cox tested the popular myth — often the subject of television quiz shows and Internet chat rooms — by first recording Daisy's quack in a special chamber with jagged surfaces that produces no sound reflections.
She was then moved to a reverberation chamber with cathedral-like acoustics before the data was used to create simulations of Daisy performing at the Royal Albert Hall and quacking as she flew past a cliff face.
The tests revealed that a duck's quack definitely echoes, just like any other sound, but perhaps not as noticeably.
"A duck quacks rather quietly, so the sound coming back is at a low level and might not be heard," Cox [said].
"Also, a quack is a fading sound. It has a gradual decay, so it's hard to tell the difference between the actual quack and the echo. That's especially true if you haven't previously heard what it sounds like with no reflections."
He said ducks were normally found in open-water areas and didn't usually congregate around echoey cliffs, which may have fueled the theory that their quacks don't produce an echo.
"You get a bit of reverberation — it's distinctly echoey," Cox said
Trevor Cox expounds on this bit of research in his forthcoming work, The Sound Book: The Science of the Sonic Wonders of the World:
There is a saying, "A duck's quack doesn't echo and no one knows the reason why." Hoping to disprove this one slow afternoon at the office, I found myself semiprone on a grassy knoll, pretending to interview a duck named Daisy. Every time she quacked or stretched and opened her wings, camera shutters fluttered like castanets. My colleagues stood close by, unable to contain their laughter. The press had caught wind of our modest attempt to correct the misconception about the supposed non-echoing quack and were doing their best to turn it into an international news event.
A few months before the photo shoot with Daisy, Danny McCaul, the laboratory manager at Salford University, had been approached by BBC
Radio 2
to find out whether the phrase "a duck's quack doesn't echo" was true or false. Ignoring Danny's careful explanation of why a quack will echo, the factoid was still broadcast. Annoyed that his acoustic prowess had been overlooked, Danny and some of his colleagues, including me, decided we needed to gather scientific evidence to prove the point.
Convincing a farm to lend us a duck and transporting it to the laboratory were probably more time-consuming than the actual experiments. First we placed Daisy in the anechoic chamber and made a baseline measurement of an echo-free quack. The anechoic chamber is an ultrasilent room where sound does not reflect from the walls; it is without echoes, as the name implies. It was important to have a reference sound without echoes; after all, this was a serious piece of science and not a bit of Friday afternoon fun. After a brief comfort break for Daisy, she was carried next door to the reverberation chamber, which sounds like a cathedral with a very long reverberation time, despite being little bigger than a tall classroom. Normally, the chamber is used to test the acoustic absorption of building parts like theater seating or studio carpets. In this room, Daisy's quacks sounded evil and ghostly as they echoed around the room, the noise prompting her to cry out again and again. We had created the ultimate sound effect for a horror movie, provided the film featured a vampire duck.
An echo is a delayed repetition of sound, which for a duck might be caused by a quack reflecting off a cliff. The vampiric cry in the reverberation chamber demonstrated that quacks reflect from surfaces like every other sound. We were not surprised by the result, not least because there are bird species that echolocate, using wall reflections to navigate caves.
But caves and reverberation chambers are not a natural habitat for ducks like Daisy. We were curious to know what happens outdoors. To hear a clear single echo from Daisy, I would need a stretch of water with a large reflecting surface, such as a cliff, nearby. In such a place, sound would travel directly from the duck to my ear, followed shortly by the delayed reflection from the cliff. In the taxonomy of echoes, this is a monosyllabic echo, where there is just time to say one syllable before an echo arrives. But Daisy and I could not be too near the cliff, or my brain would combine the reflection with the quack travelling directly from her beak to my ear, and I would hear only one sound.
I must admit that my field experiments were crude. Though I could not bring Daisy, I did wander around various ponds, canals, and rivers listening to wildfowl. In none of these places could I hear a clear, audible quack separate from the original call. In the end, I came to the conclusion that the phrase should say, "A duck's quack might echo, but it's impossible to hear unless the bird quacks while flying under a bridge."
Last updated: 24 January 2015
Tags:
| False |
What can be a defunct Ford model, an NBA player, and a TV western? | 20 Animal Myths That Will Have You Questioning Everything
graceeire.com
Humans love to gossip — to spread information that may or may not be true. It's like an engrained part of the Homo sapiens psyche. I mean...if everyone's saying the same thing, it must be true, right? Same goes for the folklore that surrounds animal "facts" and behavior. Some of these rumors have been making the rounds since we were all still in Pull-Ups, but you'll be surprised to hear that ALL of these so-called "truths" are actually totally false.
1. When a duck quacks, it doesn't echo.
Flickr / dewet
Okay, just think about this for a second. A quack produces sound waves that bounce off of solid surfaces just like any other noise. Ducks just tend to live in open spaces, where any sound is unlikely to echo. This is just common sense! Quacks do echo!
2. All bees die immediately after they sting you.
Flickr / Andy Murray
There are over 20,000 different species of bees. Yes, a certain species of honeybee has a barbed stinger that sticks in a human's thick skin , and when it pulls away it tears itself in half and dies. But that is just one of literally thousands of other species.
3. Everyone swallows a certain amount of spiders each year.
Flickr / Linda Tanner
We can't say that it doesn't ever happen, but there have been no scientific studies that prove that spiders will crawl into an open mouth while you sleep. If you think about it, it's completely illogical for a spider to willingly walk into the mouth of a giant predator that can squash it in a moment.
4. Turtles vs. Tortoises
Flickr / Axel Naud
People get this distinction mixed up all the time. Tortoises have stumpy feet with claws to get around on land, and turtles have webbed feet to swim through water. But even so, some regions just group the two together as turtles...so maybe just call them cute little guys in shells to avoid drama (or chelonians, which is the scientific name encompassing the two).
5. Animal sex is all about procreation.
Flickr / Mark Bray
Male mice actually sing a little song to females before doing the deed. Humans can't hear it because it's ultrasonic, but when the frequencies are adjusted, it forms a complete song. Also, Ultrasonic Love would be a pretty cool band name.
6. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Flickr / Michelle Tribe
Sure you can. Just fit in a couple practice sessions for a week or two and your old dog will be sitting and staying with the best of those young whippersnappers. This phrase is actually more directed to stubborn people who refuse to change their ways. So don't put this silly misconception on old dogs...blame that friend of yours who always needs to be right, even when they're wrong.
7. Touching a toad can give you warts.
Don't be silly. Warts are caused by a human virus. Toads and frogs just have lumpy skin. Two totally different things!
8. Lemmings commit mass suicide.
They just have slightly unconventional migration patterns that cause their populations to fluctuate over the years...that's just life, people.
9. Bats are blind...as a bat?
Sure, bats use sonar to see at nighttime, but they still have functional eyes. So no, Grandma is not as blind as a bat when she can't read the newspaper headlines...she's blind as a grandma.
10. Opossums hang upside down from their tails.
While they do hold on with their tails for a little extra support, adult opossums weigh too much for it to even be possible to hang solely from their tails.
11. Crocs are super slow on land.
False. They can move up to 10 miles per hour, and given that they don't even attack their prey until they're nearby and unsuspecting...that speed limit is plenty.
12. Camels store water in their humps.
Flickr / Isabell Schulz
More like giant muffin tops. Those humps store fat, not water -- but the underlying function of the myth is similar. That hump fat can fuel a camel the same as three weeks of food. But how do they hydrate? Their kidneys and intestines are so efficient at retaining as much fluid as possible, that the animal's pee is a syrupy texture, and their poo is dry enough to fuel fires. That is both gross and really cool at the same time.
13. Don't help a baby bird or its mother will abandon it!
Flickr / Wendy
False. The thing here is to identify whether the bird actually needs help or not before doing anything. If it is still a nestling (weak, small, not a lot of feathers), it's suggested that you return it to its nest as soon as possible. If it's a fledgling (bigger, basically a teenager), you should just leave him alone. In either scenario, though, birds will not discard a baby because of human scent. They don't use scent to recognize their young.
14. Koala "bears."
Koalas are actually marsupials, not bears at all. Sure, they look like a stuffed teddy bear, but we as humans are more genetically similar to bears than koalas are. Who knew?!
15. Bulls see red and want to attack.
Flickr / Arild Andersen
Bulls don't care about the color. They're agitated from the excitement of the ring, and will attack anything you wave at them. The movement and noise are the real factors here, so don't think you're safe in the running of the bulls just because you chose a blue shirt.
16. Pigs are dumb.
Flickr / Lis S.
Well, they're smarter than your toddler...so you might want to reconsider this ridiculous myth. Pigs test higher on joystick puzzles and tests than young human children, and learn their own name just one week after being born. They're also honorary dogs in some cases.
17. Sheep are ALSO dumb!
Sheep are quick learners, can adapt to their surrounding circumstances, and might even be able to plan ahead.
18. Penguins tip over when they look up towards airplanes above.
Flickr / Christopher Michel
This seems strange, but British pilots reported the phenomenon when they flew close to the ground over South America. It's not true, though — penguins can keep their footing. That doesn't mean that they won't get scared and flee their nests, though, which isn't good either.
19. Goldfish are delicate little flowers.
Flickr / Benson Kua
Totally untrue. Yes, sometimes they end up in an early grave/toilet bowl...but these fish are actually pretty hardy in nature. The fish can survive for hours outside of water; they go into something of a hibernation state until they're returned to water.
20. Ostriches shove their heads into sand when they're scared.
Flickr / Dan Taylor
These huge birds are pretty much glorified raptors, weighing up to 320 pounds and reaching speeds of about 40 miles per hour. Do you really think that creatures with those stats would stick their head in sand rather than simply run or stay around to fight? They've been known to win fights against lions with their perfectly executed kicks.
The more you know! Just a reminder to follow your fifth grade history teacher's advice and always double-check the facts!
Need more ViralNova in your life? Sign up for our newsletter today!
Email Address
| i don't know |
The birth, at Baekdu Mountain, of what Asian despot was foretold by a swallow, and heralded by the appearance of a double rainbow over the mountain and a new star in the heavens? | Kim Jong Il- Nutjob, Alien or Saviour?, page 1
link
Okay, I really didn't know where to post this...
Now I know we all have our feelings about this somewhat eccentric and just kooky world leader, but there are many tales coming out of North Korea that he is more then he appears...
Official biographers claim that his birth at Baekdu Mountain was foretold by a swallow, and heralded by the appearance of a double rainbow over the mountain and a new star in the heavens.
Many North Koreans also believe that he has the "magical" ability to "control the weather" based on his mood, and has apparently demonstrated his ability to make it rain many times. Now it could be propaganda(my guess) or some kind of technology but in any case it still seems interesting.
Even some rumors state he died and was replaced by an alien while others state he has completely brain washed the people of North Korea. I can't help but think this is all propaganda but the fact remains he really is a cartoon super villain.
I don't understand how somehow so hated and "well known" to be a menace can be so loved over in his own country with many people worshiping his charismatic and larger then life personality. So what do you think- Nut job, Alien, Angel, Brainwasher, Dictator, misunderstood or is he just ronery oh so ronery?
PS: Here's a list of fun "facts".
1. Kim plans to solve North Korea's famine by breeding giant rabbits. In 2006, Kim finds out that there's a guy in Germany who breeds giant rabbits. Seriously huge rabbits. Like, rabbits the size of dogs.
And Kim just becomes enamored of these, to the point where he decides that giant rabbits will be the solution to his country's widespread hunger problems.
2. Kim shoots a 38 under par, complete with 11 holes-in-one, his first time golfing. You may not know this, but, according to the state-run North Korean media, Kim Jong-Il is the best golfer in history.
3. Kim becomes the world's largest buyer of Hennessy. Much like LL Cool J, The Luniz and Oscar Schindler, Kim Jong-Il loves tippin' some Hennessy. So he imports approximately $750,000 worth of it every year.
4. Kim loathes his height so much that he attempts to rid the capital of short people. Kim Jong-Il is only 5-foot-3. He hates this fact. He wears elevator shoes to hide it. He reveres people who are taller (apparently, when Secretary of State Madeline Albright visited North Korea, she brought him a Michael Jordan autographed basketball, which instantly became his prized possession).
5. Kim has his boyhood school blown up. More from his former tutor. Even though Kim's father was Kim Il-Sung, the former dictator of North Korea, Lil' Kim still had to go to school. Kim was a "rather ordinary student" who ended up having to work hard to do well.
6. Kim's love of films leads him to kidnap two South Korean filmmakers. It's well known that Kim Jong-Il loves movies... he's written books on filmmaking, he owns more than 20,000 movies, he's a reputed James Bond fan and, apparently, he's obsessed with Elizabeth Taylor.
7. Kim hires a staff to inspect his rice, to make sure each piece is the same size. In possibly the biggest example of his OCD, Kim apparently hates eating rice if every grain isn't uniform in length, plumpness and color. So he hires a staff of women to go through each and every grain of rice before it enters his palace's kitchen, making sure each piece meets Kim's standard.
8. Kim has schools teach people that his birth led to a spontaneous rainbow breakout... and that he doesn't defecate. Pretty much every textbook in North Korea is Kim-centric. And many focus on biographical details.
9. We’re all Forrest Gumps compared to Kim Jong Il’s rate of childhood development. According to official North Korean biographies of the Dear Leader, Kim learned to walk by the age of 3 weeks, talk by 8 weeks, and he wrote his first manifesto on the future of the Korean people by the age of 2 years.
10. Kim Jong Il injects himself with the blood of virgins to stay young.
Seriously this is actually what is said about him and what he tell his citizens.....
[edit on 18-1-2010 by Occy Anonymous]
link
Originally posted by Occy Anonymous
Official biographers claim that his birth at Baekdu Mountain was foretold by a swallow, and heralded by the appearance of a double rainbow over the mountain and a new star in the heavens.
9. We’re all Forrest Gumps compared to Kim Jong Il’s rate of childhood development. According to official North Korean biographies of the Dear Leader, Kim learned to walk by the age of 3 weeks, talk by 8 weeks, and he wrote his first manifesto on the future of the Korean people by the age of 2 years.
Isn't it obvious. He is the greatest human to have ever lived, past, present or future.
I don't think he is extraordinary in any way. He is just a narcissistic psychopath who happened to to become the ruler of a piece of land. He then used his power over the people of that land to enrich himself and follow a personal agenda.
ooh, I'm sorry but you did not phrase your answer in the form of a question.
lol... anyways, I can only imagine how mad he would get during a game of 'keep away.'
In reference to OP fact #4.
Originally posted by Occy Anonymous
4. Kim loathes his height so much that he attempts to rid the capital of short people. Kim Jong-Il is only 5-foot-3. He hates this fact. He wears elevator shoes to hide it. He reveres people who are taller (apparently, when Secretary of State Madeline Albright visited North Korea, she brought him a Michael Jordan autographed basketball, which instantly became his prized possession).
[edit on 18-1-2010 by sporkmonster]
reply to post by Occy Anonymous
There is so little we know about the person that it is not wise to judge what he is. All we know about him and N. Korea what western MSM propaganda machine has told us. Unless we hear both side of story it is logically incorrect to say anything about him.
I do agree with you. It is usually a bad idea to get facts about someone from the people and groups that dislike that person. That is often just ASKING to be spoon fed.
Also, you don't turn the land you rule in to the most politically isolated area in the world, without voicing ideas that most of the planet does not like. There is at least some substance to the news that he is insane.
I remember reading about the USS Pueblo crew. One of the members remembers looking out the window of the cell to see a high ranking DPRK official driving away in.... what else... an AMERICAN muscle car.
| Kim Jong-il |
Appaloosa, Tennessee Walking, and Arabian are all types of what? | What we know about North Korea | World news | The Guardian
What we know about North Korea
Gymnastics, propaganda and nuclear tests: a brief introduction to Kim Jong-il's communist dynasty
North Korean soldiers marching during a military parade in Kim Il-sung square, Pyongyang. Photograph: KCNA/AFP/Getty Images
Share on Messenger
Close
Thanks to his trademark Mao suit and Elvis-style sunglasses, and to North Korea's nuclear programme, Kim Jong-il has become an instantly recognisable figure and his country a regular feature in news headlines. Yet most people know little about the "hermit kingdom"; a title first applied to ancient Korea, but since judged perfectly suited to the modern North. It is successful not only at limiting its citizens' access to information – only senior officials can use the internet, for example – but also foreigners'. Intelligence agencies around the world are reduced to poring over photos of Kim to ascertain his state of health and therefore the country's stability. Much of what we know about him comes from the memoirs of his former sushi chef.
But over the years, more information has emerged. The border with China has become porous, with people moving back and forth and some in the area using Chinese mobile phone networks with smuggled handsets.
Until 1987 no visitors from "non-aligned" countries were allowed; by 1993, around 50 western tourists a year were visiting. Now just under 2,000 a year go there, along with up to 30,000 Chinese tourists, accompanied by guides at all times. Photographs are inspected – and often deleted – before tourists leave. And it is still relatively rare for journalists to win access.
And then there are the defectors, who paint an alarming picture of widespread human rights abuses, although many of their accounts date back to the 90s. According to a report from the UN High Commission for Human Rights this year: "The UN General Assembly has recognised and condemned severe Democratic People's Republic of Korea human rights violations including the use of torture, public executions, extrajudicial and arbitrary detention, and forced labour; the absence of due process and the rule of law; death sentences for political offenses; and a large number of prison camps.
"The government operates a semi-hereditary system of social discrimination whereby all citizens are classified into 53 subgroups under overall security ratings – 'core', 'wavering', and 'hostile' – based on their family's perceived loyalty to the regime. This rating determines virtually every facet of a person's life, including employment and educational opportunities, place of residence, access to medical facilities, and even access to stores."
Leadership
North Korea is the world's only communist dynasty: Kim Jong-il inherited power on the death of his father Kim Il-sung in 1994, although the latter remains eternal president and his son is instead Dear Leader.
Official biographers say that the 67-year-old was born in a military camp on Baekdu Mountain, his birth foretold by a swallow and heralded by the appearance of a double rainbow over the mountain and a new star in the heavens. According to Soviet records, however, he was born in a Siberian village.
In addition to his celestial endorsement, Kim is a three-time elected member of the country's rubber-stamp parliament. The country goes to the poll once every five years and there is one candidate per seat; turnout in 2003 was 99.9%.
Kim is said to have a fear of flying; his state visits to Russia and China have been made by armoured train. Only once is his voice thought to have been broadcast: in 1992, during a military parade, he told the crowd: "Glory to the heroic soldiers of the People's Army!"
While many have portrayed him as a clownish and eccentric figure – an image no doubt reinforced by his characterisation in Team America: World Police – others say he is smart and even witty. Shin Sang-ok – a South Korean film director who was kidnapped with his actor wife in 1978 so that he could build a North Korean film industry – has described a man naive in some ways but shrewd in others. He said Kim, a huge film buff, tended to regard Rambo and James Bond films as records of reality. Yet at one party, when band members rapturously applauded their leader, Kim turned to Shin and told him: "That's all fake."
His former sushi chef described a man with a violent temper and a love for large quantities of Hennessy VSOP cognac. Banquets used to last up to four days; his Pleasure Brigade, handpicked young women, provided the entertainment, sometimes ordered to dance naked.
And that's about it. Although, according to North Korean media, Kim's accomplishments are legion. His official biography says he has composed six operas and according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, he has described himself as an internet expert.
He is thought to have finally annointed the youngest of his three sons Kim Jong-un as his heir and "Brilliant Comrade", following his reported stroke last year. Even less is known about this leader-in-waiting. Educated in Bern, Switzerland, the 25-year-old is said to be a basketball fan. His former classmates say he also spoke highly of Jean-Claude Van Damme.
The Dear Leader's eldest son, Kim Jong-nam, is believed to have fallen from favour after Japanese authorities caught him trying to enter their country on a fake passport in 2001, apparently seeking to visit Tokyo Disneyland.
But most analysts suggest that whoever takes over will be essentially a figurehead or arbitrator rather than a sole ruler. They suggest the elite is composed of three broad interest groups rather than factions – the Kim family, the military and other officials – who know that their fates are intertwined and who all wish to maintain the status quo. Whether their planning for life after the Dear Leader works in practice will be another matter; some believe factionalism or a military takeover could lead to the collapse of the state.
History
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was formally established in 1948. Korea had been divided at the 38th parallel following the defeat of its occupier Japan in the second world war; the Soviet Union administered the North and the United States the South. When they were unable to reach a deal, separate governments were established – both maintaining they were the legitimate rulers of the whole peninsula. Kim Il-sung, an anti-Japanese resistance fighter, took the reins in the North.
In 1950, following a series of clashes along the border zone, the North invaded the South with the approval of the Soviet Union, but only limited military support. Despite initial successes, UN forces led by the US pushed the troops back and captured Pyongyang. China's entry into the war led to a bloody stalemate; around 2.5 million people are believed to have died. A ceasefire was eventually agreed in 1953, but a peace treaty has never been signed and the Demilitarised Zone is one of the most heavily militarised places in the world.
Relations with the Soviet Union deteriorated rapidly in the 60s , leaving the country more reliant on China, but Kim developed an ideology known as juche or self-reliance – as well as a personality cult – which thrives to this day under his son.
Culture, sport and the media
North Korea is famed for its Arirang mass gymnastic display – particularly the moments when thousands of perfectly choreographed performers hold up coloured cards to create huge and rapidly changing mosaic images. "The mass events are mindblowing – it's like nothing else," says Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours in Beijing, which has been running trips to the country since 1993. "The Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing was great, but it was a one-off. North Korea pulls that stuff out of the hat six weeks every year. A full scale mass games has 100,000 performers and God knows how many in logistical support."
Football is extremely popular and the national team has just qualified for the World Cup, for the first time since 1966. They will be hoping to surpass that notable event; to much surprise, that team beat Italy 1-0 at a match in Middlesbrough, gaining a spot in the quarter-finals where they lost to Portugal. North Koreans also like volleyball and there's a flying-saucer shaped baseball stadium in Pyongyang.
Other landmarks include the 105-floor pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel, which has been under construction since 1987, several revolving restaurants and two huge boulevards – 110m wide – in the city. Crossroads are overseen by female traffic police, reportedly hand-picked by Kim Jong-il for their beauty – although men manage the roundabouts. Traffic lights are in place, but rarely used.
Pyongyang's eight cinemas are said to be frequently closed due to lack of power; when open, they screen domestic propaganda movies with inspiring titles such as The Fate of a Self-Defence Corps Man.
The state news agency KCNA runs a curious combination of brief news items such as its coverage of Clinton's visit, angry denunciations of the treachery of "puppet authorities" in South Korea and long tales of the leadership's care for ordinary people. Tuesday, for example, saw the publication of a story about Kim Jong-il inspecting the cabbage harvest in autumn 1979. "The meticulous care shown by the leader for winter kimchi [pickled cabbage, a dietary staple] is still conveyed as an epic of great love," it concluded.
Economy
In the 60s, North Korea was one of the most industrialised of East Asian nations. But there is no clearer way to see its stagnation than to compare it to its neighbour, China – once a poor relation, now a capitalist powerhouse. Travel down the river which marks the two countries' border and the disparity is striking. On one side, neon blazes at night; on the other, there is almost complete darkness.
"The scarcity of cars, the early nights, the almost total absence of entertainment places, combined with the electricity shortages, means that by midnight Pyongyang is effectively a ghost city until six the next morning," writes Paul French in his book North Korea: The Paranoid Peninsula. Fuel shortages, exacerbated by sanctions, mean that heating can be problematic in a country where temperatures can fall to –10C or lower in winter. Possessions are limited; only around half of households have bicycles, leaving most to walk to work.
From 2002, the country has experimented with economic reforms, such as opening markets – although stock is usually very limited. Higher-ranked citizens can enter the department stores for foreigners and senior officials, although foreign currency is often required. Although Chinese goods are now available, most products are unique to North Korea – such as Vinalon, a widely used synthetic textile made from limestone.
But many analysts suggest that the North has now virtually given up on such reforms. And in May, as tensions on the peninsula escalated, it announced that it was tearing up the contracts for the Kaesong joint industrial complex it established with the South – a rare source of much-needed income, which employed 30,000 North Koreans.
In the countryside, the situation is more pressing than in the towns. A crippling famine in the mid-1990s killed hundreds of thousands of people and although the situation has improved, the country remains highly dependent on food aid – the World Food Programme estimates that 8.7 million of its 23 million inhabitants need assistance. The range of food items is extremely limited and meat is a luxury.
Because of the strict controls on where tourists can go, and what they can see, it is hard to assess the true state of affairs. "Pyongyang itself outwardly presents quite a smart image to the world – there were people with SLR cameras," said one recent visitor. "But we entered by train and when we were travelling through the countryside we did see some people in rags. We kept having power cuts and a guesthouse we stayed in – even though it is for foreigners – asked us what time we would like to have hot water."
Security
North Korea has a long history of tense relations with other regional powers and the west – particularly since it began its nuclear programme. China is regarded as almost its sole ally; even so, relations are fraught, based as much as anything on China's fear that the collapse of the current regime could lead to a flood of refugees and growing US influence on its border.
Although North Korea is thought to have begun seeking nuclear weapons as early as the 60s, because it feared attack, the issue first began making waves in 1993, when it said that it planned to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and refused to allow inspectors access to its nuclear sites. As relations deteriorated, the US braced itself for war – averted when a visit by Jimmy Carter helped to pave the way for a breakthrough deal.
Despite ups and downs in the relationship, Madeleine Albright – then secretary of state – visited Pyongyang in 2000 and an arms control treaty was agreed. With the arrival of George Bush – who deemed the North the third member of the "axis of evil", alongside Iraq and Iran – all bets were off. In 2006 the North's first nuclear test brought international condemnation. But not long afterwards, six-party aid for disarmament talks began.
Those hit a wall last year after Washington and Pyongyang clashed over how to verify disagreement. Tensions were also rising on the peninsula thanks to the South's election of Lee Myung-bak, who ended his predecessor's "sunshine policy" of free-flowing aid.
Since then, the North has ratcheted up its rhetoric, tested another nuclear device and launched a Taepodong 2 long-range rocket (the international reaction being neatly summarised in the Sun's headline, "It's All Gone Pete Tong: Kim Jong in Taepodong Ding-dong"). Though the rocket flew rather further than on its first test three years ago, when it disintegrated within seconds, it was far from successful. Experts believe North Korea has not yet been able to miniaturise an atomic weapon to place on a missile, but it may not be far off. The main fear is not that it will use such weapons itself, but that it will sell them to other states.
On the plus side, most experts regarded its escalating actions this year as a bid for attention from Barack Obama's administration – a bid that appears to have been successful, given Bill Clinton's visit. While primarily concerned with the fate of the two US reporters, and billed by the White House as "solely private", analysts believe it will in time lead to renewed talks.
Some White House officials modestly optimistic that Bill Clinton's trip could lead to a diplomatic breakthrough
Published: 5 Aug 2009
The former US president and the North Korean leader are both suspiciously talented
Published: 5 Aug 2009
| i don't know |
What country has the U.S. had a trade embargo on since 1962? | Economic Embargo Against Cuba
from his book
Cuba, between Reform and Revolution, 2nd Edition Pg. 346
"The U.S. trade embargo after 1961 had jolting effects. By the early 1960s, conditions in many industries had become critical due to the lack of replacement parts. Virtually all industrial structures were dependent on supplies and parts now denied to Cuba. Many plants were paralyzed. Havoc followed. Transportation was especially hard hit: the ministry was reporting more than seven thousand breakdowns a month. Nearly one-quarter of all buses were inoperable by the end of 1961. One-half of the 1,400 passenger rail cars were out of service in 1962. Almost three-quarters of the caterpillar tractors stood idle due to a lack of replacement parts."
1962
February 7. President Kennedy broadens the partial trade restrictions imposed by Eisenhower to a ban on all trade with Cuba, except for non-subsidized sale of foods and medicines.
March 23. President Kennedy expands the Cuban embargo to include imports of all goods made from or containing Cuban materials, even if made in other countries.
August 1. The Foreign Assistance Act is amended to prohibit aid to "any country" that provides assistance to Cuba.
October 2. The U.S. government cables all Latin American governments and NATO countries new measures to tighten the economic embargo against Cuba. As of today, the transport of U.S. goods is banned on ships owned by companies that do business with Cuba.
1963
February 8. The Kennedy administration prohibits travel to Cuba and makes financial and commercial transactions with Cuba illegal for U.S. citizens.
May 14. The U.S. Department of Commerce announces the requirement of specific approval for exports of all food and medicine to Cuba.
November 17. President Kennedy asks French journalist Jean Daniel to tell Castro that he is now ready to negotiate normal relations and drop the embargo. According to former Press Secretary Pierre Salinger, "If Kennedy had lived I am confident that he would have negotiated that agreement and dropped the embargo because he was upset with the way the Soviet Union was playing a strong role in Cuba and Latin America
"
December. The Foreign Assistance Act is amended to prohibit U.S. aid to countries that continue to trade with Cuba.
December 12. Less than one month after President John F. Kennedy's assassination, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy seeks to end the travel ban to Cuba in a memo to Secretary of State Dean Rusk. He refers to the ban as "inconsistent with traditional American liberties," and difficult to enforce. The memo is not released to the public until June 29 2005.
December 13. Robert F. Kennedy's memo of December 12 is discussed at a State Department meeting (to which RFK is not invited) and Undersecretary of State George Ball rules out the possibility of ending the travel ban to Cuba. [The ban continues until 1977 when the Carter Administration opens travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens. The Reagan Administration reinstitutes the ban in 1981.]
1964
February 25. Asked why the US trades with the Soviet Union but not with Cuba, Secretary of State Dean Rusk answers that the Soviet government is a "permanent" government, and the US views Castro as "temporary."
July 26. The Organization of American States (OAS) adopts mandatory sanctions against Cuba, requiring all members to sever diplomatic and trade relations. Only Mexico refuses to comply.
1975
February 9. In a TV interview from Mexico City, U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy urges the U.S. government to lift the embargo and normalize relations with Cuba. "I believe the idea of isolating Cuba was a mistake," says Kennedy. "It has been ineffective. Whatever the reasons and justifications may have been at the time, now they are invalid."
July 28. The Organization of American States (OAS) votes to end political and economic sanctions against Cuba. This opens the way for each member nation to decide whether to have diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba, which many had already established.
August 21. The U.S. announces that it will allow foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies to sell products in Cuba, and that it would no longer penalize other nations for trade with Cuba.
November 15. In Washington, Representative John B. Breaux and senator J. Bennett Johnston Jr., Democrats from Louisiana, argue that it is in the national interest for Louisiana to be allowed to sell rice to Cuba. Mr. Breaux is quoted in the New York Times: "
my constituents say that if the United States can sell grain to the Soviet Union and China, why can't they sell rice to Cuba?"
1976
April 5. U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger states that there is no possibility of U.S. relations with Cuba while Cuban troops are in Africa.
1977
March 19. U.S. President Carter drops the ban on travel to Cuba and on U.S. citizens spending dollars in Cuba.
Wayne Smith, Director of Cuban Affairs at the Department of State under Jimmy Carter: "There were three major fields or issues that had to be addressed before there could be a substantial improvement in relations. Number one: Cuban troops had to begin to leave Africa. Number two: There had to be some improvement in Cuba's human rights performance, and specially in terms of releasing political prisoners. And number three: A reduction in Soviet-Cuban military ties." - From the book: "Cuba, Voices of Change," by Lynn Geldof.
May 25. The U.S. State Department warns that Cuba's recent deployment of military advisors in Ethiopia could "impede the improvement of U.S.-Cuban relations."
1978
February 27. U.S. Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance, states that he does not foresee the normalization of relations with Cuba due to the presence of Cuban troops in Africa.
The Carter Administration relaxes laws to allow U.S. residents to send money to relatives in Cuba.
1979
January 1. Cuban-Americans are permitted to visit their families in Cuba. More than 100,000 visit in the coming year.
June 19. In the U.S., Rep. Ted Weiss (D-NY) introduces unsuccessful legislation to end the U.S. trade blockade against Cuba and re-establish diplomatic relations.
1981
January. Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as U.S. President, and institutes the most hostile policy against Cuba since the invasion at Bay of Pigs. Despite conciliatory signals from Cuba, the new U.S. administration announces a tightening of the embargo.
1982
April 19. The Reagan Administration reestablishes the travel ban, prohibits U.S. citizens from spending money in Cuba, and allows the 1977 fishing accord to lapse.
1985
October 4. U.S. President Reagan bans travel to the U.S. by Cuban government or Communist Party officials or their representatives. It also bars most students, scholars, and artists.
1989
November 20. According to new regulations by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. citizens who travel to Cuba can only spend a maximum of $100 per day.
1990
October. In alliance with conservative Republicans, Cuban émigrés and the U.S. Congress pass the Mack Amendment, which prohibits all trade with Cuba by subsidiaries of U.S. companies located outside the U.S., and proposes sanctions or cessation of aid to any country that buys sugar or other products from Cuba.
1992
February 5. U.S. Congressman Robert Torricelli introduces the Cuban Democracy Act, and says the bill is designed to "wreak havoc on the island."
June 15. From an editorial in the NY Times: "
This misnamed act (the Cuban Democracy Act) is dubious in theory, cruel in its potential practice and ignoble in its election-year expediency
An influential faction of the Cuban American community clamors for sticking it to a wounded regime
There is, finally, something indecent about vociferous exiles living safely in Miami prescribing more pain for their poorer cousins."
October 15. U.S. Congress passes the Cuban Democracy Act, which prohibits foreign-based subsidiaries of U.S. companies from trading with Cuba, travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens, and family remittances to Cuba. The law allows private groups to deliver food and medicine to Cuba. (At this time, 70% of Cuba's trade with U.S. subsidiary companies was in food and medicine. Many claim the Cuban Democracy Act is in violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that food and medicine cannot be used as weapons in international conflicts.)
October 23. President Bush signs the Cuban Democracy Act into law. Congressman Torricelli says that it will bring down Castro "within weeks."
November 24. The United Nations General Assembly votes heavily in favor of a measure introduced by Cuba asking for an end to the U.S. Embargo. The vote is 59 in favor, 3 against (the U.S., Israel and Romania), and 79 abstentions. State Department spokesman Joe Snyder in the LA Times; "The Cuban government, in violation of international law, expropriated billions of dollars worth of private property belonging to U.S. individuals and has refused to make reasonable restitution. The U.S. embargo - and I point out it's not a blockade - is therefore a legitimate response to the unreasonable and illegal behavior of the Cuban government."
1993
November 11. The UN General Assembly adopts a resolution on the "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba." The vote is 88 for the resolution, 4 against, with 47 abstentions.
1994
October 26. For the 3rd year in a row, the United Nations General Assembly votes overwhelmingly for a measure to end the U.S. Embargo of Cuba. The vote is 101-2, with 48 abstentions, and only Israel votes with the U.S.
1995
October 5. The Clinton Administration announces a new people-to-people-contact plan.
November 2. The United Nations General Assembly recommends an end to the embargo (for the fourth consecutive year) by a vote of 117 to 3 (38 abstentions). Only Israel and Uzbekistan join the U.S. in saying no. Since then, each time the vote comes up at the UN, the number of nations voting against the embargo increases.
1996
March 12. President Clinton signs the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act (also known as the Helms-Burton Act) which imposes penalties on foreign companies doing business in Cuba, permits U.S. citizens to sue foreign investors who make use of American-owned property seized by the Cuban government, and denies entry into the U.S. to such foreign investors.
July 16. President Clinton suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
November 12. By a vote of 137 to 3, the United Nations General Assemblyrecommends, for the 5th consecutive year, that the U.S. end the embargo against Cuba.
1997
January 3. President Clinton again suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
February 12. The Clinton Administration approves licenses for U.S. news organizations to open bureaus in Cuba. (The Cuban government allows only CNN into the island.)
July 16. President Clinton again suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
November 5. For the 6th straight year, the U.N. General Assembly passes a resolution to end the Cuban embargo. The vote is 143 to 3.
1998
January. President Clinton again suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
January 13. In Washington, the organization Americans for Humanitarian Trade with Cuba is formed to promote humanitarian trade with the island.
March 13. In Boston, Roman Catholic Cardinal Bernard Law urges US President Bill Clinton to end the 36-year-old embargo. "It is impossible to reasonably support the embargo against Cuba while at the same time granting Most Favored Nation Status to the People's Republic of China
" says Law.
March 20. U.S. regulations on Cuba are amended as follows:
- U.S. citizens may send up to $1,200 annually to relatives in Cuba.
- Direct passenger flights are permitted, although implementation of these amendments is not immediate.
July 16. President Clinton again suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
July 21. The US Treasury Department denies PWN permission to participate in EXPOCUBA, an exhibition of pharmaceuticals in Cuba.
October 16. The United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution against the U.S. embargo on Cuba for the 7th consecutive year. The vote is 157 to end the embargo and 2 (U.S. & Israel) to keep it.
October. The US Treasury Department investigates two US organizations for traveling to Cuba without a license; Global Exchange and Pastors for Peace.
September 11. After returning home from a visit to Cuba, ex world boxing champ Muhammad Ali calls for an end to the trade embargo against Cuba.
December 6. From Havana, US Senator Christopher Dodd, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee urges his government to establish a "new conversation for the new millennium" with Cuba.
1999
January. The Clinton administration announces changes to the embargo, which include:
- Sales of some food and agricultural products to private individuals and non-governmental organizations,
- An increase in the number of charter flights to Cuba,
- Allows anyone (not just Cuban-Americans) to send up to $1,200 per year,
- Allows major league team, the Baltimore Orioles, to arrange two exhibition games, on in Cuba, the other in the U.S., and
- Increases the amount of money a U.S. visitor can spend on the island from $100 per day to $185 per day.
January 16. President Clinton again suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
February 18. Six members of the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus visit Cuba to evaluate the U.S.-imposed embargo. Among the visitors: Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee of California, Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas, Julia Carson of Indiana and others.
February 23. The coalition of Americans for Humanitarian Trade With Cuba join the United States Association of Former Members of Congress to call on the Clinton administration to end the embargo on food and medicines to Cuba. "The U.S. embargo on Cuba is the single most restrictive policy of its kind. Even Iraq is able to buy food and medicine from U.S. sources," says George Fernandez, Executive Director at AHTC. "As a Cuban American, I speak for the vast majority of us who do not think the U.S. should be in the business of denying basic sustenance to families and children in Cuba."
July 16. President Clinton again suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
November 9. A resolution is passed in the United Nations General Assembly on the need to end the U.S. embargo against Cuba. The vote is 155 in favor and 2 against (U.S. and Israel). This is the 8th time in as many years that the resolution is passed.
2000
January 15. President Clinton again suspends enforcement of Title III provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.
March 17. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announces the first easing of sanctions on Iran (which began in 1979 after students seized the US embassy in Tehran). "We're looking for ways to respond to changes in Iran," said State Department spokesman James B. Foley, "and to advance prospects for a better relationship. It is something that is under consideration - how to best respond."
May 7. In a more symbolic than legal decision, Cuban courts order the US to pay $121 billion in damages for the 4-decade-long embargo. A similar lawsuit in November 1999 found the US government liable for deaths and damage from "aggressive policies towards Cuba," in the amount of $181 billion. Observers content that both lawsuits came about in response to a ruling by a US federal judge in Miami ordering Cuba to pay $187 million to families of pilots shot down by Cuban fighter planes in 1996.
October 19. At a meeting of the International Chamber of Commerce, American businessman and ICC Vice-President Richard D. McCormic, calls for an end to the US trade embargo of Cuba. "
embargoes don't work," said McCormick. "They are counterproductive; they just hurt the people who are in the least position to help themselves. I think that after 38 years it is time for this embargo to be ended. Unilateral sanctions don't work." (Mr. McCormic serves on the boards of UAL Corporation (United Airlines), Wells Fargo and Company, United Technologies Corporation, and Concept Five Technologies.)
November 9. The UN General Assembly passes a Cuban-drafted resolution calling for an end to the US-Cuba embargo. The vote is 167 in favor, 3 against, and 4 abstentions. Voting with the US against the resolution are the Marshall Islands and Israel.
November 29. A 23-member task force in the U.S., made up of liberals and conservatives, calls for an end to the embargo to "help the island's transition to a post-Castro era and reduce the chances of U.S. military intervention."
2001
April 18. In Washington, the Cuba Policy Foundation releases a poll in which a majority of Americans are said to support the idea of doing business with Cuba and allowing travel to the island. Most agree with the decision to reunite Elián González with his father in Cuba.
August 23. Organizers of the Latin Grammy Awards announce that they will change the location of this year's event from Miami to Los Angeles fearing violent protests from anti-communist exiles.
November 28. For the 10th consecutive time the United Nations votes to condemn the 4-decade-old trade embargo by a vote of 167 to 3, with three nations abstaining. Voting for the embargo: U.S., Israel and the Marshall Islands.
November 30. The U.S. government turns down a Cuban offer to compensate Americans for properties confiscated by the Revolution 40 years ago.
2002
April 5. In Philadelphia, businessman James Sabzali is found guilty of violating the US embargo against Cuba.
May 13. From Havana's Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jimmy Carter says:
"With some degree of reluctance I would also like to comment on the allegation of bioterrorism. I do this because these allegations were made maybe not coincidentally just before our visit to Cuba. In preparation for this unprecedented visit, I requested, and we all received, intense briefings from the State Department, the intelligence agencies of my country, and high officials in the White House. One purpose of this briefing was for them to share with us any concerns that my government had about possible terrorist activities that were supported by Cuba. There were absolutely no such allegations made or questions raised. I asked them specifically on more than one occasion is there any evidence that Cuba has been involved in sharing any information to any other country on Earth that could be used for terrorist purposes. And the answer from our experts on intelligence was 'no.'
I think it's very significant though that this allegation was made, and I'm grateful for a chance to come here at the center of this effort on behalf of Cuba."
June. Matt Welch writes in Foul Ball (Reason Online), "Even though the [Cuban] people are generally smart and jaded enough to tune out the government's propaganda, they don't have much of anything to replace it with, except for the odd BBC broadcast-and contact with foreign tourists. Every conversation with an American about the U.S. undermines Fidel Castro by definition, because it surely contradicts the banal lies he and his media mouth on a daily basis."
July 23. In Washington, the US House of Representatives votes 262 to 167 to end the travel ban and allow the sale of American goods to Cuba. 73 Republicans vote against the embargo.
July 28. From an editorial in the New York Daily News:
"
slowly but surely, the tide is turning in favor of lifting travel and trade sanctions against Cuba. More and more Republicans are not willing to let the larger interests of the U.S. and their own constituents be sacrificed to the gods of electoral politics."As Rep. Jeff Flake, the Arizona Republican who led the effort to repeal the travel ban, said: "This is all about freedom. Our government shouldn't tell us where to travel and where not to travel."'
July 29. From an editorial in the Boston Herald:
"The more travelers there are (to Cuba) the more the truth will spread, and that can only help the transition of Cuba out of tyranny when the tyrant dies."
August 7. In Washington, House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) says the U.S. should open trade with Cuba.
August 7. From an editorial in the Boston Globe:
"As for human rights, opening travel and trade to the island would improve the monitoring of human rights abuses and expose more Cubans to American values. Bush ought to put the interests of both Cubans and Americans before his domestic political needs."
November 13. For the 11th straight year, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approves a resolution asking the US to end the 40-plus-years embargo against Cuba. The vote is 173 in favor of the resolution and 3 against (US, Israel, Marshall Islands), with no abstentions. European nations expressed objection to the embargo, citing US penalties on countries and companies doing business with Cuba as "extraterritorial," and saying that the embargo is a bilateral issue between the US and Cuba and should not be imposed on others.
According to an article in the Christian Science Monitor (10/23/03) about 180,000 U.S. citizens visited Cuba in 2002.
2003
March 12. U.S. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) introduce a bill in Congress (United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2003) that seeks to lift the embargo.
March 12. Stephan Vitvitsky writes in Tufts Daily; "
the Cold War ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union ceased to exist. There is no more communist threat and the United States is the lone superpower of the world. So the embargo does not make sense in the post-Cold War world as it has outlived one of its main objectives by twelve years, quarantining countries allied with the Soviet Union.
March 21. Ten U.S. Senators from both political parties form the "Cuba Working Group," to promote an end to the embargo against Cuba. Members include Max Baucus, Democrat from Montana, and Pat Roberts, a Republican from Kansas. "We believe that the American people can have greater influence on Cuban society by developing a relationship with the Cuban people," the senators say in a letter to senate leaders.
September 15. The US House of Representatives approve a bill ending travel restrictions to Cuba for US citizens. The bill, authored by Jeff Flake, wins by a vote of 227 to 188. [Like similar bills on the embargo passed by the House, this one will die in the Senate.]
October 20. About 3 dozen US travel industry executives spend the day in Cuba to consider "future business potential." At the end of the day they return to a resort in Cancun, Mexico, where the first US-Cuba travel conference is held.
September 30. The U.S. Treasury Department's Office for Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) passes a regulation that bans publication of scientific articles from regimes subject to sanctions by the U.S. government, as is Cuba. (The measure is repealed on April 5, 2004)
October 10. U.S. President George W. Bush establishes the Committee for Assistance to a Free Cuba, and further enforces the ban on travel to the island.
October 24. The U.S. Senate votes (59 to 36) in favor of lifting the ban on travel to Cuba. The result is similar to a vote at the House of Representatives last month. This is a major "rebuff" of President Bush's policy towards Cuba. (The travel ban was introduced by President John F. Kennedy in 1963.)
November 4. The UN General Assembly votes overwhelmingly against the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba for the 12th consecutive year. Only 3 nations vote for the embargo: the U.S., Israel and the Marshall Islands.
2004
February 26. U.S. President Bush signs Presidential Proclamation 7757, which bans vessels from traveling to Cuban ports from U.S. ports.
April 30. According to a letter sent by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to the U.S. Congress late last year (and now provided to the Associated Press) the Treasury Department had 4 full-time employees dedicated to investigating Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, and over 2 dozen assigned to investigating Cuban Embargo violations.
The letter reveals that over $8 million were collected in embargo violation fines since 1994, and over 10,683 "enforcement investigations" opened since 1990. Relating to terrorism, the OFAC opened 93 "enforcement investigations" between 1990 and 2003.
October 28. For the 13th consecutive year, the UN General Assembly votes overwhelmingly against the U.S. embargo on Cuba. The vote is 179 to 4, with 1 abstention. Voting with the U.S. for the embargo are Israel, Palau and the Marshall Islands. In the only speech loudly applauded on the assembly floor, Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roughe states: "The U.S. government has unleashed a world wide genocidal economic war against Cuba. It is the government of a large and mighty empire, but it is afraid of the example of a small rebellious island."
December 16. A number of U.S. lawmakers and food firms meet in Havana. By the end of the week, Cuba has agreed to purchase about $125 million in farm goods from U.S. companies.
2005
June 21. The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approves an amendment that rolls back a rule issued by the Treasury Department last February that requires that Cuba pay for food imports from the U.S. before they leave port. The full House and Senate must approve the amendment before it becomes law.
June 29. The National Security Archive releases a memo written by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy on December 12 1963 (less than a month after President Kennedy's assassination), in which he seeks to lift the travel ban to Cuba. He refers to the ban as "inconsistent with traditional American liberties." Also released is a memo about a December 13 1963 meeting at the State Department (to which Kennedy was not invited), in which Undersecretary of State George Ball rules out the possibility of ending the travel ban.
November 8. For the 14th straight year, the UN General Assembly votes to end the US embargo against Cuba. The vote is 182 in favor, 4 against (US, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Palau) and 1 abstention (Micronesia).
Visit the National Security Archive .
2006
July 11. US President G.W. Bush approves $80 million to be used for "boosting democracy in Cuba." The fund is the result of proposals from a commission (members of which include Condoleezza Rice and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez) exploring "US policy towards Cuba after the eventual death of Fidel Castro." The Cuban government refers to this as an "act of aggression," and Cuban dissident-journalist Oscar Espinosa Chepe considers the fund "
counterproductive. I believe Cubans have to be the ones who love our problems and any interference serves to complicate the situation," he says.
November 8. For the 15th straight year in a row, the UN General Assembly votes overwhelmingly on a resolution to demand an end of the US embargo against Cuba. The vote is 183 in favor of the resolution (to end the embargo) and 4 against, with the nation of Micronesia abstaining. Voting with the US is Israel, the Marshall Islands and Palau.
2007
March 1. US Senator Michael B. Enzi introduces the "Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act" on the floor of the senate: "If you keep on doing what you have always been doing," he says, "you are going to wind up getting what you already got.
We are not hurting the Cuban government; we are hurting the Cuban people.
It is time for a different policy."
| Cuba |
On TV, “Ace” Duff Goldman and “Boss” Buddy Valastro both work in what medium? | Timeline: US-Cuba relations - BBC News
Timeline: US-Cuba relations
Read more about sharing.
Close share panel
Relations between the US and Cuba have long been intertwined. Since 1960, the US has maintained an economic embargo against Cuba. Here are key moments in ties between the two nations:
1898: US declares war on Spain.
Image copyright AP
Image caption Fidel Castro has outlasted 10 US presidents
1898: US defeats Spain, which gives up all claims to Cuba and cedes it to the US.
1902: Cuba becomes independent with Tomas Estrada Palma as its president. But the Platt Amendment keeps the island under US protection and gives the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs.
1906-09: Estrada resigns and the US occupies Cuba following a rebellion led by Jose Miguel Gomez.
1909: Jose Miguel Gomez becomes president following elections supervised by the US, but is soon tarred by corruption.
1912: US forces return to Cuba to help put down black protests against discrimination.
1933: Gerardo Machado is overthrown in a coup led by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista.
1934: The US abandons its right to intervene in Cuba's internal affairs, revises Cuba's sugar quota and changes tariffs to favour Cuba.
1953: Fidel Castro leads an unsuccessful revolt against the Batista regime.
1956: Castro lands in eastern Cuba from Mexico and takes to the Sierra Maestra mountains where, aided by Ernesto "Che" Guevara, he wages a guerrilla war.
1958: The US withdraws military aid to Batista.
Image copyright AFP
Image caption The Cuban revolution: A key event in the 20th Century
1959: Castro leads a 9,000-strong guerrilla army into Havana, forcing Batista to flee. Castro becomes prime minister.
April 1959: Castro meets US Vice President Richard Nixon on an unofficial visit to Washington. Nixon afterwards wrote that the US had no choice but to try to "orient" the leftist leader in the "right direction".
1960: All US businesses in Cuba are nationalised without compensation; US breaks off diplomatic relations with Havana and imposes a trade embargo in response to Castro's reforms.
1961: US backs an abortive invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs; Castro proclaims Cuba a communist state and begins to ally it with the USSR.
1961: The CIA begins to make plans to assassinate Castro as part of Operation Mongoose. At least five plans to kill the Cuban leader were drawn up between 1961 and 1963.
On this day: 28 October 1962
Image copyright AP
1962: World relief as Cuban missile crisis ends
1962: Cuban missile crisis ignites when, fearing a US invasion, Castro agrees to allow the USSR to deploy nuclear missiles on the island. The US released photos of Soviet nuclear missile silos in Cuba - triggering a crisis which took the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear war.
It was subsequently resolved when the USSR agreed to remove the missiles in return for the withdrawal of US nuclear missiles from Turkey.
1980: Around 125,000 Cubans, many of them released convicts, flee to the US, when Castro temporarily lifted restrictions.
1993: The US tightens its embargo on Cuba, which introduces some market reforms in order to stem the deterioration of its economy. These include the legalisation of the US dollar, the transformation of many state farms into semi-autonomous co-operatives, and the legalisation of limited individual private enterprise.
1994: Cuba signs an agreement with the US according to which the US agrees to admit 20,000 Cubans a year in return for Cuba halting the exodus of refugees.
1996: US trade embargo made permanent in response to Cuba's shooting down of two US aircraft operated by Miami-based Cuban exiles.
1998: The US eases restrictions on the sending of money to relatives by Cuban Americans.
Nov 1999: Cuban child Elian Gonzalez is picked up off the Florida coast after the boat in which his mother, stepfather and others had tried to escape to the US capsized. A huge campaign by Miami-based Cuban exiles begins with the aim of preventing Elian from rejoining his father in Cuba and of making him stay with relatives in Miami.
Elian Gonzalez
Special report: Elian's story
June 2000: Elian allowed to rejoin his father in Cuba after prolonged court battles.
June 2001: Five Cubans convicted in Miami and given long sentences for spying for the Cuban government. The case of the Cuban Five becomes rallying cry for the Havana government.
Nov 2001: US exports food to Cuba for the first time in more than 40 years after a request from the Cuban government to help it cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Michelle.
Jan 2002: Prisoners taken during US-led action in Afghanistan are flown into Guantanamo Bay for interrogation as al-Qaeda suspects.
May 2002: US Under Secretary of State John Bolton accuses Cuba of trying to develop biological weapons, adding the country to Washington's list of "axis of evil" countries.
May 2002: Former US President Jimmy Carter makes landmark goodwill visit which includes tour of scientific centres, in response to US allegations about biological weapons. Carter is first former or serving US president to visit Cuba since 1959 revolution.
Oct 2003: US President George Bush announces fresh measures designed to hasten the end of communist rule in Cuba, including tightening a travel embargo to the island, cracking down on illegal cash transfers, and a more robust information campaign aimed at Cuba. A new body, the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, is created.
Feb 2006: A propaganda war breaks out in Havana as President Castro unveils a monument which blocks the view of illuminated messages - some of them about human rights - displayed on the US mission building.
Image copyright AFP
Image caption Cuba's revolution marked 50 years on 1 January 2009
Aug 2006: US President George W Bush - in his first comments after President Castro undergoes surgery and hands over power to his brother Raul - urges Cubans to work for democratic change.
Dec 2006: The largest delegation from the US Congress to visit Cuba since the 1959 revolution goes to Havana. Jeff Flake, a Republican congressman heading the 10-member bipartisan delegation, said he wanted to launch a "new era in US-Cuba relations", but the group is denied a meeting with Raul Castro.
July 2007: Acting leader Raul Castro again indicates he may be open to a warming of relations with the US. He offers to engage in talks, but only after the 2008 US presidential election.
Feb 2008: Raul Castro officially takes over as president. Washington calls for free and fair elections, and says its trade embargo will remain.
4 Nov 2008: Barack Obama is elected US president.
Dec 2008: New poll suggests a majority of Cuban-Americans living in Miami want an end to the US embargo against Cuba.
April 2009: President Obama lifts restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba.
Dec 2009: US citizen Alan Gross detained in Cuba accused of spying for Washington.
Nov 2010: American Ballet Theater visits Cuba for first time in 50 years, the latest in number of cultural exchanges.
Oct 2011: Convicted Cuban agent Rene Gonzalez is freed as scheduled from a Florida jail. Gonzalez is part of a group known as the Cuban Five, who were given long terms in 2001 in the US after being convicted of spying. Havana has repeatedly called for the men to be freed.
Dec 2011: The US again calls for the release of Alan Gross, an American who is serving 15 years in a Cuban jail for taking internet equipment into the country. Cuba's refusal to free him has frozen relations for months.
Sep 2012: Cuba suggests it is ready to negotiate with Washington on finding a solution to the Gross case.
| i don't know |
Which is the only planet in the solar system named after a Greek god? | How do planets and their moons get their names?
How do planets and their moons get their names?
Answer:
The official names of planets and their moons are governed by an organization called the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The IAU was established in 1919. Its mission is "to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects through international cooperation". Its individual members are professional astronomers from all over the World. The IAU is the internationally recognized authority for assigning names to celestial bodies and any surface features on them.
The IAU recognizes that astronomy is an old science and many of its names come from long-standing traditions and/or are founded in history. For many of the names of the objects in the solar system , this is especially so. Most of the objects in our solar system received names long ago based on Greek or Roman mythology . The IAU has therefore adopted this tradition in its rules for naming certain types of objects in the solar system.
Planets
With the exception of Earth, all of the planets in our solar system have names from Greek or Roman mythology. This tradition was continued when Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were discovered in more modern times.
Mercury is the god of commerce, travel and thievery in Roman mythology. The planet probably received this name because it moves so quickly across the sky.
Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty. The planet is aptly named since it makes a beautiful sight in the sky, with only the Sun and the Moon being brighter.
Earth is the only planet whose English name does not derive from Greek/Roman mythology. The name derives from Old English and Germanic. There are, of course, many other names for our planet in other languages.
Mars is the Roman god of War. The planet probably got this name due to its red color.
Jupiter was the King of the Gods in Roman mythology, making the name a good choice for what is by far the largest planet in our solar system.
Saturn is the Roman god of agriculture.
Uranus is the ancient Greek deity of the Heavens, the earliest supreme god.
Neptune, was the Roman god of the Sea. Given the beautiful blue color of this planet, the name is an excellent choice!
Pluto is the Roman god of the underworld in Roman mythology. Perhaps the planet received this name because it's so far from the Sun that it is in perpetual darkness.
Natural Satellites
For those moons have been known for a long time (such as the Galilean moons of Jupiter), the names were assigned from mythological characters. For example, the moons of Jupiter were named for characters who had roles in the life of Zeus (the Greek mythology counterpart of the Roman God Jupiter).
For recently discovered natural satellites of the planets, they are first given a "provisional" or temporary name while additional observations are made to confirm their existence. This temporary name (usually consisting of the year of discovery and some number indicating the order of discovery in that year) is assigned by an organization called the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (CBAT). For example, when Voyager 2 found a bunch of new moons in its 1989 Neptune encounter, they were named S/1989 N 1, S/1989 N 2, etc. When the existence of the object is confirmed (and its orbit determined), it is given a final name. The name is suggested by the discoverer(s), but following tradition is strongly encouraged.
Note that the moons of Uranus are a special case in our solar system. They are named after literary characters (from works by William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope) rather then characters from mythology.
Surface Features
Landscape features on planets and natural satellites follow a set of complicated conventions set by the IAU Nomenclature Committee. The rules set restrictions on allowable names such as: a planetary feature may not bear the name of a living person or of a political or religious figure from the last 200 years.
| Uranus |
What does a xenophobe fear? | Who Discovered Uranus (and How Do You Pronounce It)?
Who Discovered Uranus (and How Do You Pronounce It)?
By Nola Taylor Redd, Space.com Contributor |
November 30, 2012 12:14pm ET
MORE
Did you ever meet a person and wonder what their parents were thinking when they picked out their child's name? Many people may do the same when they are required to give a presentation on the seventh planet in the solar system. But just how do you pronounce the name of the smallest gas giant ?
How did Uranus get its name?
The first six planets in the solar system have been visible to observers throughout human history and were named for Roman gods. But because it orbits so far from the sun , Uranus was not visible with the naked eye.
Astronomer William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus.
Credit: Smithsonian Institution
Sir William Herschel found the seventh planet on March 13, 1781, while scouring the night sky for comets; he initially thought he'd discovered another icy body. When it came time to propose a moniker, he suggested naming it for his patron, King George III, which would have made it Georgium Sidus, or George's Star. But the name was not widely appreciated outside of England. "Herschel," after its discoverer, was also suggested, as was "Neptune."
Ultimately, German astronomer Johann Elert Bode named the planet after an ancient Greek god of the sky. Bode argued that as Saturn was the father of Jupiter, the new planet should be named for the father of Saturn. (Uranus is also the only planet to be named after a Greek god rather than a Roman one.) Bode's colleague, Martin Klaproth, supported his choice and named his newly discovered element "uranium."
Can you pronounce Uranus (without snickering)?
Most people are taught that the name of the tilted planet sounds like "your-anus," a pronunciation sure to elicit snickers. It seems particularly humorous when you discuss the methane composition of Uranus , or you want to talk about how hot Uranus is . (You know you smiled a little.)
According to NASA, most scientists say YOOR-un-us. Unfortunately, because it is so rarely heard outside the walls of academia, it almost seems to call even more attention to the avoided pronunciation.
— Nola Taylor Redd, SPACE.com Contributor
Related:
| i don't know |
August 29, 1958 saw the birth of what "moderately famous" pop star, who married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994, Deborah Jeanne Rowe in 1996, and had a child with a yet unnamed surrogate mother in 2002? | Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Facts about Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
A mid-twenties African American man wearing a sequined military jacket and dark sunglasses. He is walking while waving his right hand, which is adorned with a white glove. His left hand is bare.
Jackson at the White House in 1984
Background information
Birth name Michael Joseph Jackson
Born August 29, 1958(1958-08-29)
Died June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Pop, dance, rock, R&B, soul, new jack swing
Occupations Singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, dancer, choreographer, actor, author, businessman, philanthropist
Instruments Vocals, guitar, beat boxing, piano, drums
Years active 1964–2009
Associated acts The Jackson 5
Website http://www.michaeljackson.com
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and philanthropist. Referred to as the King of Pop, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The eighth child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene alongside his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, contemporary R&B and rock artists.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 800 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of music. He was also a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for beneficial causes and supporting more than 39 charities.
Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships and behavior, generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. Amidst the preparations for the concert series This Is It, Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam. The Los Angeles County Coroner declared his death a homicide, and his personal physician pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as a billion people around the world may have watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US$250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death.
Contents
o 1.1 Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
o 1.2 Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
o 1.3 Thriller and Motown 25 (1982–83)
o 1.4 Pepsi, "We Are the World" and business career (1984–85)
o 1.5 Appearance, tabloids, Bad, autobiography and films (1986–87)
o 1.6 Autobiography, changing appearance and Neverland (1988–1990)
o 1.7 Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII (1991–93)
o 1.8 First child sexual abuse allegations and first marriage (1993–94)
o 1.9 History, second marriage and fatherhood (1995–99)
o 1.10 Label dispute, Invincible and third child (2000–03)
o 1.11 Second child sexual abuse allegations (2003–05)
o 1.12 Final years (2006–09)
* 2 Death and memorial
Life and career
Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
A house surrounded by yellow colored grass, flowers, trees, and a light blue colored sky can be seen. The house has white walls, two windows, a white door with a black door frame, and a black roof. In front of the house there is a walk way, yellow grass and multiple colored flowers and memorabilia. In the background, there are two tall trees and a light blue colored sky that has multiple clouds.
Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, showing floral tributes after his death.
Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children to an African American working-class family, in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy.[1] A sixth brother, Brandon, died shortly after birth.[2]
Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe.[3][4][5] Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he regularly whipped Jackson as a child.[5] Michael stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, though he also credited his father's strict discipline with playing a large role in his success.[3] Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, broadcast in February 1993. He admitted that he had often cried from loneliness and he would vomit on the sight of his father. Jackson's father was also said to have verbally abused Jackson, saying that he had a fat nose on numerous occasions.[6] In fact, Michael Jackson's deep dissatisfaction with his appearance, his nightmares and chronic sleep problems, his tendency to remain hyper-compliant especially with his father, and to remain child-like throughout his adult life are in many ways consistent with the effects of this chronic maltreatment he endured as a young child.[7]
In an interview with Martin Bashir, later included in the 2003 broadcast of Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson acknowledged that his father hurt him when he was a child, but was nonetheless a "genius", as he admitted his father's strict discipline played a huge role in his success. When Bashir dismissed the positive remark and continued asking about beatings, Jackson put his hand over his face and objected to the questions. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you".[8][9]
In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing. When he was eight, Jackson began sharing the lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.[1] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.[10]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, before signing with Motown Records in 1968.[1] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer."[11] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] Between 1972 and 1975, Jackson released four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.[12]
Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
In June 1975, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records[12] and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine left to pursue a solo career.[13] They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Jackson was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel," and "Can You Feel It".[10] In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz, a box-office disaster. It was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall.[14] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.[15]
Jones and Jackson produced the Off the Wall album together. Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[16] It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and was the 1979's best-selling album worldwide.[17][18] It eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[19] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[20][21] That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[16] Jackson again won at the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[22] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[23] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[24]
Thriller and Motown 25 (1982–83)
Michael Jackson dancing in the Thriller music video
In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children in 1984. In the same year he won another seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards (including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it), making him the most awarded in one night for both award shows.[25][26] These awards were thanks to the Thriller album, released in late 1982, which was the 1983's best-selling album worldwide[27][28] and became the best-selling album of all time in the United States,[29] as well as the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 110 million copies so far.[30] The album topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."[31] Thriller was certified for 29 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. The album won also another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work.[32] Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of his recordings. The videocassette of the documentary The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.[33] Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple."[34] In 1985, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Longform.[25] In December 2009, the music video for "Thriller" was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, "Thriller" is the first music video ever to be inducted.[35][36][37]
MichaelJacksonMoonwalk.ogg
Play video
Jackson debuts the moonwalk during his performance of Billie Jean on Motown 25
Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too".[33] The New York Times wrote that, "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[38]
In March 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for a legendary live performance which was taped for a Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. The show aired on May 16, 1983, to an audience of 47 million viewers, and featured the Jacksons and a number of other Motown stars. It is best remembered for Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean". Wearing a distinctive black sequin jacket and golf glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted his signature dance move, the moonwalk, which former Soul Train dancer and Shalamar member, Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years before. The Jacksons' performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and The Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[39] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times later wrote, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing."[40]
Pepsi, "We Are the World" and business career (1984–85)
In the center of the photo four people can be seen. To the farthest left a medium skin colored man wearing a black suit with a white shirt can be seen. Second to the left a Caucasian man wearing a black suit with a white shirt and brown tie has his head turned to the right. To the right of the Caucasian male there is an African American man wearing a white shirt with a blue jacket that has a yellow strap across his chest. He is raising his right hand, which is covered with a white glove. To the farthest right, a Caucasian female with short blonde hair, who is wearing a white outfit, can be seen. In the background a cream colored building with an opened green door can be seen.
Jackson at the White House South Portico with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, 1984
On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi Cola commercial, overseen by executive Philip Dusenberry,[41] from ad agency BBDO and Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, Alan Pottasch at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire. He suffered second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars on his scalp, and he also had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter.[15] Jackson never recovered from this injury. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California, which now has a "Michael Jackson Burn Center" in honor of his donation.[42]
On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.[43] Jackson won eight awards during the Grammys that year. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. He donated all the funds (around $8 million) raised from the Victory Tour to charity.[44] He also co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" in 1985 with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in the U.S. and Africa. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 30 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief. In 1986, "We Are The World" won four Grammys (one for Jackson for Song of the Year). American Music Award directors removed the charity song from the competition because they felt it would be inappropriate, but recognised it with two special honors (one for the creation of the song and one for the USA for Africa idea). They are the only AMAs that Jackson won as non-solo artist.[45][46][47][48]
In 1985, ATV Music, a music publishing company owning thousands of music copyrights, including the Northern Songs catalogue that contained the majority of the Lennon/McCartney compositions recorded by The Beatles, was put up for sale.[49][50] Jackson had become interested in owning music catalogs after working with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s: Jackson had learned McCartney made approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. McCartney's attorney assured Jackson's attorney that McCartney was not interested in bidding on ATV: McCartney reportedly said "It's too pricey". However, McCartney later changed his mind and tried to persuade John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid. Ono declined, and McCartney pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million.[49][51]
Appearance, tabloids, Bad, autobiography and films (1986–87)
See also: Michael Jackson's health and appearance
Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the mid 1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he was bleaching his skin.[52] According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography, in 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was in remission; both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale.[53] The structure of his face had also changed: several surgeons speculated that he had undergone various nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips, and cheekbone surgery—although Jackson denied this and insisted that he only had surgery on his nose.[54] Jackson claimed that he had only two rhinoplasties and no other surgery on his face, although at one point he mentioned having a dimple created in his chin.[55] Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body".[55] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem later in life.[56]
During the course of his treatment, Jackson made two close friends: his dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, and Klein's nurse Debbie Rowe. Rowe eventually became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his two eldest children. Long before becoming romantically involved with her, Jackson relied heavily on Rowe for emotional support. He also relied heavily on Klein, for medical and business advice. Recent claims by a male dermatology assistant that he and Jackson were sexually involved have notably drawn fury from those close to Jackson.[57]
In the center for the photo, a light skinned male with black hair wearing a red shirt and blue cap can be seen. The male is smiling while titling his head to his right. Behind him, there is a black background and the shoulder of another person.
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, here in the early stages of the disease
He became the subject of increasingly sensational reports. In 1986, the tabloids ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, Jackson had disseminated the fabricated story himself.[58][59] When Jackson bought a chimpanzee called Bubbles from a laboratory, he was reported to be increasingly detached from reality.[60] It was reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "elephant man") and although untrue, Jackson did not deny the story.[58][59] Although initially he saw these stories as opportunities for publicity, he stopped leaking untruths to the press as they became more sensational. Consequently the media began making up their own stories.[59][61][62] These reports became embedded in the public consciousness, inspiring the nickname "Wacko Jacko," which Jackson came to despise.[63] Responding to the gossip, Jackson remarked to Taraborrelli:
Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, "I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight," people would say, "Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a single word that comes out of his mouth."[64]
A black jacket with five round golden medals on its left and right shoulders and a gold band on its left arm sleeve. The jacket has two belt straps on the right bottom sleeve. Underneath the jacket is a golden belt, with a round ornament in its center. There is a red light reflecting on the jacket and belt as well as a gold colored plate on the left side of the jacket and belt.
Jackson wore a gold-plated military style jacket with belt in the Bad era
Jackson collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute 3-D film Captain EO, which debuted in September 1986 at both the original Disneyland and at EPCOT in Florida, and in March 1987 at Tokyo Disneyland. The $30,000,000 movie was a popular attraction at all three parks. A Captain EO attraction was later featured at Euro Disneyland after that park opened in 1992. All four parks' Captain EO installations stayed open well into the 1990s: Tokyo's was the last one to close, in 1998.[65]
In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the Thriller video.[66] With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated.[67] It did not top Thriller as a commercial or artistic triumph, but Bad was still a substantial success in its own right.
The Bad album spawned seven hit singles in the U.S., five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. This was a record for most number one Hot 100 singles from any one album, including Thriller.[68] Although the title track's video was arguably derivative of the video for the earlier single "Beat It", the "Bad" video still proved to be one of Jackson's iconic moments. It was a gritty but colorful epic set against the backdrop of the New York City subway system, with costuming and choreography inspired by West Side Story. As of 2008, the album had sold 30 million copies worldwide.[69] Thanks to the Bad album, Bruce Swedien and Humberto Gatica won one Grammy in 1988 for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Michael Jackson won one Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for Leave Me Alone in 1989.[25][32] In the same year, Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards because Bad is the first album ever to generate five number one singles in the US, the first album to top in 25 countries and the best-selling album worldwide in 1987 and in 1988.[70][71][72][73] In 1988, "Bad" won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single.[74]
The Bad World Tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on January 14, 1989.[75] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.[76] Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people. The Bad Tour turned out to be the last of Jackson's concert tours to include shows in the continental United States, although later tours did make it to Hawaii and Mexico.
Autobiography, changing appearance and Neverland (1988–1990)
A male with black hair singing into a microphone. The male is wearing a blue jacket and a white shirt with black pants and a white belt.
Jackson performing "The Way You Make Me Feel"
In 1988, Jackson released his first and only autobiography, Moonwalk, which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies.[77] Jackson wrote about his childhood, The Jackson 5, and the abuse he had suffered.[78] He also wrote about his facial appearance, saying he had had two rhinoplastic surgeries and a dimple created in his chin.[55] He attributed much of the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting.[55] Moonwalk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list.[79] The musician then released a film called Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. The film was originally intended to be released to theaters but due to financial issues, the film was released direct to video. It debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues.[80]
In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California, to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater on the 2,700-acre (11 km2) property. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, it was valued at approximately $100 million.[11][81] In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone.[82] Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union.[80]
His success resulted in his being dubbed the "King of Pop".[83][84][85][86] The nickname was popularized by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul."[87] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade".[88] From 1985 to 1990, he donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[89][90] Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination.[80]
Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII (1991–93)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $100 million, a record-breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[91] He released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous had shipped seven million copies in the U.S. and had sold 32 million copies worldwide. The Dangerous album was co-produced by Teddy Riley, one of the pioneers of "new jack swing" and it turned out to be the best-selling album associated with that movement.[92][93][94] In the United States, the album's first single "Black or White" was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide.[95] The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[96] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was awarded 1992's best-selling album worldwide and "Black or White" was awarded 1992's best-selling single worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. Additionally, he won an award as best-selling artist of the '80s.[97] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals.[98] In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992.[96]
Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. In the same year Jackson published his second book, the bestselling collection of poetry, Dancing the Dream. While it was a commercial success and revealed a more intimate side to Jackson's nature, the collection was mostly critically unacclaimed at the time of release. In 2009, the book was republished by Doubleday and was more positively received by some critics in the wake of Jackson's untimely death. The Dangerous World Tour grossed $100 million. The tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts.[96][99] He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[100]
Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.[101][102] In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt.[103] His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable and enthusiastic reception of more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael."[103] In his trip to Côte d'Ivoire, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief.[103] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[103]
In January 1993, Jackson made a memorable appearance at the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. The performance began with Jackson catapulting onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvas, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for a minute and a half while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and sang four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart.[52] Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy-nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.[96] The Dangerous album won a Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical, awarding the work of Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley. In the same year, Michael Jackson won three American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time") and was the first to win the International Artist Award, for his global performances and humanitarian concerns. This award will bear his name in the future.[25][32][104]
First child sexual abuse allegations and first marriage (1993–94)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by an American audience of 90 million. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release.[9][52][96]
In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Evan Chandler, a dentist.[105][106][107] The Chandler family demanded payment from Jackson, and the singer initially refused. Jordan Chandler eventually told the police that Jackson had sexually abused him.[108] Dr. Chandler was tape-recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, saying, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever ... Michael's career will be over". Jordan's mother was, however, adamant that there had been no wrongdoing on Jackson's part.[107] Jackson later used the recording to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father whose only goal was to extort money from the singer.[107]
Later on that year, Jackson's home was raided by the police, and Jackson even submitted to a 25-minute strip search.[109] His friends said he never recovered from the humiliation. The investigation was inconclusive and no charges were ever filed.[110][111] Jackson described the search in an emotional public statement, and proclaimed his innocence.[105][109][112] On January 1, 1994, Jackson's insurance carrier settled with the Chandlers out of court for $22 million, after which time the Chandlers stopped co-operating with the criminal investigation.[113][114] The out-of-court settlement's documentation specifically stated Jackson admitted no wrongdoing and no liability; the Chandlers and their family lawyer Larry Feldman signed it without contest.[115] The Chandlers' lawyer Mr. Feldman also explicitly stated "nobody bought anybody's silence".[116] A decade after the fact, during the second round of child abuse allegations, Jackson's lawyers would file a memo stating that the 1994 settlement was done without his consent.[113]
Lisa Marie Presley
Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley in 1994
In May 1994, Jackson married the daughter of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie Presley. They had first met in 1975, when a seven-year-old Presley attended one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993.[117] They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As the child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Presley for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs.[118] Presley explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it."[119] She eventually persuaded him to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover.[118]
Jackson proposed to Presley over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?"[118] They married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy, denying it for nearly two months afterwards.[120] The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active".[121] At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image.[120] The marriage lasted less than two years and ended with an amicable divorce settlement.[122]
History, second marriage and fatherhood (1995–99)
A close-up image of a pale skinned man with black hair. He is wearing a black jacket with white designs on it.
Michael Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival
In 1995, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well as the rights to even more songs.[50][123] He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits – HIStory Vol. I in 2001, while the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US.[124] It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[95][125] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.[126]
The first single released from the album was the double A-side "Scream/Childhood". "Scream" was a duet, performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The song fights against the media, mainly for what the media made him out to be during his 1993 child abuse allegations. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[126] "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[82] It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance".[126] In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress-related panic attack.[127] "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK singles chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK.[126] The track "They Don't Care About Us" became controversial when the Anti-Defamation League and other groups criticized its allegedly anti-Semitic lyrics. Jackson quickly put out a revised version of the song without the offending lyrics.[128] In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.[25][129]
The album was promoted with the successful HIStory World Tour. The tour began on September 7, 1996, and finished on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, and grossed up a total of $165 million. The show, which visited five continents and 35 countries, became Jackson's most successful in terms of audience figures.[75] During the tour, Jackson married his longtime friend Deborah Jeanne Rowe, a dermatology nurse, in an impromptu ceremony in Sydney, Australia. Rowe was approximately six months pregnant with the couple's first child at the time. Originally, Rowe and Jackson had no plans to marry, but Jackson's mother Katherine persuaded them to do so.[130] Michael Joseph Jackson Jr (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997; his sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born a year later on April 3, 1998.[122][131] The couple divorced in 1999, and Jackson got full custody of the children. The divorce was relatively amicable, but a subsequent custody suit was not settled until 2006.[132][133]
In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies as of 2007, it is the best selling remix album ever released.[134] It reached number one in the UK, as did the title track.[135][136] In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24.[92][126] Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[81] Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the non-profit organization War Child, and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[137] Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", the Red Cross and UNESCO.[138]
Label dispute, Invincible and third child (2000–03)
At the turn of the century, the American Music Awards honored Jackson as Artist of the '80s.[139] Throughout 2000 and 2001, Jackson worked in the studio with Teddy Riley and Rodney Jerkins, as well as other collaborators. These sessions would result in the album Invincible, released in October 2001. Invincible was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and it would be the last album of new material he released while still alive. The release of the album was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him sometime in the early 2000s. Once he had the licenses, he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and he would also be able to keep all the profits. However, due to various clauses in the contract, the revert date turned out to be many years away. Jackson discovered that the attorney who represented him in the deal was also representing Sony.[136] Jackson was also concerned about another conflict of interest. For a number of years, Sony had been pushing to buy all of Jackson's share in their music catalog venture. Jackson feared that Sony might have something to gain from Jackson's career failing, since if his career did fail he would have to sell his share of the catalog.[140] Jackson sought an early exit from his contract.[136] Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was leaving Sony.[136] As a result, all singles releases, video shootings and promotions concerning the Invincible album were suspended.
In September 2001, two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Monica, Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists.[141] The second of the two shows took place the night before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.[142] After 9/11, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert took place on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[140] Jackson's solo performances were omitted from the televised version of the benefit concert, although he could still be seen singing background vocals. This somewhat odd omission happened because of contractual issues related to the earlier 30th Anniversary concerts: those concerts were boiled down into a two-hour TV special entitled "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration: The Solo Years" which debuted in November 2001.
In spite of the events preceding its release, Invincible came out in October 2001 to much anticipation. Invincible proved to be a hit, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 13 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the US.[92][95][143] However, the sales for Invincible were lower than those of his previous releases, due in part to a lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute. The album also came out at a bad time for the music industry in general.[140] The album cost $30 million to record, not including promotional expenditures.[144] Invincible spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry" and "Butterflies", the latter without a music video. Jackson alleged in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain.[140] He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[145] Sony refused to renew Jackson's contract, and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the United States.[144]
In 2002, Michael Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century.[146] In the same year, Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket") was born.[147] The mother's identity is unknown, but Jackson has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm.[132] On November 20 of that year, Jackson brought his newborn son onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin, as fans stood below, holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face. The baby was briefly extended over a railing, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[148] Sony released a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the US, the album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified six times platinum for shipments of at least 1.2 million units.[92][149]
Second child sexual abuse allegations (2003–05)
Further information: Living with Michael Jackson and People v. Jackson
In a series of interviews with Martin Bashir, broadcast in 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a 13-year-old boy, who later accused Jackson of sexual abuse.[150] Shortly after the documentary aired, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in relation to the boy.[150] Jackson denied the allegations, saying the sleepovers were not sexual in nature. The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted five months, until the end of May. On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.[151][152][153] After the trial, in a highly publicized relocation he moved to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[154]
Final years (2006–09)
A group of adults and a child are shown in the photo. An African American female with short brown hair who is wearing a jean jacket and a light wash pair of jeans with a red shirt is seen holding a video camera, which is pointing forward. To the right of the female there is an opened black umbrella that is held above a light-skinned male with long black hair who is wearing all black clothes. In front of the male there is a child with black hair that is wearing a black cap with a blue shirt, a pair of white pants and black shoes. To the farthest right there are two Caucasian males with dark brown hair. In the background, trees, bushes and people can be seen.
Jackson with his children in Disneyland Paris, 2006
In March 2006, the main house at the Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure.[155] There were numerous reports around that time that Jackson was having financial problems. Jackson had been deliquent on his repayments of a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings, even though those holdings were reportedly making him as much as $75 million a year.[156] The Bank of America sold the debt to Fortress Investments. Sony reportedly proposed a restructuring deal which would give them a future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake).[123] Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal in April 2006, although the exact details were not made public.[157] Jackson did not have a recording contract in place with Sony or any other major record label at the time.
In the spring of 2006, there was an announcement that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain-based startup called Two Seas Records. However, nothing ever came of that deal, and the CEO of Two Seas, Guy Holmes, later stated that the deal had never been finalized.[158][159] Throughout 2006, Sony repackaged 20 singles from the 1980s and 1990s as the Michael Jackson: Visionary series, which subsequently became a boxed set. Most of those singles returned to the charts as a result. In September 2006, Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe confirmed reports that they had settled their long-running child custody suit. The terms were never made public. Jackson continued to be the custodial parent of the couple's two children.[133] In October 2006, FoxNews entertainment reporter Roger Friedman said that Jackson had been recording at a studio in rural Westmeath, Ireland. It was not known at the time what Jackson might be working on, or who might be paying for the sessions, since his publicist had recently issued a statement claiming that he had left Two Seas.[159][160]
In November 2006, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath, and MSNBC broke the story that he was working on a new album, produced by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.[95] Jackson performed at the World Music Awards, in London on November 15, 2006, and accepted a Diamond Award for selling over 100 million records.[95][161] Jackson returned to the United States after Christmas 2006 to attend James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia. He gave one of the eulogies, saying that "James Brown is my greatest inspiration."[162] In the spring of 2007, Jackson and Sony teamed up to buy yet another music publishing company: Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others.[163] Jackson recorded extensively during this period in New York with songwriter and producer will.i.am and also in Las Vegas with producers Akon and RedOne.[164][164][165] In March 2007, Jackson gave a brief interview to the Associated Press in Tokyo, where he said, "I've been in the entertainment industry since I was 6 years old, and as Charles Dickens would say, 'It's been the best of times, the worst of times.' But I would not change my career ... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me."[166]
In September 2007 Jackson was reportedly still working with will.i.am, but the album was apparently never completed.[167] However, in 2008, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the original Thriller. This album featured the previously unreleased song "For All Time" (an outtake from the original sessions) as well as remixes, where Jackson collaborated with younger artists who had been inspired by his work.[168] Two of the remixes were released as singles with only modest success: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (with Akon) and "The Girl Is Mine 2008" (with will.i.am.) The second single was based on an early demo version, without Paul McCartney. The album itself was a hit, however.[168][169][170][171] In anticipation of Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest-hits albums called King of Pop. Slightly different versions were released in various countries, based on polls of local fans.[172] King of Pop reached the top 10 in most countries where it was issued, and also sold well as an import in other countries (such as the United States.)[173][174]
In the fall of 2008, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson used as collateral for loans running into many tens of millions of dollars. However, Fortress opted to sell Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, which was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. This deal cleared Jackson's debt, and he reportedly even gained an extra $35 million from the venture. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned a stake in Neverland/Sycamore Valley, but it is unknown how large that stake was.[175][176][177] In September 2008, Jackson entered negotiations with Julien's Auction House to display and auction a large collection of memorabilia amounting to approximately 1390 lots. The auction was scheduled to take place between April 22 and April 25.[178] An exhibition of the lots opened as scheduled on April 14, but the actual auction was eventually cancelled at Jackson's request.[179]
In March 2009, Jackson held a press conference at London's O2 arena and announced a series of comeback concerts titled "This Is It." The shows would be Jackson's first major series of concerts since the HIStory World Tour finished in 1997. Jackson suggested possible retirement after the shows; he said it would be his "final curtain call". The initial plan was for a 10 concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, stated that the first 10 dates alone would earn the singer approximately £50 million.[180] The London residency was increased to 50 dates after record breaking ticket sales: over one million were sold in less than two hours.[181] Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega. Most of these rehearsals took place at the Staples Center, which was owned by AEG.[182] The concerts would have commenced on July 13, 2009, and finished on March 6, 2010. Less than three weeks before the first show was due to begin in London and with all concerts being sold out, Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest.[183]
Columbia Pictures made a feature documentary concert-film from the rehearsal and pre-recorded footage. The contract for the film stipulated that a cut of the film must be screened for Jackson's estate, which stands to receive 90 percent of the profits.[184] A final cut was released on October 28, 2009, for a limited two week run in theatres worldwide.[185] A promotional single titled "This Is It" was released on October 12, with a new compilation album of the same name released on October 26, to be released with Michael Jackson's This Is It documentary film, which became the highest grossing documentary or concert movie of all time, with the earnings of more than $260 million worldwide.[186] Two versions of the new song appear on the album, which also features original masters of Jackson's hits in the order in which they appear in the movie. It contains a bonus disc with previously unreleased versions of more Jackson hits, as well as a previously unheard spoken word poem entitled "Planet Earth."[187] At the 2009 American Music Awards Jackson won four of five posthumous nominations for himself and for his album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards total to 26.[188][189]
Death and memorial
Main articles: Death of Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson memorial service
A pink star with the writing "Michael Jackson" and a gold colored rim. The star is surrounded by a metal silver colored barrier and flowers. There are also blue confetti and pink rose bud pedals on top of the star.
Jackson's fans paid tribute to him at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, shortly after the announcement of his death.
On June 25, 2009, Jackson was found unconscious in bed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by Conrad Murray, his personal physician, were unsuccessful.[190] Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 (PDT, 19:22 UTC), arriving three minutes later at Jackson's location.[191][192] He was reportedly not breathing and CPR was performed.[193] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for an hour after arriving there at 1:13 (20:13 UTC). He was pronounced dead at 2:26 local time (21:26 UTC).[194][195] Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief.[190]
The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times suffered outages.[196] Google initially believed that the input from millions of people searching for "Michael Jackson" meant that the search engine was under attack. Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 p.m. PDT (6:15 p.m. EST).[197] The Wikimedia Foundation reported nearly a million visitors to Jackson's biography within one hour, probably the most visitors in a one-hour period to any article in Wikipedia's history.[198] AOL Instant Messenger collapsed for 40 minutes. AOL called it a "seminal moment in Internet history", adding, "We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth."[199]
Around 15% of Twitter posts—or 5,000 tweets per minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke,[200][201] compared to the 5% recalled as having mentioned the Iranian elections or the flu pandemic that had made headlines earlier in the year.[201] Overall, web traffic ranged from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal.[200][202] MTV and Black Entertainment Television (BET) aired marathons of Jackson's music videos.[203] Jackson specials aired on multiple television stations around the world. The British soap opera EastEnders added a last-minute scene, in which one character tells another about the news, to the June 26 episode.[204] Jackson was the topic of every front-page headline in the daily British tabloid The Sun for about two weeks following his death.[205] During the same period, the three major U.S. networks' evening newscasts—ABC's World News, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News—devoted 34 percent of their broadcast time to him.[206] Magazines including Time published commemorative editions.[207] A scene that had featured Jackson's sister La Toya was cut from the film Brüno out of respect toward Jackson's family.[208]
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Jackson's casket was present during the memorial but no information was released about the final disposition of the body. While some unofficial reports claimed a worldwide audience as high as one billion people[209][210][211] the U.S. audience was estimated by Nielsen to be 31.1 million, an amount comparable to the estimated 35.1 million that watched the 2004 burial of former president Ronald Reagan, and the estimated 33.1 million Americans who watched the 1997 funeral for Princess Diana.[212]
Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, John Mayer, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the event. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read, "We had him," a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou.[213] The Reverend Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children, "Wasn't nothing strange about your Daddy. It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway."[214] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Katherine, cried as she told the crowd, "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... I just wanted to say I love him ... so much."[215] Reverend Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.[216]
On August 24, several news outlets quoted anonymous sources as stating that the Los Angeles coroner had decided to treat Jackson's death as a homicide; this was later confirmed by the coroner on August 28.[217][218] At the time of death, Jackson had been administered propofol, lorazepam and midazolam.[219] Law enforcement officials conducted a manslaughter investigation of his personal physician, Conrad Murray.[220] On February 8, 2010, Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles.[221] Jackson was entombed on September 3, 2009, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[222]
Posthumous works
After his death, Jackson became the best-selling artist of 2009 in the United States selling over 8.2 million albums and had sold 35 million albums worldwide in the 12 months that followed his death.[223][224] Following this surge in sales, Sony announced that they had extended their relationship with his material. The distribution rights held by Sony Music were due to expire in 2015.[225] On March 16, 2010, Sony Music Entertainment, in a move spearheaded by its Columbia/Epic Label Group division, signed a new deal with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to his back catalogue until at least 2017, as well as to obtain permission to release ten new albums with previously unreleased material and new collections of released work. The first new album is reportedly due out in November 2010, and the final album before December 2017. The deal was unprecedented in the music industry as it is the most expensive music contract pertaining to a single artist in history; it reportedly involved Sony Music paying $250 million for the deal, with the Jackson estate getting the full sum as well as its share of royalties for all works released.[225][226] Video game developer Ubisoft announced it would release a new dancing-and-singing game featuring Michael Jackson the 2010 holiday season. The as-yet-unnamed game will be among the first to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the respective motion-detecting camera systems for Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 due out later that year.[227]
Artistry
Influences
A silver colored statue of a male. The statue is placed standing up with its arms bent inward and both legs spaced apart. The statue's clothes have wrinkles and it is wearing heeled shoes. In the background, a tree and a light blue sky with multiple clouds can be seen.
One of many identical statues, positioned throughout Europe to promote HIStory
Jackson's music took root in R&B, pop and soul. He had been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as Little Richard, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, David Ruffin, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis, Jr., The Isley Brothers, and the Bee Gees.[228] While Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson,[229] James Brown was Jackson's greatest inspiration. In reference to Brown, Jackson declared: "Ever since I was a small child, no more than like six years old, my mother would wake me no matter what time it was, if I was sleeping, no matter what I was doing, to watch the television to see the master at work. And when I saw him move, I was mesmerized. I had never seen a performer perform like James Brown, and right then and there I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life because of James Brown."[230]
The young Michael Jackson owed his vocal technique in large part to Diana Ross. In October 1969, it was decided[why?][by whom?] that Jackson would live with Ross. Not only a mother figure to him, she was often observed in rehearsal as an accomplished performer. He later expressed: "I got to know her well. She taught me so much. I used to just sit in the corner and watch the way she moved. She was art in motion. I studied the way she moved, the way she sang – just the way she was." He told her: "I want to be just like you, Diana." She said: "You just be yourself."[231] But Jackson owed part of his enduring style—especially his use of the oooh interjection—to Ross. From a young age, Jackson often punctuated his verses with a sudden exclamation of oooh. Diana Ross had used this effect on many of the songs recorded with The Supremes.[232]
Musical themes and genres
Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder, and when recording he would sing the lyrics from memory.[233] In most of his songs, such as "Who Is It", "Billie Jean" and "Tabloid Junkie", he would beatbox and imitate the instruments using his voice instead of playing the actual instruments, along with other sounds. Jackson noted that it is easier to sing a drum line, or sing a bass, instead of playing a drum line or a bass with an instrument. Several critics have said that Jackson's distinct voice is able to replace any instrument convincingly. Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres.[234] As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno and house-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar.[11]
According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[234] Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and "The Girl Is Mine"; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[234][235][236][237] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[237] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[236] In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers.[234] In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[237] "Beat It" decried gang violence in an homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[11][234] He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years.[234] In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.[234]
"Thriller"
Play sound
One of Jackson's signature pieces, "Thriller", released as a single in 1984, utilizes cinematic sound effects, horror film motifs and vocal trickery to convey a sense of danger.[14]
"Smooth Criminal"
Play sound
A single from the album Bad, released 1988, "Smooth Criminal" features digital drum sounds, keyboard-created bass lines and other percussion elements designed to give the impression of a pulsing heart.[238]
Problems listening to these files? See media help.
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[239] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror" is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution.[67] "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[67] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a very paradoxical individual.[240] He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World".[240] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time".[241] The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs.[241] Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts such as the multifaceted love song, "In the Closet".[241] The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire.[241] The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson opening up about various personal struggles and worries.[241] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[242]
HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[243] Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media.[244] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces.[243][244] In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I've been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot".[245] Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins.[234] It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes Hip-Hop, pop and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[246][247]
Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor.[248] Jackson first used a technique called the "vocal hiccup" in 1973, starting with the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from the Jackson 5's G.I.T.: Get It Together album.[249] Jackson did not use the hiccup technique— somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping— fully until the recording of Off the Wall: it can be seen in full force in the "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" promotional video.[12] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded. At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly".[250][251] 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone was of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[237]
"Black or White"
Play sound
The lead single from Dangerous, the danceable hard rock song "Black or White" was one of Jackson's most successful recordings.[252][253][254] It contains many features of Jackson's vocal style, including the vocal hiccup he is known for.
A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelt "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him.[255] The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone".[241] When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[241] When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[256] Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".[238]
Music videos and choreography
Referred to as the King of Music Videos,[257] Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers.[234] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American.[258] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition.[259] MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race.[260] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B.[259][261] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage show; "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience" thus creating an era in which artists re-create the spectacle of music video imagery on stage.[262] Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated.[263] The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines.[264] The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[82]
In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Oprah in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he replied, "I think it happens subliminally" and he described it as something that was not planned, but rather, as something that was compelled by the music. "Bad" garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles.[61][265] For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances, for which he was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452.[266] Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four Billboard Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[80]
The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor.[96] "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video.[95] It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized.[267] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.[268]
A black and white photo of a woman with dark skin next to a man with light skin. Both have dark hair and dark clothing, and make angry facial expressions.
Jackson and sister Janet angrily retaliated against the media for misrepresenting them to the public. The acclaimed video for "Scream" was shot primarily in black and white, and at a cost of $7 million.[269]
"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine.[270] The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.[96]
The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[271] The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993.[272] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million.[126][269]
"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, wars end, and the forests re-grow.[126][273] Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.[126][136][274][275]
Legacy and influence
See also: Records and achievements of Michael Jackson
A pink star with a gold colored rim and the writing "Michael Jackson" in its center. The star is indented into the ground and is surrounded by a marble colored floor.
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, set in 1984
Jackson throughout his career transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music. Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson in 2003 as "extremely important" and a "genius."[276] For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.[128] Jackson's music and videos, such as Thriller, fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster, helped to put the relatively new channel into public awareness, and steered the channel's focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring. Jackson's work continues to influence numerous hip hop, rock, pop and R&B artists, including Beyoncé,[277] Mariah Carey,[278] Usher,[279] Green Day,[280] Britney Spears,[278] Madonna,[281] Justin Timberlake,[140] Ludacris.[282]
Allmusic's Steve Huey describes Jackson as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[234] In the mid-1980s, Time magazine's pop music critic, Jay Cocks, noted "Jackson is the biggest thing since The Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever".[33] In 1990, Vanity Fair cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business.[80] In 2007, Jackson said, "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever."[283]
Shortly after Jackson's death, on June 25, 2009, MTV briefly returned to its original music video format to celebrate and pay tribute to his work.[284] The channel aired many hours of Jackson's music videos, accompanied by live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities. The temporary shift in MTV's programming culminated the following week in the channel's live coverage of Jackson's memorial service.[285] At the memorial service on July 7, 2009, founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy proclaimed Jackson as "the greatest entertainer that ever lived."[286][287][288]
In 2010, two university librarians found that Jackson's influence extended into academia, and was detectable in scholarly literature pertaining to a range of subject matter.[289][290] The two researchers combed through various scholars' writings, and compiled an annotated bibliography of those writings that appeared to meet at least one of several criteria. Among these criteria were appearance in a peer-reviewed journal, and the provision of insight into the nature of "popular icons including Jackson".[291] The bibliography located references to Jackson in research reports concerning music, popular culture, and an array of other topics. The bibliographers identified as their most peculiar finding an argument that certain aspects of chemistry can be effectively taught by altering and imitating elements of Jackson's singing.[292] One of the research librarians later reflected that "the fact that someone would take a Michael Jackson song and co-opt it as a means to convey chemistry concepts just shows the pervasiveness of Jackson's influence".[289]
Honors and awards
See also: List of awards received by Michael Jackson
Multiple people standing in line before a wall plastered with Michael Jackson posters. There are three women with short blonde hair, a man with curly brown hair and a man wearing a navy cap.
Queues for a Michael Jackson concert in West Berlin in June 1988
Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[141][293] He was a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.[141] His awards include many Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone),[294] 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), 26 American Music Awards (24 only as a solo artist, including the "Artist of the Century", but not the poll of "Artist of the '80s")—more than any artist—, 13 number one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era[295]—and estimated sales of up to 750 million records worldwide, making him the world's best selling male solo pop artist.[25][82][95][139][188][189][296][297][298][299] On December 29, 2009, the American Film Institute recognized Jackson's passing as a "moment of significance" saying, "Michael Jackson's sudden death in June at age 50 was notable for the worldwide outpouring of grief and the unprecedented global eulogy of his posthumous concert rehearsal movie This is It."[300] Jackson will be inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame in 2010.[301]
Lifetime earnings
His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars.[81][302] This speculation however is contradicted by financial documents obtained by the Associated Press, which showed that as of March 31, 2007, Jackson's 50 percent stake in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog (his most prized asset) was worth $390.6 million and Michael Jackson's net worth was $236 million.[303] Billboard has estimated that Jackson has generated at least $1 billion in revenue in the year following his death.[304]
Discography
Main articles: Michael Jackson albums discography, Michael Jackson singles discography, and Michael Jackson videography
See also: Jackson 5 discography
* Got to Be There (1972)
* Ben (1972)
* HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)
* Invincible (2001)
Main article: Michael Jackson videography
Year↓ Film↓ Role↓ Director↓ Ref
1978 The Wiz Scarecrow Lumet, SidneySidney Lumet [305]
1986 Captain EO Captain EO Coppola, Francis FordFrancis Ford Coppola [306]
1988 Moonwalker Himself Kramer, JerryJerry Kramer [307]
1997 Ghosts Maestro/Mayor/Ghoul/Skeleton Winston, StanStan Winston [308]
2002 Men in Black II Agent M (cameo) Sonnenfeld, BarryBarry Sonnenfeld [309]
2004 Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls Agent MJ (cameo) Stoller, Bryan MichaelBryan Michael Stoller [310]
2009 Michael Jackson's This Is It Himself Kenny Ortega [311]
Tours
Main article: List of Michael Jackson tours
* Bad World Tour (1987–89)
* Dangerous World Tour (1992–93)
* HIStory World Tour (1996–97)
See also
* List of awards received by Michael Jackson
* List of best-selling music artists
* List of best-selling music artists in the United States
* List of unreleased Michael Jackson material
* List of honorific titles in popular music
* Records and achievements of Michael Jackson
Notes
1. ^ a b c d George, p. 20
2. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 14
3. ^ a b Michael Jackson's Secret Childhood, VH1, June 20, 2008.
4. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 20–22
5. ^ a b Can Michael Jackson's demons be explained?, BBC, June 27, 2009.
6. ^ Jackson interview seen by 14m, BBC News, (February 4, 2003)
7. ^ Daniel Schechter, Erica Willheim (2009). The Effects of Violent Experience and Maltreatment on Infants and Young Children. In Charles Zeanah (Ed.). Handbook of Infant Mental Health—3rd Edition. New York: Guilford Press, Inc. pp. 197–214.
8. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 602
9. ^ a b Lewis, pp. 165–168
10. ^ a b The Jackson Five, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, accessed May 29, 2007.
11. ^ a b c d Michael Jackson: Biography, Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
12. ^ a b c George, p. 22
13. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 138–144
14. ^ a b George, p. 23
15. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 205–210
16. ^ a b George, pp. 37–38
17. ^ "Michael Jackson goes solo with 'Off the Wall'". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-offthewall-pic,0,5715898.photo. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
18. ^ "Michael Jackson". Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/298845/Michael-Jackson. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
19. ^ Michael Jackson: Off the Wall, Virgin Media. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
20. ^ "Donna Summer and Michael Jackson sweep Annual American Music Awards". Lakeland Ledger. (January 20, 1980). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=wYEsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0_oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6776,1201107&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
21. ^ "Donna No. 1, Pop and Soul; Michael Jackson King of Soul". The Afro American. (February 2, 1980). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=EaMkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Zf4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3100,419518&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
22. ^ "Few Surprises In Music Awards". Sarasota Herald. (February 1, 1981). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=sPIcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3GcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6226,95260&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
23. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 188
24. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 191
25. ^ a b c d e f Grammy Award Winners, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
26. ^ "Michael Jackson sweeps American Music Awards". Daily News. (January 17, 1984). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=eQUbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E0gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5127,2841948&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
27. ^ "MICHAEL HE'S NOT JUST THE ROCK STAR OF THE YEAR, HE'S THE ROCK STAR OF THE '80S". Philadelphia Inquirer. (December 20, 1983). http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB296D5B072064E&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
28. ^ "Cash register's ring sweet music to record industry". Gasden Times. (March 26, 1984). http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d9EfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cdYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1419,4981079&dq=best+selling+album+1983+worldwide&hl=en. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
29. ^ RIAA Diamond Awards, Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
30. ^ "Michael Jackson Photo Gallery 迈克•杰克逊影集". BBC China. http://www.bbc.co.uk/china/learningenglish/specials/1430_jackson_photo/page7.shtml. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
31. ^ Lewis, p. 47
32. ^ a b c Grammy Award Winners, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
33. ^ a b c Cocks, Jay (March 19, 1984). "Why He's a Thriller". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950053-1,00.html. Retrieved April, 25 2010.
34. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 226
35. ^ "Michael Jackson". CNN. December 30, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/30/national.film.registry/index.html. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
36. ^ Alex Dobuzinskis (December 30, 2009). "Jackson "Thriller" film picked for U.S. registry". Reuters. Thomas Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BT43W20091230?type=musicNews. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
37. ^ Dave Itzkoff (2009-12-30). "'Thriller' Video Added to U.S. Film Registry". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/arts/music/31arts-THRILLERVIDE_BRF.html. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
38. ^ Pareles, John. Michael Jackson at 25: A Musical Phenomenon, The New York Times, January 14, 1984.
39. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 238–241
40. ^ Kisselgoff, Anna. Dancing feet of Michael Jackson, The New York Times, March 6, 1988.
41. ^ Story, Louise (December 31, 2007). "Philip B. Dusenberry, 71, Adman, Dies". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/business/media/31dusenberry.html. Retrieved July 17, 2009.
42. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 279–287
43. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 304–307
44. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 315–320
45. ^ Grammy Award Winners, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
46. ^ "Bruce shows who's Boss". The Montreal Gazette. (January 28, 1986). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=MRgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7aUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1658,3425033&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
47. ^ Lisa D. Campbell (1993). Michael Jackson: the King of Pop. Branden Books. p. 114. ISBN 9780828319577. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BVC9zltjf-EC&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&dq=Michael+Jackson+won+American+Music+Awards+Appreciation&source=bl&ots=mnMCdALhLr&sig=l3VZCNDafgB38SUZ2hRmf0F3_QQ&hl=en&ei=LegYTNecNdGHOO3L7ecK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCoQ6AEwBzge#v=onepage&q=Michael%20Jackson%20won%20American%20Music%20Awards%20Appreciation&f=false. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
48. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 340–344
49. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 333–337
50. ^ a b Michael Jackson sells Beatles songs to Sony, The New York Times, November 8, 1995.
51. ^ Bad Fortunes, The Guardian, June 15, 2005.
52. ^ a b c Campbell (1995), pp. 14–16
53. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 434–436
54. ^ Surgeon: Michael Jackson A 'Nasal Cripple', ABC News, February 8, 2003.
55. ^ a b c d Jackson, pp. 229–230
56. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 312–313
57. ^ "Michael Jackson Secret Boyfriend Claims Draw Fury". National Ledger. May 8, 2010. http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerpop/article_272631676.shtml. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
58. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 355–361
59. ^ a b c "Music's misunderstood superstar". BBC. June 13, 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4584367.stm. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
60. ^ Goldberg, 1Michael; Handelman, David (September 24, 1987). "Is Michael Jackson for Real?". Rolling Stone (Wenner Media LLC).
61. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 370–373
62. ^ "Newswatch Magazine – The Man, His Weird Ways". Newswatchngr.com. July 5, 2009. http://www.newswatchngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1080&Itemid=1. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
63. ^ Jackson, Michael. Interview with Barbara Walters. 20/20. ABC. September 12, 1997.
64. ^ Taraborrelli, p. vii
66. ^ Ebony, Vol. 42, No. 11, September 1987, and Vol. 45, No. 12, October 1990.
67. ^ a b c Cocks, Jay. The Badder They Come, Time, September 14, 1987.
68. ^ Leopold, Todd (June 6, 2005). "Michael Jackson: A life in the spotlight". CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/30/jackson.life/. Retrieved May 5, 2008.
69. ^ Savage, Mark. Michael Jackson: Highs and lows, BBC, August 29, 2008.
70. ^ "Michael, Travis top Music Award winners". Lodi News-Sentinel. (January 30, 1989). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=lZozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lTIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=4477,3617735&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
71. ^ "American Music Awards Monday". The Modesto Bee. (January 27, 1989). http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mfIqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=39cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3513,3619658&dq=michael+jackson+american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
72. ^ Lisa D. Campbell (1993). Michael Jackson: the King of Pop. Branden Books. p. 251. ISBN 9780828319577. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BVC9zltjf-EC&pg=PA251&dq=Michael+Jackson+Moonwalker+251&hl=en&ei=qyoxTJWkONS5jAfG9q2XBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Michael%20Jackson%20Moonwalker%20251&f=false. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
73. ^ "JACKSON TOUR ON ITS WAY TO U.S.". San Josè Mercury News. (January 12, 1988). http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB72CE855E5ADB3&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
74. ^ "Winners of American Music Awards". Lodi News-Sentinel. (January 26, 1988). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=pqxAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sDIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=4496,2784310&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
75. ^ a b Lewis, pp. 95–96
76. ^ Harrington, Richard.Jackson to Make First Solo U.S. Tour, The Washington Post, January 12, 1988.
77. ^ Shanahan, Mark and Golstein, Meredith (June 27, 2009). "Remembering Michael". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2009/06/27/writer_stephen_davis_remembers_michael_jackson. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
78. ^ Jackson, pp. 29–31
79. ^ George, p. 42
80. ^ a b c d e George, pp. 43–44
81. ^ a b c Gunderson,, Edna (February 19, 2007). "For Jackson, scandal could spell financial ruin". USA Today (Gannett Co. Inc). http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-11-24-jackson-finances_x.htm. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
82. ^ a b c d "Jackson receives his World Records". Yahoo!. (November 14, 2006). http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/14112006/344/jackson-receives-world-records.html&e=l_news_dm. Retrieved November 16, 2006.
83. ^ Press references to Jackson as a music "king" appeared as early as 1984 after he swept the Grammy Awards, and "king of pop" appeared as early as 1987. MTV and Fox used the title in joint press releases and ads for the "Black or White" video at Jackson's request, but MTV denied a report that VJs were required to use it on-camera. Writers described the title as self-proclaimed from then on.
84. ^ Arar, Yardena (February 29, 1984). "Michael Jackson coronated latest king of rock 'n' roll". Boca Raton News: p. 7A.
85. ^ Staff writer (July 27, 1987). "Is the thrill gone for singer Michael Jackson?". Sacramento Bee: p. B3.
86. ^ Browne, David (November 29, 1991). "Michael Jackson's Black or White Blues". Entertainment Weekly.
87. ^ Campbell (1993) pp. 260–263
88. ^ Remarks on the Upcoming Summit With President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, April 5, 1990.
89. ^ "Blacks who give back'". Ebony. March 1990. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n5_v45/ai_8540117. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
90. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 382
91. ^ Gray, Chris; Shah, Saeed (October 3, 2002). "Robbie swings historic record deal with EMI". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/robbie-swings--historic-record-deal-with-emi-613061.html. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
92. ^ a b c d "Gold and Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Michael%20Jackson&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=100. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
93. ^ "Michael Jackson sulla sedia a rotelle". Affari Italiani. August 11, 2008. http://www.affaritaliani.it/entertainment/micheal-jackson110708.html. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
94. ^ Carter, Kelley L. (August 11, 2008). "New jack swing". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/arts/chi-5-things-0810aug10,0,1329158.story. Retrieved August 21, 2008.
95. ^ a b c d e f g "The return of the King of Pop". MSNBC. (November 2, 2006). http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15529981/. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
96. ^ a b c d e f g George, pp. 45–46
97. ^ "Garth Brooks ropes in most Billboard awards". Allegheny Times. December 10, 1992. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w7QiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DbUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3124,2012493&dq=best+selling+album+1992+worldwide&hl=en. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
98. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 459
99. ^ Harrington, Richard (February 5, 1992). "Jackson to Tour Overseas". The Washington Post.
100. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 452–454
101. ^ "Stars line up for Clinton celebration". Daily News of Los Angeles. (January 19, 1993).
102. ^ Smith, Patricia (January 20, 1992). "Facing the music and the masses at the presidential gala". The Boston Globe.
103. ^ a b c d Johnson, Robert (May 1992). "Michael Jackson: crowned in Africa". Ebony. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v47/ai_12288831. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
104. ^ "Cyrus, Bolton please the fans". Toledo Blade. (January 27, 1993). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=mBIVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TQMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6811,6756235&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
105. ^ a b "1993: Michael Jackson accused of child abuse". BBC. (February 8, 2003). http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/24/newsid_2512000/2512077.stm. Retrieved November 11, 2006.
106. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 485–486
107. ^ a b c Taraborrelli, pp. 477–478
108. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 496–498
109. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 534–540
110. ^ "Photos May Contradict Michael's Accuser USA Today (pre-1997 Fulltext) – McLean, Va. Date: Jan 28, 1994" (PDF). http://site2.mjeol.com/pdf/important-article/photos-may-contradict-michael-s-accuser-1994.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-25.
111. ^ "Photos May Contradict Michael's Accuser USA Today (pre-1997 Fulltext) – McLean, Va. Date: Jan 28, 1994". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. 1994-01-28. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55226686.html?did=55226686&FMT=ABS&FMTS=FT&desc=Photos+may+contradict+Michael%27s+accuser1. Retrieved 2010-06-25.
112. ^ Campbell (1995), pp. 47–50
113. ^ a b Attorneys for Michael Jackson (March 22, 2005). "Objection to Subpoena of Settlement Document". Superior Court of California. http://www.sbscpublicaccess.org/docs/ctdocs/032205mjmemospprtobj.pdf.
114. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 540–545
115. ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0616041jacko5.html |title=Michael Jackson's Big Payoff Agreed to pay {{Nowrap|$15 million}} to settle boy's 1993 sex abuse claim. The Smoking Gun, June 16 |publisher=Thesmokinggun.com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-25}}
116. ^ "Grand Jury to convene in Jackson Case Law: Sources close to the investigation say a panel in Santa Barbara will hear testimony next week about alleged molestation of boy. February 05, 1994|Jim Newton, Times Staff Writer". Articles.latimes.com. 1994-02-05. http://articles.latimes.com/1994-02-05/local/me-19273_1_santa-barbara/2. Retrieved 2010-06-25.
117. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 500–507
118. ^ a b c Taraborrelli, pp. 518–520
119. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 510
120. ^ a b "She's Out Of His Life". CNN. (January 18, 1996). http://www.cnn.com/US/9601/jacko_presley/. Retrieved July 24, 2008.
121. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 562–564
122. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 580–581
123. ^ a b Leeds, Jeff (April 13, 2006). "Michael Jackson Bailout Said to Be Close". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/13/business/media/13music.html?ex=1302580800&en=45bff2f7a4da68fe&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
124. ^ "Top 100 Albums (Page 2)". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=2&table=tblTop100&action=. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
125. ^ Putti, Laura (August 24, 2001). "Il nuovo Michael Jackson fa un tuffo nel passato". La Repubblica. http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2001/08/24/il-nuovo-michael-jackson-fa-un-tuffo.html. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
126. ^ a b c d e f g h George, pp. 48–50
127. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 576–577
128. ^ a b "ADL happy with Michael Jackson decision". Anti-Defamation League. (June 22, 1995). http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASUS_12/2471_12.asp. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
129. ^ "Brooks turns down award for favorite artist of the year". Rome News-Tribune. (January 30, 1996). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=LWUwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YzMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5552,8128572&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
130. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 570–586
131. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 597
132. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 599–600
133. ^ a b "Jackson child custody battle ends". BBC News (BBC Online). September 30, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5394792.stm. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
134. ^ Rojek, Chris (2007). Cultural Studies. Polity. p. 74. ISBN 0745636837.
135. ^ Rojek, Chris (2007). Cultural Studies. Polity. p. 74. ISBN 0745636837.
136. ^ a b c d e Taraborrelli, pp. 610–612
137. ^ "Ricky Martin, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Others To Join Pavarotti For Benefit". VH1. (May 5, 1999). http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1426933/19990505/carey_mariah.jhtml. Retrieved May 30, 2008.
138. ^ "Slash, Scorpions, Others Scheduled For 'Michael Jackson & Friends'". VH1. (May 27, 1999). http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1429785/19990527/guns_n_roses.jhtml. Retrieved May 30, 2008.
139. ^ a b "Lauryn Hill, Backstreet Boys, DMX Honored With American Music Awards". MTV. (January 18, 2000). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1425174/20000118/backstreet_boys.jhtml. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
140. ^ a b c d e Taraborrelli, pp. 614–617
141. ^ a b c George, pp. 50–53
142. ^ Branigan, Tania (September 8, 2001). "Jackson spends £20m to be Invincible". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/sep/08/taniabranigan. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
143. ^ Conniff, Tamara (August 30, 2009). "We Killed Michael Jackson". Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tamara-conniff/we-killed-michael-jackson_b_272174.html. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
144. ^ a b Burkeman, Oliver (July 8, 2002). "Jacko gets tough: but is he a race crusader or just a falling star?". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/jul/08/oliverburkeman. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
145. ^ Jackson, Jermaine. Interview with Connie Chung. Interview with Jermaine Jackson. Connie Chung Tonight. (December 31, 2002). Retrieved on July 2, 2008.
146. ^ "Keys, Destiny's Child, McGraw win at American Music Awards". Lodi-News Sentinel. (January 10, 2002). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=Oc40AAAAIBAJ&sjid=GyEGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5669,889435&dq=american+music+awards+michael+jackson&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
147. ^ "Michael Jackson". Daily Mirror. http://www.mirror.co.uk/topics/michael-jackson/. Retrieved May 29, 2009.
148. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (November 20, 2002). "Michael Jackson Calls Baby-Dangling Incident A 'Terrible Mistake'". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458799/20021120/jackson_michael.jhtml. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
149. ^ "BPI Searchable database—Gold and Platinum". British Phonographic Industry.
150. ^ a b Taraborrelli, p. 640
151. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 661
152. ^ Davis, Matthew (June 6, 2005). "Michael Jackson health concerns". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4612897.stm. Retrieved April 14, 2008.
153. ^ "Michael Jackson jury reaches verdict". The Guardian. Associated Press (London). June 13, 2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/jackson/story/0,15819,1505806,00.html. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
154. ^ Toumi, Habib (January 23, 2006). "Jackson settles down to his new life in the Persian Gulf". Gulf News. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/01/23/10013403.html. Retrieved November 11, 2006.
155. ^ McNamara, Melissa (March 17, 2006). "Jackson Closes Neverland House". CBS News. http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/17/people/main1414450.shtml. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
156. ^ Ackman, Dan (June 14, 2005). "Really Odd Facts About Michael Jackson". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2005/06/14/jackson-celebrity-trial-cx_da_0614topnews.html. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
157. ^ "Jackson strikes deal over loans". BBC News (BBC Online). April 14, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4909412.stm. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
158. ^ "Michael Jackson Sails With Two Seas". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002345673#/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002345673. Retrieved April, 25, 2010.
159. ^ a b "Jackson parts with Bahrain label". BBC News (BBC Online). September 26, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5380654.stm. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
160. ^ Friedman, Roger (October 21, 2006). "Who's Funding Jackson's Retreat to Irish Recording Studio?". FOX News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,222797,00.html. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
161. ^ "2006 World Music Awards". Chiff. http://www.chiff.com/pop-culture/world-music-awards.htm. Retrieved February 13, 2008.
162. ^ Reid, Shaheem. James Brown Saluted By Michael Jackson at Public Funeral Service, MTV, December 30, 2006.
163. ^ "Michael Jackson buys rights to Eminem tunes and more,". Rolling Stone (Wenner Media LLC). May 31, 2007.
164. ^ a b Wardrop, Murray (June 27, 2009). "Michael Jackson: the unreleased album". London: The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/5656918/Michael-Jackson-the-unreleased-album.html. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
165. ^ "Interview With RedOne". HitQuarters. March 23, 2009. http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/opar/intrview_RedOne_Interview.html. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
166. ^ Talmadge, Eric. Michael Jackson 'wouldn't change anything', Associated Press, 2007. Retrieved July 25, 2008.
167. ^ "Will.i.am On Working With Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone (Wenner Media LLC). September 24, 2007.
168. ^ a b "Zona Musical" (in Spanish). zm.nu. http://zm.nu/detalle.php?base=zmnews&lay=cgi&form=detalle&tok4=notici&tok5=Noticias&id=17840. Retrieved April 5, 2008.
169. ^ "Thriller the best selling album of all time". digitalproducer. (February 20, 2008). http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=312105&afterinter=true. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
170. ^ "Michael Jackson Thriller 25". ultratop.be. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Michael+Jackson&titel=Thriller+25&cat=a. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
171. ^ Friedman, Roger (May 16, 2008). "Jacko: Neverland East in Upstate New York". Fox News Channel. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356282,00.html#3. Retrieved May 22, 2008.
172. ^ "Choose The Tracks On Michael Jackson's 50th Birthday Album!". Sony BMG. (June 20, 2008). http://www.sonybmg.com.au/news/details.do;.tomcat2?newsId=20030829005656. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
173. ^ "Michael Jackson—King of Pop". acharts.us. http://acharts.us/album/37399. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
174. ^ "King of Pop". www.ultratop.be. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?search=king+of+pop&cat=a. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
175. ^ "Neverland peters out for pop's Peter Pan". The Sydney Morning Herald. (November 13, 2008). http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/people/neverland-peters-out-for-pops-peter-pan/2008/11/13/1226318822205.html. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
176. ^ "Jacko gives up Neverland ranch deed". Press Association. (November 16, 2008).
177. ^ Adams, Susan (April 14, 2009). "Ten Most Expensive Michael Jackson Collectibles". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/14/michael-jackson-auction-lifestyle-collecting-michael-jackson.html. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
178. ^ "Michael Jackson Exhibition – 2009". Juliensauctions.com. April 25, 2009. http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2009/michael-jackson/index.html. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
179. ^ "Michael Jackson: The fantastic possessions revealed – Americas, World". London: The Independent. June 26, 2009. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/michael-jackson-auction-cancelled-after-lawsuit-1668969.html. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
180. ^ Foster, Patrick (March 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson grand finale curtain-raiser". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5854735.ece. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
181. ^ Kreps, Daniel (March 12, 2009). "Michael Jackson's "This Is It!" Tour Balloons to 50-Show Run Stretching Into 2010". Rolling Stone (Jann Wenner LLC).
182. ^ "Michael Jackson: The Last Rehearsal". Life. June 29, 2009. http://www.life.com/image/88744450/in-gallery/29532/michael-jackson-the-last-rehearsal. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
183. ^ "Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest". CNN. June 25, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/25/michael.jackson/index.html. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
184. ^ "Judge OKs Jackson performance film deal". Associated Press. MSNBC. 2009-08-10. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32360110. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
185. ^ Joyce Eng (August 10, 2009). "Judge Approves Michael Jackson Film". TV Guide. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Michael-Jackson-Film-1008827.aspx. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
186. ^ "This is It (2009)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=michaeljacksonthisisit.htm. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
187. ^ Herrera, Monica (September 23, 2009). "New Michael Jackson Song, Album Due In October". Billboard.com. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/new-michael-jackson-song-album-due-in-october-1004015054.story. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
188. ^ a b "Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson dominate American Music Awards nominations (Updated)". Los Angeles Times (Tribune Company). October 13, 2009. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/10/taylor-swift-michael-jackson-dominate-american-music-awards-nominations.html. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
189. ^ a b "2009 American Music Awards: Scorecard". Los Angeles Times (Tribune Company). November 22, 2009. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/11/2009-american-music-awards-scorecard.html. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
190. ^ a b Harvey, Michael (June 26, 2009). "Fans mourn artist for whom it didn't matter if you were black or white". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6580897.ece. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
191. ^ "Los Angeles Fire Department recording of the emergency phone call made from Michael Jackson's home". BBC. June 26, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8121884.stm. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
192. ^ "Transcript of 911 call". Yahoo! News. June 26, 2009.
193. ^ "Singer Michael Jackson dead at 50-Legendary pop star had been preparing for London comeback tour". MSNBC. June 25, 2009. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31552029?gt1=43001. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
194. ^ Moore, Matthew (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson, King of Pop, dies of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles". London: Telegraph.co.uk. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/5643916/Michael-Jackson-King-of-Pop-dies-of-cardiac-arrest-in-Los-Angeles.html. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
195. ^ Tourtellotte, Bob (June 25, 2009). "King of Pop Michael Jackson is dead: official". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE55O6AK20090626. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
196. ^ Rawlinson, Linnie and Nick Hunt. Jackson Dies, almost takes Internet With Him, CNN, June 27, 2009.
197. ^ Shiels, Maggie. Web slows after Jackson's death, BBC News, June 26, 2009.
198. ^ Phoebe. The King of Pop vs. Wikipedia, The Wikipedia Signpost, June 29, 2009; see October 2009 stats
199. ^ Wood, Daniel B. Outpouring over Michael Jackson unlike anything since Princess Di, Christian Science Monitor, June 27, 2009.
200. ^ a b Skok, David, Internet stretched to limit as fans flock for Michael Jackson news, The Vancouver Sun, June 26, 2009.
201. ^ a b Wortham, Jenna. Michael Jackson Tops the Charts on Twitter, The New York Times, June 25, 2009.
202. ^ Krazit, Tim and McCullagh, Declan. Debate: Can the Internet handle big breaking news?, cnet.com, June 26, 2009.
203. ^ Stelter, Brian. MTV's Jackson Marathon The New York Times, June 26, 2009.
204. ^ "Jacko news spreads to Eastenders". MSN Entertainment. June 28, 2009.
205. ^ The Sun, July 8, 2009, pp. 10–11.
206. ^ Jacko Telethon: Primetime Broadcast Network Coverage Devotes One Third of All News to Pop Star's Death, newsbusters.org, July 10, 2009.
207. ^ Time Magazine to Publish Special Jackson Issue, People, June 27, 2009.
208. ^ Hill, Catey. Scene with Michael Jackson, LaToya Jackson cut from Sacha Baron Cohen's "Bruno", New York Daily News, June 26, 2009.
209. ^ Bucci, Paul and Wood, Graeme.Michael Jackson RIP: One billion people estimated watching for gold-plated casket at memorial service. The Vancouver Sun, July 7, 2009.
210. ^ Leopold, todd. Jackson spectacle likely a world event. CNN, July 6, 2009.
211. ^ Bucci, Paul and Wood, Graeme. Michael Jackson RIP: One billion people estimated watching for gold-plated casket at memorial service. The Vancouver Sun, July 7, 2009.
212. ^ Scott, Andrew. "Michael Jackson Memorial Earns 31 Million Viewers & More TV News – Inside TV Blog". Television.aol.com. http://television.aol.com/insidetv/2009/07/09/michael-jackson-memorial-earns-31-million-viewers/. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
213. ^ Allen, Nick. Michael Jackson memorial service: the biggest celebrity send-off of all time, The Daily Telegraph, July 7, 2009.
214. ^ Video of Sharpton's eulogy, Macleans, July 7, 2009.
215. ^ Liveblogging Michael Jackson's funeral and memorial service, The Guardian, July 7, 2009.
216. ^ Interview with Reverend Lucious Smith, one year since the death of Michael Jackson.
217. ^ Burgess, Kaya (August 24, 2009). "LA coroner to treat Michael Jackson's death as a homicide". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6808546.ece. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
218. ^ "Jackson 'had lethal drug levels'". BBC News. August 25, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8219362.stm. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
219. ^ Doheny, Kathleen; Louise Chang, Hector Vila Jr (August 24, 2009). "Propofol Linked to Michael Jackson's Death". WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/news/20090824/propofol-linked-to-michael-jacksons-death. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
220. ^ "Michael Jackson Homicide Ruling". http://www.daytondailynews.com/entertainment/music/ap-source-coroner-rules-jacksons-death-homicide-263808.html. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
221. ^ "Michael Jackson's doctor charged with manslaughter". BBC News (BBC Online). February 9, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8499143.stm. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
222. ^ Coleman, Mark (September 4, 2009). "Michael Jackson finally laid to rest in Los Angeles". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/6136376/Michael-Jackson-finally-laid-to-rest-in-Los-Angeles.html. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
223. ^ Caulfield, Keith (January 6, 2010). "Taylor Swift Edges Susan Boyle for 2009's Top-Selling Album". Billboard.com. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/taylor-swift-edges-susan-boyle-for-2009-1004057203.story. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
224. ^ "Jackson sells 35 million albums since death - Entertainment - Access Hollywood - TODAYshow.com". Today.msnbc.msn.com. 2010-06-25. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37957972/ns/today-entertainment/. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
225. ^ a b "Sony Places Big Bet on a Fallen 'King'". The Wall Street Journal. March 16, 2010. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704588404575124023860735864.html. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
226. ^ "Michael Jackson in 'record' $200m music deal". BBC News. BBC Online. 2009-03-16. http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/business/2010/03/100316_jackson_biz_music_deal.shtml. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
227. ^ Up for Discussion Jump to Forums (2009-09-14). "Michael Jackson Fans Will Moonwalk In Motion-Sensing Game". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/news/michael-jackson-fans-will-moonwalk-in-motion-1004098077.story#/news/michael-jackson-fans-will-moonwalk-in-motion-1004098077.story. Retrieved 2010-06-25.
228. ^ Michael Jackson, the king of pop ... – Google Books. Books.google.com. 2005. ISBN 9780974977904. http://books.google.com/books?id=LuEPnk7irOMC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
229. ^ "Michael Jackson saved my life". scarborougheveningnews.co.uk. http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/39Michael-Jackson-saved-my-life39.5407768.jp. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
230. ^ "James Brown – Jackson Attends Brown's Public Funeral – Contactmusic News". Contactmusic.com. January 2, 2007. http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/jackson%20attends%20browns%20public%20funeral_1017673. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
231. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 60
232. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 64
233. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 209–210
234. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Huey, Steve. "Michael Jackson—Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kifuxqe5ldae~T1. Retrieved November 11, 2006.
235. ^ Henderson, Eric (2003). "Michael Jackson:Thriller". Slant Magazine. http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=358. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
236. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Thriller Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A9kqog44ttvjz. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
237. ^ a b c d Connelly, Christopher (January 28, 1983). "Michael Jackson: Thriller". Rolling Stone.
238. ^ a b George, p.24
239. ^ Pareles, Jon (September 3, 1987). "How good is Jackson's Bad?". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1DC1F38F930A3575AC0A961948260&scp=5&sq=Michael+Jackson+Bad+review&st=nyt. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
240. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dangerous Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0hrsa9igb23u. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
241. ^ a b c d e f g Pareles, Jon (November 24, 1991). "Michael Jackson in the Electronic Wilderness". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE2D6143DF937A15752C1A967958260&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fJ%2fJackson%2c%20Michael. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
242. ^ Harrington, Richard (November 24, 1991). "Jackson's `Dangerous' Departures; Stylistic Shifts Mar His First Album in 4 Years". The Washington Post.
243. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson HIStory Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rz60tr7qklkx. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
244. ^ a b Hunter, James (August 10, 1995). "Michael Jackson HIStory". Rolling Stone.
245. ^ "Thomas W. (Tom) Sneddon, Jr.". ndaa.org. http://www.ndaa.org/ndaa/profile/tom_sneddon_jan_feb_2003.html. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
246. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Michael Jackson:Invincible". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A0dq5g4hptv8z. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
247. ^ Beaumont, Mark (November 30, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". NME. http://www.nme.com/reviews/michael-jackson/5780. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
248. ^ Brackett, pp. 414
249. ^ The Complete Guide To The Music of Michael Jackson & The Jackson Family by Geoff Brown. 164 pages, Omnibus Press
250. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Off the Wall Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A7cu1z85ajyv6. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
251. ^ Holden, Stephen (November 1, 1979). "Off the Wall: Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone.
252. ^ Sony Music (2001). "Michael Jackson Dangerous Review". Sony Music Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 4, 2005. http://web.archive.org/web/20051204230345/http://www.sonybmg.com.au/cd/releaseDetails.do?catalogueNo=5044242000. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
253. ^ Jeans (1993). "Peligroso regreso". Michael Jackson: Un mito indescifrable (in Spanish). Revista Jeans. p. 7. "En "Black or white" Michael Jackson solicitó la participación del guitarrista de Guns N' Roses, Slash, para darle a esta canción de hard rock una línea más agresiva, además cuenta con la participación de Tim Pierce en la guitarra heavy metal; y el resultado es una mezcla de hard rock, dance y rap"
254. ^ Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. p. 491. ISBN 0205317456. http://books.google.com/books?id=nDnUQkn28lUC&q=%22black+or+white%22+%22rock+'n'+roll+dance+song%22+%22michael+jackson%22&dq=%22black+or+white%22+%22rock+'n'+roll+dance+song%22+%22michael+jackson%22&pgis=1. Retrieved July 14, 2009. "'Black or White', described by the record company as 'a rock 'n' roll dance song about racial harmony'"
255. ^ Lewarne, Rory (July 26, 2004). "Pink Grease". Music News. http://www.music-news.com/ShowReview.asp?nReviewID=363&nType=4. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
256. ^ Hunter, James (December 6, 2001). "Michael Jackson: Invincible". Rolling Stone.
257. ^ Chery, Carl: XXL: Michael Jackson Special Collecters Edition, page 95. American Press.
258. ^ "Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean," directed by Steve Barron, produced by Simon Fields & Paul Flattery,". Blender. October 2005.
259. ^ a b Gundersen, Edna (August 25, 2005). "Music videos changing places". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-08-25-mtv_x.htm. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
260. ^ "Why it took MTV so long to play black music videos | Jet | Find Articles at BNET". Findarticles.com. October 9, 2006. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_14_110/ai_n16807343/. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
261. ^ Robinson, Bryan (February 23, 2005). "Why Are Michael Jackson's Fans So Devoted?". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/LegalCenter/story?id=464753&page=1. Retrieved April 6, 2007.
262. ^ Inglis, Ian (2006), Performance and popular music: history, place and time, Ashgate Publishing, pp. 119, 127, ISBN 9780754640578
263. ^ Jackson, Michael. Thriller Special Edition Audio.
264. ^ "Philippine jailhouse rocks to Thriller". BBC. (July 27, 2007). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6917318.stm. Retrieved April 11, 2009.
265. ^ Corliss, Richard (September 6, 1993). "Who's Bad?". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979177,00.html?internalid=ACA. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
266. ^ US patent Michael J. Jackson, Michael L. Bush, Dennis Tompkins: "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion", filed June 29, 1992, issued Oct 26, 1993 5255452
267. ^ Michael Jackson Dangerous on Film VHS/DVD
268. ^ Campbell (1993), p. 303
269. ^ a b Guinness World Records 2006
270. ^ Campbell (1993), pp. 313–314
271. ^ Boepple, Leanne (November 1, 1995). Scream: Space Odyssey, Jackson-Style.(video production; Michael and Janet Jackson video). 29. Theatre Crafts International. p. 52.
272. ^ Bark, Ed (June 26, 1995). Michael Jackson Interview Raises Questions, Answers. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 06E.
273. ^ Michael Jackson HIStory on Film volume II VHS/DVD
274. ^ Lewis, pp. 125–126
275. ^ Guinness World Records 2004
276. ^ Utley, Tom (March 8, 2003). "Of course Jackson's odd—but his genius is what matters". London: The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2003/02/08/do0801.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2003/02/08/ixopinion.html. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
277. ^ "Beyoncé, Top Stars Tip Their Hats to Michael Jackson". People. June 27, 2009. http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20287787_20288067,00.html. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
278. ^ a b Reid, Antonio. "Michael Jackson". Rolling Stone (Jann Wenner LLC).
279. ^ Jean-Louis, Rosemary (November 1, 2004). "Usher, Usher, Usher: The new 'King of Pop'?". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/01/usher/. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
280. ^ "Green Day Look Forward To Janet Jackson's VMA Tribute To Michael". MTV. September 13, 2009. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621362/20090913/green_day.jhtml. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
281. ^ "Michael Jackson Is The Reason". AZcentral. July 4, 2009. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2009/07/04/20090704madonna-inspired-by-jackson.html. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
282. ^ "Ludacris Says Michael Jackson Inspired Him to 'Shoot for the Sky'". MTV. June 27, 2009. http://www.spinner.com/2009/06/27/ludacris-says-michael-jackson-inspired-him-to-shoot-for-the-sky/. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
283. ^ Monroe, Bryan (December 2007). "Michael Jackson in His Own Words" (Print/Magazine). Ebony.
284. ^ Barnes, Brokes (June 25, 2009). "A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson Dies at 50". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/arts/music/26jackson.html?ref=obituaries. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
285. ^ "More adds, loose ends, and lament". The 120 Minutes Archive. July 25, 2009. http://altmusictv.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-adds-loose-ends-and-lament.html. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
286. ^ "Farewell to a King". People. July 20, 2009.
287. ^ "Berry Gordy-Brings Mourners To Their Feet With Jackson Tribute". Contact Music. July 7, 2009. http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/gordy-brings-mourners-to-their-feet-with-jackson-tribute_1108973. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
288. ^ "Michael Jackson hailed as greatest entertainer, best dad". Reuters UK. July 8, 2009. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5615KN20090708. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
289. ^ a b Chandler, Cory. "Librarians Prove Michael Jackson Was a Rock Star in Academic Literature". Texas Tech University. http://today.ttu.edu/2010/05/librarians-prove-michael-jackson-was-a-rock-star-in-academic-literature/. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
290. ^ Hidalgo, Susan and Weiner, Robert G. (2010). "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide". The Journal of Pan African Studies 3 (7): 14–28. http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol3no7/3.7MJ-Wanna-3.pdf.
291. ^ Hidalgo and Weiner (2010), p. 15.
292. ^ Hidalgo and Weiner (2010), p. 25.
293. ^ "Michael Jackson and Halle Berry Pick Up Bambi Awards in Berlin". Hello!. (November 22, 2002). http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2002/11/22/michaeljackson/. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
294. ^ "Michael Jackson Named Most Successful Entertainer Of All Time". CityNews. Rogers Broadcasting Limited. November 15, 2006. http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/entertainment/music/article/24523--michael-jackson-named-most-successful-entertainer-of-all-time. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
295. ^ "Most No. 1s By Artist (All-Time)". Billboard.com. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/specials/hot100/charts/most-no1s-overall.shtml. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
296. ^ "Grammy Living Legend Award". Grammy. http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Awards/Legends/. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
297. ^ "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award". Grammy. http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Awards/Lifetime_Awards/. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
298. ^ "List of American Music Awards winners". Sun Journal. (January 18, 2000). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=ZMwgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tmoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3529,2860414&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
299. ^ "Santana wins top album honors at American Music Awards". Times Daily. (January 18, 2000). http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=essyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bskEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3817,2301247&dq=american+music+awards&hl=en. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
300. ^ Serjeant, Jill (December 29, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Death Among 2009's Major Moments". ABC News (The Walt Disney Company).
301. ^ Dalton, Joseph (May 2010). "Jackson Dance hall of fame". Times union. http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=927172&category=REGION. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
302. ^ "Witness: Jacko Lived Way Above Means". Fox News Channel. (May 3, 2005). http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155356,00.html. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
303. ^ "Family: Michael Jackson Had A Will" CBS News (June 30, 2009). Retrieved on July 12, 2009.
304. ^ Christman, Ed, Ann Donahue, Gail Mitchell, Glenn Peoples and Ray Waddell (June 21, 2010). "How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion Since His Death". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. http://www.billboard.com/news/how-michael-jackson-made-1-billion-since-1004099450.story#/news/how-michael-jackson-made-1-billion-since-1004099450.story. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
305. ^ Jones, pp. 229, 259
306. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 355–356
307. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 413–414
308. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 610
309. ^ Scott, A. O (July 3, 2002). "Defending Earth, With Worms and a Talking Pug". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/03/movies/03BLAC.html?ex=1234155600&en=1e9c4a5a1eafc54f&ei=5070. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
310. ^ Chaney, Jen (July 19, 2005). "'Miss Cast Away': You Know It's Bad". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/18/AR2005071800641_pf.html. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
311. ^ Le, Danny (August 11, 2009). "'Michael Jackson's "This Is It," to be Presented In Theaters Around The World". MichaelJackson.com. http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/news/michael-jacksons-it-be-presented-theaters-around-world. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
Bibliography
* Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). Rolling Stone Album Guide. Fireside. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
* Campbell, Lisa (1993). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop. Branden. ISBN 082831957X.
* Campbell, Lisa (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 0828320039.
* George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection booklet. Sony BMG.
* Guinness World Records (2003). Guinness World Records 2004. Guinness. ISBN 1892051206.
* Guinness World Records (2005). Guinness World Records 2006. Guinness. ISBN 1-904994-02-4.
* Jackson, Michael (1988). Moon Walk. Doubleday. ISBN 0385247125.
* Lewis, Jel (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews!. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 0-974977-90-X.
* Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June (2001). Writing arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 0205317456.
* Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Terra Alta, WV: Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 0-446-56474-5, 9780446564748.
Further reading
* Dineen, Catherine (1993). Michael Jackson: In His Own Words. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0711932166.
* Grant, Adrian (1994, 1997, 2002 and 2005). Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 1-84449-432-2.
* Jackson, Michael (1988). Moonwalk. Doubleday. ISBN 0-434-37042-8.
* Jackson, Michael (1992). Dancing the Dream. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-40368-2.
* Jackson, Michael (2006). My World, The Official Photobook, Vol. 1. Triumph International. ISBN 0-9768891-1-0.
* Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2009). Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958–2009. Terra Alta, WV: Grand Central Publishing, 2009. ISBN 0-446-56474-5, 9780446564748.
* Jones, Bob (2005). Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask. Select Books Inc. ISBN 1590790723.
* Noonan, Damien (1994) (Audio book). Michael Jackson. Carlton Books. ISBN 1-85797-587-1.
External links
| Michael Jackson |
What category 3 hurricane devastated the east coast last week, resulting in at least 54 deaths? | Tribute King of PoP
Tribute King of PoP
King of Pop (album)
King of Pop is a compilation album released in commemoration of Michael Jackson's 50th birthday. The album differs significantly in each country it was released because fan voting was employed to determine the songs for each country's version. The album's title comes from the title Jackson acquired approximately 20 years earlier. The album's launch was made public on June 20, 2008 with the official announcement of the Australian version. The first release came with the German edition (which is identical to the Swiss edition) on August 22, 2008.
Fans in countries where Sony BMG operates national offices were given the opportunity to vote for songs from a list of Jackson's back catalogue to be included in their country's version of the album. Aside from the tracks selected by fans, a megamix of five songs from the Thriller album by Jason Nevins was also included in the pool. The album has been released in a total of 26 countries. Each pool list and release date differed slightly by country. " Billie Jean " is the only song to appear on all versions of the album. There has been no announcement of a release in North America.
King of Pop has sold over five million copies worldwide.
Courtesy of wikipedia
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest
Singer, songwriter. Jackson was born August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to an African-American working-class family. His father, Joseph Jackson , had been a guitarist but had put aside his musical aspirations to provide for his family as a crane operator. Believing his sons had talent, he molded them into a musical group in the early 1960s. At first, the Jackson Family performers consisted of Michael's older brothers Tito , Jermaine , and Jackie . Michael joined his siblings when he was five, and emerged as the group's lead vocalist. He showed remarkable range and depth for such a young performer, impressing audiences with his ability to convey complex emotions. Older brother Marlon also became a member of the group, which evolved into the The Jackson 5 .
Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also reportedly known to become violent with them. Michael and his brothers spent endless hours rehearsing and polishing up their act. At first, the Jackson 5 played local gigs and built a strong following. They recorded one single on their own, "Big Boy" with the b-side "You've Changed," but it failed to generate much interest.
The Jackson 5 moved on to working an opening act for such R&B artists as Gladys Knight and the Pips, James Brown, and Sam and Dave. Many of these performers were signed to the legendary Motown record label, and it has been reported that Gladys Knight may have been the one to tell Motown founder Berry Gordy about the Jackson 5. Impressed by the group, Gordy signed them to his label in 1968.
Relocating to Los Angeles, Michael and his brothers started work on their music and dancing with their father as their manager. They lived with Gordy and also with Supremes singer Diana Ross when they first arrived there. In August 1969, the Jackson 5 was introduced to the music industry at a special event, and later served as the opening act for the Supremes. Their first album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, hit the charts in December of that year. It's first single, "I Want You Back," hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1970.
More chart-topping singles quickly followed, such as "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There." At the age of 13, Jackson launched a solo career in addition to his work with the Jackson 5. He made the charts in 1971 with "Got to Be There" from the album of the same name. His 1972 album, Ben, featured the eponymous ballad about a rat. The song became Jackson's first solo No. 1 single.
For several years, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 maintained a busy tour and recording schedule, under the supervision of Berry Gordy and his Motown staff. Gordy wrote many of the songs recorded by the group and by Michael Jackson as a solo artist. The group became so popular that they even had their own self-titled cartoon show, which ran from 1971 to 1973.
From http://www.biography.com/articles/Michael-Jackson-38211
They Don't Care About Us
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation , search
"They Don't Care About Us"
"They Don't Care About Us" is the fourth single from Michael Jackson 's album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I , released on April 1, 1996. The song remains one of the most controversial pieces Jackson ever composed. In the US, media scrutiny surrounding alleged antisemitic lyrics were the catalyst for Jackson issuing multiple apologies and re-recording the song with altered lyrics. The singer countered allegations of antisemitism, arguing that reviews had misinterpreted the context of the song, either unintentionally or deliberately. Musically, it is an aggressive hip-hop production about social ills.
The song was accompanied by two music videos directed by Spike Lee . The first was shot in two locations in Brazil , a favela in Rio de Janeiro called Dona Marta and in Salvador da Bahia . [1] [2] State authorities tried to ban all production over fears the video would damage their image, the area and prospects of staging the 2004 Olympics . Still, the residents of the area were happy to see the singer, hoping their problems would be made visible to a wider audience. [2] The second video was shot in a prison and contained video footage of multiple references to human rights abuses .
Commercially, the song became a top ten hit in all European countries and number one in Germany for three weeks. In the US, radio stations were reluctant to play the controversial composition; it, however, managed to peak at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 .
Contents
8 References
[ edit ] Dispute regarding lyrics and context
The New York Times claimed the song contained racist and antisemitic content on June 15, 1995 , just days before the album's release. The publication highlighted the lyrics, "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me" and labeled them " slurs ". [3] Jackson responded directly to the publication, stating:
The idea that these lyrics could be deemed objectionable is extremely hurtful to me, and misleading. The song in fact is about the pain of prejudice and hate and is a way to draw attention to social and political problems. I am the voice of the accused and the attacked. I am the voice of everyone. I am the skinhead, I am the Jew, I am the black man, I am the white man. I am not the one who was attacking. It is about the injustices to young people and how the system can wrongfully accuse them. I am angry and outraged that I could be so misinterpreted. [3]
When questioned further about the lyrics on the ABC News program Prime Time Live , Jackson stated, "It's not anti-Semitic because I'm not a racist person ... I could never be a racist. I love all races." [3] The singer also noted that some of his closest employees and friends were Jewish. That same day, Jackson received support from his manager and record label, who described the lyrics as "brilliant", that they were about opposition to prejudice and taken out of context. [3] The following day, two leading members of the Jewish community stated that Jackson's attempt to make a song critical of discrimination had backfired. They expressed the opinion that the lyrics used were unsuitable for a teenage audience that might not understand the song's context, adding that the song was too ambiguous for some listeners to understand. They accepted that Jackson meant well and suggested that the entertainer write an explanation in the album booklet. [4]
On June 17, Jackson issued another public apology to anyone offended by his choice of words. He promised that future copies of the album would include an apology, by this point however, two million copies of the record had already been shipped. The singer concluded, "I just want you all to know how strongly I am committed to tolerance, peace and love, and I apologize to anyone who might have been hurt". [5] The next day, in his review of HIStory, Jon Pareles of The New York Times alleged, "In ... 'They Don't Care About Us', he gives the lie to his entire catalogue of brotherhood anthems with a burst of anti-Semitism". [6]
On June 21, Patrick Macdonald of The Seattle Times criticized Jackson, stating, "He may have lived a sheltered life, but there really is no excuse for using terms like 'Jew me' and 'kike' in a pop song, unless you make it clear you are denouncing such terms, and do so in an artful way". [7] Two days later, Jackson decided, despite the cost incurred, he would return to the studio and alter the offending wording on future copies of the album; "Jew me" and "Kike me" would be substituted with "do me" and "strike me". The music video and some copies of the album still carry the original words, but with loud, abstract noises partially drowning them out. He reiterated his acceptance that the song was offensive to some. [8] [9] Spike Lee noted a double standard in the music industry. While the New York Times asserted the use of racial slurs in "They Don't Care About Us", they were silent on other racial slurs in the album. Jackson used the word "nigger" on another song on the HIStory album, but it did not attract media attention. [10]
[ edit ] Music and other commentary
The chorus to the hip hop inspired fourth single from HIStory—"They Don't Care About Us".
Problems listening to this file? See media help .
The song begins with a child chanting, "Enough is enough of this garbage!" and a female helps sing the chorus—"All I wanna say is that they don't really care about us". [4] [11] [12] According to the sheet music published on Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing "They Don't Care About Us" is played in the key of d minor and the track's time signature is common time. [13] The song, which is cited as being a pop song, has a moderately slow tempo of 88 beats per minute. [13] Instruments used include a piano and guitar. [13] Jon Pareles believed Jackson was calling himself "a victim of police brutality" and a "victim of hate". He continued, "A listener might wonder just who 'Us' is supposed to be ... To make the songs lodge in the ear, Jackson uses elementary singsong melodies -- a 'nyah, nyah' two-note motif in 'They Don't Care About Us' ... and he comes up with all kinds of surprises in the arrangements". [6]
James Hunter of Rolling Stone magazine noted that musically, Jackson was no longer trying to hide any eccentricities he had, he expressed the opinion that in "They Don't Care About Us", the pop musician sounded more embattled than ever. [14] Jim Farber of New York Daily News said that Jackson "snarled" while singing, that the song "clicked" and has an "original clattering rhythm". [15] The review of HIStory in The Washington Times noted of "They Don't Care About Us": "[it] follows fast, inviting more pathos - and more controversy. With haunting clapping and a police scanner in the background". [16] The Sacramento Bee described it as a "looped reggae-lite dance beat". [17]
[ edit ] Chart performance
In the UK, it peaked at number four and stayed on the chart for three months. [18] The song found particular success in Europe, peaking within the top ten in all countries. European highlights came in Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and Sweden, in these countries the song became a top five hit and stayed in their respective charts for a minimum of 21 weeks. [19] The song reached the top of the charts for three weeks in Germany and stayed a full 30 weeks in the survey. [20] It is the longest consecutive chart run of a Michael Jackson song in the German charts. The lyrical controversy surrounding "They Don't Care About Us" brought partial commercial disappointment in the US; radio stations were reluctant to play the song. It peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, falling short of the record breaking success of the two previous singles " Scream/Childhood " and " You Are Not Alone ", yet the song peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart. [21]
[ edit ] Music videos
The cultural music group Olodum with whom Jackson collaborated. Near identical scenes can be seen in the first music video for "They Don't Care About Us".
Producing the first video proved to be a difficult task for Jackson. State authorities unsuccessfully tried to ban the singer filming in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador (Pelorinho). Officials feared images of poverty might affect tourism and accused Jackson of exploiting the poor. Ronaldo Cezar Coelho, the state secretary for Industry, Commerce and Tourism demanded editing rights over the finished product, stating, "I don't see why we should have to facilitate films that will contribute nothing to all our efforts to rehabilitate Rio's image". Some were concerned that scenes of poverty and human rights abuses would affect their chances of hosting the Olympics in 2004. Others supported Jackson's wish to highlight the problems of the region, arguing that the government were embarrassed by their own failings.
A judge banned all filming but this ruling was overturned by an injunction. Although officials were angry, the residents were not and Jackson was surrounded by crowds of enthusiastic onlookers during filming. One woman managed to push through security to hug the singer who continued dancing while hugging her. Another woman appeared and hugged him from behind. He then fell to the ground as police pulled the two women off him and escorted them away. After the director helped Jackson get up off the street, he continued to sing and dance. This incident made it into the music video. 1,500 policemen and 50 residents acting as security guards effectively sealed off the Dona Marta shanty town . It was alleged that Jackson's production team had negotiated with drug dealers in order to gain permission to film in one of the city's shantytowns. [22] [2]
The music video was directed by Spike Lee. Asked why he chose Lee to direct the video, Jackson responded, "'They Don't Care About Us' has an edge, and Spike Lee had approached me. It's a public awareness song and that's what he is all about. It's a protest kind of song ... and I think he was perfect for it". [23] Jackson also collaborated with 200 members of the cultural group Olodum , "who swayed to the heavy beat of Salvador's 'samba-reggae' music". [22] [24] The media interest surrounding the music video exposed Olodum to 140 countries around the world. It brought them worldwide fame and increased their credibility in Brazil. [25] At the beginning of the video, a Brazilian woman says "Michael, eles não ligam pra gente" which means "Michael, they don't care about us".
Precarious houses in the favela of Complexo do Alemão in Rio de Janeiro. Identical scenes are viewable in the first music video.
Speaking of the music video, in The New Brazilian Cinema, Lúcia Nagib observed:
When Michael Jackson decided to shoot his new music video in a favela of Rio de Janeiro ... he used the favela people as extras in a visual super-spectacle ... All the while there is a vaguely political appeal in there ... The interesting aspect of Michael Jackson's strategy is the efficiency with which it gives visibility to poverty and social problems in countries like Brazil without resorting to traditional political discourse. The problematic aspect is that it does not entail a real intervention in that poverty. [26]
In 2009, Billboard described the area as "now a model for social development" and stated that Jackson's influence was partially responsible for this improvement. [1] For the first time in his career, Jackson made a second music video for a single. This second version was filmed in a prison with cell mates; In the video Jackson is seen handcuffed. It also contains real footage of police attacking African Americans, the Ku Klux Klan , genocide, execution, and other human rights abuses. [27]
[ edit ] 2009 rehearsal footage
A short video clip released after Jackson's death of the June 25, 2009 rehearsal for the This Is It concert series shows Jackson performing the song as the main song in a medley with parts of " HIStory " song as well as "She Drives Me Wild" song from ' HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I and Dangerous respectly. [28]
Posted by
Michael Joseph Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist , singer-songwriter , and philanthropist . Referred to as the King of Pop , Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records . His contribution to music, dance and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The eighth child of the Jackson family , he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music . The music videos for his songs including " Beat It ", " Billie Jean " and " Thriller ", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as " Black or White " and " Scream " made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk . His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop , pop , contemporary R&B and rock artists.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time . His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records ; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award ); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards , which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of music. He was also a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for beneficial causes and supporting more than 39 charities.
Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance , personal relationships and behavior, have generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse , but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series This Is It , Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest . Before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam . The Los Angeles County Coroner declared his death a homicide , and his personal physician pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter . Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US$ 250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death. His first posthumous album of new material, simply titled Michael , will be released on December 14, 2010. [1] [2]
Contents
Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana , showing floral tributes after his death.
Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children in an African American working-class family, in Gary, Indiana , an industrial suburb of Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse , was a devout Jehovah's Witness , and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson , was a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie , La Toya , and Janet , and five brothers: Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , Marlon , and Randy . [3] A sixth brother, Brandon, died shortly after birth. [4]
Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe. [5] [6] [7] Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he regularly whipped Jackson as a child. [7] Jackson stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, though he also credited his father's strict discipline with playing a large role in his success. [5] Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey , broadcast in February 1993. He admitted that he had often cried from loneliness and he would vomit on the sight of his father. Jackson's father was also said to have verbally abused Jackson, saying that he had a fat nose on numerous occasions. [8] In fact, Michael Jackson's deep dissatisfaction with his appearance, his nightmares and chronic sleep problems, his tendency to remain hyper-compliant especially with his father, and to remain child-like throughout his adult life are in many ways consistent with the effects of this chronic maltreatment he endured as a young child. [9]
In an interview with Martin Bashir , later included in the 2003 broadcast of Living with Michael Jackson , Jackson acknowledged that his father hurt him when he was a child, but was nonetheless a "genius", as he admitted his father's strict discipline played a huge role in his success. When Bashir dismissed the positive remark and continued asking about beatings, Jackson put his hand over his face and objected to the questions. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you". [10] [11]
In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine . Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing. When he was eight, Jackson began sharing the lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5 . [3] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the " chitlin' circuit ", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown 's " I Got You (I Feel Good) ", led by Michael. [12]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including " Big Boy ", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, before signing with Motown Records in 1968. [3] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer." [13] The group set a chart record when its first four singles (" I Want You Back ", " ABC ", " The Love You Save ", and " I'll Be There ") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 . [3] Between 1972 and 1975, Jackson released four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben , released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as " Got to Be There ", " Ben ", and a remake of Bobby Day 's " Rockin' Robin ". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single " Dancing Machine " and the top 20 hit " I Am Love ", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975. [14]
Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–1981)
In June 1975, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records , a subsidiary of CBS Records [14] and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine left to pursue a solo career. [15] They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Jackson was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as " Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) ", " This Place Hotel ," and " Can You Feel It ". [12] In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz , a box-office disaster. It was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones , who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall . [16] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin , who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations. [17]
Jones and Jackson produced the Off the Wall album together. Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Rod Temperton , Stevie Wonder , and Paul McCartney . Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles " Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough " and " Rock with You ". [18] It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide. [19] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". [20] [21] That year, he also won Billboard Year-End for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". [18] Jackson again won at the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist. [22] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. [23] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit. [24]
Thriller and Motown 25 (1982–83)
In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ; the record won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children in 1984. In the same year he won another seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards (including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it), making him the most awarded in one night for both award shows. [25] [26] These awards were thanks to the Thriller album, released in late 1982, which was the 1983's best-selling album worldwide [27] [28] and became the best-selling album of all time in the United States, [29] as well as the best-selling album of all time worldwide , selling an estimated 110 million copies so far. [30] The album topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including " Billie Jean ", " Beat It ," and " Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ." [31] Thriller was certified for 29 million shipments by the RIAA , giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. The album won also another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work. [32] Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of his recordings. The videocassette of the documentary The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12. [33] Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple." [34] In 1985, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Longform. [25] In December 2009, the music video for "Thriller" was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress , "Thriller" is the first music video ever to be inducted. [35] [36] [37]
Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too". [33] The New York Times wrote that, "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else". [38]
In March 1983, Jackson reunited with his brothers for a legendary live performance which was taped for a Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. The show aired on May 16, 1983, to an audience of 47 million viewers, and featured the Jacksons and a number of other Motown stars. It is best remembered for Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean". Wearing a distinctive black sequin jacket and golf glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted his signature dance move, the moonwalk , which former Soul Train dancer and Shalamar member, Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years before. The Jacksons' performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley 's and The Beatles ' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show . [39] Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times later wrote, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing." [40]
Pepsi, "We Are the World" and business career (1984–85)
Jackson at the White House South Portico with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan , 1984
On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi Cola commercial, overseen by executive Phil Dusenberry , [41] from ad agency BBDO and Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, Alan Pottasch at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire. He suffered second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars on his scalp, and he also had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter. [17] Jackson never recovered from this injury. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California , which now has a "Michael Jackson Burn Center" in honor of his donation. [42]
On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse. [43] Jackson won eight awards during the Grammys that year. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour , headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. He donated all the funds (around $8 million) raised from the Victory Tour to charity. [44] He also co-wrote the charity single " We Are the World " in 1985 with Lionel Richie , which was released worldwide to aid the poor in the U.S. and Africa. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 30 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief. In 1986, "We Are the World" won four Grammys (one for Jackson for Song of the Year). American Music Award directors removed the charity song from the competition because they felt it would be inappropriate, but recognised it with two special honors (one for the creation of the song and one for the USA for Africa idea). They are the only AMAs that Jackson won as non-solo artist. [45] [46] [47] [48]
In 1984, ATV Music, a music publishing company owning thousands of music copyrights, including the Northern Songs catalogue that contained the majority of the Lennon/McCartney compositions recorded by The Beatles , was put up for sale. [49] [50] Jackson had become interested in owning music catalogs after working with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s: Jackson had learned McCartney made approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. McCartney's attorney assured Jackson's attorney that McCartney was not interested in bidding on ATV: McCartney reportedly said "It's too pricey". However, McCartney later changed his mind and tried to persuade John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid. Ono declined, and McCartney pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million. [49] [51]
Appearance, tabloids, Bad, autobiography and films (1986–87)
See also: Michael Jackson's health and appearance
Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the mid 1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he was bleaching his skin. [52] According to J. Randy Taraborrelli 's biography, in 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus ; the vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was in remission ; both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale. [53] Jackson was also diagnosed with vitiligo in his autopsy. [54] The structure of his face had also changed:[ citation needed ] several surgeons speculated that he had undergone various nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips, and cheekbone surgery—although Jackson denied this and insisted that he only had surgery on his nose. [55] Jackson claimed that he had only two rhinoplasties and no other surgery on his face, although at one point he mentioned having a dimple created in his chin. [56] Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body". [56] Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa ; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem later in life. [57]
During the course of his treatment, Jackson made two close friends: his dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein , and Klein's nurse Debbie Rowe . Rowe eventually became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his two eldest children. Long before becoming romantically involved with her, Jackson relied heavily on Rowe for emotional support. He also relied heavily on Klein, for medical and business advice. [58]
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo , here in the early stages of the disease
He became the subject of increasingly sensational reports. In 1986, the tabloids ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, according to tabloid reports that are widely cited, Jackson had disseminated the fabricated story himself. [59] [60] When Jackson bought a chimpanzee called Bubbles from a laboratory, he was reported to be increasingly detached from reality. [61] It was reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "elephant man") and although untrue, Jackson did not deny the story. [59] [60] Although initially he saw these stories as opportunities for publicity, he stopped leaking untruths to the press as they became more sensational. Consequently the media began making up their own stories. [60] [62] [63] These reports became embedded in the public consciousness, inspiring the nickname "Wacko Jacko," which Jackson came to despise. [64] Responding to the gossip, Jackson remarked to Taraborrelli:
Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, "I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight," people would say, "Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a single word that comes out of his mouth." [65]
Jackson wore a gold-plated military style jacket with belt in the Bad era
Jackson collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute 3-D film Captain EO , which debuted in September 1986 at both the original Disneyland and at EPCOT in Florida, and in March 1987 at Tokyo Disneyland . The $30 million movie was a popular attraction at all three parks. A Captain EO attraction was later featured at Euro Disneyland after that park opened in 1992. All four parks' Captain EO installations stayed open well into the 1990s: Paris' installation was the last one to close, in 1998. [66] The attraction would later return to Disneyland after Jackson's death in 2010. [67]
In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the Thriller video. [68] With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated. [69] It did not top Thriller as a commercial or artistic triumph, but Bad was still a substantial success in its own right.
The Bad album spawned seven hit singles in the U.S., five of which (" I Just Can't Stop Loving You ", " Bad ", " The Way You Make Me Feel ", " Man in the Mirror " and " Dirty Diana ") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. This was a record for most number one Hot 100 singles from any one album, including Thriller. [70] Although the title track's video was arguably derivative of the video for the earlier single " Beat It ", the "Bad" video still proved to be one of Jackson's iconic moments. It was a gritty but colorful epic set against the backdrop of the New York City Subway system, with costuming and choreography inspired by West Side Story . As of 2008, the album had sold 30 million copies worldwide. [71] Thanks to the Bad album, Bruce Swedien and Humberto Gatica won one Grammy in 1988 for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Michael Jackson won one Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for " Leave Me Alone " in 1989. [25] [32] In the same year, Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards because Bad is the first album ever to generate five number one singles in the US, the first album to top in 25 countries and the best-selling album worldwide in 1987 and in 1988. [72] [73] [74] [75] In 1988, "Bad" won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single. [76]
The Bad World Tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on January 14, 1989. [77] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour. [78] Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium . He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people. The Bad Tour turned out to be the last of Jackson's concert tours to include shows in the continental United States, although later tours did make it to Hawaii and Mexico .
Autobiography, changing appearance and Neverland (1988–1990)
Jackson performing " The Way You Make Me Feel "
In 1988, Jackson released his first and only autobiography, Moonwalk , which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies. [79] Jackson wrote about his childhood, The Jackson 5 , and the abuse he had suffered. [80] He also wrote about his facial appearance, saying he had had two rhinoplastic surgeries and a dimple created in his chin. [56] He attributed much of the change in the structure of his face to puberty , weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting. [56] Moonwalk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list. [81] The musician then released a film called Moonwalker , which featured live footage and short films that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci . The film was originally intended to be released to theaters but due to financial issues, the film was released direct to video . It debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues. [82]
In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California , to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed Ferris wheels , a menagerie , and a movie theater on the 2,700-acre (11 km2) property. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, it was valued at approximately $100 million. [13] [83] In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone. [84] Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union . [82]
His success resulted in his being dubbed the " King of Pop ". [85] [86] [87] [88] The nickname was popularized by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul." [89] President George H. W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade". [90] From 1985 to 1990, he donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund , and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity. [91] [92] Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination. [82]
Dangerous, Heal the World Foundation and Super Bowl XXVII (1991–93)
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking deal at the time, [93] displacing Neil Diamond 's renewal contract with Columbia Records . [94] He released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous had shipped seven million copies in the U.S. and had sold 32 million copies worldwide. The Dangerous album was co-produced by Teddy Riley , one of the pioneers of " new jack swing " which convinced Michael to feature a rapper on his album for the first time, the act worked and it turned out to be the best-selling album associated with that movement. [95] [96] [97] In the United States, the album's first single " Black or White " was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide. [98] The album's second single " Remember the Time " spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. [99] At the end of 1992, Dangerous was awarded 1992's best-selling album worldwide and "Black or White" was awarded 1992's best-selling single worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. Additionally, he won an award as best-selling artist of the '80s. [100] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals. [101] In the UK and other parts of Europe, " Heal the World " was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992. [99]
Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. In the same year Jackson published his second book, the bestselling collection of poetry, Dancing the Dream . While it was a commercial success and revealed a more intimate side to Jackson's nature, the collection was mostly critically unacclaimed at the time of release. In 2009, the book was republished by Doubleday and was more positively received by some critics in the wake of Jackson's untimely death. The Dangerous World Tour grossed $100 million. The tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts. [99] [102] He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands. [103]
Following the illness and death of Ryan White , Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV / AIDS , something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton 's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research. [104] [105] In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt . [106] His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable and enthusiastic reception of more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael." [106] In his trip to Côte d'Ivoire , Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. [106] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances. [106]
In January 1993, Jackson made a memorable appearance at the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII . The performance began with Jackson catapulting onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvas, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for a minute and a half while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and sang four songs: " Jam ", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart. [52] Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy-nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. [99] The Dangerous album won a Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical, awarding the work of Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley. In the same year, Michael Jackson won three American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single (" Remember the Time ") and was the first to win the International Artist Award, for his global performances and humanitarian concerns. This award will bear his name in the future. [25] [32] [107]
First child sexual abuse allegations and first marriage (1993–94)
Main article: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man , slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo . The interview was watched by an American audience of 90 million. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release. [11] [52] [99]
In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Evan Chandler, a dentist. [108] [109] [110] The Chandler family demanded payment from Jackson, and the singer initially refused. Jordan Chandler eventually told the police that Jackson had sexually abused him. [111] Dr. Chandler was tape-recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, saying, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever ... Michael's career will be over". Jordan's mother was, however, adamant that there had been no wrongdoing on Jackson's part. [110] Jackson later used the recording to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father whose only goal was to extort money from the singer. [110]
Later on that year, Jackson's home was raided by the police, and Jackson even submitted to a 25-minute strip search . [112] His friends said he never recovered from the humiliation. The investigation was inconclusive and no charges were ever filed. [113] [114] Jackson described the search in an emotional public statement, and proclaimed his innocence. [108] [112] [115] On January 1, 1994, Jackson's insurance carrier settled with the Chandlers out of court for $22 million. A Santa Barbara County grand jury and a Los Angeles County grand jury disbanded on May 2, 1994 without indicting Jackson. [116] After which time the Chandlers stopped co-operating with the criminal investigation around July 6, 1994. [117] [118] [119] The out-of-court settlement's documentation specifically stated Jackson admitted no wrongdoing and no liability; the Chandlers and their family lawyer Larry Feldman signed it without contest. [120] The Chandlers' lawyer Mr. Feldman also explicitly stated "nobody bought anybody's silence". [121] A decade after the fact, during the second round of child abuse allegations, Jackson's lawyers would file a memo stating that the 1994 settlement was done without his consent. [118]
Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley in 1994
In May 1994, Jackson married the daughter of Elvis Presley , Lisa Marie Presley . They had first met in 1975, when a seven-year-old Presley attended one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino , and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993. [122] They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As the child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Presley for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs. [123] Presley explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it." [124] She eventually persuaded him to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover. [123]
Jackson proposed to Presley over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?" [123] They married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy, denying it for nearly two months afterwards. [125] The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active". [126] At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image. [125] The marriage lasted less than two years and ended with an amicable divorce settlement. [127] Presley admitted in interview to Oprah that her relationships with Jackson continued "off and on" for four years after formal divorce.
HIStory, second marriage and fatherhood (1995–99)
In 1995, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing . Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well as the rights to even more songs . [50] [128] He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I . The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I in 2001, while the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US. [129] It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide. [98] [130] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year . [131]
Michael Jackson at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival
The first single released from the album was the double A-side " Scream/Childhood ". "Scream" was a duet, performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet . The song fights against the media, mainly for what the media made him out to be during his 1993 child abuse allegations. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals". [131] " You Are Not Alone " was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [84] It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance". [131] In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress-related panic attack . [132] " Earth Song " was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK singles chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK. [131] The track " They Don't Care About Us " became controversial when the Anti-Defamation League and other groups criticized its allegedly anti-Semitic lyrics. Jackson quickly put out a revised version of the song without the offending lyrics. [133] In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. [25] [134]
The album was promoted with the successful HIStory World Tour . The tour began on September 7, 1996, and finished on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, and grossed up a total of $165 million. The show, which visited five continents and 35 countries, became Jackson's most successful in terms of audience figures. [77] During the tour, Jackson married his longtime friend Deborah Jeanne Rowe , a dermatology nurse, in an impromptu ceremony in Sydney , Australia. Rowe was approximately six months pregnant with the couple's first child at the time. Originally, Rowe and Jackson had no plans to marry, but Jackson's mother Katherine persuaded them to do so. [135] Michael Joseph Jackson Jr (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997; his sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born a year later on April 3, 1998. [127] [136] The couple divorced in 1999, and Jackson got full custody of the children. The divorce was relatively amicable, but a subsequent custody suit was not settled until 2006. [137] [138]
In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix , which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies as of 2007, it is the best selling remix album ever released . [139] It reached number one in the UK, as did the title track . [140] [141] In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24. [95] [131] Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997. [83] Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the non-profit organization War Child , and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia , as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala. [142] Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash , The Scorpions , Boyz II Men , Luther Vandross , Mariah Carey , A. R. Rahman , Prabhu Deva Sundaram , Shobana , Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti . The proceeds went to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", the Red Cross and UNESCO . [143]
Label dispute, Invincible and third child (2000–03)
At the turn of the century, the American Music Awards honored Jackson as Artist of the '80s. [144] Throughout 2000 and 2001, Jackson worked in the studio with Teddy Riley and Rodney Jerkins , as well as other collaborators. These sessions would result in the album Invincible , released in October 2001. Invincible was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and it would be the last album of new material he released while still alive. The release of the album was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment . Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him sometime in the early 2000s. Once he had the licenses, he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and he would also be able to keep all the profits. However, due to various clauses in the contract, the revert date turned out to be many years away. Jackson discovered that the attorney[ who? ] who represented him in the deal was also representing Sony. [141] Jackson was also concerned about the fact that for a number of years, Sony had been pressuring him to sell his share in their music catalog venture. Jackson feared that Sony might have a conflict of interest, since if Jackson's career failed he would have to sell his share of the catalog at a low price. [145] Jackson sought an early exit from his contract. [141] Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola , that he was leaving Sony. [141] As a result, all singles releases, video shootings and promotions concerning the Invincible album were suspended.
In September 2001, two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured performances by Mýa , Usher , Whitney Houston , 'N Sync , Destiny's Child , Monica , Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists. [146] The second of the two shows took place the night before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks . [147] After 9/11, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert took place on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song " What More Can I Give " as the finale. [145] Jackson's solo performances were omitted from the televised version of the benefit concert, although he could still be seen singing background vocals. This omission happened because of contractual issues related to the earlier 30th Anniversary concerts: those concerts were boiled down into a two-hour TV special entitled Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration: The Solo Years which debuted in November 2001.
In spite of the events preceding its release, Invincible came out in October 2001 to much anticipation. Invincible proved to be a hit, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 13 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the US. [95] [98] [148] However, the sales for Invincible were lower than those of his previous releases, due in part to a lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute. The album also came out at a bad time for the music industry in general. [145] The album cost $30 million to record, not including promotional expenditures. [149] Invincible spawned three singles, " You Rock My World ", " Cry " and " Butterflies ", the latter without a music video. Jackson alleged in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain. [145] He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger ". [150] Sony refused to renew Jackson's contract, and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the United States. [149]
In 2002, Michael Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century. [151] In the same year, Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket") was born. [152] The mother's identity is unknown, but Jackson has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm. [137] On November 20 of that year, Jackson brought his newborn son onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin, as fans stood below, holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face. The baby was briefly extended over a railing, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake". [153] Sony released Number Ones , a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the US, the album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified six times platinum for shipments of at least 1.2 million units. [95] [154]
Second child sexual abuse allegations and acquittal (2003–05)
Further information: Living with Michael Jackson and People v. Jackson
Beginning in May 2002, Jackson allowed a documentary film crew, led by British TV personality Martin Bashir , to follow him around just about everywhere he went. Bashir's film crew was with Jackson during the "baby-dangling incident" in Berlin. The program was broadcast in March 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson , and painted an extraordinarily unflattering portrait of the singer.
In a particularly controversial scene, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a young boy. [155] As soon as the documentary aired, the Santa Barbara county attorney's office began a criminal investigation. Jackson was arrested in November 2003, and was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in relation to the 13 year old boy shown in the film. [155] Jackson denied the allegations, saying the sleepovers were not sexual in nature. The People v. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California , and lasted five months, until the end of May. On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts. [156] [157] [158] After the trial, in a highly publicized relocation he moved to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain , as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah . [159]
Final years (2006–09)
Jackson with his children in Disneyland Paris , 2006
In March 2006, the main house at the Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure. [160] There were numerous reports around that time that Jackson was having financial problems. Jackson had been deliquent on his repayments of a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings, even though those holdings were reportedly making him as much as $75 million a year. [161] Bank of America sold the debt to Fortress Investments . Sony reportedly proposed a restructuring deal which would give them a future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake). [128] Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal in April 2006, although the exact details were not made public. [162] Jackson did not have a recording contract in place with Sony or any other major record label at the time.
In the spring of 2006, there was an announcement that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain -based startup called Two Seas Records. However, nothing ever came of that deal, and the CEO of Two Seas, Guy Holmes , later stated that the deal had never been finalized. [163] [164] Throughout 2006, Sony repackaged 20 singles from the 1980s and 1990s as the Michael Jackson: Visionary series, which subsequently became a boxed set . Most of those singles returned to the charts as a result. In September 2006, Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe confirmed reports that they had settled their long-running child custody suit. The terms were never made public. Jackson continued to be the custodial parent of the couple's two children. [138] In October 2006, Fox News entertainment reporter Roger Friedman said that Jackson had been recording at a studio in rural Westmeath, Ireland . It was not known at the time what Jackson might be working on, or who might be paying for the sessions, since his publicist had recently issued a statement claiming that he had left Two Seas. [164] [165]
In November 2006, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath, and MSNBC broke the story that he was working on a new album, produced by will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas . [98] Jackson performed at the World Music Awards , in London on November 15, 2006, and accepted a Diamond Award for selling over 100 million records. [98] [166] Jackson returned to the United States after Christmas 2006 to attend James Brown 's funeral in Augusta, Georgia . He gave one of the eulogies, saying that "James Brown is my greatest inspiration." [167] In the spring of 2007, Jackson and Sony teamed up to buy yet another music publishing company: Famous Music LLC , formerly owned by Viacom . This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem , Shakira and Beck , among others. [168] Jackson recorded extensively during this period in New York with songwriter and producer will.i.am and also in Las Vegas with producers Akon and RedOne . [169] [169] [170] In March 2007, Jackson gave a brief interview to the Associated Press in Tokyo , where he said, "I've been in the entertainment industry since I was 6 years old, and as Charles Dickens would say, 'It's been the best of times, the worst of times.' But I would not change my career ... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me." [171]
In September 2007 Jackson was reportedly still working with will.i.am, but the album was apparently never completed. [172] However, in 2008, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the original Thriller . This album featured the previously unreleased song "For All Time" (an outtake from the original sessions) as well as remixes, where Jackson collaborated with younger artists who had been inspired by his work. [173] Two of the remixes were released as singles with only modest success: " The Girl Is Mine 2008 " (with will.i.am ) and " Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008 " (with Akon ). The first single was based on an early demo version, without Paul McCartney . The album itself was a hit, however. [173] [174] [175] [176] In anticipation of Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest-hits albums called King of Pop . Slightly different versions were released in various countries, based on polls of local fans. [177] King of Pop reached the top 10 in most countries where it was issued, and also sold well as an import in other countries (such as the United States.) [178] [179]
In the fall of 2008, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch , which Jackson used as collateral for loans running into many tens of millions of dollars. However, Fortress opted to sell Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC . In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, which was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. This deal cleared Jackson's debt, and he reportedly even gained an extra $35 million from the venture. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned a stake in Neverland/Sycamore Valley, but it is unknown how large that stake was. [180] [181] [182] In September 2008, Jackson entered negotiations with Julien's Auction House to display and auction a large collection of memorabilia amounting to approximately 1390 lots. The auction was scheduled to take place between April 22 and April 25. [183] An exhibition of the lots opened as scheduled on April 14, but the actual auction was eventually cancelled at Jackson's request. [184]
In March 2009, Jackson held a press conference at London's O2 Arena and announced a series of comeback concerts titled This Is It . The shows would be Jackson's first major series of concerts since the HIStory World Tour finished in 1997. Jackson suggested possible retirement after the shows; he said it would be his "final curtain call". The initial plan was for 10 concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris , New York City and Mumbai . Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, stated that the first 10 dates alone would earn the singer approximately £50 million. [185] The London residency was increased to 50 dates after record breaking ticket sales: over one million were sold in less than two hours. [186] Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega . Most of these rehearsals took place at the Staples Center , which was owned by AEG. [187] The concerts would have commenced on July 13, 2009, and finished on March 6, 2010. Less than three weeks before the first show was due to begin in London and with all concerts being sold out, Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest. [188]
Jackson's first posthumous single was a song entitled " This Is It " which Jackson cowrote in the 1980s with Paul Anka . It was not on the set lists for the concerts, and the recording was based on an old demo tape. The surviving brothers reunited in the studio for the first time since 1989 to record backing vocals. On October 28, 2009, a documentary film about the rehearsals entitled Michael Jackson's This Is It was released. [189] Even though it ran for a limited two-week engagement, it became the highest grossing documentary or concert movie of all time, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide. [190] Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits. [191] The film was accompanied by a compilation album of the same name . Two versions of the new song appear on the album, which also featured original masters of Jackson's hits in the order in which they appear in the movie, along with a bonus disc with previously unreleased versions of more Jackson hits as well as a spoken word poem entitled "Planet Earth". [192] At the 2009 American Music Awards Jackson won four posthumous awards, two for him and two for his album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards total to 26. [193] [194]
Death and memorial
Main articles: Death of Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson memorial service
Jackson's fans paid tribute to him at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, shortly after the announcement of his death.
On June 25, 2009, Jackson died in his bed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by Conrad Murray, his personal physician , were unsuccessful. [195] Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 ( PDT , 19:22 UTC), arriving three minutes later at Jackson's location. [196] [197] He was reportedly not breathing and CPR was performed. [198] Resuscitation efforts continued en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center , and for an hour after arriving there at 1:13 (20:13 UTC). He was pronounced dead at 2:26 local time (21:26 UTC). [199] [200] Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief. [195]
The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times suffered outages. [201] Google initially believed that the input from millions of people searching for "Michael Jackson" meant that the search engine was under attack . Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 p.m. PDT (6:15 p.m. EDT). [202] The Wikimedia Foundation reported nearly a million visitors to Jackson's biography within one hour, probably the most visitors in a one-hour period to any article in Wikipedia's history. [203] AOL Instant Messenger collapsed for 40 minutes. AOL called it a "seminal moment in Internet history", adding, "We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth." [204]
Around 15% of Twitter posts—or 5,000 tweets per minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke, [205] [206] compared to the 5% recalled as having mentioned the Iranian elections or the flu pandemic that had made headlines earlier in the year. [206] Overall, web traffic ranged from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal. [205] [207] MTV and Black Entertainment Television (BET) aired marathons of Jackson's music videos. [208] Jackson specials aired on multiple television stations around the world. The British soap opera EastEnders added a last-minute scene, in which one character tells another about the news, to the June 26 episode. [209] Jackson was the topic of every front-page headline in the daily British tabloid The Sun for about two weeks following his death. [210] During the same period, the three major U.S. networks' evening newscasts— ABC's World News , CBS Evening News , and NBC Nightly News —devoted 34% of their broadcast time to him. [211] Magazines including Time published commemorative editions. [212] A scene that had featured Jackson's sister La Toya was cut from the film Brüno out of respect toward Jackson's family. [213]
Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty . Jackson's casket was present during the memorial but no information was released about the final disposition of the body. While some unofficial reports claimed a worldwide audience as high as one billion people, [214] [215] [216] the U.S. audience was estimated by Nielsen to be 31.1 million, an amount comparable to the estimated 35.1 million that watched the 2004 burial of former president Ronald Reagan , and the estimated 33.1 million Americans who watched the 1997 funeral for Princess Diana . [217]
Mariah Carey , Stevie Wonder , Lionel Richie , John Mayer , Jennifer Hudson , Usher , Jermaine Jackson , and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the event. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read, "We had him," a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou . [218] The Reverend Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children, "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway." [219] Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Katherine, cried as she told the crowd, "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... I just wanted to say I love him ... so much." [220] Reverend Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer. [221] On August 24, several news outlets quoted anonymous sources as stating that the Los Angeles coroner had decided to treat Jackson's death as a homicide; this was later confirmed by the coroner on August 28. [222] [223] At the time of death, Jackson had been administered propofol , lorazepam and midazolam . [224] Law enforcement officials conducted a manslaughter investigation of his personal physician, Conrad Murray. [225] On February 8, 2010, Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles. [226] Jackson was entombed on September 3, 2009, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California . [227]
Tribute of fans from all over the world in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park on his first anniversary of death
On June 25, 2010, the first anniversary of Jackson's death, fans came to Los Angeles to pay their tribute to him. They visited Jackson’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his family’s home, as well as Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Many of the fans were carrying sunflowers and other tribute items to drop off at the sites. Members of the Jackson family and close friends arrived to pay their respects. [228] [229] Katherine returned to Gary, Indiana to unveil a granite monument constructed in the front yard of the family home. The memorial continued with a candlelight vigil and a special performance of "We Are the World." [230] [231] On June 26, there was a protest march in front of the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division at the old Parker Center building and a petition with thousands of signatures demanding justice was delivered. [232] [233] The Jackson Family Foundation in conjunction with Voiceplate presented "Forever Michael", an event bringing together Jackson family members, celebrities, fans, supporters and the community to celebrate and honor his legacy. A portion of the proceeds ere presented to some of Jackson's favorite charities. Katherine also introduced her new book "Never Can Say Goodbye." [234] [235] [236]
Posthumous works
After his death, Jackson became the best-selling artist of 2009 in the United States selling over 8.2 million albums and had sold 35 million albums worldwide in the 12 months that followed his death. [237] [238] Following this surge in sales, Sony announced that they had extended their relationship with his material. The distribution rights held by Sony Music were due to expire in 2015. [239] On March 16, 2010, Sony Music Entertainment, in a move spearheaded by its Columbia/Epic Label Group division, signed a new deal with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to his back catalogue until at least 2017, as well as to obtain permission to release ten new albums with previously unreleased material and new collections of released work. On November 4th, 2010 Sony announced the release of Michael , the first posthumous album set to be released on the 14th of December 2010, with the first single release on November 8, entitled " Breaking News ". [240] The deal was unprecedented in the music industry as it is the most expensive music contract pertaining to a single artist in history; it reportedly involved Sony Music paying $250 million for the deal, with the Jackson estate getting the full sum as well as its share of royalties for all works released. [239] [241] Video game developer Ubisoft announced it would release a new dancing-and-singing game featuring Michael Jackson for the 2010 holiday season. The game entitled Michael Jackson: The Experience will be among the first to use Kinect and PlayStation Move , the respective motion-detecting camera systems for Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 due out later that year. [242] Cirque du Soleil announced on 3rd of November 2010 that it would launch "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" in October 2011 in Montreal. [243] The 90-minute US$57M production will combine Jackson's iconic musical oeuvre and choreography with the Cirque's signature artistry, dance and aerial displays involving 65 artists. [244] The tour was written and directed by Jamie King [245] and centers on Jackson's "inspirational Giving Tree - the wellspring of creativity where his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature are unlocked." [246]
Artistry
Influences
One of many identical statues, positioned throughout Europe to promote HIStory
Jackson's music took root in R&B , pop and soul . He had been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as Little Richard , James Brown , Jackie Wilson , Diana Ross , David Ruffin , Gene Kelly , Fred Astaire , Sammy Davis, Jr. , The Isley Brothers , and the Bee Gees . [247] While Little Richard had a substantial influence on Jackson, [248] James Brown was Jackson's greatest inspiration. In reference to Brown, Jackson declared: "Ever since I was a small child, no more than like six years old, my mother would wake me no matter what time it was, if I was sleeping, no matter what I was doing, to watch the television to see the master at work. And when I saw him move, I was mesmerized. I had never seen a performer perform like James Brown, and right then and there I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life because of James Brown." [249]
The young Michael Jackson owed his vocal technique in large part to Diana Ross. In October 1969, it was decided[ why? ][ by whom? ] that Jackson would live with Ross. Not only a mother figure to him, she was often observed in rehearsal as an accomplished performer. He later expressed: "I got to know her well. She taught me so much. I used to just sit in the corner and watch the way she moved. She was art in motion. I studied the way she moved, the way she sang – just the way she was." He told her: "I want to be just like you, Diana." She said: "You just be yourself." [250] But Jackson owed part of his enduring style—especially his use of the oooh interjection—to Ross. From a young age, Jackson often punctuated his verses with a sudden exclamation of oooh. Diana Ross had used this effect on many of the songs recorded with The Supremes . [251]
Musical themes and genres
Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder, and when recording he would sing the lyrics from memory. [252] In most of his songs, such as " Billie Jean ", " Who Is It ", and " Tabloid Junkie ", he would beatbox and imitate the instruments using his voice instead of playing the actual instruments, along with other sounds. Jackson noted that it is easier to sing a drum line, or sing a bass, instead of playing a drum line or a bass with an instrument. Several critics have said that Jackson's distinct voice is able to replace any instrument convincingly. Steve Huey of Allmusic said that, throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres. [253] As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno and house -edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar. [13]
According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful. [253] Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and " The Girl Is Mine "; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and " Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' "; and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and " P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) ". [253] [254] [255] [256] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery. [256] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". [255] In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers. [253] In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media. [256] "Beat It" decried gang violence in an homage to West Side Story , and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey. [13] [253] He also observed that the title track " Thriller " began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural , a topic he revisited in subsequent years. [253] In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem " We Are the World "; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona. [253]
A single from the album Bad, released 1988, "Smooth Criminal" features digital drum sounds, keyboard-created bass lines and other percussion elements designed to give the impression of a pulsing heart. [257]
Problems listening to these files? See media help .
In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song " Dirty Diana ". [258] The lead single " I Just Can't Stop Loving You " is a traditional love ballad, while " Man in the Mirror " is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution. [69] " Smooth Criminal " was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder. [69] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a very paradoxical individual. [259] He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like " Heal the World ". [259] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like " Jam " and " Remember the Time ". [260] The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS , homelessness and drugs. [260] Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts such as the multifaceted love song, " In the Closet ". [260] The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. [260] The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as " Will You Be There ", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson opening up about various personal struggles and worries. [260] In the ballad " Gone Too Soon ", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS. [261]
HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia. [262] Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts " Scream " and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad " You Are Not Alone ", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media. [263] In the introspective ballad " Stranger in Moscow ", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like " Earth Song ", " Childhood ", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces. [262] [263] In the track " D.S. ", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon . He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I've been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot". [264] Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins. [253] It is a record made up of urban soul like " Cry " and "The Lost Children", ballads such as " Speechless ", "Break of Dawn" and " Butterflies " and mixes Hip-Hop , Pop and R&B in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible". [265] [266]
Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor. [267] Jackson first used a technique called the "vocal hiccup" in 1973, starting with the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from The Jackson 5 's G.I.T.: Get It Together album. [268] Jackson did not use the hiccup technique— somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping— fully until the recording of Off the Wall : it can be seen in full force in the " Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) " promotional video. [14] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded. At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly". [269] [270] 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone was of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness". [256]
"Black or White"
The lead single from Dangerous, the danceable hard rock song "Black or White" was one of Jackson's most successful recordings. [271] [272] [273] It contains many features of Jackson's vocal style, including the vocal hiccup he is known for.
A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelt "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him. [274] The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". [260] When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals. [260] When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies". [275] Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist". [257]
Music videos and choreography
Referred to as the King of Music Videos, [276] Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers. [253] Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American. [277] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition. [278] MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race. [279] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B. [278] [280] His performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever changed the scope of live stage show; "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience" thus creating an era in which artists re-create the spectacle of music video imagery on stage. [281] Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated. [282] The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines . [283] The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records. [84]
In the 19-minute music video for " Bad "—directed by Martin Scorsese —Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Oprah in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he replied, "I think it happens subliminally" and he described it as something that was not planned, but rather, as something that was compelled by the music. "Bad" garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes ; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles. [62] [284] For " Smooth Criminal ", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances. The maneuver required special shoes for which he was granted U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452. [285] Although the music video for " Leave Me Alone " was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four Billboard Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form . [82]
The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor. [99] " Black or White " was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video. [98] It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized. [286] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin , Peggy Lipton and George Wendt . It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos. [287]
" Remember the Time " was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt , it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy , Iman and Magic Johnson , along with a distinct complex dance routine. [288] The video for " In the Closet " was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery. [99]
The music video for " Scream ", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations —more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction". [289] The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993. [290] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million. [131] [291]
" Earth Song " was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, wars end, and the forests re-grow. [131] [292] Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival , Michael Jackson's Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston . The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video. [131] [141] [293] [294]
Legacy and influence
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , set in 1984
Jackson throughout his career transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music. Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley described Jackson in 2003 as "extremely important" and a "genius." [295] For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions. [133] Jackson's music and videos, such as Thriller, fostered racial diversity in MTV's roster, helped to put the relatively new channel into public awareness, and steered the channel's focus from rock to pop music and R&B, shaping the channel into a form that proved enduring. Jackson's work continues to influence numerous hip hop , rock , pop and R&B artists, including Beyoncé , [296] Mariah Carey , [297] Usher , [298] Green Day , [299] Britney Spears , [297] Madonna , [300] Justin Timberlake , [145] Ludacris to name a few. [301]
Allmusic's Steve Huey describes Jackson as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the skills to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power". [253] In the mid-1980s, Time magazine's pop music critic, Jay Cocks , noted "Jackson is the biggest thing since The Beatles . He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley . He just may be the most popular black singer ever". [33] In 1990, Vanity Fair cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business. [82] In 2007, Jackson said, "Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever." [302]
Shortly after Jackson's death, on June 25, 2009, MTV briefly returned to its original music video format to celebrate and pay tribute to his work. [303] The channel aired many hours of Jackson's music videos, accompanied by live news specials featuring reactions from MTV personalities and other celebrities. The temporary shift in MTV's programming culminated the following week in the channel's live coverage of Jackson's memorial service. [304] At the memorial service on July 7, 2009, founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy proclaimed Jackson as "the greatest entertainer that ever lived." [305] [306] [307]
In 2010, two university librarians found that Jackson's influence extended into academia , and was detectable in scholarly literature pertaining to a range of subject matter. [308] [309] The two researchers combed through various scholars' writings, and compiled an annotated bibliography of those writings that appeared to meet at least one of several criteria. Among these criteria were appearance in a peer-reviewed journal , and the provision of insight into the nature of "popular icons including Jackson". [310] The bibliography located references to Jackson in research reports concerning music, popular culture, and an array of other topics. The bibliographers identified as their most peculiar finding an argument that certain aspects of chemistry can be effectively taught by altering and imitating elements of Jackson's singing. [311] One of the research librarians later reflected that "the fact that someone would take a Michael Jackson song and co-opt it as a means to convey chemistry concepts just shows the pervasiveness of Jackson's influence". [308]
Honors and awards
See also: List of awards received by Michael Jackson
Thriller platinum record on display at the Hard Rock Cafe , Hollywood in Universal City, California.
Michael Jackson was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as member of the The Jacksons and in 1984 as solo artist. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards ' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award 's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award. [146] [312] He was a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also inducted in several other hall of fames, including Vocal Group Hall of Fame (as The Jackson 5 member) in 1999, Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002 and Hit Parade Hall of Fame (with his brothers) in 2009. [146] [313] In 2010, Jackson was inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. [314] His awards include many Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone), [315] 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award ), 26 American Music Awards (24 only as a solo artist, including the "Artist of the Century", but not the poll of "Artist of the '80s")—more than any artist—, 13 number one singles in the US in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era [316] —and estimated sales of up to 750 million records worldwide, making him the world's best selling male solo pop artist . [317] [25] [84] [98] [144] [193] [194] [318] [319] [320] [321] On December 29, 2009, the American Film Institute recognized Jackson's passing as a "moment of significance" saying, "Michael Jackson's sudden death in June at age 50 was notable for the worldwide outpouring of grief and the unprecedented global eulogy of his posthumous concert rehearsal movie This Is It." [322]
Lifetime earnings
His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars. [83] [323] This speculation however is contradicted by financial documents obtained by the Associated Press, which showed that as of March 31, 2007, Jackson's 50 percent stake in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog (his most prized asset) was worth $390.6 million and Michael Jackson's net worth was $236 million. [324] Billboard has estimated that Jackson has generated at least $1 billion in revenue in the year following his death. [325 ]
| i don't know |
Which state grows more oranges and grapefruits than any other state in the U.S.? | States That Grow Citrus Fruits | Garden Guides
States That Grow Citrus Fruits
States That Grow Citrus Fruits
Reason for flagging?
Submit
Christopher Columbus not only discovered the New World, he brought it citrus. Then, in the 16th century, an early Spanish explorer, possibly Ponce de Leon, introduced orange trees to Florida. Ever since, America has loved citrus, from oranges to tangelos to lemons. Today, four states are the main producers of citrus fruit in the United States.
Florida
Florida's warm climate and sandy soil are ideal for growing citrus, which has been a commercial crop in the state since the mid-1800s. Almost 569,000 acres of citrus groves and 74 million citrus trees can be found in Florida. More than 70 percent of the United States' citrus comes from the Sunshine State. According to Floridajuice.com, Florida is the world's leading producer of grapefruit. Growers in the state produce oranges, tangelos, tangerines and grapefruits.
California
California is second only to Florida in citrus production. California citrus was "king" in the early 1900s, when ranchers touted the state's lush groves. The state's total citrus production averaged 3.2 million tons from 2003 to 2006. More than 65 percent of that was oranges (navel and Valencia), followed by lemons, grapefruits and tangerines/clementines. California produces 24 percent of the oranges in the United States, most of which are navel oranges.
Arizona
Some areas of Arizona are frost-free and have adequate water supplies, making them suitable for growing citrus. Most of the state's production is limited to Yuma, Pinal, Maricopa and Mohave counties. The state produces lemons, oranges, grapefruit and tangerine/tangelos. Its biggest crop is lemons, which are 18 percent of the total U.S. production.
Texas
Citrus has been shipped commercially in the Lone Star State since 1920, according to texasweet.com. The first plantings were white and pink grapefruit, but red grapefruits were accidentally discovered in 1929. Today, more than 28,000 acres of citrus are grown in the Rio Grande Valley, and the state produces about seven percent of the nation's grapefruit. Texas also produces oranges.
Who Can Help
| Florida |
Known as the Beaver State, what was the 33rd state to join the Union on Feb 14, 1859? | Grapefruit
Morton, J. 1987. Grapefruit. p. 152158. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL.
Grapefruit
Other Uses
A relative newcomer to the citrus clan, the grapefruit was originally believed to be a spontaneous sport of the pummelo (q.v.). James MacFayden, in his Flora of Jamaica, in 1837, separated the grapefruit from the pummelo, giving it the botanical name, Citrus paradisi Macf. About 1948, citrus specialists began to suggest that the grapefruit was not a sport of the pummelo but an accidental hybrid between the pummelo and the orange. The botanical name has been altered to reflect this view, and it is now generally accepted as Citrus X paradisi.
When this new fruit was adopted into cultivation and the name grapefruit came into general circulation, American horticulturists viewed that title as so inappropriate that they endeavored to have it dropped in favor of "pomelo". However, it was difficult to avoid confusion with the pummelo, and the name grapefruit prevailed, and is in international use except in Spanish-speaking areas where the fruit is called toronja. In 1962, Florida Citrus Mutual proposed changing the name to something more appealing to consumers in order to stimulate greater sales. There were so many protests from the public against a name change that the idea was abandoned.
Plate XVIII: NAVEL GRAPEFRUIT, Citrus × paradisi
Description
The grapefruit tree reaches 15 to 20 ft (4.5-6 m) or even 45 ft (13.7 m) with age, has a rounded top of spreading branches; the trunk may exceed 6 in (15 cm) in diameter; that of a very old tree actually attained nearly 8 ft (2.4 m) in circumference. The twigs normally bear short, supple thorns. The evergreen leaves are ovate, 3 to 6 in (7.5-15 cm) long, and 1 3/4 to 3 in (4.5-7.5 cm) wide; dark-green above, lighter beneath, with minute, rounded teeth on the margins, and dotted with tiny oil glands; the petiole has broad, oblanceolate or obovate wings. The white, 4-petalled flowers, are 1 3/4 to 2 in (4.5-5 cm) across and borne singly or in clusters in the leaf axils. The fruit is nearly round or oblate to slightly pear-shaped, 4 to 6 in (10-15 cm) wide with smooth, finely dotted peel, up to 3/8 in (1 cm) thick, pale-lemon, sometimes blushed with pink, and aromatic outwardly; white, spongy and bitter inside. The center may be solid or semi-hollow. The pale-yellow, nearly whitish, or pink, or even deep-red pulp is in 11 to 14 segments with thin, membranous, somewhat bitter walls; very juicy, acid to sweet-acid in flavor when fully ripe. While some fruits are seedless or nearly so, there may be up to 90 white, elliptical, pointed seeds about 1/2 in (1.25 cm) in length. Unlike those of the pummelo, grapefruit seeds are usually polyembryonic. The number of fruits in a cluster varies greatly; a dozen is unusual but there have been as many as 20.
Origin and Distribution
The grapefruit was first described in 1750 by Griffith Hughes who called it the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados. In 1789, Patrick Browne reported it as growing in most parts of Jamaica and he referred to it as "forbidden fruit" or "smaller shaddock". In 1814, John Lunan, in Hortus Jamaicensis, mentions the "grapefruit" as a variety of the shaddock, but not as large; and, again, as "forbidden fruit", "a variety of the shaddock, but the fruit is much smaller, having a thin, tough, smooth, pale yellow rind". In 1824, DeTussac mentions the "forbidden fruit or smaller shaddock" of Jamaica as a variety of shaddock the size of an orange and borne in bunches. William C. Cooper, a citrus scientist (USDA, ARS, Orlando, Florida, to 1975), traveled widely observing all kinds of citrus fruits. In his book, In Search of the Golden Apple, he tells of the sweet orange and the grapefruit growing wild on several West Indian islands. He cites especially a fruit similar to grapefruit that is called chadique growing wild on the mountains of Haiti and marketed in Port-au-Prince. The leaves are like those of the grapefruit. He says that it was from the nearby Bahama Islands in 1823 that Count Odette Phillipe took grapefruit seeds to Safety Harbor near Tampa, Florida. When the seedlings fruited, their seeds were distributed around the neighborhood.
At first, the tree was grown only as a novelty in Florida and the fruit was little utilized. Even in Jamaica, the trees were often cut down. Mrs. Mary McDonald Carter of Eustis, Florida, was quoted in the Farm and Livestock Record, Jacksonville, in 1953, as relating that her father, John A. MacDonald, settled in Orange County in 1866. In 1870, he was attracted to a single grapefruit tree with clusters of lemon-colored fruits on the Drawdy property at Blackwater. He bought the entire crop of fruits, planted the seeds and established the first grapefruit nursery. The first grapefruit grove planted from this nursery by a man named Hill was sold in 1875 to George W. Bowen who developed it commercially. In 1881, MacDonald bought the Drawdy crop and once more raised seedlings for his nursery in Eustis. Early settlers began planting the tree and acquired a taste for the fruit. There was already a small demand in the North. New York imported 78,000 fruits from the West Indies in 1874. Florida started sending small shipments to markets in New York and Philadelphia between 1880 and 1885.
In 1898, Dr. David Fairchild was excited to learn of a grove of 2,000 grapefruit trees in the Kendall area south of Miami on the property of the Florida East Coast Railway. In 1904, he was amazed to see one tree in the door-yard of the Kennedy ranch in southern Texas where he thought the climate too cold for it. He was told that the tree had been frozen to the ground but had recovered. He predicted that a citrus industry could not be established in that region of the country. In 1928, he photographed the same tree, which had been killed back several times in the interim, but was again in fruit. By 1910, grapefruit had become an important commercial crop in the Rio Grande Valley and, to a lesser extent, in Arizona and desert valleys of California. By 1940, the United States was exporting close to 11,000,000 cases of grape-fruit juice and nearly one-half million cases of canned sections. Cultivation had reached commercial proportions in Jamaica and Trinidad and spread to Brazil, South America and Israel. In 1945/46, the United States (mainly Florida) produced a record of 2,285,000 tons of grapefruit. In 1967/68, this country accounted for 70% of the world crop despite a great decline in Texas production because of severe weather. Grapefruit was moving forward by leaps and bounds. Israel, in 1967, supplied only 11% of the world crop but, by 1970, her production had increased by 300%. In 1980, Florida exported just under 10 million boxes, making grapefruit this state's most valuable export crop. Japan is the main importer and has, at times, suspended shipments to determine the safety of fungicide residues or because of discovery of larvae of the Caribbean fruit fly. Great care is taken to maintain this important trade. Other countries which had entered the grapefruit industry were Mexico, Argentina, Cyprus, Morocco and some areas of South America which raise grapefruit for local markets. In Central America, the grapefruit is not much favored because of its acidity.
In the late 1960's and early 1970's, Mexico was rapidly expanding its grapefruit plantings, especially in the states of Tamaulipas and Veracruz, to save its citrus industry in view of the decline in market value of oranges and tangerines brought on by over-production. Furthermore, there were great advantages in the lower costs of producing grapefruit without irrigation and with good biological control of pests. Now Mexico exports large quantities of grapefruit to the United States and lesser amounts to Canada and Japan. Puerto Rico formerly exported grapefruit to the United States but is no longer able to compete in the trade and has only remnants of former plantations. Cuba has planted 370,000 acres (150,000 ha) of citrus, mostly grapefruit with expectations of exporting to the Soviet Union and eastern European countries. The grapefruit is grown only in a small way in the Orient where the pummelo is cultivated. In recent years, the grapefruit has become established in India in hot regions where the sweet orange and the mandarin are prone to sunburn.
Varieties
Named varieties of grapefruit appeared in the official list of the American Pomological Society in 1897, but pioneers had selected and named favorite clones for several years before that time. The following are among the most noteworthy of old and new cultivars:
'Duncan'the original trees were virtually identical seedlings that grew in a grove owned by a man named Snedicor near Safety Harbor, Florida. Propagation was first undertaken by A. L. Duncan of Dunedin in 1892. The fruit is round or slightly obovate; large, 3 1/2 to 5 in (9-12.5 cm) wide; peel is very light yellow (usually called "white"), with large oil glands, medium-thick, highly aromatic; pulp is buff, in 12-14 segments with medium-tender membranous walls, very juicy, of fine flavor; seeds medium-large, 30-50. Early to mid-season. Tree is unusually cold-hardy. This was the leading cultivar for many years in Florida and Texas and was introduced into all the grapefruit-growing areas of the world. Today, in the United States, it has largely given way to cultivars with fewer seeds, but it is being grown commercially in India. Recent seed irradiation experiments have shown that a high percentage of seedless mutants results from exposure to 20-25 krad.
'Foster' ('Foster Pink Flesh')Originated as a branch sport of a selection called 'Walters' in the Atwood Grove near Ellenton, Florida, discovered by M.B. Foster of Manatee in 1906, and propagated for sale by the Royal Palm Nurseries. Fruit is oblate to round; medium-large, averaging 3 3/4 in (9.5 cm) in width; peel light-yellow blushed with pink, smooth but with large, conspicuous oil glands; albedo pink; pulp light-buff, pinkish near the center; in 13 or 14 segments with pinkish walls, tender, juicy, of good quality despite seeds, up to 50 or even more, of medium size. Medium-early in season. Not very popular; grown to a limited extent in Florida, Texas, Arizona and India. In Texas, it is more colorful, the pulp being entirely pinkish in hue.
'Marsh' ('Marsh Seedless')one of 3 seedling trees on the property of a Mrs. Rushing near Lakeland, Florida, purchased by William Hancock in 1862. Because the fruits of this tree were seedless, C.M. Marsh took budwood from it for nursery propagation and he bought young trees previously budded by others. He sold the budded offspring and, in time, the 'Marsh' was planted more than any other cultivar. The original tree was killed by cold in the winter of 1895-96. The fruit is oblate to round, medium in size, 3 1/2 to 4 3/4 in (9-12 cm) wide; peel is light-yellow, very smooth, with medium-size oil glands, mildly aromatic; pulp is buff, in 12-14 segments with tender membranes, melting, extremely juicy and rich in flavor; seeds absent or 3-8, medium-sized. Medium to late in season and holds well on the tree. Keeps well after harvest. The leading grapefruit cultivar; grown in Florida, California, Texas, Arizona, South America, Australia, South Africa, Israel and India. A local selection, presumably of a seedling 'Marsh', in Surinam is known there as 'Hooghart'. The two are almost indistinguishable.
'Oroblanco'a triploid from a grapefruit X pummelo cross made in 1958 by geneticists R.K. Soost and J.W. Cameron of the University of California, Riverside. Patent obtained in 1981 and assigned to the University of California Board of Regents. Fruit form and size similar to 'Marsh'; peel paler and thicker; pulp paler and has larger hollow in center; sections easily skinned; tender, juicy, non-bitter; has faintly astringent after-taste before full maturity or in cooler climates; seedless. Season early: December to April at Riverside; early November through February at Landcove. Tree is vigorous, large, hardy, can tolerate temperatures down to 30º F (-1.11º C); yields medium to heavy crops and may tend to alternate bearing. Seems better adapted to California's inland citrus locations than to desert sites. Has been grown experimentally on trifoliate orange, 'Troyer' citrange, citremon 1449, Brazilian sour orange, grapefruit, sweet orange, rough lemon and 'Red' rough lemon rootstocks. The two latter have adversely affected internal quality
'Paradise Navel'a selection from the 100-year-old Nicholson citrus grove near Winter Garden, Florida; propagated and patented by W.H. Nicholson, improved and released for distribution in 1976. Fruit is oblate, smaller than a typical grapefruit. Originally very seedy, but, by budding onto various rootstocks and transferring from one rootstock to another over a period of years, there eventually emerged one tree bearing fruit without seeds. Budwood from this tree has produced uniformity of seedlessness regardless of rootstock. The fruits have been sold to local customers but no scions nor trees were sold prior to 1976.
'Redblush' (including 'Ruby', 'Ruby Red', 'Shary Red', 'Curry Red', 'Fawcett Red', 'Red Radiance', and 'Webb' [Webb's Redblush Seedless'])originated as sportslower branchesgrowing out of 'Thompson' trees which a Texas nursery had purchased from Glen St. Mary Nursery and sold to growers in the Rio Grande Valley, and which were frozen back in 1929. All are seedless and otherwise similar to 'Thompson' but display redder color. 'Redblush' grapefruits have been extensively planted in Florida in the past few decades though the juice is not suitable for canning as it tends to turn brown with age. By 1950, 75% of Florida's grapefruit crop was of the pink or red seedless type. Under the name, 'Ruby Red', a member of this group is a standard commercial cultivar in Texas. In 1958, budwood of 'Redblush' from California was acquired by the Regional Fruit Research Station at Abohar, India, was propagated on rough lemon, and the resulting trees performed so well and showed such disease resistance that the cultivar was recommended for growing under irrigation in the and regions of the Punjab and Haryana, where it averages 250 fruits annually per tree. Probably includable in this group is 'Burgundy'. Its peel is not blushed but the pulp is intense red throughout the season. 'Ray Ruby' and the similar if not identical 'Henderson' are branch sports propagated in Texas and introduced into Florida in the 1970's. The peel is redder than that of 'Ruby Red' and the pulp is red though not as intense as 'Star Ruby' throughout the season. Recently, budwood of 'Ray Ruby' has become available from the Florida Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration in Winter Haven. 'Ray Ruby' is expected to perform better than 'Star Ruby' on standard rootstocks.
'Star Ruby'a lower branch mutation bearing red-blushed fruits, noticed on a 'Foster' tree at San Benito, Texas, in the mid 1930's. The tree had been frozen back nearly to the bud union the previous year. Budwood from the branch was propagated by C. E. Hudson as the 'Hudson Red' but, because of its coarse texture and high number of seeds (40-60), it was not adopted commercially. Seeds were irradiated at the Texas A & I Citrus Center, Weslaco, in 1959. The seedling from one of these treated seeds was named the 'Star Ruby' and introduced into cultivation in 1971 by Richard Hensz of Texas A & I University. Several thousand trees were planted in Texas. At least 65,000 budded trees were brought into Florida in 1971 by commercial interests without proper qualifications and permits under the Division of Plant Industry. Investigation revealed a susceptibility to Phytophthora root rot and ringspot virus in Texas. The Florida State Agricultural Commissioner ordered the destruction of all unauthorized imported trees. About 25,000 were voluntarily destroyed by owners but the ruling was contested and the trees were placed under quarantine. Subsequently, ringspot virus was found on one of the imported trees which had already been used as a source of budwood. Infected trees from this source were found in a nursery and were destroyed together with all neighboring healthy trees. By April 1977, certified, disease-free budwood of 'Star Ruby' was made available and nearly 200,000 "budeyes" were released to growers. They were urged to make only limited plantings until more was known of this cultivar's fruiting habits. The tree tends to become more chlorotic than 'Ruby Red' when sunburned or affected by poor drainage, or high applications of herbicides and pesticides, and it is sensitive to adverse weather conditions.
'Star Ruby' has a yellow peel distinctly red-blushed and in tensely red pulp and juice, 3 times more colorful than 'Ruby Red'. Though the color decreases with maturity, it is maintained throughout the season. The pulp is smooth and firmer than that of 'Ruby Red' and has a bit more sugar and acid. Furthermore, there may be no seeds or no more than nine. Some of the juice color is dissipated by heat in the pasteurization process but there is still enough for the product to be blended with white or pink grapefruit juice to provide more consumer appeal.
'Sweetie'a grapefruit × pummelo hybrid released in 1984 by the Citrus Marketing Board in Israel, has all the features of a typical grapefruit but the flavor is sweet.
'Thompson' (Pink Marsh')In 1913, one branch of a 'Marsh' tree owned by W. R. Thompson, Oneco, Florida, bore pink-fleshed, seedless fruits. Propagation of budwood from the branch was undertaken by the Royal Palm Nurseries in 1924. A similar bud variation of the 'Marsh' had appeared around 1920 at Riverside, California. The fruit is oblate to round, of medium size, 2 3/4 to 3 3/4 in (7-9.5 cm) wide; peel is light-yellow, smooth, with small, inconspicuous oil glands, faintly aromatic; pulp is light- to deep-buff more or less flushed with pink, sometimes throughout, occasionally just near the center. There are 12 to 14 segments with abundant, colorless juice, and few seedsusually 3 to 5. The color of the pulp is most intense in January and February. By late March and April it has faded to nearly amber.
'Triumph' (possibly the same as 'Royal' and 'Isle of Pines')a seedling on the grounds of the Orange Grove Hotel in Tampa, Florida, propagated in 1884. The fruit is oblate to ellipsoid, slightly flattened at both ends; of medium size; peel light-yellow, very smooth, with oil glands of medium size; medium-thick; pulp pale, tender, juicy, only faintly bitter, the flavor having a touch of orange; the center is semi-hollow; of superior quality; 35-50 seeds. Medium-early in season, beginning in November. Grown only in dooryards in Florida, but has been widely distributed in citrus regions; does better than 'Marsh' in South Africa.
A grapefruit-like, triploid hybrid named 'Melogold' was developed by crossing a sweet pummelo with a seedy, white, tetraploid grapefruit in 1958. The fruit is larger than 'Marsh' grapefruit and its pummelo-like flavor is considered superior though it may have a trace of bitterness at the beginning and end of the season which extends from early November or December through February. 'Melogold' is grafted onto rough lemon and 'Troyer' citrange rootstocks and is recommended for interior California, not in hot desert nor in humid coastal situations. Patent rights are held by the University of California and budwood is released only to licensed nurserymen.
Climate
The grapefruit prospers in a warm subtropical climate. Temperature differences affect the length of time from flowering to fruit maturity. At Riverside, California the period is 13 months; at warmer Brawley in the Imperial Valley of southern California, only 7 to 8 months. The fruit is lower in acidity in the Indian River region and areas of southern Florida, the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and in the tropics than in cooler situations.
Humidity contributes to thinness of peel, while in arid climates the peel is thicker and rougher and, as might be expected, the juice content is lower. Low winter temperatures also result in thicker peel the following year and even affect the fruit shape.
Ideal rainfall for grapefruit is 36 to 44 in (91.4-111.7 cm) rather evenly distributed the year around.
Soil
The grapefruit is grown on a range of soil types. In the main growing area of Florida, the soil is mildly acid sand and applications of lime may be beneficial. On the east coast there are coquina shell deposits and, in the extreme southern part of the peninsula, there is little soil mixed with the prevailing oolitic limestone. Where the grapefruit is grown in California, Arizona and Texas, the soils are largely alkaline and frequent irrigation causes undesirable alkaline salts to rise to the surface. In Surinam, grapefruit is grown on clay. Successful grapefruit culture depends mainly on the choice of rootstock best adapted to each type of soil.
Salinity of the soil and in irrigation water retards water uptake by the root system and reduces yields.
Propagation
In the early years of grapefruit-growing, the customary citrus rootstocks were utilized: sour orange on heavy hammock and flatwoods soils, rough lemon on sand, though trees grafted on this stock were short-lived. In the early 1950's, sweet orange was being preferred over sour orange. In 1946, the United States Department of Agriculture, Texas A & M University, and Rio Farms, Inc., of Monte Alto, Texas, launched a cooperative program of testing grapefruit on different rootstocks. Of 13 different rootstocks utilized, 'Swingle citrumelo', 'Morton' and 'Troyer' citranges gave the best yield of large fruits. Rough lemon and 'Christian' trifoliate orange reduced acidity. 'Swingle citrumelo' was never used extensively as a rootstock until 1974 when it was released to nurserymen and growers because of its tolerance of exocortis, xyloporosis, and tristeza and resistance to foot-rot and citrus nematode, and low uptake of salts, together with its ability to support heavy crops. It is now in third place after 'Troyer' citrange and sour orange.
In the past, 'Marsh' and 'Hooghart', the commercial grapefruits of Surinam, have been grown there on sour orange rootstock, but fear of tristeza inspired a rootstock testing program. Among the stocks tried, 'King' and 'Sunki' resulted in high yield and excellent quality in contrast to rough lemon and Rangpur lime. The two latter also showed susceptibility to Phytophthora root rot. 'Cleopatra' lowered the yield, and trifoliate orange proved unsatisfactory in such a humid climate. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, grapefruit trees on 'Swingle citrumelo' have grown very poorly on heavy clay as compared to those on sour orange.
Culture
In general, culture of grapefruit is similar to that of the orange, q.v., except that wider spacing is necessary.
Nutritional experiments with grapefruit have shown that excessive nitrogen results in malformed fruit, coarser texture and less juice. Lack of certain minor elements is evident in symptoms often mistaken for disease. The condition called exanthema is caused by copper deficiency; mottle leaf results from zinc deficiency.
Harvesting and Handling
In Florida, all commercial cultivars reach legal maturity in September or October if sprayed after blooming with lead arsenate to reduce acidity. Even after legal maturity the grapefruit can be "stored" on the tree for months, merely increasing in size, and extending the marketing season. The fruits can be harvested until near the end of May when they begin to fall and seeds start sprouting in the fruit. The only adverse effect of late harvesting is a corresponding reduction in the following year's crop. It has been found that spot-picking of the largest fruits partially counteracts this effect of late harvest. Fruit drop can be retarded by spraying with a combination of gibberellic acid and 2,4-D. Either of these agents or both together will reduce the germination of seeds. Germination may be inhibited for periods up to 11 weeks by cool storage at 50º F (10º C).
Grapefruits were formerly harvested by climbing the trees or using picking hooks which frequently damaged the fruit. Today, the fruits on low branches are picked by hand from the ground; higher fruits are usually harvested by workers on ladders who snap the stems or clip the fruits as required. California began utilizing a modified olive limb-shaker for harvesting grapefruit in 1972. The machines work in pairs to harvest opposite sides of each tree and the trees must be pruned to remove deadwood and to give access to 3-5 main limbs for shaking. Lower branches must be lopped off to leave a clear 2 1/2 ft (75 cm) space for the catching frame. Mechanical harvesting causes some superficial injury. A team of 3 workers with one machine can harvest 150 to 188 field boxes50 lbs (22.7 kg) when filledper hour, as compared with 45 boxes per hour for 3 manual pickers. Stems are removed from the fruits before packing to avoid stem-damage.
Early in the season, when the fruits are mature but not fully colored, they are often degreened by exposure to ethylene gas. The grapefruit is remarkable for its durability, but modern practices of applying fungicide to the harvested fruit are given credit for the great reduction in marketing losses. The cull rate in New York wholesale warehouses in 1983 was found to be 1.4% (mostly fungal), as compared with 13 % estimated in 1960. Retail losses in 1983 were 3.5%, and only a small proportion were the result of physical injury.
Keeping Quality
The grapefruit keeps well at 65º F (18.33º C) or higher for a week or more and for 2 or 3 weeks in the fruit/vegetable compartment of the home refrigerator. The first sign of breakdown is dehydration and collapse of the stem-end. To retard moisture loss, fruits for marketing are washed and waxed as soon as possible after harvest. When kept in prolonged storage, the grapefruit is subject to chilling injury (peel pitting) at temperatures below 50º F (10º C). The degree of injury depends on several factors: the fruits on the outside of the tree are more susceptible than the fruits that have been sheltered by foliage. The use of preharvest growth regulators tends to reduce susceptibility, as does 100% relative humidity during storage. Preconditioning at 60.8º F (16º C) for 7 days before storing at 33.8º F (1º C) prevents injury. Lowering the temperature gradually after preconditioning is also beneficial, as is sealing the fruit in polyethylene shrink-film before refrigerating.
The banning of ethylene dibromide fumigation except for export has made it necessary to resort to cold treatment as an alternative measure against fruit fly infestation for shipment to Texas, Arizona and California. The United States Department of Agriculture now requires that imported citrus fruits be kept at 32º F (0º C) for 10 days or at 36º F (2.2º C) for 16 days after the fruit has been cooled down to the specified temperature. In Israel, investigators have found that waxing with a coating containing fungicide, and holding the packed fruit for 6 days at 62.6º F (17º C) before the cold treatment, gives good protection from chilling injury and decay in storage. Cold treatment costs 5 times as much as fumigation with ethylene dibromide. Methyl bromide has been tested and proposed as an effective fumigant,
Pests and Diseases
The grapefruit is subject to most of the same pests that attack the orange, including Caribbean and Mediterranean fruit flies. In addition to the cold treatment referred to above, irradiation has been studied as a method of disinfection, but has not been authorized for citrus fruit treatment. Exposure of early-season fruit to 60 and 90 krad causes scald and rind breakdown after 28 days of storage, and mainly pitting in midseason and late fruits. Minimal injury results from exposure to 7.5, 15, and 30 krad.
The following diseases have been reported for the grapefruit tree and its fruit by the Florida Division of Plant Industry: leaf spot (A1ternaria citri, Mycosphaerella horii, Phyllosticta hesperidearum); algal leaf spot (Cephaleuros virescens); greasy spot (Cercospora citri-grisea); tar spot (C. gigantea); anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides); thread blight (Corticium koleroga and C. stevensii); gummosis (Diaporthe citri); dieback (Diplodia natalensis); heart rot (Fomes applanatus, Ganoderma sessilis, and Xylaria polymorpha); charcoal root rot (Macrophomina phaseolina); root rot (Fusarium oxysporum); sooty blotch (Gloeodes pomigena); flyspeck (Leptothyrium pomi); mushroom root rot (Clitocybe tabescens); foot rot (Phytophthora megasperma, P. palmivora, and P. parasitica); damping-off (Rhizoctonia solani); seedling blight (Sclerotium rolfsii); felt fungus, (Septobasidium pseudopedi- cellatum); branch knot (Sphaeropsis tumefaciens); leaves may be attacked by Chaetothyricum hawaiiense, and twigs by Physalospora fusca. Brown rot of fruit is caused by Phytophthora citrophthora and P. terrestris; stem-end rot, Botryosphaeria ribis; dry rot of fruit (Nematospora coryli); green mold (Penicillium digitatum); blue mold, (P. italicum); pink mold (P. roseum); scab (Elsinoe fawcetti).
The tree is highly susceptible to citrus canker and several viruses: crinkly leaf virus, psorosis, tristeza, xyloporosis, and infectious variegation. Mesophyll collapse is caused by extreme drought and dehydrating wind.
Fig. 39: Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi): pink (left); yellow (center); and russet (right). In: K. & J. Morton, Fifty Tropical Fruits of Nassau, 1946.
Food Uses
As a relatively new food, the grapefruit has made great advances in the past 75 years. In 1970, consumption of grapefruit was temporarily heightened by a widely promoted "grapefruit diet" plan claimed to achieve a loss of 10 lbs (4.5 kg) in 10 days and continuous gradual loss until the achievement of normal body weight. In 1983, the United States Department of Agriculture Marketing Service reported that, among fresh fruits and vegetables consumed in Metropolitan New York, grapefruit was exceeded only by potatoes, lettuce, oranges and apples.
Grapefruit is customarily a breakfast fruit, chilled, cut in half, the sections loosened from the peel and each other by a special curved knife, and the pulp spooned from the "half-shell". Some consumers sweeten it with white or brown sugar, or a bit of honey. Some add cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. As an appetizer before dinner, grapefruit halves may be similarly sweetened, lightly broiled, and served hot, often topped with a maraschino cherry. The sections are commonly used in fruit cups or fruit salads, in gelatins or puddings and tarts. They are commercially canned in sirup. In Australia, grapefruit is commercially processed as marmalade. It may also be made into jelly.
The juice is marketed as a beverage fresh, canned, or dehydrated as powder, or concentrated and frozen. It can be made into an excellent vinegar or carefully fermented as wine.
Grapefruit peel is candied and is an important source of pectin for the preservation of other fruits. The peel oil, expressed or distilled, is commonly employed in soft-drink flavoring, after the removal of 50% of the monoterpenes. The main ingredient in the outer peel oil is nookatone. Extracted nookatone, added to grapefruit juice powder, enhances the flavor of the reconstituted juice. Naringin, extracted from the inner peel (albedo), is used as a bitter in "tonic" beverages, bitter chocolate, ice cream and ices. It is chemically converted into a sweetener about 1,500 times sweeter than sugar. After the extraction of naringin, the albedo can be reprocessed to recover pectin.
Grapefruit seed oil is dark and exceedingly bitter but, bleached and refined, it is pale-yellow, bland, much like olive oil in flavor, and can be used similarly. Because it is an unsaturated fat, its production has greatly increased since 1960.
Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*
Pulp (raw)
12-14 mg
*According to analyses made in California, Texas, Florida, Cuba and Central America.
**Peel Oil: 90% limonene; the volatile fraction (2-3%) consists mainly of oxygen compounds and sesquiterpenes; the waxy fraction (7-8%) consists of C8 and C10 aldehydes, plus geraniol, cadinene and small amounts of citral and dimethyl arthranilate, plus acid. Also present are 9 coumarins and 0.88% 22-dihydrostigmasterol. The dried pulp and seeds contain b-sitosteryl-D-glucoside and b-sitosterol.
The glycoside 7 b-neohesperidosyl-4-(b-D-glucopyranosyl) naringenin occurs in the pulp segments. Feruloylputrescine is found in the juice and leaves. Mature grapefruit leaves contain the flavonoid, apigenin 7 b-rutinoside. Young leaves contain the 7 b-neohesperidoside and 7 b-rutinoside of naringenin.
Other Uses
Factory waste: The waste from grapefruit packing plants has long been converted into molasses for cattle.
Seed hulls: After oil extraction, the hulls can be used for soil conditioning, or, combined with the dried pulp, as cattlefeed. A detoxification process must precede the feeding of this product to pigs or poultry.
Wood: Old grapefruit trees can be salvaged for their wood. The sapwood is pale-yellow or nearly white, the heartwood yellow to brownish, hard, fine-grained, and useful for domestic purposes. Mainly, pruned branches and felled trees are cut up for firewood.
Medicinal Uses: An essence prepared from the flowers is taken to overcome insomnia, also as a stomachic, and cardiac tonic. The pulp is considered an effective aid in the treatment of urinary disorders. Leaf extractions have shown antibiotic activity.
| i don't know |
August 28, 1898 saw the introduction of what popular soft drink, originally called Brad's Drink, named after it's inventor, New Bern, NC pharmacist Caleb Bradham? | HISTORY OF PEPSI COLA INVENTED BY CALEB BRADHAM PHARMACIST 1893 BEVERAGES: SOFT DRINKS
In 1893, Caleb Bradham, a young pharmacist from New Bern, North Carolina, begins experimenting with many different soft drink concoctions. Like many pharmacists at the turn of the century he had a soda fountain in his drugstore, where he served his customers refreshing drinks, that he created himself. His most popular beverage was something he called "Brad's drink" made of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, rare oils, pepsin and cola nuts.
One of Caleb's formulations, known as "Brad's drink", created in the summer of 1893, was later renamed Pepsi Cola after the pepsin and cola nuts used in the recipe. In 1898, Caleb Bradham wisely bought the trade name "Pep Cola" for $100 from a competitor from Newark, New Jersey that had gone broke. The new name was trademarked on June 16th, 1903. Bradham's neighbor, an artist designed the first Pepsi logo and ninety-seven shares of stock for Bradham's new company were issued.
1898 - One of Caleb's formulations, known as "Brad's Drink," a combination of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, rare oils and cola nuts, is renamed "Pepsi-Cola" on August 28, 1898. Pepsi-Cola receives its first logo.
1902 - The instant popularity of this new drink leads Bradham to devote all of his energy to developing Pepsi-Cola into a full-fledged business. He applies for a trademark with the U.S. Patent Office, Washington D.C., and forms the first Pepsi-Cola Company.
The first Pepsi-Cola newspaper advertisements appeared in the New Bern Weekly Journal.
1903 - "Doc" Bradham moves the bottling of Pepsi-Cola from his drugstore into a rented warehouse; he sells 7,968 gallons of syrup in the first year of operation.
Pepsi's theme line is "Exhilarating, Invigorating, Aids Digestion."
1904 - Bradham purchases a building in New Bern known as the "Bishop Factory" for $5,000 and moves all bottling and syrup operations to this location. Pepsi is sold in six-ounce bottles. Sales increase to 19,848 gallons.
1905 - Pepsi-Cola's first bottling franchises are established in Charlotte and Durham, North Carolina.
Pepsi receives its new logo, its first change since 1898.
1906 - Pepsi gets another logo change, the third in eight years. The modified script logo is created with the slogan, "The Original Pure Food Drink."
There are 15 U.S. Pepsi bottling plants. The Pepsi trademark is registered in Canada. Syrup sales rise to 38,605 gallons.
The federal government passes the Pure Food and Drug Act, banning substances such as arsenic, lead, barium, and uranium, from food and beverages. This forced many soft drink manufacturers, including Coca-Cola , to change their formulas. Pepsi-Cola, being free of any such impurities, claimed they already met federal requirements.
1907 - Pepsi-Cola Company continues to expand; the company's bottling network grows to 40 franchises. Pepsi-Cola sells more than 100,000 gallons of syrup.
Pepsi trademark is registered in Mexico. Syrup sales rise to 104,026 gallons.
1908 - Pepsi-Cola becomes one of the first companies to modernize delivery from horse drawn carts to motor vehicles. Two hundred fifty bottlers in 24 states are under contract to make and sell Pepsi-Cola.
1909 - Automobile race pioneer Barney Oldfield endorses Pepsi-Cola in newspaper ads as "A bully drink...refreshing, invigorating, a fine bracer before a race."
1910 - The first Pepsi-Cola bottlers' convention is held in New Bern, North Carolina.
1920 - Pepsi theme line speaks to the consumer with "Drink Pepsi-Cola, it will satisfy you."
After seventeen years of success, Caleb Bradham lost Pepsi Cola. He had gambled on the fluctuations of sugar prices during W.W.I, believing that sugar prices would continue to rise but they fell instead leaving Caleb Bradham with an overpriced sugar inventory. Pepsi Cola went bankrupt in 1923 and its assets were sold to a North Carolina concern; Craven Holding Corporation for $30,000.
Roy C. Megargel, a Wall Street broker, buys the Pepsi trademark, business and good will from Craven Holding Corporation for $35,000, forming the Pepsi-Cola Corporation.
1928 - After five continuous losing years, Megargel reorganizes his company as the National Pepsi-Cola Company, becoming the fourth parent company to own the Pepsi trademark.
1931 - U.S. District Court for Eastern District Virginia declares the National Pepsi-Cola Company bankrupt, the second bankruptcy in Pepsi-Cola history.
In 1931, Pepsi Cola was bought by the Loft Candy Company Loft president, Charles G. Guth who reformulated the popular soft drink. Charles G Guth, president of the Loft company struggled to make a success of Pepsi. He3 commanded the reformulation of the Pepsi syrup formula, and even offered to sell Pepsi to the Coca-Cola company, who refused to offer a bid.
1933 - By the end of the year, Guth's new Pepsi-Cola Company is insolvent. In a series of moves, he acquires Megargel's interest in the company, giving himself 91% ownership of Pepsi.
1934 - A landmark year for Pepsi-Cola. The drink is a hit and to attract even more sales, the company begins selling its 12-ounce drink for five cents (the same cost as six ounces of competitive colas). The 12-ounce bottle debuts in Baltimore, where it is an instant success. The cost savings proves irresistible to Depression-worn Americans and sales skyrocket nationally.
Caleb Bradham, the founder of Pepsi-Cola and "Brad's Drink," dies at 66 (May 27th, 1867-February 19th, 1934).
1935 - Guth moves the entire Pepsi-Cola operation to Long Island City, New York, and sets up national territorial boundries for the Pepsi bottler franchise system.
1936 - Pepsi grants 94 new U.S. franchises and year-end profits reach $2,100,000.
1938 - Walter S. Mack, Jr., V.P. of Phoenix Securities Corporation is elected President of the Pepsi-Cola Company. Mack, who considers advertising the keystone of the soft drink business, turns Pepsi into a modern marketing company.
1939 - The "Pepsi & Pete" comic strip introduces the "Twice as much for a nickel" theme in newspapers.
Pepsi-Cola Company names Mack as CEO.
The Board of Directors removes Guth from the Pepsi payroll after he plans to personally acquire a competing cola.
In 1940, the Pepsi Cola company made history when the first advertising jingle was broadcast nationally on the radio. The jingle was "Nickel Nickel" an advertisement for Pepsi Cola that referred to the price of Pepsi and the quantity for that price "Nickel Nickel" became a hit record and was recorded into fifty-five languages.
1941 - The New York Stock Exchange trades Pepsi's stock for the first time.
In support of the war effort, Pepsi's bottle crown colors change to red, white, and blue.
1942 - One on many company sponsored efforts to allow soldiers to communicate with friends or family. This record was made in New York City but often booths would be set up with mobile recording equipment that was bought to where the soldiers were.
Shell material on solid core. 78 rpm.
1943 - Pepsi's theme line becomes "Bigger Drink, Better Taste."
1948 - Corporate headquarters moves from Long Island City, New York, to midtown Manhattan.
1950 - Alfred N. Steele becomes President and CEO of Pepsi-Cola. Mr. Steele's wife, Hollywood movie star Joan Crawford, is instrumental in promoting the company's product line.
Pepsi receives its new logo, which incorporates the "bottle cap" look. The new logo is the fifth in Pepsi history.
1953 - "The Light Refreshment" campaign capitalizes on a change in the product's formula that reduces caloric content.
1955 - Herbert Barnet is named President of Pepsi-Cola.
1959 - Pepsi debuts at the Moscow Fair. Soviet Premier Khrushchev and U.S. Vice President Nixon share a Pepsi.
1960 - Young adults become the target consumers and Pepsi's advertising keeps pace with "Now it's Pepsi, for those who think young."
1962 - Pepsi receives its new logo, the sixth in Pepsi history. The 'serrated' bottle cap logo debuts, accompanying the brand's groundbreaking "Pepsi Generation" ad campaign.
1963 - After climbing the Pepsi ladder from fountain syrup salesman, Donald M. Kendall is named CEO of Pepsi-Cola Company. Pepsi-Cola continues to lead the soft drink industry in packaging innovations, when the 12-ounce bottle gives way to the 16-ounce size. Twelve-ounce Pepsi cans are first introduced to the military to transport soft drinks all over the world.
1964 - Diet Pepsi, iintroduced as America's first national diet soft drink. Pepsi-Cola acquires Mountain Dew from the Tip Corporation.
1965 - Expansion outside the soft drink industry begins. Frito-Lay of Dallas, Texas, and Pepsi-Cola merge, forming PepsiCo, Inc.
Military 12-ounce cans are such a success that full-scale commercial distribution begins.
Mountain Dew launches its first campaign, "Yahoo Mountain Dew...It'll tickle your innards."
1970 - Pepsi leads the way into metrics by introducing the industry's first two-liter bottles. Pepsi is also the first company to respond to consumer preference with light-weight, recyclable, plastic bottles. Vic Bonomo is named President of Pepsi-Cola. The Pepsi World Headquarters moves from Manhattan to Purchase, NY.
1974 - First Pepsi plant opens in the U.S.S.R. Television ads introduce the new theme line, "Hello, Sunshine, Hello Mountain Dew."
1976 - Pepsi becomes the single largest soft drink brand sold in American supermarkets. The campaign is "Have a Pepsi Day!" and a classic commercial, "Puppies," becomes one of America's best-loved ads. As people get back to basics, Pepsi is there as one of the simple things in life.
1977 - At 37, marketing genius John Sculley is named President of Pepsi-Cola.
1978 - The company experiments with new flavors. Twelve-pack cans are introduced.
1980 - Pepsi becomes number one in sales in the take home market.
1981 - PepsiCo and China reach agreement to manufacture soft drinks, with production beginning next year.
1982 - Pepsi Free, a caffeine-free cola, is introduced nationwide. Pepsi Challenge activity has penetrated 75% of the U.S. market.
1983 - Mountain Dew launches the "Dew it to it" theme.
1984 - Pepsi advertising takes a dramatic turn as Pepsi becomes "the choice of a New Generation." Lemon Lime Slice, the first major soft drink with real fruit juice, is introduced, creating a new soft drink category, "juice added." In subsequent line of extensions, Mandarin Orange Slice goes on to become the number one orange soft drink in the U.S.
Diet Pepsi is reformulated with NutraSweet (aspertame) brand sweetener.
1985 - After responding to years of decline, Coke loses to Pepsi in preference tests by reformulating. However, the new formula is met with widespread consumer rejection, forcing the re-introduction of the original formulation as "Coca-Cola Classic." The cola war takes "one giant sip for mankind," when a Pepsi "space can" is successfully tested aboard the space shuttle. By the end of 1985, the New Generation campaign earns more than 58 major advertising and film-related awards. Pepsi's campaign featuring Lional Richie is the most remembered in the country, according to consumer preference polls.
1986 - Chairman Donald M. Kendall retires and is succeeded by D. Wayne Calloway. 7-Up international is acquired in Canada. Pepsi-Cola acquires Mug Root Beer.
1987 - Pepsi-Cola President Roger Enrico is named President/CEO of PepsiCo Worldwide Beverages. Pepsi-Cola World Headquarters moves from Purchase to Somers, New York. After a 27 year absence, Pepsi returns to Broadway with the lighting of a spectacular new neon sign in Times Square.
1988 - Craig Weatherup is appointed President/CEO of Pepsi-Cola Company.
1989 - Pepsi lunges into the next decade by declaring Pepsi lovers "A Generation Ahead." Chris Sinclair is named President of Pepsi-Cola International. Pepsi-Cola introduces an exciting new flavor, Wild Cherry Pepsi.
1990 - American Music Award and Grammy winner rap artist Young MC writes and performs songs exclusively for national radio ads for Pepsi. Ray Charles joins the Pepsi family by endorsing Diet Pepsi. The slogan is "You Got The Right One Baby."
1991 - Craig E. Weatherup is named CEO of Pepsi-Cola North America, as Canada becomes part of the company's North American operations. Pepsi introduces the first beverage bottles containing recycled polyethylene terephthalate (or PET) into the marketplace. The development marks the first time recycled plastic is used in direct contact with food in packaging.
1992--Pepsi-Cola launches the "Gotta Have It" theme which supplants the longstanding "Choice of a New Generation."
Pepsi-Cola and Lipton Tea Partnership is formed. Pepsi will destribute single serve Lipton Original and Lipton Brisk products. Crystal Pepsi: a refreshing, clear soda that is caffine free, has 100% natural flavors, no preservatives and is low in sodium, goes national. Mountain Dew introduces the popular theme line, "Get Vertical."
1993 - Brand Pepsi introduces its slogan, "Be Young. Have Fun. Drink Pepsi." Pepsi-Cola profits surpass $1 billion. Pepsi introduces an innovative 24-can multipack that satisfies growing consumer demand for convenient large-size soft drink packaging. "The Cube" is easier to carry than the traditional 24-pack and it fits in the refrigerator.
1994 - New advertising introducing Diet Pepsi's freshness dating initiative features Pepsi CEO Craig Weatherup explaining the relationship between freshness and superior taste to consumers. Pepsi Foods International and Pepsi-Cola International merge, creating the PepsiCo Foods and Beverages Company.
1995 - In a new campaign, the company declares "Nothing else is a Pepsi" and takes top honors in the year's national advertising championship.
1996 - In February of this year, Pepsi makes history once again, by launching one of the most ambitious entertainment sites on the World Wide Web. Pepsi World eventually surpasses all expectations, and becomes one of the most landed, and copied, sites in this new media, firmly establishing Pepsi's presence on the Internet.
1997 - In the early part of the year, Pepsi pushes into a new era with the unveiling of the GeneratioNext campaign. GeneratioNext is about everything that is young and fresh; a celebration of the creative spirit. It is about the kind of attitude that challenges the norm with new ideas, at every step of the way.
PepsiCo. announces that, effective October 6th, it will spin off its restaurant division to form Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. Including Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, & KFC, it will be the largest restaurant company in the world in units and second-largest in sales.
1998 - Pepsi celebrates its 100th anniversary. PepsiCo. Chairman and CEO Roger A. Enrico donates his salary to provide scholarships for children of PepsiCo employees. Pepsi introduces PepsiOne - the first one calorie drink without that diet taste!
2000 - Although Pepsi is a great place to work, Steven Truitt (aka 'struitt') takes his skills and hard work elsewhere (for more money of course!), therefore putting an end to his Pepsi page! For more information about Pepsi, choose a search engine and search for 'Pepsi' or visit www.pepsi.com or www.pepsico.com .
2005 - Pepsi invited to introduce new brand cola to celebrate the launch of Solar Navigator .........................
| Pepsi |
The PayDay candy bar is composed of peanuts and what other confection? | PepsiCola - WikiVisually
History
The pharmacy of Caleb Bradham, with a Pepsi dispenser
The drink Pepsi was first introduced as "Brad's Drink" [2] in New Bern, North Carolina , United States , in 1893 by Caleb Bradham , who made it at his drugstore where the drink was sold. It was renamed Pepsi Cola in 1898, named after the digestive enzyme pepsin and kola nuts used in the recipe. The original recipe also included sugar and vanilla. [3] Bradham sought to create a fountain drink that was appealing and would aid in digestion and boost energy. [2]
1919 newspaper ad for Pepsi-Cola
A plaque at 256 Middle Street, New Bern, NC
In 1903, Bradham moved the bottling of Pepsi-Cola from his drugstore to a rented warehouse. That year, Bradham sold 7,968 gallons of syrup . The next year, Pepsi was sold in six-ounce bottles, and sales increased to 19,848 gallons. In 1909, automobile race pioneer Barney Oldfield was the first celebrity to endorse Pepsi-Cola, describing it as "A bully drink...refreshing, invigorating, a fine bracer before a race." The advertising theme "Delicious and Healthful" was then used over the next two decades. [4] In 1926, Pepsi received its first logo redesign since the original design of 1905. In 1929, the logo was changed again.
In 1931, at the depth of the Great Depression , the Pepsi-Cola Company entered bankruptcy—in large part due to financial losses incurred by speculating on the wildly fluctuating sugar prices as a result of World War I . Assets were sold and Roy C. Megargel bought the Pepsi trademark. [3] Megargel was unsuccessful, and soon Pepsi's assets were purchased by Charles Guth , the President of Loft, Inc. Loft was a candy manufacturer with retail stores that contained soda fountains. He sought to replace Coca-Cola at his stores' fountains after Coke refused to give him a discount on syrup. Guth then had Loft's chemists reformulate the Pepsi-Cola syrup formula.
On three separate occasions between 1922 and 1933, The Coca-Cola Company was offered the opportunity to purchase the Pepsi-Cola company, and it declined on each occasion. [5]
Pepsi-Cola trademark
The original stylized Pepsi-Cola logo used from 1898 until 1905.
The fourth stylized Pepsi-Cola logo used from 1940 to 1950. It was used again in 2014.
The original trademark application for Pepsi-Cola was filed on September 23, 1902 with registration approved on June 16, 1903. In the application's statement, Caleb Bradham describes the trademark and indicated that the mark was in continuous use for his business since August 1, 1901. The Pepsi-Cola's description is a flavoring syrup for soda water. The trademark expired on April 15, 1904.
A second Pepsi-Cola trademark is on record with the USPTO . The application date submitted by Caleb Bradham for the second trademark is Saturday, April 15, 1905, with the successful registration date of April 15, 1906, over three years after the original date. Curiously, in this application, Caleb Bradham states that the trademark had been continuously used in his business "and those from whom title is derived since in the 1905 application the description submitted to the USPTO was for a tonic beverage". The federal status for the 1905 trademark is registered and renewed and is owned by PepsiCo of Purchase, New York .
In 2014, the 1940 wordmark was used again and replacing the current wordmark on many cans.
Rise
During the Great Depression, Pepsi gained popularity following the introduction in 1936 of a 12-ounce bottle. With a radio advertising campaign featuring the jingle "Pepsi-Cola hits the spot / Twelve full ounces, that's a lot / Twice as much for a nickel, too / Pepsi-Cola is the drink for you", arranged in such a way that the jingle never ends . Pepsi encouraged price-watching consumers to switch, obliquely referring to the Coca-Cola standard of 6.5 ounces per bottle for the price of five cents (a nickel), instead of the 12 ounces Pepsi sold at the same price. [6] Coming at a time of economic crisis, the campaign succeeded in boosting Pepsi's status. From 1936 to 1938, Pepsi-Cola's profits doubled. [7]
Pepsi
Pepsi's success under Guth came while the Loft Candy business was faltering. Since he had initially used Loft's finances and facilities to establish the new Pepsi success, the near-bankrupt Loft Company sued Guth for possession of the Pepsi-Cola company. A long legal battle, Guth v. Loft , then ensued, with the case reaching the Delaware Supreme Court and ultimately ending in a loss for Guth.
Niche marketing
1940s advertisement specifically targeting African Americans, A young Ron Brown is the boy reaching for a bottle
Walter Mack was named the new President of Pepsi-Cola and guided the company through the 1940s. Mack, who supported progressive causes, noticed that the company's strategy of using advertising for a general audience either ignored African Americans or used ethnic stereotypes in portraying blacks. Up until the 1940s, the full revenue potential of what was called "the Negro market" was largely ignored by white-owned manufacturers in the U.S. [8] Mack realized African Americans were an untapped niche market and that Pepsi stood to gain market share by targeting its advertising directly towards them. [9] To this end, he hired Hennan Smith, an advertising executive "from the Negro newspaper field" [10] to lead an all-black sales team, which had to be cut due to the onset of World War II .
In 1947, Walter Mack resumed his efforts, hiring Edward F. Boyd to lead a twelve-man team. They came up with advertising portraying black Americans in a positive light, such as one with a smiling mother holding a six pack of Pepsi while her son (a young Ron Brown , who grew up to be Secretary of Commerce ) [11] reaches up for one. Another ad campaign , titled "Leaders in Their Fields", profiled twenty prominent African Americans such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche and photographer Gordon Parks .
Boyd also led a sales team composed entirely of blacks around the country to promote Pepsi. Racial segregation and Jim Crow laws were still in place throughout much of the U.S.; Boyd's team faced a great deal of discrimination as a result, [10] from insults by Pepsi co-workers to threats by the Ku Klux Klan . [11] On the other hand, it was able to use racism as a selling point, attacking Coke's reluctance to hire blacks and support by the chairman of Coke for segregationist Governor of Georgia Herman Talmadge . [9] As a result, Pepsi's market share as compared to Coke's shot up dramatically in the 1950s with African American soft-drink consumers three times more likely to purchase Pepsi over Coke. [12] After the sales team visited Chicago, Pepsi's share in the city overtook that of Coke for the first time. [9]
Journalist Stephanie Capparell interviewed six men who were on the team in the late 1940s:
The team members had a grueling schedule, working seven days a week, morning and night, for weeks on end. They visited bottlers, churches, "ladies groups," schools, college campuses, YMCAs, community centers, insurance conventions, teacher and doctor conferences, and various civic organizations. They got famous jazzmen such as Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton to give shout-outs for Pepsi from the stage. No group was too small or too large to target for a promotion. [13]
Pepsi advertisements avoided the stereotypical images common in the major media that depicted one-dimensional Aunt Jemimas and Uncle Bens whose role was to draw a smile from white customers. Instead it portrayed black customers as self-confident middle-class citizens who showed very good taste in their soft drinks. They were economical too, as Pepsi bottles were twice the size. [14]
This focus on the market for black people caused some consternation within the company and among its affiliates. It did not want to seem focused on black customers for fear white customers would be pushed away. [9] In a national meeting Mack tried to assuage the 500 bottlers in attendance by pandering to them, saying: "We don't want it to become known as a nigger drink." [15] After Mack left the company in 1950, support for the black sales team faded and it was cut. [8]
Pepsi Perfect
Pepsi Perfect is a vitamin-enriched soft drink used in Back to the Future Part II when Marty orders it in the Cafe '80s.
To commemorate the trilogy's 30th anniversary, Pepsico decided to release a limited-edition run of 6,500, with each costing $20.15 which spells 2015, and are releasing it on October 21, 2015 online. [16] At Comic-Con , around 1,500 bottles were given to the 1,500 people who were dressed as Marty McFly at the annual convention, in commemoration of the trilogy. [17]
The bottle itself is a 16.9 oz. container full of original Pepsi, under the name Pepsi Made with Real Sugar.
Marketing
The Pepsi logo used from 1969 to 1991. In 1987, the font was modified slightly to a more rounded version which was used until 1991. [18] This logo is now used for Pepsi Throwback
The Pepsi logo used from 2003 to late 2008. Pepsi Wild Cherry continued to use this design through March 2010. Pepsi ONE continued to use this design until mid-2012. This logo is still in use in some international markets. The original version had the Pepsi wording on the top left of the Pepsi Globe . In 2007, the Pepsi wording was moved to the bottom of the globe.
The Pepsi logo used from 2008 to 2014. In October 2008, Pepsi launched an entirely new logo, but it did not come into effect until early 2009, when usage of the last logo ended. The Pepsi ball is now two-dimensional again, and the red white and blue design has been changed to look like a smile, which changes size according to the specific type of Pepsi it is used on (i.e. Diet Pepsi or Pepsi Max). The font used in this logo is almost identical to the font used for Diet Pepsi from 1975 to 1986. It is also worth noting that the "e" in "pepsi" is shaped liked previous forms of the Pepsi Globe.
From the 1930s through the late 1950s, "Pepsi-Cola Hits The Spot" was the most commonly used slogan in the days of old radio, classic motion pictures, and later television. Its jingle (conceived in the days when Pepsi cost only five cents) was used in many different forms with different lyrics. With the rise of radio, Pepsi utilized the services of a young, up-and-coming actress named Polly Bergen to promote products, oftentimes lending her singing talents to the classic "...Hits The Spot" jingle.
Film actress Joan Crawford , after marrying then Pepsi-Cola President Alfred N. Steele became a spokesperson for Pepsi, appearing in commercials, television specials and televised beauty pageants on behalf of the company. Crawford also had images of the soft drink placed prominently in several of her later films. When Steele died in 1959, Crawford was appointed to the Board of Directors of Pepsi-Cola, a position she held until 1973, although she was not a board member of the larger PepsiCo, created in 1965. [19]
The Buffalo Bisons , an American Hockey League team, were sponsored by Pepsi-Cola in its later years; the team adopted the beverage's red, white and blue color scheme along with a modification of the Pepsi logo (with the word "Buffalo" in place of the Pepsi-Cola wordmark). The Bisons ceased operations in 1970 (making way for the Buffalo Sabres ).
Through the intervening decades, there have been many different Pepsi theme songs sung on television by a variety of artists, from Joanie Summers to the Jacksons to Britney Spears . (See Slogans .)
In 1975, Pepsi introduced the Pepsi Challenge marketing campaign where PepsiCo set up a blind tasting between Pepsi-Cola and rival Coca-Cola. During these blind taste tests, the majority of participants picked Pepsi as the better tasting of the two soft drinks. PepsiCo took great advantage of the campaign with television commercials reporting the results to the public. [20]
Pepsi has been featured in several films, including Back to the Future Part II (1989), Home Alone (1990), Wayne's World (1992), Fight Club (1999), and World War Z (2013). [21] [22]
In 1996, PepsiCo launched the highly successful Pepsi Stuff marketing strategy. By 2002, the strategy was cited by Promo Magazine as one of 16 "Ageless Wonders" that "helped redefine promotion marketing". [23]
In 2007, PepsiCo redesigned its cans for the fourteenth time, and for the first time, included more than thirty different backgrounds on each can, introducing a new background every three weeks. [24] One of its background designs includes a string of repetitive numbers, "73774". This is a numerical expression from a telephone keypad of the word "Pepsi".
In late 2008, Pepsi overhauled its entire brand, simultaneously introducing a new logo and a minimalist label design. The redesign was comparable to Coca-Cola's earlier simplification of its can and bottle designs. Pepsi also teamed up with YouTube to produce its first daily entertainment show called Poptub. This show deals with pop culture, internet viral videos, and celebrity gossip.
In 2009, "Bring Home the Cup" changed to "Team Up and Bring Home the Cup". The new installment of the campaign asks for team involvement and an advocate to submit content on behalf of their team for the chance to have the Stanley Cup delivered to the team's hometown by Mark Messier .
Pepsi has official sponsorship deals with four major North American professional sports leagues: the National Football League , National Hockey League , Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association . Up until December 2015 Pepsi had sponsored Major League Soccer before the MLS signed a four-year deal with Coca-Cola. [25] Pepsi also has the naming rights to Pepsi Center , an indoor sports facility in Denver, Colorado . In 1997, after his sponsorship with Coca-Cola ended, retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver turned Fox NASCAR announcer Jeff Gordon signed a long-term contract with Pepsi, and he drives with the Pepsi logos on his car with various paint schemes for about 2 races each year, usually a darker paint scheme during nighttime races. Pepsi has remained as one of his sponsors ever since. Pepsi has also sponsored the NFL Rookie of the Year award since 2002. [26]
Pepsi also has sponsorship deals in international cricket teams. The Pakistan cricket team is one of the teams that the brand sponsors. The team wears the Pepsi logo on the front of their test and ODI test match clothing.
In July 2009, Pepsi started marketing itself as Pecsi in Argentina in response to its name being mispronounced by 25% of the population and as a way to connect more with all of the population. [27]
In October 2008, Pepsi announced that it would be redesigning its logo and re-branding many of its products by early 2009. In 2009, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max began using all lower-case fonts for name brands, and Diet Pepsi Max was re-branded as Pepsi Max. The brand's blue and red globe trademark became a series of "smiles", with the central white band arcing at different angles depending on the product until 2010. Pepsi released this logo in U.S. in late 2008, and later it was released in 2009 in Canada (the first country outside of the United States for Pepsi's new logo), Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Panama, Chile, Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Australia. In the rest of the world, the new logo has been released in 2010. The old logo is still used in several markets internationally, and has been phased out most recently in France and Mexico . The UK started to use the new Pepsi logo on cans in an order different from the US can. Starting in mid-2010, all Pepsi variants, regular, diet, and Pepsi Max, have started using only the medium-sized "smile" Pepsi Globe.
Pepsi and Pepsi Max cans and bottles in Australia now carry the localized version of the new Pepsi Logo. The word Pepsi and the logo are in the new style, while the word "Max" is still in the previous style. Pepsi Wild Cherry finally received the 2008 Pepsi design in March 2010 and Pepsi One got the redesign in 2012.
In 2011, for New York Fashion Week, Diet Pepsi introduced a "skinny" can that is taller and has been described as a "sassier" version of the traditional can that Pepsi says was made in "celebration of beautiful, confident women". The company's equating of "skinny" and "beautiful" and "confident" is drawing criticism from brand critics, consumers who do not back the "skinny is better" ethos, and the National Eating Disorders Association, which said that it takes offense to the can and the company's "thoughtless and irresponsible" comments. PepsiCo Inc. is a Fashion Week sponsor. This new can was made available to consumers nationwide in March. [28]
In April 2011, Pepsi announced that customers will be able to buy a complete stranger a soda at a new "social" vending machine, and even record a video that the stranger would see when they pick up the gift. [29]
In March 2012, Pepsi introduced Pepsi Next , a cola with half the calories of regular Pepsi. [30]
In March 2013, Pepsi for the first time in 17 years reshaped its 20-ounce bottle. However, some areas did not get the updated bottles until early 2014. [31]
In November 2013, Pepsi issued an apology on their official Swedish Facebook page for using pictures of Cristiano Ronaldo as a voodoo doll in various scenes before the Sweden v Portugal 2014 FIFA World Cup playoff game. [32] [33]
In November 2015, Pepsi announced it would launch a new variation called "1893". [34] This variation was released in 2016, as being another Pepsi variation made with all natural ingredients, being similar to Kaleb's Cola. [35]
Rivalry with Coca-Cola
Main article: Cola Wars
According to Consumer Reports, in the 1970s, the rivalry continued to heat up the market. Pepsi conducted blind taste tests in stores, in what was called the " Pepsi Challenge ". These tests suggested that more consumers preferred the taste of Pepsi (which is believed to have more lemon oil, and less orange oil, and uses vanillin rather than vanilla ) to Coke. The sales of Pepsi started to climb, and Pepsi kicked off the "Challenge" across the nation. This became known as the " Cola Wars ".
In 1985, The Coca-Cola Company , amid much publicity, changed its formula . The theory has been advanced that New Coke , as the reformulated drink came to be known, was invented specifically in response to the Pepsi Challenge. However, a consumer backlash led to Coca-Cola quickly reintroducing the original formula as not Coke previous to 1985, but to Coca-Cola "Classic".
According to Beverage Digest 's 2008 report on carbonated soft drinks, PepsiCo's U.S. market share is 30.8 percent, while The Coca-Cola Company's is 42.7 percent. [36] Coca-Cola outsells Pepsi in most parts of the U.S., notable exceptions being central Appalachia , North Dakota , and Utah . In the city of Buffalo , New York, Pepsi outsells Coca-Cola by a two-to-one margin. [37]
Overall, Coca-Cola continues to outsell Pepsi in almost all areas of the world. However, exceptions include Oman ; India ; Saudi Arabia ; Pakistan (Pepsi has been a dominant sponsor of the Pakistan cricket team since the 1990s); the Dominican Republic ; Guatemala ; the Canadian provinces of Quebec , Newfoundland and Labrador , Nova Scotia , and Prince Edward Island ; and Northern Ontario . [38]
Pepsi had long been the drink of French-Canadians , and it continues to hold its dominance by relying on local Québécois celebrities (especially Claude Meunier , of La Petite Vie fame) to sell its product. [39] PepsiCo introduced the Quebec slogan "here, it's Pepsi" (Ici, c'est Pepsi) in response to Coca-Cola ads proclaiming "Around the world, it's Coke" (Partout dans le monde, c'est Coke).
As of 2012, Pepsi is the third most popular carbonated drink in India, with a 15% market share, behind Sprite and Thums Up . In comparison, Coca-Cola is the fourth most popular carbonated drink, occupying a mere 8.8% of the Indian market share. [40] By most accounts, Coca-Cola was India's leading soft drink until 1977, when it left India because of the new foreign exchange laws which mandated majority shareholding in companies to be held by Indian shareholders. The Coca-Cola Company was unwilling to dilute its stake in its Indian unit as required by the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), thus sharing its formula with an entity in which it did not have majority shareholding. In 1988, PepsiCo gained entry to India by creating a joint venture with the Punjab government-owned Punjab Agro Industrial Corporation (PAIC) and Voltas India Limited. This joint venture marketed and sold Lehar Pepsi until 1991, when the use of foreign brands was allowed; PepsiCo bought out its partners and ended the joint venture in 1994. In 1993, The Coca-Cola Company returned in pursuance of India's Liberalization policy. [41]
Pepsi bottles in USSR period style in supermarket in Kyiv
In Russia, Pepsi initially had a larger market share than Coke, but it was undercut once the Cold War ended. In 1972, PepsiCo struck a barter agreement with the then government of the Soviet Union , in which PepsiCo was granted exportation and Western marketing rights to Stolichnaya vodka in exchange for importation and Soviet marketing of Pepsi-Cola . [42] [43] This exchange led to Pepsi-Cola being the first foreign product sanctioned for sale in the U.S.S.R . [44]
Reminiscent of the way that Coca-Cola became a cultural icon and its global spread spawned words like " coca colonization ", Pepsi-Cola and its relation to the Soviet system turned it into an icon. In the early 1990s, the term "Pepsi-stroika" began appearing as a pun on " perestroika ", the reform policy of the Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev . Critics viewed the policy as an attempt to usher in Western products in deals there with the old elites. Pepsi, as one of the first American products in the Soviet Union, became a symbol of that relationship and the Soviet policy. [45] This was reflected in Russian author Victor Pelevin's book " Generation P ".
In 1989, Billy Joel mentioned the rivalry between the two companies in the song " We Didn't Start The Fire ". The line "Rock & Roller Cola Wars" refers to Pepsi and Coke's usage of various musicians in advertising campaigns. Coke used Paula Abdul , while Pepsi used Michael Jackson . Both companies then competed to get other musicians to advertise its beverages.
In 1992, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , Coca-Cola was introduced to the Russian market. As it came to be associated with the new system, and Pepsi to the old, Coca-Cola rapidly captured a significant market share that might otherwise have required years to achieve. By July 2005, Coca-Cola enjoyed a market share of 19.4 percent, followed by Pepsi with 13 percent. [46]
Pepsi did not sell soft drinks in Israel until 1991. Many Israelis and some American Jewish organizations attributed Pepsi's previous reluctance to do battle to the Arab boycott. Pepsi, which has a large and lucrative business in the Arab world, denied that, saying that economic, rather than political, reasons kept it out of Israel. [47]
Pepsiman
Pepsiman is an official Pepsi mascot from Pepsi's Japanese corporate branch. The design of the Pepsiman character is attributed to Canadian comic book artist Travis Charest , created sometime around the mid-1990s. Pepsiman took on three different outfits, each one representing the current style of the Pepsi can in distribution. Twelve commercials were created featuring the character. His role in the advertisements is to appear with Pepsi to thirsty people or people craving soda. Pepsiman happens to appear at just the right time with the product. After delivering the beverage, sometimes Pepsiman would encounter a difficult and action-oriented situation which would result in injury. Another more minor mascot, Pepsiwoman, also featured in a few of her own commercials for Pepsi Twist ; her appearance is basically a female Pepsiman wearing a lemon-shaped balaclava . [48]
In 1996, Sega-AM2 released the Sega Saturn version of its arcade fighting game Fighting Vipers . In this game Pepsiman was included as a special character, with his specialty listed as being the ability to "quench one's thirst". He does not appear in any other version or sequel. In 1999, KID developed a video game for the PlayStation entitled Pepsiman . As the titular character, the player runs "on rails" (forced motion on a scrolling linear path), skateboards, rolls, and stumbles through various areas, avoiding dangers and collecting cans of Pepsi, all while trying to reach a thirsty person as in the commercials. [49] [50] [51]
Car contest in Novosibirsk
In 2002, at Novosibirsk , Pepsi created a contest to win a car, where customers who bought a bottle of Pepsi could win a car by choosing the right key for the car. However, when a man was able to open a car, he was sued by Pepsi, as Pepsi considered that he had forced the car open by applying pressure on the lock instead of selecting the right key, although the man stated that he had complied with every step of the contest rules. [52]
Ingredients
Iron
0%
*Percent daily values are based on a 2,000‑calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
In the United States, Pepsi is made with carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup , caramel color , sugar , phosphoric acid , caffeine , citric acid and natural flavors . A can of Pepsi (12 fl ounces) has 41 grams of carbohydrates (all from sugar ), 30 mg of sodium , 0 grams of fat , 0 grams of protein , 38 mg of caffeine and 150 calories . [54] [55] The caffeine-free Pepsi-Cola contains the same ingredients but without the caffeine.
In August 2010, PepsiCo entered into a 4-year agreement with Senomyx for the development of artificial high-potency sweeteners for PepsiCo beverages. Under the contract, PepsiCo is paying $30 million to Senomyx for the research and future royalties on PepsiCo products sold using Senomyx technology. According to PepsiCo, this collaboration will focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of sweet enhancers, with the purpose of providing lower-calorie PepsiCo beverages. PepsiCo will have exclusive rights to the Senomyx sweet flavor ingredients developed through the collaboration. [56]
In September 2012 Pepsi launched a new product called Pepsi Next which contains 30% less sugar and added Stevia as a zero calorie sweetener. The product was rolled out in Australia and was launched in the US on February 27, 2013. [57]
Slogans
2012: "Change The Game" (featuring David Beckham , Ronaldinho , Cesc Fàbregas , and Lionel Messi )
2012: "The Best Drink Created Worldwide"
2013–2015: "Live for Now" – used for the 2013 Super Bowl Halftime show commercial featuring Beyoncé
2015: "Out of the Blue" - used exclusively for a music ad campaign encouraging music makers to send submissions in a contest.
2015–present: "The Joy of Pepsi-Cola"
International slogans
1990–1991: "Yehi hai right choice Baby, Aha" ( Hindi – meaning "This is the right choice Baby <sound of approval>") (India)
1996–1997: "Pepsi: There's nothing official about it" (during the Wills World Cup (cricket) held in India/Pakistan/Sri Lanka)
| i don't know |
Who was the last vice president to be elected president? | The last serving US Senator to be elected president was JFK-47 years ago!
The last serving US Senator to be elected president was JFK-47 years ago!
Since then the elected presidents have been:
Johnson-incumbent
President Nixon-former vice-president, former California governor
Ford-took over when Nixon resigned
Carter-Georgia governor
Bush II-Texas governor(two terms)Gore actually won in 2000 and he was a vice president.
There is a very definite pattern here.
Hillary, Obama, Biden, and Dodd are all currently Senators. Edwards and Gravel are former Senators, Kucinich is a House Represetative. Richardson is a two-term Governor of New Mexico.
Kerry-Edwards was a ticket of two current Senators from the east. The Democrats need to look to outside the Senate and need to have a geographically balanced ticket
Bill Richardson would make a good nominee. He is a governor from a western state and would be a strong candidate west of the Rockies. He could pick a running mate from any other area of the country to balance the ticket.
A CURRENTLY SERVING SENATOR WILL NOT BE ELECTED! Unless we want President Huckabee, the Democrats need to nominate a governor!
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 26
12/16/2007
Richardson is a great candidate. On paper. The problem is, he doesn't have a presidential image enough.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 1
12/14/2007
Nixon was never governor of California. His humiliating defeat in the '62 election led to the "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around any more" speech that supposedly signaled the end of his career in politics.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 2
12/14/2007
And every President elected in a year ending in zero since 1840 has died in office (if you count Reagan's Alzheimers), so Cheney will be President at the time of the election!!!
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 8
12/14/2007
It is really easy to understand. It is impossible for a senator to have an unassailable voting record. Many spending bills have various appropriations tacked on and senators vote against them to defeat the additional spending.
For example, a senator might vote against a bill authorizing resources to buy body armor for troops in Iraq because the bill also provides for a 40% cut in education-related spending.
People forget about why the senator voted against the bill...but their opponents will always remind voters that the candidate voted *against* providing protective gear for the troops.
It's a lot easier to defend a governor's decisions. Senators are almost always going to look wishy-washy and hypocritical.
by Oregon cheesehead
Sorry about the error regarding Nixon, I meant he write former California senator.
by Oregon cheesehead
12/14/2007
As anyone would tell you, you don't have enough data points to make a pattern.
Johnson was a senator who never had an administrative job before Vice-President, a non-job. Nixon was a Congressman and Senator. Ford was a Congressman. None of them was considered a poor administrator. Carter and Reagan were both governors and both poor administrators, one for delegating too much, and the other for not delegating enough. George H.W. Bush had Congress experience and bureaucratic experience, not any governing experience. Clinton and Bush were governors, but neither was elected because of what they did in their states. Their records were, if anything, a negative. Bush became the party's darling in 2000 only after he was vetted by the Washington largely legislative religious group that calls itself "The Family." In 2000, Gore indisputably won even though he was just a Senator turned VP. And Kerry likely won the popular vote in 2004, minus Diebold & ESS fraud.
So I question OP's reasoning.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 11
12/14/2007
Actually the Op reasoning is excellent. Harding and Kennedy were the only two senators elected to the presidency in the 20th century. As stated, senators have long voting records --- something that did John Kerry in. Obama has had a very short Senate career, so the Democrats could do worse than nominating him.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 12
12/14/2007
So what? The last alcoholic/coke addict governor to hustle himself into the White House was .........George W Bush. There are precedents for eveything.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 13
12/14/2007
"I like to think of it as honest election stealing, because the votes were actually cast for the candidate in question."
Sure enough, every corpse in every cemetery in Chicago voted for JFK. Gotta love that Daley machine.
by Oregon cheesehead
Bill Clinton - Governor
George W. Bush - Governor
What do we have: 8 Governors, 7 members of Congress, 2 members of the cabinet and one military general. Hardly conclusive that only Governors win the presidency. What this proves is that things go in cycles. Note from 1945-1977 there were no Governors ascending to the presidency at all! If you made a post like this in 1968 you might have been tempted to say that no Governors can make it to the Oval Office.
It's all about cycles. Clinton or Obama can win.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 16
12/15/2007
[quote]Richardson is a great candidate. On paper. The problem is, he doesn't have a presidential image enough.
That's being polite. I was originally a Richardson supporter, because of his resume'.
But he's turned in absolutely abysmal performances in debates and on talk shows and in interviews. And some of his comments and positions have been stunningly politically tone-deaf.
He went from top of my list, to the bottom, in only a matter of weeks.
While it doesn't happen often, let's remember than JFK was a pretty damn good President. I think Edwards or Obama have the potential to follow in his footsteps.
In short, it's about time for another Senator to win the Presidency.
by Oregon cheesehead
Stay out of politics OP. It's over your head.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 21
12/15/2007
Also Clinton was elected gov of Arkansas 5 times: 1978, lost re-election in 1980, won again in 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1990. Arkansas had a two year term until the 1986 election when it became a four year term. Clinton was Gov. for about twelve years.
by Oregon cheesehead
reply 22
12/15/2007
Is this the new tack, since "America will never elect a black man or a white woman" got soundly clobbered in here earlier today?
Spin, Freepers, spin!
reply 23
12/15/2007
[quote]Sure enough, every corpse in every cemetery in Chicago voted for JFK. Gotta love that Daley machine.
That is such a tired, petty refrain. Yes, some dead people voted - not enough to get JFK or anyone else elected.
by Oregon cheesehead
| George H. W. Bush |
In the Transformer Universe, who is the leader of the Decipticons? | Presidential Elections - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com
Presidential Elections
A+E Networks
Introduction
Departing from the monarchical tradition of Britain, the founding fathers of the United States created a system in which the American people had the power and responsibility to select their leader. Under this new order, George Washington, the first U.S. president, was elected in 1789. At the time, only white men who owned property could vote, but the 15th, 19th and 26th Amendments to the Constitution have since expanded the right of suffrage to all citizens over 18. Taking place every four years, presidential campaigns and elections have evolved into a series of fiercely fought, and sometimes controversial, contests, now played out in the 24-hour news cycle.The stories behind each election—some ending in landslide victories, others decided by the narrowest of margins—provide a roadmap to the events of U.S. history.
Google
1789: George Washington – unopposed
The first presidential election was held on the first Wednesday of January in 1789. No one contested the election of George Washington , but he remained reluctant to run until the last minute, in part because he believed seeking the office would be dishonorable. Only when Alexander Hamilton and others convinced him that it would be dishonorable to refuse did he agree to run.
The Constitution allowed each state to decide how to choose its presidential electors. In 1789, only Pennsylvania and Maryland held elections for this purpose; elsewhere, the state legislatures chose the electors. This method caused some problems in New York , which was so divided between Federalists who supported the new Constitution and Antifederalists who opposed it that the legislature failed to choose either presidential electors or U.S. senators.
Before the adoption of the Twelfth Amendment, each elector cast two votes for president. The candidate with a majority won the presidency, and the runner-up became vice president.
Most Federalists agreed that John Adams should be vice president. But Hamilton feared that if Adams was the unanimous choice, he would end in a tie with Washington and might even become president, an outcome that would be highly embarrassing for both Washington and the new electoral system. Hamilton therefore arranged that a number of votes be deflected, so that Adams was elected by less than half the number of Washington’s expected unanimous vote. The final results were Washington, 69 electoral votes; Adams, 34; John Jay , 9; John Hancock , 4; and others, 22.
1792: George Washington – unopposed
As in 1789, persuading George Washington to run was the major difficulty in selecting a president in 1792. Washington complained of old age, sickness, and the increasing hostility of the Republican press toward his administration. The press attacks were symptomatic of the increasing split within the government between Federalists, who were coalescing around Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, and Republicans, forming around Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson . James Madison , among others, convinced Washington to continue as president by arguing that only he could hold the government together.
Speculation then shifted to the vice presidency. Hamilton and the Federalists supported the reelection of John Adams. Republicans favored New York governor George Clinton, but Federalists feared him partly because of a widespread belief that his recent election to the governorship was fraudulent. In addition, the Federalists feared that Clinton would belittle the importance of the federal government by retaining his governorship while serving as vice president.
Adams won relatively easily with support from New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, except New York. Only electoral votes are recorded here, because most states still did not select presidential electors by popular vote. Nor was there a separate vote for president and vice president until the Twelfth Amendment took effect in 1804. The results were Washington, 132 electoral votes (unanimous); Adams, 77; Clinton, 50; Jefferson, 4; and Aaron Burr, 1.
1796: John Adams vs. Thomas Jefferson
The 1796 election, which took place against a background of increasingly harsh partisanship between Federalists and Republicans, was the first contested presidential race.
The Republicans called for more democratic practices and accused the Federalists of monarchism. The Federalists branded the Republicans “Jacobins” after Robespierre’s faction in France. (The Republicans sympathized with revolutionary France, but not necessarily with the Jacobins.) The Republicans opposed John Jay’s recently negotiated accommodationist treaty with Great Britain, whereas the Federalists believed its terms represented the only way to avoid a potentially ruinous war with Britain. Republicans favored a decentralized agrarian republic; Federalists called for the development of commerce and industry.
State legislatures still chose electors in most states, and there was no separate vote for vice president. Each elector cast two votes for president, with the runner-up becoming vice president.
The Federalists nominated Vice President John Adams and tried to attract southern support by running Thomas Pinckney of South Carolina for the second post. Thomas Jefferson was the Republican standard-bearer, with Aaron Burr as his running mate. Alexander Hamilton, always intriguing against Adams, tried to throw some votes to Jefferson in order to elect Pinckney president. Instead, Adams won with 71 votes; Jefferson became vice president, with 68; Pinckney came in third with 59; Burr received only 30; and 48 votes went to various other candidates.
1800: Thomas Jefferson vs. John Adams
The significance of the 1800 election lay in the fact that it entailed the first peaceful transfer of power between parties under the U.S. Constitution: Republican Thomas Jefferson succeeded Federalist John Adams. This peaceful transfer occurred despite defects in the Constitution that caused a breakdown of the electoral system.
During the campaign, Federalists attacked Jefferson as an un-Christian deist, tainted by his sympathy for the increasingly bloody French Revolution . Republicans (1) criticized the Adams administration’s foreign, defense, and internal security policies; (2) opposed the Federalist naval buildup and the creation of a standing army under Alexander Hamilton; (3) sounded a call for freedom of speech, Republican editors having been targeted for prosecution under the Alien and Sedition Acts ; and (4) denounced deficit spending by the federal government as a backhanded method of taxation without representation.
Unfortunately, the system still provided no separate votes for president and vice president, and Republican managers failed to deflect votes from their vice-presidential candidate, Aaron Burr. Therefore, Jefferson and Burr tied with 73 votes each; Adams received 65 votes, his vice-presidential candidate, Charles C. Pinckney, 64, and John Jay, 1. This result threw the election into the House of Representatives, where each state had one vote, to be decided by the majority of its delegation. Left to choose between Jefferson and Burr, most Federalists supported Burr. Burr for his part disclaimed any intention to run for the presidency, but he never withdrew, which would have ended the contest.
Although the Republicans in the same election had won a decisive majority of 65 to 39 in the House, election of the president fell to the outgoing House, which had a Federalist majority. But despite this majority, two state delegations split evenly, leading to another deadlock between Burr and Jefferson.
After the House cast 19 identical tie ballots on February 11, 1801, Governor James Monroe of Virginia assured Jefferson that if a usurpation was attempted, he would call the Virginia Assembly into session, implying that they would discard any such result. After six days of uncertainty, Federalists in the tied delegations of Vermont and Maryland abstained, electing Jefferson, but without giving him open Federalist support.
1804: Thomas Jefferson vs. Charles Pinckney
The 1804 election was a landslide victory for the incumbent Thomas Jefferson and vice-presidential candidate George Clinton (Republicans) over the Federalist candidates, Charles C. Pinckney and Rufus King. The vote was 162-14. The election was the first held under the Twelfth Amendment, which separated electoral college balloting for president and vice president.
The Federalists alienated many voters by refusing to commit their electors to any particular candidate prior to the election. Jefferson was also helped by the popularity of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and his reduction of federal spending. The repeal of the excise tax on whiskey was especially popular in the West.
1808: James Madison vs. Charles Pinckney
Republican James Madison was elevated to the presidency in the election of 1808. Madison won 122 electoral votes to Federalist Charles C. Pinckney’s 47 votes. Vice President George Clinton received 6 electoral votes for president from his native New York, but easily defeated Federalist Rufus King for vice president, 113-47, with scattered vice-presidential votes for Madison, James Monroe, and John Langdon of New Hampshire . In the early stages of the election campaign, Madison also faced challenges from within his own party by Monroe and Clinton.
The main issue of the election was the Embargo Act of 1807. The banning of exports had hurt merchants and other commercial interests, although ironically it encouraged domestic manufactures. These economic difficulties revived the Federalist opposition, especially in trade-dependent New England.
1812: James Madison vs. DeWitt Clinton
In the 1812 contest James Madison was reelected president by the narrowest margin of any election since the Republican party had come to power in 1800. He received 128 electoral votes to 89 for his Federalist opponent DeWitt Clinton, the lieutenant governor of New York. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts won the vice presidency with 131 votes to Jared Ingersoll’s 86.
The War of 1812 , which had begun five months earlier, was the dominant issue. Opposition to the war was concentrated in the northeastern Federalist states. Clinton’s supporters also made an issue of Virginia’s almost unbroken control of the White House , which they charged favored agricultural states over commercial ones. Clintonians accused Madison, too, of slighting the defense of the New York frontier against the British in Canada.
In the Northeast Madison carried only Pennsylvania and Vermont, but Clinton received no votes south of Maryland. The election proved to be the last one of significance for the Federalist party, largely owing to anti-British American nationalism engendered by the war.
1816: James Monroe vs. Rufus King
In this election Republican James Monroe won the presidency with 183 electoral votes, carrying every state except Massachusetts, Connecticut , and Delaware . Federalist Rufus King received the votes of the 34 Federalist electors. Daniel D. Tompkins of New York was elected vice president with 183 electoral votes, his opposition scattered among several candidates.
After the bitter partisanship of the Jefferson and Madison administrations, Monroe came to symbolize the “Era of Good Feelings.” Monroe was not elected easily, however; he barely won the nomination in the Republican congressional caucus over Secretary of War William Crawford of Georgia . Many Republicans objected to the succession of Virginia presidents and believed Crawford a superior choice to the mediocre Monroe. The caucus vote was 65-54. The narrowness of Monroe’s victory was surprising because Crawford had already renounced the nomination, perhaps in return for a promise of Monroe’s future support.
In the general election, opposition to Monroe was disorganized. The Hartford Convention of 1814 (growing out of opposition to the War of 1812) had discredited the Federalists outside their strongholds, and they put forth no candidate. To some extent, Republicans had siphoned off Federalist support with nationalist programs like the Second Bank of the United States .
1820: James Monroe – unopposed
During James Monroe’s first term, the country had suffered an economic depression. In addition, the extension of slavery into the territories became a political issue when Missouri sought admission as a slave state. Also causing controversy were Supreme Court decisions in the Dartmouth College case and McCulloch v. Maryland , which expanded the power of Congress and of private corporations at the expense of the states. But despite these problems, Monroe faced no organized opposition for reelection in 1820, and the opposition party, the Federalists, ceased to exist.
Voters, as John Randolph put it, displayed “the unanimity of indifference, and not of approbation.” Monroe won by an electoral vote of 231-1. William Plumer of New Hampshire, the one elector who voted against Monroe, did so be-cause he thought Monroe was incompetent. He cast his ballot for John Quincy Adams . Later in the century, the fable arose that Plumer had cast his dissenting vote so that only George Washington would have the honor of unanimous election. Plumer never mentioned Washington in his speech explaining his vote to the other New Hampshire electors.
1824: John Quincy Adams vs. Henry Clay vs. Andrew Jackson vs. William Crawford
The Republican party broke apart in the 1824 election. A large majority of the states now chose electors by popular vote, and the people’s vote was considered sufficiently important to record. The nomination of candidates by congressional caucus was discredited. Groups in each state nominated candidates for the presidency, resulting in a multiplicity of favorite-son candidacies.
By the fall of 1824 four candidates remained in the running. William Crawford of Georgia, the secretary of the treasury, had been the early front-runner, but severe illness hampered his candidacy. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts had a brilliant record of government service, but his Federalist background, his cosmopolitanism, and his cold New England manner cost him support outside his own region. Henry Clay of Kentucky , the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Andrew Jackson of Tennessee , who owed his popularity to his 1815 victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans , were the other candidates.
With four candidates, none received a majority. Jackson received 99 electoral votes with 152,901 popular votes (42.34 percent); Adams, 84 electoral votes with 114,023 popular votes (31.57 percent); Crawford, 41 electoral votes and 47,217 popular votes (13.08 percent); and Clay, 37 electoral votes and 46,979 popular votes (13.01 percent). The choice of president therefore fell to the House of Representatives. Many politicians assumed that House Speaker Henry Clay had the power to choose the next president but not to elect himself. Clay threw his support to Adams, who was then elected. When Adams subsequently named Clay secretary of state, the Jacksonians charged that the two men had made a “corrupt bargain.”
John C. Calhoun was chosen vice president by the electoral college with a majority of 182 votes.
1828: Andrew Jackson vs. John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson won the presidency in 1828 by a landslide, receiving a record 647,292 popular votes (56 percent) to 507,730 (44 percent) for the incumbent John Quincy Adams. John C. Calhoun won the vice presidency with 171 electoral votes to 83 for Richard Rush and 7 for William Smith.
The emergence of two parties promoted popular interest in the election. Jackson’s party, sometimes called the Democratic-Republicans or simply Democrats, developed the first sophisticated national network of party organizations. Local party groups sponsored parades, barbecues, tree plantings, and other popular events designed to promote Jackson and the local slate. The National-Republicans, the party of Adams and Henry Clay, lacked the local organizations of the Democrats, but they did have a clear platform: high tariffs, federal funding of roads, canals, and other internal improvements, aid to domestic manufactures, and development of cultural institutions.
The 1828 election campaign was one of the dirtiest in America’s history. Both parties spread false and exaggerated rumors about the opposition. Jackson men charged that Adams obtained the presidency in 1824 through a “corrupt bargain” with Clay. And they painted the incumbent president as a decadent aristocrat, who had procured prostitutes for the czar while serving as U.S. minister to Russia and spent taxpayer money on “gambling” equipment for the White House (actually a chess set and a billiard table).
The National-Republicans portrayed Jackson as a violent frontier ruffian, the son, some said, of a prostitute married to a mulatto. When Jackson and his wife, Rachel, married, the couple believed that her first husband had obtained a divorce. After learning the divorce had not yet been made final, the couple held a second, valid wedding. Now the Adams men claimed Jackson was a bigamist and an adulterer. More justifiably, administration partisans questioned Jackson’s sometimes violent discipline of the army in the War of 1812 and the brutality of his invasion of Florida in the Seminole War. Ironically, Secretary of State Adams had defended Jackson at the time of the Seminole War, taking advantage of Jackson’s unauthorized incursion to obtain Florida for the United States from Spain.
1832: Andrew Jackson vs. Henry Clay vs. William Wirt
Democratic-Republican Andrew Jackson was reelected in 1832 with 688,242 popular votes (54.5 percent) to 473,462 (37.5 percent) for National-Republican Henry Clay and 101,051 (8 percent) for Anti-Masonic candidate William Wirt. Jackson easily carried the electoral college with 219 votes. Clay received only 49, and Wirt won the 7 votes of Vermont. Martin Van Buren won the vice presidency with 189 votes against 97 for various other candidates.
The spoils system of political patronage, the tariff, and federal funding of internal improvements were major issues, but the most important was Jackson’s veto of the rechartering of the Bank of the United States. National-Republicans attacked the veto, arguing that the Bank was needed to maintain a stable currency and economy. “King Andrew’s” veto, they asserted, was an abuse of executive power. In defense of Jackson’s veto, Democratic-Republicans labeled the Bank an aristocratic institution–a “monster.” Suspicious of banking and of paper money, Jacksonians opposed the Bank for giving special privileges to private investors at government expense and charged that it fostered British control of the American economy.
For the first time in American politics, a third party, the Anti-Masons, challenged the two major parties. Many politicians of note participated, including Thaddeus Stevens, William H. Seward, and Thurlow Weed. The Anti-Masonic party formed in reaction to the murder of William Morgan, a former upstate New York Freemason. Allegedly, some Masons murdered Morgan when he threatened to publish some of the order’s secrets. The Anti-Masons protested Masonic secrecy. They feared a conspiracy to control American political institutions, a fear fed by the fact that both the major party candidates, Jackson and Clay, were prominent Masons.
The Anti-Masons convened the first national presidential nominating convention in Baltimore on September 26, 1831. The other parties soon followed suit, and the convention replaced the discredited caucus system of nomination.
1836: Martin Van Buren vs. Daniel Webster vs. Hugh White
The election of 1836 was largely a referendum on Andrew Jackson, but it also helped shape what is known as the second party system. The Democrats nominated Vice President Martin Van Buren to lead the ticket. His running mate, Col. Richard M. Johnson, claimed to have killed Indian chief Tecumseh . (Johnson was controversial because he lived openly with a black woman.)
Disdaining the organized politics of the Democrats, the new Whig party ran three candidates, each strong in a different region: Hugh White of Tennessee, Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, and Gen. William Henry Harrison of Indiana . Besides endorsing internal improvements and a national bank, the Whigs tried to tie Democrats to abolitionism and sectional tension, and attacked Jackson for “acts of aggression and usurpation of power.” Democrats depended on Jackson’s popularity, trying to maintain his coalition.
Van Buren won the election with 764,198 popular votes, only 50.9 percent of the total, and 170 electoral votes. Harrison led the Whigs with 73 electoral votes, White receiving 26 and Webster 14. Willie P. Mangum of South Carolina received his state’s 11 electoral votes. Johnson, who failed to win an electoral majority, was elected vice president by the Democratic Senate.
1840: William Henry Harrison vs. Martin Van Buren
Aware that Van Buren’s problems gave them a good chance for victory, the Whigs rejected the candidacy of Henry Clay, their most prominent leader, because of his support for the unpopular Second Bank of the United States. Instead, stealing a page from the Democratic emphasis on Andrew Jackson’s military exploits, they chose William Henry Harrison, a hero of early Indian wars and the War of 1812. The Whig vice-presidential nominee was John Tyler , a onetime Democrat who had broken with Jackson over his veto of the bill rechartering the Second Bank.
Studiously avoiding divisive issues like the Bank and internal improvements, the Whigs depicted Harrison as living in a “log cabin” and drinking “hard cider.” They used slogans like “Tippecanoe and Tyler too,” and “Van, Van, Van/Van is a used-up man” to stir voters. Harrison won by a popular vote of 1,275,612 to 1,130,033, and an electoral margin of 234 to 60. But the victory proved to be a hollow one because Harrison died one month after his inauguration. Tyler, his successor, would not accept Whig economic doctrine, and the change in presidential politics had little effect on presidential policy.
1844: James K. Polk vs. Henry Clay vs. James Birney
The election of 1844 introduced expansion and slavery as important political issues and contributed to westward and southern growth and sectionalism. Southerners of both parties sought to annex Texas and expand slavery. Martin Van Buren angered southern Democrats by opposing annexation for that reason, and the Democratic convention cast aside the ex-president and front-runner for the first dark horse, Tennessee’s James K. Polk . After almost silently breaking with Van Buren over Texas, Pennsylvania’s George M. Dallas was nominated for vice president to appease Van Burenites, and the party backed annexation and settling the Oregon boundary dispute with England. The abolitionist Liberty party nominated Michigan’s James G. Birney. Trying to avoid controversy, the Whigs nominated anti-annexationist Henry Clay of Kentucky and Theodore Frelinghuysen of New Jersey . But, pressured by southerners, Clay endorsed annexation, although concerned it might cause war with Mexico and disunion, and thereby lost support among antislavery Whigs.
Enough New Yorkers voted for Birney to throw 36 electoral votes and the election to Polk, who won the electoral college, 170-105, and a slim popular victory. John Tyler signed a joint congressional resolution admitting Texas, but Polk pursued Oregon, and then northern Mexico in the Mexican War, aggravating tension over slavery and sectional balance and leading toward the Compromise of 1850 .
1848: Zachary Taylor vs. Martin Van Buren vs. Lewis Cass
The election of 1848 underscored the increasingly important role of slavery in national politics. Democratic president James K. Polk did not seek reelection. His party nominated Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan , who created the concept of squatter, or popular, sovereignty (letting the settlers of a territory decide whether to permit slavery), with Gen. William O. Butler of Kentucky for vice president. Antislavery groups formed the Free-Soil party, whose platform promised to prohibit the spread of slavery, and chose former president Martin Van Buren of New York for president and Charles Francis Adams, the son of President John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts for vice president. The Whig nominee was the Mexican War hero, Gen. Zachary Taylor , a slave owner. His running mate was Millard Fillmore , a member of New York’s proslavery Whig faction.
Democrats and Free-Soilers stressed their views of slavery, and Whigs celebrated Taylor’s victories in the recent war, although many Whigs had opposed it. For his part, Taylor professed moderation on slavery, and he and the Whigs were successful. Taylor defeated Cass, 1,360,099 to 1,220,544 in popular votes and 163 to 127 in electoral votes. Van Buren received 291,263 popular votes and no electoral votes, but he drew enough support away from Cass to swing New York and Massachusetts to Taylor, assuring the Whigs’ victory. With the Taylor-Fillmore ticket elected, the forces had been set in motion for the events surrounding the Compromise of 1850. But Van Buren’s campaign was a stepping-stone toward the creation of the Republican party in the 1850s, also committed to the principle of “Free Soil.”
1852: Franklin Pierce vs. Winfield Scott vs. John Pitale
The 1852 election rang a death knell for the Whig party. Both parties split over their nominee and the issue of slavery. After forty-nine ballots of jockeying among Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan, former secretary of state James Buchanan of Pennsylvania, and Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois , the Democrats nominated a compromise choice, Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire, a former congressman and senator, with Senator William R. King of Alabama as his running mate. The Whigs rejected Millard Fillmore, who had become president when Taylor died in 1850, and Secretary of State Daniel Webster and nominated Gen. Winfield Scott of Virginia, with Senator William A. Graham of New Jersey for vice president. When Scott endorsed the party platform, which approved of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, Free-Soil Whigs bolted. They nominated Senator John P. Hale of New Hampshire for president and former congressman George Washington Julian of Indiana for vice president. Southern Whigs were suspicious of Scott, whom they saw as a tool of antislavery senator William H. Seward of New York.
Democratic unity, Whig disunity, and Scott’s political ineptitude combined to elect Pierce. “Young Hickory of the Granite Hills” outpolled “Old Fuss and Feathers” in the electoral college, 254 to 42, and in the popular vote, 1,601,474 to 1,386,578.
1856: James Buchanan vs. Millard Fillmore vs. John C. Freemont
The 1856 election was waged by new political coalitions and was the first to confront directly the issue of slavery. The violence that followed the Kansas- Nebraska Act destroyed the old political system and past formulas of compromises. The Whig party was dead. Know-Nothings nominated Millard Fillmore to head their nativist American party and chose Andrew J. Donelson for vice president. The Democratic party, portraying itself as the national party, nominated James Buchanan for president and John C. Breckinridge for vice president. Its platform supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act and noninterference with slavery. This election saw the emergence of a new, sectional party composed of ex-Whigs, Free-Soil Democrats, and antislavery groups. The Republican party opposed the extension of slavery and promised a free-labor society with expanded opportunities for white workers. It nominated military hero, John C. Frémont of California for president and William L. Dayton for vice president.
The campaign centered around “ Bleeding Kansas .” The battle over the concept of popular sovereignty sharpened northern fears about the spread of slavery and southern worries about northern interference. The physical assault by Congressman Preston S. Brooks of South Carolina on Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts on the floor of the Senate heightened northern resentment of southern aggressiveness.
Although the Democratic candidate, Buchanan, won with 174 electoral votes and 1,838,169 votes, the divided opposition gained more popular votes. The Republican party captured 1,335,264 votes and 114 in the electoral college, and the American party received 874,534 popular and 8 electoral votes. The Republicans’ impressive showing–carrying eleven of sixteen free states and 45 percent of northern ballots–left the South feeling vulnerable to attacks on slavery and fearful the Republicans would soon capture the government.
1860: Abraham Lincoln vs. Stephen Douglas vs. John C. Breckingridge vs. John Bell
At the Republican convention, front-runner William H. Seward of New York faced insurmountable obstacles: conservatives feared his radical statements about an “irrepressible conflict” over slavery and a “higher law” than the Constitution, and radicals doubted his moral scruples. Hoping to carry moderate states like Illinois and Pennsylvania, the party nominated Abraham Lincoln of Illinois for president and Senator Hannibal Hamlin of Maine for vice president. The Republican platform called for a ban on slavery in the territories, internal improvements, a homestead act, a Pacific railroad, and a tariff.
The Democratic convention, which met at Charleston, could not agree on a candidate, and most of the southern delegates bolted. Reconvening in Baltimore, the convention nominated Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois for president and Senator Herschel Johnson of Georgia for vice president. Southern Democrats then met separately and chose Vice President John Breckinridge of Kentucky and Senator Joseph Lane of Oregon as their candidates.Former Whigs and Know-Nothings formed the Constitutional Union party, nominating Senator John Bell of Tennessee and Edward Everett of Massachusetts. Their only platform was “the Constitution as it is and the Union as it is.”
By carrying almost the entire North, Lincoln won in the electoral college with 180 votes to 72 for Breckinridge, 39 for Bell, and 12 for Douglas. Lincoln won a popular plurality of about 40 percent, leading the popular vote with 1,766,452 to 1,376,957 for Douglas, 849,781 for Breckinridge, and 588,879 for Bell. With the election of a sectional northern candidate, the Deep South seceded from the Union, followed within a few months by several states of the Upper South.
1864: Abraham Lincoln vs. George B. McClellan
The contest in the midst of the Civil War pitted President Abraham Lincoln against Democrat George B. McClellan, the general who had commanded the Army of the Potomac until his indecision and delays caused Lincoln to remove him. The vice-presidential candidates were Andrew Johnson , Tennessee’s military governor who had refused to acknowledge his state’s secession, and Representative George Pendleton of Ohio . At first, Radical Republicans, fearing defeat, talked of ousting Lincoln in favor of the more ardently antislavery secretary of the treasury Salmon P. Chase , or Generals John C. Frémont or Benjamin F. Butler. But in the end they fell in behind the president.
The Republicans attracted Democratic support by running as the Union party and putting Johnson, a pro-war Democrat, on the ticket. McClellan repudiated the Democratic platform’s call for peace, but he attacked Lincoln’s handling of the war.
Lincoln won in a landslide, owing partly to a policy of letting soldiers go home to vote. But the military successes of Generals Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia and William T. Sherman in the Deep South were probably more important. He received 2,206,938 votes to McClellan’s 1,803,787. The electoral vote was 212 to 21. Democrats did better in state elections.
1868: Ulysses S. Grant vs. Horace Seymour
In this contest, Republican Ulysses S. Grant opposed Horace Seymour, the Democratic governor of New York. Their respective running mates were Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax of Indiana and Francis P. Blair of Missouri. The Democrats attacked the Republican management of Reconstruction and black suffrage. Grant, a moderate on Reconstruction, was accused of military despotism and anti-Semitism, and Colfax, of nativism and possible corruption. Besides criticizing Seymour’s support for inflationary greenback currency and Blair’s reputed drunkenness and his opposition to Reconstruction, the Republicans questioned the wartime patriotism of all Democrats.
Grant won the popular vote, 3,012,833 to 2,703,249, and carried the electoral college by 214 to 80. Seymour carried only eight states, but ran fairly well in many others, especially in the South. The election showed that despite his popularity as a military hero, Grant was not invincible. His margin of victory came from newly enfranchised southern freedmen, who supplied him with about 450,000 votes. The Democrats had named a weak ticket and attacked Reconstruction rather than pursuing economic issues, but revealed surprising strength.
1872: Ulysses S. Grant vs. Horace Greeley
President Ulysses S. Grant ran against New YorkTribune editor Horace Greeley in 1872. Greeley headed an uneasy coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans. Despite Greeley’s history of attacking Democrats, that party endorsed him for the sake of expediency. The vice-presidential candidates were Republican senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts and Governor B. Gratz Brown of Missouri.
Disaffected by Grant administration corruption and the controversy over Reconstruction, Greeley ran on a platform of civil service reform, laissez-faire liberalism, and an end to Reconstruction. The Republicans came out for civil service reform and the protection of black rights. They attacked Greeley’s inconsistent record and his support of utopian socialism and Sylvester Graham’s dietary restrictions. Thomas Nast’s anti-Greeley cartoons in Harper’s Weekly attracted wide attention.
Grant won the century’s biggest Republican popular majority, 3,597,132 to 2,834,125. The electoral college vote was 286 to 66. Actually, the result was more anti-Greeley than pro-Grant.
1876: Rutherford B. Hayes vs. Samuel Tilden
In 1876 the Republican party nominated Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio for president and William A. Wheeler of New York for vice president. The Democratic candidates were Samuel J. Tilden of New York for president and Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana for vice president. Several minor parties, including the Prohibition party and the Greenback party, also ran candidates.
The country was growing weary of Reconstruction policies, which kept federal troops stationed in several southern states. Moreover, the Grant administration was tainted by numerous scandals, which caused disaffection for the party among voters. In 1874 the House of Representatives had gone Democratic; political change was in the air.
Samuel Tilden won the popular vote, receiving 4,284,020 votes to 4,036,572 for Hayes. In the electoral college Tilden was also ahead 184 to 165; both parties claimed the remaining 20 votes. The Democrats needed only 1 more vote to capture the presidency, but the Republicans needed all 20 contested electoral votes. Nineteen of them came from South Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida–states that the Republicans still controlled. Protesting Democratic treatment of black voters, Republicans insisted that Hayes had carried those states but that Democratic electors had voted for Tilden.
Two sets of election returns existed–one from the Democrats, one from the Republicans. Congress had to determine the authenticity of the disputed returns. Unable to decide, legislators established a fifteen-member commission composed of ten congressmen and five Supreme Court justices. The commission was supposed to be nonpartisan, but ultimately it consisted of eight Republicans and seven Democrats. The final decision was to be rendered by the commission unless both the Senate and the House rejected it. The commission accepted the Republican vote in each state. The House disagreed, but the Senate concurred, and Hayes and Wheeler were declared president and vice president.
In the aftermath of the commission’s decision, the federal troops that remained in the South were withdrawn, and southern leaders made vague promises regarding the rights of the 4 million African-Americans living in the region.
1880: James A. Garfield vs. Winfield Scott Hancock
The election of 1880 was as rich in partisan wrangling as it was lacking in major issues. Factional rivalry in the Republican party between New York senator Roscoe Conkling’s Stalwarts and Half-Breed followers of James G. Blaine resulted in a convention in which neither Blaine nor the Stalwart choice, former president Ulysses S. Grant, could gain the nomination. On the thirty-sixth ballot, a compromise choice, Senator James A. Garfield of Ohio, was nominated. Stalwart Chester A. Arthur of New York was chosen as his running mate to mollify Conkling’s followers. The Democrats selected Civil War general Winfield Scott Hancock , a man of modest abilities, because he was less controversial than party leaders like Samuel Tilden, Senator Thomas Bayard, or Speaker of the House Samuel Randall. Former Indiana congressman William English served as Hancock’s running mate.
In their platforms, both parties equivocated on the currency issue and unenthusiastically endorsed civil service reform, while supporting generous pensions for veterans and the exclusion of Chinese immigrants. The Republicans called for protective tariffs; the Democrats favored tariffs “for revenue only.”
In the campaign, Republicans “waved the bloody shirt,” ridiculed Hancock for referring to the tariff as a “local question,” and quite possibly purchased their narrow but crucial victory in Indiana. Democrats attacked Garfield’s ties to the Crédit Mobilier scandal and circulated the forged “Morey Letter” that “proved” he was soft on Chinese exclusion. Turnout was high on election day (78.4 percent), but the result was one of the closest in history. Garfield carried the electoral college, 214-155, but his popular majority was less than 10,000 (4,454,416 to Hancock’s 4,444,952). Greenback-Labor candidate James Weaver garnered 308,578 votes. Outside the southern and border states, Hancock carried only New Jersey, Nevada , and 5 of 6 California electoral votes.
1884: Grover Cleveland vs. James G. Blaine
This race, marred by negative campaigning and corruption, ended in the election of the first Democratic president since 1856. The Republicans split into three camps: dissident reformers, called the Mugwumps, who were opposed to party and government graft; Stalwarts, Ulysses S. Grant supporters who had fought civil service reform; and Half-Breeds, moderate reformers and high-tariff men loyal to the party. The Republicans nominated James G. Blaine of Maine, a charismatic former congressman and secretary of state popular for his protectionism, but of doubtful honesty because of his role in the scandal of the “Mulligan letters” in the 1870s. His running mate was one of his opponents, Senator John Logan of Illinois. This gave Democrats a chance to name a ticket popular in New York, where Stalwart senator Roscoe Conkling had a long-running feud with Blaine, and they took advantage of it. They chose New York governor Grover Cleveland , a fiscal conservative and civil service reformer, for president and Senator Thomas Hendricks of Indiana for vice president.
The campaign was vicious. The Republican reformers and the traditionally Republican New York Times opposed Blaine. When it became known that Cleveland, a bachelor, had fathered a child out of wedlock, Republicans chanted “Ma! Ma! Where’s my pa? Gone to the White House, Ha! Ha! Ha!” But the furor died down when Cleveland acknowledged his paternity and showed that he contributed to the child’s support. Blaine alienated a huge bloc of votes by not repudiating the Reverend Samuel Burchard, who, with Blaine in attendance, called the Democrats the party of “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.” Cleveland defeated Blaine by a very close margin, 4,911,017 to 4,848,334; the vote in the electoral college was 219 to 182, with New York’s 36 votes turning the tide.
1888: Benjamin Harrison vs. Grover Cleveland
In 1888 the Democratic party nominated President Grover Cleveland and chose Allen G. Thurman of Ohio as his running mate, replacing Vice President Thomas Hendricks who had died in office.
After eight ballots, the Republican party chose Benjamin Harrison , former senator from Indiana and the grandson of President William Henry Harrison. Levi P. Morton of New York was the vice-presidential nominee.
In the popular vote for president, Cleveland won with 5,540,050 votes to Harrison’s 5,444,337. But Harrison received more votes in the electoral college, 233 to Cleveland’s 168, and was therefore elected. The Republicans carried New York, President Cleveland’s political base.
The campaign of 1888 helped establish the Republicans as the party of high tariffs, which most Democrats, heavily supported by southern farmers, opposed. But memories of the Civil War also figured heavily in the election.
Northern veterans, organized in the Grand Army of the Republic, had been angered by Cleveland’s veto of pension legislation and his decision to return Confederate battle flags.
1892: Grover Cleveland vs. Benjamin Harrison vs. James B. Weaver
The Republican party in 1892 nominated President Benjamin Harrison and replaced Vice President Levi P. Morton with Whitelaw Reid of New York. The Democrats also selected the familiar: former president Grover Cleveland and Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois. The Populist, or People’s party, fielding candidates for the first time, nominated Gen. James B. Weaver of Iowa and James G. Field of Virginia.
The main difference between the Republicans and the Democrats in 1892 was their position on the tariff. The Republicans supported ever-increasing rates, whereas a substantial wing of the Democratic party pushed through a platform plank that demanded import taxes for revenue only. The Populists called for government ownership of the railroads and monetary reform, confronting these issues in a way the two major parties did not.
Cleveland, avenging his defeat of 1888, won the presidency, receiving 5,554,414 popular votes to Harrison’s 5,190,801. Weaver and the Populists received 1,027,329. In the electoral college Cleveland, carrying the swing states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Indiana, garnered 277 votes to Harrison’s 145.
1896: William McKinley vs. William Jennings Bryan vs. Thomas Watson vs. John Palmer
In 1896 the Republican nominee for president was Representative William McKinley of Ohio, a “sound money” man and a strong supporter of high tariffs. His running mate was Garret A. Hobart of New Jersey. The party’s platform stressed adherence to the gold standard; western delegates bolted, forming the Silver Republican party.
The Democratic party platform was critical of President Grover Cleveland and endorsed the coinage of silver at a ratio of sixteen to one. William Jennings Bryan , a former congressman from Nebraska, spoke at the convention in support of the platform, proclaiming, “You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold.” The enthusiastic response of the convention to Bryan’s Cross of Gold speech secured his hold on the presidential nomination. His running mate was Arthur Sewall of Maine.
The Populists supported Bryan but nominated Thomas Watson of Georgia for vice president. Silver Republicans supported the Democratic nominee, and the newly formed Gold Democrats nominated John M. Palmer of Illinois for president and Simon B. Buckner of Kentucky for vice president.
Bryan toured the country, stressing his support for silver coinage as a solution for economically disadvantaged American farmers and calling for a relaxation of credit and regulation of the railroads. McKinley remained at home and underscored the Republican commitment to the gold standard and protectionism. The Republican campaign, heavily financed by corporate interests, successfully portrayed Bryan and the Populists as radicals.
William McKinley won, receiving 7,102,246 popular votes to Bryan’s 6,502,925. The electoral college votes were 271 to 176. Bryan did not carry any northern industrial states, and the agricultural states of Iowa, Minnesota , and North Dakota also went Republican.
1900: William McKinley vs. William Jennings Bryan
In 1900 the Republicans nominated President William McKinley. Since Vice President Garret A. Hobart had died in office, Governor Theodore Roosevelt of New York received the vice-presidential nomination. The Democratic candidates were William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska for president and Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois for vice president.
Bryan campaigned as an anti-imperialist, denouncing the country’s involvement in the Philippines. Delivering over six hundred speeches in twenty-four states, he also persisted in his crusade for the free coinage of silver. McKinley did not actively campaign, relying on the revival of the economy that had occurred during his first term.
In the election McKinley won wide support from business interests. Bryan was unable to expand his agrarian base to include northern labor, which approved of McKinley’s commitment to protective tariffs. Foreign policy questions proved unimportant to most voters. McKinley was elected, receiving 7,219,530 popular votes to Bryan’s 6,358,071. In the electoral college the vote was 292 to 155.
1904: Theodore Roosevelt vs. Alton Parker
This race confirmed the popularity of Theodore Roosevelt, who had become president when McKinley was assassinated, and moved Democrats away from bimetallism and toward progressivism.
Some Republicans deemed Roosevelt too liberal and flirted with nominating Marcus A. Hanna of Ohio, who had been William McKinley’s closest political adviser. But the party easily nominated Roosevelt for a term in his own right and Senator Charles Fairbanks of Indiana for vice president. Democrats divided again over gold and silver, but this time gold won out. The party nominated conservative, colorless New York Court of Appeals judge Alton Parker for president and former senator Henry Davis of West Virginia for vice president.
Parker and his campaign attacked Roosevelt for his antitrust policies and for accepting contributions from big business. His having invited Booker T. Washington for a meal at the White House was also used against him. William Jennings Bryan overcame his distaste for Parker and his supporters and campaigned in the Midwest and West for the ticket. Playing down bimetallism, he stressed moving the party toward more progressive stances.
Parker gained some support from the South, but Roosevelt won 7,628,461 popular votes to Parker’s 5,084,223. He carried the electoral college, 336 to 140, with only the South going Democratic.
1908: William Howard Taft vs. William Jennings Bryan
After Theodore Roosevelt declined to run for reelection in 1908, the Republican convention nominated Secretary of War William Howard Taft for president and Representative James Schoolcraft Sherman of New York as his running mate. The Democrats chose William Jennings Bryan for president for the third time; his running mate was John Kern of Indiana.
The predominant campaign issue was Roosevelt. His record as a reformer countered Bryan’s reformist reputation, and Taft promised to carry on Roosevelt’s policies. Business leaders campaigned for Taft.
In the election Taft received 7,679,006 popular votes to Bryan’s 6,409,106. Taft’s margin in the electoral college was 321 to 162.
1912: Woodrow Wilson vs. William Howard Taft vs. Theodore Roosevelt vs. Eugene V. Debs
In 1912, angered over what he felt was the betrayal of his policies by his hand-picked successor, President William Howard Taft, former president Theodore Roosevelt sought the Republican nomination. When the party chose Taft and Vice President James Sherman at the convention, Roosevelt bolted and formed the Progressive party, or Bull Moose party. His running mate was Governor Hiram Johnson of California. After forty-six ballots the Democratic convention nominated New Jersey governor Woodrow Wilson for president and Thomas R. Marshall of Indiana for vice president. For the fourth time the Socialist party nominated Eugene V. Debs for president.
During the campaign Roosevelt and Wilson attracted most of the attention. They offered the voters two brands of progressivism. Wilson’s New Freedom promoted antimonopoly policies and a return to small-scale business. Roosevelt’s New Nationalism called for an interventionist state with strong regulatory powers.
In the election Wilson received 6,293,120 to Roosevelt’s 4,119,582, Taft’s 3,485,082, and nearly 900,000 for Debs. In the electoral college Wilson’s victory was lopsided: 435 to 88 for Roosevelt and 8 for Taft. The combined vote for Taft and Roosevelt indicated that if the Republican party had not split, they would have won the presidency; the total cast for Wilson, Roosevelt, and Debs spoke to the people’s endorsement of progressive reform.
1916: Woodrow Wilson vs. Charles Evans Hughs
In 1916 the Progressive party convention tried to nominate Theodore Roosevelt again, but Roosevelt, seeking to reunify the Republicans, convinced the convention to support the Republican choice, Associate Justice Charles Evans Hughes . The Republicans selected Charles Fairbanks of Indiana as Hughes’s running mate, but the Progressives nominated John M. Parker of Louisiana for vice president. The Democrats renominated President Woodrow Wilson and Vice President Thomas R. Marshall.
The Democrats stressed the fact that Wilson had kept the nation out of the European war, but Wilson was ambiguous about his ability to continue to do so. The election was close. Wilson received 9,129,606 votes to Hughes’s 8,538,221. Wilson also obtained a slim margin in the electoral college, winning 277 to 254.
1920: Warren G. Harding vs. James M. Cox vs. Eugene V. Debs
After a generation of progressive insurgency within the Republican party, it returned in 1920 to a conservative stance. The party’s choice for president was Senator Warren G. Harding of Ohio, a political insider. Governor Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts, best known for his tough handling of the Boston police strike of 1919, was the vice-presidential nominee.
The Democratic party nominated James M. Cox, governor of Ohio, and Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York, assistant secretary of the navy in the Wilson administration. Democratic chances were weakened by President Woodrow Wilson’s having suffered a stroke in 1919 and his failure to obtain ratification of the League of Nations treaty. The Socialist party nominated Eugene V. Debs, imprisoned for his opposition to World War I , and Seymour Stedman of Ohio.
A bedridden Wilson hoped the 1920 election would be a referendum on his League of Nations, but that issue was probably not decisive. If anything, the election was a strong rejection of President Wilson and an endorsement of the Republican candidate’s call for a “return to normalcy.”
Harding’s victory was decisive: 16,152,200 popular votes to Cox’s 9,147,353. In the electoral college only the South went for Cox. Harding won by 404 to 127. Although still in prison, Debs received more than 900,000 votes.
1924: Calvin Coolidge vs. Robert M. LaFollette vs. Burton K. Wheeler vs. John W. Davis
The Republican nominees for president and vice president in 1924 were President Calvin Coolidge and Charles G. Dawes of Illinois. President Warren G. Harding had died in 1923.
Disaffected progressive Republicans met under the auspices of the Conference for Progressive Political Action and nominated Robert M. La Follette for president. The new Progressive party chose Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana for vice president. The platform called for higher taxes on the wealthy, conservation, direct election of the president, and the ending of child labor.
In choosing their candidates the Democrats were faced with polar opposites. Alfred E. Smith of New York was the epitome of the urban machine politician, and he was also Catholic; William G. McAdoo was a Protestant popular in the South and West. A deadlock developed; on the 103rd ballot the delegates finally settled on John W. Davis, a corporation lawyer, and Charles W. Bryan of Nebraska, the brother of William Jennings Bryan.
The Republicans won easily; Coolidge’s popular vote, 15,725,016, was greater than that of Davis, 8,385,586, and La Follette, 4,822,856, combined. Coolidge received 382 electoral votes to Davis’s 136. La Follette carried only his home state, Wisconsin , with 13 electoral votes.
1928: Herbert Hoover vs. Alfred E. Smith
The Republican presidential nominee in 1928 was Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover of California. Charles Curtis of Kansas was his running mate. The Democrats nominated Alfred E. Smith, governor of New York, and Senator Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas .
The Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition) and religion–Al Smith was Catholic–dominated a campaign that was marked by anti-Catholicism. Hoover firmly supported Prohibition, whereas Smith, an avowed wet, favored repeal. Many Americans found the urban and cultural groups that the cigar-smoking Smith epitomized frightening; Hoover seemed to stand for old-fashioned rural values. The Republican campaign slogan promised the people “a chicken for every pot and a car in every garage.”
The election produced a high voter turnout. The Republicans swept the electoral college, 444 to 87, and Hoover’s popular majority was substantial: 21,392,190 to Smith’s 15,016,443. The Democrats, however, carried the country’s twelve largest cities; the support for Smith in urban America heralded the major political shift to come.
1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt vs. Herbert Hoover
In 1932, the third year of the Great Depression, the Republican party nominated President Herbert Hoover and Vice President Charles Curtis. Although Hoover had tried to respond to the crisis, his belief in voluntarism limited his options.
The Democratic party nominated Franklin D. Roosevelt, the governor of New York, for president and Senator John Nance Garner of Texas for vice president. The platform called for the repeal of Prohibition and a reduction in federal spending.
During the campaign Hoover defended his record, his commitment to a balanced budget, and the gold standard–a backward-looking stance, given that the number of unemployed stood at 13 million. Roosevelt made few specific proposals, but his tone and demeanor were positive and forward-looking.
The Democrats won the election in a landslide. Roosevelt received 22,809,638 popular votes to the president’s 15,758,901 and took the electoral college by 472 votes to 59. The voters’ rejection of Hoover and his party extended to both houses of Congress, which the Democrats now controlled.
1936: Franklin D. Roosevelt vs. Alfred M. Landon
In 1936 the Democratic party nominated President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Vice President John Nance Garner. The Republican party, strongly opposed to the New Deal and “big government,” chose Governor Alfred M. Landon of Kansas and Fred Knox of Illinois.
The 1936 presidential campaign focused on class to an unusual extent for American politics. Conservative Democrats such as Alfred E. Smith supported Landon. Eighty percent of newspapers endorsed the Republicans, accusing Roosevelt of imposing a centralized economy. Most businesspeople charged the New Deal with trying to destroy American individualism and threatening the nation’s liberty. But Roosevelt appealed to a coalition of western and southern farmers, industrial workers, urban ethnic voters, and reform-minded intellectuals. African-American voters, historically Republican, switched to fdr in record numbers.
In a referendum on the emerging welfare state, the Democratic party won in a landslide–27,751,612 popular votes for fdr to only 16,681,913 for Landon. The Republicans carried two states–Maine and Vermont–for 8 electoral votes; Roosevelt received the remaining 523. The unprecedented success of fdr in 1936 marked the beginning of a long period of Democratic party dominance.
1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt vs. Wendall L. Wilkie
In 1940 President Franklin D. Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term by a margin of nearly 5 million: 27,244,160 popular votes to Republican Wendell L. Willkie’s 22,305,198. The president carried the electoral college, 449 to 82. The new vice president was Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace, chosen by the Democrats to replace the two-term vice president John Nance Garner who no longer agreed with Roosevelt about anything. Charles A. McNary was the Republican candidate for vice president.
The major issue facing the American people in 1940 was World War II . This fact had determined the Republican choice of Willkie, who was a liberal internationalist running as the candidate of a conservative isolationist party. Although Willkie did not disagree with Roosevelt on foreign policy, the country chose to stay with an experienced leader.
1944: Franklin D. Roosevelt vs. Thomas E. Dewey
By the beginning of 1944, in the middle of World War II, it was clear that President Franklin D. Roosevelt planned to run for a fourth term, and this shaped the coming campaign. Democratic party regulars disliked Vice President Henry A. Wallace; eventually they persuaded Roosevelt to replace him with Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri.Although Wendell Willkie, the nominee in 1940, was initially the front-runner in the Republican race, the party returned to its traditional base, choosing conservative governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York. Republicans had hoped that Governor Earl Warren of California would accept the vice-presidential nomination, but he declined. The party then turned to John W. Bricker.
The president won reelection with results that were similar to those of 1940: 25,602,504 people voted for Roosevelt and Truman, and 22,006,285 voters gave their support to Dewey. The electoral vote was 432 to 99.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the issue in 1944: his health–the sixty-two-year-old suffered from heart disease and high blood pressure–his competence as an administrator, and his stand on communism and the shape of the postwar world. At issue also was whether any president should serve four terms. The Democrats and the president were vulnerable on all these points, but the American people once again chose the familiar in a time of crisis: “Don’t change horses in midstream” was a familiar slogan in the campaign.
1948: Harry Truman vs. Thomas E. Dewey vs. Strom Thurmond vs. Henry Wallace
President Harry S. Truman, who had succeeded President Roosevelt after his death in 1945, stood for reelection on the Democratic ticket with Alben Barkley of Kentucky as his running mate. When the Democratic convention adopted a strong civil rights plank, southern delegates walked out and formed the States’ Rights party. The Dixiecrats, as they were called, nominated Governor Strom Thurmond of South Carolina for president and Fielding Wright for vice president. A new left-leaning Progressive party nominated former vice president Henry A. Wallace of Iowa for president with Glen Taylor, a senator from Idaho , as his running mate. The Republican slate consisted of two prominent governors: Thomas E. Dewey of New York and Earl Warren of California.
Although polls and conventional wisdom predicted a Dewey victory, Truman campaigned vigorously as the underdog, making a famous whistle-stop tour of the country aboard a special train. Results were uncertain to the last minute. A well-known photograph shows Truman the day after the election smiling broadly and holding aloft a newspaper with the headline dewey wins! The paper was wrong: Truman had received 24,105,812 popular votes, or 49.5 percent of the total; Dewey, 21,970,065, or 45.1 percent. Thurmond and Wallace each received about 1.2 million votes. The Democratic victory in the electoral college was more substantial: Truman beat Dewey 303 to 189; Thurmond received 39 votes, and Wallace none.
1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower vs. Adlai E. Stevenson
When President Harry S. Truman declined to run for a third term, the Democratic convention nominated Governor Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois for president on the third ballot. Senator John Sparkman of Alabama was chosen as his running mate.
The Republican fight for the nomination was a conflict between the isolationists, represented by Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, and the more liberal internationalists, who backed World War II general Dwight D. Eisenhower , then president of Columbia University. Eisenhower won the nomination. Richard M. Nixon , an anticommunist senator from California, was the vice-presidential candidate.
Popular discontent with Truman’s handling of the Korean War , charges of corruption in his administration, an inflationary economy, and a perceived communist threat worked against Stevenson. He was also confronted with Eisenhower’s immense personal popularity–i like ike! the campaign buttons proclaimed–and the voters’ belief that he would swiftly end the war. A scandal regarding Nixon’s campaign fund threatened briefly to cost him his place on the ticket. But an emotional speech he delivered on television featuring his wife’s “good Republican cloth coat” and his dog, Checkers, saved him.
Eisenhower’s victory was the largest of any candidate’s to that time: he received 33,936,234 popular votes and 442 electoral votes to Stevenson’s 27,314,992 popular votes and 89 electoral votes.
1956: Dwight D. Eisenhower vs. Adlai E. Stevenson
Despite suffering a heart attack and abdominal surgery during his first term, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was nominated by the Republicans for a second term without opposition. Although Richard M. Nixon had been a controversial vice president and many Republicans felt he was a liability, he was also renominated. For the second time the Democrats chose former governor Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois; his running mate was Estes Kefauver of Tennessee.
Foreign policy dominated the campaign. Eisenhower claimed responsibility for the country’s being prosperous and at peace; Stevenson proposed ending the draft and halting nuclear testing. The Suez Canal crisis, occurring in the final weeks of the campaign, created a sense of emergency, and the country responded by voting strongly against change.
Eisenhower won with 35,590,472 votes to Stevenson’s 26,022,752. His margin was 457 to 73 in the electoral college.
1960: John F. Kennedy vs. Richard M. Nixon
In 1960 the Democratic party nominated John F. Kennedy , a senator from Massachusetts, for president. Senator Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas was his running mate. The Republicans nominated Vice President Richard M. Nixon to succeed Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was prohibited from running for a third term by the recently adopted Twenty-second Amendment. The Republican nominee for vice president was Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., of Massachusetts.
Although much of the campaign centered on style rather than substance, Kennedy stressed what he claimed was a “missile gap” between the United States and the Soviet Union. Kennedy was Catholic, and though religion was not a major issue, it had considerable influence on many voters.
Kennedy won the presidency by a popular margin of less than 120,000, receiving 34,227,096 votes to Nixon’s 34,107,646. The race was not as close in the electoral college where Kennedy got 303 votes to Nixon’s 219. Kennedy was the first Catholic and the youngest person to be elected president.
1964: Lyndon B. Johnson vs. Barry Goldwater
The Democrats nominated Lyndon B. Johnson who had succeeded to the presidency upon the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Johnson, the first president from the South since Andrew Johnson, had been Democratic leader of the Senate. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota, a longtime liberal, was nominated as Johnson’s running mate. The Republicans chose Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona for president and Congressman William E. Miller of New York for vice president.
In the campaign, conducted in the midst of the escalating Vietnam War , Goldwater, an ultraconservative, called for the bombing of North Vietnam and implied that the Social Security system should be dismantled. President Johnson campaigned on a platform of social reform that would incorporate Kennedy’s New Frontier proposals. Despite the country’s deepening involvement in Vietnam, the president also campaigned as the candidate of peace against the militaristic Goldwater.
Johnson won a decisive victory, polling 43,128,958 popular votes to 27,176,873 for Goldwater. In the electoral college he received 486 votes to Goldwater’s 52.
1968: Richard M. Nixon vs. Hubert Humphrey vs. George Wallace
The Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and protests tied to both combined in a tumultuous year to cause a tight, unusual election closely linked to these issues. Opposition to the war moved Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota to enter the Democratic race, followed by Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York, both with strong support from liberal constituencies. On March 31, 1968, in the wake of the Tet offensive, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced that he would not seek reelection. This prompted Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey to announce his candidacy. Kennedy won the California primary, but immediately thereafter, he was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan.
Humphrey then pulled ahead and was nominated for president, with Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine for vice president. The party convention in Chicago was marred by bloody clashes between antiwar protesters and the local police. In comparison, the Republican race was less complicated. Former vice president Richard M. Nixon completed his political comeback by winning the presidential nomination. He chose Governor Spiro Agnew of Maryland as his running mate. The conservative American Independent party nominated Governor George Wallace of Alabama, a segregationist, for president, and Air Force general Curtis LeMay of Ohio, who advocated using nuclear weapons in Vietnam, for vice president.
Nixon campaigned for law and order and said he had a “secret plan” to end the war. Wallace was highly critical of Supreme Court decisions that had broadened the Bill of Rights and of Great Society programs to rebuild the inner cities and enforce civil rights for blacks. Humphrey supported most of Johnson’s policies, but late in the campaign he announced he would seek to end American involvement in Vietnam. It was not quite enough to overcome Nixon’s lead in the polls. Nixon received 31,710,470 popular votes to 30,898,055 for Humphrey and 9,466,167 for Wallace. Nixon’s victory in the electoral college was wider: 302 to 191 for Humphrey and 46 for Wallace, the latter from the South.
1972: Richard M. Nixon vs. George McGovern
In 1972 the Republicans nominated President Richard M. Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew. The Democrats, still split over the war in Vietnam, chose a presidential candidate of liberal persuasion, Senator George McGovern of South Dakota . Senator Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri was the vice-presidential choice, but after it was revealed that he had once received electric shock and other psychiatric treatments, he resigned from the ticket. McGovern named Sargent Shriver, director of the Peace Corps, as his replacement.
The campaign focused on the prospect of peace in Vietnam and an upsurge in the economy. Unemployment had leveled off and the inflation rate was declining. Two weeks before the November election, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger predicted inaccurately that the war in Vietnam would soon be over. During the campaign, a break-in occurred at Democratic National Headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. , but it had little impact until after the election.
The campaign ended in one of the greatest landslides in the nation’s history. Nixon’s popular vote was 47,169,911 to McGovern’s 29,170,383, and the Republican victory in the electoral college was even more lopsided–520 to 17. Only Massachusetts gave its votes to McGovern.
1976: Jimmy Carter vs. Gerald Ford
In 1976 the Democratic party nominated former governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia for president and Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota for vice president. The Republicans chose President Gerald Ford and Senator Robert Dole of Kansas. Richard M. Nixon had appointed Ford, a congressman from Michigan, as vice president to replace Spiro Agnew, who had resigned amid charges of corruption. Ford became president when Nixon resigned after the House Judiciary Committee voted three articles of impeachment because of his involvement in an attempted cover-up of the politically inspired Watergate break-in.
In the campaign, Carter ran as an outsider, independent of Washington, which was now in disrepute. Ford tried to justify his pardoning Nixon for any crimes he might have committed during the cover-up, as well as to overcome the disgrace many thought the Republicans had brought to the presidency.
Carter and Mondale won a narrow victory, 40,828,587 popular votes to 39,147,613 and 297 electoral votes to 241. The Democratic victory ended eight years of divided government; the party now controlled both the White House and Congress.
1980: Ronald Reagan vs. Jimmy Carter vs. John B. Anderson
In 1980 President Jimmy Carter was opposed for the Democratic nomination by Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts in ten primaries. But Carter easily won the nomination at the Democratic convention. The party also renominated Walter Mondale for vice president.
Ronald Reagan , former governor of California, received the Republican nomination, and his chief challenger, George Bush , became the vice-presidential nominee. Representative John B. Anderson of Illinois, who had also sought the nomination, ran as an independent with Patrick J. Lucey, former Democratic governor of Wisconsin, as his running mate.
The two major issues of the campaign were the economy and the Iranian hostage crisis. President Carter seemed unable to control inflation and had not succeeded in obtaining the release of American hostages in Tehran before the election.
Reagan won a landslide victory, and Republicans also gained control of the Senate for the first time in twenty-five years. Reagan received 43,904,153 popular votes in the election, and Carter, 35,483,883. Reagan won 489 votes in the electoral college to Carter’s 49. John Anderson won no electoral votes, but got 5,720,060 popular votes.
1984: Ronald Reagan vs. Walter Mondale
In 1984 the Republicans renominated Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Former vice president Walter Mondale was the Democratic choice, having turned aside challenges from Senator Gary Hart of Colorado and the Reverend Jesse Jackson . Jackson, an African-American, sought to move the party to the left. Mondale chose Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York for his running mate. This was the first time a major party nominated a woman for one of the top offices.
Peace and prosperity, despite massive budget deficits, ensured Reagan’s victory. Gary Hart had portrayed Mondale as a candidate of the “special interests,” and the Republicans did so as well. Ferraro’s nomination did not overcome a perceived gender gap–56 percent of the women voting chose Reagan.
Reagan won a decisive victory, carrying all states except Minnesota, Mondale’s home state, and the District of Columbia. He received 54,455,074 popular votes to Mondale’s total of 37,577,185. In the electoral college the count was Reagan, 525, and Mondale, 13.
1988: George H.W. Bush vs. Michael Dukakis
Although Vice President George Bush faced some opposition in the primaries from Senator Robert Dole of Kansas in 1988, he won the Republican nomination by acclamation. He chose Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana as his running mate. The Democrats nominated Michael Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts, for president and Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas for vice president. Dukakis had faced strong competition in the primaries, including the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Senator Gary Hart of Colorado. Hart withdrew from the race following revelations about an extramarital affair, and party regulars and political pundits perceived Jackson, a liberal and an African-American, as unlikely to win the general election.
Once again the Republicans were in the enviable situation of running during a time of relative tranquillity and economic stability. After a campaign featuring controversial television ads, Bush and Quayle won 48,886,097 popular votes to 41,809,074 for Dukakis and Bentsen and carried the electoral college, 426 to 111.
1992: Bill Clinton vs. George H.W. Bush vs. H. Ross Perot
In 1991 incumbent President George H. W. Bush’s approval ratings reached 88 percent, the highest in presidential history up to that point. But by 1992, his ratings had sunk, and Bush became the fourth sitting U.S. president to lose re-election.
In the summer of 1992 Ross Perot led the polls with 39 percent of voter support. Although Perot came in a distant third, he was still the most successful third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.
Popular Vote: 44,908,254 (Clinton) to 39,102,343 (Bush) Electoral College : 370 (Clinton) to 168 (Bush)
1996: Bill Clinton vs. Robert Dole vs. H. Ross Perot vs. Ralph Nader
Although Clinton won a decisive victory, he carried a mere four Southern states, signaling a decline in Southern support for Democrats who historically could count on the area as an electoral stronghold. Later, in the elections of 2000 and 2004, Democrats did not carry a single Southern state.
The 1996 election was the most lavishly funded up to that point. The combined amount spent by the two major parties for all federal candidates topped $2 billion, which was 33 percent more than what was spent in 1992.
During this election the Democratic National Committee was accused of accepting donations from Chinese contributors. Non-American citizens are forbidden by law from donating to U.S. politicians, and 17 people were later convicted for the activity.
Popular Vote: 45,590,703 (Clinton) to 37,816,307 (Dole)Electoral College: 379 (Clinton) to 159 (Dole)
2000: George W. Bush vs. Al Gore vs. Ralph Nader
The 2000 election was the fourth election in U.S. history in which the winner of the electoral votes did not carry the popular vote. It was the first such election since 1888, when Benjamin Harris became president after winning more electoral votes but losing the popular vote to Grover Cleveland.
Gore conceded on election night but retracted his concession the next day when he learned that the vote in Florida was too close to call. Florida began a recount, but the U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled the recount unconstitutional.
Political activist Ralph Nader ran on the Green Party ticket and captured 2.7 percent of the vote.
Popular Vote: 50,996,582 (Gore) to 50,465,062 (Bush)Electoral College: 271 (Bush) to 266 (Gore)
2004: George W. Bush vs. John Kerry
Total voter turnout for the 2004 presidential election numbered at about 120 million, an impressive 15 million increase from the 2000 vote.
After the bitterly contested election of 2000, many were poised for a similar election battle in 2004. Although there were reported irregularities in Ohio, a recount confirmed the original vote counts with nominal differences that did not affect the final outcome.
Former Vermont governor Howard Dean was the expected Democratic candidate but lost support during the primaries. There was speculation that he sealed his fate when he let out a deep, guttural yell in front of a rally of supporters, which became known as the “I Have a Scream” speech, because it was delivered on Martin Luther King Day.
Popular Vote: 60,693,281 (Bush) to 57,355,978 (Kerry)Electoral College: 286 (Bush) to 251 (Kerry)
2008: Barack Obama vs. John McCain
In this historic election, Barack Obama became the first African-American to become president. With the Obama/Biden win, Biden became the first-ever Roman Catholic vice president.
Had the McCain/Palin ticket won, John McCain would have been the oldest president in history, and Sarah Palin would have been the first woman vice president.
Popular Vote: 69,297,997 (Obama) to 59,597,520 (McCain)Electoral College: 365 (Obama) to 173 (McCain)
2012: Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney
Romney, the first Mormon to receive a major party’s nomination, fought off a number of Republican challengers in the primary, while the incumbent Obama faced no intra-party challenges.
The election, the first waged following the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision that allowed for increased political contributions, cost more than $2.6 billion, with the two major party candidates spending close to $1.12 billion that cycle.
Popular Vote: 65,915,795 (Obama) to 60,933,504 (Romney). Electoral College: 332 (Obama) to 206 (Romney).
Access hundreds of hours of historical video, commercial free, with HISTORY Vault . Start your free trial today.
Tags
| i don't know |
Which side makes the first move in a game of chess? | How to Play Chess: Rules and Basics - Chess.com
Chess.com
Forums
Learn to Play Chess
It's never too late to learn how to play chess - the most popular game in the world! If you are totally new to the game or even want to learn all of the rules and strategies, read on!
Getting Better at Chess
History of Chess
The origins of chess are not exactly clear, though most believe it evolved from earlier chess-like games played in India almost two thousand years ago.The game of chess we know today has been around since the 15th century where it became popular in Europe.
The Goal of Chess
Chess is a game played between two opponents on opposite sides of a board containing 64 squares of alternating colors. Each player has 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the other king. Checkmate happens when the king is in a position to be captured (in check) and cannot escape from capture.
Starting a Game
At the beginning of the game the chessboard is laid out so that each player has the white (or light) color square in the bottom right-hand side. The chess pieces are then arranged the same way each time. The second row (or rank) is filled with pawns. The rooks go in the corners, then the knights next to them, followed by the bishops, and finally the queen, who always goes on her own matching color (white queen on white, black queen on black), and the king on the remaining square.
The player with the white pieces always moves first. Therefore, players generally decide who will get to be white by chance or luck such as flipping a coin or having one player guess the color of the hidden pawn in the other player's hand. White then makes a move, followed by black, then white again, then black and so on until the end of the game.
How the Pieces Move
Each of the 6 different kinds of pieces moves differently. Pieces cannot move through other pieces (though the knight can jump over other pieces), and can never move onto a square with one of their own pieces. However, they can be moved to take the place of an opponent's piece which is then captured. Pieces are generally moved into positions where they can capture other pieces (by landing on their square and then replacing them), defend their own pieces in case of capture, or control important squares in the game.
The King
The king is the most important piece, but is one of the weakest. The king can only move one square in any direction - up, down, to the sides, and diagonally. Click on the '>' button in the diagram below to see how the king can move around the board. The king may never move himself into check (where he could be captured).
The Queen
The queen is the most powerful piece. She can move in any one straight direction - forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally - as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces. And, like with all pieces, if the queen captures an opponent's piece her move is over. Click through the diagram below to see how the queens move. Notice how the white queen captures the black queen and then the black king is forced to move.
The Rook
The rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides. The rooks are particularly powerful pieces when they are protecting each other and working together!
The Bishop
The bishop may move as far as it wants, but only diagonally. Each bishop starts on one color (light or dark) and must always stay on that color. Bishops work well together because they cover up each other’s weaknesses.
The Knight
Knights move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a 90 degree angle, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces.
The Pawn
Pawns are unusual because they move and capture in different ways: they move forward, but capture diagonally. Pawns can only move forward one square at a time, except for their very first move where they can move forward two squares. Pawns can only capture one square diagonally in front of them. They can never move or capture backwards. If there is another piece directly in front of a pawn he cannot move past or capture that piece.
Promotion
Pawns have another special ability and that is that if a pawn reaches the other side of the board it can become any other chess piece (called promotion). A pawn may be promoted to any piece. [NOTE: A common misconception is that pawns may only be exchanged for a piece that has been captured. That is NOT true.] A pawn is usually promoted to a queen. Only pawns may be promoted.
En Passant
The last rule about pawns is called “en passant,” which is French for “in passing”. If a pawn moves out two squares on its first move, and by doing so lands to the side of an opponent’s pawn (effectively jumping past the other pawn’s ability to capture it), that other pawn has the option of capturing the first pawn as it passes by. This special move must be done immediately after the first pawn has moved past, otherwise the option to capture it is no longer available. Click through the example below to better understand this odd, but important rule.
Castling
One other special rule is called castling. This move allows you to do two important things all in one move: get your king to safety (hopefully), and get your rook out of the corner and into the game. On a player’s turn he may move his king two squares over to one side and then move the rook from that side’s corner to right next to the king on the opposite side. (See the example below.) However, in order to castle, the following conditions must be met:
it must be that king’s very first move
it must be that rook’s very first move
there cannot be any pieces between the king and rook to move
the king may not be in check or pass through check
Notice that when you castle one direction the king is closer to the side of the board. That is called castling kingside. Castling to the other side, through where the queen sat, is called castling queenside. Regardless of which side, the king always moves only two squares when castling.
Check & Checkmate
As stated before, the purpose of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king. This happens when the king is put into check and cannot get out of check. There are only three ways a king can get out of check: move out of the way (though he cannot castle!), block the check with another piece, or capture the piece threatening the king. If a king cannot escape checkmate then the game is over. Customarily the king is not captured or removed from the board, the game is simply declared over.
Draws
Occasionally chess games do not end with a winner, but with a draw. There are 5 reasons why a chess game may end in a draw:
The position reaches a stalemate where it is one player’s turn to move, but his king is NOT in check and yet he does not have another legal move
The players may simply agree to a draw and stop playing
There are not enough pieces on the board to force a checkmate (example: a king and a bishop vs.a king)
A player declares a draw if the same exact position is repeated three times (though not necessarily three times in a row)
Fifty consecutive moves have been played where neither player has moved a pawn or captured a piece
Chess 960
Chess960 follows all the rules of standard chess, except for the starting position of pieces on the back rank, which are placed randomly in one of 960 possible positions. Castling is done just like in standard chess, with the King and Rook landing on their normal castled squares (g1 and f1, or c1 and d1). 960 plays just like standard chess, but with more variety in the opening.
Some Tournament Rules
Many tournaments follow a set of common, similar rules. These rules do not necessarily apply to play at home or online
Touch-move
If a player touches one of their own pieces they must move that piece as long as it is a legal move. If a player touches an opponent’s piece, they must capture that piece. A player who wishes to touch a piece only to adjust it on the board must first announce the intention, usually by saying “adjust”.
Introduction to Clocks and Timers
Most tournaments use timers to regulate the time spent on each game, not on each move. Each player gets the same amount of time to use for their entire game and can decide how to spend that time. Once a player makes a move they then touch a button or hit a lever to start the opponent’s clock. If a player runs out of time and the opponent calls the time, then the player who ran out of time loses the game (unless the opponent does not have enough pieces to checkmate, in which case it is a draw).
Basic Strategy
There are four simple things that every chess player should know:
#1 Protect your king
Get your king to the corner of the board where he is usually safer. Don’t put off castling. You should usually castle as quickly as possible. Remember, it doesn’t matter how close you are to checkmating your opponent if your own king is checkmated first!
#2 Don’t give pieces away
Don’t carelessly lose your pieces! Each piece is valuable and you can’t win a game without pieces to checkmate. There is an easy system that most players use to keep track of the relative value of each chess piece:
A pawn is worth 1
A knight is worth 3
A bishop is worth 3
A rook is worth 5
A queen is worth 9
The king is infinitely valuable
At the end of the game these points don’t mean anything – it is simply a system you can use to make decisions while playing, helping you know when to capture, exchange, or make other moves.
#3 Control the center
You should try and control the center of the board with your pieces and pawns. If you control the center, you will have more room to move your pieces and will make it harder for your opponent to find good squares for his pieces. In the example above white makes good moves to control the center while black plays bad moves.
#4 Use all of your pieces
In the example above white got all of his pieces in the game! Your pieces don’t do any good when they are sitting back on the first row. Try and develop all of your pieces so that you have more to use when you attack the king. Using one or two pieces to attack will not work against any decent opponent.
Getting Better at Chess
Knowing the rules and basic strategies is only the beginning - there is so much to learn in chess that you can never learn it all in a lifetime! To improve you need to do three things:
#1 – Play
Just keep playing! Play as much as possible. You should learn from each game – those you win and those you lose.
#2 – Study
If you really want to improve quickly then pick up a recommended chess book. There are many resources on Chess.com to help you study and improve.
#3 - Have fun
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win all of your games right away. Everyone loses – even world champions. As long as you continue to have fun and learn from the games you lose then you can enjoy chess forever!
| White |
In the early 1990s, Nike ran a series of Bo Knows TV commercial featuring what athlete, the first in the modern era to play both professional football and baseball in the same year, trying his hand at various sports, including basketball (with Michael Jordan) and Tennis (with John McEnroe)? | The United States Chess Federation - Learn to Play Chess
The United States Chess Federation
II. Piece Movements Part 1 - The King and the Rook
III. Check and three ways to get out of check
IV. Piece Movements Part 2 - The Bishop and the Queen
V. Piece Movements Part 3 - The Pawn and the Knight
VI. Special Moves- Castling, Pawn Promotion, and En Passant
VII. Scoring and Drawing
VIII. Tournament Rules
I. Setting up the pieces
Chess is played on an 8x8 board. White moves first. When you set up the board, remember the following things:
a. "White is right!" Make sure the right corner of the board is on a White square. Many movies, T.V shows, and even art exhibits with chess sets get this wrong.
b. Queen on her color! If you are White the queen should be on a White square. If you are Black, the queen should be on a Black square.
The letters on the bottom (a-h) of the board correspond to files. The numbers on the side of the board refer to ranks (1-8). Each square has a name. The red square is called e5.
Question 1: What is the green square called?
Using these names to record your chess moves is called "Algebraic Chess Notation" Strong players invariably do this, so that they can learn from their games.
II. Piece movements Part I- The Rook and The King
1. The Rook: Let's start with the moststraightforward piece.
The rook can move horizontally and vertically as many squares as it wants. The rook can move to any of the starred squares.
The rook captures in the same way that it moves.
If it's White's turn, he can take any of the three rooks. If it's Black's move, Black can use any of her rooks to take the White rook.
The king has little mobility. But the king's value is unquantifiable, because it entrapment ends the game. It moves one square in every direction.
The White king can move to any of the three starred score in the corner. The Black king can move to any of the eight starred squares.
The king captures in the same way it moves, but unlike any other piece, the king cannot be captured.
III. Check and three ways to get out of check
Check is the heart and soul of the game, so let's go over it now- and then we can review it with each new piece we learn to move!
When a piece threatens the king with capture (attacks), the king is in check.
The White rook checks the Black king.
A checked king must escape check in one of three ways.
Here, the Black king can get out of check by moving to any of the starred squares. Fleeing is the first way to get out of check.
Question: Why can't he move to e6 or e4?
The White king can simply capture the Black rook to get out of check.
Question: How many squares can the White king flee to? Is it better to capture or flee here?
Blocking is the third way to get out of check. Think of this as the king throwing one of his bodyguards in front of himself, to shield himself from injury.
The Black rook on h5 can block the check by moving to e5.
The king is never allowed to put himself in check.
Two kings cannot touch. In other words, they can't be on adjacent squares.
Diagram 1 (left) is NOT ALLOWED because kings move one square in each direction, and therefore would be putting themselves in check if standing right next to each other. You will never see this position in a real game of chess.
In Diagram 2, the Black king may not move to g5, g6 or g7, because he would be putting himself in check.
IV. Piece Movements Part II. The Bishop and The Queen
The bishop moves diagonally as many squares as it wants. Bishops remain on the same color all game. Explaining his divorce, World Champion Boris Spassky said, "We were like bishops of opposite colors." An apt analogy: Bishops of the opposite color live on the same board but never, ever have contact.
The bishop on e4 can never have a rendezvous with the one on e5.
The queen is the most powerful piece on the board. She moves like the rook and bishop combined: diagonally, horizontally and laterally as many squares as she wants. Like the rook and bishop, she captures in the same way that she moves.
The queen can move to any of the starred squares.
The queen can capture any of the Black pieces with her next move.
Let's review check with the bishop and queen.
The Black bishop is checking the White king. White can use any of the three methods to get out of check:
Fleeing with the king, to f8, d8, e7 or f7.
Blocking with the White bishop, by moving to d7.
Using the queen to capture the bishop on c6.
Let's say White is hungry and goes for the third choice.
Now we have this position:
Black can only flee here. His three choices are to flee to g7, g5 or h5.
Checkmate-
Checkmate is when a king has no way to escape from a check. (There are no squares to flee to, no way to block or capture the checking piece.) Checkmate is the goal of chess and ends the game. Many chess lovers are drawn to the game by checkmate- it's a clear competitive purpose and to many, aesthetically pleasing.
The Black king cannot capture the White queen, because the White bishop backs her up. The king cannot flee nor block.
The Black king cannot escape from the rook check and move to g5,g3 or g4, because the White king is covering all thosesquares.
Question: What do checkmated kings in diagram 1 +2have in common?
V. Piece Movements Part 3 The Pawn and the Knight
The pawn is the weakest piece on the board, but don't underestimate their importance. Philidor, the 18th century French chess champion, called pawns the "soul of chess."
Learning the pawn's move is tricky. The pawn is the only piece on the board that does not move backward. A decision to barge ahead with a pawn is final, which is why such precision is required with pawns. On their first move, the pawns can move forward one or two squares. Think of the two square push as the pawn's morning cup! After each pawn has moved, it can only move one square forward at a time.
Either e3 or e4, the morning coffee jump is allowed!
Tip: Most top players serve their pawns morning coffee.
Once the pawn has already moved, it cannot move two squares.
The e4 pawn may move to the green square e5 but it cannot have another cup of coffee and move to e6, nor can it move backwards, to e3.
The pawn captures diagonally only. The pawn is the only piece that does not capture in the same way that it moves.
In Diagram 1, the pawn on e5 can capture the knight on f6. The pawn cannot capture the pawn on e6.
Diagram 2 shows the position after the pawn captures the knight. Now Black can take the f6 pawn with his g7 pawn.
The knight is the trickiest piece to learn. Newcomers to chess often find the knight so hard to remember that they keep the knights in the back row. Such a scorned knight feels sad and depressed. Don't let it happen to yours, because knights are the most special piece in chess. Author-philosophy-grandmaster Jonathan Rowson writes: "They are the curvy pieces that bring a circular aspect to an essentially linear game."
The knight moves two squares one way, and then one square the other, in the shape of an L. The knight captures in the same way as it moves.
The Black knight can go to any of the starred squares. The White knight can capture any of the three Black pawns. Notice that knights always switch the color of square they rest on- they're on a constant rotation between day and night shifts.Knights are the only piece that can jump over other pieces. However, they do not capture any pieces that they jump over.
At the start of a chess game, the knights can jump out immediately over his own pawns, like in the diagram above. All the other pieces must wait for the pawns to free up space for them to move along diagonals, files and ranks.
The knight in Diagram 1 can jump over the rook and bishop to capture the pawn on d5. The only piece the knight takes in the process is the d5 pawn (Diagram 2), which was on its destination square.
Part VI: Special Moves- Castling, Pawn Promotion and En Passant.
Castling is a special move using one rook and the king.
Castling is the only time in chess in which you can move two pieces at once. There are two varieties, queenside and kingside.
.
In this diagram, both White and Black can castle to reach the position below.
White castled kingside and Black castled queenside. Remember that the King always moves two squares when castling. Many players forget this and move the king an extra square (to b8) when castling queenside.
TIP: Top players castle nearly every game. It makes the king safer, and also gets the powerful rook out of the corner.
Is Castling allowed?
You can only castle, if all of the following are true
#1- Your king has not moved yet
#2- The rook you want to castle with has not moved yet
#3- There are no pieces between the rook and the king
#4- You are not being checked. (You can't castle out of check!)
#5- The process of castling will not put or land the king in check.
Rule 5 is the trickiest: Even masters have asked questions about whether or not a king is moving through check while castling.
Even if White has met the conditions of the first four rules, he cannot castle in the positive above, because on his way to g1, the bishop on b5 would check the king.
Black on the other hand, is free to castle. The bishop on g3 hits b8, but the Black king does not have to go through this square to castle.
Special move #2- Pawn Promotion
Pawns cannot move backwards, so you might wonder what happens when they reach the last rank.
They turn into any piece that you want, except the king. 99% of the time, players choose the most powerful piece on the board, the queen. For this reason, "queening" is just as popular a phrase as "promoting."
In Diagram 1, both players can promote to make a queen in Diagram 2. White can promote by playing d8=Q. The Black pawn on e2 can capture the knight on f1, or advance to e1, in both cases making a queen.
You can promote to a queen even if you already have a queen. Some high-end chess sets even come with an extra queen.
Special Move #3- En Passant
En passant is French for "in passing". This rule can only be used in a very specific situation.
If a pawn has reached the fifth rank as in diagram 1, (or the fourth rank for Black) and a neighbor enemy pawn takes a morning coffee jump (in diagram 2), the White pawn can capture the zealous enemy pawn (diagram 3) as if it had only moved one square.
Part VII.- Scoring and Drawing.
What's a chess point?
In competitive chess every game is worth one point. Checkmate is one way to win the whole point, but you can also win if your opponent resigns or runs out of time.
Draws
A game can also end in a draw. Nobody wins or loses, and each player gets 1/2 a point. There are many paths that end in a draw.
1. Agreement- both players agree that the game is likely to be a draw.
2. Insufficient mating material.
5. Both players run out of time
6. 50 Move rule
Let's look at examples of each.
Draw #1- Agreement
Each side has a rook and a king. This is a perfect example of what's known in competitive chess circles as a "dead draw". If both players are confident that their opponents will not give up their rook, they'll agree and shake hands immediately.
Draw #2-Insufficient Mating Material-
A knight and a king or a bishop and a king are unable to checkmate a lone enemy king.
Even after hours of play, the knight in Diagram 1 or the bishop in Diagram 2 will never mate the Black king. In either position, Black can claim a draw by insufficient mating material. Queens and rooks however, can mate a lone king. If there is a pawn on the board, you cannot claim insufficient mating material because that pawn can transform into a queen or a rook.
Draw #3- Stalemate is a very important rule. If an opponent cannot move any of his pieces, including the king, the position is a stalemate and is scored as a draw.
Both positions are stalemate because Black has no legal moves. Notice that in Diagram 2 Black has several pawns, but it's still stalemate because he cannot move any of them.
Who do you think is happy in each position?
These positions are not stalemate:
In Diagram 1, Black can move the pawn on a5. In Diagram 2, Black can move the king to h7.
Draw #4- Repetition of Position-
When a chess position is repeated three times, either player can claim a draw by repetition. The most common way to achieve three-move repetition is via perpetual check, as in the example below.
In Diagram 2, The White queen lands on g6, delivering check to the g8 king.
The Black king escapes to the only possible square-h8, and the White queen checks again on h6. The king moves back to g8, and White checks again on g6 forcing Black to return to h8. After three times, either player may claim a three-move repetition.
Draw #5- Double Time Forfeit
If both players run out of time, it's a draw. If both players have run out of time, but there's checkmate on the board, the checkmater wins the game. Position takes precedence over the clock.
Draw #6- 50 Move Rule-
If no pawns or pieces have been traded for more than 50 moves, a game is determined to be a draw. This rule requires that the player who makes the claim write down his moves.
For instance, in this position:
White has two knights, and has been hopping around for hours, unable to checkmate you. If you'd been recording the moves, you can claim a draw after 50 moves.
Chess Notation:
When you become a member of the USCF, you'll see that a lot of thrilling chess games and stories are filled with chess notation. You also are required to take notation in most official chess tournaments, so it's great to get a firm handle on it as you start to play. Impress your friends by telling them that you're learning an ancient language called Aracaissaic. The pieces are abbreviated to the following letters:
King- K
| i don't know |
Who was Captain Hooks first mate in Peter Pan? | Mr. Smee | Disney Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
“Save me, Smee!”
―One of the most prominent quotes of Captain Hook
Mr. Smee is Captain Hook 's first mate and the secondary antagonist in Disney's 1953 animated film Peter Pan .
Contents
Background
Development
Mr. Smee is one of the most complex characters in one of Disney's early films. Unlike previous villain sidekicks, the filmmakers felt that Smee was the first sidekick to have a truly memorable part in the story. When Walt Disney began character development on the film, animator Ollie Johnston was given the job to animate. He once said that Smee was one of his favorite characters to animate because he wasn't just the villains' lackey, but because he had a solid role in the story and that he was useful as a personality.
Personality
In spite of serving a feared captain, and a crew of brutal pirates, Mr. Smee is, ultimately, a kind-hearted character. Though he makes attempts to perform villainous acts, his gentle nature often gets in the way of this; his ultimate agenda usually focusing around keeping peace and some form of stability within Captain Hook's life.
Overly eager to please, Smee can easily be described as a chronic bumbler and appears to have minimal intelligence, overall. Because of this, he often annoys Hook and often finds himself facing the latter's wrath. While Smee clearly fears Hook, mostly as a result of his dangerous temper, he has shown to be outrageously loyal, to the point of unabashedly jumping into action to protect the captain, specifically from the jaws of the crocodile, who is surprisingly docile when dealing with Smee.
Aside from his loyalty and relationship with Hook, Smee was shown to have his own agendas throughout the original film, such as convincing Hook to leave Never Land as he, and the rest of the crew, long for the days of plundering the seven seas, which has been put to a halt as a result of Hook's obsession with killing Peter Pan. Notably, however, this stemmed from the harassment and threats from the crew, who saw Smee as a means to communicate with the captain, as the latter is far more tolerable of his first mate. Even so, Smee has shown to support the idea, for the "health and happiness" of the captain.
According to Jeff Bennett, the current official voice actor for Smee:
“
Smee has that bumbling way about him. He’s always trying to keep up and wants to try to make everybody happy—like the Mom who wants everybody to stop fighting and be friends and make nice and for the world to be every color of the rainbow. But every once in a while, you’ll hear—and I try not to do it too often—that little edge of “Boy, this job is really hard and I am a little tired of it."
”
Physical appearance
Smee was animated by one of Walt Disney 's Nine Old Men , Ollie Johnston . Smee is a diminutive, portly gentleman with an odd, hourglass-shaped head. He has shoulder-length, white hair (though the top of his head is bald) and thick, black eyebrows. His eyes are black and close-set, and they are often half-closed. His nose is round, large and pink (much like the Dwarves from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), and the rest of his skin is slightly pink as well. In terms of attire, Smee wears what seem to be very simple, brown sandals, a short-sleeved shirt with alternating sky blue and white horizontal stripes, and teal shorts. He also wears half-moon glasses and a red stocking cap with a red pom-pom ornament on top.
Appearances
Peter Pan
Smee with Captain Hook in Peter Pan.
Smee's first appearance was in the original Peter Pan movie. He is Captain Hook 's first mate and henchman. However, he doesn't seem to be much liked by the rest of the crew . At the beginning of the film, Smee comes out of the cabin, he wishes the Crew a good morning, but the Crew grab him by the shirt and tell him that there's nothing good about the morning because they're stuck on the island of Neverland and not pirating. Wishing to give up the quest for Peter Pan, they bully Smee into trying persuade their Captain to comply with their demands to go back out to sea again. Smee fails to help Hook forget about his obsession with Peter Pan so that the crew can go to sea like they wish. When Tick-Tock the Crocodile appears, Captain Hook becomes frightened and begs Smee to save him from the creature. Smee shoos off the animal and decides to soothe Hook with a shave. Soon, Peter appears with the Darling children, and Hook orders Smee to gather the crew for an attack.
Smee is later seen rowing a rowboat with Captain Hook and a captive Tiger Lily past the Mermaid Lagoon as they make their way to Skull Rock . Smee is fooled by Peter's imitation of Hook and begins to free the Indian Princess, before being corrected by the real Hook. As Hook uncovers Peter's identity, Peter offers Smee a pistol with the dare of trying to hit him. He misses, and instead, Smee apparently hits Hook. Hook, however, turns out to be alive, much to Smee's joy, but Smee is forced to rescue Hook when he is being attacked by the crocodile. Captain Hook jumps onto Smee's rowboat and orders Smee to row for the ship before falling back into the water. Smee rows back to Jolly Roger himself, leaving Hook to frantically swim away from the pursuing crocodile.
At some point, Smee learns of Tinker Bell 's banishment through the talk from the crew and suggests to a now despondent Hook that they leave. His reasoning is that "an island with women trouble is no place for a respectable pirate". This gives Hook the idea to play on Tinker Bell's jealousy of Wendy . Smee captures Tinker Bell, and Hook is able to convince the fairy to reveal Peter Pan's hiding place (with help from a drunken Smee). Smee then accompanies Hook and assists in the capture of the children. During the final battle, Smee quietly attempts to escape by going aboard a rowboat. As he lowers himself and the rowboat onto the sea, the rest of the pirate crew fall on the rowboat. He is last seen calling for Captain Hook, who swims past them as he tries to flee from the crocodile.
Raw Toonage
Smee appeared in a cameo with Captain Hook at the end of the second episode of Raw Toonage, after Hook defeats Don Karnage in a sword duel to get his treasure. Smee is shown rowing the boat out to sea with Hook and the treasure.
Return to Never Land
Smee in Return to Never Land.
Smee is first seen reluctantly joining Hook and the pirates to London. There, they kidnap who they believe is Wendy and rushes back to Never Land. Once there, Smee pulls out a bucket of chum to lure a giant octopus to devour Wendy. The entire plan was to lure Peter Pan which it does. Peter battles the octopus and is believed dead. Unlike Hook, Smee is saddened by the sight of Peter's apparent death. Right after, Peter returns and Captain Hook is attacked by the octopus, Smee attempts to save the captain but the captain escapes himself and orders Smee to fix the plank so he can make him walk it.
Later on, Smee is giving Hook a massage to calm his nerves but a run in with the octopus prevents this. Smee successfully shoos the creature away and calms the captain. Smee then joins Hook to Never Land to find Peter. Smee openly complains and admits he's tired of searching the island but silenced by the menacing Hook. Later on, Smee and Hook advise a plan to capture Peter and reclaim their treasure.
At the final battle, Smee battles Tinker Bell to save Hook but is thrown overboard. Smee and the pirates then swim away in fear when the octopus envisions them as fish.
House of Mouse
Smee in House of Mouse.
Smee has received numerous cameos alongside Captain Hook in the television series House of Mouse . In " Ask Von Drake " Smee is shown placing the Captain's hook onto his arm. In the episode " Donald Wants to Fly ", Smee can be seen witnessing Donald 's (with Hook cowering behind him) flight and cheering for the latter when he finally gains the ability through Peter Pan's help. In the episode " Super Goof ", Smee stole Scuttle 's telescope and gave it to Hook to observe Super Goof flying. In " Pluto vs. Figaro ", Hook feared he was under attack, causing himself and Smee to launch a cannon, which landed in Goofy's mouth. In " Goofy's Menu Magic ", when the club was flooded with stew, Hook and Smee can be seen rowing a boat through the waves of stew.
Interestingly, though he appeared prominently in the film's trailer, Smee did not appear in Mickey's House of Villains , despite Captain Hook being one of the main villains in that film.
Jake and the Never Land Pirates
Smee as he appears in Jake and the Never Land Pirates.
Smee appears in the series as a secondary antagonist. In the show, Smee is bumbling, but a tad more clever and sensible.
Smee partakes in all of the Captain's schemes and, like Hook is foiled every time. Also despite being loyal, it is shown several times he does not actually enjoy his work. Aside from being Captain Hook's sidekick and best friend, he is also the Captain's cook as in the film and usually the cause of his ultimate failures. However, there was one occasion where Smee actually showed excitement in his work, the episode " The Sword and the Stone ".
In spite of being on the villain side, Smee and the young pirates are on good terms ever since Smee teamed up with the "sea pups" to find Captain Hook. It is unknown how Hook feels about the alliance though when Smee thanked the pirates, Hook shouted: "Who's side are you on, Smee!".
Despite their different views of the "sea pups", Smee and Hook seem to be much closer, with a strong bond of both friendship and trust. Smee is always at Hook's side to offer both comfort and a voice of reason to his hot-headed Captain.
In the episode " Mr. Smee's Pet ", he has a chameleon named Blinky .
Mr. Smee plays a larger role in the episode " Ahoy, Captain Smee! " Mr. Smee is left in command of the Jolly Roger after Captain Hook gave up his title of captain and abandoned ship with Sharky and Bones , leaving Smee to deal with the sinking ship. Luckily, Jake and his crew were sailing nearby and decided to help. Izzy used her pixie dust to lift the Jolly Roger from the Never Sea allowing Smee to patch the hole. With the danger over, Hook, Sharky, and Bones returned aboard the Jolly Roger. Hook orders Smee to return his title as captain, but Mr. Smee shocks Captain Hook by deciding to remain as captain for a while. It wasn't until Hook saved Smee's life during a treasure hunt that the first mate decided to return Hook to commands.
Smee was also the center of the episode " Smee-erella ", which introduced First-Mate Mollie , Smee's love interest.
The Pirate Fairy
Smee in The Pirate Fairy.
Smee makes a brief, special cameo at the end of the film set two decades before the events of the original Peter Pan, after James (the younger version of Captain Hook) meets his defeat at the hands of Tinker Bell and her Pixie Hollow friends. Smee is seen sailing on a ship where he spots James stranded in the middle of the NeverSea. After spotting the washed up captain, Smee compliments the hook he's carrying around (alluding the iconic hook he'll one day gain), to which James replies by furiously demanding Smee rescues him. Being that Smee was absent during the rest of the movie, it is highly possible this is the moment in which he and Captain Hook meet for the first time. Unlike Hook, however, Smee's appearance hasn't altered whatsoever, revealing he's far beyond Hook in terms of age.
Live-action appearances
Once Upon a Time
Mr. Smee, as he appears in Once Upon a Time
In Once Upon a Time, William Smee, played by Christopher Gauthier, is a criminal who sells stolen goods on the black market. He was an acquaintance of Killian Jones , who was a captain on a pirate ship. Smee helped Rumplestiltskin to track down Killian Jones. Years ago, Rumplestiltskin's wife Milah had run off from him onto Jones' ship, and when Rumplestiltskin pleaded with him to return his wife, Jones refused. Smee had a magic bean and promised to give it to Rumplestiltskin in exchange for eternal life.
Rumplestiltskin eventually confronts Killian Jones about Milah, but he claims she died. He makes Jones duel with him, and afterward is ready to rip out his heart, but Milah appears and implores him to stop. She explains why she left him, and then shows him Smee's red hat to prove that she is now in possession of the magic bean he wants. Rumplestiltskin allows Jones to live and follows them onto their ship.
On the ship, Rumplestiltskin and Milah's conflicts reach a boiling point. He has a lot of anger at her for not only leaving him but also disappearing on their son, Baelfire. Milah is remorseful and regrets that she let her misery cloud her judgment enough that she high tailed out of their lives. He asks her why she left him, and she tells him it's because she never loved him. Rumplestiltskin rips out her heart in a fit of anger, and crushes it, killing her. He cuts off Jones' hand that clenches the magic bean and leaves afterward.
Smee is left captured on the ship and is told by Jones he wants him to become part of the crew. Smee is indignant because Rumplestiltskin promised him eternal life, but that isn't possible now since it is shown Jones tricked Rumplestiltskin. The hand Rumplestiltskin cut off did not have the magic bean. Instead, Jones uses it to transport himself and his crew into another world where they will never age— Neverland . He eventually became the most trusted confidante and crewmate in Killian's crew.
Mr. Smee's Storybrooke counterpart.
In Storybrooke, when Belle is looking into Storybrooke's library, he asks for some change. When she says she doesn't have any, he puts a hand over her mouth and drags her away. In fact, he was hired by Moe French to bring Belle to him. Moe and Belle have a brief, happy reunion. He wishes for her never to be around Mr. Gold again, which she disagrees with and doesn't want him making choices for her. However, Moe is adamant Mr. Gold will never have Belle again, so he makes Smee take her down to the mines and put her in a mine car so she reaches the Storybrooke town border. Anyone will cross the border will lose their Fairytale Land memories, and he would rather she lose all her memories and not remember anyone than keep them with the possibility of reconciling with Mr. Gold.
After Mr. Gold, Ruby, and David Nolan are able to put a stop to Moe's plan, Belle is saved from losing her memories. Mr. Gold confronts the man Moe hired, and wants to know where Captain Hook is now.
Smee was then used as a test subject for Mr. Gold's potion poured onto his hat. He then gives the hat back to Smee and pushes him across the town line and still remembers himself, proving the experiment a success.
Smee later finds Hook and assists in breaking into Mr. Gold's shop to retrieve the shawl he had in the safe as the last thing of Baelfire's. Smee later tries to leave town, but Gold catches him outside and magically throws him up against a wall, asking him where the shawl was. Smee gasps out that he did not know, as he had met Hook on a rooftop in Storybrooke. Rather than kill Smee, Gold turns him into a rat and orders him to scurry away, which Smee promptly does.
Smee returns in the season 3 episode "Jolly Roger" where, after returning to the Enchanted Forest, Smee was returned to human form and rejoined Hook with the remaining pirates of the Jolly Roger's original crew robbing carriages, and eventually joining the rest of the cast back to Storybrooke after the new curse was cast.
Printed Material
Descendants: Isle of the Lost
Mr. Smee is one of the villains imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost. He has a son named Sammy Smee.
He was mentioned by an unnamed African-American student in School of Secrets who seem to be related to him and Sammy, Smee is his uncle, that mean Sammy was the cousin of that student from Auradon.
Video game appearances
Kingdom Hearts series
Mr. Smee appears in Kingdom Hearts as an inhabitant of Neverland , and often plays a minor role.
In the original Kingdom Hearts , Captain Hook and Smee are recruited by Maleficent to assist her in capturing the seven Princesses of Heart in her quest for world domination. As such, Hook and Smee, with a legion of Heartless at their command, capture Wendy. Peter hears of this and travels to the Jolly Roger for her rescue, allying himself with Sora, Donald, and Goody. When Smee learns of their escape, he informs the Captain. While Peter and Wendy manage to escape, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Tinker Bell are captured and ordered to walk the plank, as Smee watches. Peter returns and frees his friends, prompting Smee to flee the scene.
Smee reappears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep in Neverland, where he antagonizes Terra , Aqua , and Ventus alongside Hook. Quite notably, Smee's role is vastly larger in this game, compared to his original debut in the series.
In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days , Smee is seen in Neverland, once again, being ordered by the captain to dig up various sites in order to find supposed treasure. And though he does so diligently, the treasure is nowhere to be found.
Epic Mickey (series)
Smee talking with Mickey and Gus in Epic Mickey.
A rejected version of Smee lives in The Wasteland and is a recurring character in the series. Like his real world counterpart was (once) the right-hand man of Wasteland's Captain Hook. This Smee is first seen crying in the hub-world of Ventureland . He explains that he and the other pirates have left Skull Island because of a machine that turns pirates into Beetleworx. He will give Mickey Mouse the mission to go to Skull Island and stop the machine. If you manage to either destroy or reverse the machine, Smee and the other pirates will leave Ventureland to return to Skull Island. If it's left alone or if the pumps get filled with Paint and Thinner for each one, they will remain in Ventureland. Either way, Smee is lastly seen on Mean Street at the game's finale, celebrating Wasteland's renewal with the rest of its citizens.
The version of Smee featured here is a rejected design based on concept art. The stripes on his shirt and the color of his hat are reversed. The Smee from the film had blue stripes and a red hat.
Smee returns in Epic Mickey 2 , seen, once again, in Ventureland.
Smee also reappears in the third Epic Mickey game, Power of Illusion . At one point of the game, Mickey is asked by Captain Hook to find Smee. Smee is found by Mickey on the Jolly Roger and was brought to his boss at the fortress.
Kinect Disneyland Adventures
Smee in Kinect Disneyland Adventures.
Smee plays a minor role during the Peter Pan's Flight mini-game. Smee is first seen watching the helpless Cubby nearly meet his end until Pan shows up. Smee is last seen diving into the sea to rescue Hook after he was defeated and thrown overboard. The duo is then seen swimming away from the Crocodile.
Disney Parks
Mr. Smee poses for a photo at Disneyland Paris.
Smee makes frequent appearances throughout the Disney theme parks around the world, most often featured alongside Captain Hook.
Disneyland Resort
An animatronic version of Smee can be seen constantly throughout the dark attraction Peter Pan's Flight .
Smee appears in the original Disneyland version of Fantasmic! , in the scene with Peter Pan and Captain Hook's duel. During the battle, Smee shouts famous quotes from the movie such as "Give it to him, Cap'n! Cleave him to the brisket!"
Walt Disney World Resort
Smee appeared in the former Dream Along With Mickey show in the Magic Kingdom park. Here, Smee and Captain Hook are working for Maleficent, dreams are dying out and the three villains plot to take over the Magic Kingdom. Once Mickey and Donald defeat Maleficent with the power of dreams, Hook flees, having Smee scream, "Wait for me!"
Smee can also be found in the parade, Festival of Fantasy and commonly seen during Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party .
He also appeared in the Disney's Hollywood Studios version of Fantasmic, riding Steamboat Willie during the finale from 1998 to 2002 and again in 2014.
Disney Cruise Line
In Villains Tonight , aboard the Disney Magic , Smee is seen during Hook's segment. Later on, Smee and Hook are seen during Jafar and Iago's performance of Wind Beneath My Wings. Smee is lastly seen during the finale song Villains Tonight.
Aboard the Disney Magic cruise ship, Hook and his pirates invade the ship during Mickey’s Pirates In The Caribbean . While Hook makes his entrance on the main deck, Smee breaks into the captain's quarters where he holds the ship's crew captive. After Mickey defeats Hook in a Captains Challenge, the crew members are freed and chase Hook and Smee off the ship.
Smee is also available for meet-and-greets aboard select ships.
Gallery
The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Mr. Smee .
Trivia
While appearing in the trailers for Mickey's House of Villains , Smee does not appear in the final film.
Smee is the polar opposite of his boss; he is actually sweet and kind while Hook is hot-tempered and cruel.
In the original story of Peter Pan, Smee was depicted with an Irish accent.
In the original story, Smee was not Hook's first mate but rather the ship's bo'sun. The position of the first mate was held by Starkey.
| Mr. Smee |
Anchored by the star Sirius, what animal does the constellation Canis Major represent? | Captain Hook | Jake and the Never Land Pirates Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Captain James Bartholemew Hook is the main antagonist of Disney Junior animated TV series Jake and the Never Land Pirates . He is voiced by Corey Burton .
Contents
Background
History
Commander of the galleon " The Jolly Roger " and legendary for his cruelty to his enemies as well as his own men, Captain Hook has long since abandoned sailing the high seas in favor of having revenge on Peter Pan for ruining his life,Peter having cut off Hook's left hand and fed it to Tick-Tock the Crocodile , Tick-Tock found it so delicious he's following Hook everywhere for another taste. While a worthy opponent for Peter Pan, Hook is destined to fail, do to Peter Pan's ability to fly, but more often through the bumbling actions of his first-mate Mr. Smee , who is unquestioningly faithful to the Captain, but is incompetent.During the finial phase of the first film Peter engages Hook in single combat as the children fight off the crew, and finally succeeds in humiliating the captain. Peter fights Hook in a final showdown, until the pirate begs for mercy. Peter then allows Hook to leave and never return. He crows, and Hook tries to lunges at him from behind. Wendy Darling warns Peter, and he evades Hook's attack, while the captain falls into the Never Sea below, where the crocodile was waiting. Hook and his crew flee, with the crocodile in hot pursuit.
Sometime after the events of the first film Hook and his crew manage to evade both the crocodile and reclaim control of the Jolly Roger by this time Peter Pan decides to leave Never Land for outside adventure, Hook stayed behind instead of following his nemesis to dominate Never Land during Peter's absence. However, Peter left a crew of pirates to keep him at bay.
Much of Hook's past has been revealed in the series, where it is revealed that the captain had a rather miserable childhood. As a young buccaneer, he was trained in the ways of a pirate by his mother, Mama Hook , so that he would one day become a feared captain, much like her. However, according to Mama Hook, Captain Hook was a somewhat pitiful pirate during his training, and seemed hopeless for many years. It was also revealed that he was heavily ostracized by others as a child, as he explains to Mr. Smee several times throughout the series, resulting in him spending most of his childhood hated and alone. These are all prime factors in the reasons for Captain Hook's undeniable cruelty.
Throughout the series, it is also revealed that Captain Hook is rather infamous throughout the Never Sea. As several characters encountered by the Jake and his crew all seem to have some history with the villainous captain, though it's always a negative one. Various other pirate characters such as the daring Captain Flynn and the regal Pirate Princess all have shown to have a hatred for Hook proceeding their respective debut episodes. Interestingly enough, Hook himself never seems to recognize them.
Personality
Captain Hook is a power-hungry, short tempered, evil and cruel pirate captain. He hates being told what to do by those he declares lower than him, including his own crew, and Mr. Smee. What he desires most is treasure, with no one to stand in his way. He despises Jake and his crew, as they are the physical opposite of everything that Hook is, and he cannot stand them due to there kindness, treasure finding skill and being allies to his greatest enemy Peter Pan. This antipathy not only distracts him, but also drives him over the edge to take treasure away from the young pirates.But they manage to out wit Hook at every turn and even reclaim the stolen leaving the captain humiliated.Hook blames Jake and his crew as the sole threat to his plans and ruling Never Land in Pan's absents. He is arrogant and can be easily distracted when he believes he has the upper hand in a situation.
Hook's anger can also be his drive to focus completely on the task at hand, for instance when he realized Wendy Darling and her brothers where recalling tales of Hook's various defeats by Peter Pan. But that sneaky snook Hook hates to look like a bumbling fool, so he decides to fly to London, England , steal Wendy's storybook, and destroy her stories once and for all.
Despite his reputation as a feared pirate captain and all above traits, Hook is exceedingly immature, prone to throwing temper tantrums and reacting irrationally to even the slightest grievance. His behavior thus, at times, resembles that of a cranky child rather than an nefarious pirate captain.
Physical appearance
Captain Hook is a thin man with curly, black, shoulder-length hair that drapes over his shoulders, a large, hooked nose, a thin, black mustache that angles upward sharply, and a large chin. He wears a frilly, white shirt underneath a red coat with gold lining and maroon cuffs. Each of these cuffs sports two yellow buttons. He also wears an orange sash over his right shoulder that holds his sword scabbard at his left hip. Hook wears maroon pants and white, knee-high socks, as well as black shoes with a pink circle decorating each one. The tongues of his shoes are enormous, reaching halfway up his shins. He wears a large, maroon hat with a huge, white feather stuck in it.
Powers and Abilities
Swordsmanship: As featured in the original film,Disney Junior Live-Pirate & Princess Adventure,Battle of the Book, The Creature of Doubloon Lagoon and The Legion of Pirate Villains! ,Hook displayed considerable skill in the use of a sword, He can be incredibly swift and agile do to his training of being feared across the seven seas.
Fairy Communication: Captain Hook is one of the few human inhabitants of Never Land that is capable of understanding Fairy speak which is difficult for humans to understand; to them, all fairies sound like jingling of bells.
Various hooks: As mentioned, Hook's main objective throughout the series is to collect as much treasure as possible, even if it means stealing it from someone else. To achieve this goal, Hook often uses one of his special hooks , created for treasure hunting. Some of the hooks include a propeller hook to give the captain flight, a plunger hook to grasp treasure, and even a butterfly net hook.
Role in the series
In the series, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee are the main antagonists that Hook's pirate rival Jake and his young crew outwit while searching for treasure.
In the first episode Hide the Hideout! Captain Hook was determined to locate and claim Jake and his crew hideout as his own but through the ordeal he remained unaware how to gain accessed into it.
In the episode The Old Shell Game . Izzy finds a pink polka-dotted shell, she decides to put it on display in her shell collection.Unknown to Jake and his crew Captain Hook was spying on them,he also desired Izzy's seashell for himself, to add it to his own collection. Hook manages to steal it from the sea pups.Jake and his crew quickly climb aboard Bucky and heads off after Hook. Jake decide to first ask nicely, but Hook tells them that he will never give it back. Mr. Smee notices that the shell is missing, and both pirate groups find that it’s floating on a log in the Never Sea racing to retrieve it.
In the episode Hats Off to Hook! Skully find Captain Hook's hat washed upon the shore of Pirate Island beach. He gives it to Jake.Cubby and Izzy reminds Jake that Hook always takes there things and never gives it back. Jake tells his crew-mates that Hook doesn't play fair but we are not like him and decides to give it to Hook.However on the Jolly Roger Captain Hook is furious do to his hat disappearance and order his crew to locate it at once.However Hook soon spies Jake and his crew with his hat believing Jake and his crew took it and got revenge on him.
In the episode Bucky Makes a Splash .While on a treasure hunt for a sunken treasure hidden at the bottom of the Never Sea .Captain Hook grow incapacitate at the speed of his ships speed and despite Smee warning,Hook causes the Jolly Roger to get stuck on a rock.Still desperate to get his hooks on the treasure Hook and Mr. Smee attempt to steal Bucky.Unknown to the captain and Smee that Bucky is self aware, they believe the ship is haunted.
In the episode Peter Pan Returns . Peter Pan's shadow makes way for Never Land and visits the Jolly Roger: the ship of the villainous Captain Hook. There, he bothers Hook and his crew by awakening them from their slumber. Later back on the Jolly Roger, the shadow has proceeded in revealing itself. This alerts Hook and the crew of Peter's presence in Never Land. The captain plots to capture the shadow and use it as hostage to lure Peter to him. However, the shadow proves to be elusive as a chase leads the pirates to be thrown overboard and the Jolly Roger to be taken over by the shadow. The shadow, and the villain pirates, make way from Never Land. Once there, Hook finally bags the shadow. Peter, Jake and the crew begin their search on the shore of Never Land where they find a note from Hook informing them of the impounded shadow. The heroes set off to meet Hook at Buccaneer's Bluff to settle the score. Instead, Hook attempts to force the heroes out of Never Land for the safety of the shadow.
Peter rejects the offer resulting into Hook and his crew taking the shadow to the Valley of Shadows . As the name suggests, the valley is filled with shadows made by various things. As the plan goes, Hook will unleash the shadow there so that Peter will never find it. As Peter and the crew make way for the valley, Peter's flight begins to die down. Being that Peter's thoughts are filled with worries about his shadow, he's beginning to lose his flight as it can only be accessed through happy thoughts. Unfortunately for Hook, Peter and Jake arrive on time. Instead, Hook decides to sink the shadow to the bottom of the Never Sea. Using Bucky, Peter Jake and the crew catches up to the Jolly Roger. A battle follows including events such as Izzy, Cubby and Skully getting trapped under the sail and Jake grabbing the chest with Peter's shadow inside but his vest is caught by Captain Hook's hook, the fight ends with the shadow being reattached to Peter, the villains falling overboard, and the crocodile chasing after them. Hook, Smee, Sharky and Bones are last seen on a spit of land watching in horror as Tick-Tock the Crocodile and a large float of hungry crocodiles begin to swarm around island as Hook screams for Smee to save him.
In the episode " Captain Hook is Missing! "Mr. Smee,Sharky and Bones discover that Captain Hook is not aboard the Jolly Roger. With the help from Jake and his mates, they discover Hook's footprints heading in the direction of Crocodile Creek.Unknown to Jake and Hook's crew at the time the captain sleepwalks across a sleeping Tick-Tock who awakes confused. Hook manages to slip away from the crocodile, leaving only his hat atop the beast's head. When Jake and crew, accompanied by Mr. Smee, Sharky and Bones, arrive at the creek and spot the captain's hat atop the crocodile's head. Hook's crew feared the worst, but Skully assured everyone that Hook was safe, spotting another set of tracks on the other side of the creek but they had to get past old Tick-Tock who wasn't pleased to be disturbed from his slumber so early in the morning, which gave Izzy the idea if they all sing the crocodile a lullaby he'll go back to sleep allowing the pirates to safely pass.
The crew soon spot the Captain Hook's hook dangling on top a zip line across a large chasm when they soon lose sight of Hook's trail due to the sleepwalking captain was lifted into the air by a giant butterfly leaving only Hook's treasured teddy bear "Captain Cuddly Bear".Jake and the pirates discover the teddy bear tracking down the Captain and find him sleepwalking on Belch Mountain.With the assist of Izzy and her pixie dust Jake soar up to Belch Mountain recusing, the now awaken Hook from falling into the volcano.Hook shock through whole ordeal demanded to know what happen to Mr. Smee explain every thing to Hook and pointed out Jake saved him Hook reluctantly thanks Jake and his friends for saving him before they return to Pirate Island.Back on the Jolly Roger Hook was properly dress in his pirate attire, Bones remembered to return Captain Cuddly Bear to Hook who quickly snap at responding "I'm a pirate captain.I don't need any stuff toy!" and ordered Smee,Sharky and Bones to their chores, with his crew busy with their chores Hook delightful cuddle his treasured teddy.
In the episode Hook and the Itty-Bitty Kitty introduced Red Jessica , a swashbuckling pirate gal that Captain Hook fell in love with, though she is apparently unaware of his affections.
In the episode " Mama Hook Knows Best! " Hook's mother, known as Mama Hook, made a special appearance.One day, Mama Hook visits her son to embark on a treasure hunt with him so that she can witness how spectacular he is as a pirate captain. However, Hook secretly has no idea where to find treasure but pretends to so his mother wouldn't be upset. Throughout the search, Mama Hook becomes aware of her son's bumbling antics. Hook and Smee witness Jake, Izzy, Cubby, and Skully looking for treasure and decides to follow them and steal whatever treasure they find. Hook successfully takes the treasure to mother. Initially, Mama Hook was very proud of her son until Jake, Izzy, Cubby, and Skully arrived and took back the treasure informing Mama Hook her son stole the treasure from them. Mama Hook calls out the young pirates enraged but her fury is turned to her son when Jake tells her that Captain Hook stole the treasure from them. Upon hearing that he only did it to make her proud, Mama Hook forgives her son and informs him that she's always been proud of him. Jake decides to share the treasure with Hook and his mother.
In the episode " Captain Hook's Lagoon ." Hook tries to create his own lagoon by creating a dam to block all the water out of Jake's favorite swimming hole, Pirate's Plunge as Jake and his crew try to find a way to stop Hook and free the water from Captain's Hook so-called lagoon.
In the episode " Captain Who? " Captain Hook and his crew were hunting for treasure,but the heat was starting to take its tole on Smee, Sharky and Bones, who wish to return to the Jolly Roger.Hook refuses to return to the ship without treasure and remind his crew who is in command,however Hook soon loses his footing down the jungle path and fell face first into the Forget-Me Flowers,causing Hook to forgets he is the captain of his crew. Sharky, Bones and Mr. Smee enlist Jake and crew to help jog his memory, so they take Hook all across Never Land, but nothing seems to work. The sea pups knew that if anything can restore Hook's memory of who he is, it is his fear of Tick-Tock the Crocodile.However Hook in his amnesia like state falls on the crocodile,waking the ravenous reptile from his slumber.As Hook hears the ticking sound,Hook's memory of the croc soon returns and later his own identity, sending Hook racing to safety with Tick-Tock in pursuit. Izzy quickly uses her pixie dust to fly everyone to safety from the hungry crocodile.
In the episode " Jake and Sneaky Le Beak! ,"Hook is also given a rival villain known as Beatrice Le Beak , a French pirate gal who plunders and pillages citizens of the Never Sea, as well, even villainous pirates such as Hook, she takes commands of Hook's vessel the Jolly Roger leaving Hook, Smee, Sharky and Bones a drift in her rowboat. Luckily, Jake and his crew were sailing nearby and decided to help. Reluctantly, Hook accepts the puny pirates' help and they gave chase to Rainbow Falls were Beatrice Le Beak has abandon ship leaving Fast Claw to watch the ship but the fiendish falcon is tricked by Skully to leave his post allowing Hook and his crew to take command of the Jolly Roger once more.
Beatrice couldn't care less about the Jolly Roger and continued after the Splendor Gem fueling Captain Hook fire refusing to allow Le Beak to beat him to the treasure Hook gave chase and confronts Beatrice behind the falls. As the two greedy pirates battle for control of the Splendor Gem they fall through the entrance behind the falls but are rescued by Izzy and her pixie dust losing the Splendor Gem to the Never Sea. Hook soon Roger where he has captured Beatrice and Fast Claw and force the duo to walk the plank for stealing his ship and costing him the treasure but this is short lived as Beatrice Le Beak manage to steal one of Captain Hook's Whirly-Hooks allowing her and Fast Claw escape.
In the episode " Hook's Treasure Nap ." Captain Hook was distraught he couldn't recall were he buried Captain Cuddly Bear 's toy ship,the S.S Binky his childhood toy.Mr. Smee asks Jake and his crew to help Hook locate his toy ship.Captain Hook can only remember the way to the S.S Binky when he's asleep.So as Jake and the pirates journey through Never Land lessening carefully to a sleeping Hook's directions.Soon with the help of Jake and his crew Hook uncovers his childhood toy.Smee ask his captain to thank Jake and his friends for their assistants,Hook refused to but reluctantly thanks them using Caption Cuddly Bear to speak on his behalf.
In the episode " The Sneaky Snook-Off ", After over hearing Captain Hook declares himself the sneakiest snook in Never Land.Beatrice Le Beak soon challenge Hook to a Sneaky Snook-Off to determine who the true sneak is.Le Beak gain a huge advantage in the first challenge, a race to the top of Belch Mountain still using the whirly-hook she stole from Hook in the episode (Jake and Sneaky Le Beak!) to gain victory.As Beatrice gloats over her victory a frog emerges from the brush scaring Le Beak.Giving Captain Hook the advantage in the second contest crossing through Frog Hollow first.Le Beak again took the lead distracting Hook by mentioning treasure but soon find herself losing her cool once she encounters a large number of frogs gaining Hook the victory.Beatrice was furious at Hook's dirty trick as he mocks Le Beak's fear of frogs.Beatrice soon learns the perfect revenge thanks to Mr. Smee accidentally revealing Hook's fear of Tick-Tock the Crocodile. The third challenge takes place in Crocodile Cavern the lair of Tick-Tock Croc and the challenge is won by the snook who strikes the gargoyle gong first.
Le Beak manage to reach the cavern first and began crossing the rope bridge to the gong she wakes Tick-Tock from his slumber.Hook soon arrives shortly as he dreaded the croc was home.Le Beak gloats assured of her victory taunts Hook due to his fear of Tick-Tock.Captain Hook cuts the rope bridge sending Beatrice plummeting into the water with the crocodile.Hook attempts to ring the gong from a far using one of his hooks but Fast Claw intervenes,forcing Hook and Smee to cross the pit with Tick-Tock distracted attempting to devour Le Beak. But as Hook and Smee attempt to past them, Le Beak leaps on Hook's shoulders leaving all three pirates at the mercy of the hungry crocodile.Fortunately Izzy manages to rescue them all using her pixie dust.With everyone safe Le Beak and Hook still desired to ring the gong but Skully manages to strike the gong first ending the Sneaky Snook-Off. Back on the Jolly Roger Hook was still sulking due to his losing the contest with Le Beak, when Mr. Smee inform him he revived a gift from Beatrice. Unknown to Hook, at the time the gift contained Tick-Tock Croc who began chasing the captain across the deck of the Jolly Roger.
In the episode " Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Battle for the Book ", Captain Hook and his crew where searching through the Sea Witch 's lair for treasure when Smee,Sharky and Bones become distracted listening to Wendy telling her brothers stories about there first adventure in Never Land when Peter Pan outsmarts Captain Hook coming from the witch's magical tide-pool. Captain Hook overhears his crew listing to Wendy's tales believing that the book portrays him as a bumbling fool,furious he decides to fly to London, steal Wendy's storybook, and destroy her stories once and for all.Back in Never Land,Hook decides the Valley of Fury would be the perfect location to destroy the book but the captain is later confronted by Peter Pan,Jake,his crew and the Darling siblings.Hook tosses the book into fiery depths of the Valley of Fury ,Izzy quickly uses her Pixie Dust to save the book,but as the book rises,the Valley of Fury erupts scattering the pages of the book all across Never Land.As Jake and his friends search the island for the pages,Hook and his crew also decide to give chase but also begin to forget the stories and their adventures on Never Land.Once at Skull Rock Jake and his crew manage to collect all the pages but one when Hook swoops in and manages to catches the last one.But as Hook gloats he can't seem to recall why the pages were so important to him.Jake recaps Hook on the events that conspired regarding the pages and tells him he needed to read it.As Hook reads the page he saved much to his surprise, he is not portrayed as a bumbling fool, but a nefarious villain,much to Hook's delight.Jake warns Hook if he tries to destroy the book he and everyone will never remember the tales of Peter Pan and Captain Hook ever again.Hook refuses to be forgotten and decides not to destroy the book and gives it back to Wendy.
In the episode " The Great Never Sea Conquest ", Hook is sailing through a stormy Never Sea and facing sea monsters. However, it turns out to be a nightmare do following Jake and his crew without sleep. The Jolly Roger crew soon follow Jake and his crew on the search for Captain Colossus's sunken battleship the Mighty Colossus and it's treasure. After sending Jake and his crew packing, Hook looks for the Mighty Colossus but soon concludes that it's a wild goose chase. However, the Jolly Roger's anchor soon get caught in some and accidentally frees the evil mer-wizard, Lord Fathom .
Meanwhile Captain Hook still desperate for treasure,order his crew to search the Never Sea filling it with nets soon Fathom confronts Hook,he order the captain to remove the nets from his sea but the greedy captain refuses to take orders from the low some creature and attempt to steal the Darklight Emerald from Fathom.However the mer-wizard power proved to great for Hook and his crew,luckily Jake and his were sailing near by and come to Hook's aid.However Fathom power was even to great for the combined forces of Jake and Hook's crew sending them flying, he reveals he intends to unleash the Strake , the most ferocious monster in the Never Sea. To deal with this new threat, Jake creates the League of Never Sea Captains: Himself, Captain Hook, Captain Flynn, Captain Frost , and Beatrice Le Beak.
In the episode " The Golden Hook ", Captain Hook was the main focus of the episode, after locating the legendary Golden Hook, which can turn anything it touches into gold Hook's new fond power and wildest desire for riches soon get the better of him turning Sharky,Bones and even the Jolly Roger into gold. Mr. Smee informs Jake and his crew that Hook is no longer in control of his senses and needs to be stopped. Jake and his crew soon confront Hook and tried to reason with him.But Hook soon scoffs at the young pirates remarks and claims that his crew are now more valuable to him as gold before fleeing into Never Land to turn the whole island into gold.During his journey Hook is confronted by his old foe Tick-Tock the Crocodile who attempts to devour him causing Hook to flee, but Hook soon realizes with the power of the Golden Hook,he no longer need to fear the crocodile and turns him into gold.Jake and his crew accompanied by Mr. Smee soon spot Tick-Tock and felt sorry for his fate, leaving Izzy,Skully,Cubby and even Mr. Smee open to Hook's Golden Hook.Jake was left to face Hook alone but much to the captain's surprise his golden hook doesn't have any effect on Jake's Mighty Captain Sword .The tables are soon turn as Hook is later turn gold by the power of the golden hook.Jake soon destroys the golden hook by throwing it the depths of Belch Mountain reverting the spell and turning every one back to normal.Captain Hook mourns the lost of all that gold but Jake assured Hook he still has Tick-Tock Croc who attempts to devour Hook for turning into gold earlier.Hook is is last seen fleeing deeper into the jungle with Tick-Tock in pursuit.
Hook is the main focus of the episode Captain Hook's Crocodile Crew ,After retrieving a large rock formation resembling his mother he orders his crew to following him across the bridge.Mr. Smee warns Hook the bridge can't support the combine weight of all them and the rock,but Hook refuse to listen and send them all tumbling down into Crocodile Creek.As Hook learns that he is the lair of his most feared nemesis he wanted to get out as fast as he can but he notice that his hat is missing and demand his crew to find it.Sharky soon uncovers a crown that Hook wasn't impressed by, until Bones revealed that the crown is the legendary Crocodile Crown said to make its wearer king of the crocodiles.Hook refused to believe just by wearing the crown will give him control over those ravenous reptiles.Suddenly Tick-Tock Croc emerges from the creek with two other crocodiles attempting devour Hook and his crew.It it wasn't until spotting the Crocodile Crown on top of Hook's head that Tick-Tock and the other crocodiles became obedient.Hook couldn't believe his eyes and ordered the crocodiles to preform various tricks which they all did successfully.Marveling a the sight of the crocs following his commands without any back talk and there combined might he felt that he did not need Smee,Sharky and Bones any longer and soon turned the crocodiles upon his old crew.Later Hook is seen upon a throne constructed by the crocodiles as he amuses himself making Tick-Tock juggle for him.Smee,Sharky and Bones soon returned with Jake who tries to reason with Hook warning him the danger that Tick-Tock and the other crocodiles are only serving him do to the power of the crown and are dangerous.Hook refuses to listen and order the crocodiles to upon them once more leading into a wooden cage locking them up.Hook soon gloats and informs the pirates with the combine might of his new subjects he will now attempt to retrieve the most dangerous treasure on the island the treasure of Captain Catastrophe.Hook accompanied by crocodiles enter the booby-trap canyon of Captain Catastrophe not even trying to avoid the traps as he press forward as Tick-Tock and the crocodiles protect him until he reached the X that marks the spot.Hook soon orders the crocodiles dig up the treasure.Suddenly one of the trap crossbows shoot the Crocodile Crown off Hook's head freeing Tick-Tock and the crocodiles from Hook's control leaving Hook at the mercy of the hungry crocs as he flees Hook's set more of the traps off.With the dangers of the various traps going off around them Tick-Tock and the crocodiles give up the chase and flee to safety.Hook pleads for them not to abandon him and rescue him but Tick-Tock merely mocks Hook before leaving with the rest of the crocs.Hook is soon rescued by the combined effort of Jake,Smee,Sharky and Bones.Hook is grateful to his old crew for coming to his aid and there loyalty even after he treated them so poorly.Smee,Sharky and Bones assured Hook that they will never leave there captain.
In the episode " The Legion of Pirate Villains! " Captain Hook attempts to reclaim the lost treasure of the Captain Colossus at Dreadnought Cove.Mr Smee pleads with Hook the treasure is not worth the risk of waking the Strake.Hook bellows that he doesn't fear the beast as he enters the Never Sea within his divers suit accidentally knocking the fragment of the Darklight Emerald Lord Fathom as he plots to wake the Strake once more.Unaware of his actions Hook is later he is captured by the Grim Buccaneer . When Hook awaken he is seen in a holding cell alongside Doctor Undergear and ShiverJack as the villains begin to taunt one another the Grim Buccaneer reveals that wishes to join forces with Undergear and ShiverJack,praising both villains for there own expertise.When it came to Hook,Grim mentions he captured him by mistake and he originally wanted Lord Fathom to join his the Legion of Pirate Villains.Hook was insulted that the other three villains thought so little of him despite reputation. It wasn't until Undergear and ShiverJack brought up Hook's humiliation regarding Peter Pan,the captain demonstrates the power of his collection of hooks.Grim soon agree to allow Hook to take part in the plot to uncover Captain Colossus's treasure of ultimate power before Jake and his crew finds it.But Captain Hook true goal was to take the treasure for himself.
Spin-offs
Playing with Skully
Captain Hook is mention by Skully quite a lot in the spin-off usually as the culprit behind various problems in the shorts.In the final episode "Pulley Hook", Hook makes a psychical appearance and as a twist Skully ask the viewers to help Captain Hook figure out which hook he should use to reach a treasure on a faraway island.
Jake's Never Land Pirate School
Captain Hook makes regular appearances in the spin-off.
In the episode "Flying",Jake and his crew need the help of the viewer to get their presents back from Captain Hook, who attempts to capture them but ends up falling off the Jolly Roger into the Never Sea.
In the episode "Saving Captain Hook",Hook was the main focus of the episode, Jake teach the viewers how to save Captain Hook.
Captain Hook makes a brief appearances in the episode "Tic Toc Croc!", showing the wrong means dealing with Tick-Tock the Crocodile and later being chased by the ravenous reptile at the end of the short.In the episode "Go, Bucky Go!",Jake teach the viewers how to steer Bucky in order to get away from Captain Hook.
In the episode "Dancing with Pirates",Captain Hook appears in the short showing Hook not as graceful on his feet as he think he is.Hook is also seen dancing successfully with Red Jessica.
In the episode "I've Got my Sword",Captain Hook is briefly seen in the beginning of the short as Jake describes various objects that are important to various pirates, for Hook its hook hand.Captain Hook is also featured in the short trying to steal Jake's sword.
Captain Hook makes a brief appearance in the short "Hop-Hop-Hop!", accidentally knock into the lagoon by Mr. Smee as they hop across the giant sea sponge.
Mama Hook Knows Best!(short)
Captain Hook appears in the short as his mother tries to offering him advice on being a good pirate.
Jake's Buccaneer Blast
Captain Hook and Mr. Smee in Jake's Buccaneer Blast.
Captain Hook reappears in the spin-off once again as the main antagonist of the Lego Duplo adventures.In the first episode "The Golden Pyramid"Jake and his crew are looking for the treasured pyramid within the Never Land Desert .Unknown to Jake and his mateys Captain Hook and Mr. Smee over hear and give chase for the pyramid as well.
In the episode "The Treasure of Belch Mountain",Jake and his crew were on the quest to retrieve the next Pirate Piece in the belly of Belch Mountain which erupt sending fire balls raining down on Jake and his crew who race pass them.Unknown to Jake and mateys Captain Hook and Mr. Smee where hiding among the trees Jake and his crew knocked over in their attempt to flee the lave.Knowing the sea pups could lead him to the Pirate Piece and give chase for the volcano.Captain Hook and Mr. Smee gain the upper hand using his Whirly-hook to fly to beat Jake and his crew to the treasure but this is short lived as Hook grabs the Pirate Piece with his bare hand burning it causing him to drop the piece allowing Jake and his crew to reclaim it.Hook is last seen after Belch Mountain fiery burps destroy the captain's Whirly-hook sending him and Smee plummeting only to land on the back of Tick-Tock the Crocodile who quickly chases Hook and Smee away.
Printed material
Captain Hook has regularly appeared in books, various comics, and other printed stories in the series.
Video games
Captain Hook has appeared in an excessive amount of video games and apps. Many of his games appearance in the series as the main antagonist, but others such as "Ready,Set,Hook" the player get a rare glimpse as playing as the villainous captain.In the game "Hook Yer Pirate Name", choosing from the various objects from Hook's ship to the shores of Never Land Captain Hook will give the player there own pirate name.
In the online game "Hook's Merry Winter Treasure Hunt",Hook and Smee manage to swipe Jake and his crew presents and tree but as the villainous duo make there way back to the Jolly Roger they end up caught in a storm blowing the tree and gifts to Never Land.Hook and Smee most search the island to recapture the gifts with a merry winter treasure hunt.After reclaiming all the gifts, in spirit of the holiday season Hook has a change of heart and returns the gifts to Jake and his crew.
In the online game "Puttin' Pirates".Hook is one of the playable characters the player can play as in the pirate min golf game.If not chosen as player Hook can be still be heard giving introductions during the tutorial and commenting on the various hazards on the course. In the online game "Hook's Cakey Bakey Stack."It's Hook's birthday and Mr. Smee needs to make a cake large enough for his greedy captain.
In the Disney Junior online game "Jake's Lost Story Quest.", which is loosely based upon the episode Battle for the Book,Hook decides to fly to London, England, steal Wendy's storybook, and destroy her stories once and for all.Hook attempts to stop the player putting the book back together by pursing them after each turn if he catches them he'll steal the pages they collected.
In the Disney Junior online game "Super Pirate Powers".Captain Hook manages to swipe the Mega-Mecha Sword .Jake set off on a quest to reclaim the sword pursuing Hook across Never Land.During the finial phase of the game Hook confronts Jake within Belch Mountain .He rides a vehicle (similar to the Koopa Clown Car). He can also interfere with the player's by unleashes powerful jets of water from the safety of the vehicle preventing Jake from reaching the Mega-Mecha Sword.Once Jake reclaims the sword he activates the switch controlling the jets of water drenching Hook causing the vehicle he's riding in to malfunction and plummet from the sky with Hook inside.
In the Disney Junior App " Jake's Treasure Trek ",Captain Hook appears as the main antagonist.Peter Pan sends Jake and his crew of pirates on an epic quest to save Never Land from darkness.Jake most race through Jungle Run Isle, Dry Dock Rock, and Lava Tiki Island in order to find Tinker Bell 's magical lantern before the sneaky Captain Hook.Captain Hook relies on his Whirly-Hook to give him the upper hand of flight as Jake most race through various locations on foot.
In the online game Disney Junior App "Soaring Over Summer Arcade",Captain Hook appears as the main antagonist. In the game,Captain Hook finds a treasure and takes it to a top of a high tower like structure. He is pursued by Jake and attacks him by throwing Whirly-Hooks. He is eventually pursued to the top of the tower, where Jake can reclaim the treasure.
Theme parks and other live appearances
Hook as he appears in Disney Junior Live on Stage
Disney Junior - Live on Stage!
Captain Hook appears as a puppet in the live musical stage show at Disney California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios. During Jake's segment Captain Hook steals their team treasure chest and flee to Never Land.While on the island Hook tries various means to open the chest from trying to guess the magic words to picking the lock with his hook but all failed.At the climax, Hook refuses to give up the chest, but Skully reminds everyone that only the Tick-Tock Croc can scare Hook, thus giving Jake the idea to mimic the croc's tick-tocking noise to scare Hook off.
Disney Junior Live-Pirate & Princess Adventure
Captain Hook as he appears in Disney Junior Live-Pirate & Princess Adventure Tour.
Captain Hook appears in the live musical stage show again accompanied by his scurvy crew searching for a means to unlock the treasure hidden inside a mysterious volcano. Captain Hook knew Jake and his crew were also on the search for the treasure of the volcano.Using his Fishing Rod-hook the captain steals Cubby's map before fleeing into the Never Land jungle with his crew.
Later aboard the Jolly Roger assured of his victory Hook gloats as he and crew sing Captain Hook is a Cranky Crook .After the song Smee tries to inform Hook that the volcano will only reveal itself to a great pirate hero.Hook was well a aware of the legend and demanded Smee point believing that he's the hero.Smee nervously replied he meant Jake,much to Hook's anger. Jake and his crew soon sneak aboard the Jolly Rodger but Hook knew Jake would attempt to reclaim the map,Hook prepared a trap waiting for him.As Jake reach for the map he finds himself trap within a cage within the crows nest. With Jake taken care of Hook's victory was assured until Hook soon hears the ominous ticking of the crocodile's approaching the captain panics about the deck of his ship as he flees to Smee to save him, his bumbling first mate accidentally knocks Hook out cold as he open the door.Unaware of his action Smee believes Hook's taking a nap.
When Hook finally awakens from his unexpected nap he witness not just Jake free from his trap but also Peter Pan aboard his ship.Hook commence sword fight with Peter during the chaos Peter Pan summons his shadow to assist him keep distracted allow Pan to subdue the captain with a net allowing Jake and his crew to flee back aboard Bucky before leaving.Hook finally frees himself from the net and order his crew to follow the the puny pirates.Hook soon catches up to Jake and his crew and with the assistance of the Jolly Roger's coconut cannon knocks Jake and his crew off course.With his advantage Captain Hook and crew continue the search for the treasure but the captain soon becomes frustrated the volcano hasn't revealed itself or the treasure to him. Hook soon hear the ominous ticking of the Tick-Tock Croc who emerges out of the brush attempting to devour him.Jake and his crew soon arrived to rescue the captain from the hungry crocodile using Izzy's pixie dust.With Hook safe with his crew once more, he reluctantly thanks Jake and his crew for saving him.
Relationships
Jake
Hook with Jake.
Jake is Hook's main pirate rival. To some extent, Hook is shown to be jealous of Jake. Hook is forever stealing Jake's toys and prized possessions. Hook is not up-to-date on the names of popular toys, often giving them obvious names, such as "wheely-rolly thing" instead of skateboard, or "surfy thing" instead of surfboard.
Despite their differences, Hook and Jake are shown to work together on occasions, sometimes without the Captain's knowledge. In "Hooked", Jake worked behind the scenes to help Hook get the Ruby Heart of Hearts for Red Jessica. Other times, Hook is aware of Jake's assistance, such as in the episode, "Hook and the Itty-Biity Kitty". Hook is often reluctant to accept the help of the "puny pirates", but has thanked them on occasion.
Izzy
Hook finds Izzy a threat to his schemes, with her pixie dust constantly giving Jake and his mateys the upper hand and quick means to escape once they reclaim the treasure Hook stole.In the episode " The Emerald Coconut ", Once Jake and Izzy are trap in one of Peter's pirate booby traps by mistake, Hook gloats believing no one can stop him from getting away with the treasure not even acknowledging Cubby and Skully as threats.In the episode " Treasure of the Tides ",Izzy joins Marina, Stormy and the mermaids to find the Treasure of the Tides held at Hidden Cove ,Izzy gives her pixie dust to Jake, Cubby and Skully who are journeying to the cove on foot.Without her pixie dust Hook believes Izzy is no longer a threat to him.
Cubby
Unlike Jake and Izzy Hook originally didn't see Cubby as much of a threat to his schemes,Cubby is also at times the more fearful of Captain Hook.As revealed in the episode "The Emerald Coconut", Hook doesn't consider Cubby and Skully a threat.It wasn't until Cubby manage to outwit Hook aboard the Jolly Roger Hook sees Cubby differently. Like the other pirates, Cubby is greatly annoyed by Hook's thieving ways but won't hesitate to help the Captain when needed.
Skully
Hook with Skully.
Skully has a tense relationship with Hook, often referring to him as "Ol' Feather Hat". Skully reveals his disdain for the Captain through cold glares and prolonged silences.In the episode Captain Hook is Missing! ,Skully was quick to decline to help Hook's crew find their missing captain.Hook thinks little of Skully as well similar to Cubby as seen in the episode The Emerald Coconut.In the episode Happy Hook Day! ,Hook couldn't understand why Jake and his crew would waste gifts on Skully. However in Captain Hook's Parrot ,Captain Hook wants to have his own pet, so he and his crew capture Skully during a game of hide-and-seek with Jake and his Crew.
Sharky and Bones
Hook with Sharky and Bones
Sharky and Bones take pride in their work as villainous pirates and show to have a great fear of Captain Hook. Sharky and Bones have also known to slack off from there various chores aboard the Jolly Roger in favor of playing music as seen in the episode " Escape from Belch Mountain ".
In " Peter's Musical Pipes ". Captain Hook get fed up with them duo not completing their chores forces the duo to walk the plank (which means being fired in a pirate's life). After their discharge, Sharky and Bones help Jake's crew who are coincidentally searching for treasure that requires musical talents and the use of Peter Pan's pipes, which they already have in their possessions, in order to be found. Hook spots Sharky and Bones working with the puny pirates and follows them to the treasure of Peter Pan's pipes. Hook steals the pipes but doesn't know how to play, preventing him from revealing the treasure. Sharky volunteers to play it if Hook hires him and Bones and promises never to have them walk the plank again. Hook agrees. The treasure is revealed and the pipes are returned to Jake by Bones. Hook still decides to steal the pipes but Jake and his crew escapes. Hook forgets the situation and makes way for the Jolly Roger. There, he orders Sharky and Bones to complete their work and play some music which they gladly do.
Never Bird
Hook with The Never Bird
It is currently unknown when or how Captain Hook met the Never Bird,but after that faithful encounter the Never Bird served Hook until the episode "Never Say Never!", after Mr. Smee accidentally destroys the Jolly Roger's steering wheel causing the ship to steer out of control.Hook desired a replacement,he soon spots Izzy's Hipster Twister Hoop and decides it would be perfect.Smee offer to fetch it for Hook, but the captain grew tired of Smee's bumbling and decided to summon the Never Bird instead. Hook orders the Never Bird to steal Izzy's hipster twister hoop, after successfully retrieving Izzy's hoop the Never Bird decide to betrays Hook and takes the twister hoop for herself to Never Ever Peak Mountain.Furious at the Never Bird betrayal Hook purses the bird back to her nest.However this is short lived by the end of the end of the episode the Never Bird has become allies of Jake and his crew.
In "The Golden Egg", Hook attempts to steal the golden egg Jake and his crew discover the Never Bird tries to stop Hook from capturing the egg but she is capture as well.But this short lived as Hook and Smee try to make their escape across bay on turtle back that quickly submerge in defiant to Hook's losing both the golden egg and the Never Bird to Jake and his crew.
Mr. Smee
Hook with Smee
Mr. Smee is still Hook's loyal first mate and best friend accompanying the captain on various hunts for treasure, they are extremely close, with Smee saving Hook's life on a regular basis.Hook is still short tempered with Smee bumbling and never lessons to Smee's desires to leave Jake and his crew alone.But Hook appreciate his first mate as seen in It's a Pirate Picnic! ,after Captain Hook steals Cubby's map to Butterfly Bluff thinking it leads to a buried treasure, Smee becomes separated from Hook and his crew only to find Jake and his crew as they attempt to stop Hook.However Hook spots Smee from afar joining Jake's crew believing Smee has betrayed him.It wasn't until Jake and his friends accompanied by Smee reached Butterfly Bluff, Smee was able to explain he got lost and Jake and his crew help him find Hook, resourcing he'd never leave his best cap'n.
However the duo friendship has been tested in the episode Ahoy, Captain Smee! ,Mr. Smee is left in command of the Jolly Roger after Captain Hook gave up his title of captain and abandoned ship with Sharky and Bones, leaving Smee to deal with the sinking ship. Luckily, Jake and his crew were sailing nearby and decided to help. With the danger over, Hook, Sharky, and Bones returned aboard the Jolly Roger. Hook orders Smee to return his title as captain, but Mr. Smee shocks Captain Hook by deciding to remain as captain for a while. It wasn't until Hook saved Smee's life during a treasure hunt that the first mate decided to return Hook to commands.
Mama Hook
Hook with his mother
Hook adores his mother and even as adult still strives to make her happy. Mama Hook has a very sweet relationship with Hook. As his mother, she naturally loves him, but she doesn't approve of his sneaky thieving nature seen in her debut in Mama Hook Knows Best! , when Jake tells her that Captain Hook stole the treasure from them. Upon hearing that he only did it to make her proud, Mama Hook forgives her son and informs him that she's always been proud of him. Jake decides to share the treasure with Hook and his mother.
In the episode "The Mystery Pirate!", a Mystery Pirate swipes Jake's sword and Captain Hook's Hook, forcing both pirate crews to team up to get their belongings.After a long chase with the help of Izzy and her pixie dust Mama Hook was revealed to be the Mystery Pirate in order to teach her son a lesson of how it feels to have something he treasures taken away from him for a change.In the episode "Where's Mama Hook?", Captain Hook fears that his mother is lost in Dark Valley with the help of Jake and his crew splint into teams to find her.But by the end of the episode Mama Hook ends up rescuing everyone else.
In the episode "Captain Hook's New Hobby",James was reluctant to try and find a hobby for himself seeing it as waste of time when he could be hunting for treasure, but Mama Hook assured him that if he gets a hobby, he might find treasure faster.
Red Jessica
Hook with Red Jessica
Like with Mama Hook,Red Jessica shows another side to Hook character.Its currently unknown when or how they met but after that faithful day Hook develop a crush on her.During the course of the series Hook has been struggling ever since to win her affection.In the episode "Hook and the Itty-Bitty Kitty." , Red Jessica calls for Captain Hook's presence, much to the love struck captain's delight. However, although Hook thought it would be romance centered, it was actually for Hook to watch over her kitten Rosie. Once Red Jessica returned, she was delighted to see that Hook has taken a liking to her kitten and decided to introduce him to her other "kitty", her tiger Sasha much to Hook's fears.
In the episode "Hooked !" Red Jessica joins Captain Hook on a treasure hunt for the Ruby Heart of Hearts.Seeing his chance to make a good impression on his beloved pirate gal Hook orders his crew to stay behind while Hook and Jessica search for the ruby. Once Hook and Jessica finally made it to the Ruby Heart of Hearts the trail crumbled under their feet leaving and gorge between the two pirates Red Jessica is sadden and headed back to her ship, Captain Hook refused to give up muscling enough courage he attempts to retrieve the treasure, however the floor give way sending Hook falling to his doom until the captain is recused by Izzy and her pixie dust allowing Hook to fly over the gorge and retrieving the treasure for Red Jessica. During the episode " The Lighthouse Diamond ", they officially became a couple.
Peter Pan
Hook with Peter Pan
Hook despises Peter for cutting off his hand and feeding it to Tick-Tock the Crocodile during their first battle. Ever since, Hook has been constantly battling in the hope that one day he'll rid himself of that "Blasted Boy". While Peter did not make an appearance in the series until Season One finale, Peter has been mentioned several times by Jake, his crew and even Captain Hook. In the episode the The Key to Skull Rock ,Jake and his crew receive a message and a skeleton key from Peter Pan. The key would unlock something exciting Skull Rock ,Hook was determined to uncover the treasure Pan maybe hiding in Skull Rock.
In the episode the Emerald Coconut , Hook overhears Jake and his friends searching for the treasure of the name another treasure Peter hidden on Never Land with various booby-traps to keep it safe from Captain Hook.
In the episode Rock the Croc! ,Jake and his crew receive a message in a bottle from Peter Pan leading to Pan's private oasis Pirate's Plunge . Meanwhile on Never Land the heat was taking its tole on Captain Hook, when he overhears Jake and his crew arrive on Never Land searching for Pirate's Plunge. Hook knew of Pan's private paradise to beat the heat but he was never able to find it and desired to claim Pans private paradise for himself.In the episode " The Sword and the Stone " Captain Hook stumbles upon a mysterious stone door that can only be opened by a sword. So, Hook steals Jake's sword in attempt open the stone door by using Jake's sword.It wasn't until Jake and his crew catch up to Hook and uncover a hidden message from Peter about the door.Hook manages to overhear the message believing the stone door reveals Pan treasure fuels Hook's desire for what lies behind the door even more but when the door refuses to open Hook threatens to destroy Jake's sword in hopes of preventing the sea pups from uncovering the treasure.
It wasn't until the episode special Peter Pan Returns , Both Hook and Peter reunited,After being tormented by Pan's shadow Hook knew that his hated nemeses had return to Never Land. With the aid of his crew Hook manage to capture the mischievous shadow.head to Never Land on the search for Peter's shadow when they reach Shipwreck Beach they find a message from Captain Hook learning that he has captured Peter Pan's shadow and if they want it back they'd have to venture to Buccaneer's Bluff .Pan and his pirate team confronted Captain Hook and his crew. Hook inform them he'll only return Peter's shadow if he'd leave Never Land and never return and take Jake and his crew along with him. Peter rejects the offer resulting into Hook and his crew taking the shadow to The Valley of Shadows . Unfortunately for Hook, Peter and Jake arrive on time. Instead, Hook decides to sink the shadow to the bottom of the Never Sea. Using Bucky , Peter Jake and the crew catches up to the Jolly Roger. A battle follows including events such as Izzy, Cubby and Skully getting trapped under the sail and Jake grabbing the chest with Peter's shadow inside but his vest is caught by Captain Hook's hook, the fight ends with the shadow being reattached to Peter, the villains falling overboard, and the crocodile chasing after them.
In the special Jake Saves Bucky , after Hook uses every trick in the book and wins the race!, Jake and his crew summon Peter Pan to help get Bucky Back.Peter sneaks aboard the Jolly Roger to reclaim the other half of the Pirate Code scroll.Peter confronts Hook once Jake and his crew return from the Island of Bell with the golden bell allowing the young pirate team to reclaim Bucky once more.At the end of the special Hook is accidentally set off the various gadgets aboard the Jolly Roger sending the captain soaring into the air were he is mocked by Pan leaving Never Land,Pan offer to help Hook,Hook refuses. Peter's help, resulting in Hook plummeting into the Never Sea where Tick-Tock Croc was waiting for him.
Tick-Tock the Crocodile
Hook with Tick-Tock Croc
Tick-Tock Croc is one of Captain Hook's oldest and most feared enemies in Never Land. After acquiring a taste for the captain when Peter Pan chopped off Hook's left hand and fed it to him. The croc constantly pursues Hook everywhere, hoping to get another taste of him.Fortunately for Hook the croc swallowed a ticking alarm clock that warns Captain Hook by the tick-tock sound emitting from within the Crocodile. This has become something of a trademark for Tick-Tock Croc, foreshadowing his arrival much to Hook's horror and humiliation.
To make matters worse Captain Hook also finds himself venturing into Crocodile Creek, the very lair of Tick-Tock in his quest for treasure in the episode "Cubby's Sunken Treasure" and "Tick Tock Trap". Hook even had to sneak through the croc's lair to reach the Valley of Shadows, to set his revenge plan against Peter Pan into motion in "Peter Pan Returns".
In the episode "Rock the Croc!",Tick-Tock accidentally eats the map to Pan's private oasis after Hook tries to steal it from Jake.Hook now find himself torn between his quest for treasure and his fear of the crocodile as he attempts to reclaim the map.
In the episode "Captain Who?",After falling head first into the Forget-Me Flowers, Captain Hook forgets he is the captain of his crew,so Sharky, Bones and Mr. Smee enlist Jake and crew to help jog his memory, so they take Hook all across Never Land, but nothing seems to work. The sea pups knew if anything can restore Hook's memory of who he, it is his fear of Tick-Tock Croc.
In the episode "Tick Tock Trap",Captain Hook hires Brewster the Beast Trapper to rid Never Land of Tick-Tock once and for all,allowing him to claim the treasure at the bottom of Crocodile Creek.This is short lived once Brewster learns of Hook's true motives, thanks to Jake and his crew.Brewster release the crocodile back into the creek and capturing Hook leaving him dangling over the creek at the mercy of Tick-Tock who attempts to devour the captain.
Orange Octopus
Hook with The Octopus
Like the Tick-Tock Croc,The Octopus is another one of Captain Hook's enemies that inhabit the Never Sea. Hook first encounter the Octopus in the episode " Save the Coral Cove! " Hook set out to find the legendary Treasure with Eight Arms with Mr. Smee but by the end of the episode it was revealed to be none other than the Octopus who began attacking Hook and Smee sending the two fleeing back to the Jolly Roger.
At the end of the episode " Cubby's Pet Problem " Hook was sulking do to his plot to capture a baby sea serpent was foiled by Jake,his crew and the serpent's mother .Sharky and Bones attempt to bring a smile back to Hook's face by capturing two new creatures. However the creatures Sharky and Bones bring are none other than The Octopus and Tick-Tock the Crocodile much Hook's horror and humiliation as he is chase across the deck of the Jolly Roger with both the Octopus and Tick-Tock Croc in pursuit.
In the episode " Trading Treasures ",Jake and his crew are sent by Queen Coralie to retrieve her Golden Glam-Shell from the Octopus who has been admiring his newly discovered golden treasure at Tentacle Bay. Jake and his crew offer various items but the octopus refuses. Seeing how the Octopus enjoys the shiny shell, the young pirates offer to trade it for a diamond from the Pirate Princess , much to the delight of the Octopus. While Jake and his crew set sail to Pirate Princess Island to retrieve the diamond, Captain Hook and his crew arrive at Tentacle Bay Hook was determined to claim the Golden Glam-Shell for himself but as the captain attempt to swipe the shell he finds himself in the grasp of the Octopus who slings Hook around like a rag doll tossing him back onto the shore of the bay. Hook refuses to let the Octopus stand in his way but the result was the same even with the assistance of his bumbling crew. At the end of the episode Hook's crew were dancing and enjoying themselves to the music coming from Queen Coralie's Fin and Frolic dance party at Mermaid Lagoon . Hook refused to dance still furious that yet another treasure slip from his grasp.The Octopus soon creeps aboard the Jolly Roger forces Captain Hook to dance with him to the music coming from Queen Coralie's Fin and Frolic dance party.
Beatrice Le Beak
Hook with Beatrice Le Beak
Beatrice Le Beak is Hook's plundering pirate rival and has been proven to be a sneakier crook then even Hook in the episode " Jake and Sneaky Le Beak! " she swipes the Jolly Roger from Hook and his crew command and later evade capture by stealing one of Hook's Whirly-Hooks.
In the episode "Pirate Pals", Captain Hook decide to pay his beloved Red Jessica a visit on Crimson Isle. Much Hook surprise Beatrice Le Beak was their.Hook desperately tries to warn Red Jessica sneaky reputation but Red Jessica didn't believe him. Later when Beatrice show her true colors casting Red Jessica out of Crimson Castle as she makes off with Red Jessica's art collection.Beatrice is later thwarted by Red Jessica and the combined forces of Hook and Jake's crew. At the end of the episode Beatrice is last seen held captive by Captain Hook and his crew. Hook plans on leaving Beatrice Le Beak stranded on a deserted island but Beatrice Le Beak makes her escape yet again with Hook's Whirly-Hook.
In the episode Mystery of the Missing Treasure!,Captain Hook overhears Le Beak stole Jake's Team Treasure Chest and offered his assistance to help the young pirate reclaim their treasure chest but this was merely a rues so he could snatch up the treasure for himself.While Jake his crew confronted Beatrice Le Beak, Captain Hook attempt to make his escape with the treasure chest Beatrice soon become aware of Hook's scheme. While the two greedy pirates battle for control of the treasure chest Izzy use her pixie dust to lift the treasure chest out of Le Beak and Hook's grasp allowing Jake and his crew to control of the the Team Treasure Chest once more.
In the episode "The Sneaky Snook-Off ",Hook and Beatrice Le Beak compete in a Sneaky Snook-Off to determine who the true sneaky crook in Never Land.After Beatrice beats Hook during the first challenge a frog emerges from the brush scaring Le Beak.Giving Captain Hook the advantage in the second contest crossing through Frog Hollow first.Gaining Hook the victory.Beatrice was furious at Hook's dirty trick as he mocks Le Beak's fear of frogs.Beatrice soon learns the perfect revenge thanks to Mr. Smee accidentally revealing Hook's fear of Tick-Tock the Crocodile.
Captain Flynn
Captain Flynn is the most famous pirate to ever sail the Never Sea, much to Captain Hook's dismay who thinks very little of him,believing Never Land isn't big enough for two legendary pirate captains.Flynn has heard of Hook nefarious reputation in his travels as revealed in " Pirates of the Desert ".Hook is very envious of Flynn's fame, fans and admirers.
Nanny Nell
Nanny Nell is Captain Hook’s no-nonsense childhood nanny.As Nanny Nell revealed during her debut in the episode of same name , she help Mama Hook take care of James when he was a child.Hook has very fond memories of Nanny Nell and was please to welcome her abroad the Jolly Roger when she payed him a visit on his mother's behalf.
Queen Coralie
Hook with Queen Coralie
Hook doesn't care for the mermaid queen ever since their first encounter in Jake's Royal Rescue ,Hook tried to use the queen as a ransom to gain access to the mermaids vast riches,But the Queen ego and constant mispronouncing his name was to much for him to bare that he allows Jake and his crew to rescue much to their confusion. In the episode The Mermaid Queen's Voice ,Hook wanted to perform a concert to the inhabits of Never Land about himself when he learns Queen Coralie was set to host and preform her own concert at Mermaid Lagoon but come down with laryngitis right before the concert begins.Jake and his crew knew the magical waters of Fa-La-La Falls would restore the queens voice,Hook refused to be upstaged by the mermaid queen conspired to thwart Jake and his crew effort.Hook almost gets away with his plot until his mother intervene revealing she and Queen Coralie are friends,Captain Hook reluctantly return the bottle to Queen Coralie, restoring her voice.In the Sleeping Mermaid ,Captain Hook was the only one who could break the sleeping spell on Queen Coralie, Hook refuse to help Coralie, but with a little help from Marina using a large pearl as a reward Hook agreed to assist.It wasn't until Hook learned the final phase to break the spell that he had to kiss the queen,which he refused believing no treasure is worth such humiliation as he tries to flee,Jake and his crew manage to stop him by tugging at the captain's coat causing him to tumble backwards and accidentally kiss the sleeping mermaid. Once awake, Queen Coralie learned Hook released her from the sleeping spell through his kiss, to which both agree never to speak of this day again.
Episode Appearances
As the series main antagonist Captain Hook has appeared in every episode in the series during season 1-3.As of season four Hook is not feature in every episode.
Season One/Two/Three
For more pictures and screenshots of Captain Hook, click here .
Trivia
Hook's full name was revealed to be James Bartholomew Hook in the episode, " Mama Hook Knows Best! ".
In the episode " Never Say Never! " , it is revealed that Hook occasionally gets seasick despite being a pirate captain.A Similar case accrued in the episode " Hooked Together! " Hook claims he get seasick while crawling backwards.In the episode " Mer-Matey Ahoy! " he oddly gets seasick on calm seas.
In the episode " Big Bug Valley! " reveals Captain Hook suffers from Arachnophobia (a fear of spiders).
In the episode " The Never Night Star ", reveals Captain Hook suffers from Ophidiophobi (a fear of snakes).
In the episode " Hook's Treasure Nap ", Mr. Smee reveals that Captain Hook talks in his sleep, which becomes a key element in locating Hook's treasure.
In the episode " Jake's Home Run! ", Hook was heavily ostracized by others as a child until he began to hate the game.Later at the end of the episode he learns he has all the skills to play the sport and develops a love for the game.
In the episode " Pirate Rock! ",Captain Hook reveals that he always dreamed to be part of a pirate rock band.
At the end of episode " Captain Hook's New Hobby ",Hook developed a love for painting just like his mother.
| i don't know |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.