History Schmistory: August 17. Moving stick-people? One please!
Saturday, August 17, 2019
1908: Fantasmagorie by Emile Cohl, debuts as the first animated film in history. Try it with your own soundtrack! … …Or don’t.
History Schmistory: July 27. Lend me your ears…..
Saturday, July 27, 2019
1890: Vincent van Gogh shoots himself; he dies two days later. Insert ear joke here.
!['Self Portrait' Vincent van Gogh [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/489px-VanGogh-self-portrait-with_bandaged_ear.jpg)
‘Self Portrait’
Vincent van Gogh [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory, June 29: A Midsummer Nightmare
Saturday, June 29, 2019
1613 – Shakespeare’s Globe Theater burned down. That light through the yonder window breaking? It was a fire. And while all that glistens may not be gold, all that is red and hot is most likely going to burn down a building.
“Globe Theatre, circa 1616” – Detail from van Visscher’s original panorama, circa 1616.
History Schmistory, June 24: Dance Dance Revolution!
Monday, June 24, 2019
1374 – A sudden outbreak of St. John’s Dance caused people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapse from exhaustion.This phenomena, know as “Dancing Mania” spread throughout Europe over the next few decades.
And still continues to effect “victims” all over the world today…
Featured Video: Louis XVI Takes a Selfie
Friday, June 21, 2019
MarcoNaut, Matt, telling us about his experience at Versailles!
http://youtu.be/CvMSYV_acpE
History Schmistory, June 13: Act One For Adriana.
Thursday, June 13, 2019
1655 – Adriana Nooseman-van de Bergh became the 1st actress in Amsterdam theater. That diva was never late for dress rehearsal!
You're nailing the happy/sad bipolar thing.
History Schmistory, March 28: Mona Winks!
Thursday, March 28, 2019
1794 – The Louvre Museum in Paris opens to the public.
History Schmistory: February 22. “As bad as Moose Murders?”
Friday, February 22, 2019
1983: After 13 dismal previews, the notorious Broadway flop Moose Murders opens and closes on the same night at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. It is now basically the standard by which all horrible plays that find their way to the Broadway stage are compared, and it pretty much loses every time. NY critics were literally in competition to see who could write the most witheringly scornful review.
Here’s some highlights:
“…The only stage play I ever saw presented in stereo-odoriferous Smellovision.” -John Simon
“Those of us who have witnessed the play… will undoubtedly hold periodic reunions, in the noble tradition of survivors of the Titanic.” -Frank Rich
“…Would insult the intelligence of an audience consisting entirely of amoebas” -Brendan Gill
In fairness, we have never seen or read the play, but from the reviews it seems likely that Eugene O’Neill didn’t just roll in his grave, he’s been rotating on a spit ever since. Zing!
History Schmistory: February 21. “The new phone book’s here, the new phone book’s here!”
Thursday, February 21, 2019
1878: The first telephone book is issued in New Haven, Connecticut. It was basically one cardboard page with a list of 50 businesses that could afford to have telephones. There was no number system yet, as every connection could be made by one operator at a switchboard. Over the next hundred years the phonebook took a giant step, partly by becoming just that; a giant step, perfect for reaching the cookie jar and other such unobtainables. Today it appears the phone book is doomed of extinction. Should we do away with phone books altogether? Who knows, maybe in another hundred years, they might be the only thing left to keep us warm. Let’s hope not.
-In the meantime here’s some other cool stuff you can do with them…
GO THERE! …or wait until it’s finished.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
The Sanctuary of Truth is a temple in Pattaya, Thailand, visualized by Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphant in 1981. The sanctuary is an all-wood building filled with Visionary art carvings based on traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs. A team of 250 carvers contribute to the project, which is technically not scheduled to be completed until 2025. But at this point we think it’s awesome enough to check out as is.
