Culture Buzz: The baguettes come out at midnight…
Monday, January 17, 2022
If you have ever been to France you know that the French love their baguettes. You see them everywhere. If you spent a day counting all the baguettes you see in France you would be left with some unfathomable number. The French will eat just about everything on a baguette, but many believe the best thing to have on a baguette is, more baguette. They also tend to be very serious about their baguettes, by law you can only make them a certain way. That’s soooo French! The rural French have been known to travel for miles into town for a fresh baguette, while on the busy streets baguettes are more abundant than Starbucks coffee. Sit at a corner cafe, hopefully not a Starbucks, and you’re likely to see more baguettes passing by than people! The baguettes just might be plotting some sort of hostile takeover. (They do happen to make a surprisingly reliable weapon when backed into a corner…)
Anyhoo, since bakers are only human, they can’t stay up all hours to fulfill every fresh baguette emergency. So, it’s about time somebody came up with a way to get your baguette fix at any hour of the night. Enter Jean-Louis Hecht, baker extraordinaire, who built a special vending machine/oven that warms up and serves you a baguette on the spot. Brilliant!
Now the hungry masses can be served at Jean-Louis’ bakery through the night while, presumably, he relaxes at home with a baguette 🙂
History Schmistory: January 17. Toot-Toot!
Monday, January 17, 2022
1929: Popeye the Sailor Man, a cartoon character created by Elzie Segar, first appears in the Thimble Theatre comic strip. Deluded children begin eating spinach with the hopes of growing freakishly large forearms.
History Schmistory: January 17. How Uncivil!
Monday, January 17, 2022
January 17, 1918. Civil War in Finland!
GO THERE! Desert getaway? Take your skis!
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Curtis Palmer ‘Ski Dubai panorama’ June 20th 2007 via Flickr, creative commons attribution
If you’re going to build a mall in the desert, you must always include an indoor ski resort.
Well, that’s how they do it in Dubai anyway…
History Schmistory: January 16. The Impossible Dream…
Sunday, January 16, 2022
1605: Book One of Don Quixote (El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes is published in Madrid. Despite great efforts, the sport of Windmill Jousting never caught on.
Don Quixote charging the windmills by Dave Winer, May 5th 2009 via Flick, creative commons contribution
Not familiar with the story of Don Quixote? Are you not even sure how to pronounce it? Well there are plenty of versions out there, including the hit musical Man of La Mancha, and, of course, this faithful adaptation from Mr. Magoo…
History Schmistory: January 16. Nice Statute!
Sunday, January 16, 2022
January 16, 1786. Virginia Enacts Jefferson’s “Statute For Religious Freedom”.
GO THERE! A panoramic view of the past…
Saturday, January 15, 2022
Ever wonder what it’s like to live in ancient times? Well, artist Yadegar Asisi’s fantastically intricate panoramic displays are so massive, they might make you feel a little like that guy from Assassin’s Creed. His most recent project, on display at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, takes us back to the ancient city’s heyday, 129 AD.
By asisi GmbH (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Video Schmistory: January 15
Saturday, January 15, 2022
It’s a sticky wicket on this day in History.
History Schmistory: January 14. A Meeting of Minds!
Friday, January 14, 2022
January 14, 1943. Frank and Winston Rendezvous!
History Schmistory: January 13. Ford-ward Thinking!
Thursday, January 13, 2022
January 13, 1942. Henry Ford’s Plastic Car!
