Subscribe
 

Posts Tagged ‘anniversary’

Celebrating 72 Years of Animated Feature Films!

Posted by Katie on December 21, 2009 in General

Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarfs72 years ago today, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, making it the first full length animated film produced in America!

Despite being over 70 years old, the film has remained a favorite of fans and critics alike!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was one of only two animated films to make it into the American Film Institute’s list of top 100 American films of all time in 2007 — and in 2008, AFI named it the greatest animated film of all time!

Other AFI animated favorites? Check out their top 10:

  1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
  2. Pinocchio (1940)
  3. Bambi (1942)
  4. The Lion King (1994)
  5. Fantasia (1940)
  6. Toy Story (1995)
  7. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
  8. Shrek (2001)
  9. Cinderella (1950)
  10. Finding Nemo (2009)

To learn more, check out filmsite.org!

Happy Birthday Bama!

Posted by Katie on December 14, 2009 in General

al_seal-300x300Alabama, our nation’s 22nd state, joined the Union 190 years ago today! This beautiful state is often known as the Heart of Dixie and is home to almost 4.6 million residents.

Those of you who have visited Alabama know it’s a beautiful state with a fascinating history. But for all of you out there who have never traveled down to Alabama, we’ve listed some facts about the state to share with you all! To learn more, visit 50states.com.

  • Alabama introduced the Mardi Gras to the western world. The celebration is held on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins.
  • Alabama workers built the first rocket to put humans on the moon.
  • The world’s first Electric Trolley System was introduced in Montgomery in 1886.
  • Alabama is the only state with all major natural resources needed to make iron and steel. It is also the largest supplier of cast-iron and steel pipe products.
  • Montgomery is the capital and the birthplace of the Confederate States of America.
  • Baseball player Henry Louis (Hank) Aaron was born in Mobile in 1934.
  • The word Alabama means tribal town in the Creek Indian language.
  • Hitler’s typewriter survived from his mountain retreat and is exhibited at the Hall of History in Bessemer.
  • Blount County was created on February 7, 1818 and is older than the state.
  • The pecan is the Alabama’s official nut.

Happy Birthday to the Hoosier State

Posted by Katie on December 11, 2009 in General

2942440-Welcome_to_Indiana-IndianaAnyone from Indiana? If so, today is your state’s 193rd birthday!

Indiana was the 19th state admitted to the Union and is now home to over 6.3 million people — and one of America’s biggest sporting events — the Indianapolis 500.

Ok, so under normal circumstances, I’m not really into race cars. But I have to say, you can’t ignore a competition as huge as the Indy 500.

The race is 500 miles long and cars can travel as fast as 240 mph! Sound crazy? Let me put that in perspective. At 238 mph, a driver would cover the size of a football field in one second and if he or she blinks an eye, they’ve missed 50 feet of track.

Don’t take it from me, check out Doc’sSports.com to learn more!

The Washington Monument turns the big 1-2-5!

Posted by Katie on December 06, 2009 in General

washington_monumentIf you’ve ever been to our nation’s capital, you’ve seen it. In fact, it’s pretty hard to miss.

The Washington Monument stands over 555 feet and is D.C.’s tallest structure. The obelisk is near the west end of the National Mall and was built to commemorate President George Washington.

To learn more, I visited buzzle.com and picked up some interesting facts.

Facts About the Washington Monument

  • The corner stone was laid on July 4, 1848. The same trowel was used that George Washington used to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol way back in 1793. Thousands gathered around the construction site to celebrate the moment.
  • The walls of the monument are 15 feet thick at the bottom and 18 inches at the top.
  • The walls are covered with white marble that was brought in from Maryland.
  • While the monument is hollow on the inside, the inner walls are set with 189 memorial stones that are carved and were presented by individuals, cities, states, societies and other countries.
  • The point at which construction was stopped in 1858 can be identified as the stones used above 152 feet have a darker tone of color when compared to the original ones.
  • The Washington Monument is surrounded by flagpoles, each flag representing a flag of the state.
  • The total cost of building the monument was $1,817,710.
  • The construction of the monument was completed 30 years after the death of its architect, Robert Mills.

Happy 191st Birthday Illinois!

Posted by Katie on December 03, 2009 in General

Chicago SkylineI’m sending birthday wishes to everyone from the great state of Illinois. Yes, it is the 191st birthday of our nation’s 21st state!

In some respects Illinois is a traditional Midwestern farm state, but it is also home to one of the most vibrant cities in the world — Chicago!

Chicago is the 3rd largest city in America and home to more than 2.8 million people! But it’s also home to many nicknames! According to The City of Chicago Blog:

One of the most popular Chicago monikers would be “The Windy City.” There has been much debate and confusion as to how Chicago got this monicker. Some say because Chicago is a naturally breezy area due to it’s proximity to Lake Michigan. Some say it came from former rival city Cincinnati, describing Chicago as “windy” or full of bluster. The most popular origin of this nickname is that it was coined by the editor of the New York Sun, Charles Anderson Dana, in 1890 in reference to the city’s claims for the World’s Columbian Exposition.

Another popular nickname for Chicago is “Second City.” Some people think that this nickname refers to Chicago being the second largest city, when in actuality it refers to Chicago’s rebirth after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Here are some more minor Chicago nicknames:
Chi-Town or Chitown
Chicagoland
The White City
City by the Lake
City of the Big Shoulders
City of Broad Shoulders
City of the Century
The 312
City on the Make
The City That Works
The Big Onion
City in a Garden
Hog-Butcher to the World
Beirut by the Lake
New York Done Right
Illville
I Will City
Paris on the Prairie
Sweet Home
Heart of America
The 773
The Alley Capital of America

Celebrating San Jose!

Posted by Katie on November 29, 2009 in General

San_jose_california_1875It’s getting cold outside and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I could use a getaway! Maybe I should head out to San Jose to celebrate their 232rd birthday!

Yes, California’s third-largest city is celebrating their birthday today and with over 230 years under their belt, what a birthday it is!

To learn a little more about the history of this beautiful city, I turned to SanJose.org.

When the Spaniards arrived, they built a chain of 21 missions from San Diego up to Sonoma, and a series of forts. In 1776, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza was charged by the Spanish king to lead settlers from New Spain to Nueva (later “Alta”) California. After stopping at Monterey, De Anza continued north, scouting sites for the Presidio of San Francisco, Mission San Francisco de Asis, and El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, now San Jose. Though a surveyor, not founder, De Anza’s legacy lives on throughout California, in the names of towns, parks, and roads.

El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe was officially founded on November 29, 1777, the first town in the Spanish colony Nueva California. It took its name from Saint Joseph, patron saint of pioneers and travelers, and from the Guadalupe River. You can visit the last surviving adobe from the De Anza era—the 1797 Peralta Adobe (named for an inhabitant) in downtown San Jose.

If you want to learn more about the beautiful San Jose, California, visit SanJose.org.

Rocky & Bullwinkle turn 50

Posted by Katie on November 22, 2009 in General

The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show150 years ago this week, the lovable moose and squirrel duo first aired on ABC’s Rocky and His Friends. Tanner Stransky on the Entertainment Weekly PopWatch blog reminisces:

This morning, to celebrate the show’s birthday, I just found myself digging through old clips from the show on the RetroHero YouTube page (they’re not blog-embeddable, so that’s why I’m linking!) and just smiling. How can you not love this squirrel and moose pair? (Personally, though, the nasty Natasha was always my favorite.) For a little trip back to Frostbite Falls, Minn., where Rocky and Bullwinkle lived, you can enjoy the show’s original opening credits here:

There are lots of other clips out there to enjoy, too, as you celebrate the show’s 50th birthday.

Happy birthday Rocky, Bullwinkle, and the gang — you’ve always kept me laughing :)

Happy Birthday Hoyas!

Posted by Josh on November 15, 2009 in General

bulldog_logoAnyone out there a Georgetown grad?

If so, wish your alma mater a happy birthday! Georgetown University opened its doors on November 15, 1791. While that makes it one of the oldest universities in the country, it’s not the oldest — that honor belongs to Harvard University.

Georgetown is known for many things, including its fine academic standing, the nation’s oldest student dramatic society, and notable alumni including current Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Happy birthday Georgetown! Here’s to many more.

Music Fans, Anyone?

Posted by Josh on November 09, 2009 in General

253px-Rolling_stone.svgOn November 9, 1967 the very first issue of Rolling Stone Magazine was published, making the publication 42 years old today!

With music legends like John Lennon, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and the Beatles rocking the cover, I expect Rolling Stone will celebrate many birthdays to come! For more info on the veteran music magazine, check out this Washington Post article here.

Big Bird's birthday is a time to remember the magic of 'Sesame Street'

Posted by Josh on November 04, 2009 in General

sesame_streetToday is a big day for an unusually large bird. Big bird, his pals, and their wonderful PBS children’s show Sesame Street turn 40 today. Since its inception, the show has become a cultural phenomenon and a household name. The New York Daily News discusses the show’s history and its enormous impact on children (and parents) everywhere:

[The show] was years ahead of its time in promoting values that are now taken for granted in many places – accepting and appreciating diversity, not making assumptions based on gender, and being sensitive to cultural and economic differences, are all ideas the show emphasized before it was fashionable to do so.

It was also innovative in incorporating jokes and references that only adults would appreciate, including pop music. A 3-year-old won’t realize that a song ”Letter B” is a spoof of The Beatles. But parents did, and it kept them, and their kids watching.

Celebrities and cultural figures appear regularly on the show. First Lady Michelle Obama made a recent visit to promote gardening and healthy eating habits.

But part of “Sesame Street’s” message is that celebrity or not, we’re all equal and deserving of respect, and that’s how we should treat each other, too.

So thank you, Sesame Street, for making childhood more fun and teaching us valuable life lessons that are still as relevant and important today as they were 40 years ago. Happy birthday, and here’s to many more.

Next Page »