B98.5 » History

Mars Rock for Sale at $22,500 an Ounce

Randy McCoy — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:30:30 +0000

About six months ago, around 15 pounds of Mars rocks fell to Earth and NASA has just confirmed the rock is indeed from the red planet. The meteor was found in Morocco by meteor hunters and you can now buy a piece of Mars. One ounce of the Mars rock costs 10 times the amount [...]

Casey at the Bat Celebrates 125 Years

Randy McCoy — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:35 +0000

The poem "Casey at the Bat", is celebrating its 125th year in 2013, but the story behind the poem is political, sort of. Ernest L. Thayer, the author of the poem, was an editor of the Harvard Lampoon while he attended Harvard College along with William Randolph Hearst. Hearst’s father was running for the Senate in 1888 and was looking for something to promote his brand of politics, so bought the San Francisco Examiner, which he gave to his son when the election was over.

The History of Mother's Day

Randy McCoy — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:30:37 +0000

With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, May 12, it will mark 99 years since President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. The idea of Mother’s Day in the United States, goes back even further to 1904 and Anna Jarvis, who is considered the founder of Mother’s Day.

America 100 Years Ago

Randy McCoy — Sat, 04 May 2013 00:31:27 +0000

Found a great web site, rense.com, it tells about what America was like 100 years ago: The average life expectancy in the U.S was 47 years. Only 14 per cent of homes in the U.S. had bathtubs. Only 8 per cent of home had a telephone. A three minute call from Denver to New York [...]

What Did The Earth Smell Like Millions Of Years Ago? Rotten Eggs

Randy McCoy — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:22:57 +0000

Research has been done to determine the smell of Earth 1.9 million years ago using tiny fossils from rocks around Lake Superior, Canada. The fossils of ancient microbes show the discarded leftovers of early meals showing a type of feeding on organic matter was taking place. Microbes feasted on bacteria called Gunflintia and evidence showed [...]

Stonehenge Looking for a New General Manager

Randy McCoy — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:35:26 +0000

If you’re looking for a job, English Heritage may be looking for you, they are looking for a general manager for Stonehenge, yes, THE Stonehenge. This December, there will be a new visitor center completed at the site, and part of the new GM's job will be to oversee the center along with 80 employees and 100 volunteers. The GM will also be responsible for bringing the facility into a new era.

Your Favorite Pop Culture Teachers Then and Now

Kyle Dowling — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:35:24 +0000

While making an effort to mold young minds the pop culture teachers of our past (and recent past) succeeded in not only learning us a thing or two but also in making themselves stars. . So let’s pay tribute and look back at some of our favorite film/TV educators then and now. Ray Walston, 'Fast [...]

Girl's Names That Aren't as Popular Anymore

Randy McCoy — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:44:15 +0000

Ancestory.com did a little digging to find out what popular girls names from the past you don’t see or hear much anymore. These are names that were common in their day, but aren’t as common now. The names aren’t strange or hard to spell; they are now considered ‘vintage’ names. In the 1940’s, Joyce was [...]

History Developing 'Sons of Liberty' Series, Let the 'Sons of Anarchy' Jokes Begin

Kevin Fitzpatrick — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:45:07 +0000

History has carved out quite a presence in the world of original scripted series this past year, between the Emmy wins of 'Hatfields & McCoys,' the breakout success of 'The Bible' and a season 2 renewal for 'Vikings,' and now the historical network has added yet another buzz-worthy mini-series to its development slate. History has officially announced 'Sons of Liberty,' a new Revolutionary War drama following some of America's most integral figures, but will the drama prove as monumental as history itself?

Milk in a Bottle for the First Time in 1879

Randy McCoy — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:33:55 +0000

It’s amazing to think that milk first appeared in glass bottles for the first time in the United States 1879 and was a big improvement in hygiene and convenience. Before milk came in a bottle, people would buy it as a bulk item usually from a keg or bucket and put it in any type of container they had. The new method of delivery caught on fast with some states requiring milk to be sold in a bottle by the first decade of the 20th century.