(Photo by Scott Liddell) (Editor's note: We originally ran this piece in 2006, but we felt its message about the holiday was as relevant now as it was then. Please enjoy it and thank you.) In anticipation of this year's commotion, we had planned to focus our Thanksgiving edition of The Spark on ways to beat holiday stress. But as I sat down to write, I couldn't stop thinking about what's missing this holiday. This will be my 14th Thanksgiving without my mother, who died of cancer when I was 14 years old. The loss caught up with me this year, and I joined a local grief group. Today, I'm thankful for the strong strangers I met there: a homeless woman mourning the loss of her son while trying to remain together with her husband in a transitional home; a woman who lost her stepfather only three weeks before is finally beginning to grieve for the little brother she'd lost nearly a decade ago; a man who shyly admitted that he sprays his wife's perfume in the bedroom every so often after recently losing her. Most of us will experience holidays of missing at some point in our lives. While I thank my group for sharing their stories and their strength, I have some colleagues to thank as well. One editor cherishes her Yahoo! Messenger conversations with her husband in Iraq. They turn on their web cams so they can see each other. And their daughter leaves palmprints on the monitor after touching the image of her dad's face. Another editor is afraid he can't carve the turkey like his dad used to. But as he shares his father's Thanksgiving traditions with his young daughters, he is sure they will learn all the great things about Grandpa... Through our memories and the stories we share, our loved ones can live on, during the holidays and beyond them. Thank you for reading. Happy Thanksgiving. Suggested Sites... How to Remember a Loved One at the Holidays - listen to their favorite music. Light a candle. Plant a tree, or establish a scholarship. How to Cope With Grief During the Holidays - ways to cope with loss of a loved one the holiday season.

Directory categories: Bereavement, Grief Groups, Thanksgiving Graces and Blessings, Thanksgiving, Holiday Stress

Archived under: Bereavement, Death, Health, Holidays, Mental Health, Thanksgiving

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Yahoo! Directory resources for the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami.   Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: How to Help – Guide to relief agencies from Yahoo! News.   Japan Relief Efforts  – Yahoo!  Directory category listing other guides and established relief funds.   Disaster Relief Organization – Provides a broader list of aid organizations.   Japan Earthquake and Tsunami - March 11, 2011 – Collection of special news reports that provide ongoing coverage of the event.   Current Earthquake Reports – Maps and reports tracking current seismic activity.   Earthquake Prediction – Researchers exploring how earthquakes can be predicted.   Tsunamis – What they are and how coastal communities can prepare for them.   Disaster Preparedness Guides – Instructions on how to prepare for a disaster.   2011 Fukushima Nuclear Crisis – News articles and timelines.

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That's all she wrote. (Photo by Jonathan Blocker) In the beginning, it was just the Yahoo! Directory -- of course, it wasn't called "the directory" then: it was just Yahoo!. And when David and Jerry's pet dissertation-stalling project became more work than they could manage on their own, they assembled a team of unusual helpers. These "surfers" were a strange assortment -- ex-librarians, inquisitive generalists, obsessive-compulsives -- but they shared a few key traits: curiosity, an endless appetite for knowledge, and a passion for organizing information. Their goal (beyond satifying their own curiosity) was to help other users of the fledgling Internet find what they needed... even if they didn't know they needed it. The Spark wasn't there from the beginning, but once it launched, it seemed that it had been inevitable. For years we surfers had been discovering new and niche and surprising topics, digging deep into the Web for more information, and packaging it neatly for others to enjoy. It was a logical step to write a little snippet about a new category we'd created, or a new interest or event we'd learned about. Over the years we wrote short posts that barely scratched the surface, and near-novellas that gave readers plenty to think about. We wrote in character, in verse, in visual form, and by committee (sharing our memories, pet peeves and embarrassing secrets). Sometimes we even dropped the snark and wrote from the heart about personal experiences. Since February 2005, over 1,000 posts have been written by more than 50 surfers (only we're not called "surfers" anymore: we're now "editors"). We've had a marvelous time researching and writing and sharing, and we hope you've enjoyed it, too. If we've managed to spark any new interests or introduce you to anything previously unknown -- even if we've simply entertained you when you've stopped by our little corner of Yahoo! -- then we've done our jobs. But just as The Spark was an inevitable extension of our Directory work, it was also inevitable that eventually we'd have to move on as Yahoo! evolved. The Spark's run is over, and so we say farewell. Thank you, dear readers, for joining us over the last half a decade. On a personal note, as one of the original writers, a sometimes-editor, and a previous team leader for The Spark, I'd like to thank the dozens of people who have contributed in any way over the years. Special thanks go out to Lisa Eckstein and Heather Poyhonen, who each took the helm for a time, leading with cheer and patience, and to long-time editor Gordon Hurd, who helped us find our voice and contributed some of the best/worst puns I've ever heard. Most of all, my thanks go out Dave Sikula, who was not only an original team member and our fearless leader to the end, but at times a one-man Spark all on his own. He said more than any of us -- in number of posts and words-per-Spark -- so it's only fitting that he should get the last word: "It's been our pleasure and privilege to bring you the best in web results, fun facts, and just plain stupid stuff. If I may speak personally, I'd like to thank one of the finest groups of editors and writers ever assembled, whose passion, expertise, and humor are still reflected on these virtual pages. The Spark may be gone, but that spirit lives on. Thanks for the memories."     - Dave Sikula Suggested Sites... The Spark Archive - old Sparks live on.

Directory categories: The Spark

Archived under: Blogs, Internet, Nostalgia, Recaps, The Spark, Writers, Writing, Yahoo!, Yahoo! Directory

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Since February of 2005, The Spark has (mostly) been here five days a week, bringing you, our thousands of loyal readers, the odd, the unusual, and the just plain interesting. Over fifty Yahoo!s, past and present, have offered their expertise to entertain and enlighten you. We asked some of those writers to stroll down memory lane and mention some of their favorite Sparks of years past. Mitzi: I'm partial to "Smile! You're on Candid Camera," because I used to love the show as a kid and it's kind of a forerunner of reality shows. "Burns Night" was my first crack at writing a poem for The Spark, and "The Cottingley Fairies" -- just because I love fairies. Amy: I enjoyed the hunt: Digging about on the Internet looking for quirky, engaging content about something of interest to me. There was always something new to be learned -- and usually a moment (moments) of incredulity. I got to write about things I legitimately cared about ("Wheelin' to Work") as well as things I just found flat-out amusing (and which allowed for a bit of childish humor), like "Happy __________ Month." What can I say? The Spark was fun, attracted a special (cool, radicular) group of people, and gave me a chance to get published by a major Internet company. Not too shabby, eh? Liz G.: I've enjoyed writing about odd and obscure stuff. I never would have guessed I'd have an excuse to write about balloon animals, nudity, shaving, or even fertility in Russia -- for work! The Spark has also allowed me to champion causes, and to learn a thing or two. It's been a blast. Mike: As an original member of the On the Web/The Spark team, and the first and longtime image editor, I have seen this little engine grow and change in every way. But the best thing about working on The Spark is that I developed some halfway decent writing skills. I produced a few pieces that I'm fairly fond of (and also had a blast researching and writing) such as: my "TV Themes" piece (not to mention its two sequels), Superhero Fashion, a "Big Lebowski" piece (as The Dude), My Favorite Christmas Things, even the Olsen Twins (which a fellow Spark writer never let me live down), and one of my early pieces, the wonderful Wilhelm Scream -- the sound that I will never forget or miss in a movie, as it now stands out like Keanu Reeves' bad acting. I have also enjoyed several of my colleagues' pieces as well, but I'd rather just talk about me. ;-) Heather S.: It's been a fun year and a half writing for The Spark. Although I've written about some rather unusual topics, my favorite article has to be the one about food porn. It might have been all those highly enticing photos of gourmet meals, or the fact that I was really hungry while I was writing it, but it was a great deal of fun to write. All hail The Spark! Michelle: The Spark let me (get paid to) research micronations, chest hair fashion, sleeveface, buzzards, and lolcats. I got to write about things near and dear to me, like procrastination, board games, accordions, roller skating, treasure hunts, swearing, and hating clowns. I spent a surprising amount of time writing about fruitcakes, pirates, Halloween, and crafts, and I got to stir up arguments about caffeine, waiting tables, and vegetarian Thanksgiving meals. I wrote and punctuated badly, using fake words, and sometimes in verse. Everyone should have this much fun at work! Goodbye, Spark, old buddy. Adrienne: Though it has been many years since I contributed to The Spark, there are still some stories that I love to follow: the search for extraterrestrial life, science catching up to our imaginations, and finding new ways to explore our solar system. Dave: There are probably too many pieces to mention. I was particularly fond of the Tarzan piece and the Spark written entirely in limerick form, and I was more than happy to recap my appearance on Jeopardy. I was always good for snark, and was really proud when I was accused of being un-American for slamming the odious Miley Cyrus, but I also took potshots at the "Batman" TV show, toy safety, and the whole town of Branson, Missouri. I could also mention the Tunguska Event, the 1918 Flu Epidemic, failed assassins, the peccadilloes of Supreme Court justices, and the history of bananas, but I think I'll go with Godzilla and my salute to Vin Scully as my legacy pieces. Speaking personally, I'd like to thank everyone who contributed over the last half-decade, the writers and editors (particularly Lisa, Heather, and Michelle), and also all the folks who (unknowingly) lent us links and images. We couldn't have done it without them. Most of all, I'd like to thank you, our loyal readers, for sticking with us and giving us the chance to share a few minutes of cool stuff with you every day. Suggested Sites... The Spark of Yahoo! - five years of bringing you things you didn't know you wanted to know about. The Spark Writers - the people who brought you The Spark. The Spark: "Clip Show" - the day we changed our name from "On the Web" to "The Spark." You Tube: "So Long, Farewell" - the Von Trapps say it all for us.

Directory categories: The Spark, Collaborative Blogs, Writing, Creative Writing

Archived under: Blogs, History, Internet, The Spark, Writers, Writing, Yahoo!

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The Milestone Mo-Tel today. Winners get one free night. Losers get two. (That's the second time we've used that joke today.) If the whole world loves a winner, we have a weekend full of love ahead of us. Let's get started! The most obvious winners will be declared Thursday when either Clint Robertson or Brandy Kuentzel wins the right to become Donald Trump's latest Apprentice for one year. (We hope that the loser isn't stuck for two years ...) One of the three remaining teams on "The Amazing Race" will win a million smackers on Sunday. (Perhaps eating that sheep's head may have been worth it.) It's almost guaranteed that none of these winners will make Barbara Walters' list of the year's "Most Fascinating People," (most fascinating to her, anyway ...) but we’ll find out for sure Thursday. (Our guess for #1 on her list? The cameraman who smears the Vaseline all over the lens that photographs her.) And on Friday, they'll be handing out the Nobel Prizes. The Nobels aren't like the Oscars; everyone already knows who won and the winners have actually accomplished something that matters, rather than playing loveable oddballs. Saturday we'll see some sports winners. In the afternoon, someone (Cam Newton? Andrew Luck? LaMichael James?) will win the Heisman Trophy as the nation's finest college football player, and in the evening, either Georges St-Pierre or Josh Koscheck will take the welterweight championship at UFC 124 in Montreal. We assume the combatants will not resort to wheeling around the ring in roller skates, but while it would be appropriate (given that Thursday marks the anniversary of their 1884 patent), we'd have to warn them that such a thing would be just plain dangerous.) Sunday also marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bush v. Gore, which ensured that George W. Bush became the nation's 43rd president. Whether that made the country a winner or a loser, we'll leave up to you. Falling into a similar category is Larry King's retirement from his CNN talk show on Friday. (As with President Bush, we won't say whether that's a plus or a minus.) Weary travelers were winners 85 years ago Sunday, when the Milestone Mo-Tel, the world's first motel (short for "motor hotel"), opened in San Luis Obispo, California. If we stretch the definition of "winner" to include those whose birthdays fall this weekend, then we're lousy with winners. For example, Thursday sees the birthdays of both Margaret Hamilton (1902) and Redd Foxx (1922). Hamilton is best known for her role as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic, "The Wizard of Oz." Despite her indelible portrayal of one of the screen's great villains, Hamilton loved children and was a lifelong advocate for charities that benefitted kids and animals. Foxx was someone whose work, on the other hand, was decidedly not for kids. A veteran of the black vaudeville entertainment venues known as the "Chitlin' Circuit," Foxx recorded a series of "party records" in the 1950s that were both filthy and hilarious. He reached a mainstream fame in the '70s when he starred in "Sanford and Son," where his frequent feigned heart attacks were one of the show's running gags. In a supreme irony, he suffered an actual heart attack while rehearsing for another television show, but no one believed was it real until it was too late. Sunday would have been the 95th birthday of Frank Sinatra. The greatest popular singer of the 20th century, Sinatra was also an Oscar-winning actor, starred in numerous TV specials that consisted of nothing but him singing with his guests, and was the biggest attraction in Las Vegas when that title actually meant something. Monday, we celebrate the 192nd birthday of Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham Lincoln who was criticized in her time for her extravagant and spendthrift ways, and committed to a psychiatric hospital by her son Robert. While she was undoubtedly depressed, wouldn't any woman who’d lived through the death of three sons and the murder of her husband (while sitting next to him) feel the same? She was eventually declared competent and released, but her health was broken, and she died three years later. If birthday celebrants are winners, so too are those is show business who meet success, like performers and lovers of country music, who can celebrate the 83rd anniversary of the first broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry on Friday. The Opry has been a staple of radio and television in the decades since it debuted, highlighting the best in country, from Hank Williams and Minnie Pearl to Clint Black and Carrie Underwood. Someone who's appeared at the Opry (but has yet to be inducted into its member ranks) is Taylor Swift. Perhaps the Opry has been waiting for her to turn 21 - in which case, it need wait no longer! The Grammy-winning singer reaches her majority on Monday. Thursday will see the annual airing of the Rankin-Bass animated Christmas special, "The Year without a Santa Claus," which features memorable turns by Snow Miser and Heat Miser (who are also not members of the Opry). Friday is also the 55th anniversary of the "Mighty Mouse Playhouse's" television premiere. In TV's early days, broadcasters were desperate for material to air, so old movies and cartoons were natural fodder, and Paul Terry's "Mighty Mouse" cartoons were some of the oddest programs to come to the screen. Mini operatic melodramas, they featured the eponymous rodent singing his was through battles with the villainous Oil Can Harry. Mighty made a brief comeback in the 80s in a brilliant TV series produced by Ralph Bakshi, but he's been in retirement since self-appointed censor Donald Wildmon mistook the mouse's flower sniffing for drug use. (No, really.) Wildmon isn't the only well-intentioned, if-misguided, protector we mention, though, since Thursday is the anniversary of the founding of the John Birch Society, which has been protecting Americans from the Communists lurking under their beds for 52 years. Legitimate do-gooders have something to celebrate this weekend, too. Thursday is the U.N's annual International Anti-Corruption Day, dedicated to wiping out, well, corruption and promoting the rule of law, and Friday is both Human Rights Day and the beginning of Human Rights Week. We end by noting a delightful juxtaposition on Thursday. December 9, 1792, saw the first cremation in America, when statesman Henry Laurens died at his plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, and per his will, his body was burned. On the same date in 1886, Clarence Birdseye, inventor of frozen food was born. We're reminded of the choice Curly Howard was given in a Three Stooges short: to be burned at the stake or to have his head cut off. He opted for the former, on the reasoning that a hot stake's better than a cold chop. Good night! Suggested Sites... NBC: The Apprentice - Trump's hair; you're fired! CBS: The Amazing Race - who will be eliminated -- next? UFC 124 - they're at it yet again. The Very First Motel - the story of the Milestone. Sinatra.com - the Chairman of the Board.

Directory categories: Reality TV, College Football, Al gore, Hotels and Motels, Country Musicians

Archived under: 18th Century, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1980s, 19th Century, Abraham Lincoln, Actors, Advertising, American History, Animation, Anniversaries, Athletes, Awards, Biographies, Birthdays, Black History, Buildings, California, Cartoons, Celebrations, Celebrities, Censorship, Children´s TV, Christmas, Coincidence, College Football, College Sports, Comedians, Communism, Communists, Country Music, Dead Celebrities, Death, Depression, Elections, Entertainment, Events, First Ladies, Food and Drink, Football, Frank Sinatra, George Bush, Government, Health, History, Holidays, Human Rights, Humor, In Character, Invention, Inventors, Issues and Causes, Journalism, Journalists, Law, Legal Cases, Media, Men, Movie History, Movies, Music, News, Nobel Prize, Nostalgia, Politics, Presidential Candidates, Presidents, Radio, Reality TV, Recreation and Travel, Reporters, Roadside Attractions, Singers, Sports, Supreme Court, TV, Talk Show Hosts, The Three Stooges, The Wizard of Oz, Tourist Attractions, Travel, U.S. Elections, UFC, United Nations, United States, Vaudeville, Villains, Vintage, Witches, Women, Wrestlers, Wrestling

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