Celeb prints at Grauman's (Photo by soyignatius) Sid Grauman was a showman. In the Golden Age of Hollywood, patrons expected a quarter would buy them a full evening's entertainment in lavish surroundings, and that's just what Grauman provided. Beginning in 1918, Grauman built a trio of movie palaces that put all others to shame. The first was the aptly named Million Dollar Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. The second was the Egyptian Theatre, home of the first-ever "Hollywood premiere" -- Douglas Fairbanks's 1922 "Robin Hood." The crown jewel, however, was Grauman's Chinese Theatre, built at a cost of $2,000,000 (approximately $24 million today), and seating 2,000 patrons (and an orchestra of 65) in comfort and style. The most notable part of the Chinese Theatre (other than its Asian-inspired design) is its forecourt, paved with the footprints and autographs of over 200 of Hollywood's greatest stars. The tradition allegedly began when either Grauman or Natalie Talmadge stepped into a block of wet cement during the theatre's construction in mid-April, 1927. Regardless, when the theatre officially opened, Fairbanks and his wife, Mary Pickford -- who were possibly the biggest stars the movies have ever known -- were the first to immortalize their feet in Grauman's concrete. In the 80 years since, millions of tourists have come from around the world to compare their shoe sizes with those of Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe -- or others whose stars didn't burn quite as brightly. If you go, though, don't expect to see Charlie Chaplin's prints; they were removed in the 1950s when Charlie was accused of being a Communist. Suggested Sites... Grauman's Chinese Theatre - official site of the theatre and the most famous autograph collection in the world -- open 24 hours a day! Cinema Treasures - find a movie palace near you. Grauman's Chinese Forecourt Map - from Doug and Mary to Hugh Jackman -- the who's-who of who's where. Los Angeles Conservancy: Broadway Theatre District - if you're in Los Angeles anyway, you can't miss these movie palaces from the Golden Age of Movies. The Last Remaining Seats - see classic movies the way they were meant to be seen: in a giant auditorium with 2,000 strangers.

Directory categories: Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, Movie Theatres, Classic Hollywood Actors, Hollywood Travel

Archived under: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, Actors, Architecture, Buildings, California, Celebrities, Charlie Chaplin, Entertainment, Graumans Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movie Theatres, Movies, Theatres, Tourist Attractions

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U.S. Army influenza ward, 1918 (Coutesy of National Museum of Health and Medicine) No one really knows where it came from, but before it was done, it had taken the lives of up to 100 million people. We're speaking not of some movie monster, but of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Ninety-one years ago, a soldier at Fort Riley, Kansas, complained of flu symptoms. Within hours, 100 more soldiers were ill. By the end of the week, the number had jumped to 500. Thanks to new means of easy travel in the early 20th century, the virus spread quickly to Europe. Wartime censorship kept the worst news of the disease from the public until it hit Spain -- but when it did, the gusher of news burst, giving the flu its misleading name. The 1918 flu was unlike any other, in that it spread directly from birds to humans, and struck hardest in the population that would seem to have had the greatest immunity: young, healthy adults. At its peak, the virus killed hundreds a day. Physicians were helpless to stop it: antiviral drugs were decades away, and the only real "cure" was to quarantine the victims -- not an easy task when 500 million people worldwide were infected -- and hope for the best. Could it happen again? No one knows. Recent outbreaks of bird and swine flu have raised fears that another pandemic could be just around the corner, but so far, the world has escaped a return engagement. But just in case you felt safe, scientists have been able to recreate the flu virus -- and it's as potent as ever. If you feel a little achy tonight, it's probably nothing -- but you never know.... Suggested Sites... Flu Epidemic of 1918 - illustrated guide to the greatest pandemic in human history. Popular Mechanics: Spanish Flu Epidemic: 1918 - information on the outbreak and how to prepare for other emergencies. Nova: 1918 Flu - watch a segment on the recreation of the world's deadliest virus. American Experience: Influenza 1918 - timelines, photos, maps, and documents. Wikipedia: Spanish Flu - overview of the disease's onset, effects, and aftermath.

Directory categories: 1918 Influenza Epidemic, Influenza, Avian Influenza, Infectious Diseases, Flu Vaccination

Archived under: 1910s, Death, Disasters, Disease, Epidemics, Flu, Health, History, Medicine, Science

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(Photo by Thomas & Dianne Jones) In these tough economic times, even the jitteriest java junkie may have to face the tough choice between putting gas in the car and fueling their need for $4 skinny half-caf lattes. If tightening the belt on your coffee budget has left you with a killer caffeine-withdrawal headache, we have good news. You can save a lot of money -- and get much tastier coffee -- by not just grinding and brewing your joe at home, but by roasting it yourself, too. Home roasting sounds daunting at first, but the process is simple -- and cheap. Green coffee beans (which can be purchased from local roasters or ordered online) cost about half as much as roasted beans. Unlike their pre-roasted compatriots, which lose flavor quickly, they can survive storage of more than a year, so there's no reason not to buy in bulk. Small batches can be roasted and used within a few days, the peak of the beans' flavor and aroma, so that each cup you brew is guaranteed fresh -- and probably much tastier than any cup you've brewed before. You can pick the beans you want by processing method and region (even down to specific estates), which will determine the ultimate flavor of your brew. Best of all, when you control the roast, you can get your beans exactly as dark or as light as you like them, and can even create your own custom blends. As for the skill required... well, can you air-pop a bowl of popcorn? Then you can roast coffee. Beans just need heat and agitation (for about 4-25 minutes, depending on your method and how dark you want your roast), then a quick cool-down, and you're in the brew business. You could buy a fancy roaster, but many home-roasters swear by basic air-poppers -- that you may be able to find secondhand for roughly the cost of one of those store-bought skinny half-caf lattes. Suggested Sites... CoffeeKid: A Home Roasting Primer - the history and revival of home roasting. Roasting Coffee With a Popcorn Popper - easy-to-follow instructions from CoffeeGeek.com. Roasting Coffee Beans in Popcorn Popper - in under five minutes, this video can teach you to be a home coffee Sweet Maria's Coffee Library - tons of information from a popular retailer of green beans and roasting equipment. HomeRoasters.org Discussion Board - a lively forum for home-roasters.

Directory categories: Coffee Roasting, Coffee, Coffee Retailers and Accessories, Coffee Roasters and Brands

Archived under: Caffeine, Coffee, Cooking, Creativity, Food and Drink, Gadgets, Homemade, How-To, Recipes

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Batman's first appearance in Detective Comics #27 In 1939, 24-year-old comics artist Bob Kane was not having a lot of success. But one day, he got a phone call from DC Comics. DC was trying to come up with a costumed superhero to capitalize on its success with Superman, and wondered if Kane had any ideas. Looking for inspiration, he thought of the swashbuckling movies of Douglas Fairbanks, a flying apparatus designed by Leonardo da Vinci, and a movie thriller called "The Bat Whispers," and came up with a character called "The Bat-Man." Unfortunately, that "Bat-Man" wore red tights and a domino mask and looked about as threatening as Little Orphan Annie. Seeking help, Kane turned to writer Bill Finger, who junked most of Kane's ideas and implemented his own. He put the character in grey and black, added a scalloped cape, gloves, and a cowl with bat ears. Finger's final touch was the name "Bruce Wayne." With that, the Batman we more or less know today was created. Today we note the 70th anniversary of the publication of Detective Comics #27, which featured the first appearance of Batman, supposedly created solely by artist Bob Kane. But despite the credit line that still appears on every Batman comic, cartoon, and movie, Kane was probably the least involved of the team members that created the Caped Crusader. Kane was a poor artist and "swiped" many of the images in those early stories. Where Kane excelled was in his business sense and marketing ability, so he signed a contract with DC that gave them exclusive rights to Batman in exchange for sole credit going to Kane for "creating" the Dark Knight. Kane soon farmed out the actual work of drawing Batman to such artists as Sheldon Moldoff, George Roussos, Ray Burnley, Charles Paris, Lew Sayre Schwartz, and, most notably, Jerry Robinson and Dick Sprang. Robinson was responsible for refining the look of Batman and creating the Joker, Alfred, and Robin. Well, actually, he only named Robin. The Boy Wonder was one of Bill Finger’s many creations, along with The Penguin, Catwoman, Two-Face, The Riddler, the Batmobile, the Batcave, the name "Gotham City," and dozens of other characters and concepts. While Robinson moved on to other things (including becoming an award-winning editorial cartoonist, teaching at the School of Visual Arts, The New School, and the Parsons School of Design, and writing the first history of the comic art form) Finger continued working more or less anonymously for DC, co-creating the Green Lantern (this time for credit), and turning out classic Superman and Batman stories in the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Bob Kane died in 1998, never fully acknowledging the contributions of his collaborators. Robinson, however, now 87, has worked tirelessly to ensure creators' rights (including shaming DC Comics into giving a pension to Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster). Robinson greatly responsible for founding the Bill Finger Award, given annually at San Diego's Comic-Con International to writers who were not sufficiently honored in their own lifetimes. Suggested Sites... Bob Kane.com - dedicated to the Caped Crusader's co-creator. Dial B for Blog: Secret Origins of The Batman - Robby Reed looks for the facts behind the legend. The Haunting of Robert Kane - Robby reveals the truth about Bob Kane's contributions to Batman. POV Online: Dick Sprang - Mark Evanier tells the story of one of the finest of Bob Kane's ghosts. You Tube: Jerry Robinson and the Creation of the Joker - the creator discusses the origin of the Clown Prince of Crime.

Directory categories: Batman, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Comic Book Artists, Comic Book Writers

Archived under: 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, American History, Anniversaries, Artists, Batman, Books, Cartoonists, Collectibles, Comic Books, Comics, Cover Ups, Entertainment, Impersonators, Secrets, Superheroes, Writers, Writing

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Central Park, NYC (Photo by Oquendo) Being a New Yorker (if not by birth, then at least by choice), I couldn't imagine my life without Central Park. One of the few truly green respites in a seemingly endless sprawl of concrete, steel, and glass, Central Park is where New Yorkers assemble to collectively slow down, relax, replenish, and breathe. If Times Square is the heart of NYC, then Central Park is certainly its lungs -- supplying much-needed oxygen to a bustling body constantly on the go. This weekend we celebrate the birth of the man considered to be "the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation's foremost parkmaker," Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted started his career as a journalist, which provided him the opportunity to travel throughout the U.S. and abroad, sparking his interest in public gardens and parks. He partnered with English-born architect Calvert Vaux to enter the Central Park design contest and they were awarded the job in 1858. They followed Central Park with Brooklyn's Prospect Park and continued to work together off and on for the rest of their careers, although Olmsted's larger than life personality and social standing often overshadowed Vaux's contributions. Olmsted's legacy includes (among many others) the Niagara Reservation (the country's oldest state park) in Niagara Falls; the Emerald Necklace in Boston; the Belle Isle Park in Detroit; Washington, Jackson, and Midway Plaisance Parks in Chicago; and Montebello Park in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. His fundamental design principle, born out of his observations of social class structure around the world and his vehement opposition to slavery, was that his parks and gardens should be accessible to all citizens regardless of social standing. This egalitarian ideal, taken somewhat for granted today, was revolutionary in Olmsted's time and helped to plant his reputation as America's preeminent landscape architect. Suggested Sites... National Association of Olmsted Parks - coalition of design and preservation professionals, historic property and park managers, scholars, municipal officials, citizen activists, and representatives of numerous Olmsted organizations around the United States. The Frederick Law Olmsted Society - dedicated to sustaining Olmsted's vision for Riverside for generations to come. Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance - preservation advocacy group for the architectural and landscape design work of Calvert Vaux. CentralPark.com - features extensive information on NYC's Central Park and The Central Park Zoo. Central Park Conservancy - private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park.

Directory categories: Frederick Law Olmsted, NYC's Central Park , Landscape Architecture, Land Conservation, Parks and Public Lands

Archived under: 19th Century, Architects, Architecture, Biographies, Birthdays, Design, Environment, History, Landscaping, Nature, New York, Outdoors, Parks, Tourist Attractions, Trees

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