Famous for all eternity; Donald Trump only wishes he had this much bling Photo by v.williams46 Few historical figures are mired in as much mystery as the young boy king, Tutankhamun. Had he died in the 21st century, it's likely his face would have been plastered across celebrity gossip blogs (alongside pictures of his enormous treasure trove of wealth) and Internet forums endlessly circulating rumors regarding his cause of death. To this day, historians are still uncertain how Tutankhamun died so suddenly at age 19. However, had it not been for his untimely death, he might have been lost in historical obscurity; just another Egyptian pharaoh with a lot of pretty baubles. Sure, Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army is one of the greatest archeological discoveries of modern times, but did Steve Martin perform a song about him? British Egyptologist Howard Carter first discovered the steps to Tutankhamun's tomb under the remains of workers' huts in November of 1922, more than 3,000 years after it had first been sealed. A few weeks later on November 26, Carter and Lord Carnarvon entered the antechamber of the tomb, uncovering one of the most extensive and well-preserved burial sites of a pharaoh to date. Their discovery vaulted Tutankhamun out of royal anonymity and into the same sphere of other tragic historical figures such as Pocahontas, the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, and Princess Diana. Within a short period of time, Tutankhamun had gone from a blip in an ancient line of rulers, to a mysterious young king frozen inside a gilded fairytale. People love a good story, but there's something unique about that combination of wealth, privilege, and a life cut down at its prime that continues to pique our curiosity. Suggested Sites... Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs - official website of the touring exhibition. Tutankhamun at the Griffith Institute - pictures of the original excavation, excerpts from Howard Carter's diary, and maps of the site. Global Egyptian Museum - a virtual museum that gathers artifacts and pictures from all over the world. The Mysteries of King Tut - National Geographic's exploration on the boy king, with photos, stories, and more. Theban Mapping Project - a project to catalog tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Theban Necropolis.

Directory categories: Tutankhamun, The Curse of King Tut, Howard Carter, Egyptian History, Egyptology

Archived under: 1920s, Ancient History, Archaeology, Curses, Egypt, History, Museums, Royalty, Tutankhamun

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

Ross in his prime. You wouldn't think a guy with hair like that would be such a cultural icon. In the 1920s, only one American city was the center of art and commerce: New York. And in that city, only one magazine kept track of it all: "The New Yorker." And in that magazine, only one person mattered: founder and editor Harold Ross. Ross was born November 6, 1892, in Aspen, Colorado, and soon developed printer's ink in his blood. By 13, he had dropped out of school to work at the Denver Post, and by 25 he had worked for six other newspapers, from San Francisco to Atlanta. During World War I, Ross' talents got him a job in Paris, editing the Army newspaper, "Stars and Stripes." His fellow staff members included drama critic Alexander Woollcott and New York columnist Franklin P. Adams -- both of whom would go on to play roles in Ross' plans. After the war, he settled in Manhattan, where he worked on those plans -- to create a weekly magazine that would analyze, comment on, and play a role in the cultural life of the city. It would not, Ross insisted, be a magazine for "the old lady in Dubuque." It would be sophisticated and urbane -- but not snobby. It had standards, but if a reader was witty or informed enough, he or she would be a member of the club. In the depths of the winter of 1925, the first issue of "The New Yorker" rolled off the presses. Despite some glitches, such as a joke ("Pop: A man who thinks he can make it in par. Johnny: What's an optimist, Pop?") that ran with the set-up and punchline reversed -- a error reprinted in every anniversary issue for years -- the magazine was an instant hit. In the decades since, it has come to be considered the gold standard of American magazines. That respect is due almost entirely to Ross. He personally edited virtually every word that appeared in every issue until his death in 1951, and, despite his own poor spelling, his meticulousness for precise grammar, clarity, and good writing attracted such notables as Vladimir Nabokov, John Updike, Ernest Hemingway, John Hersey, Ann Beattie, John Cheever, Roald Dahl, Alice Munro, John O'Hara, Philip Roth, J.D. Salinger, Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, Irwin Shaw, Woody Allen, James Thurber, E.B. White (whose own prose style was crucial in setting the magazine’s voice and tone), and even Marlon Brando. But the literary aspect of "The New Yorker" was only part of the package. Each issue was filled with cartoons by artists like Charles Addams, Peter Arno, George Booth, Roz Chast, George Price, Saul Steinberg, William Steig, and Thurber again. So good were (and are) the cartoons, that many readers never get past them and are still satisfied they got their money’s worth. Despite Woollcott describing him as looking like "a dishonest Abe Lincoln," Ross' contributions to the culture of Manhattan and America are impossible to calculate. His sensibilities shaped the ways plays were written, movies received, and books were published, and it's almost impossible to imagine American -- and world -- culture without him. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: Harold Ross - overview of Ross' life and career. The New Yorker - bringing the world to New York -- and vice versa -- since 1925. The New Yorker Cartoon Bank - pretty near every cartoon ever seen in the magazine, yours for the asking. Harold Wallace Ross - biography of The New Yorker's founder. Harold Ross: The History - the BBC takes a look at Ross and his magazine.

Directory categories: Harold Ross, The New Yorker, E.B. White, Magazines, Manhattan

Archived under: 1920s, Authors, Biographies, Birthdays, Cartoons, Journalism, Literature, Magazines, Media, New York, Society and Culture, The New Yorker

Post a comment (1) | Email this posting

Stalin, prior to death and relocation You know you're a bad guy when people don't want your body around, even after you're dead. Our case in point is Joseph Stalin, who was kicked out of his resting place on October 31, 1961. After his death, Stalin's embalmed body had been put in Lenin's tomb, but eight years later, Khrushchev gave him the boot. As part of the new leader's De-Stalinization campaign, Stalin's corpse was moved to a burial ground outside the walls of the Kremlin. Stalin wasn't the first controversial person to have his corpse moved from its original resting place. In one of the more bizarre cases in history, John Wycliffe's body was dug out of its grave, burnt, and the ashes deposited into the Thames River in 1428 -- over forty years after he died. This posthumous condemnation was designed to prevent Wycliffe's Protestant supporters from using his body as a relic. People sure did get their knickers in a twist about religion back then: Wycliffe’s biggest offense was translating the Bible into English. As for Stalin, the removal of his body has spawned a generation of fantastic Soviet jokes, which I learned from Emil Draitser's book, "Taking Penguins to the Movies: Ethnic Humor in Russia." My personal favorite regards a conversation between an ethnic Russian and an ethnic Georgian, who's just noticed that Stalin's body has disappeared (note bene: Stalin was Georgian): "Listen, comrade! What's happened to such a handsome mustached man, his decorations all over him, who was lying over here? Where is he? Where did you take him?" In order not to embitter the Georgian, one of the guards begins to explain: "Well, you know, his relatives came over…They took him away." "They took him away?! Can it be? And what about him?" He points to Lenin, "Why didn't anyone take him away? Is he an orphan, or what?" Indeed, Stalin is gone from Red Square, while Lenin remains, even 50 years later. If you have a hankering to see the body of somebody who died in 1924 (an odd memorial, if you ask me), you can still pay your respects. You may, however, have to wait in line. Suggested Sites... Lenin Mausoleum Homepage - see visitor information, as well as historical photos. Stalin Internet Archive - read Stalin's bio, writings, and see pictures. Russian Tourist Board’s guide to Moscow - figure out what to visit in Moscow.

Directory categories: Joseph Stalin, 20th Century Soviet Leaders, 20th Century Soviet History, The Cold War

Archived under: 1920s, 1950s, 1960s, Dead Celebrities, Death, History, Joseph Stalin, Russia

Post a comment (2) | Email this posting

"I don't believe what I just saw!" (Photo by tree & j hensdill) What is the rabid sports fan to do, once he or she leaves the home territories -- the "Friendly Confines," if you will -- of their favorite team? When you become attached to a team, you want to -- you need to -- follow its exploits and discuss its chances with like-minded fans who are eager to praise it or damn it -- as necessary. But what to do if you're a member of Steeler Nation who moves to Seattle, or if you're a Packer Backer in Pensacola? Fear not, for the sports bar has made it possible for you to gather with your fellow fanatics and root, root, root for the home team -- even if that ballclub is a continent away. The tavern dedicated to athletic endeavors is not a new phenomenon; saloons such as Toots Shor and Jack Dempsey's in Manhattan were all the rage in the 1920s. But satellite TV, the collaborative nature of the Internet, and the leagues themselves have made it possible to watch far-away games as they happen. So while you may not be able to find a place where "everybody knows your name," you can certainly find a watering hole where everybody knows that that idiot on the sidelines needs to be fired. Suggested Sites... SportsTavern.com - find a sports bar near you. SportsBars.com - broken down by state or zip code. Soccer Bars.com - for watching the other kind of football. ESPN: Baseball's Top 10 Bars and Grills - the best of the best for the horsehide crowd. Didital City: Best Sports Bars in America - the fans have spoken!

Directory categories: Bars, Pubs, and Clubs, Fantasy Sports, Sports TV Networks, Sports News and Media, Sports Chats and Forums

Archived under: 1920s, Athletes, Baseball, Basketball, College Basketball, College Football, College Sports, Communities, Entertainment, Fanatics, Fantasy Sports, Football, Hockey, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NFL, NHL, New York, Restaurants, Soccer, Sports, Sports Bars, TV, United States

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

Larry Fine looking stunned, undoubtedly by some unexpected turn of events People who work in comedy know the "Rule of Three." That is, when writing jokes or creating a comedic movie, TV show, play, or even a skit, writers know how to establish a situation, confirm it, and then overturn it. If you look for it, you'll see it all the time: "A priest, a minister, and a rabbi walk into a bar ..."; "an Englishman, an Irishman, and a Scotsman were arguing ..."; "a genie grants a man three wishes ..." With that rule so well-known, it makes us wonder why there are so few three-man comedy teams. There's the Ritz Brothers (who few remember nowadays), the Marx Brothers (who originally were a quartet), the Three Stooges -- and that’s about it. We were reminded of this apparent paradox today in noting that October 5 marks the birthday of our favorite Stooge, Larry Fine. Every Stooge fan has his favorite. (We use the pronoun "his" deliberately here, since it's well known that women just don't get -- or even like the Stooges.) Some prefer the outright lunacy of Curly; some think Shemp is the ne plus ultra of wackiness; there are undoubtedly those who think the antics of Joe or Curly Joe cannot be bettered; and we're sure Moe brings delight to many for his attempts to bring order out of chaos. But Larry is, for us, the essential Stooge. His "normalcy" (at least in terms of Stoogedom) provides the necessary grounding between Moe's masochism and Curly's flights of fancy. The Trinity of Stooges has been compared to Sigmund Freud's theory of the unconscious (no, honestly), what with Moe's controlling force representing the ego, Curly the uncontrollable id, and Larry, the superego that strives for organization and peace. Larry Fine himself was an unassuming man. He was born Louis Feinberg in Philadelphia in 1902, and after a childhood accident (he burned his arm with acid), he took up the violin, a choice that led to a career in vaudeville, where a chance meeting with comedian Ted Healy (who had originally hired the Howard Brothers -- Moe, Shemp, and Curly -- to accompany him on stage) led him to join Healy's act as the third Stooge, a role he would hold for the next four decades, until a debilitating stroke forced him to retire. Larry's contribution to the act is invaluable. He provides an entry point for the viewer, allowing us to put Moe's harshness and Curly's craziness into context. Without him, Stooge fanatics would be left only with an authoritarian beating up on a lunatic. And every so often, Larry will say or do something so off the wall that it confirms his own existence as a Stooge. Director Peter Farrelly has been threatening to make a new "Three Stooges" movie for years. While this may not seem a good idea at first blush (Benicio Del Toro as Moe? Sean Penn as Larry?), his views on Mr. Fine give Larry-philes reason for hope (while also providing a fine epitaph): "Growing up, first you watched Curly, then Moe, and then your eyes got to Larry. He's the reactor, the most vulnerable. Five to fourteen, Curly; fourteen to twenty-one, Moe. Anyone out of college, if you're not looking at Larry, you don’t have a good brain." Suggested Sites... Larry Fine.com - dedicated the most important Stooge of them all. IMDb: Larry Fine - film credits, biography, and photos. Wikipedia: Larry Fine - good overview of his life and career. Stooge World: Larry Fine - illustrated biography. Farrelly Brothers' Three Stooges Saga: The 13-Year Backstory - is the lack of a movie a good thing or a bad thing?

Directory categories: Larry Fine, The Three Stooges, Comedy Teams, Comedy, Actors

Archived under: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Actors, Biographies, Birthdays, Comedians, Entertainment, Humor, Men, Movie History, Movies, Musicians, The Three Stooges, Vaudeville

Post a comment (4) | Email this posting