How Winnie-the-Pooh took over the world

Recommended article -- from The Atlantic -- just one small part:

The latest Winnie the Pooh film comes out today, marking the fifth time Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and friends have appeared in a feature-length movie. But the inhabitants of the Hundred-Acre Wood aren't just movie stars: Since A.A. Milne introduced the world to Christopher Robin's animal buddies with his 1926 book Winnie-the-Pooh, the characters have appeared on chinaware, baby bibs, vitamin bottles, and much, much more. In 2004, the characters came in second in a Forbes list of the top-earning fictional characters—just a hair behind Mickey Mouse and company—with a $5.6 billion annual income.

How did Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, et al transform from introspective children's literary characters to brand ambassadors for everything from paper dolls to bandages?

Check out the timeline for the answer ...

He's not a Reagan fan...

Some have raised the image of the former president to such a high level that it's no wonder some take issue -- this piece by Jeff Riggenbach is one that looks at some of the things people like to credit Reagan for and how he disagrees. One small part:

Like most Republican politicians since the early 1930s, Ronald Reagan always portrayed himself throughout his political career as a champion of limited government, individual rights, and free enterprise — the classical-liberal values, which, of course, he absurdly described as "conservative." But, like almost all Republican politicians since the early 1930s, he seemed to forget all about these values once he got into office and assumed the reins of power. Consider, as a case in point, Reagan's eight years (1966–1974) as governor of California. As Murray Rothbard noted in 1980,

Despite his bravado about having stopped the growth of state government, the actual story is that the California budget grew by 122 percent during his eight years as governor, not much of an improvement on the growth rate of 130 percent during the preceding two terms of free-spending liberal Pat Brown. The state bureaucracy increased during Reagan's administration from 158,000 to 192,000, a rise of nearly 22 percent — hardly squaring with Reagan's boast of having "stopped the bureaucracy cold."

President Reagan was very good at one aspect of politics, salesmanship ...

Ponce and the Fountain of Youth...

One of the men who sailed with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World was, Juan Ponce De Leon. He decided to stay in Hispaniola, Ponce became very popular and was named governor of Puerto Rico then called (Boriquien) in 1508. (My husband's relatives live near Ponce, now.)

Ponce kept hearing stories of a magical water source. People called it the "Fountain of Youth" and said that drinking its water kept you young. He set out to find it...

They were looking for Bimini, instead they found Florida, what was called St. Augustine.

This story shows you how many years man has been looking for the perfect anti aging product and how that quest today is still being done. Only now it's not a fountain of youth, it's a products to make you look young...

The Dutch Masters....

The painting many recognize as one that adorns the box of
Dutch Masters was painted by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1662. The cigar company began in 1911, and has become one of the most popular cigars sold in the US. The men in the portrait were patrons of Rembrandt, hence the title of the painting, "The Syndics of the Drapers' Guild" -- Some have confused the title of "Dutch Masters" in this painting to the actual art titling of the Dutch Masters, who were those artists from the time period in Dutch history around the 17th century.

Thinking about rubber stamping...

Sometimes when I see an ad or a webpage on something, it makes me start wondering. This happened earlier related to seeing a site that can make a custom rubber stamp. I started thinking about the term itself to figure out where it came from. It seems that historically it came from the practice of subordinate employees or officials being deputized and given the authority to sign the name of their superior or employer. I used to do this when I was an administrative assistant, but I would sign my initials so that it was known I had signed it on his behalf.

Then in some cases a literal rubber stamp of the signature was created, this also happens frequently with elected officials, they don't sit there and sign the many documents and letters, they or someone in their office "rubber stamps" it. There's a deeper meaning of the term "rubber stamping" though where it's meant to suggest an endorsement took place without careful thought.

Then in comparison...

When you look at what a short time it took our nation to develop technology as pointed out in the below post, one can't help but wonder why with the huge advancements we have in computers and other science why haven't we been able to solve more of our problems. Why have we not been able to come up with viable alternative energy solutions, or cures for diseases or even figure out how to fight fat. Granted there are a huge variety of products out there like Leptovox that are "fat burners" but when you look at what we accomplished so quickly years ago, at times I wonder why we have not been able to accomplish more...

Looking back at energy...

A really interesting website is the Department of Energy's timeline it begins in 1939 and goes all the way to 2004. I have no idea why it stopped at 2004, but it is a very interesting read to go back from then to now. You'll discover things like how quickly the United States developed and used technology when it comes to war:

January 19, 1942
President Roosevelt approves production of the atomic bomb following receipt of a National Academy of Sciences report determining that a bomb is feasible.

June 17, 1942
President Roosevelt instructs the Army to take responsibility for construction of atomic weapons complex. The Army delegates the task to the Corps of Engineers, which establishes the Manhattan Engineer District.

September 19, 1942
Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves, head of the Manhattan Engineer District, selects Oak Ridge, Tennessee, site for facilities to produce nuclear materials. Isotope separation of uranium235 takes place in the gaseous diffusion plant built in the K-25 area of the site, in the electromagnetic plant in the Y-12 area, and in the liquid thermal diffusion plant. A pilot pile (reactor) and plutonium separation facility are built and operated at the X-10 area.

November 25, 1942
Groves selects Los Alamos, New Mexico, as site for separate scientific laboratory to design an atomic bomb.

December 2, 1942
Metallurgical Laboratory scientists led by Enrico Fermi achieve the first self-sustained nuclear chain reaction in pile constructed under the west grandstand at Stagg field in Chicago.

January 16, 1943
Groves selects Hanford, Washington, as site for full-scale plutonium production and separation facilities. Three reactors--B, D, and F--are built.

April 12, 1945
President Roosevelt dies. Harry S. Truman becomes President.

May 7, 1945
Germany surrenders.

July 16, 1945
Trinity device being readied Los Alamos scientists successfully test a plutonium implosion bomb in the Trinity shot at Alamogordo, New Mexico.

August 6, 1945
The gun model uranium bomb, called Little Boy, is dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.

August 9, 1945
The implosion model plutonium bomb, called Fat Man, is dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Five days later, Japan surrenders.

Folding kitty sunglasses...

You may think I have temporarily lost my mind, but as I was searching for some historical information, I happened to see this link for vintage sunglasses and I couldn't resist taking a few moments to check it out. Then, I saw something that I had owned for many years, folding kitty sunglasses...Though mine were not grape they were white. Alas those were the days before I had to wear glasses, I don't think they make them in prescription strength, if they did? I'd probably sport a pair...

Dreamed of seeing the Terracotta Warriors?

If you have had on your list of things you have been longing to do to see the Terracotta Warriors, or if you are one of the lucky ones who have seen them on display in London now or previously and are inspired to want to see more, then there's no time like the present to plan your trip. DialAFlight has put together several special travel packages that range from a three day to a 26 day tour to go to China to be able to see the full impact of the 8000+ warriors...

The packages include breakfast as well as hotel accommodations at 3-4 star hotels and dinner is included in several of the packages. My personal preference is the Ten Day Tour that includes Beijing and the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Xian. It's an amazing package for a trip that would last in your memory forever.