Learn

Have you ever heard of Pilates? Do you know who invented this exercise method? Well, you are about to find out!

Full Article »

What did people do before there were cinemas? Well, there was (and still is) theater. But artificial moving images? Believe it or not, there was a compelling option, and it helped lead the way to the moving picture. It was called the magic lantern.

Full Article »

With the release of the newest Chevron Car, Moe Muscle, we would like to take a step back to a time when lightweight, powerful American cars roamed the streets.

Full Article »

With school starting up within the next several weeks, some of you might be wondering, what ever happened to summer? Don’t worry– we’ve compiled a list of exciting activities to finish off your summer.

Remember - always be safe, don’t do anything without first asking your parent or guardian, and having them supervise you when needed.

Full Article »

One of the most distinctly American contributions to popular entertainment during the 20th century was the pinball machine. Its origins, however, lie in 18th century France. The rise of this gaming platform is the story of clever innovations, technology and social change. This tale is also far from over. As we shall see, the pinball game continues to develop. The machine may be disappearing from arcades, but the concept remains very much alive.

Full Article »

The annual Autumn Moon Festival is an important Chinese holiday which celebrates the abundance of the Summer harvest. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, when the moon is said to be at its fullest and brightest. The Moon Festival is also commonly referred to as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lantern Festival & Mooncake Festival. Mooncakes are a Chinese pastry that is traditionally enjoyed while celebrating the festival.

Full Article »

Although the art of Bonsai originated in China over 2,000 years ago, the development and practice has primarily become part of the Japanese culture. The word ‘bonsai’ translates as ‘tray-planting’ and is not meant to describe the plant itself, but the process through which the plant was created. Bonsai is truly an art practice.

The art of bonsai consists of growing miniaturized trees and is based purely on aesthetics. Bonsai trees are not miniature naturally, but can be made out of any ordinary tree or shrub and are miniaturized through bonsai techniques. There are many different bonsai techniques, some are basic techniques while others are very advanced and only practiced by experienced bonsai masters.

Full Article »

Have you ever wondered about the history of sneakers?

Today sneakers are very popular among people of all ages (children and adults alike). But once upon a time sneakers did not exist. Let us take you back to the pre-sneaker era to tell you the tale of how sneakers came to be.

Full Article »

Louis Armstrong is a legend in the world of American Jazz music, and one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century. His influence has influenced and inspired several other popular musicians such as Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Marvin Gaye.

Full Article »

History of Glass Making

It is uncertain when glass making first began. However, the Bible does mention the rarity of glass by comparing glass to gold. Glass was used to make fake gemstones as jewelry pieces. The glass gemstones would be dyed a color that could not be found in the natural world. At times, prices of these glass gemstones were more expensive than real gemstones due to the complex process required to create them.

Full Article »

Alcatraz Island was one of the strangest prisons in the world. It lay smack in the middle of San Francisco Bay. The views were spectacular. The Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands lay to the west. Berkeley and the Oakland Hills were to the east. The whole city of San Francisco lay to the south, a glittering diamond of light at night. The fog rolling in from the Pacific and sailboats gliding across the waves offered an eye-catching panorama. For decades this was the spectacle afforded to America’s most hardened criminals.

The story of Alcatraz maximum security federal penitentiary began in the 1770s, when a Spanish explorer named it for the Alcatraces or pelicans he found living on this roughly 20 acre rock. It was not until the 1850s, following the Gold Rush, that the US Army was spurred to construct a military base and the first lighthouse on the West Coast on Alcatraz. The objective was to protect the growing gold mining industry from foreign prowlers. The island quickly became a stark symbol of American military might with a massive battery of 36,000 pound guns.

Full Article »

Once in a while, one reads a story that proves the old adage that real life can prove far more unusual than fiction.

Greg Mortenson was an amateur American mountain climber, living out of a Volvo in Berkeley, barely getting by while working as a nurse in hospital emergency rooms. In 1993 he went to Pakistan as part of an expedition to climb K2, the world’s second highest mountain — 100 feet or so shorter than Mt. Everest, and many times as dangerous. He and two fellow mountaineers nearly made it to the top when disaster struck. One of the them fell, and had to be carried for two days across some of the most difficult rocky and icy terrain in the world, with little food or water, barely alive. On the way back to camp, Greg got lost and nearly died from the cold.

Full Article »