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As the discussion of swine flu dominates the media, it is worthwhile to look back at some of the other pandemics that have affected the human race throughout history. A pandemic is an illness that spreads from person to person and affects a large, dispersed population. It usually creates an enormous amount of fear among those not affected. The skeleton on the right represents “Doctor Death” from an engraving made in the 1500s, when the Black Death or Bubonic Plague was common in Europe. It was one of the worst pandemics to ever strike on earth, responsible for tens of millions of deaths.

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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.

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Origin of Cards

The earliest sign of playing cards was during the 10th century in China. There are no specifics about their markings or how the cards were played. The first familiar sign of cards was in Europe (imported from the Mamluks of Egypt). They gained popularity in Spain and Italy during the 1370s. At that time, playing cards were expensive to due to the workmanship involved in painting the cards. Playing cards eventually spread around the world through trade routes and were used by the upper classes. In the early 15th century, wood-block printing was developed in Germany. This decreased the price for a deck of cards. The price was driven even lower when the French began to produce decks by painting over stencils. This technique resulted in simplified suit marks (as shown below) which became the standard marks internationally.

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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.

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How much do you know about pirates? Have you just watched the new “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie? Have you read any other facts about pirates? Do you think that you are an expert on “Blackbeard”, “Captain William Kidd” or even “Captain Jack Sparrow”?

Try to see if you know the answers to these interesting pirate questions. But remember, there are still many unanswered questions about pirates. Ahoy Matey!

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The history of flags dates back more than 4,000 years. Ancient flags, known as “vexilloids,” meaning “guide,” were metal or wooden poles that featured a unique carving at the top of the pole.

The first known metal flag came from Iran and dates back to 3,000 BC. Evidence of flags has also been found on ancient Greek coins and Egyptian tomb carvings. About 2,000 years ago, people began decorating these ancient vexilloids with fabric and other materials making them more similar to the modern flags we use today.

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The kitchen screen door creaked and then slapped closed. Jeff’s room was right over the kitchen in the spacious farmhouse and the sound woke him with a start. He looked around the sun-filled room. It was the first day of his summer vacation and he would be spending it with his grandparents here on their Idaho farm.

He remembered the tire swing from last summer and picking ripe, juicy berries right off the vine with his grandmother. Nothing tasted better than those sweet berries, still warm from the sun.

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Imagine if you will, a moonlit night. The air is warm and scented with jasmine. You are strolling on a wide plain under the canopy of stars, drawn to the softly glowing white dome you see in the distance. It is spellbinding.

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Before there were phones, or even electricity, how did people communicate over long distances?

Primitive man used smoke signals to tell hunting parties about the movement of game. The ancient Greeks flashed coded messages during battles by using mirrors to reflect the sun. Carrier pigeons have been used by many cultures to relay messages.

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The first passenger-carrying railroads began operating in the late 1820’s. It wasn’t very long before people realized that some sort of signaling was necessary to protect trains from crashing into each other.

At first, policemen stood at crossings and junctions and used hand held flags to signal passing trains. They were acting like human semaphore poles, with their two arms holding flags that signified clear messages.

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Did you know that September is the month that the ice cream cone was invented? Or that it started out as a flat dessert in one place and was made of paper in another? But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. What’s the point of a cone without ice cream?

Mmmmm, let’s see, which is your favorite? Chocolate, strawberry, or maybe vanilla? Perhaps, like President Bush, you like Pralines and Cream.

Ice cream, in one form or another, has been a treat since at least the beginning of recorded time. There are records from 62 AD that tell us Emperor Nero sent slaves to the Apennine Mountains to collect snow and ice, which were then flavored with fruit juice, honey and nectar. That’s the first mention in history of a snow cone!

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Sir Reginald is mounted on his trusty steed, tensely facing his opponent. Each has a long and heavy lance in one hand and a shield in the other. They will soon be jousting, measuring their skill and courage against one another.

This is a tournament designed for the entertainment of royalty and that’s why it is full of pageantry. The horses are draped with luxurious fabrics and adorned with jeweled harnesses. The saddles are ornately tooled. All the events are announced with grand fanfare and Sir Reginald knows that if he wins he will be honored with riches and glory.

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