Clipmarks | Marcariel's 'history' clips

The Sentinels - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:02:39 GMT

clipped by: Marcariel
clipper's remarks: I have seen this "walk" and the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., USA. There are a number of web sites with lots of photos of this Tomb and the surrounding area.

This kind of dedication to duty is admirable and impressive. Standing guard even in extreme heat, rain, snow, and hurricanes. I remember how in awe I was of these men as a small child the first time I visited here.

There are other impressive places in the USA, and I have been fortunate to see quite a few of them. I am a great fan of history, and this tomb reflects a large part of U.S history (the army and wars for freedom).

Clip Source: www.homeofheroes.com

Since April 6, 1948 the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, regardless of weather.

The sentinel marches 21 steps across the black mat, past the final resting places of the Unknown Soldiers of World War I, World War II, Korea, and the crypt of the Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam War.
With a crisp turn, the sentinel turns 90 degrees to face east for 21 seconds.
The sentinel then turns a sharp 90 degrees again to face north for 21 seconds. A crisp "shoulder-arms" movement places the rifle on the shoulder nearest the visitors to signify that the sentinel stands between the tomb and any threat.
After the moment, the sentinel paces 21 steps north, turns and repeats the process.

The practiced cadence is timed so that the sentinel paces at a rate of 90 steps each minute.

Before any soldier is allowed "a walk", he must memorize seven pages of history on Arlington National Cemetery and then recite it verbatim.

One of the Army's rarest emblems

Tags: washington, sentinels, soldiers, unknown, honor guard, tomb

Is There Slavery In Your Chocolate?

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:36:01 GMT

clipped by: Marcariel
clipper's remarks: This clip is for abailart. This is another even worse example of the bottom line being the driving force behind inhumane treatment of the workers who produce the things we buy every day.

This story broke back in 2001, and I'm glad to read that there has been some progress in addressing this atrocity. But as can be seen by this quote from the article there is still money talking in these decisions.

"the U.S. chocolate industry and its allies mounted an intense lobbying effort to fight off legislation that would require "slave free" labels for their products."

Unfortunately, Money Talks! Legislators have their hands tied by lobbyists and special interest groups. Sad!

Clip Source: www.foodrevolution.org

Chocolate. The very word conjures feelings of pleasure, sensuality, and the richness of life. The scientific name of the tree from whose beans we make chocolate, likewise bespeaks the depth of feeling human beings have always had for chocolate.

Chocolate has a remarkable history.

Montezuma's royal coffers were overflowing, not with gold, but with cocoa beans.

cacao, cocoa and chocolate are the richest known sources of a little-known substance called theobromine, a close chemical relative of caffeine.

Most of us, though, aren't all that concerned with the history or chemistry of chocolate. When it comes down to it, frankly, we are content so long as the market shelves remain well stocked with affordable tins of cocoa and bars of chocolate candy.

that's how it was in the United States until the summer of 2001

According to the BBC, hundreds of thousands of children are being purchased from their parents

shipped to the Ivory Coast, where they are sold as slaves to cocoa farms.

Educate yourself

Tags: chocolate, slavery, child-labor, history, caffeine, coffee

Photo - New York City Blackout 1977

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:30:53 GMT

clipped by: Marcariel
clipper's remarks: I remember this event. I also remember this was "back in the day" when America wasn't so concerned with our security (pre 9-11).

The big news stories were how many people that were stuck in elevators and how many babies were born 9 months later.

Times have changed!

Clip Source: www.sohoblues.com

New York City Blackout 1977

Tags: new york city, blackout, history, powergrid, electricity

Take The Archaeology Quiz

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:16:33 GMT

clipped by: Marcariel
clipper's remarks: Fun quiz to find out how much you know about Archaeology. (I got all of them right because I love to read about archaeology and ancient history!)

Clip Source: encarta.msn.com

Archaeology Quiz

For many, archaeology conjures up whimsical images of Indiana Jones stealing through secret underground chambers, rescuing relics from would-be history-haters. But in the real world, this study of past human cultures involves more patience and technical skills than perfectly dirt-smudged professorial heartthrobs. If you dig ancient history, our archaeology quiz is the perfect place to uncover some facts!

Tags: archaeology, history, egypt, rome, england, southwest

Sept 4th in History - Eastman's Kodak

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:08:48 GMT

clipped by: Marcariel
clipper's remarks: I used to love listening to my grandmother listing all of the things that had come about in her lifetime. Now I find myself doing the same things with my children and grands. This is a great short story of history.

Clip Source: www.wired.com

Sept. 4, 1888: Photography Leaps Into the Late 19th Century

1888: George Eastman receives a patent for the first roll-film camera and registers the name "Kodak."

Eastman built on another existing photographic technology, gelatin emulsion, which caused coated plates to remain light-sensitive even after they were dry, meaning they could be exposed at the photographer's leisure. Eastman continued working at the bank while devoting his evenings to experimentation. By 1880 he had devised his own dry-plate formula and went into the photographic business full time.

As for the word Kodak, which has become one of the most recognizable brand names ever, there is no special meaning attached to it. Eastman explained its origin:

"I devised the name myself. The letter 'K' had been a favorite with me -- it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter. It became a question of trying out a great number of combinations of letters that made words starting and ending with 'K.' The word 'Kodak' is the result."

Tags: camera, kodak, george eastman

Silent Crisis - We Need More Food Now Than In Recorded History

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:22:47 GMT

clipped by: Marcariel
clipper's remarks: More food production needed in next 50 years than in all recorded history. The planet needs to produce more food over the coming 50 years than it did in the last 10,000 years combined.

Clip Source: www.infoshop.org

To meet the needs of a rapidly rising human population, the planet needs to produce more food over the coming 50 years than it did in the last 10,000 years combined, warn experts organizing a major world forum on the critical need to restore and protect Earth’s precious soil resources. While demand for soil’s services are growing, however, the problems of land degradation and desertification are intensifying in many parts of the world -- a creeping environmental crisis affecting one-third of all people on Earth today and worsened by the effects of warming global temperatures.

'More Food Needed Now Than in All Recorded History'

Tags: food, water, crisis

Gay Marriage - Accepted Tradition in the Past

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 23:59:18 GMT

clipped by: Marcariel
clipper's remarks: The more we investigate, the more we discover. Homosexuality is not something that just sprang up in the last century. It is documented all throughout history. I thought we were supposed to learn from the past?

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

Are Homosexual Civil Unions A 600-year-old Tradition?

Science Daily — A compelling new study from the September issue of the Journal of Modern History reviews historical evidence, including documents and gravesites, suggesting that homosexual civil unions may have existed six centuries ago in France. The article is the latest from the ongoing "Contemporary Issues in Historical Perspective" series, which explores the intersection between historical knowledge and current affairs.

Opponents of gay marriage in the United States today have tended to assume that nuclear families have always been the standard household form. However, as Tulchin writes, "Western family structures have been much more varied than many people today seem to realize, and Western legal systems have in the past made provisions for a variety of household structures."

Tags: homosexual, historical, france, documents, civil, unions, affreres, sex, legislation