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This Week in History – May 24, 1963

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Well, I was still hanging out in my maternal pad (i.e. I would not be born for another three weeks), but things were still happening in the world this week in 1963: In national news, President John F. Kennedy celebrated his 46th (and sadly his last) birthday. What presents did he get? He received a Civil War carbine repeater rifle and a keg of 46-year-old brandy. The Vatican finally disclosed that Pope John XXIII had been fighting stomach cancer for a year. He would pass away from the disease on June 3, 1963 at the age of 81. In sporting … Continue reading →

Uglies – Scott Westerfeld

I have seen this young adult science fiction novel reviewed in countless places, and decided I’d better give it a try. It sounded interesting, but I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Tally Youngblood lives in Uglyville. Across the river, she can see New Pretty Town, where she will go to live in just a few short months. When she reaches her sixteenth birthday, she will undergo plastic surgery and all of her faults will be erased. She will be made absolutely lovely, and then she can go live in New Pretty Town, because she will … Continue reading →

West Side Story (1961)

“West Side Story” is one of the most acclaimed plays and films ever made. A musical, it’s not all about sweetness and light – in fact, it’s the most gritty musical I’ve ever seen, a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Our plot revolves around two street gangs in New York City – the anglo Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Tony (Richard Beymer) is the former leader of the Jets, but he has turned from his gang life and is trying to go clean. Riff (Russ Tamblyn) has taken over the leadership role, but he admits that he’s … Continue reading →

Company that Made Thalidomide Apologizes

A German company called Gruenenthal created a drug called thalidomide. The drug was sold in the 1950’s and 1960’s as a cure for morning sickness. The drug caused severe birth defects in thousands of children. Gruenenthal has now issued an apology. Thalidomide, a drug created by a German company named Gruenenthal, was intended to be used by women who were pregnant as a cure for morning sickness. It was sold in the 1950’s and 1960’s in 46 countries, including the UK, Australia, and what was, at the time, West Germany. In 1961, thalidomide was taken off the market after it … Continue reading →

Natalie Wood Death Investigation Reopened

Natalie Wood was one of the few child stars who did really well once she grew up. By age nine, she was absolutely adorable as the inquisitive Susan in Miracle on 34th Street. She grew in a beauty and starring in Rebel Without a Cause, West Side Story, and Splendor in the Grass by the time she was in her early 20’s. She married equally gorgeous actor Robert Wagner in 1957. Their marriage only lasted five years, but their love endured and the two were remarried in 1972. They were a seemingly golden couple of Hollywood, but tragedy struck on … Continue reading →

Scary Places: The Knickerbocker Hotel

Not long ago, I blogged about the Roosevelt Hollywood, a hotel reportedly haunted by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Cliff among others. But, the Roosevelt Hollywood isn’t the only haunted hotel in town. The Knickerbocker Hotel was built in 1925 as a luxury apartment building. It later became a hotel, with its Renaissance Revival Bar a favorite among the Hollywood crowd. Over the years, the Knickerbocker saw its share of fame, but also its share of scandal. Famed director D.W. Griffith died of a stroke in the hotel in 1948. Once a Hollywood big wig, Griffith had been … Continue reading →

52 Romantic Movies You Either Love or Hate

Dale’s blogs about some of her favorite romantic movies (see “Favorite Romance Movies” and “Favorite Romance Movies-Part 2”) has inspired this next one from me. The idea took hold because I sympathized with a comment one reader, deedee1231, left on both blogs regarding the movie Casablanca. She wasn’t a fan. (Though she didn’t begrudge Dale for including it on her fave list.) Deedee1231 thought Casablanca was overhyped. (Though she also admitted she’d seen it so many times she was just plum over it.) I chuckled with sympathy when I read her comment. Though it wasn’t Casablanca I had in mind, … Continue reading →

Homeschooling Resource of the Day: 10/10/07

Welcome to another edition of homeschooling resource of the day. As always, if you see something you want changed, you have something you would like added, or know of something that should be featured please feel free to leave me a comment. Today’s website is By the Fireplace. By the Fireplace is an online library with thousands of books and short stories. As always, please visit this site on your own without your child before you allow them on the site. I would never be able to list this site if I tried to go through and read every book … Continue reading →