When American turned 203: A look back at 1979

In 1979: The Dukes of Hazzard debuted on CBS and ESPN launched; Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi fled Iran; Michigan State defeated Indiana State in the NCAA Championship game; The nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island suffered a meltdown; Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Micronesia and Kiribati became independent nations; McDonald’s introduced… Continue reading When American turned 203: A look back at 1979

Seven years before the first NBA game: A look back at 1939

In 1939, Lou Gehrig’s streak of 2130 consecutive games played ended; The University of Oregon won the first NCAA college basketball tournament; Francisco Franco came to power in Spain; Billie Holliday recorded “Strange Fruit;” Batman debuted in Detective Comics #27; Teddy Roosevelt’s head on Mount Rushmore was dedicated; Germany invaded Poland; President Franklin Roosevelt laid… Continue reading Seven years before the first NBA game: A look back at 1939

The Quest – Episode 61

In this episode, Ben and I discuss what qualities make some films timeless, while others seem to burn brightly, but fade with the passage of time.

The year of the great video game crash: A look back 1983

The Disney Channel began broadcasting; Sally Ride became the first American woman in space; Dragon’s Lair was released in arcades; The Famicom (known in the United States as the Nintendo Entertainment System) was released; Vanessa Williams became the first African-American Miss America; Brunei and Saint Kitts and Nevis became independent states; Microsoft Word was released;… Continue reading The year of the great video game crash: A look back 1983

Reflections on 3174, Year of Our Lady of Discord: A look back at 2008

In 2008, Iran launched its first rocket into space; Kosovo declared independence from Serbia; The Summer Olympics took place in Beijing; A global financial crisis dominated headlines; Spotify launched; Satoshi Nakamoto published a paper announcing Bitcoin; Barack Obama was elected as the 45th President of the United States of America; The Marvel Cinematic Universe debuted… Continue reading Reflections on 3174, Year of Our Lady of Discord: A look back at 2008

A century before Barack Obama: A look back at 1908

In 1908, Robert Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys was published; The Olympics were held in London; The Chicago Cubs won the fifth World Series; Jack Johnson became the first African-American to win the World Heavyweight Championship; Henry Ford introduced the Model T; Bulgaria declared independence from the Ottoman Empire; William Howard Taft defeated William Jennings Bryan… Continue reading A century before Barack Obama: A look back at 1908

The Quest – Episode 58

In this episode Ben and I discuss the advent of Netflix as a player in the movie market and whether its original films should be eligible for major awards.

The year Trump entered the world: A look back at 1946

In 1946, The United Nations held its first meeting; Juan Perón was elected president of Argentina; Trygve Lie became the first Secretary-General of the United Nations; Syria and the Philippines became independent nations; Sony was founded (as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering); The first bikini was modeled in Paris; Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis debuted their comedy partnership; Mensa was founded;… Continue reading The year Trump entered the world: A look back at 1946