Lifestyle
The History of Ordinary Things: The Evolution of Toilet Paper
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
What did humans use to clean themselves after toileting before toilet paper?
The History of Ordinary Things: The Legacy of Sears, Roebuck & Company Catalogs
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
In 1887, Richard W. Sears hired Alvah C. Roebuck to repair watches while he established a mail-order business to sell the watches using a free catalog. Two years later, R.W. Sears sold the watch business.
Our America: Remembering 9/11 20 Years Later
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- Written by James E. Patterson James E. Patterson
After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, author and TV personality Hugh Downs edited My World: What My Country Means to Me by 150 Americans from All Walks of Life.
The History of Military Service Star Banners
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
A service flag or banner is one that family members of those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces can display.
The History of Ordinary Things: The Multiple Sources of Multipurpose Gelatin
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
Gelatin has been a silent ingredient in our food since the Middle Ages. For the castle lifestyle, gelatin was used to create jelled dishes flavored with vinegar, wine, almond extract, and such to produce a tart rather than sweet flavor. The foods to be glazed were more often meats than sweets.
It Was 50 Years Ago Today: ‘Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)’
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- Written by Randal C. Hill Randal C. Hill
Well-respected rock-music critic and historian Dave Marsh is normally quite sparing in his praise, but Marsh once could barely contain his enthusiasm when he reviewed a Marvin Gaye single and proclaimed it to be “the greatest piece of music ever written in favor of the survival of the environment on the greatest Black pop album ever made.”
The History of Ordinary Things: The Egg Carton & Other Egg Tidbits
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
Did you know?
Celebrating August’s Senior Activism
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- Written by James E. Patterson James E. Patterson
In the history of senior Americans, August is an important month for a law that a former U.S. president called “one of the great peacetime achievements of the American people.”
‘We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident …’
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On July 4, Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.