Indy 500 = The Greatest Spectacle in Racing

May 27, 2007

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

It is fairly easy to start researching the origin of this famous car racing event with facts such as, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built on 328 acres of farmland five miles northwest of the capital in the spring of 1909.

The facility was financed by four local businessmen, Carl Fisher, James Allison, Frank Wheeler and Arthur Newby, who planned to use it as a year-round testing facility for the fast-growing automobile industry.

After finding the normal information, I started to come across more interesting facts, such as:

• The original race course in 1909 caused accidents and was quickly closed so that the surface could be replaced 
• The race cars in those days already were going faster than 70 mph 
• The typical race had a standing start 
• The driver was not alone in the car – there was also always a mechanic 
• The first several races were named the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race   

For more detail, please read the attached pdf posting. As always, I hope this stimulates your own research, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better Moment of Zen?

Jim C Quiz – Indy 500.pdf

Memorial Day = A Day of Recognition

May 26, 2007

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

It is well known that Southern women decorated the graves of soldiers even before the Civil War’s end.  Records show that by 1865, Mississippi, Virginia, and South Carolina all had precedents for Memorial Day.

Although President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966 declared the birthplace of Memorial Day to be Waterloo N.Y., it is more likely that this event had many separate, spontaneous beginnings.  What is clearly known is that on May 5, 1868, General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order No. 11:

“The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.”

This was known as “Decoration Day,” which through time developed into our national Memorial Day holiday. 

For more detail, please read the attached pdf posting.  As always, I hope this stimulates your own research, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

Jim C Quiz – Memorial Day.pdf

Sleep Debt = Something You Must Pay

May 21, 2007

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

We spend approximately one third of our lives asleep, but it is also known that poor sleep habits are among the most common problems in our society today. Since May is National Sleep Better Month, let’s take a look at the phrase “Sleep Debt” and the role it plays in our life.

Serious research done in the 1950’s started to uncover the problems of loss sleep. Accumulated loss sleep is now known as sleep debt, which unless repaid will cause steadily increasing level of anxiety and more serious problems.

Here are some interesting facts about the loss of sleep and its consequences:

• One night of lost sleep: You will generally be irritable and clumsy during the next day and will either become tired easily or speed up because of adrenalin
• Two nights of lost sleep: You will have problems concentrating and will begin to make mistakes on normal tasks
• Three missed nights: You will start to hallucinate and lose grasp of reality

 Proper sleep habits include the following:

1. Create a sleep conducive environment – associate your bed and bedroom with relaxation
2. Avoid napping during the day
3. Insure adequate time in bed, free from interruptions
4.  Avoid alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime
5. Avoid caffeine 8-12 hours before bedtime
6. Avoid smoking before bedtime
7. Avoid large meals, spicy meals and excessive fluid intake
8. No vigorous exercise two hours before bedtime

For more detail on sleep debt, please read the attached pdf posting. As always, I hope this stimulates your own research, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better “Moment of Zen?”

Jim C Quiz – Sleep Debt.pdf

The Preakness = $1 Million + My Maryland + Black-eyed Susans

 May 18, 2007

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

Get ready for the 132nd running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the TripleCrown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes).  It all will happen on Saturday, May 19, 2007.  

According to preakness.com, “The hostoric Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness Stakes, first opened its doors on October 25, 1870, making it the second oldest racetrack behind Saratoga, which debuted in 1864 in upstate New York.”

Since its opening in 1870, Pimlico had conducted all of its racing in the fall, but they introduced the Preakness on May 23, 1873 as its new stakes race for three-year-olds during the spring. The then Maryland Governor, Oden Bowie, named the race in honor of a colt who won the inaugural Dinner Party Stakes in 1870.

For more detail, please read the attached pdf posting. As always, I hope this stimulates your own research, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better “Moment of Zen?”

Jim C Quiz – Preakness Stakes.pdf

Mother’s Day = Love, Honor, and Recognition

May 11, 2007

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

Although the first North American Mother’s Day was conceptualized in 1870 with Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation, the true spirit and force behind a national Mother’s Day in America was Anna Jarvis.

Yes, believe or not, one person almost single-handedly promoted a national day of recognition for mothers in America, yet very few people are aware of Anna Jarvis.

Since childhood, her mother (Anna Reeves Jarvis) often commented that someone should establish a memorial day for mothers. When Mrs. Jarvis died in May of 1905, Anna devoted her life to making her mother’s dream come true. She petitioned clergy, politicians, and women’s groups extensively, and she especially petitioned the superintendent of the church where her mother had spent over 20 years teaching Sunday School.

Her request was finally honored on May 10, 1908, when the first official Mother’s Day celebration took place at Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia and a church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It would behoove all of us to take time to research this fine lady’s efforts, because it is a story of triumph and success won by a tenacious individual trying to do the right thing. And yet, it is also a classic American tragedy, because Anna Jarvis spent her fortune and the last twenty years of her life trying to stop the inevitable commercialization of Mother’s Day.

For more detail, please read the attached pdf posting. As always, I hope this stimulates your own research, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better “Moment of Zen?”

Jim C Quiz – Mother’s Day.pdf

Kentucky Derby = A True Thoroughbred

May 7, 2007

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

The first weekend in May provides us with two unique events in 2007 – Cinco de Mayo and the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby. This posting covers what is called the world’s most famous horse race, or the most exciting two minutes in sports.

Both the horse race and Churchill Downs were founded by 25-year old Meriwether Lewis Clark, grandson of explorer William Clark.

According to Churchilldowns.com, “The first public notice of establishment of the track was reported in the May 27, 1874 edition of the Courier-Journal. The actual filing for the Louisville Jockey Club and Driving Park Association took place on June 20, 1874. The track formally opened May 17, 1875 with four races scheduled. The winner of the first race was Bonaventure, however the winner of the day’s featured race, the Kentucky Derby, was a three-year-old chestnut colt, Aristides.”

This does not answer the question of how the track really got its name – Churchill Downs. The track was named for John and Henry Churchill, who leased 80 acres of land to their nephew, Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark.

For more detail, please read the attached pdf posting. As always, I hope this stimulates your own research, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better “Moment of Zen?”

Jim C Quiz – Kentucky Derby.pdf

Cinco De Mayo = A Mexican Cultural Fiesta

May 5, 2007

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

The first weekend in May provides us with two unique events in 2007 – Cinco de Mayo and the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby. I normally only have one posting per week (each Monday), but I decided that this was a special case and posted Cinco de Mayo on Friday.

The research into Cinco de Mayo revealed that this event originated to celebrate the historic Battle of Puebla, which occurred on May 5, 1862. This is the date when an ill-equipped Mexican militia of 4,000 lead by General Zaragoza defeated a larger French army.

The second major fact uncovered about this event is that Mexico considers it only the number three holiday for the country. Its celebration is fairly limited in Mexico, but here in America Cinco de Mayo is a major event that focuses Mexican culture rather than an historic battle.

For more detail, please read the attached pdf posting. As always, I hope this stimulates your own research, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better “Moment of Zen?”

Jim C Quiz – Cinco de Mayo.pdf