Tag Archives: American history
When Western is a Noun Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 13, 2018
“It’s Americana, it’s part of our history, the cowboy, the cattle drive, the sheriff, the fight for law, order, and justice.” Clayton Moore, the actor who portrayed The Lone Ranger, on Westerns. Western is a word most commonly used as an adjective to describe either a direction or some characteristic representative of the US or…
Sleepless in America Posted by Gary Locke on Aug 23, 2018
Americans are not getting enough sleep, and that presents an economic, health, and social crisis for the entire country. Studies show that lack of sleep contributes to obesity, poor performance in work and school, and unhealthy lifestyle choices. In the United States, this adds up to a stunning economic cost in lost productivity and health…
The American Ghost Town Posted by Gary Locke on Jul 19, 2018
Did you know that, in the US, it is possible to buy an entire town? Recently, two friends managed to do just that. For $1.4 million, they purchased Cerro Gordo, California. It consists of 300 acres, abandoned homes, a saloon, a two-story hotel, a general store, a museum, an eight-bedroom bunkhouse, a church which also…
Mom and Pop Stores Posted by Gary Locke on Jun 14, 2018
At the heart of the American community is what we affectionately call the mom and pop shop. It could be a small grocery store, or a bakery, or a gas station. It is a family-owned and operated business servicing the local area, often for generations. In many cases, when the business began the family lived…
America’s Maestro, Leonard Bernstein Posted by Gary Locke on May 10, 2018
“I can’t live one day without hearing music, playing it, studying it, or thinking about it.” Leonard Bernstein A centenary is a celebration to commemorate the 100th anniversary of a significant event, and we are having one right now in the world of music. Leonard Bernstein was born on August 25, 1918. All over the…
Before Wikipedia: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 26, 2018
Before there was Google and Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge for English speakers was the vast, multi-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica. Many homes had shelves devoted to it, teachers and scholars depended on it, and its prestigious reputation among such publications has remained unsurpassed for over three centuries, though much of that reputation may have depended…
Two Friends from Cleveland, Ohio Posted by Gary Locke on Apr 18, 2018
It is now hard to imagine that there was a time without superheroes. Popular culture worldwide has lately been saturated with colorful, often caped, muscular women and men with fantastic powers and abilities. From comic books to television to movie screens, these action heroes are everywhere, and the public has made them more popular now…