A Brief History On April 15, 1955, McDonald’s hamburger and fast-food chain claims their founding by Ray Kroc in Illinois when he opened a franchise restaurant of the hamburger stand brand founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald in California. Since Kroc made McDonald’s the fast-food giant that it is, it is not surprising he would use the date of his involvement as the “founding” date. Digging Deeper Some interesting McDonald’s facts include: Mickey D’s has over 40,000 locations in at least 119 countries. The runners up in most fast-food locations is Subway, followed by Starbucks, KFC, and Burger King. McDonald’s…
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A Brief History On April 13, 1917, Diamond Jim Brady died at the age of 60, not surprisingly of a heart attack. His reputation made him a truly American legend. Digging Deeper Brady was born in New York City to Irish immigrants. Jim worked low level jobs, gradually working his way up the ladder in the railroad industry, amassing power and wealth that spawned a legend. His flashy use of diamonds earned him his moniker, while his eating was most legendary. The first New Yorker to own a car, Brady is claimed to eat meals that would feed 10 men. …
A Brief History On January 9, 2015, a funeral in Mozambique was the eerily appropriate venue for a disaster involving the favorite bubbly beverage of millions, or even billions, of people. The funeral goers were supplied with the local brew they call pombe, and sadly the beer was contaminated with a deadly germ called Burkholderia gladioli. Digging Deeper Beer has been a staple beverage and even food for many centuries, and generally speaking if consumed in moderation it can have beneficial effects on health. Like many other foods and drinks, when consumed to excess, bad things can happen. Or in…
A Brief History On October 24, 2017, rock and roll and New Orleans jazz pioneer Antoine “Fats” Domino died. His 1949 song, “The Fat Man,” is considered by some to be the first rock and roll hit, selling over a million copies. Elvis Presley and the Beatles were fans of Domino, and Fats is not the only great person of considerable girth. Digging Deeper Another rock and roller, Chubby Checker, got his stage name from a comparison to Fats Domino! Yet another rock and roll great, Mama Cass Elliot, is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and…
A Brief History On September 22, 1948, USAF pilot Lt. Gail Halvorsen began dropping candy via parachute to the children of Berlin. In 1948, the USSR tried to cut off West Berlin from supplies from the West, starving the population. Digging Deeper The US and its allies began an operation dubbed “The Berlin Airlift,” flying supplies of food, fuel, medicine, and other essentials to West Berlin surrounded by the Soviets and their East German lackeys. Halvorsen was one of those pilots of cargo planes, and when he noticed hungry faces of children lined up by the West Berlin airport, he…
