A Brief History On May 26, 1977, daredevil George Willig, a toymaker from Queens, climbed the South (#2) tower of the World Trade Center. Willig climbed the 110 story skyscraper (the 3rd tallest building in the world at the time) using specialized clamps designed to use built in brackets in the windows. Digging Deeper Not only did Willig face the possibility of a traumatic landing if he fell from as high as 1300 feet, he was slammed with a $1.10 fine when he was arrested afterwards. (Not a typo, just a dollar ten.) As stupid as this stunt seems to…
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A Brief History On May 26, 1897, Bram Stoker’s horror novel, Dracula, was published. Before and since, horror stories have terrified us, whether at the movies, around a campfire, or under our bedroom covers reading a spooky book with a flashlight. Here we list 10 of the greatest horror stories of all time. (It was not easy to omit classics like the Saw movies and the Hannibal Lecter stories, but that is what sequels are for.) Digging Deeper 10. The Human Centipede, 2009. A Dutch film by Tom Six inspired by the horrors of Dr. Mengele and his Nazi cohorts…
A Brief History On May 26, 1328, William of Ockham, a Franciscan Friar, snuck out of Avignon fearing his execution would be ordered by the Pope. Known as “Doctor Invincibilis” (Unconquerable Teacher) at the University of Oxford, William had upset the Pope and other high church officials by preaching the Franciscan belief that since Jesus and the Apostles did not own personal property, Catholic clergymen should likewise not possess any worldly goods. Digging Deeper Not surprisingly, this situation was contrary to the reality of the day when Popes and Cardinals amassed great wealth. William and other Franciscans sought asylum at…
A Brief History On May 25, 1935, Jesse Owens of Ohio State won four events at the Big Ten Conference Track Meet, setting three world records and tying a fourth. What a performance! Over the years some great athletes have attended Ohio State, and here we list the 10 greatest. Digging Deeper 10. Tom Cousineau, Football. Tom was such a good linebacker that he became the first pick overall in the 1979 NFL Draft. He had set the OSU season tackles record and the OSU record for tackles in a game, and is still ranked 2nd on the all time…
A Brief History On May 25, 1977, the blockbuster movie, Star Wars, premiered. Spawning 2 sequels and 3 prequels, Star Wars has had tremendous cultural impact, with Geek Pride Day celebrated on every May 25th (since 2006) as part of its legacy. There is even a religious movement called Jedism. In the 100 plus years of motion pictures, some films have transcended mere entertainment and have influenced society as well as spawning successful sequels. Here we list 10 of the movies we think are most influential, on American culture, not just on the film industry. Digging Deeper 10. Roots, 1977.…