The Secret Life of Charles Lindberg
Charles Lindbergh’s secret life. Charles Lindbergh became a hero in 1927 when he flew nonstop from New York to Paris. Five years later he gained the sympathy of the public when his young child was kidnapped and murdered. Yet he fell from grace during the Second World War and after his death, his secret private life was discovered. Lindbergh had not one but three secret families. In 1941, before the United States joined the war,...
Alcock and Brown
Who were Alcock and Brown? If you asked people to name pioneers of aviation, which names do you think you’d hear? Charles Lindbergh would be one. Amelia Earhart would probably get a mention too, as would the Wright brothers. But Alcock and Brown were the first to fly across the Atlantic non-stop. Sadly, they are largely forgotten now. Many people believe that this distinction should go to Charles Lindbergh but he was the first...
The Dreamland Fire of 1911
Coney Island: The Dreamland Fire, 1911. Have you ever thought, like me, that places such as fairgrounds, circuses and amusement parks have a vaguely creepy side to them? At these places, much of what we see is illusion. Nothing is as it appears to be. This was especially the case in the early nineteenth century and in Victorian days. Dreamland, a huge amusement park on Coney Island, was the perfect example.In many ways, it was...
Graham Hill
Graham Hill On December 5th, 1975, racing driver Graham Hill was due to appear at a ceremony at which the British Racing Drivers Club was going to honor his achievements as a racing driver. Hill had won the Grand Prix Championship, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours race during his racing career. But instead, over two thousand of his friends and colleagues attended his funeral. He had retired from racing just five months...
Boy soldiers in the Congo
Boy soldiers: The Congo, 1967 Children have been used for military services for almost as long as mankind has existed. In 1967, two men were driving through the Congo where they had the most frightening encounter with a couple of boy soldiers who held them at gunpoint. Read on. The two men were rally drivers, Eric Jackson and Ken Chambers, and they were racing – of all things – an ocean liner from Cape Town to Southampton....
Vintage Television: Bill Cullen
Vintage television: Who was Bill Cullen? Bill Cullen was a well-known and very popular television personality during the sixties and seventies in the USA. He was a game show host and was often featured as a panellist on other shows, once of which was his appearances as part of the panel on I’ve Got A Secret. But Bill Cullen had a secret of his own When he was just a small child, he contracted polio. This meant that he had...
Wilson B. Hickox
Wilson B. Hickox: Poisoned by the government. There’s no doubt that Wilson Hickox died a gruesome death. On 23rd June, 1927, he booked into the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. Wilson was a prosperous businessman from Cleveland, Ohio. He had spent the evening out on the town and settled down in his hotel room and poured himself a nightcap. Soon, he was struck by some unpleasant symptoms. His throat and chest began to tighten...
Hot breakfast treat recipe
A hot breakfast for special occasions When there’s a special occasion, such as a family get-together or a house party, it’s a great idea to serve a breakfast treat – something your family and friends would never think about cooking at home for themselves. This recipe combines a pancake with an omelet (almost!) along with fruit and delicious flavourings. Serve it with freshly-squeezed orange juice (or maybe even...
Lyrics: Don McLean’s American Pie
Lyrics: Don McLean’s American Pie. What is Don McLean’s song American Pie about? I think that most of us would say that it’s about the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in 1959. The song coined the phrase ‘the day the music died’ which, since the song was released, has come to describe that February day. Other than to confirm that certain parts of the song refer to Holly, Don McLean...
Banana Fritters Recipe
Banana fritters with maple syrup – recipe from 1975 I admit that I’m fascinated by older recipes. 1975 doesn’t seem terribly long ago (to me anyway) but this recipe for banana fritters surprised me. This is mainly because, when I think about this dish, I imagine bananas dipped in batter and deep fried. These are different. Although the original author doesn’t specify, I like to serve these garnished with more...
Easy Breakfast Sandwiches to Make at Home
Easy Breakfast Sandwiches to Make at Home. Breakfast can be boring. I know oatmeal is one of the best things you can eat for breakfast, and I really like it, but some days I need a change. Yesterday was one of those days. Looking around for something to fix I nearly gave up and thought I’d hit a fast food drive-thru. That reminded me of a breakfast sandwich I used to make often. So why not make one at home? I wanted something that...
Fantastic Fruit Filled Green Salad
Fantastic Fruit Filled Green Salad Even in the midst of the winter chill I still often crave a crisp, cold salad. Fresh fruit all year long is a must. Between the soups and the hot comfort food, sometimes a super healthy combination of vegetables sounds so good. This time I decided to combine the two for a delicious, sweet taste. Many of us have had salads with strawberries tossed with spinach, or Mandarin oranges found in an Asian...
The Cuisinart 5 in 1 Griddler; Do Your Barbecuing Inside
The Cuisinart 5 in 1 Griddler; Do Your Barbecuing Inside How do you feel about the Cuisinart Griddler? I start with that question because a friend once told me that she seems grills like this at every garage sale. Then she asked, “Who really uses them?” Well, I do. I love mine! How about some chicken and vegetable skewers to start off? Since I no longer have a place to barbecue, I looked around for a grill that would be easy to...
Secret Pinterest boards for bloggers
Bloggers: Using a secret Pinterest board Brands were quick to grasp the marketing potential of secret Pinterest boards. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t make the most of them too. And they are perfect way for bloggers to collaborate. Secret boards are an excellent way for individual bloggers to join together to co-promote each others work – it’s quick, easy and effective. It works best if you have at least...