Pop Culture

sgt. peppers lonely hearts club band

History of the Summer of Love — 1967: Part 4, Rock & Roll

By billpetro / June 2, 2023 /

HISTORY OF THE SUMMER OF LOVE — 1967: PART 4, ROCK & ROLL   It was twenty years ago today Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play They’ve been going in and out of style But they’re guaranteed to raise a smile   Rock & Roll in the late ’60s was exemplified when The Beatles…

Read More
golden gate bridge

History of the Golden Gate Bridge: 86 Years Old

By billpetro / May 27, 2023 /

HISTORY OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE This week we celebrate the 86th anniversary of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge. On May 27, 1937, the bridge opened to traffic after taking over five years to build. I remember asking my father when I was young: “Why isn’t the Golden Gate Bridge golden?” He didn’t…

Read More
Star Wars

History of Star Wars: Premiered 46 Years Ago

By billpetro / May 25, 2023 /

HISTORY OF STAR WARS The original Star Wars movie premiered on May 25, 1977. Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away… when living in Berkeley, in November 1976, I picked up a new science fiction novel, “Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker” by George Lucas. I did not know then that it…

Read More
Tommy album

History of The Who’s Tommy: 54 Years Ago

By billpetro / May 23, 2023 /

HISTORY OF THE WHO’s TOMMY Fifty-four years ago today, on May 23, 1969, the British rock group The Who released the double-album rock opera Tommy. Commercially the record went Gold in the UK and Double Platinum in the US. Several songs were released as singles that charted in the Top 20 in the UK and…

Read More

History of May the Fourth (Be With You): Star Wars Day

By billpetro / May 4, 2023 /

  HISTORY OF MAY THE FOURTH May 4th or May the Fourth is a geek holiday that has gained popularity in recent years due to a popular film franchise. But where did it begin?   History of May the Fourth “May the Fourth” is taken from the benediction “May the Force be with you,” made famous…

Read More
King James Bible

History of the King James Bible: Over 400 Years of the Authorized Version?

By billpetro / May 2, 2023 /

HISTORY OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE Four hundred and twelve years ago marked the publishing, at the request of the Anglican clergy, of what would become the Authorized Version of the Bible to wide acclaim. But there are three problems with that statement. While it is true that the King James Bible was published in…

Read More
World Tai Chi Day

History of World Tai Chi Day

By billpetro / April 29, 2023 /

While World Tai Chi Day started back in 1999, the history of Tai Chi goes back centuries. Learn the origins and history of this Chinese Martial Art.

Read More
Marathon

History of the Marathon

By billpetro / April 17, 2023 /

HISTORY OF THE MARATHON Today in Boston, Massachusetts, is the running of the Boston Marathon, beginning at the start line in Hopkinton at 10:00 AM and following the race route into Boston. This is the oldest and longest-running (no pun intended) annual marathon event, at least in the Western World. It began in 1897, the year…

Read More
Jesus Revolution

Movie Review: Jesus Revolution

By billpetro / March 8, 2023 /

Movie Review: Jesus Revolution Growing up in California during the ’60s and ’70s allowed me to be both an observer of and a participant in the Jesus Revolution.   Historical Synopsis: The Jesus Revolution — alternately known as the Jesus Movement, Jesus People, or the somewhat pejorative Jesus Freaks — was a spiritual awakening with…

Read More
st valentine

History of St. Valentine’s Day

By billpetro / February 14, 2023 /

HISTORY OF ST. VALENTINE’S DAY The day we associate with love and romance has a history that traces back almost three millennia to ancient Rome but winds through Roman North Africa, England, and the United States. St. Valentine was martyred on February 14. However, Valentine or Valentinus is the name of at least three martyred saints.…

Read More
Super Bowl Avocados

History of the Avocado: The Super Bowl Food

By billpetro / February 11, 2023 /

HISTORY OF THE AVOCADO: THE SUPER BOWL FOOD   Why are avocados, especially guacamole dip, considered a required food for Super Bowl Parties? What’s the background?   Californian Avocados California, which has 60,000 acres of avocado orchards, has an avocado growing season running from March through August… not exactly friendly to the date of the…

Read More
Super Bowl LVII logo

History of the Super Bowl: Just another Religious Holiday?

By billpetro / February 10, 2023 /

The Super Bowl™ is a territory acquisition athletic contest played on a fixed agrarian grid using, as a token, an inflated porcine prolate spheroid. Some will say it is the most important holiday of the year in America. While it is ostensibly a secular holiday, others argue it is truly a religious holiday. And there…

Read More