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Issue 580
IT'S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW: SNIPPETZ LOOKS INTO THE SOCIAL NETWORKING PHENOMENON by Lindsey Harrison “The value of a social network is defined not only by who’s on it, but by who’s excluded.” – Paul Saffo, Silicon Valley technology forecaster In 2012, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone that isn’t involved in social networking. From CEOs to middle school students, it seems that the entire country (and indeed, a good portion of the world as well) is connected through social networking groups and websites. In fact, some people can’t imagine how they ever stayed connected without Facebook or Twitter. What did we do before the days when we could instantly share what we had for dinner with the rest of the Cyber world? Snippetz investigates the evolution of social networking and the ramifications it has on conventional communication and relationships. Behind The Social Networking Scene Social scientists have defined a social network as the theoretical social structure that makes up relationships and interactions between individuals, groups, organizations or societies as a whole. Social networks have been written about and discussed for centuries, with some writings dating back to the ancient Greeks. Naturally, there is a lot of complexity that goes into the analysis of social networks. We’re talking dyadic level, triadic level, meso level, macro level. The list is enormous. Prior to the technologically overloaded world of today, these networks were limited to people around you, perhaps people you were connected to through traditional paper-and-pen correspondence or maybe even by telephone. But the Internet has opened a whole new realm of connections and relationships that can be made with literally anyone in the world. Enter The Internet While the World Wide Web wasn’t developed until 1993, the Internet itself has been around since as far back as 1958. The Advanced Research Projects Agency was formed in order to research, study and create new technology as a way for the United States military to keep up (and likely surpass) the efforts of the then-USSR which had recently launched the Sputnik satellite. After years of work, ARPA established the first online computer networks in 1966. In 1969, the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) developed the first network-to-network connection between the Stanford Research Institute and the University of California at Los Angeles. By the early 70s, this connection came to be termed the Internet. By 1976, this connection was used to send electronic mail (email) and the first commercial email service, Comet, was created. And no, Al Gore did not invent the Internet. While the Internet is a network of computer networks, the World Wide Web is actually just a series of connected Internet websites, connected through (duh) the Internet. Without the development of the Internet, the Web wouldn’t be possible and social networking would look drastically different today. Oh The Possibilities… With the newfound ability to connect to people around the world, then came tools like America Online’s Instant Messaging. AIM allowed people to communicate online instantly and users could create a Friends list and see their contacts all in one spot. Other sites like Classmates.com allowed people to find high school or college friends via the Internet. Dating sites gave users the ability to create a profile and look for love via the Internet. But the original social networking site, SixDegrees.com which rose in popularity in 1997, combined all those tools into one place. While SixDegrees gained millions of users, it simply couldn’t sustain itself because the majority of people using it didn’t have a large enough online network to allow the site to sustain itself. The concept was just a little premature to be viable. Piggy-backing off the idea of creating an online network, the site Ryze.com was created in 2001 to allow users to expand their business networks in a way they had never been able to before. They could network with other business people without competing and could offer support to each other. Ryze eventually faded away, never gaining the popularity that the later business-oriented networking sites to follow would. Friends-of-friends While Ryze was still in its heyday, a new site called Friendster was created in 2002. The idea behind this site was a mish-mash of a business networking site and a dating site. The concept was simple: instead of allowing strangers to meet each other in the hopes of creating a love connection, Friendster brought together friends-of-friends, assuming they would be more compatible. By 2003, the site had gained 300,000 users. Because social networking was still in its infancy, Friendster suffered many different issues like frequent technical difficulties, causing users to move away from the site due to frustration with its unreliability. The rumor that Friendster would begin charging for its services did nothing to help its decline in popularity. When MySpace.com was launched later in 2003, people who had given up on Friendster began using this site. It provided a wider range of possibilities, such as personalization of the user’s webpage. The concept took off and by 2004, Facebook joined the social networking world. Although it was never intended to extend past college students looking to connect with other college students, it rapidly grew in popularity, eventually becoming the #1 social networking site. The truth about Facebook is that it was originally designed as a way for college students at Harvard University to rate the “hotness” of other students. Its creator, Mark Zuckerberg, eventually evolved the site into what over a billion users are familiar with today. Facebook, a free site, allows users to create profiles with pictures, videos, lists of interests, personal and professional information and contact information. Through Facebook, users can communicate with people they have listed as Friends through either posting on their “wall” which is a public forum, by private messaging which is similar to email, or by chatting which is like IMing. Facebook allows users to update their status by posting whatever information they like, which is viewable by their friends. The site also allows users to “like” pages, photos, videos or comments posted by their friends. You can also “tag” someone in a photo or status update, which then links their information to that particular tag. The site also provides a “News Feed” which shows other friends’ profile changes, status updates, birthdays or events. Twitter, the second most popular social networking site, was founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey. He said he came up with the name Twitter because of the definition, “a short burst of inconsequential information,” which he said is exactly what the site provided. The site allows users to send and read “tweets,” which are basically mini-blogs. As of 2012, the site has over 500,000 active users. In order to post, follow (subscribe to another person’s tweets) or be followed on Twitter, a user must register with the site, while unregistered users can only follow tweets. These tweets are publicly viewable unless a sender restricts the visibility to followers only. In October 2012, the top 10 most followed individuals included: Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Barack Obama, Taylor Swift and Britney Spears. Unlike the previous two sites, LinkedIn is a professionally-oriented site and ranks third on the list of most popular social networking sites. It was launched in 2003 by founder Reid Hoffman. In June 2012, the site boasted 175 million users. Because LinkedIn is a site geared toward professional relationships, users must register. Each contact on a user’s list is called a “connection.” Using their connections, users can then make second- and third-degree connections with other people with whom they are not directly connected. This increases each user’s networking ability. On this site, users can upload resumes or enhance their profile with work they’ve done (i.e., artwork, etc.). Users can post job listings and search profiles for people they might like to hire. If you’re looking for a job, as a user you can peruse the profiles of those who have posted jobs in order to determine who on their contact list can connect them. By limiting the avenues users can take in order to create a connection with another user (users must already be connected or introduced through an existing connection), the idea is that users will trust that the service will be used for its intended purposes only. Happy friending, tweeting and connecting! Issue 581
SNIPPETZ REVEALS THE TRUTH ABOUT SANTA'S REINDEER by Lindsey Harrison “I think there should be something in science called the ‘reindeer effect.’ I don’t know what it would be but I think it would be good to hear someone say, ‘Gentlemen, what we have here is a terrifying example of the reindeer effect.’” – Jack Handy, Saturday Night Live Most of us have probably heard the story about how Santa travels around the world in one night, pulled in a sleigh by a team of flying reindeer to deliver presents to all the good boys and girls. There’s been so much controversy surrounding these wonderful creatures that we at Snippetz decided to set the record straight. Reindeer Do Exist Reindeer are a type of deer that are typically found in the Artic and Subarctic regions such as Canada, Alaska, Greenland and just about anywhere in Europe and Asia north of the 50th latitude. This might account for why Santa chose these animals to pull his sleigh; they would’ve been easily found near his home at the North Pole. While generally numerous in population, several subspecies are rare while at least one has become extinct. This could be due to reindeer hunting which has been a common activity for centuries upon centuries. It has become an important source of clothing, food, shelter and tools for many cultures that have maintained a more traditional lifestyle, such as the Inuit. Their coats range in color which changes with the changing of the seasons. Some species are smaller and mostly white, while others are much larger and sport darker coats. Traditionally, Santa’s reindeer are referred to as “tiny,” which is consistent with the size of the northern-most species and likely to be the ones found near the North Pole. Often in more modern portrayals however, one of the larger species is used. Male or Female? One of the most contested facts about Santa’s reindeer is whether or not they are male. Recently, their gender has come under scrutiny because of the presence of antlers on each animal. In most reindeer populations, both males and females grow antlers annually. The antlers fall out at different times of the year and regrow covered in a layer of fur called velvet. The anatomical confusion likely comes from the fact that in Scandinavian populations the older male’s antlers fall off in December, while the females’ antlers don’t fall off until the summer. Santa’s reindeer most definitely have their antlers when he makes his Christmas Eve flight. So are they male or female? Traditionally, Santa’s reindeer have been referred to as male, but how can that be if male reindeer lose their antlers in December? Here’s how: There are a few populations in which only the males grow antlers; the females never do. And while the majority of older males lose their antlers in December, not all do. So while it isn’t known exactly what gender Santa’s reindeer are, it’s completely conceivable that they are all male, just as we suspected all along. Donner and Blitzen…or Dunder and Blixem? “Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blizten!” That’s how we’ve all heard it said. But there seems to be a bit of confusion as to whether Donner and Blitzen really are Donner and Blitzen. “Twas the Night before Christmas” was a poem written in Dutch in 1823 by Henry Livingston, Jr., describing Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve. In that version, Livingston refers to these two as Dunder and Blixem, respectively. However, a later version of the poem was written by Clement Clarke Moore (and eventually he became credited with being the poem’s original author, even though he wasn’t), and in that version, their names were changed to Donder and Blitzen. And Donder was eventually changed to Donner by Johnny Marks in the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It isn’t known why Marks changed the lyrics, although some suspect it was so that, when translated into German, they would mean “thunder” and “lightning.” Since about 1950, the two have consistently been referred to as Donner and Blitzen, although no one knows for certain which names are the correct names. Perhaps Santa could clear up some of the confusion, but as of yet, no one has been able to get a definitive answer from him. Who is Olive? We all know the song about Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. His nose is a bright glowing red that earns him significant ridicule from Olive, the other reindeer. But who is this Olive, anyway? Olive is actually a Jack Russell Terrier. She overhears her owner complaining that there won’t be a Christmas one year because Blitzen (or is it Blixem?) is hurt and can’t fly. Apparently, Santa made a radio announcement saying that he hoped to make his normal Christmas Eve flight with “all of the other reindeer.” However, Olive thinks he says, “Olive, the other reindeer.” She decides she must get to the North Pole to help out Santa since he clearly needed it. A series of random events occur, Olive eventually finds Santa, helps him fly the sleigh on a successful present-delivering run and returns to her home. It isn’t clear if this particular Olive is the same as the Olive who “used to laugh and call him (Rudolph) names,” but she has not been asked to return for a repeat flight. Perhaps she made a bad first impression… And The Biggest Question of Them All… Not to sound skeptical or anything, but it seems a little strange to think of reindeer flying. But there’s a good explanation behind one of the most controversial Christmas events ever: magical dust. That’s right, magical dust. Think Pixie dust like in “Peter Pan” only without the “happy thoughts” requirement in order to fly. It is said that once Santa’s sleigh is loaded up with all the Christmas presents, he reaches into his big Santa pockets and pulls out a super special pouch. Inside this super special pouch is the aforementioned magical dust. The magical dust is said to be made from all the Christmas dreams since the beginning of Christmas dreaming. Just a sprinkle of this dust and each reindeer can now take wing…or is it take antler? Apparently, the antlers on the reindeer are said to be special receivers of Christmas dreams. The dust, which naturally can’t stay on the reindeer through their whole flight (that’s just ridiculous), tends to dissipate over time. But the antlers pick up on the Christmas dreams the children around the world are dreaming, allowing the reindeer to maintain their ability to overcome the force of gravity pulling them down. But that’s not the end of this reindeer-flying tale. After delivering all the presents, the reindeer are said to feel so much joy from knowing how excited all the children will be when they get to open their gifts, that this joy is able to keep them aloft until they return home to the North Pole. Don’t Forget The Reindeer! In the wild, reindeer eat the only thing available in the harsh climate they inhabit: shrubs and grasses. In captivity, they usually eat hay, alfalfa, grasses or willow and birch trees. Santa likes to have a tasty treat while he’s making his global gift delivery run, but what should you leave out for his reindeer? Truthfully, they seem to do the majority of the work. Santa’s reindeer are said to be used to a diet consisting mostly of leafy greens, carrots, perhaps some apples (these must be imported, unless Santa has designed some sort of green house in which he can grow these items on site). But as a snack, it has become a tradition to leave oatmeal for Santa’s reindeer to eat. Have you ever tried to eat dry oatmeal in the dark? Probably not, but it doesn’t sound like a very easy task. So it’s recommended that you mix in either some glitter or colored sugar crystals so that Rudolph can use his shiny nose to illuminate the oatmeal mixture, allowing for a much easier snacking experience. Issue 582
SNIPPETZ AGREES, IT IS A WONDERFUL LIFE! by Lindsey Harrison “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” – Henry Travers as Clarence Oddbody in “It’s a Wonderful Life” The Christmas holiday is steeped in tradition. Some families trim the tree while listening to their favorite Christmas music. Others prefer to spend their time in the kitchen, baking myriad cookies, cakes and other mouth-watering treats. But you’d really have to look hard to find anyone who doesn’t have a special movie that reminds them of Christmastime. “It’s A Wonderful Life” is one such movie that most people associate with the Christmas holiday. Snippetz takes a look at the film, the message and can’t find a single reason not to agree that it truly is a wonderful life. The Story If you haven’t seen the movie, it might sound like a bit of a downer. A man who has always been self-sacrificing in order to help others finds himself on the brink of professional bankruptcy on Christmas Eve. Not exactly the definition of a feel-good Christmas-y movie, right? Don’t get discouraged, though. It ends on a high note. The premise is really two-fold. The first is that an Angel named Clarence Oddbody (Henry Travers) desperately wants to earn his wings. He is tasked with preventing George Bailey (James “Jimmy” Stewart) from committing suicide and helping him appreciate all the blessings Bailey has in his life. If he can accomplish this, Oddbody will earn his wings. The other side of the story follows Bailey. He has always put others’ needs before his own by setting aside his hopes and dreams (like traveling and college). All this generosity doesn’t prevent a mistake made by his Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell), which results in an $8,000 deficit to his business accounts. Realizing that he could face prosecution for misappropriation of funds, Bailey gets drunk, crashes his car and then decides he is worth more dead than alive. Bailey attempts to jump from a bridge to commit suicide but Oddbody beats him to the punch. Bailey rescues him instead of taking his own life. In his inebriated state, Bailey remains despondent and wishes that he had never been born. Oddbody grants his wish and shows Bailey what the world would have been like for his family and friends in that event. Things are not pretty. When Bailey wishes for things to go back to normal, naturally his wish is granted and he can return to his life having gained some perspective. The townspeople raise the $8,000 to keep him out of jail and he realizes that he has a wonderful life. And, of course, Oddbody finally earns his wings. A Not-So-Warm Reception… It probably comes as a shock to some people that this film, which was voted No. 11 in the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time, was initially received with, shall we say, mixed reviews. Following its premiere at the Globe Theatre in New York on Dec. 20, 1946, one writer for the New York Times wrote that “the weakness of this picture, from the reviewer’s point of view, is the sentimentality of it – it’s illusory concept of life.” The movie was released for general viewing on Jan. 7, 1947 and grossed $3.3 million at the box office. This equated to a loss of $525,000 at the box office for RKO, the film’s production company. More reviews followed, both good and bad. The Federal Bureau of Investigation weighed in on the film in a memo that stated: “With regard to the picture “It’s a Wonderful Life,” (names redacted) stated in substance that the film represented rather obvious attempts to discredit bankers by casting Lionel Barrymore (Henry F. Potter, the villainous banker who attempts to overrun Bedford Falls and take control of Bailey’s company) as a ‘scrooge-type’ so that he would be the most hated man in the picture. This, according to these sources, is a common trick used by Communists. In addition, (names redacted) stated that, in his opinion, this picture deliberately maligned the upper class, attempting to show the people who had money were mean and despicable characters.” Oops If “It’s A Wonderful Life” can be considered a box office flop, it is said to be in large part due to the fact that the production company RKO failed to renew the copyright on it. In those days, a copyright only lasted 27 years, so by 1973 RKO should have renewed it. But they didn’t so when T.V. stations got wind of this little misstep, they began to run the movie as part of their Christmas lineup. Naturally, people began to watch it because it was being broadcast directly to them and eventually it became the classic that it is today. No one has ever been blamed for this mishap, nor has anyone admitted to it. ‘Wonderful’ Snippetz
Issue 583
BENDING THE RULES OF TRADITIONAL DATING: ONLINE DATING “There is so much hurt in this game of searching for a mate, of testing, trying. And you realize suddenly that you forgot it was a game, and turn away in tears.” – Sylvia Plath In a world where you can earn a college degree or buy just about anything online, where you can have 467 “friends” on Facebook, it only makes sense that you should be able to meet the love of your life online. Gone are the days of browsing dating sites, looking at pictures that may or may not be of the person they claim to be. Online dating sites are claiming to be using a scientific approach when matching people up. They’re becoming more specific, targeting a very distinct subset of people looking to find other like-minded individuals. Naturally, we at Snippetz felt it was about time someone checked into the domain of online dating, to see what’s out there and get a grip on the attraction of making a cyber connection. What is online dating? Online dating is pretty self-explanatory. People use the internet to connect with other individuals in order to develop a personal or romantic relationship. Most often, a user is required to provide a certain amount of personal information in order to determine a prospective match with other users. The information can be specific, such as gender or it can be more general such as age range rather than just age. The site uses that information to match users to other users that have specified those qualities as desirable. Most sites require a monthly membership fee and some offer free registration to entice new customers. Others are funded strictly through advertisements. The first Internet dating site In 1986, Matchmaker.com was founded, making it the oldest online dating site still in current use. The site was created by Gregory Scott Smith of San Antonio, Texas in March 1983. Initially, it was a dial-up Bulletin Board System, which allowed users access only over a phone line using a modem. The point of the BBS was to digitize the standard cork bulletin board method of communication so that people could post messages and news or initiate a chat with another user completely through a computer connection. Matchmaker.com required members to complete a questionnaire that was made of both multiple choice and essay questions, which cataloged the members’ interests and hobbies. When a member searched for a match through the site, the potential matches were ranked based on how many overall responses that member had in common with someone else’s profile. Members also had the opportunity to create a list of matches based on distance from their zip code to the potential match’s zip code. With the onset of the Internet, Matchmaker.com switched over from dial-up, having realized how much more efficient the Internet was. The who’s who of dating sites Recently, dating sites are gearing more towards very specific types of people, interests or cultures. For example, there are sites specific to smokers looking to meet other smokers; people who enjoy vampires and blood; younger women looking for older, wealthy men; and African American people who enjoy “nerdy” things. As you probably guessed, those sites garner less interest than a general dating site simply because they don’t appeal to everyone…and that’s the way they like it. Naturally, the more mainstream sites have earned the top spots on the list of most popular dating sites for 2012. Here’s a little bit about the top two sites, in order of decreasing popularity: Match.com – Launched in 1995, this site says it has hundreds of thousands of members, representing 24 countries. The site provides matches based on religion, sexual orientation and age in order to narrow down the field if a member so desires. Match.com claims to have led to more dates, relationships and marriages than any other site. They also provide a free online magazine that provides tips and advice on dating. The downside is that, because of the large member base, there are a lot of foreign members that can’t necessarily be verified as legitimate. The match.com magazine warns members on how to stay safe when dating online such as when a member happens to be foreign and asks for financial information or sends a suspicious link to a third-party website. eHarmony – Dr. Neil Clark Warren, a clinical psychologist, launched this site in 1997. It boasts a patented Compatibility Matching System® that uses certain characteristics to predict compatibility and matches those people together. eHarmony is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. The site claims to be the “#1 Trusted Relationship Services Provider in the USA.” eHarmony also claims that, based on a 2009 U.S. survey, an average of 542 members from the eHarmony site get married every day in the U.S. as a result of being matched on their site. The site provides an interactive advice section, but doesn’t provide matching services for bisexual or homosexual couples. If you’re in the mood for a little fun It may surprise you to know that one of the most popular dating sites from 2012 is geared essentially towards…let’s just say, it’s not for meaningful relationships. Adultfriendfinder.com is the third most popular site from 2012. Founded in 1996, Adultfriendfinder.com boasts over 40 million members. The site says they have helped millions of people “hook up,” and claims to be the “largest social network for singles and swingers looking for fun with no strings attached.” Don’t worry; the obvious irony that Adultfriendfinder.com is considered a “dating site” after making it so painfully clear that girls on this site (and apparently everyone else too) just want to have fun, is not lost on us at Snippetz, either. Not quite a dating site, but still… While we’re on the topic of sites that may not really count as dating sites, let’s talk about CanDoBetter.com. This gem of a site was launched in 2009 and asks the age-old question: have you ever wondered whether other people think you can do better than your current lover? If so, then this site is for you! The idea behind the site is pretty obvious: members upload pictures of themselves and their current dating partner and other members get to pick which partner “can do better.” Now making snap judgments about other people based solely on how they look has gotten even easier. The site claims that receiving votes from complete strangers is more credible because the people voting aren’t worried about hurting your feelings. It’s comforting to know there’s a place out there where someone can go to get completely irrelevant feedback about their relationship from people who don’t matter in the slightest bit. Just a “couple” Snippetz… In June 2012, facts and statistics were compiled about online dating. Here’s a few of the more interesting ones:
Happy dating! Issue 584
SNIPPETZ LOOKS INTO NATURAL REMEDIES AND DISEASE PREVENTION by Lindsey Harrison “Half the modern drugs could well be thrown out the window except that the birds might eat them.” – Martin H. Fischer During these long, cold winter months, most of us consider ourselves lucky to make it to spring without catching a cold. We try to wash our hands more often. Maybe we’re better about covering our sneezes with our elbows rather than sneezing onto the hand we’ll use to shake a friend’s hand later in the day. Normally most people tend to think of keeping those germs out of our bodies rather than working with natural plants, herbs, spices and the like to protect our bodies from the inside out, making them less susceptible to viruses, infections and disease. Snippetz takes a look at a growing trend in all-natural remedies and disease prevention…maybe we’ll all be looking more closely at our spice cabinets before we reach for the phone to call our doctors. To Set The Record Straight… Some people might consider natural remedies as homeopathic. But that’s not quite accurate. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, homeopathy (which is also known as homeopathic medicine) was developed in Germany over 200 years ago as an alternative medical system. Homeopathic remedies are derived from plants, minerals or sometimes animals, but that is not the same as using natural methods to treat or prevent a health problem. Homeopathic remedies are often highly diluted, sometimes so much so that no molecules of the original healing element remain. One of the theories behind homeopathy is the “law of minimum dose.” The idea behind this theory is that the lower the dosage of the medication, the better the medication will work. With such a small dosage of the medication present in many over-the-counter “homeopathic” treatments, it’s often hard to know if the medication is working at all…and the treatments often contain high dosages of other active ingredients, which can cause side effects or drug interactions just like any conventional medication. Au Naturale The use of homeopathic treatments is controversial for a number of reasons. Most obvious is how a treatment can be effective if it contains very little or none of the active ingredient. However, the use of natural herbs, spices, compounds and plants has been documented and supported by a variety of different entities. For example, the National Cancer Institute has indicated that several plants such as sage, oregano, thyme, rosemary, fennel, caraway, anise, coriander, cumin, turmeric and tarragon have shown some cancer-preventing abilities. Other natural substances are said to have healing and preventative properties. Here are a few of the more popular ones:
Other Helpful Things To Eat
Fun Snippetz
Issue 585
SNIPPETZ DIGS UP SOME MYTHICAL BEASTS: MERMAIDS, CENTAURS AND UNICORNS... OH MY! by Lindsey Harrison “It’s pretty much my favorite animal [liger]. It’s like a lion and tiger mixed…bred for its skills in magic.” – Napoleon Dynamite Fairy tales have them. Disney movies have them. Even Sci-Fi movies have them. Mythical beasts of all kinds have been around for thousands of years, most clearly evidenced in ancient Greek mythology. It would be nearly impossible to list all the mythical creatures that have cropped up over time. That’s not to say some people haven’t tried. We at Snippetz are a little less ambitious: we’ve rounded up some of the more popular ones to give our readers a sampling of the world’s most feared and revered creatures throughout history. And here they are, in no particular order. Sphinx The sphinx is a creature that is said to have the body of a lion and the head of either a male or female human. Sometimes it is depicted with the wings of a bird as was common in Greek mythology. Conflicting ideas regarding the nature of the sphinx occur throughout the world, with the Greeks believing it to be a “demon of destruction and bad luck.” Others believed it to be a gentler, more benevolent creature. Often portrayed as a guardian to the entrances of temples and cities, the sphinx is said to have posed a riddle to anyone wishing to pass. If the riddle was correctly answered, the person was allowed entrance. But if the traveler answered incorrectly, the sphinx killed and ate them. The riddle is said to be as follows: “Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon and three legs in the evening?” The earliest-known statue of the sphinx was found in Turkey (although the exact location is up for debate) and is dated to be about 9500 B.C. However, probably the most recognizable depiction is the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt. Other portrayals of the sphinx have been credited to India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Unicorn A unicorn is usually depicted as a white horse with a long, spiraling, pointy horn extending from its forehead. The horn was said to have magical healing powers. Legends say that unicorns can only be captured by a female virgin as the unicorn itself symbolizes purity, goodness and grace. The unicorn is mentioned in historical writings in several different places including the Hebrew Bible and the King James Version of the Bible. This lends credence to the idea that this mythological animal was not considered a myth at all. It was fairly common for unicorns to appear in writings by historians, physicians, poets and other writers until the 19th century. Belief in the unicorn was so strong that Otto Von Guericke, mayor of Magdeburg, Germany claimed to have found prehistoric unicorn bones at Unicorn Cave in the German Harz Mountains in 1663. His “unicorn” consisted of fossils from a woolly rhinoceros and a mammoth with a narwhal horn. It only had two legs. Apparently the construction of the unicorn was so well done that Von Guericke convinced several non-believers of their existence. Sirens Said to be “femmes fatales,” sirens are seductive creatures who use their beautiful singing voices to lure sailors to shipwreck on the rocks surrounding the coast of their island. Sirens are said to be part woman part bird, occasionally portrayed with wings, bird legs, bird bodies and the like, depending on whose writings you are reading. Sometimes they are said to play different musical instruments such as the harp or the flute. Sirens date back to ancient Greek mythology, making an appearance in Homer’s Odyssey when Odysseus encounters them on his journey. He wanted to know what they sang about in their songs, so Odysseus had his crew plug their ears with beeswax and tie him to the mast of the ship. He ordered them to leave him there and not to untie him, no matter how much he insisted on being released. Odysseus heard their songs, begged profusely to be released, but eventually he and his crew made it past the sirens. Later writers said that sirens were fated to die if anyone ever successfully fended off their advances after hearing their “siren song” (and yes, that is where the phrase came from) and that they subsequently threw themselves into the ocean to drown. Mermaids Possibly conjuring images of a red-haired Disney character singing alongside a sassy Jamaican crab about her desire to be human, mermaids are said to be beautiful half-human-half-fish creatures. Most often, they have the head and torso of a human with the lower body of a fish. They are often described as helpful, coming to the rescue of sailors who have fallen overboard, but sometimes are depicted as bringing on storms to cause shipwrecks. Mermaids have been popular characters in both art and literature throughout history, beginning in 1000 B.C. The Assyrian story describes the goddess Atargatis who fell in love with a mortal shepherd but accidentally kills him. She was so ashamed of what she had done that she jumped into a lake, intending to take the form of a fish. It was said that her beauty was so great that the waters couldn’t hide it and she ended up in the form of a mermaid. “The Little Mermaid” fairy tale, written by Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1837, tells of the youngest daughter of the Sea King who falls in love with a human prince. She visits a sea witch to exchange her tongue for legs so she can live on land. While the prince finds her washed up on the beach, he doesn’t end up marrying her. Naturally, Disney’s version does not include the part where the mermaid must stab the prince in order to return to the sea. In both versions though, she eventually ends up a human. Phoenix No, this is not about the city in Arizona. The mythical bird phoenix is often portrayed as an eagle or similar bird of prey. It is associated with renewal, as only one phoenix is said to be able to exist at any given time. Roughly every 1,000 years, the existing phoenix is said to build a funeral pyre of cinnamon or other such spices with pleasing aromas so that it can be burned to ashes. From those ashes, the new phoenix is said to rise and begin its 1,000-year reign. While the phoenix can be found in several ancient mythologies such as Greek, Egyptian and Indian, it is generally agreed that the phoenix’s origins begin in ancient Egypt. It is often said to have a close relationship with the sun and the sun-god Ra. The phoenix is also often associated with royalty, possibly due to an etymological explanation put forth by archbishop Isidore of Seville who lived in the 6th and 7th centuries. He said that the name of the phoenix came from its purple-red hue. This idea stuck, which is illustrated in the reference to the color purple as the “Phoenician” color. The phoenix was considered “the royal bird.” Centaur Half man, half horse, the centaur is said to be stuck between the wild world of the animals and the civilized world of humans. They are said to be great warriors, using their horse-like hindquarters to race into battle, their human upper bodies fighting with various weapons. They are also said to be rather heavy drinkers and prone to violence when drunk. In Greek mythology, the centaur Chiron is the complete opposite. He was said to be a great healer, tutor and astrologer, although he is said not to be related to other centaurs that were born of sun and raincloud. Chiron is said to be the son of Cronus when he took the form of a horse and “had relations” with the nymph Philyra. There is no exact designation when the idea of the centaur came about, but pieces of Mycenaean pottery suggest that it originated in the Bronze Age. The leading theory is that cultures who weren’t familiar with horses and their use as a mode of transportation for humans mistook riders and their horses as one being: the centaur. Certain tribes of Thessaly claimed that their horse breeds were descendants of centaurs and the tribesmen themselves were said to be kinsmen of the centaurs in mythology. Issue 586
SNIPPETZ ENJOYS THE SPICE OF LIFE by Lindsey Harrison “He who controls the spice controls the universe.” – Frank Herbert Giving your mother-in-law’s chicken casserole a little kick is as easy as going to your pantry or spice rack and picking out whatever tickles your fancy. Of course, it wasn’t always that easy. That’s not to say it isn’t dangerous to season that casserole right in front of her. But in ancient times, travelers had to cross miles of land and sea, battling each other to get those easily-accessible spices that can be found on just about any grocery store shelf. In fact, spices were the driving force of the economy from the end of the Middle Ages until relatively modern times. So what’s all the fuss about? Snippetz investigates the spicy world of spices that can spice up anything that needs a little spicing. Early trading Overland travel was the obvious first method of spice trading, broadening the horizons of ancient cultures in Asia, Northeast Africa and Europe. Prior to the Christian Era, spices such as cinnamon, cassia, ginger, turmeric and cardamom were used throughout those regions and used for various forms of commerce. Maritime trading was established by the Kingdom of Axum (now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia) by way of the Red Sea as early as the middle of the first millennium. Once it was determined that this method was significantly more effective, other maritime routes quickly sprang up. By the late medieval times, Muslim traders were using the Indian Ocean as their favored route, which allowed them to ship spices from different regions in the Far East to trading centers throughout India and as far as the Persian Gulf. From there, land routes allowed the spices to reach Europe, expanding the influence spices had on medieval civilizations. Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, established a direct maritime route from Europe to the Indian Ocean in 1498. He sailed south along the west coast of Africa, rounded the continent at the Cape of Good Hope and then traveled back north on the eastern coast to be the first explorer to successfully reach India via the ocean. This new route gave Portugal an obvious advantage in trading which put the pressure on other countries in Europe to find alternate routes to get back in the game. Spain sent Christopher Columbus west in the hopes of reaching the Indies from the other side. He ran into a snag in the form of The Bahamas, eventually leading to Europeans settling in “The New World.” The Spanish didn’t stop there, however. In late 1520, Ferdinand Magellan successfully crossed from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through a passageway immediately south of South America and north of Tierra del Fuego, now known as the Strait of Magellan. The travelers reached the Spice Islands (the islands of Northern Indonesia and Southern Philippines) in 1521, establishing the first westward spice trade route to Asia. When the surviving voyagers returned to Spain in 1522, they became the first people to circumnavigate the globe. Why were spices so important? Spices have held an important part in human history for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians used several kinds in the embalming process, compliments of their preservative nature. Sometimes spices were used because they were believed to have a connection with one god or another and their use was thought to possibly put you in good favor with the gods as a whole. It doesn’t take a large stretch of the imagination to understand the value of spices when you consider their aromatic appeal, especially when you consider that in that early time periods, people were not exactly known for their stellar bodily hygiene. Spices were often used as perfume to mask those offending odors. Without the “advantages” of modern medicine, ancient civilizations used spices in a variety of ways to cure different ailments. It is thought that this particular revelation was behind the “Spice Wars” that played out between the Dutch and the Portuguese and eventually the Dutch and the English in the 1500s. One of the most sought-after spices during that time was nutmeg, which was highly praised as a miracle cure for the plague which ravaged London in 1603, killing more than 35,000 people. And let’s not forgot the obvious reason spices were highly valued: flavor. Enough said. How spices can help you More and more, it seems that research is going the way of the natural remedy versus the chemical compounds whipped up in a laboratory. In fact, some research is even showing that certain spices have healing abilities above and beyond anything man had been able to cook up in years upon years of experimentation. Here are some of those spices:
Other helpful spices: allspice, basil, bay leaf, black pepper, boswellia, cardamom, cayenne, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme. Most Expensive Spices
Spice Snippetz
Issue 587
SNIPPETZ HONORS THE MAN, AND THE WORLD OF WALT DISNEY by Lindsey Harrison “Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” – Walt Disney “Who’s the leader of the club, that’s made for you and me? M-I-C…K-E-Y…M-O-U-S-E!” You can probably sing the rest of the song, can’t you? Mickey Mouse and his creator Walt Disney have become so famous, we often refer to them as just Mickey and Disney, like we’re friends with them. But it’s doubtful any of us was ever on a first-name basis with the co-founder of a company that raked in more than $36 billion in revenue as of 2010. So who was this incredibly inventive, imaginative and successful man? Snippetz rolls back the hands of time to take a glimpse into the life of the man behind the mouse: Walt Disney. In the beginning… Born in Chicago on Dec. 5, 1901, Walter Elias Disney was the second son of Elias and Flora Disney. At the age of 4, Walt Disney moved with his family to Marceline, Mo. It was there that Disney began to discover and foster his love of drawing. The Disney family moved away from Chicago only to return in 1917. Disney entered his first year at McKinley High School as a freshman. He also began taking night classes at the Chicago Art Institute. Disney’s skill as an artist earned him the spot as cartoonist for his school’s newspaper. Walt Disney meets World War I With World War I raging, Disney decided to drop out of high school at 16 in order to join the army, but he wasn’t permitted to join because he was underage. Disney didn’t let that stop him, however. He joined the Red Cross with a friend and became an ambulance driver in France for a year but he never saw any combat action; the armistice was signed prior to his departure for France. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again After returning to the United States in 1919, Disney got a job at the Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio with the help of his older brother, Roy. At the art studio, Disney worked on creating advertisements for magazines, newspapers and movie theaters. He also crossed paths with fellow cartoonist Ubbe Iwerks who became an integral part in his future as an entrepreneur. When their contracts with the art studio came to an end, the pair set out to open their own commercial art studio. When the studio failed, Iwerks and Disney parted ways, with Disney finding employment making commercials using cutout animations. This job piqued his interest in animation and after studying up on different techniques, Disney settled on cell animation, which was speculated to have been because he felt it was a more promising avenue than cutout animation. In the years that followed, Disney experienced several ups and downs including the bankruptcy of his studio, Laugh-O-Gram. He bounced back and went into business with his brother Roy. They set about finding a distributor for Walt Disney’s developing idea, “Alice Comedies,” which was a series of live-action/animated short films based on “Alice’s Wonderland.” Walt Disney asked Virginia Davis, the live-action star of “Alice’s Wonderland” to relocate to Hollywood, Calif., where the Disneys had set up shop. Davis agreed and with the new series set to be produced, the Disney Brothers’ Studio was officially founded. Love is in the air During the rise of the Disney Brothers’ Studio, Disney met his future wife, Lillian Bounds, whom he had initially hired to ink and paint celluloid. It might have been love at first sight because after dating for just a few months, the couple married in 1925. They welcomed their first daughter Diane in 1933 and later adopted their second daughter, Sharon. Oswald the (Not-So) Lucky Rabbit The “Alice Comedies” found relative success and when the series ended in 1927, Disney and Iwerks were reunited. The pair created a new all-animated series called “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” which was created and drawn by Iwerks. The series was a hit and Disney decided he needed to get a higher fee for the short films he was creating, which by then were being distributed by Universal Pictures. Universal owner Charles Mintz refused the increased rate and informed Disney that Universal would actually be paying a lower rate. If Disney didn’t cooperate with the new arrangement, Mintz informed him that most of Disney’s animators were under contract and that Mintz would start a new studio, taking those animators with him. Mintz claimed that Universal Pictures owned the trademark to “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” and could easily continue to produce the films without Disney. Upon his refusal of Mintz’s ultimatum, Disney lost most of his animation staff and found himself back at square one. Enter Mickey Mouse After that, Disney did what he did best: he bounced back. Working with Iwerks, one of the only animators to stand by Disney during his conflict with Universal, he worked up some sketches of a mouse based on a pet he had back at the Laugh-O-Gram studio. Iwerks smoothed out the rough edges of the sketch, making the character easier to animate, while Disney provided the voice. With that, Mickey Mouse was born. Mickey Mouse’s first feature animated short, a silent cartoon called “Plane Crazy,” never made it to distribution. But not long after, Disney worked up a new cartoon with sound called “Steamboat Willie.” It was an instant hit. Thereafter, Disney re-released “Plane Crazy” and its follow-up “The Gallopin’ Gaucho” (also silent) with a soundtrack. Every subsequent cartoon he created included sound. Life’s better in color Until 1932, every Disney cartoon had been shot in black and white, including “Flowers and Trees.” After meeting Herbert Kalmus, a key player in the development of the first three-strip Technicolor camera, Disney agreed to reshoot “Flowers and Trees” in Technicolor. Again, it was an instant hit and earned the title of the first Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons in 1932. Disney shot all his following short cartoons, called Silly Symphonies, in color and received the sole right to use Technicolor for a two-year term, which was eventually extended to five years. As one of the Silly Symphonies, Disney created the short “The Three Little Pigs” in 1933, which went down as his most successful cartoon short ever. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs In 1934, Disney became interested in full-length feature films. His first idea was for “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the production of which began in 1934 and ran until mid-1937 when Disney’s studio ran out of money. Disney showed a rough cut of the film to loan officers in order to obtain the funding to complete the project and when it premiered on Dec. 21, 1937, the audience gave it a standing ovation. The film was released in February 1938 and earned over $8 million in its first release, which equates to about $132,085,110 today. Disney envisions Disneyland After finding immense success with full-length feature film cartoons including “Cinderella” and “Peter Pan,” Disney began dreaming up an amusement park where his employees could spend time with their children. In the late 1940s, he began sketching ideas and on July 17, 1955, in Anaheim, Calif., Disneyland was open for business. Again, Disney hit pay dirt…Disneyland was wildly successful. Seeing the success of Disneyland prompted Disney to consider the idea of a bigger, better resort. In early 1964, plans for Disney World began and in 1971 Roy Disney, alongside his family and Walt’s family, officially opened Disney World. Walt Disney didn’t live long enough to see the opening of Disney World. He died on Dec. 15, 1966 after suffering an acute circulatory collapse due to lung cancer. Disney chain-smoked his entire adult life. Disney Snippetz:
Issue 588
SNIPPETZ IS FEELING LUCKY! by Lindsey Harrison “We must believe in luck. For how else can we explain the success of those we don’t like?” - Jean Cocteau If you won the lottery, it’s unlikely anyone would say, “You must have worked really hard for the $524 million you just won.” Instead, you’d probably hear, “You are one lucky dude/gal.” Long before “lucky charms” were more commonly associated with a marshmallow-laden cereal featuring a spunky leprechaun on the box, mankind has believed and put much stock in the idea of luck. Perhaps it was a way to give meaning to terrible events that people couldn’t comprehend. Perhaps it really was a way to explain the success of their enemies, as Jean Cocteau said. Or perhaps it was just easier to believe that you could give over control to some higher power to handle your affairs than having to put in some blood, sweat and tears to get what you want. Whatever your views on luck happen to be, you’ve definitely heard of it. So Snippetz decided to investigate a little more about this ambiguous idea called “luck.” Is it luck? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines luck as “a force that brings good fortune or adversity; the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual.” Others have described it as fortune, either good or bad, that occurs beyond your control, without regard for your intention, will or desired result. There are many differing ideas about the types of luck that exist. One theory describes it in three senses: constitutional luck, circumstantial luck and ignorance luck.
Others have separated luck into two categories: prescriptive and descriptive. Supernatural forces, like gods or spirits, control luck in the prescriptive sense, weaving events so that they occur in a specific way, much like fate. This is the type of luck that people who “don’t believe in luck” usually mean. The prescriptive form of luck was a popular belief in ancient times, often being attributed to the Roman goddess Fortuna. In Greek mythology, she is the goddess Tyche. Both societies believed that their respective goddess of luck could bring both good and bad luck. Sometimes she was represented as blind or blindfolded, apparently alluding to the unbiased, unpredictable nature of luck. The descriptive sense of luck is just as it sounds: a form of luck used to describe events after the fact that seem either unlikely or improbable. These events can be good or bad. Luck can also be linked to explanations of faith, such as the aforementioned belief in a goddess that controls luck or the basis for superstition. Unlucky superstitions and bad omens The idea of luck is so fluid that it seems people can attribute just about every event in their life to one form of luck from some theory or another. Perhaps that’s reason for the very wide variety of superstitions about both good and bad luck. We’ll start with the bad luck omens or superstitions. DISCLAIMER: the following superstitions are just that – superstitions – and are not meant to be a suggestion or indication of anything one can expect from the future. Please take ALL of the good and bad items in these lists with a grain of salt! Here’s a sample of instances that are sad to be bad omens or indicate bad luck:
Some other bad omens are based more in ancient belief or based on some particular event. For instance, putting your hat on your bed is considered bad luck. It is said that in ancient times, people believed that evil spirits lived in your head and putting your hat on the bed invited those spirits to haunt the person who sleeps there. Another superstition claims that putting new shoes on the table is bad luck. The origins of this superstition is said to have originated in the traditions of mining communities. When a miner died while working in the mines, the other workers supposedly brought his boots back and placed them on the table at his home. Naturally, this lead to the connection of the shoes on the table and bad luck. Out with the bad and in with the good! Now you wouldn’t think we’d leave you with just bad things to contemplate, do you? Following are some of the array of good luck omens and charms:
As with bad luck superstitions, good luck ones are often based in ancient belief or in response to a particular event. The Greeks and Romans, for example, believed a key represented the power to unlock the door that would allow their prayers to reach the gods. Other superstitions give good luck charms the ability to ward off unwanted things. A sapphire is said to ward off spiders. In Italy, it is said that you can ward off the effects of the “evil eye” using the “devil’s horn,” which is a fist with the index and little fingers extended. Coins are very important when considering luck in wealth. Here are a few of the superstitions associated with coins:
Issue 589
SNIPPETZ ASKS: WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? CLOTHING STYLES THROUGH TIME by Lindsey Harrison 
“The finest clothing made is a person’s own skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.”
– Mark Twain Have you ever wondered how fashion styles evolved from the simple, practical clothing of the ancient cultures to Lady Gaga’s meat dress? Ok, maybe that isn’t the best example. The average person today doesn’t walk around in a meat dress or any other article of clothing made from meat for that matter. But it does give you pause to think about how people’s fashion sense has changed over time. From togas to corsets to stilettos, Snippetz goes back in history to look at fashion over the centuries. Ancient Clothing Styles Ancient styles were less varying in type than in today’s styles, often consisting of tunics, togas and stolas. Tunics consist of a loose-fitting shirt that usually began at the neck and ended above the knees, although the length often depended on what the wearer was required to do during his or her daily life. They were worn by both men and women with not much variation in style between the genders, although women were permitted to wear more closely-fitted types. Tunics were often worn under a toga. Togas, which are usually credited to the Romans and Greeks (and now to drunken fraternity boys), were continuous lengths of cloth that were wrapped around the body and often worn over a tunic. Usually made of wool, the toga was the heavier garment while the tunic, usually made of linen, was much lighter and airier. Although both genders were permitted to wear togas originally, eventually the style was reserved for men while women were expected to wear stolas. Thereafter, if a woman wore a toga, she was thought to be an adulterer or prostitute. The stola – a long pleated dress worn over a tunic – was usually sleeveless, although some variations had sleeves, either short or long. Picture the garment worn by the Statue of Liberty. The sleeveless and more traditional version was fastened at the shoulders by clasps and usually had two belts used primarily as accessories. The first was worn below the breasts to create more folds and give the appearance of a more voluminous bust and the second, wider belt was tied around the waist. Don’t let the simplicity of the styles fool you, however. While the styles were more or less the same across genders and socioeconomic status, the fabrics, designs and colors served to portray a person’s station in life. Medieval Clothing Styles Early on in medieval times, clothes were still highly influenced by the ancient Romans and Greeks. Tunics were popular and worn by both sexes. In fact, they became somewhat of a staple of fashion, often worn in a variety of manners from both an undergarment to a decorative outer garment. Girdles became popular for women, as did long veils often reaching down to the feet. Men of this time period wore knee-length tunics and stockings or hose. The bliaut (a French fashion element) became popular at this time showcasing a tight-fitting outer tunic with a full skirt and wide sleeves. Ornamentation of the trim on the outer tunic became popular as well. By about the 1100s, fashion began to take a fancier turn. Women wore tight gowns, secured at the collar by a buckle with bands of material that acted as a necklace around the top. A robe was often worn and tied around the waist. Men of this time period wore clothes very similar to the styles of the previous century. A short knee-length tunic was worn for everyday usage while longer ankle-length tunics were worn for more formal activities. Not much changed in the way of clothing until about the 1300s when tailoring was becoming an established practice, allowing for clothing to emulate more closely the natural human form. Lacing and buttons also became popular as these allowed for clothing to be cinched tighter around the body. Men in this century generally did away with the looser outer garment, favoring the tighter tailored top that reached to just below the waist. By the 1400s, fashion was trending along the lines of the extreme. Huge voluminous gowns called houppelandes had floor-length sleeves and feathers became a hot accessory. The fad of “slashing” garments (making cuts in the outer fabric to reveal the clothing underneath) became popular. Women wore both under and outer gowns, sometimes cut in a manner so that both were visible in strategic places. In the late 1400s, the appearance of the farthingale (a gown with a bell-shaped hoop skirt achieved using stiffened reeds) became popular as a fashion transplant from Spain. The 1500s brought changes to fashion by way of a wide silhouette for the women, accentuating the hips, and for men by squaring off the shoulders very noticeably. Much focus was given to the sleeves of the garments, being puffed, ruffed, slashed and cuffed (try saying that three times fast). Corsets also became popular. Broad lace or linen collars became popular in the early 1600s. Woven or embroidered patterns of scrolling floral motifs were all the rage as well. It’s during this time period that the standing collar, supported by a tiny wire frame, became popular. Later in that same century, clothing turned back to the long, lean look rather than the puffy, cumbersome looks from before. In the early 1700s, the most trendy corsets, or stays, pulled a woman’s shoulders back until her shoulder blades almost touched. This highly proper, super erect posture and very prominent bosom is a look that was more illustrative of this time period than any other. By the late 1700s, huge wigs piled high on the head were popular, compliments of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France. One of the most famous wigs from that time had a large ship with masts and sails stuck into it, called the “Coiffure à l’Indépendance ou le Triomphe de la liberté.” Pretty impressive. It’s not every day you meet someone who has a name for their fake hair. Side hoops, or panniers, came into style and could measure up to three feet on either side. Dresses were elaborately decorated, corsets were a must and the silhouette appeared as an upside down cone from the top of the dress to the waist. The overly done trend faded fast, and by the 1790s, fashion once again consisted of much more simplistic garments. Women usually wore low-cut gowns, sometimes with a lace or ruffle trim, worn over a petticoat. People now had access to styles that were usually reserved for the wealthy because they could copy the style in a much less-expensive type of fabric. This allowed for clothing to be used as a form of self-expression (Lady Gaga, you can thank this era later). The 1800s brought about a more natural figure, with a high waist, called an empire waist. Lace and feathers were still popular but used in much fewer quantities. Gloves were also a staple of fashion and women worn them both indoors and out. By the late 1800s, the natural look transformed into a very flat-looking front and an enlarged back called a cul de paris (Paris Bottom). To keep all the material up and protruding, a tournure was used to support it all. From this period into the early 1900s, corsets were constructed with a straight front rather than a soda bottle shape. It’s at the beginning of the 1900s that women’s dresses became shorter and (gasp) began to reveal the ankles. The flat bust and slim hip look was still en vogue. Slow Down! During the 1900s, fashion trends rapidly changed. Instead of changing slowly over a hundred years, fashion began changing every 50, then every decade. Today, people can expect to see new trends every year. In the 1920s, the flapper style of dress became popular, with short skirts, low waistlines (or sometimes no waistline at all) and fringe. The Great Depression of the early 1930s brought much more conservative dress with a more traditionally feminine look. The 40s brought rounded shoulders, full skirts and narrow waists once again. Coming out of the Great Depression and the Second World War, people began splurging on expensive material as well. This look lasted throughout the 50s. Bell bottoms were all the rage in the 60s and 70s. Short miniskirts, hot pants and blue jeans were groovy as well. Women moved into a more “manly” appearance by wearing pants more often than not. Many of you readers probably want to forget what you wore during the 80s and 90s…some of you probably indulged in parachute pants and a side pony tail or two. And we haven’t forgotten about you acid washed jeans fanatics either. The good news is that, by this time next year, there will be a completely new set of fashion trends to shirk or embrace, and the fashion disasters you made in 2012 will be long forgotten! |
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