Mrs. Lundell’s Computer Lab

Did you know that Winnie the Pooh was once referred to as Edward Bear?  A. A. Milne wrote Winnie- the- Pooh in 1926.  Winnie the Pooh was named after Christopher Milne’s teddy bear.

Did you know that Winnie the Pooh first appeared in his now famous red shirt in 1932?  Disney has made several animated stories starring Winnie the Pooh since 1966.

Winnie the Pooh Day is on Monday, January 18, 2010.

Camcorders contain three major components the lens, the imager and the recorder.  Did you know that JVC was the first company to make the VHS-c camcorder?

Camcorder Day is on Wednesday, January 20, 2010.

Did you know that rubber duckies were originally made of hard rubber and did not include a squeaker?  Some rubber ducks were actually made out of metal and did not float.

The song “Rubber Duckie” spent 9 weeks on the Billboard 100 chart in 1970.  The character Ernie sang the song on Sesame Street.  Did you know the voice of Ernie was none other than the famous Muppet maker, Jim Henson?

Rubber Duckies are now found in various colors and sizes.  You can also find rubber ducks wearing uniforms.

Rubber Duck Day is on Wednesday, January 13.

Did you know the largest thesaurus in the world is the Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary?   It contains more than 920,000 words and meanings. 

Did you know you can use the thesaurus in Microsoft Word? 

Thesaurus Day is on Monday, January 18.

Did you know the largest producer of candy canes is Bob’s Candy, which is owned by the Farley’s & Sathers Candy Company?

Bob’s Candy began in 1919 and was created by Lt. Bob McCormack.  It was the first company to mass-produce and distribute the candy cane.

Legend has it that a German choir director gave his young chorus peppermint sticks shaped like shepard’s hooks to suck on when they were not singing.

Did you know that people began using them to decorate their Christmas tree in the 17th century?

Did you know that New Year’s Eve was first celebrated with the dropping of the ball in Times Square in 1907/08? 

The tradition was started by newspaper owner, Alfred Ochs.  The iron and wood ball was first lowered from the Times Tower.  Today there is more than one ton of confetti dropped over Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

The most commonly sung song on New Year’s Eve is Auld Lang Syne written by poet Robert Burns.  That song was played every New Year’s Eve from 1930 until 1976 at the New York Waldorf Astoria.

Happy Holidays!

The United States of America will be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, 2009.  Americans should give credit to Sarah Hale for promoting Thanksgiving as a national holiday to President Lincoln.  President Lincoln wrote a Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863 ( which can be read here http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Thanksgiving/lincolnproclam.html ).

Did you know that Congress made the fourth Thursday of November into a legal national holiday in 1941?

You can see a Thanksgiving food timeline here  http://www.foodtimeline.org/thanks.html .

I hope everyone has a wonderful, healthy and safe Thanksgiving break.

The United States will celebrate Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11.

Did you know that Dr. Seuss, Elvis Presley and Roberto Clemente were all United States Veterans?

The national ceremony will be held on November 11 at 11:00 a.m. in Arlington National Cemetery.  A color guard representing each military service will honor Veterans at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Did you know the closest Veterans center is in Crown Point, Indiana?

Guinness World Record Day is on Friday, November 13.

In honor of GWR day, Serendipity 3 is making the World’s Largest Cup of Hot Chocolate.  It is 14 inches wide and 11 inches tall and contains 4 gallons of chocolate.

Did you know the Cookie Monster has four fingers and a thumb? 

He was created by Jim Henson in 1969 for Sesame Street.   The big blue monster is best known for his favorite song “C is for Cookie.”  Over the years, Cookie Monster’s fur has gotten fluffier and his eyes have been moved to the top of his head.  He has eaten everything from rice cakes decorated like cookies to car fenders.  November 2 is Cookie Monster Day.

Did you know the Cookie Monster’s latest book is titled “Furry Faces:  Cookie Monster! ?”

The sandwich has been around for 100’s of years but did not receive it’s name until the 1700’s.  It is said that the Earl of Sandwich coined the phrase sandwich to describe bread stuffed with meat and herbs.

Did you know November 3 is National Sandwich Day?  Today you can find many different types of sandwiches:  open faced, club, submarine, blt, pb&j.  The sandwich should be a part of every one’s diet as it is a well-rounded meal all in one package.

Did you know you can find yummy sandwich recipes on www.wonderbread.com?

Thursday is Caps Lock Day.  The official definition for the caps lock key is as follows:  A keyboard key that toggles upper case on and off.

Did you know that caps lock was originally used for typing titles? 

Did you know that the pumpkin is a native fruit in the United States?

Pumpkins are a type of squash and have been grown in North America for over 5000 years.  Pumpkins are low in fat, high in fiber and are a good source of vitamins.

Check out the cool carving stencils posted on the history channel before you make your Halloween jack-o-lantern.

http://www.history.com/content/halloween/the-jack-o-lantern/pumpkin-carving-stencils

Madhatter Day is known as the second crazy day of the year, only after April Fools’ Day.   A person celebrates by doing something crazy that really makes sense.  Madhatter Day was created by technology workers and announced on computer networks in 1987.

Did you know October 6 was chosen as Madhatter Day due to the slip of paper in Alice in Wonderland’s MadHatter’s hat?  Some critics say the notation was really for an order to make a hat. 

Thursday, October 8 is Alvin C. York Day.  Alvin York was a soldier in WWI.  He was known for his acts of bravery and courage.

Did you know his life was made into a movie in 1940 starring Gary Cooper?

Leif Erikson Day is an American holiday celebrated on October 9.  Erikson is thought to have brought the first Europeans known to North American soil.

Did you know the state of Wisconsin became the first state to officially adopt the holiday?  A statue of Leif Erikson stands outside the Minnesota State Capital in St. Paul.

Did you know that Harvey Ball, a commercial artist created the smiley face in 1963? 

Ball created the image to promote good will and cheerfulness throughout the world.  The smiley face became a commercial icon.  Ball hoped the world would devote at least one special day to smiles and acts of kindness.

The first World Smile Day was held in 1999.  It’s theme was and still is “Do an act of kindness.  Help one person smile.”  World Smile Day is held the first Friday in October.

Did you know you can become a World Smile Ambassador by spreading the message of smiles and kindness?  You may leave comments on www.worldsmileday.com .

Did you know National Diversity Day is also on Friday, October 2? 

It is a day to celebrate and embrace our differences.  It is a day to learn about different cultures and ideas.  The theme is “Embrace Diversity, Embrace Our World!”

The beginning of autumn falls on September 22. 

Did you know the hours of day and night are equal in most parts of the world during the autumn equinox?  Did you know that the autumn equinox may fall on September 21, 22, 23 or 24 depending on the calender year? 

The word equinox is derived from Latin and means equal night.

Friday is National One Hit Wonder Day.  

Did you know that National One Hit Wonder Day celebrates musicians who have had only one top 40 hit on the billboard charts? 

What is your favorite one hit wonder?