Author: James Fishman

James Fishman has been involved in the world of online magazines for more than 15 years. He helped launch Sunstone Online and continues to improve the magazine as site editor and administrator. His writing focuses primarily business and technology. To be in touch with James, feel free to contact him at james[at]sunstoneonline.com.

Linking History to Present Day Events

Whether you’re an historian or just someone who likes to connect the present to the past once in a while, it’s always interesting to see what happened on this day in history. There are many websites that allow you to look at the parallels between what is happening today and what has happened in the past. Here are some examples.

On September 17th in 1787, the Constitution was completed and signed in Philadelphia. In 1862 on this day, it was the bloodiest day in US military history when the Battle of Antietam took place and more than 23,000 soldiers were killed or wounded.

For sports enthusiasts, the American Professional Football Association (the precursor to the NFL) was formed in Canton, Ohio on this day. And in 2004, more recently, Barry Bonds hit his 700th career home run, joining the likes of Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth.

To learn more about what happened on a given day, you can look at sites like the Shapell Manuscript Foundation. They recently featured two interesting historic documents that they have in their possession about fugitive slaves and Abraham Lincoln. The links can be found at:


http://www.shapell.org/manuscript.aspx?prelude-to-lincoln-douglas-debates

http://www.shapell.org/manuscript.aspx?millard-fillmore-fugitive-slave-kansas-nebraska-act-slavery-fanaticism

They offer some great insights into historic events and into certain days in history.

“Smart Tooth”: A New Solution for the Health Conscious?

People struggling to monitor their eating habits and other aspects of their health may have an answer in the new “Smart Tooth”, which is currently being developed at the Taiwan National University. Made to cap a tooth like a crown, this small device tracks the movement of the mouth and identifies different activities such as speaking, chewing and smoking. Researchers believe it can track data that may help people who over-eat or smoke. The information can also be collected for analysis and research on a broader scale.

Learn more with Reuters:


 

Food for Thought? What About Food for Sight!

Eye Health FoodA popular mantra in households with children is that carrots improve a person’s vision. While this is technically true, studies have shown that certain other foods also contribute greatly to eye health and eyesight.

Vitamin C, for example, is an antioxidant that helps protect your eyes from UV rays. This nutrient is common in many fruits and vegetables, and is especially prevalent in citrus fruits. In fact, one medium-sized orange has 168% of your daily Vitamin C needs. Broccoli, strawberries and other fruits are also rich in the vitamin.

Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in fish like salmon and tuna, also support eye health by lowering a person’s risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Zinc, contained in egg yolk, has similar properties; a deficiency can cause both conditions, as well as poor night vision. Leafy greens and their antioxidants, which include lutein and zeaxanthin, have the same benefits as well.

Another nutrient which benefits the eyes is Vitamin E. Found in nuts such as almonds, this vitamin prevents macular degeneration too.


 

 

 

Hyperloop Transport Plans Released

Elon Musk claims that his new plan for a transportation system will be exceedingly time-efficient while dramatically cutting costs. According to him, the ‘Hyperloop’ transportation system can get people from L.A. to San Francisco within half an hour. A trip on the Hyperloop will cost less than an airline or train ticket.
The plans for solar-powered transport project were released this week.

Reuters reports:

Actividades de Verano Temáticas para Niños

Las vacaciones de verano son largas para los niños, y pueden parecer incluso más largas para los padres. Una manera de llevarlas adelante es organizar actividades temáticas. En otras palabras, elegir un tema que les guste a tus hijos y organizar actividades relacionadas con eso. Por ejemplo, si a tus hijos les gustan las películas de Disney (y en realidad, ¿a qué niño no?) crea actividades relacionadas con ellas.

Mira 101 Dálmatas y averigua si puedes cuidar al perro del vecino mientras ellos no están. Otra opción es llevar a tus hijos a un show de perros y pedirles que descubran cuales son dálmatas o que cuenten 101 perros. Quizás podrías tener un perro tu mismo, y en ese caso puedes llevar a tus hijos a un hogar de ancianos, para que ellos puedan disfrutar “101 Dálmatas” de cierta forma también.

¡Si tienes hijas, revive la historia de Cenicienta y llévalas a comprar zapatos! A las niñas les encanta comprar zapatos nuevos y puedes llevar a tus hijos para ver si calzan correctamente como en La Cenicienta. Los varones pueden comprar zapatos deportivos que les queden cómodos cuando corren –enfócate en que el zapato les quede bien, así como ocurrió en La Cenicienta.

Un día puede ser “día italiano” inspirado en La dama y el vagabundo. ¡Haz que tus hijos cocinen comidas italianas fáciles como lasaña, tallarines a la boloñesa y pizza Margarita! ¡Todos los niños aman la pizza!


Para salir de tu casa y ponerte en movimiento, disfraza a uno de tus hijos de Tarzán y haz que los otros lo ayuden a construir una casa del árbol. Después puedes hacer un picnic y algunos helados caseros para que ellos disfruten su nueva construcción.

Hay muchas más actividades que se pueden hacer con los niños centradas alrededor de las películas de Disney. Solo piensa en la película favorita de tus hijos y descubre una manera de conectar una actividad a ella. Las vacaciones de verano se terminaran rápidamente de esta forma.

English Translation

July 3oth: Medicare is Signed Into Law

According to History.com, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare into law on July 30th, 1965. The health insurance program, which was aimed at seniors over the age of 65, was signed into law as an amendment to the Social Security Act of 1935. The bill-signing ceremony took place at the Truman Library in Missouri, where former president Harry Truman was named the first Medicare beneficiary. Truman was the first president to propose a national health insurance.

History.com explains that “some 19 million people enrolled in Medicare when it went into effect in 1966. In 1972, eligibility for the program was extended to Americans under 65 with certain disabilities and people of all ages with permanent kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplant. In December 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), which added outpatient prescription drug benefits to Medicare.”

Learn about other historical events that took place on July 30th:


traducción español