HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY!

Love, 

2009: Inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama

We Baracked the Vote and on January 20, 2009, President-Elect Obama will become the 44th President of the United States of America. 

In case you were thinking about heading to DC for the big Inauguration, we've provided a suggested packing list: 

• Rubbles, yen, euro or shekels: You may even consider digging through chair cushions for loose change 'cause travel & accomodation in DC for the inauguration are out of control! (Try $1,000/night for a mediocre hotel room!)
• Lincoln's Bible: Obama will be sworn in using Lincoln's Presidential Bible... take a look around in case someone left it lying in the Land 'o Lincoln...
• Prom Dress: You'll need something to wear to the Inaugural Ball
• Slogan Shirt: Don't be the ONLY American without an Obama t. Pick one up now before  you see them at Urban Outfitter.

2008: Paper Money Ruled Unfair to Visually Impaired

The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a ruling made by the District Court which stated that the Treasury Department’s failure to design paper currency that is readily distinguishable is discriminatory to the visually impaired. The court ruled against the Treasury Department partly because they failed to bring forward any reasoning as to why U.S. currency should be any different than other countries that do differentiate their currency for the visually impaired, and partly because U.S. currency is just plain boring.

2007: Marshall Sells his Fiero

Get ready cause this is a two-fer:

How I Met Your Mother Episode 17 of Season 2 is titled, "Arrivederci, Fiero." In this episode, Marshall is all set to celebrate his beloved Fiero hitting the 200,000 mile mark, but the car stops before it reaching that point. While the gang waits in the mechanic's garage, they reminisce about the good ole days driving the Fiero. But thats not all... 

In one of these stories we learn that the cassette tape stuck in the Fiero's tape deck continuously plays "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by the Proclaimers. And in Elizabeth's world, that makes it legend...wait for it... 

2006: Friday Night Lights Debuts, The Chicago Bears Actually have a Good Season (Which Lasts Until 2007)

Friday Night Lights was a television show adaptation from a movie of the same name, which in turn had been adapted from a book of the same name. The series details events surrounding the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team based in Dillon, TX, with particular focus on the team’s coach and his family. The Panthers themselves are actually a pretty awesome team, and end up winning the state championship.

In other football news, 2006 was a good year for the Chicago Bears, who performed so well that they earned a spot in the Super Bowl XLI held in 2007. 2007 turned out not so great for the Bears, so in reality, the Panthers are probably the better team, which they should be proud of because they are only high school students.

2005: www.perezhilton.com Launched

and the celebrity gossip mill has never been the same.

2004: Lincoln Library and Museum Opens

It’s not a Lincoln Watermelon Monument (like the statute Lincoln, IL would have created in honor of our 16th President), but Springfield, IL helped IL keep the name “Land of Lincoln” by opening the Lincoln Library and Museum. By combining scholarship and showmanship, the Library and Museum helps to communicate the life and times of Abraham Lincoln through interactive activities, and by doing everything short of reincarnating Lincoln himself in order to communicate his own tale to guests.

2003: Dunkin Donuts Adds Coffee Cup Logo

Over the past several years, Dunkin Donuts has heavily advertised their coffee products - so much so that they added the coffee cup to their logo in 2003!

And Elizabeth has been trying to buy a franchise ever since...

Fun Fact: Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins is owned by the same company: Dunkin' Brands Inc.

2002: President Bartlet Re-Elected

4 more years! 4 more years!

For awhile it seemed as though the race between Governor Robert Richie and President Josiah Bartlet was going to be close - mostly due to Bartlet’s acknowledgement that he hid his suffering of MS from the public. However, after a decisive win over Richie in the San Diego debate, Bartlet went on to win in a landslide victory, securing liberal fantasies all across the U.S.

2001: Apple Introduces the iPod

2001 marks the resurgence of Apple computers and software because of a little device called the iPod. An iPod is essentially Apple’s brand of portable music players, allowing individuals to become their own DJ on a 24 hour basis. Since the original iPod was created, 173 million different iPods sold worldwide. There have also been a total of 17 different variations put onto the market since 2001, which is why most people are surprised to learn that not only does the original iPod look like it was created during the Stone Age, it also only held 5 to 10 GB of information (meaning it only held about 500-1000 songs). However, the original iPod was not created during the Stone Age, it was first sold in 2001.

2000: Harry Potter Wins Triwizard Tournament!

This year represented a turning point in the wizarding community surrounding Harry Potter, He Who Must Not Be Named, and the three largest European wizarding schools with the resurgence of the Triwizard Tournament. The Triwizard Tournament was a friendly competition between the three largest schools to help establish ties between the students of differing nationalities. Against the age restriction created by the Ministry of Magic, Harry Potter was entered into the contest by an agent of You Know Who, and therefore became the 4th Champion. His success in the contest was mirrored by the other Hogwarts Champion, Cedric Diggory. Ultimately, Harry Potter had the strength and courage to win the tournament, beating all odds. However within the wizarding community, most will remember this event because it was marred by the death of Cedric Diggory and the return of the Dark Lord, who had used the tournament to further his own evil purposes (like regaining the form of a human body).

1999: 50 State Quarters Program Begins.

"But does it have a 'P' or a 'D'???"

In 1999, the US Mint introduced the 50 State Quarters program to (and we quote) "celebrate our 50 states." Each year, five new state quarters are introduced. Since this program inception, mom has been training us to look twice before spending coinage which is certainly paying off. Her collection is almost complete! And after just 10 years of work, it will be worth $25.

1998: Purell Introduces Instant Hand Santizer

Before 1998, germaphobes had a problem. They wanted to interact with others in society, but were sick and tired of washing their hands all of the time in order to prevent skin contact with germs and other diseases. Luckily, their problem was solved in 1998 when Purell introduced Instant Hand Sanitizer onto the market. Now germaphobes (and others) were able to kill 99.99% of germs, while also leaving their hands soft and refreshed with the addition of aloe and vitamin E.

1997: Netflix Founded

The world of movie renting was rocked in 1997 with the founding of Netflix. Before this time, people had to go to the movie store to pick out movies that they wanted to see, but with the creation of Netflix, the movie renting system was completely revolutionized. Now instead of going to the store, a member creates a movie queue online, and the movies that the customer wants to see are directly mailed in the exact order of that customer’s list. Since its creation, Netflix has mailed over a billion movies to customers, has allowed customers to interact with one another through friend requests, and has even created a “Movies You’ll Heart” page where it suggests movies and television series that Netflix thinks you as a customer will enjoy. Additionally, they have created a Watch Instantly section for members to instantly watch certain movies and television shows, which still fails to be provided to Apple users despite advancements in technology.

1996: BBC Pride and Prejudice Released in USA

Pride and Prejudice was a BBC produced, six-episode extravaganza based off of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel by the same name. To many Pride and Prejudice fans around the globe, this mini-series remains the best and brightest out of all the film and television adaptations made from the book. Casting included Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as the Mr. Darcy.

1995: This American Life airs

This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by Chicago Public Radio and hosted by Ira Glass. Each episode centers on one central theme, explored in a series of "acts." Acts can be essays, short stories, memoirs and interviews. Primarily the show is nonfiction. 

Warning: Listening to This American Life makes you feel intellectual and very cool... but don't tell anyone that's why you're listening.

1994: Ace of Base Tops the Charts

Sweden has given us many wonderful things: pancakes, meatballs, Ikea... But hands-down the best thing to come out of Sweden is Ace of Base. And in 1994, this pop band's debut album topped the charts with hits such as "All That She Wants." 

'nuf said. 

1993: Automatic for the People Wins "Album of the Year"

REM's Automatic for the People wins "Album of the Year" Grammy and changed the face of Camp Ben Frankel's MTV nights forever. 

And over 10 years later, we still are unsure what 99.9% of Michael Stipe's lyrics mean.

1992: Ghostwriter Airs (What a Trip!)

Word. We don’t know where he came from. He just showed up one night. What is that thing? He’s not an alien. What is he? We think he might be a ghost, and he wants to be friends with us. He can’t hear, and he can’t talk; he can read anything. He takes letters and he writes with them. If you can see him, that means he wants you on the team. He’s a ghost and he writes to us – Ghostwriter! Ghostwriter, what a trip!

Ghostwriter goes down in history as one of the best shows PBS has ever aired. It was one of the few shows that could combine mystery (who burned down Mr. Brinker’s store?) with lessons about the importance of having a library card. And it remained cool because all the kids got to wear pens around their necks, write Rally “the first letter of your name” to gather the gang during emergencies, and have parents like Samuel L. Jackson. Well, only Jamal got Samuel L. Jackson, Lenny had to settle for a musician father who influenced her to pursue music even though her strengths clearly laid elsewhere. But it didn’t matter because she along with brother-sister team Alex and Gaby (who shared a bedroom), Tina, and Rob were all part of their own secret society named the Ghostwriter Team. And the Abelson children sat every Sunday night, the only night they could actually sit in front of the television and eat their dinner, and watched as the team solved the important mysteries that plagued their local neighborhood. Ghostwriter really was a trip.

1991: Hey Dude Cancelled

To children across America (and the majority of the Abelson household), the cancellation in 1991 of Hey Dude, television’s most underrated show, was a grave disappointment. In case you forgot why this show was so amazing, let us provide a few details about the show and it's amazing cast of characters:

• It was set on the Bar None Dude Ranch. Yes, that’s right. A dude ranch.
• It’s a show about five teens running an entire vacation resort by themselves.
• The Dude Ranch owner was Mr. Ernst was a bumbling dimwit with glasses (as said on Wikipedia). 
• There was an occasional appearance by the random annoying ranch hand, Lucy... though no one is really sure why this character existed.  
• Buddy, Mr. E's son, had a dog named Cassie (which we, of course, appreciated).
• Ted was the adorable troublemaker, always getting his friends in crazy shenanigans.
• Rich-girl Brad wore bandanas tied around her neck like a cowgirl.
• Girl-next-door Melanie thought she was an Olympian.
• Danny was a Hopi Indian.
• Ernst’s nephew Jake arrived later to spice things up by playing the “tubs.”
• Eventually Kyle, the dim-but-handsome cowboy, arrived to complete our Brad-Ted love triangle.

The show was a true stroke of genius – from the murder-mystery production to capture the flag, from handcuffs to “breaking in” your clothes… honestly, what's not to like? Did we mention that Danny was a Hopi Indian?!?

With that said, let us gather for a moment of silence… Hey Dude!

1990: David Hasselhoff Helps "Bring Down" the Berlin Wall

By 1990, David Hasselhoff was already known as a successful American actor through the popular 80’s television show, Knight Rider. However, Hasselhoff was not content with fame only as an actor, and soon attempted to become a double threat by releasing an album. Mirroring Hasselhoff’s struggles and successes to break into the music industry, West Germany and East Germany were also facing chaotic times. For more than a decade, Berliners had been hacking away at the wall that separated their city for over a generation.

Finally, political and pop culture forces collided in late 1989. Hasslehoff recorded the album “Looking for Freedom,” which included a song by the same name that contained deep lyrics that touched Berliner’s hearts such as, "I've been lookin' for freedom; I've been lookin' so long; I've been lookin' for freedom; still the search goes on." The song and album embodied the frustrations of Germany's years of division, and the album went onto top the charts for three months. This popularity led to the moment when Hasslehoff was invited to headline a performance the night the Berlin Wall was officially brought down, a moment that is permanently etched in German minds as one of the most important and influential events of the 20th Century.

1989: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure AND Game Boy Released

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Wikipedia describes this movie as “an American comedy/science fiction tale where two high school slackers travel through time in order to assemble a menagerie of historical figures for their high school history presentation.” It should be added that the cast includes Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Napoleon Bonaparte, Billy the Kid, Socrates, Sigmund Freud, Ludwig van Beethoven, Genghis Khan, Joan of Arc, and Abraham Lincoln.

Game Boy Released

The Game Boy is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo, and has been used by parents around the globe to keep their children occupied for long periods of time. When released in 1989, the Game Boy came packaged with Tetris, which went on to be the console’s top selling game at 33 million copies. Since its début, the Game Boy has sold over 118.69 million copies worldwide.

1988: Stefano Appears on Days of Our Lives

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.

Stefano DiMera arrives on the scene to haunt the days and nights of Salem, USA.

1987: Princess Bride Released in Theatres

The Princess Bride: a tale of pirates, sports, and intrigue that teaches there is nothing stronger than true love. 

To remind you how ridiculously awesome this movie is, here are a few quotes:

• Grandpa: She doesn't get eaten by the eels. Grandson: What? Grandpa: The eel doesn't get her. I'm explaining to you because you look nervous. Grandson: I wasn't nervous. Maybe I was a bit "concerned" but thats not the same thing.
• Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
• Inigo: That Vizzini, he can fuss. Fezzik: Fuss, fuss... I think he likes to scream at us. Inigo: Probably he means no harm. Fezzik: He's really very short on charm. Inigo: You have a great gift for rhyme. Fezzik: Yes, Yes. Some of the time. Vizzini: Enough of that! Inigo: Fezzik, Are there rocks ahead? Fezzik: If there are, we all be dead. Vizzini: No more rhyming now, I mean it. Fezzik: Anybody want a peanut?
• Inconceivable! 
• Inigo: You seem a decent fellow... I hate to kill you. Man in Black: You seem a decent fellow... I hate to die.
  
• As you wish.

 

1986: Ford Introduces the Taurus

In the Abelson household, one could never imagine owning a car not made in America. With that said, it is no surprise that we're honoring Ford's 1986 introduction of the Taurus to its fleet. ENA will forever live in our hearts as our first car. 

1985: Oregon Trail

The staple of future gaming was solidified in our generation’s childhood through the creation of Oregon Trail. It was the perfect combination of educational learning and suspenseful game-play about the dangers and successes of 19th Century pioneer life. The game started with the game player leading a party of four of his or her closest friends and relatives through the country to end up in the promise land of Oregon. The road was fraught with dangers ranging from snake bites to dysentery, river crossings where you had to decide whether to ask the Indians for help or ford through the river, and hunting expeditions where despite shooting a buffalo, you could only carry back 189 pounds of meat to your wagon (it seems no second trips were allowed back in the Oregon Trail days). Overall, this game helped not only to teach children the importance of leadership (“Should I rest for awhile because DAD is sick with cholera, or should I speed up?”), while also providing an educational background to an important American pastime and historical American landmarks. This even influenced some modern day families to take the Oregon Trail themselves. Why else would the Abelson family have taken out time from checking out museums in order to visit Devil’s Tower, Chimney Rock, and other Oregon Trail stops?

1984: King's Quest Released

Kings Quest is THE classic computer adventure game. The goal of the game is to help the main character, Sir Graham, be crowned King after successful questing throughout the land. 

To do this, Sir Graham must travel through many lands, solve puzzles (note to player: don't forget to type EXACT wording - NO substitutions will

apply) and collect random stuff (e.g. dead fish, rotten tomato, coins). On Graham's quest, he will meet interesting characters including wizards, witches, fairies and storybook characters like Little Red Riding Hood. 

Though the game has been enhanced throughout the years, the only "true" Kings Quest is the original version. 

1983: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Becomes a National Holiday

Two worlds collided when Elizabeth was brought into this world on January 15, 1979, also known as the same day Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in 1929. Once assassinated in 1968, there was an effort to create an official federal holiday to commemorate his accomplishments. The effort to create this holiday started in 1979, coinciding with Elizabeth’s birth, but it was not signed into law until 1983, and even then it was not officially celebrated until 1986.

1982: The Color Purple Published.

The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, focuses on female black life during the 1930s in the south. Rather than describe the plot here (because, lets face it, it would totally bum you out), we'll just let you know that it won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The Color Purple is an Oprah Book Club Book, has been adapted into a film (with Whoopie Goldberg & Oprah) and a musical not starring Fantasia. 

Note: The image portrayed on this blog is NOT from the movie.  

1981: Alexis Bledel is born.

September 16, 1981 marks the birth of Alexis Bledel, a blossoming talent who only 19 short years later wowed us all (or Elizabeth at least) with her debut on WB’s Gilmore Girls. Gilmore Girls, the Emmy Award-winning (seriously) comedy-drama series follows a young single mother, Lorelai Gilmore, and her daughter Rory through the trials and tribulations of life in small town Stars Hollows, Connecticut. If the quirky characters, ridiculous names and face-paced dialogue doesn’t impress you, Gilmore Girls tackles tough themes including social class issues, generational divides, academic complications and love triangles (required by all shows on the WB).

Though the show went off the air in 2007 after a disappointing final season, Bledel has continued to impress us with her acting skills in such mega blockbusters as Tuck Everlasting and Sin City. Oh, and did we mention she is also in Sisterhood of the Traveling Bikeshorts Pants?

1980: Gummi Worms Introduced

An underrated confectionery, the gummi worm opened America’s doors by transforming a bear-shaped, rubbery-textured edible gelatin into one of many new shapes and sizes. And whats most amazing about this product? It allows for an individual to experience multiple artificial flavors in one piece. AMAZING!  Quiz: Can you name ten variations of gummi product?

1979: Elizabeth Anna Abelson is born.

On January 15, 1979, during the worst snow storm Racine, Wisconsin had ever seen, Elizabeth Anna Abelson first graced the human race with her presence. And the world has never been the same since (at least not for the Abelson family or for the visually impaired within Chicago).