Research History

Snowiest Day in Chicago’s History

Research History — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 10:28:58 +0000

Snowiest Day in Chicago’s History As reported, “The previous record for single-day snowfall in November was 8 inches recorded on Nov. 6, 1951. This weekend’s snowfall was also the most in the area since nearly 11 inches fell on Jan. 30-31, 2021, according to the weather service.” History making Chicago snowfall

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Marie Antoinette: the last pre-revolutionary queen of France

Research History — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 23:30:34 +0000

the phrase “let them eat cake”. This extremely effective piece of propaganda was falsely attributed to the Queen. A simple, yet clever, turn of phrase was an effective way to stir up hostility and resentment towards the monarchy.

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The Rubicon: Both an actual event and also an often used metaphor

Research History — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 21:31:11 +0000

Caesar’s route south from Ravenna in 49 BC (drawn by Cristiano64 via Wikimedia) Odds are you have heard the phrase “Crossing the Rubicon “ in one context or another. The historical facts point us to a literal place and event, however, “Crossing the Rubicon “ has also, along with its history, a metaphorical meaning. It represents a decisive and irreversible decision; once made it is final and the consequences must be faced. In its historical context we are referring to Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon River in 49 BC, which marked the start of a civil war and Caesar’s ultimate rise to power. Though for Julius Caesar, this action was definitely a literal and metaphorically significant crossing, as to the Roman Republic, its transition from Republic to Empire was not a sudden event, but a gradual process spanning decades.

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History of Opportunity Cost: Be careful what you choose

Research History — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 20:44:30 +0000

In the late 19th century the Austrian economist Friedrich von Wieser is credited with conceiving and formalizing the concept of “opportunity cost”. Source Example: A good example of opportunity costs is in the synaptic pruning of our brain. From birth to age three the brain rapidly grows, increasing our synapses from approximately 2,500 to 15,000. However, by the time we reach adulthood, that number is cut in half. The reason for this reduction? As we gain new experiences, some brain connections are strengthened, while those we neglect are reduced or eliminated. The reality is, for everyone, that you cannot have it all; at least not everything all at once. Each day carries 24 hours to spend and within those hours we are limited to each moment one after the other. Our investment of focus, funds, time and energy is limited. And, depending on your place in the world, choices available to you will be better or worse in comparison to what others have before them. We cannot know all the variables beforehand, so risk is present in our choices. For instance, buying one house over another seemingly comparable house is a gamble. You want to acquire as much information as possible, so that you have an educated guess; but it is still a guess all the same. What is the opportunity cost formula?Opportunity cost = FO – CO Your FO in this formula represents the return you would have received from your forgone option; or the next best choice that you declined in favor of your CO. Where CO represents return on your chosen option.

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Maslow and Dabrowski: Two men famous for their knowledge in self development

Research History — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 14:21:50 +0000

In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we learn much about the process of self actualization. In the process, there are more people who reach the middle levels, than those who go on to become more actualized. Not everyone creates themselves equally. And yet, we also know it is not an equal and level playing field of resources and opportunities from which each person is born. We all come into the world under our own unique situations, influences, resources and historically relevant timing. What we do, with what we have been given, is a large factor, though definitely not the only factor, in the outcome and quality of our lives. The measurement of the quality of our life, becomes more and more evident as time passes. For with each choice, we not only gain an outcome, but we also lose other outcomes in the process of choosing; what is called in economics as “opportunity costs”. Also, another excellent theory along the lines of self development, is Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration. Both Maslow and Dabrowski put forth useful theories that can be very helpful in the knowledge needed to keep progressing in life.

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The “Hustle and Bustle”: an old saying associated with the Industrial Revolution

Research History — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 01:18:19 +0000

The phrase “hustle and bustle” originated in the 19th century. The Dutch word “hutselen” means “to shake”, while the word “bustle”, stemming from the Old English word “bersten”, means to act vigorously. The combined words represent an atmosphere of lively activity and movement. The pace of life was dramatically transformed by a revolution of industry that introduced amazing innovation; a life filled with “hustle and bustle”. What once was a slow and routine life of chores on the farm, became, seemingly overnight for many, a change in density of people and an introduction of diversity and invention like never before. The migration into cities between 1880 and 1900 in America increased by approximately 15 million people; quite an astonishingly rapid growth over two decades. What was rural became urban. Since then, we have passed into the “post-industrial age”. A time no longer dominated by manufacturing, but having become a service based economy. The technological advances have lead to the dawning of artificial intelligence. This advance in computing is believed to be of such a degree, that the level of change will eclipse any prior transformation of life that we’ve experienced before.

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Alfred Nobel: The Founder of the Peace Prize

Research History — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 20:00:05 +0000

Alfred Bernhardt Nobel was an inventor and the person who established the Nobel Peace Prize. He set the criteria as “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” The first recipients awarded the Nobel in 1901 were German, Wilhelm Conrad von Röntgen, Jakobus Hendricus van t’Hoff and the German Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Emil Adolf von Behring and the French minister, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature, the poet, Sully Prudhomme.

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When was the World Wide Web Born?

Research History — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:40:49 +0000

First off, there is a distinction to be made between the internet and the World Wide Web. The internet has been around since the 1960s, though the average person wasn’t aware of its existence. Those utilizing its power back then were a few select professionals working in government and research. When the World Wide Web came along in 1989, it was the perfect time. It came about after the expansion of all the multitudes of interconnected networks and other infrastructure necessary to lay the foundation. Sir Tim Berners-Lee is responsible for inventing the World Wide Web. He was a British computer scientist. His creation of HTML, HTTP, and URLS opened up the internet to be accessed by everyone. (Yet even today, not everyone is able to access the internet ). Not Everyone has Access to the Internet As it was once imagined by Bill Gates, that there would be a personal computer on every desk in every home, so too the complex interplay of networks on the internet, out of bounds to all but the experts , became a part of life for everyone; thanks to the brilliant invention of the map like interface of the World Wide Web. As with every new invention, over time we have come to take it all for granted.

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Oklahoma State Flag 100th Anniversary

Research History — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:09:19 +0000

The current version of the Oklahoma state flag was first adopted on April 2, 1925. The artist who designed the flag was Louise Fluke. She won a contest hosted by the Oklahoma Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Blue Field: loyalty and devotion Osage Shield: Represents the Native American roots of Oklahoma and is symbolic of defense. Crossed Pipe and Olive Branch: the crossed pipe represents Native American culture, while the Olive Branch is representing European culture. Eagle Feathers: There are seven eagle feathers that symbolize strength and heritage for each of the seven tribes : Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Quapaw, and Osage tribes.

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Habeas Corpus and the Magna Carta

Research History — Sat, 24 May 2025 01:13:01 +0000

What Does Habeas Corpus Mean?

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