Léon Levavasseur was born in Cherbourg, France back in1863.  Initially he wanted to study fine arts, but switched to engineering, his focus was in arc lamps and petroleum engines.  He approached Jules Gastambide with a proposal about an idea he had. Jules financed the venture naming the invention after his daughter Antoinette.The Antoinette company was incorporated in 1906, with Jules as president and Léon as technical director.  In 1906, Léon experimented with the construction of aircraft.  In 1909, his design at Reims, France won the altitude prize, finished second in the speed competition, took third place in the Gordon Bennett Cup for airplanes.  In 1918, he began working on an aircraft with variable wins surface, he won a “Safety in Airplanes” prize and was later acquired by the Fr... 05/23/2021

Dorothy Martin was born back in 1907 and adopted by a pastor, Albert Martin and his wife.  In the early 1920’s she took up flying in Syracuse, New York.  She flew her first solo flight in a Curtiss Jenny when she was 16.  She moved to Cicero, New York where she took a job in advertising with American Eagle Agency as New York states sales manager for Hayes Aviation.She married Richard Lemon in 1937, moving to Florida and ran a flight school at Belvedere Field, later renamed Palm Beach International Airport.  In 1940, she became the chair for the newly formed Florida chapter of the Ninety-Nines, a leading international organization for women pilots.  After WWII, she took up air racing, participating in the 1946 Halle Trophy Race.  She died in Caracas, Venezuela in 1986.What you may not kn... 05/20/2021

Margaret Moffete Lea was in Perry County, Alabama back in 1819 to Temple and Nancy.  Her father died in 1834, so she moved with her mother to Marion, Alabama to her brother’s home.  She attended Judson Female Institute.  She wrote poetry, read romantic novels, while also becoming accomplished on guitar, harp and piano.Sam arrived in Mobile, Alabama in 1839, as a partner of the Sabine City Company seeking investors to develop a community that is today known as Sabine Pass.  Margaret’s mother was a potential investor, so he was invited to the home where he met Margaret.  The attraction was instantaneous.The couple were married on May 9, 1840, the set-up house in Galveston.  Their first child was born in 1843.  Their second child was born in 1848, the third one arrived in 1850 the fourth o... 05/05/2021

Sheila Ann Kuehl was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma back in 1941 to Arthur and Lillian.  When she was seven her parents payed to lessons for tap-dancing, ballet and singing lessons at Meglin studios. At one recital she played an assistant in a skit called The Old Sleuth”, where she sat under a table listening for clues.  To indicate she was listening she made faces which caused the audience to laugh, this encouraged her to make more faces resulting in more laughter.  At eight she interviewed for a radio program winning over 200 others who had showed up.  the show centered on a widow selling real estate in a small town to support two daughters.  Needless to say, she was a hit, more on that in a moment.She was elected a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 3rd District. ... 03/21/2021

Adolfo Kaminsky was born in Argentina back in 1925.  The family moved to Paris, France when he was 7.  He worked in a dye shop and was fascinated by the chemistry of colorants.  In 1940, after the German invasion of France the family home was taken by the Germans.He entered the Resistance after his mother was killed by the Nazis in 1941.  His family was interned in the camp of Drancy, as a prelude to deportation.  Thanks to the support from the Consul of Argentina and the United States they were freed in 1943, they moved back to Paris.Afterwards, he worked in an underground laboratory in Paris for the rest of World War II.  His specialty was forging documents.  His moto was “Keep awake.  The longer possible. Struggle against sleep.  The calculation is easy.  In one hour, I make 30 false... 01/05/2021

George Washington Jenkins Jr. was born in Warm Springs, Georgia back in 1907 to George Sr. and Annie. In the 1920s, his father moved his business to Atlanta and the young Jenkins stayed behind to sell the remaining inventory and finish high school.  In 1924, he moved to Atlanta where he enrolled in Georgia Tech, but only attended for a few months.He tried holding down several jobs one of which was a real estate agent, all of them didn’t last long.  He moved about settling in Sarasota, Florida where he worked as a store manager for a dozen Piggle Wiggly markets.  He did so well he was transferred to a store in St. Petersburg.  During 1930, Florida experienced the real estate bubble burst, thus the owner of the store had to sell to a firm out of Atlanta.  He traveled to Atlanta to talk to... 12/15/2020

Willem Janszoon was born in the Netherlands circa 1570.  Nothing is known about his parents, or early childhood.  The first record of him is when he went to work for the Oude compagnie, the predecessor of the Dutch East India Company in 1598.  He served as a mate aboard the Hollandia being dispatched to the Dutch East Indies in 1601. By 1603, he was captain in charge of the Duyfken sailing to Java.  When he left Java, he was ordered to search for other outlets of trade.  He sailed to New Guinea and other East and Southlands for trade.  He returned in 1606.  In 1617 he was appointed a member of the Council of the Indies serving as admiral of the Dutch Defense fleet.  He was awarded a gold chain and 1,000 guilders for his part in capturing four ships of the British East India Company near... 12/06/2020

Pierre Jules César Janssen was born in Paris, France back in 1824 to Antoine and Pauline.  He studied mathematics and physics, at the University of Paris.  After graduation, he taught at Lycée Charlemagne.  His interests were in astronomy, so he devoted most of his life to observation of solar eclipses.He travelled to several locations to observe eclipses.  He was in Paris in 1870 during the Siege of Paris, he escaped in a balloon.  He died in Meudon, France in 1907, he was 83.What you may not know about Pierre is that he was noted for inventing the Revolver of Janssen which was the precursor of the motion picture industry.  He is also noted for discovering helium.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today    12/01/2020

Betty Mattas was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania back in 1918.After graduating from Altoona Area High School, she attended Pennsylvania State University, leaving when she married James. Her husband was an engineer, working at a shipbuilding company in Philadelphia.  He saw something that gave me an idea.  He related this to Betty, this got her to thinking, more on this in a moment.In 1943, she came up with a name for the toy.  The couple made 400 of them and they sold out in 90 minutes at Gimbels Department Store for a whopping $1.00 each.  In the face of declining sales her husband left moving to Bolivia in 1960, leaving Betty to take care of the six children and run the business.  She sold the business to Poof Products of Plymouth, Michigan in 1998.Betty Mattas James died in 2008.  At t... 11/23/2020

Theodor Friedrich Emil Janenz was born in Rorschach, Switzerland back in 1884 to Emil and Margarethe.  At an early age, he ran away from school and went to sea.  He returned in 1901, and started working with several theatre companies in and around Nuremberg.  He was good enough in the silent film era to be signed by Paramount Pictures when he moved to Hollywood.His career in America came to an end with the advent of talkies, because of his thick German accent.In 1933, he returned to Germany where he continued his career in the service of the Nazi cinema during the Third Reich.  When the troops of the Allied Powers entered Germany in 1945, because of his role in Nazi propaganda meant that he was subject to denazification, effectively ending his career.  He moved to Austria where he died ... 11/16/2020

Henry Inman was born in Portsea Island, Hampshire, England back in 1816 to James and Mary.  His father was a Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Naval College.  in 1833, at 17 he enlisted for the Portuguese Liberal wars as a cadet lancer.  He returned to England enlisted in the British Auxiliary Legion where he was promoted to lieutenant.  He was awarded the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand for gallantry in action.After the war, he sailed to South Australia.  It was there where he participated in the capture of a burglary and murderer.  In 1838, he was recruited by the Governor of South Australia, John Hindmarsh.  Henry at the young age of 21 was hired as the first Police Commissioner and founder of the South Australia Police.  He was promoted to the Superintendent of Police in 1838.... 10/28/2020

Florence Mabel Kling was born in Marion, Ohio back in 1860 to Amos and Louisa.  She attended the Union School starting in 1866.  After graduation, she attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.  I can’t find any information as to if she graduated or not.  I can’t give you the date when she met Gamaliel, but by 1886, they had become a couple.Gamaliel was the owner of the Marion Star, five years younger than Florence.   They married in 1891, opposed by her father, he let it be known he would shot Gamaliel on the courthouse steps.  Thankfully, that didn’t happen.  Gamaliel referred to her as the Boss (same for my family) while she called him Sonny.  He was admitted to the Battle Creek Sanitarium for depression in 1894, being released in later that year.  She died in 1924, from various ... 06/08/2020

  Trivia 316   I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   Want to be noticed by the opposite sex?  It will cost you dearly.  Americans more than 160 billion that’s right 160 Billion a year to become more attractive.  This includes but not limited to  weight-loss programs, skin and hair care (not for me) perfumes and the list goes on.    Now go out and tell the world of your new found knowledge.  Smile it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.  Join us tomorrow for another journey into the wonderful world of Wordsmith.  Click on the link below.  Who knows you may learn something along the way ... 09/04/2014

  Trivia 312   I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   Like to play golf as I do?  Immediately after the news broke about Tiger Woods affair(s) men who were in shall we say relationships dropped by over 47%.    Now go out and tell the world of your new found knowledge.  Smile it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.  Join us tomorrow for another journey into the wonderful world of Wordsmith.  Click on the link below.  Who knows you may learn something along the way and some of the words may even bring a smile to your face.     08/31/2014

  Trivia 309   I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   While I’m on the subject of food let’s talk today about soup. I know the ingredients are endless but do you know of the first documented recipe for soup and what was in it?  Well let me enlighten you it was back in 6000 B.C. and was made with the main ingredient of hippopotamus.  I bet it was tasty.  Just can’t remember how it tasted back in my younger days.   J   Now go out and tell the world of your new found knowledge.  Smile it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.  Join us tomorrow for another journey into the wonderful world of ... 08/28/2014

  Trivia 305   I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   In the cycle of this thing we call life we as human beings have calculated the life expectancy of certain animals.  Among those of course ourselves and some of the oldest living are turtles, and reptiles.  But did you know the longest living fish in recorded history is a lungfish living in Australia and in 2003 was still alive at 65 years old.  Or should I say young?  It all depends on how you view life   Now go out and tell the world of your new found knowledge.  Smile it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.  Join us tomorrow for an... 08/24/2014

  Trivia 303   I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   We all know hurricanes are dangerous but do you know the deadliest one of them all?  You may say it was the one that hit Galveston Texas but you would be wrong.  The deadliest hurricane to date was called Bhola in the 1970’s.  It hit Bangladesh and killing somewhere between 150,000 to 300,000 people. The true count will never be known but even the smallest number here is staggering.    Now go out and tell the world of your new found knowledge.  Smile it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.  Join us tomorrow for another journey into t... 08/22/2014

  301       I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   How time has changed…  Back in 1902 in the Journal of the American Medical Association they endorsed a position as follows.  Doctors should deny a female any medical attention for complications from an illegal abortion that is until she “confessed”.  I know of only one immaculate conception….   Now go out and tell the world of your new found knowledge.  Smile it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.  Join us tomorrow for another journey into the wonderful world of Wordsmith.  Click on the link below.  Who knows you may learn something al... 08/20/2014

  Trivia 297       I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   Drinking to one’s health was a term brought about from Greece.  In olden times the waiter would take the first sip of wine to insure it wasn’t poisoned.  When Romans continued they called it “toasting” why you may ask?  Well I’m glad you did they (Romans) would drop a piece of toasted bread into the wine to temper undesirable tastes.    Now go out and tell the world of your new found knowledge.  Smile it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.  Join us tomorrow for another journey into the wonderful world of Wordsmith.  Click on the... 08/16/2014

  Trivia 295       I want this to be information one just usually doesn’t hear.  If you have I would like to know if you haven’t all the better you’ve learned something today.  With that being said here is the information for you to consider today.   While we are on the issue of money take this scenario.  If you spent $1.00 every second of every day you would spend around 1 million in 12 days.  To reach the figure of 1 trillion it would take you around 31,000 years.  Now think of the debt the U.S. is in and figure out if we never had any more debt how long it would take just to pay off what we owe now.  I don’t think I’ll live that long.  I also fear what this world will look like by then and if the U.S. will still exist.  Your thoughts       Now go out and tell the world of your new fo... 08/14/2014