The questions: "When did people start to smile in pictures?" and "When did people start re-enacting history for entertainment?"
What I learned:
First, about the smiles:
I would imagine that everyone knows the answer to this but we just didn't think of it before we asked the question.
Remember two things: First, pictures used to take a long time. It was an arduous process of standing there and waiting for the developing on the plate. No one wants to smile for that long. Second, cameras were expensive and sparsely found throughout the area. That meant that getting your picture taken was, most likely, a formal occasion. And people don't often smile toothy for formal occasions. At least not back then.
People started smiling when taking pictures became a common sight and an immediate thing. If its not a big deal to get your picture taken, you can mess up a few frames with a goofy grin or a tongue sticking out. Furthermore, if it only takes a second, why not smile? You won't hurt your cheeks!
So, didn't learn a specific date, but wasn't asking for one.
Same thing with question two:
Seems that the Romans were the first to start re-enacting battles for amusement. That's another one I should have guessed, but didn't. The Romans weren't the type to entertain each other with plays about love and beauty, that was the Greeks, so they decided to entertain with sport, death and, the closest to plays, historical re-enactments.
The middle-ages re-enacted the romans. The victorians re-enacted the romans.
Sheesh, you know, the Romans are not that popular today in re-enactments. Sure, they exist, but so do re-enactments of almost every American era. PLUS the Celts and Greeks to a lesser extent. Of course, the big event is Medieval re-enactment.
As for that, well, I don't have to learn too much about it right now. I was going to learn a little for: The Muskogee Renaissance festival but I don't think I'll have the time or money to visit this year. I've never been to a RenFest but it does sound cool. I'm sure I'll go one day, but this year might just not be the time for it.
Showing posts with label april. Show all posts
Showing posts with label april. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
April 27, 2010: Male and Female Robins
Yesterday:
The question: "What's the difference between a male and a female American Robin?"
What I Learned:
First, American Robins should be called such because European Robins look completely different and aren't even of the same family. They both have an orangey/red breast, so someone decided to call them both Robins.
As you can see, the European Robin is a lot smaller and duller in color than the vibrant American Robin. Also, the European Robin's eggs are not that bright blue that we've learned to associate with the Robin in the states. They are a speckled brown, much like a Wren.
The American Robin, what we in the US think of when someone says 'Robin' has a larger size, more vibrant color, and creates those bright blue eggs.
American Robins are called "Turdus migratorius" (an unfortunate sounding name) which means "Thrush who Migrates" and they are located all over the United States and Canada. There are subspecies of Turdus migratorius, but the differences are too inconsequential to mention let alone see with the naked eye.
This is much like the female and male Robins. Unlike most birds (think Blue Jays or Cardinals, Peacocks, etc), the female Robin does not look much different than the male Robin. In general, the males have a brighter orange or red color on their breast, have a darker black on their wings and body, and have a circle of white encasing their eye. The females are just a bit duller in their breast and body feathers and their white around the eye doesn't usually go all the way around, like a male's. However, a female might have a very bright breast or a very deep black tone to her feathers. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to why a female might look like a male, it just happens. I'm sure there's some sort of link to their feed and their stress levels (etc) but I didn't find that one out yesterday.
I did want to learn about their call so that I could determine what was a Robin and what wasn't (at least in my backyard) but I forgot. Hopefully it will be something I return to in the future.
For now, I am left with the knowledge that most of the time I won't be able to tell a female Robin from a male Robin. However, I did also learn that though there aren't MORE albino Robins than other birds, they are more easily seen because Robins, as a bird, are so abundant where I live. So, I look forward to seeing an albino Robin one day.
The question: "What's the difference between a male and a female American Robin?"
What I Learned:
First, American Robins should be called such because European Robins look completely different and aren't even of the same family. They both have an orangey/red breast, so someone decided to call them both Robins.
As you can see, the European Robin is a lot smaller and duller in color than the vibrant American Robin. Also, the European Robin's eggs are not that bright blue that we've learned to associate with the Robin in the states. They are a speckled brown, much like a Wren.
The American Robin, what we in the US think of when someone says 'Robin' has a larger size, more vibrant color, and creates those bright blue eggs.
American Robins are called "Turdus migratorius" (an unfortunate sounding name) which means "Thrush who Migrates" and they are located all over the United States and Canada. There are subspecies of Turdus migratorius, but the differences are too inconsequential to mention let alone see with the naked eye.
This is much like the female and male Robins. Unlike most birds (think Blue Jays or Cardinals, Peacocks, etc), the female Robin does not look much different than the male Robin. In general, the males have a brighter orange or red color on their breast, have a darker black on their wings and body, and have a circle of white encasing their eye. The females are just a bit duller in their breast and body feathers and their white around the eye doesn't usually go all the way around, like a male's. However, a female might have a very bright breast or a very deep black tone to her feathers. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to why a female might look like a male, it just happens. I'm sure there's some sort of link to their feed and their stress levels (etc) but I didn't find that one out yesterday.
I did want to learn about their call so that I could determine what was a Robin and what wasn't (at least in my backyard) but I forgot. Hopefully it will be something I return to in the future.
For now, I am left with the knowledge that most of the time I won't be able to tell a female Robin from a male Robin. However, I did also learn that though there aren't MORE albino Robins than other birds, they are more easily seen because Robins, as a bird, are so abundant where I live. So, I look forward to seeing an albino Robin one day.
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