Yahoo! Answers

Hey Guys,

We know who made the first telephone call in history. Likewise, we know all about the very first email. But what about that other form of communication — the one you pray your parents never learn to do — the text message?

Like just about everything on the Web, opinions vary when it comes to who came up with the text message. A leading contender is Raina Fortini. Fortini didn’t create the infrastructure or the hardware, but she may have been the first person to realize its potential.

Before cell phones, there were beepers. Fortini realized that if you held the beeper upside down, the numbers sometimes resembled words. According to New Scientist, “Edward Lantz, a former NASA employee,” says Fortini sent a text from New York City to Florida in 1989. Unfortunately, nobody is sure about the message’s contents.

The first commercial text message, again according to New Scientist, came a few years later in December, 1992. “‘Merry Christmas, texted Neil Papworth of Sema Group to Richard Jarvis of Vodafone on 3 December 1992. Papworth actually sent the message from a PC. Riku Pihkonen of Nokia claims to be the first to have physically “texted” from a phone, in 1993.”

I doubt Fortini or Papworth knew that they were starting a revolution in communication. There were 6.1 trillion text messages sent in 2010. I’d bet my right texting thumb that the number is even higher now.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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Hey Guys,

Guess what? I just had a kid. Well, my wife did, but I was there to feed her ice chips and tell her she’s beautiful, so, of course, that makes me an expert. But there’s one thing I still don’t understand: hiccups. Why does my daughter hiccup so much? And does she mind?

An article from Parents.com explains that hiccups are totally normal, and are, in fact, a good thing for babies. “Hiccups are caused when the diaphragm, the respiratory muscle at the base of the chest, gets irritated and spasms. Since a baby’s stomach and torso are small, it doesn’t take much to fill his tummy to the brim and push it up into the diaphragm.” If you hear your baby hiccup, it means he or she is eating well.

A change in room temperature may cause hiccups, too. According to Baby Center, if the baby gets cold, hiccups may be more common.

So why don’t kids freak out during hiccup sessions? According to Baby Zone, “hiccups seem to bother parents more than they bother the baby.” Unlike 99% of the stuff that can make babies fussy, hiccups apparently don’t bother them. Go figure. The exception is if the hiccups affect the baby’s ability to feed. If that’s the case, consult a doctor.

So that’s the story with baby hiccups. Small stomach + hungry baby = big hiccups (and, eventually, a dirty diaper).

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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Hey Guys,

Few, if any, toys are as iconic as Barbie. While I never had one (I was more of a G.I. Joe kid, myself), the doll remains incredibly popular with kids and collectors. Still, many might not know the doll’s history.

Like Cher and Rihanna, Barbie needs no last name. However, she does have one. In fact, she’s got a whole biography. Her full name is Barbie Millicent Roberts and she was born on March 9, 1959.

Though she attends high school in Willows, Wisconsin, the blonde teen has held dozens of jobs over the years. She’s been a dentist, a jet pilot, an aerobics instructor, and a McDonald’s cashier.

Barbie isn’t an only child. Far from it. The plastic icon has six younger siblings, including twins Tutti and Todd. As near as I can tell, her boyfriend through it all is still Ken Carson. When you hear somebody with bland good looks described as a “Ken doll,” this is who they’re referring to.

In 2006, Barbie was named one of the most influential people who never lived. She came in 43rd, ahead of Atticus Finch, Batman, and my very own G.I. Joe.

While Barbie does have many fans, not everybody believes she’s a good influence. Last year, a woman created a life-size version of the doll in an effort to show that Barbie may inspire some children to develop body-image issues and eating disorders.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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Hey Guys,

February is Black History Month, a time for Americans to reflect on the cultural contributions African Americans have made to the United States. Some may be wondering how Black History Month became an official celebration. And why is it celebrated in February? Here’s the scoop.

Most history experts give credit to Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950). Woodson is commonly referred to as the father of black history. Carter led a challenging but amazing life. At the age of 19, he entered high school and completed his studies in two years. He then studied Greek and Latin, while working in a mine shaft. Eventually, he went to the University of Chicago, and finally got his PhD from Harvard University.

But what does that have to do with Black History Month? After founding the Journal of Negro History, Woodson was instrumental (read: it wouldn’t have happened without him) in organizing “Negro History Week.” Woodson chose a week in February as a way to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, who abolished slavery, and Frederick Douglass, the iconic civil rights activist.

Negro History Week became Black History Month during the 1960s. “No other single thing,” Woodson said, “has done so much to dramatize the achievement of persons of African blood.” According to AppalachianHistory.net, Woodson often remarked that “he hoped the time would come when Negro History Week would be unnecessary; when all Americans would willingly recognize the contributions of black Americans as a legitimate and integral part of the history of this country.”

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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Hey Guys,

Of all the urban legends floating around college campuses, I think one stands out above all others. If your roommate dies, the legend says, you will automatically get a 4.0 GPA for the semester. True or false?

This one is 100% false, kids. Nobody knows for sure just how the story got started, but according to the experts at Snopes.com, stressed-out students were likely responsible. As the years went by, the story got told more and more, until people actually started to believe it.

And, as we pointed out in a piece from Ask Yahoo! several years ago, the notion does sort of make sense. After all, the death of a roommate would be extremely traumatic. Expecting a student to continue on with his or her studies does seem unreasonable. But, while students in this unfortunate situation are often given bereavement leave, an automatic 4.0 does not happen.

What are some of your favorite urban legends? Are they true, false, or unknown? Please leave a note below and let me know.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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