Saturday, January 5, 2008

Patagonia is the name given to the southwestern section of the Andes mountains and their environs, located in Chile and Argentina. The origin of the name is unclear.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Swanson frozen dinners

The Swanson & Sons company was not the first to introduce the frozen TV (re-heatable, later microwaveable) dinner --- that was most likely William Maxson, in 1944, who created them for serving on airplanes --- but popularized them, and trademarked the name, in 1952. The first Swanson TV dinner consisted of turkey, stuffing, cornbread, and buttered peas. What? No dessert?!

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Imhotep was an engineer, architect, and physician who lived in the 26th century BC. He is credited as the first doctor and architect we known by name. He designed the Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in the world.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

The oribi is a small antelope of sub-Sahran Africa. About 3-4 feet long and 2 feet high, it's known for the loud whistle it makes when alarmed.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Bonn, the capital of West Germany until 1990, is located on the Rhine river.