First Recorded Romantic Kiss

In honor of the upcoming February 14 Valentine's Day, I'm starting on series of 3 Valentine's Day blogs. And what better place to start than the history of the romantic kiss.

New research into Ancient Mesopotamia suggests people kissed romantically 4500 years ago, 1000 years earlier than previously believed. The article, published in Science, reveals kissing did not originate in one region. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Oxford revealed their findings on the ancient history of kissing after discovering  drawings on clay tablets (see picture above) and other materials from early Mesopotamian societies. Ancient Mesopotamia is considered to be roughly the land that is now modern-day Iraq and Syria.

It was previously believed the earliest evidence of romantic lip kissing in humans originated in southern Asia 3500 years ago then spread to other regions. The new research challenges these theories and suggests kissing was common across many different regions and cultures, starting much earlier.

In examining the clay tablets written in cuneiform script, the scientists noted the Akkadian language divided kissing into two groups: "friendly and familial affection" and "erotic action." Thousands of these clay tablets have survived to this day. They contain clear examples that kissing was considered a part of romantic intimacy in ancient times, just as kissing could be part of friendships and family members' relations.

Kissing should not be regarded as a custom that originated exclusively in any single region and spread from there. It appears to have been practiced in multiple ancient cultures over several millennia. While the exact origins of romantic kissing remain uncertain, the study said there is some evidence that it may have occurred even before the advent of writing.

Research into bonobos and chimpanzees, the closest living relatives to humans, has shown both species engage in kissing, which may suggest the practice of kissing is a fundamental behavior in humans, explaining why it can be found across cultures. The researchers also examined sexually-transmitted diseases in early kissing and its unintentional role in the transmission of herpes simplex virus 1, also known as cold sores. This cannot be taken entirely at face value due to the influence of certain religious and cultural beliefs. 

Those We Lost In 2024 part 2of2

This is part 2 of my 2-part blog listing a cross-section of the man we lost in 2024.

David Soul:  He died on January 4 at the age of 80. He was best known for playing detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson on the TV series Starsky & Hutch.

John Bruton:  The former Irish Prime Minister died on February 6 at the age of 76 and is remembered for playing a key role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland.

Alexei Navalny:  The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin died on February 16. He was 47. Crusading against official corruption, he staged massive anti-Kremlin protests.

Brian Mulroney:  The former Canadian prime died February 29 at the age of 84.  The Prime Minister forged close ties with two Republican U.S. presidents through a sweeping free trade agreement that was once vilified but is now celebrated.

Louis Gossett Jr.:  He died on March 28 at the age of 87. He was the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and was an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries Roots.

Peter Higgs:  He died on April 8 at the age of 94. The Nobel prize-winning physicist proposed the existence of the so-called “God particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang.

Roger Corman:  He died on May 9 at the age of 98. The “King of the B-movies” helped turn out such low-budget classics as Little Shop of Horrors and Attack of the Crab Monsters and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks.

Alice Munro:  She died on May 13 at the age of 92. The Nobel laureate was a Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short story writers.

Willie Mays:  He died on June 18 at the age of 93. The electrifying “Say Hey Kid,” his singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players.

Bob Newhart:  He died on July 18 at the age of 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album.

Peter Marshall:  He died on Aug. 15 at the age of 98. The actor and singer turned game show host played straight man to the stars for 16 years on The Hollywood Squares.

Phil Donahue:  He died on Aug. 18 at the age of 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others.

James Earl Jones:  He died on Sept. 9 at the age of 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, The Lion King and the character of Darth Vader in the Star Wars movie series.

Kris Kristofferson:  He died on Sept. 28 at the age of 88.  He was a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor.

Manmohan Singh:  The former prime minister of India died on Dec. 26 at the age of 92. He was widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States.

Those We Lost in 2024 part 1of2

2024 seemed to be a year of loss for many newsworthy people, a list longer than normal—celebrities, those in the arts, and those internationally known.

In fact, the list was so long I had to go through it and pick a cross-section representing the entirety and even at that, I still needed to break it down into a 2-part blog.

So…presented chronologically from most recent on December 29 back through January 4, 2024, is a partial list. Next week in part 2, I'll present another list of a cross-section of those lost from January 4 through December 26, 2024.

Jimmy Carter:  Former president James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr. died on Dec. 29. He was 100. The 39th president of the United States served from 1977-1981. In 2002 he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Following his term as president, he dedicated himself to charity work, mostly in hands-on labor of building houses for Habitat For Humanity. He had been in hospice care since 2023, following the death of his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, and a series of short hospital stays.

Linda Lavin:  Broadway star and Tony award-winning actress Linda Lavin died on Dec. 29. She was 87. The actress passed unexpectedly due to complications from recently discovered lung cancer. She rose to prominence in the '70s starring in the TV series Alice, following a stint as a guest star in multi-episodes of Barney Miller.

Nikki Giovanni:  Renowned poet, activist and leading figure of the Black Arts Movement, died Dec. 9 in Virginia after her third cancer diagnosis. She published her first book of poetry, Black Feeling Black Talk, in 1968, and published more than 20 more over the course of her career; she also helmed a publishing cooperative to amplify Black female writers in 1970.

Earl Holliman:  Award-winning screen star died on Nov. 25 at 96. Holliman  won a Golden Globe Award for his supporting performance as Jim Curry in the 1956 Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn film The Rainmaker. He is also remembered for co-starring in the 1970s with Angie Dickenson in the television series Police Woman.

Barbara Taylor Bradford:  The best-selling novelist died peacefully at her home on Nov. 24 following a short illness. She was 91. Born and raised in Leeds, England, Bradford OBE sold over 91 million copies of her books over the course of her career.

Chuck Woolery:  Original host of Wheel of Fortune, Chuck Woolery died at his home in Texas on Nov. 24 at the age of 83. He was not only the original host of Wheel of Fortune, he also hosted the popular dating show Love Connection for over a decade, as well as Scrabble, Greed and Lingo.

Bobby Allison:  The 1983 NASCAR Cup Series champion, died peacefully at his home on Nov. 9 at the age of 86. A Hall of Fame driver, Allison won 85 career races, with career highlights that included the 1983 Winston Cup Series Champion victory, three Daytona 500 wins and becoming a member of NASCAR’s second Hall of Fame class in 2011.

Quincy Jones:  The legendary music producer died at his home in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. The musician is survived by his seven children. The family held a private funeral for their beloved patriarch a week after his death.

Maggie Smith:  Dame Maggie Smith passed away peacefully on Sept. 27 at the age of 89. Adept at both comedy and drama, she had a long and distinguished career on the stage and in movies, appearing most recently in the British television series Downton Abbey.

John Amos:  The Good Times and Roots actor died on Aug. 21 of congestive heart failure. He was 84.

Shannen Doherty:  Best remembered for her role in Beverly Hills 90210, she died at age 53 on July 13 after years of living with cancer. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

Richard Simmons:  The professional fitness coach died at his Los Angeles home on July 13. He was 76.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer:  The sex therapist who became a pop culture phenomenon in the 1980s died on July 12 at the age of 96.

Shelley Duvall:  The actress died at her home in Blanco, Texas, on July 11 from complications of diabetes.  She was 75.  She is probably best known for her role in The Shining.

Donald Sutherland:  The Canadian actor died on June 20 at the age of 88. His wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from M.A.S.H. to Ordinary People and The Hunger Games.

Dabney Coleman:  The actor died at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., on May 16. He was 92. Remembered for his many acting roles, the movie 9 To 5 is one of his most popular.

Barbara Rush:  The actress died peacefully in her sleep on March 31 at the age of 97. She was a regular in several television series including Peyton Place and Flamingo Road as well as numerous movie roles.

Richard Lewis:  The comedian and actor died on February 27 after suffering a heart attack. He was 76 and is best known for his role on Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Toby Keith:  The country singer died on February 5 after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in fall 2021. He was 62.

Carl Weathers:  He died peacefully in his sleep on February 1 at the age of 76. The actor is best known for roles in Rocky, Predator and The Mandalorian.

Chita Rivera:  The Broadway actress, singer, and dancer died on Jan. 30 in New York after a brief illness. She was 91. The two-time Tony Award winning actress had been in 20 musicals over her long career.

Glynis Johns:  She died on January 4 in Los Angeles of natural causes at the age of 100. The Academy Award nominated actress costarred with Julie Andrews in the classic 1964 film Mary Poppins.

Stop back next week for part 2 of this 2-part list of Those We Lost In 2024. 

Six Clues You're Out Of Town

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that burglars prefer to break into homes and steal things when the occupants of that house are not home—and preferably when they're out of town rather than merely out to dinner.

And that leads us to the question of how burglars know when you're out of town.

According to companies that deal in home security, there are six primary clues that tell potential burglars that you're out of town even if it's only for a long weekend. And there's nothing hidden or tricky about those clues. They're just plain common sense.

1)  The house is always dark:

When you're home rather than out of town, you turn various lights on and off as you go through your normal routine—kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc.  To simply leave a light on when you're out of town does not handle the situation. Lights go one and off in different rooms. The best way to handle this is to have lights that you can control remotely when you're out of town. Next best would be to have lights on timers that come on and go off at different times.

2)  No cars in the driveway or a car has been there too long without moving:

Professional burglars will often case a potential location to determine the routines of the people who live there. I, personally, never park in my driveway. My car is always in the garage unless I'm physically in my car going somewhere. But people without garages, or those who have detached garages without direct access to their house, usually park in their driveway or at the curb in front of their house. If the car that belongs to that house is gone for days or is there for days without being moved, it's a sign that the owner of the car is most likely out of town. To avoid this, have a neighbor occasionally park their car in your driveway or have a friend or family member move your car from time to time.

3)  Newspapers, mail, and packages pile up:

If your mailbox is overflowing, newspapers are on the driveway or in the yard, or there's several Amazon deliveries on your porch, it's a sure sign that the occupants are out of town. Simple solution is to put a vacation hold on your mail at the post office, have the newspaper delivery stopped, and don't place any Amazon orders that are scheduled to be delivered while you're gone.

4)  Your lawn needs mowing:

If someone is watching your house, a normally well-manicured yard that is suddenly in need of mowing and edging is a big clue that the occupants are out of town. Of course, if you have a lawn service that mows regularly, it solves that problem.

5)  Snow hasn't been shoveled from driveway and sidewalk:

Just like lawn care in spring and summer, winter presents yard situation indicating the occupants are out of town. If the snow hasn't been shoveled off the driveway and sidewalk, or there aren't any tire tracks in the snow on the driveway, it's a good sign that the occupants are out of town. If there's the possibility of snow accumulation while you're gone, perhaps your neighbor can be in charge of snow removal for you. And occasionally drive his car in and out of your driveway

6)  And finally...

Do NOT announce on any social media that you will be gone even if it's only for a weekend. Tell everyone about your trip after you're back home. 

And these are the six biggest clues that you're out of town and a prime target for burglars. As I said, these are common sense measures and precautions to take before you leave on vacation.