Old Tom Parr

In Westminster Abbey, there lies the body of Old Tom Parr in an incredible place of honor resting in the hall of nobles and princes. Of these he was none; he was an oddity. He lived to be 152 years old.

That is right this old man told you to shut your mouth.

Born: 1483
Died: November 1635

No one is really sure how old he really was at his death but he prescribes 
"keep your head cool by temperance and your feet warm by exercise. Rise early, go soon to bed, and if you want to grow fat [prosperous] keep your eyes open and your mouth shut."1

1.Westminster Abbey: Thomas Parr 

; http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/thomas-parr

2. Darwin Country: Parr, Thomas (1483-1635) 'Old Parr'; http://www.darwincountry.org/explore/001716.html

Longest Known Beard in History

Hans Langseth who died in 1927, had the longest known beard in history. When he died, it was measured at 18.6 feet long.

Hans Langseth at 66

He started to grow this beard at 19 for a local beard-growing competition. After the competition ended, Hans continued to grow his now flowing facial hair.

At his death, 17.6 feet of Hans' beard was cut off, which i now in the Smithsonian.






Sources:
Hans Langseth: http://hanslangseth.com/HansLangseth/index.html
"The World's Longest Beard Is One Of The Smithsonian's Strangest Artifacts": http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/smithsonian-home-worlds-longest-beard-180953370/?no-ist

Old Colorized Black and White Photographs

It can be amazing to see dull grey photographs transformed into color. In recent days, I discovered a thread on Reddit and Imgur. This thread shows views of iconic blank and white photographs colored by the digital hand. My favorites are below:

Albert Einstein, 1921:





klassixx posted the colored versions.






















Hindenburg, 1937:















See more colorful pictures at the link above and here.

Fun Fact:

Did you know that J.R. Tolkien would write letters to his children every Christmas?
Yeah, he would write to them as Santa Claus and tell them of what wonderful adventures were happening each year at the North Pole.

I hope you had a great time over the holidays!

Interesting Picture: Albert Einstein Posing

I had to start a new segment when I saw this picture.

Albert Einstein Getting his Portrait PaintedFrom Sciencegeek100 at Imgur.com

Check out 

Einstein: His Life and Universe

by Walter Isaacson

A Portrait Lives: Mary, Queen of Scots

I really haven't been consistent with my Portrait Lives, but I'll just do them whenever for now because I have been occupied, but I haven't forgotten!

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots had a tragic life. She was imprisoned. One time by her own people and she fled to England where she was imprisoned, found to have plotted against Queen Elizabeth I and executed. These are just a few of the facts that make her such a tragic figure.

aged about 6

aged  about 13

aged about 15

aged about 17

aged about 17-18

in her early twenties

aged about 36

aged about 33

Her execution at aged 45

Sources: 

Cathlolic Encloypedia, Mary Queen of Scots: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09764a.htm

Van Gogh's Ear and it's Resurrection

Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh is very famous especially for his painting Starry Night. The story of van Gogh's madness is of a dire nature to understanding him, more importantly (to this post) is the story of how he cut off his own ear.
It is said that van Gogh cut off his ear in one of his common fits of possibly bipolar madness, which came and went in storms of depression:
On December 23 1888, van Gogh was savagely angry at his friend Gauguin, regarding a Madame and he stood in front of a mirror. He cut part of his ear, taking off a part, he put it in an envelope and personally delivered to the said Madame who was at the local "house of ill repute." He told her to "Take it, it will be useful."  The prostitute fainted. She called the police the next day who found van Gogh at his home. He was admitted to the hospital, and soon recovered.

His Bandaged Ear and a Hat.

The Resurrection: 

A German museum grew living cells of van Gogh with a 3D printer and DNA from his descendants. It says on the website:

You can talk to the ear. The input sound is processed by a computer using software that converts it to simulate nerve impulses in real time. 

Quote from
May 30-July 4 2014: Diemut Strebe: Sugababe: http://on1.zkm.de/zkm/stories/storyReader%248887

Sources:
German artist 'regrows' severed Van Gogh ear: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/06/german-artist-regrows-severed-van-gogh-ear-20146316242869877.html
Van Gogh's own words after cutting his ear recorded in Paris newspaper: http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Van-Goghs-own-words-after-cutting-his-ear-recorded-in-Paris-newspaper/30392
A tale of two ears by Ben Cohen from the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539517/?report=classic

Check out

The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh 

by Vincent van Gogh and Arnold Pomerans

Click the link and see the madness of van Gogh.

Bobby Leach and his Death.

Here's a meme:

Totally True.

For those who use Google Translate,
it reads Bobby Leach went across Niagara Falls in a Barrel, he died after he slipped on an orange peel.

Made free from Imgur.
Sources;
Find a Grave Memorial.

Portrait Lives: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, was one of a kind. He believed in peace and only entered war when necessary. He did what was necessary for Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. Never the less, he was his ideal view of a Catholic emperor, which meant spreading Catholicism. He wanted to protect the religion, it was his primary goal and was show as such when it was unanimous he would be elected to the emperor position.

Now a Portrait Lives:

He was Born in 1500.

aged about 7

aged about 2

aged same

aged about 19

aged about 30

Aged

About 33

aged about 37

aged about 48

aged about 50

aged 50s

He died in 1558 at 58.
His last words were "Ay Jesus (!)" He was probably hoping heaven would receive him.

Sources:
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor: http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/charles5.htm
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor: http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/ReferenceDetailsPage/DocumentToolsPortletWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&jsid=73b339808e43d9133d3f7d01e6b6b599&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CK3404900201&u=dist214&zid=b25b1ff5bf4088b84760dea566efa922, a long url.

Check out

The Reign of Charles V.

You might notice his chin, that's because of his families' years of inbreeding.

5 Facts You Didn't Know About Pocahontas.

She is commonly referred to as a Disney character who saved John Smith (in the movie, not exactly in real life). She was much more than that. She was a real historical person who faced hardships.

1. She was baptized with the name 'Rebecca.'

2. There is a portrait of her (right)

3. She died at about 22.

4. She was married two times.
5. When she died she left her husband John Rolfe a widow, he may have died after an Indian attack. 

Links/Sources/More Information:
John Rolfe (1585-1622): http://www.virtualjamestown.org/jrolfe.html
Pocahontas: http://www.powhatanmuseum.com/Pocahontas.html

Portrait Lives: Queen Victoria Part 2

It continues...

aged about 41

aged about 50.

aged about 64

aged about 68

aged about 70

aged 81

She died at 81 on 22 January 1901, she had the longest reign in English History (Elizabeth II should keep on living just to beat Victoria's record).

Check out more about

Queen Victoria: A Personal History

by Christopher Hibbert

Vicky is not amused, either you click the link or 

she will attack you with her fan.

The picture has inaccurate colors.

Source:
Timeline of the life Queen Victoria: https://www.royal.gov.uk/List%20Images/QV%20Education%20project/Timeline%20of%20the%20life%20of%20Queen%20Victoria%202.pdf
http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon58.html
Victoria: http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon58.html

Portrait Lives: Queen Victoria Part 1

If you gotta know something about me you gotta know I post late in the day. Yep, one of the bad things.

Frankly, many people know of Queen Victoria, but nothing about her (like me an hour ago). The only thing I really knew about her is that she loved her husband and was very powerful. Probably both true but that doesn't demonstrate a significant of an understanding of Victoria. She was actively involved in politics and extended over foreign and domestic innovations with her long reign of influence. She was a great monarch of her time.

Born on 24 May 1819.

aged 9

aged 4

aged 14

aged about 23

aged about 25

aged about 35

aged about 35

aged  about 40.

aged about 41

Part 2 tomorrow!