Though a computer monitor’s display is a two-dimensional plane, 3D computer graphics programs can produce images of objects that appear to be three dimensional. Creating 3D graphics is typically a three step process. First, the object’s shape is described in a process called modeling. Then designers determine the object’s motion and placement within a scene. Lastly, the model is given its final appearance in the rendering process. The term “computer graphics” was coined in the 1960s by whom? Discuss
Author: Ian
Apple Lisa Launched (1983)
In 1983, after five years of development, Apple released the Lisa, the first personal computer with a graphical user interface. Although the Lisa was a commercial failure—due in part to its initial price tag of $9,995—it had a significant impact on the computer industry. It is often rumored to have been named after the first daughter of Apple’s Steve Jobs, though several acronyms have been ascribed to the name. What project did Jobs join after being forced out of the Lisa project? Discuss
James Watt (1736)
A largely self-taught Scottish engineer and inventor, Watt greatly impacted the Industrial Revolution with his development of the Watt engine. Asked to repair a model of Thomas Newcomen’s steam engine, he instead made improvements to it that resulted in a new type of engine. One such design enhancement, the separate condenser, radically improved the power, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of steam engines. The watt, a unit of power, is named for him. What other unit of power did he develop? Discuss
WWII: First Armed Insurgency in Warsaw Ghetto (1943)
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the Jewish armed resistance that took place in the Warsaw Ghetto of Nazi-occupied Poland during WWII. By July 1942, the Nazis had forced 500,000 Jews into the Warsaw Ghetto. Starvation killed thousands each month and thousands more were transferred to “labor” camps every day. When word reached the ghetto that the destination was actually the gas chambers at Treblinka, the newly formed Jewish insurgency attacked the Nazis. How long did the insurgency last? Discuss
Archibald Alexander Leach, AKA Cary Grant (1904)
Grant performed with an acrobatic comedy troupe in England before he found parts in stage musicals. After he made his film debut in 1932, his debonair charm, good looks, and distinctive voice made him a popular star in sophisticated comedies such as Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, and The Philadelphia Story. He also starred in many Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, including North by Northwest. He received an honorary Academy Award in 1970. What was his last film? Discuss
Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam is a classical Indian dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu. One of five major dance styles corresponding to each of the elements, Bharatanatyam represents the mystic manifestation of fire in the human body. The movements of Bharatanatyam dancers resemble a dancing flame, while their expressive hand gestures communicate specific meanings. Rooted in Hindu tradition, the dance form has since crossed religious boundaries and is now studied by members of what other religions? Discuss
Popeye Makes His Debut in the Thimble Theater Comic Strip (1929)
Popeye, the popular cartoon character who turns from sailor to strongman with a few swallows of spinach, started out as a minor character in the Thimble Theater comic strip. In its early days, the strip starred Olive Oyl and her boyfriend, Ham Gravy. However, after cartoonist E.C. Segar introduced Popeye, he became so popular that his role was expanded, and he soon replaced Ham as Olive’s love interest, going on adventures with her brother, Castor Oyl, and facing what nemesis? Discuss
Mack Sennett (1880)
Sennett was an American movie director, considered the father of slapstick comedy in film. After directing comedies under the tutelage of D.W. Griffith, he left to form his own Keystone Company and produced the first American feature-length comedy, Tillie’s Punctured Romance, in 1914. He made more than 1,000 comedy shorts, often featuring the wild antics of the Keystone Kops, and received a special Academy Award in 1937. As an actor, Sennett played what iconic character in several films? Discuss
Hatching
Hatching and cross-hatching are artistic techniques in which artists use closely-spaced parallel or crossed lines to create tonal or shading effects in their work. By varying the length, angle, spacing, and thickness of these lines, artists achieve a variety of visual effects. Western artists developed cross-hatching in the Middle Ages, and many 15th-century old master prints contain examples of the technique. Which artist is said to have perfected the techniques in his woodcuts and engravings? Discuss
Eric Henry Liddell (1902)
Liddell was a Scottish athlete and missionary. Because of his Christian convictions, Liddell refused to run track events on Sundays, a decision that forced him to withdraw from his best event, the 100-meter sprint, during the 1924 Paris Olympics. Instead, he ran the 400 meters, winning the gold medal and breaking the existing world record. His story is depicted in the Academy Award-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire. Why is he listed in some literature as China’s first Olympic champion? Discuss