• Archival Preservation

    The Four Enemies of Paper, Photos & Textiles

    by William D. Welge, CA * Most people, who are the keepers of family treasures, may not be aware that, the air we breathe, the light we allow in our homes, the settings on our heating and air conditioners are causing damage to important documents, photographs or clothing. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in America during the 19th century, air borne pollutants have been, and continue to be, one of the major components that attack and can damage heirlooms in your possession. Dust, exhaust fumes, smoking, and microscopic contaminates are harmful. How to minimize the risk can be simple, if applied on a regular basis: First, change the…

  • Famous Scientists

    DNA Code Made Easy

    Francis Crick and James Watson have been famous for discovering Deoxyribonucleic acid’s double helix structure, since Feb. 28, 1953, when they exclaimed that they had accomplished the amazingly unimaginable feat of  discovering the secret of life, in an English pub of all places. Those British diners had as much of a chance understanding the complexities of DNA’s double helix as a school child. Yet, Francis Crick managed to give a simplified summation of the collection of nucleotides that make us unique, along with a scrawled-out illustration, in a letter to his 12 year-old son. That hand written letter, dated March 19, 1953, was auctioned off at Christie’s  last week for a Sale Total including Buyer’s Premium of …

  • Oklahoma City Bombing

    Anniversary Date of Oklahoma City Bombing

    I can still vividly recall the morning of April 19, 1995, when the Oklahoma City Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed by domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh and co-conspirator Terry Nichols. As someone born and raised in Oklahoma City, I was driving along the nearby I-40 cross town. We were detoured away from the downtown area that showed a large black cloud of smoke rising into the sky. I couldn’t imagine what had happened. I stared with a blank and confused gaze onto my city’s center. The thirteen barrels, each containing an explosive, chemical concoction and with a combined weight of approximately 7,000 pounds, were placed in a rented 1993 Ford F-700 Ryder truck. McVeigh parked  this…

  • Egyptian History

    Nefertiti’s Measure to Achieve More Respect

    Nefertiti was married to Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. In a desire to gain more respect as a leader of her people, Nefertiti changed her title and dress to that of a masculine identity. She presented herself as a King and was seen wearing men’s clothing and a false beard. Ironically, the meaning of her name is  ‘the beautiful one has come.’ As displayed in sculpture and recorded in history, she lived up to her name; being one of the most beautiful of famous women. Whether or not this extra measure, of creating an association with a male persona, was effective or not is hard to say, but, for many reasons, she attained…