Tedium Highlight in History: Lawn mowers are a relatively new phenomenon that made grass-cutting something the average person could do. Before that, it was a game for the elites. 

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Tag results: History

Stirrup Stir-Up

How an experimental take on stirrups—a.k.a. the things you put your feet in while riding on a horse—led to a longstanding debate among historians.

Dead on Archival

Considering the challenges that face shuttered newspapers with decades or even centuries of material to preserve.

Embrace Your Inner Stooge

Considering the cultural role of The Three Stooges, one of the most important comedy troupes in history, in the modern day.

The Internet's First Election

The web wasn't common in 1992, but presidential candidates notably took baby steps toward the internet that year—Ross Perot in a bigger way than most.

Thinking In Parallels

Why do we find historical parallels so interesting for analyzing current events like the coronavirus—and what do they leave out, anyway?

Hindsight Is 2020

The decade’s over, and Tedium is another year older. Here’s some thoughts on the past, future, and preservation amid our fifth anniversary.

A Parade Of Ragamuffins

Before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade became a New York City icon, another holiday event once took place at the same time. The department store won.

Shear Moonlight

Deep into Queens, there's a business operating 24 hours a day that most wouldn't expect. But in the city that never sleeps, should you expect anything else?

Dual-Pronged

Pondering the staple, and separately, the stapler, as they came together over time to saddle a few stitches and inspire a few tall tales.

Hooked On Velcro

How Velcro became one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, despite simultaneously gaining an unfashionable reputation.

Is Blogging Dead?

As some ponder whether the practice of blogging should be seen in the past tense, it may be better to consider what the concept gave us in the first place.

Doing It For Erma

An 1956 book about the early history of automation finally hits digital shelves, thanks to a friend of mine. And its appearance is deliciously ironic.

A Tale of Two Samoas

How quick thinking by a U.S. official saved thousands of lives from disease in an American territory—despite its non-American counterpart being decimated.

Columbus The Enigma

Christopher Columbus, one of our most controversial historic figures, has become more myth than man for one reason: We don’t know what he looks like.

We Nailed It

Fingernail clippers are apparently a relatively recent invention. Did we go through life without an easy way to trim fingernails for thousands of years?

Cutting A Rug

Carpets used to be important cultural artifacts. Now they extend from wall to wall, got shaggy, and are sold via earworm jingles. What a weird evolution.

Lessons From The Video Professor

For more than 20 years, John Scherer’s Video Professor offered instructional videos and discs to make computers accessible to novices. Where did it go?

Live and Let Dye

These days, artificial food coloring is seen as a major health risk—admittedly, for good reason in some cases. But, shockingly, things used to be way worse.

This'll Blow You Away

The hand dryer, after a long period of stagnation, has become a hotbed of innovation in recent years. Who knew sanitation could be so forward-thinking?

A Phone Book For Computers

Before we used the internet to find computer parts, we used Computer Shopper, a magazine that commonly had over 800 pages in a single issue. Really.
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