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While much of the written history of the recliner starts in the early Twentieth Century, the recliner chair dates back much further. The earliest recliner chairs actually appeared in the late Eighteenth Century, and were functionally similar to todays recliners. The goal was always to allow the user to sit upright or recline back with the legs and feet off the floor.

What has been dubbed by many designers as motion furniture, the recliner has been with us in one form or another for over two hundred years. Modeled after the chaise lounge, the long history of the recliner has seen this popular piece of furniture go from simple to fully motorized. Thought to be an American invention, the recliner has its roots as far back as Napoleon.

In the period around eighteen fifty, the French introduced a reclining camp bed one of which reportedly belonged Napoleon III. This camp cot was quite functional for its time serving multiple purposes. Thought to be modeled after the daybed lounge, the camp cot served as a chair, a bed and chaise lounger. Well upholstered for the times, the reclining camp bed was portable and featured padded arm rests and a steel frame. While the Napoleon camp cot lacked a complex mechanism it no less functional than todays recliner designs. The user could sit in an upright, recline with the feet elevated or the cot could be folded out for sleeping.

In the late eighteen hundreds, a number of designs emerged for motion chairs. Typically made of wood, with a padded seat and back, these early recliners may have been more conversation piece than a furniture staple like a chair or sofa. Designs from France and America often featured what was referred to as document or a book holder.

Two American cousins, Knabush and Shoemaker, are credited with gaining the patent on a wooden recliner. There was nothing remarkable about the design as it resembled a wooden beach recliner. The difference between this and other recliners was the patent. Issued in nineteen twenty eight, the patent led to the founding of LayZBoy. It would not be until nineteen thirty one that the cousins would patent an upholstered model with a mechanical movement. It would not be until nineteen forty seven that a competing company would add a built in foot rest. The addition of a foot rest would become a standard part of recliner design.

Though the cousins were not the first to develop a piece of reclining motion furniture, they were the first to create a branding strategy for their product. Many other furniture companies began to produce and sell recliners using very similar designs for mechanisms. It was not long before other companies sprang up to produce a variety of recliner mechanisms. From relatively simple designs to more complex motorized and power actuated models, todays recliners offer specialized solutions to user needs.

Most recliners require the user to sit in the chair and actuate the mechanism by pushing backwards, lifting a lever or pulling on a cable. Power lift recliners have the ability to literally rise up to meet the user. The development of the power lift chair proved to be a boon to folks with limited mobility. Power recliners generally feature some type of remote control that allows the user to operate the chairs movements with the push of a button.

Behind the fabric, the color and the style, the idea of the recliner predates the era of mass production. After a lull in popularity during the nineteen seventies, the recliner has once again become an essential piece of living room furniture.

Mitch Endick is a staff writer for the quality online store BigManRecliners.com.
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June 19th, 1978 saw the birth of one of the most beloved and best known comic strips of all time, Garfield, a tale of an ornery but lovable orange tabby cat, his owner Jonathan Q. Arbuckle, better known simply as Jon, and the long-eared but equally adorable Odie the dog. Garfield was the brain child of cartoonist Jim Davis and over the past three decades, has evolved into a billion dollar empire as well as holding the record for being the most widely syndicated comic strip in the entire world, appearing in just over 2,500 different publications.

Over the years, Garfield has developed a rather distinct personality that centers around his laziness, his sarcasm and selfishness, his incredible love of napping and eating lasagna, as well as his deep hate for dieting. The very first characters to appear in the strip, besides Jon and Garfield, were Odie the yellow Beagle, who made his debut in August of the same year, followed by Pooky a few months later, who is Garfield’s best friend and stuffed teddy bear with whom he regularly communicates with just as if he too were a “living” animal.

In addition to the regular gang, the comic strip also includes a host of other major and secondary characters, such as Nermal, the small gray, striped kitten who routinely irritates Garfield with his eternal cuteness, as well as Arlene, a furry pink cat who has an ongoing love-hate relationship with the large orange tabby cat. And finally, Garfield’s veterinarian and Jon’s love interest, Dr. Liz Wilson who first appeared back in June of 1979. As Jon and Liz grew closer in recent years, Garfield became jealous but soon learned to make friends with his old vet and their relationship continues to blossom today.

A few years later, Jon’s family, characters that are loosely based on Davis’ own family, including his Mom, Dad, Grandma, and brother Doc Boy, made their appearance in the strip and the Arbuckle clan regularly get together on the family’s farm. Other characters that make occasional visits to the comic strip include Irma the waitress, Herman the mailman, Binky the clown, and a few neighbors, like the unseen Mrs. Feeny who is regularly tormented by Garfield and his mischievous deeds.

After the amazing popularity of the comic strip, Garfield soon became a television series known as “Garfield and Friends” which ran from 1988 to 1994 and featured the usual faces as well as Mr. Burnside, the Arbuckle’s next-door neighbor, Penelope Pussycat, and Cactus Jack, who is a friend of Jon. Another comic strip also created by Jim Davis, U.S. Acres, which was later renamed Orson’s Farm, also was incorporated into the show.

Garfield also eventually made his way to the big screen and the comic strip spawned three movies, starting with the 2004 “Garfield: The Movie,” and its sequel “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties” which was released in June of 2006, and the completely computer-generated “Garfield Gets Real” in 2007 that was written by Davis who took two full years to complete the script.

Garfield continues to be perhaps the world’s most beloved feline as people all over the globe enjoy reading about his many amusing antics.

Sebastian Marders loves writing about a variety of things and sharing the website that inspires each piece with his readers. If you would like to browse a selection of funny rude pics, and funny crazy things, then please visit.

The satirical and edgy comic strip “The Boondocks,” created by Aaron McGruder, involves two young African American brothers from inner-city Chicago who explore life living with their grandfather in an unassuming suburb of the big city. The strip, which ran in syndicate from April 19, 1999 to March 26, 2007, was certainly no stranger to controversy as “The Boondocks” has regularly received criticism from both the white and black communities in regards to McGruder’s strong left-wing political and often risque views on current events.

Aaron McGruder was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 29, 1974 and at the age of six relocated to Columbia, Maryland with his parents and an older brother where the family set down their roots. After attending both a Jesuit and public school, Aaron eventually went on to attend the University of Maryland where he graduated with a degree in African American studies.

At the time of “The Boondocks” inception, McGruder was a DJ on the university’s radio station WMUC while he also debuted his new comic strip in The Diamondback, the campus’ newspaper, in December of ‘96. McGruder pulled his strip from the paper in March of ‘97 after a rift with the editor who refused to print an apology for omitting “The Boondocks” from a publication due to what was said to be a technical error. The strip then moved on that very same year to appear in a monthly hip hop magazine called The Source where it quickly gained popularity and was soon syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, making its nationwide debut two years later in April.

At its peak, “The Boondocks” was syndicated in more than 300 different publications and by the Fall of 2003, McGruder enlisted the help of artist Jennifer Seng to take over most of the strip’s illustrations while he concentrated on the dialogue. Although fans were worried “The Boondocks” would change without McGruder’s artistic influence, he made it a point to have a hand in drawing each and every strip, even if it were just to tweak a small detail or two, and stayed true to his word.

Throughout the life of the controversial strip, both it and McGruder routinely came under fire from the public as it poked fun at famous people and much talked about issues such as terrorism, the government, and a few well known White House figures like Condoleezza Rice, and also conservative commentator Larry Elder, who the strip’s characters named the recipient of their “Most Embarrassing Black Person of the Year Awards” the “Elder” after.

In some newspapers, “The Boondocks” was actually published in the op-ed pages rather than in the comic strip section and McGruder has even received hate mail over the views of the characters in his strip. In late February, 2006, Aaron McGruder announced to the public that “The Boondocks” would go on hiatus for six months starting in March and then resume again in October with runs of repeat strips to appear in the meantime. More than half of the newspapers it appeared in opted to run new strips instead of repeats, and by September 25, 2006, the president of Universal Press Syndicate announced that the comic strip would not be returning although no explanation or word of retiring the strip permanently was given by McGruder.

Sebastian Marders loves writing about a variety of things and sharing the website that inspires each piece with his readers. If you would like to browse a selection of funny cartoon pics, centered around a comic strip of funny things, then please visit.

Charlie Chaplin’s comedy was rich in creativity and cleverness. His ability to make his audience laugh while touching universal chords of emotions was a rare gift. Perhaps his childhood made him sensitive to the thoughts of other people, or maybe his sad upbringing gave him the motivation to move beyond the limits of poverty. Whatever gave him the momentum to success in the entertainment industry was a blessing that caused millions to laugh with joyful abandon.

Chaplin was best known as the silent “Little Tramp” clown but his fame came over a period of years. Born in London in 1889, he lived with his divorced mother who made a meager living by sewing. She suffered a series of mental breakdowns and was institutionalized on several occasions, leaving Charlie and his older brother, Sidney, to take care of themselves or to live in a government sponsored home.

When Chaplin was 9, he toured with a stage company and had his first taste of life upon the stage. He later took small acting jobs and toured with several troupes. He eventually toured the United States and decided to stay here in 1912. He joined the Keystone Film Studios and, as the expression goes, the rest is history.

At this point in time, it’s as if someone fast-forwarded the film of his life. Chaplin had parts in nine movies in only two months. Although his parts were small, his star quickly rose with the introduction of his world-famous tramp character. However, he wasn’t content to only act before the camera, he stepped behind the lens to direct as well. At age 25, he directed his first film, “Twenty Minutes of Love”. This began an interesting segment of his professional life, and one in which he began to combine pathos with comedy.

Chaplin’s first full-length movie was “The Kid” and this film secured him a place in history. It showcased his artistic ability and compensated him both financially and with a solid core of fans. Yet, he took a hard hit when he veered into serious fare with “A Woman of Paris”. By this time, Chaplin and comedy were synonymous and movie viewers didn’t want him to change.

Satire was a comedic device used by Chaplin and was most evident in “The Great Dictator” when he took on the dangerous ideas of Adolf Hitler. The German ruler must have appreciated the humorous exposure because it’s believed he grew his signature mustache in imitation of Chaplin.

Chaplin’s personal life experienced a number of ups and downs, and his failed marriages made news regularly. He was denied re-entry into the United States because of his Communist leanings, yet in that same time period, he was awarded the World Peace Council Prize.

Charlie Chaplin’s life was complex, full of dark scenes and heightened emotions. From a childhood of poverty in England to a fortune made in the United States, this comedian perfected his craft with subtle actions and stinging satire. His audience readily accepted his humor because the themes were universal and the situations truly comical. Charlie Chaplin was larger than life and deserves to be a legend.

Sebastian Marders loves writing about a variety of things and sharing the website that inspires each piece with his readers. If you are in the mood to see some outrageous funny junk, including all kinds of funny videos, and great funny pics then please visit.

There are some things that are just funny whether they were intended to be or not. Like tripping over your own feet, that fall you took off of the edge of your porch, or the broken heel you got when you managed to wedge your shoe in the door to keep the elevator from closing.

Now, breaking your heel to hold the elevator door may not be considered a funny thing to you, but it is to the group of people that watched you fight with your shoe for twenty minutes trying to get it unstuck. Anything funny can come from the most innocent moments. This funny stuff sometimes happens out of the blue and causes onlookers to wish for a camera to capture it.

That funny stuff in the emails you get each day and forward. Pictures you took with unexpected people in the background are funny things too. When your cat fell in the bathtub with you, that was some funny stuff. Not the scratches you got, of course, but the cat trying to scramble its way back to dry land.

Anything funny will cause people to laugh and ask for a repeat performance. Some want laughs so badly they will set up others so that funny stuff happens to them. The old bucket-of-water-over-the-door trick may be a little outdated, but it is still a funny thing to do to an unsuspecting person.

Although different people have a different view of what funny things are. Some consider hiding rubber snakes to be funny. But nothing funny is seen about it by the one screaming at the snake until they realize that it is a fake.

Funny stuff happens all the time when you have children. Kids are adorable and they will embarrass you given the chance; parroting is the most common of the funny things kids do. By parroting, I don’t mean they repeat what you are saying to them. No, this would not embarrass you. Instead they wait until you are talking to someone and repeat what you didn’t think they heard, which has a tendency to turn your face red. While your face is red, the person you were speaking with tries, usually unsuccessfully, to suppress their laughter, proving yet again that funny things are different for everyone.

Funny stuff can occur from forgetfulness as well. Like something funny that can happen in your kitchen, for instance. Pouring yourself a drink and putting it in the refrigerator. Then you go around looking for that same drink for half an hour while those that watched you put it in the fridge stand by and say nothing.

Anything funny caught on film becomes funnier as it is shared with the world. The funniest things aren’t staged, but just happen, or at least look like they just happened out of nowhere. Hidden wires and things left out of place can lead to funny stuff happening when someone that is not in on the set-up enters the picture. The unsuspecting person walks in and takes flight as they hit the wire strung across the room, unable to catch their balance.

These are proof that anything funny can come from funny things that were not realized to be funny by all who were there at the time.

Sebastian Marders never grew out of a love for creative writing, and he now uses the medium to write about any topic that catches his fancy, and share the websites that inspired the piece with his readers. If you would like to see an assortment of funny junk including funny videos and funny pics then please visit.

Kaua’i, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth to live. The island embraces you with a feeling of love and there is a pulsating spiritual energy that covers the island.

I was fortunate to live and work on the island for 5 years. I can recall several instances where I encountered ghosts when traveling around the island. I saw Hawaiian ghosts in my house, at my work, in restaurants and even hotel bathrooms.

At the airport my shift began at 5:00 A.M., even though the first flight didn’t arrive until 6:10 A.M. or so. As I walked back to my podium from unlocking the foyer doors, the doors opened by themselves, and then another set of doors opened, then the same set opened again. I felt chills go through my body and got a little freaked out for a second. I regained my composure and thought to myself, standing alone in this room, I wonder if I’m not alone or if it is an electrical shortage.

Then I remembered that this had happened in another foyer as well. It was not always the same doors and a different pattern, so I thought an electrical short was unlikely.

I knew the history of the Hawaiian Islands and that the airport was close to sacred ground. I was afraid to admit to myself that the airport and the room I was standing in was haunted. I was trapped and couldn’t leave my post, so I sat there talking to the ghosts, letting them know that I was only there to help people and that I didn’t mean any harm. Later, I asked around the terminal and got verification that the airport was, in fact, known to be haunted.

I never told anyone what had happened except for a very spiritual coworker who believed in spirits. I asked her if the doors opening ever happened to her. She said never. I thought that was interesting. It proved my point that it wasn’t an electrical short since she was recently assigned to the foyers as a result of an injury. I asked her to do me a favor. I told her that if she said good morning to the ghosts from me, they would respond by opening the doors for her.

The next morning she did what I asked her to do, and sure enough the doors opened for the first time for her too. She couldn’t believe it. She said they knew my name and that I had made some friends. I responded by saying, “Blessings to them.”

There is a story about a lady in white who stands on the jet-way late at night. She just stands there, blowing in the wind. Many employees have seen her and agree she’s not a malicious ghost. She just wants to exist. There seem to be a lot of friendly ghosts, like Casper. Knowing the spirits were friendly put me more at ease.

I discovered historically that the Hawaiians buried commoners along the shorelines and kings and queens in caves. Since the airport is built at the water’s edge,

I would say I was visited by Hawaiian commoners who wanted to check me out. The hair on my arms always stood straight up when they came around.

Natalia Ippolito, a former airport screener and author of: I MIGHT AS WELL BE NAKED: How to Survive Airport Screening With Your Clothes On.

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