Brett Favre's Consecutive Start Streak - Putting It In Perspective

Brett Favre is inarguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. In addition to holding nearly every passing record there is, he also has a Superbowl win under his belt, and he has won 3 league MVP awards.

But perhaps his most impressive accomplishment is his consecutive start record.

Brett Favre began his consecutive start streak in 1992 and kept it alive for 16 seasons, all the way up to his retirement announcement on March 4, 2008. He started in 253 consecutive regular season games. If you count the post season, then he started 275 consecutive games.

As of November 2006, the other NFL teams started 374 quarterbacks in the same time period that the Packers started 1. Chicago started 20 quarterbacks by itself in that same time period.

Favre's streak is quite an impressive record, no doubt. But, have you ever really stopped to think about it? Let me help put it in perspective.

Favre started his consecutive start streak on September 27, 1992.

In 1992:

Tony Romo was 12 years old, Eli Manning was 11 years old, and Ben Roethlisberger was 10 years old. Aaron Rodgers was an 8 year old kid growing up in Chico, California.

Donald Driver, Chad Clifton, and Mark Tauscher were already playing football - IN HIGH SCHOOL, that is.

Trolls were the best selling toy.

Nafta was signed.

CDs surpassed cassette tapes as the preferred medium for recorded music.

Cell phones were practically the size of small suitcases, so they were typically installed in vehicles as car phones.

The internet just started to become popular.

Microsoft shipped Windows 3.1

The Dodge Viper and Jeep Grand Cherokee were introduced.

The Rodney King verdict was announced.

Mike Tyson went on trial. He was charged with raping Desiree Washington, a 1991 Miss Black America contestant.

The "Long Island Lolita", Amy Fisher, was arrested for shooting her lover's wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco.

Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to life in prison.

Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain married Courtney Love.

War began in the former Yugoslavia.

President George H. W. Bush ordered troops into Somalia.

Bill Clinton was elected as the 42nd president of the US.

Sam Kinison and Dick York died.

Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) was born in 1992.

If you had a baby on the first day of Favre's consecutive start streak, they would be driving now.

Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.29; Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $1.13; Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.93; Cost of a gallon of Milk: $2.78; Cost of a car: $16,950

Prince became the highest paid pop artist in the country.

Popular songs in 1992 were: I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred; Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot; This Used To Be My Playground - Madonna; End Of The Road - Boyz II Men

Popular movies in 1992 were: Wayne's World; A Few Good Men; The Bodyguard; A League Of Their Own; Sister Act

Popular TV shows in 1992 were: Murphy Brown; Coach; Cheers; Full House; Murder, She Wrote; Roseanne

'Mad About You' and 'The Real World' premiered on TV, while 'The Golden Girls' and 'Night Court' ended.

Johnny Carson retired from The Tonight Show.

Wow - that brings back a lot of memories, doesn't it? It's been a long time since Favre began his streak. The next closest player to Favre's consecutive start record is Peyton Manning, with 160 consecutive starts.

If Manning remains uninjured, he has a chance to break Favre's record 94 games from now in the 2013 season. Or maybe it will never be broken at all.

"His record for most consecutive starts will never be broken. It's one of the most amazing records in sports. I guarantee you, he gets an immense amount of respect from every quarterback in the NFL for that record." Carson Palmer - Bengals Quarterback

Chris M. Smith owns http://www.Favre4Sale.com , a Brett Favre fan and memorabilia site. He specializes in Brett Favre merchandise, including jerseys, autographs, helmets, footballs, cards, photos, game-used items, and other Brett Favre gear. He also features the latest in Brett Favre news, videos, articles, pictures, bio info, and retirement information. Visit his site: http://www.Favre4Sale.com

Copyright 2008 Chris M. Smith

Candles: History and Perspective

What role do candles play in your life? Since they were first invented, their role in human societies continues to diversify. In the beginning, it was all about light. Of course, the meaning of light is as diverse as it is essential to our existence. A candle may play a different role in your life today, tomorrow or the next day. Just how profoundly have candles affected human development functionally, culturally and spiritually?

Retail sails for candles in the U.S. for 2001 were approximately 2.3 billion dollars. Candles are used in seven out of 10 U.S. households. The majority of candle consumers burn candles between one and three times per week and burn one to two candles at a time. There are over 300 known commercial manufacturers of candles in the U.S. alone. These statistics are provided by the National Candle Association (NCA – [http://www.nationalcandles.org]).

What elements constitute or define a candle? The essential elements of early candles were a wick, fuel and container or mount. Aromatherapy and colorants have become common editions to most modern candles. Candles have been used for thousands of years but until the 20th century, their essential and primary purpose was to provide artificial light. Today, the applications for candles are so broad and diverse; they have become an integral part of our everyday lives. [http://www.rosecandleslive.com].

Egyptians

It is fair to assume that controlling and capturing fire to produce artificial light on demand has been an obsession since early man first discovered fire. The first known records of this process begin with the ancient Egyptians. Clay candle holders dating from the 4th century B.C. have been found in Egypt. Egyptians eventually used rush lights or torches. They made these torches by soaking the pithy core of reeds in molten tallow. Tallow is the fatty tissue or suet of animals. The tallow of cattle and sheep was routinely used because it became hard. There was no wick involved in these early candles.

Romans

The people of the Roman Empire were the first to use candle wicks. They melted tallow to a very liquid state and poured it over flax, hemp or cotton fiber which created a wick. These candles provided artificial light for utilitarian purposes and were also used in religious ceremonies. There were two primary problems with the use of tallow. It produced both a terrible odor and smoke. Tallow did not burn cleanly.

Asian

Early Asian cultures extracted wax from insects (coccos pella) and seeds and then molded it in tube containers of plant paper. The Japanese extracted wax from tree nuts to create candles. In China, beeswax was used during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.).

India

Early Indian cultures extracted wax from boiling cinnamon and created tapered candles. These candles were used in Indian Temples.

Middle Ages

By this time, beeswax had been discovered. Although harder to acquire, this was a great improvement because the beeswax produced a subtle sweet smell and burned cleanly. These candles were highly valued by the clergy and upper classes that were among those who could access/afford them.

North America

In the first century A.D., Native Americans burned oily fish that were called candlefish. Missionaries that eventually settled the southwestern United States boiled bark from the Cerio tree to extract wax for candle making. Colonial women in New England discovered they could boil the grayish green berries of bayberry bushes and extract wax. This was a difficult and tedious process but the bayberry wax burned sweetly and cleanly. In the late eighteenth century, the whaling industry developed. Spermaceti wax, a whale product that had a mild odor and was harder than both tallow and beeswax made candles available to more people. Many historians claim that the first “standard candles” were made using spermaceti wax.

The Industrial Age

1834

Mass production came to candle making. Joseph Morgan invented a machine that used a cylinder featuring a piston that ejected candles as they solidified in their molds.

1850

Paraffin wax was invented. It is processed by distilling the residues left behind by the refining of crude petroleum. This bluish-white wax burned cleanly and with no unpleasant or much odor of any kind. It was also cheap to produce.

20th Century

Eventually, stearic acid was added since it was discovered this ingredient in the original tallow candles was what maintained a higher melting point and produced a harder candle. The growth of the meatpacking and oil industries made candles a common necessity. In 1879, the electric light bulb was invented. However, history did not end for the development of the candle. This was just a temporary setback that reinvented the mission and the market for candles.

Modern Chandlers (Candle Makers)

Internationally, paraffin remains the most popular candle fuel although the use of stearic wax is mostly practiced in Europe. However, technology continues to develop candles that offer new and more benefits. In 1992, after much testing Michael Richards made the first all vegetable candle wax which has developed into our modern soy candle. The versatility of this wax allows for use in both low-melt container candles and high temperature melt for free standing pillar candles.

Gel candles

The most recent state-of-the-art technology revolves around gel candles. The gel is a combination of polymer resin and mineral oil. The patent for making gel wax is held by Penreco Corporaton (US Patent 5,879,694) and is called versagel. Gel provides exceptional safety in terms of its flash point. It is best used in creating what is known as a hurricane candle by putting it in a decorative translucent container and adding a wick. Due to the clarity of the gel, these candles produce 40% more luminescence than regular paraffin wax. Modern chandlers turned artists, now produce beautiful collectibles in the form of embedded glass candle designs. The gel can be reinstated, and the candle passed down through generations to be used again and again. Detailed pictures of these art candles are available at [http://www.rosecandleslive.com].

So…What role do candles play in your life?

Well, they can still light a room…but they can also light a heart. They can express love that lasts a lifetime and an infinite collection of special moments and appreciation. Candles are a cultural, technical, artistic, therapeutic and spiritual expression of the finest moments in human evolution and experience. That is why they are still present in our lives…in spite of the electric light bulb. This article invites you to use them to celebrate life in all its creative glory.

Author Biography

Janet K. Nelson has done research and written articles on subjects that range from the cultural to the technical. She is an author noted for integrating information and providing a fresh, clear and whole-picture perspective on her subjects. She has written articles, manuals and perspectives for marketing, cultural, media and distribution organizations. She has a Masters Degree in Business Administration. More information is available via http://www.tigereyejewels.com marketmaiden@comcast.net