-
Hollywood Walk of Fame: Stars at Our Feet
On this date in 1960, construction began on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Here are a few things you may not know about the famous sidewalks. There are dueling accounts as to who had the original idea for the walk of fame. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce says it was E.M. Smart, who was the…
-
Roosevelt and His Court-Packing Plan
On this date in 1937, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a judicial reform bill that would have allowed him to appoint up to six new justices to the Supreme Court. Here are some things you might not know about what came to be known as Roosevelt’s Court-Packing plan. Roosevelt won the 1932 election on…
-
Postage: Making the Appointed Rounds
25 years ago today, first-class postage in the United States was increased from 25 cents to 29 cents. Here are a few facts about the postal service, stamps and stamp collecting. The earliest postal system in North America wasn’t much of a system at all. Ships would carry mail into port and advertise in the…
-
Day the Music Died: A Rock and Roll Tragedy
Today is the 57th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper and the plane’s pilot. Here are some things you may not have known about The Day the Music Died. Buddy Holly and his band were playing a tour called the Winter Dance Party across the upper Midwest.…
-
Groundhog Day: History Repeating
Today is Groundhog Day in North America. Here are some things you may not know about it. First the basics: Groundhog Day is celebrated every February 2nd. Traditionally, if the groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day, it means there will be six more weeks of winter. If the rodent does not see its shadow,…
-
Oxford English Dictionary: All the Words!
If you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com Today is the 132nd anniversary of the publication of the first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary. Here are some things you may not have known about the dictionary. It’s a descriptive dictionary, meaning it describes word usage and variations. Descriptivism is the opposite of…
-
Challenger Disaster: Seven Astronauts Lost on Launch
Thirty years ago today, the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff, killing the seven crewmembers aboard. Here are some things you may not have known about the disaster. The mission was originally scheduled to launch on January 22, but was delayed by the previous space shuttle mission which landed on January 18. Weather delays…
-
Apollo 1: The Space Race Reality Check
On this date in 1967, three American astronauts died in a training accident on the launch pad in Florida. Here are some things you may not have known about Apollo 1. Following the successes of the Mercury and Gemini programs, the next step in landing a man on the moon was the three-man Apollo program.…
-
Winter Olympics: A Sports Tradition Since 1924
Please consider supporting the show through Patreon.com On this date in 1924, the first Winter Olympics opened in Chamonix, France. Here are some things you may not have known about the Winter Olympics. The first Winter Olympics weren’t originally considered Olympics at all. Bowing to pressure from winter sports federations, the International Olympic Committee decided to hold what…
-
Macintosh “1984” Ad: A Smashing Success
On this date in 1984 the Apple Macintosh computer was introduced with a commercial during the Super Bowl. Here are a few things you may not have known about Apple, the Macintosh and the iconic advertisement. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Let’s talk about Ronald Wayne for…