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Richard Jewell: A Life Turned Upside Down by False Accusations
Today is the birthday of Richard Jewell, the security guard who discovered a bomb during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and was later considered a suspect in the attack. Here are some things you may not have known about him. Richard Jewell was born Richard White in 1962 in Danville, Georgia. He was later […]
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Beethoven: A Beloved Talent Who Overcame Adversity
Today is probably the birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, perhaps the most famous of all composers. Here are some things you may not have known about Beethoven. He was born in Bonn, in what is now Germany in 1770. At the time, Bonn was part of the Holy Roman Empire. His grandfather, also named Ludwig […]
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John Hammond: Mastering the Art of Musical Talent Scouting
Today is the birthday of American music producer and talent scout John Hammond. Here are a few facts about a man whose career spanned several decades and several genres. John Hammond was born in New York in 1910, the great-great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt. As a child, Hammond was drawn to music played by his family’s […]
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Toledo War: The Almost Bloodless Battle Between Michigan and Ohio
On this date in 1836, the Toledo War, a battle between the state of Ohio and the territory of Michigan, ended. Here are some facts about the largely bloodless battle. Ohio and Michigan were once part of the Northwest Territory of the United States. When the borders of the territory were created, it was determined […]
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Ponzi Schemes and Pyramid Schemes: What’s the Difference?
On this date in 2008, Bernard Madoff was arrested and charged with running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. Here are some facts about Ponzi schemes, their history and how they work. A Ponzi scheme is a scam where a person or organization pays returns to investors using funds from new investors, rather than from profit […]
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Lutefisk: What Is It and Why Do People Eat It?
We’re talking about lutefisk today. As someone of Scandinavian descent, who grew up in a town nicknamed Little Norway, lutefisk has been a part of my life since I was born, despite the fact that I’ve only eaten it once. Lutefisk is a traditional Scandinavian fish dish made with cod or other whitefish. The cod […]
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“A Charlie Brown Christmas” Premieres
Today is the 50th anniversary of the original airing of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Here are some things you may not have known about the animated television special. The idea for the special came about in April 1965 when television producer Lee Mendelson was trying to sell a documentary on Charles Schulz’s comic strip “Peanuts.” […]
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Death of John Lennon
Today marks the 35th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. Here are some things you may not have known about that horrible day. John Lennon and Yoko Ono had spent the day participating in a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Following the photo shoot, Lennon gave a […]
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Instant Replay is Used for the First Time
On this date in 1963, the first instant replay during a sporting event was shown on television. Here are some things you may not have known about the technology. The first replay of any type to be shown on television was during a 1955 Hockey Night in Canada broadcast by the CBC. In that instance […]
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Burger King Opens For Business in 1954
On this date in 1954, the first Burger King restaurant opened in Miami, Florida. Here are some things you may not have known about the fast-food chain. It was the successor to the failed Insta-Burger King chain of restaurants founded a year earlier in Jacksonville, Florida. The original chain was created after its founders visited […]