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Mardi Gras: Dancing in the Streets
Today is Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday and Carnival among other celebrations around the world. Here are some things you may not have known about the festivities. The day celebrates the final day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lent is a Christian period of fasting, prayer and penance which starts 46…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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,…
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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…
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Dr. Strangelove: A Nuclear War Comedy
Today is the 52nd anniversary of the release of Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb.” Here are a few things you may not have known about the film. It was loosely based on the novel “Red Alert” by Peter George. The film is about an insane…
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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…
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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.…