On May 11, 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was formed. Here are a few facts you may not have known about the Academy: First: There were originally five branches of the Academy: producers, actors, directors, writers and technicians. There are now 17 branches, including music, public relations and makeup artists. Second:…

Today is the 53rd anniversary of the first publication of “The Incredible Hulk”by Marvel Comics. Here are some things you may not have known about the Hulk: One: Hulk was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, who were also responsible for the creation of the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Two: Lee has said that…

Today is the 66th birthday of singer-songwriter Billy Joel. Here are some things you may not have known about his life and career: One: Joel’s first band was called The Echoes and played covers of songs by British acts. He was then in bands called The Hassles and Attila before striking out on his own.…

Today is the 89th birthday of American stand-up comedian Don Rickles. Here are a few things you might not know about Rickles: One: Rickles was born in Queens, New York and was raised in a Yiddish-speaking household. Two: Rickles’ big break came thanks to Frank Sinatra. Sinatra  so enjoyed Rickles’ insults that he encouraged other…

Today is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania by a German submarine during World War I. Here are some things you may not have known about the Lusitania. One: When it was completed in 1906, the Lusitania was the largest ship ever built. Shortly after completion, its sister ship Mauretania took…

Today marks the 78th anniversary of the crash of the Hindenburg airship in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Watching events unfold that day was reporter Herbert Morrison from Chicago’s WLS radio. Here are some things you might not know about the Hindenburg crash and Herbert Morrison: First: Morrison’s report wasn’t live, in fact it was recorded to…

Today is May 5th, or in Spanish: Cinco de Mayo. Here are some things you may not know about the Mexican holiday. First: It’s not Mexican independence day. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Second: The French were trying to take advantage of the…

May the Fourth is an unofficial holiday set aside to celebrate the “Star Wars” universe. Here are a few things you may not have known about the holiday: One: The pun of “May the Fourth be with You” was first used publicly in a newspaper ad celebrating Margaret Thatcher’s election as Prime Minister of Great…

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the sending of the first mass marketing email, now known as spam. I think we all have enough of that kind of spam in our lives, so today let’s talk about Spam with an uppercase “S.” Here are a few things you may not know about the canned meat…

Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the maiden flight of the first jet airliner, the De Havilland Comet 1. Here are some things you might not know about early jet travel. One: The first commercial flight of the De Havilland Comet was a BOAC flight from London to Johannesburg. Two: About a year after entering…