05 May Topics

May 1: Spam Begins – In 1978, DEC sent out the first spam e-mail.
Figaro –  In 1786, Mozart’s opera, The Marriage of Figaro premiered.
Plant Taxonomy – In 1753, Species Plantarum was published.
Mother’s Day Founder – In 1864, Anna Marie Jarvis was born.
Bavarian Illuminati – In 1776, the Bavarian Illuminati was formed.
Blue Pottery – In 1759, Wedgewood and Sons opened for business.
1840 – Britain offered an adhesive postage stamp.

May 2: “I’m Thinking” – In 1932, Jack Benny’s radio program premiered.
High Infidelity – In 1230, William de Braose was put to death after an affair with the royal wife.
Approved – In 1885, Good Housekeeping went on sale.
Battle of Alcatraz – In 1946, the battle began.
Queen Elizabeth 2 – In 1969, the cruise ship took to the waters on her maiden voyage.
120 Million – In 2012, Leon Black purchased Edvard Munch’s The Scream.
1994 – A bus in Poland left the road.

May 3: “I Feel Good” – In 1933, James Brown was born.
Secret Annex – In 1960, the Anne Frank House was opened.
Take Me Out to the Ballpark – In 1877, Labatt Memorial Park opened.
Where Poppies Grow – In 1915, John McCrae wrote a poem.
Films Around the World – In 1913, the first Indian feature film was released.
Geocaching Begins – In 2000, the outdoor hide and seek game started.
752 – The Bird Jaguar became king of Yaxchilan.

May 4: The Little General – In 1814, Napoleon I was exiled to Elba.
Nicaragua – In 1855, William Walker left to conquer Nicaragua.
First and Only – In 1979, Margaret Thatcher was elected.
Boom – In 1988, a large explosion outside Las Vegas was the start of the PEPCON fire.
Canada’s Navy – In 1910, the Canadian Navy was formed.
Unabomber – In 1998, Ted Kaczynski was sentenced.
1886 – The Haymarkeat Riot occurred.

May 5: Monkey Trial – In 1925, John Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution.
Cinco de Mayo – In 1862, the Battle of Puebla was fought.
Turning Straw Into Gold – In 1809, the first patent was granted to a woman in the US.
Music Hall – In 1891, what we know as Carnegie Hall opened.
The End – In 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte died.
Perfect, Cyclone – In 1904, Cy Young pitched a perfect game.
1973 – Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby.

May 6: “Oh, the humanity!” – In 1937, the Hindenburg burned while docking.
Chunnel – In 1994, the Channel Tunnel opened.
Francis Xavier – In 1542, Francis Xavier reached Old Goa.
Phoenix Park – In 1882, Lord Frederick Cavendish was murdered.
Rome is Sacked – In 1527, Rome was sacked.
Sub Four – In 1954, Roger Bannister ran a mile in under four minutes.
1996 – William Colby’s body was found.

May 7: US Patent # 203,517 – In 1878, a US patent was granted for a fire escape ladder.
Lusitania – In 1915, a German u-boat sank the RMS Lusitania.
Out of the Ashes – In 1946, Japan’s new electronics company formed.
American Medical Association – In 1847, the AMA was founded.
La Nouvelle-Orléans – In 1718, New Orleans was founded.
Number Nine – In 1824, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 premiered.
1697 – The Palace of Stockholm was destroyed by fire.

May 8: Saint-Pierre, Martinique – In 1902, a volcano erupted and destroyed Saint-Pierre, Martinique.
Good Dog – In 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was first held.
Shoot Out – In 1984, a shooting at the Quebec National Assembly took place.
One Down – In 1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered.
Famous Players Film Company – In 1912, the company was founded by Adolph Zukor.
Doing Something – In 1946, two Estonian teens fought back.
1927 – The White Bird takes off for America.

May 9: Xenu Was Here? – In 1950, L. Ron Hubbard published his book on Dianetics.
Gay Rights – In 1726, five gay men were hung after a molly house raid.
Crown Jewels Stolen – In 1671, Thomas Blood tried to steal the British Crown Jewels.
Lincoln Cathedral – In 1092, the church was consecrated.
What a Waste – In 1961, Newton Minow gave his Wasteland Speech.
Sunshine Skyway Bridge – In 1980, the bridge support was struck and the bridge collapsed.
1386 – The Treaty of Windsor was signed.

May 10: I Think I Can – In 1869, the First US Transcontinental Railroad was completed.
Before Hillary – In 1872, Victoria Woodhull was nominated to run for the US Presidency.
Longest Bridge in the World – In 1969, Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opened.
J. Edgar Hoover – In 1924, he became the sixth director of the FBI.
The People’s Art – In 1824, the National Gallery in London opened.
Serious Fans – In 1849, the Astor Place Riot broke out.
1768 – John Wilkes was imprisoned.

May 11: Man Against Machine – In 1997 IBM’s Deep Blue became a chess champion.
Beagle – In 1820, the HMS Beagle was launched.
Pullman – In 1894, a wildcat strike against Pullman Palace Car Co. began.
The Pill – In 1960, the first contraceptive pill was approved by the FDA.
Thailand – In 1949, Siam changed its name.
Assassination – In 1812, Spencer Perceval was killed.
2014 – The Stade Tata Raphael disaster took place.

May 12: ¿Yo quiero Taco Bell? – In 1989, Joe Valdez Caballero died.
Strike! – In 1950, the American Bowling Congress dropped the white males only requirement for membership.
Dvorak v. QWERTY – In 1936, the Dvorak keyboard was patented.
Higher Education – In 1551, The Major National University of San Marcos was established.
Ice Saint – In 304, Pancras of Rome was beheaded.
North Pole Flyover – In 1926, the Norge flew over the North Pole.
1932 – Baby Lindbergh’s body was found.

May 13: Knork? Spork? – In 1637, Cardinal Richelieu changed table settings.
Star Light, Star Bright – In 1861, the Great Comet was first discovered.
Red Fort – In 1648, construction on the Red Fort was completed.
RFC – In 1912, the Royal Flying Corps was established in Britain.
Freedom Sails – In 1862, Robert Smalls sailed away in the USS Planter.
Tour of Italy – In 1909, the race was first held.
1958 – Ben Carlin made it around the world.

May 14: Lewis and Clark – In 1804, the Expedition began their 28 month journey.
Gerardo – In 1939, five year old Lina gave birth to a son.
Summer Olympics – In 1900, the Paris Summer Olympics began.
Smallpox Vaccine – In 1796, the first smallpox vaccine was administered.
Israel Established – In 1948, a new nation was born.
Bus Crash – In 1988, a drunk driver ran into a school bus which then erupted in flames.
1973 – Skylab was launched.

May 15: A Cattle Trail Grows Up – In 1905, Las Vegas was established.
Friends Hospital – In 1817, the first private psychiatric hospital in the US opened.
Puckle Gun – In 1718, the first machine gun was patented.
Plane Crazy – In 1928, Mickey Mouse starred in a silent, black-and-white cartoon.
Baily’s Beads – In 1836, Baily described what he had seen during an annular eclipse.
First Flight – In 1793, Diego Marín Aguilera flew.
1800 – King George III was targeted.

May 16: “Oh-oh! SpaghettiOs!” – In 1965, Franco-American put SpaghettiOs on the market.
Sedition – In 1918, a new Sedition Act was put into place in the US.
Hank – In 1905, Henry Fonda was born.
Sassafras Tea – In 1866, Charles Hires invented root beer.
Friends and Heroes – In 1763, James Boswell met Samuel Johnson for the first time.
Oregon Trail – In 1842, the first major wagon train began to cross the Oregon Trail.
1891 – The International Electrotechnical Exhibition opened.

May 17: “And They’re Off” – In 1875, the first Kentucky Derby was run.
That was Quick – In 1963, a fight ended after 48 seconds.
Computational Device – In 1902, the Antikythera mechanism was discovered.
Buy Low; Sell High – In 1792, the New York Stock Exchange was formed.
Separate is Unequal – In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education was decided.
Like a Deere – In 1886, John Deere died.
1521 – Edward Stafford was executed.

May 18: 3,858 Years Old? – In 1952, Professor Libby dated the building Stonehenge.
Vicksburg – In 1863, the Siege of Vicksburg began.
The Count – In 1897, Dracula was published.
Separate but Equal – In 1896, Plessy v. Ferguson was decided.
Get Off My Lawn – In 1830, Edwin Budding’s lawnmower went on sale.
Disaster at Khodynka Field – In 1896, a stampede killed over 1,000 people.
1302 – The Matins of Bruges took place.

May 19: Duty Calls – In 1780, the Dark Day arrived, bringing fear to many.
Fingerprints – In 1911, the first US conviction was brought on the basis of fingerprint evidence.
Longest Tunnel – In 1906, Simplon Tunnel began service.
Wilde About Douglas – In 1897, Oscar Wilde was released from jail.
What’s the Temperature? – In 1743, Jean-Pierre Christin published a paper on temperature.
Heading North – In 1845, John Franklin set out on his last Arctic mission.
2015 – An oil disaster took place on the California coast.

May 20: Where’s … Waldo? – In 1570, the first modern atlas was published.
We Believe – In 325, the Council of Nicea opened.
I Feel the Need for Speed – In 1899, a NYC cabbie was jailed for speeding.
Sonnets – In 1609, Shakespeare’s sonnets were published.
From Disaster to Inspiration – In 1896, a chandelier fell at Palais Garnier.
Meter or Metre – Or Yard – In 1875, a treaty on the metric system was signed.
1521 – The Battle of Pampeluna took place.

May 21: And leave the driving to us! – In 1914, Carl Wickman began busing.
Amelia – In 1932, Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.
Bobby Franks – In 1924, Loeb and Leopold committed a murder.
St. Alex – In 1725, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was instituted.
Charles Lindbergh is First – In 1927, Lindbergh landed outside Paris.
Seven Days – In 1863, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church was founded.
1881 – The American Red Cross was founded.

May 22: Now We Can Play Solitaire – In 1990, Windows 3.0 was released.
Howe’s That? – In 1842, Howe Caverns were discovered.
SS Savannah – In 1819, the SS Savannah set sail for the first transatlantic steamship crossing.
Air Fleet – In 1936, Aer Lingus Teoranta registered as an airline.
Pac-Man – In 1980, the video arcade game was released.
Operation Paperclip – In 1945, Robert Staver proposed a German brain drain plan.
1762 – The Trevi Fountain was officially opened

May 23: Patience and Fortitude – In 1911, the main Research Library of the New York Public Library was dedicated.
Aaagh, Pirates – In 1701, Captain Kidd was hanged for piracy.
Two for the Price of One – In 1785, Ben Franklin claimed to have invented bifocals.
Squeezebox – In 1829, a patent for an accordion was granted to Cyrill Demian.
Bonnie and Clyde – In 1933, the two criminals were killed in an ambush.
Federal Labor Union – In 1934, the Battle of Toledo began.
1906 – Henrik Ibsen died.

May 24: Caveat Emptor – In 1626 ,Peter Minuit bought Manhattan.
News – In 1958, the UPI was formed.
Wedding Disaster – In 2001, the Versailles wedding hall collapsed.
Mary’s Poem – In 1830, Sarah Hale published a poem.
Dot Dot Dash Dash – In 1844, Samuel Morse sent a message to Washington, DC via telegraph.
John Wesley – In 1738, the man had a religious conversion.
1976 – A wine tasting was held in Paris.

May 25: “Swede” Momsen – In 1967, submariner Swede Momsen died.
Nuking Ourselves – In 1953, the US continued testing with nuclear artillery.
Halley’s Comet – In 240 BC, Halley’s Comet was first documented.
The Fastest Man in the World – In 1935, Jesse Owens ran quickly.
Not a Weight Loss Diet – In 1521, the Edict of Worms was issued.
Old Bay Line – In 1962, the shipping line went out of business.
1738 – The Conojocular War came to an end.

May 26: Who Was That? – In 1828, a strange teenager was found on the streets.
Complex Napoleon – In 1805, Napoleon was crowned King of Italy.
Sailing to Oblivion – In 1854, Khufu or Cheops’ ship was discovered.
Alse Young – In 1647, Alse was hung as a witch.
From Property to Human – In 1857, Dred Scott was freed.
Endurance – In 1923, the Grand Prix 24 Hours of Le Mans began.
1783 – A Great Jubilee Day was celebrated.

May 27: No More Burnt Toast – In 1919, a toaster with a timer was patented.
St. Pete – In 1703, St. Petersburg, Russia was founded.
Model T & A – In 1927, Ford Motor Co. began the switch from Model T to Model A.
Centralia – In 1962, a fire that is still burning was started.
Le Paradis Massacre – In 1940, the massacre took place.
Who’s Afraid – In 1933, The Three Little Pigs cartoon was released by Disney.
1930 – The Chrysler Building became the tallest building in New York City.

May 28: It Can’t Be Done – In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was opened to traffic.
Beautiful Dining – In 1999, The Last Supper’s restoration was completed.
Sierra Club – In 1892, John Muir became the club’s first president.
Five – In 1934, the Dionne quintuplets were born.
Exact Date – Maybe – In 585 BC, a solar eclipse took place.
Incoming – In 1987, Mathias Rust landed his plane in Moscow.
1907 – The first Isle of Man TT race was held.

May 29: The Top of the World – In 1953, Mount Everest was conquered.
Running the World – In 1954, the Bilderberg Group held their first conference.
Empress of Ireland – In 1914, nearly a thousand people died when the ship sank.
I’m Dreaming – In 1942, Bing Crosby recorded a song.
Jenny Lind – In 1852, the singer left the US.
Fourth Unsuccessful Try – In 1931, an attempt was made to kill Benito Mussolini.
1913 – Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring was first performed.

May 30: Start Your Engines – In 1911, the first Indianapolis 500 was held.
Chinese Democracy – In 1989, the Goddess of Democracy was unveiled
Fan Club – In 1933, Sally Rand danced in Chicago.
Duel – In 1806, Charles Dickenson was killed in a duel.
Pearl’s Perils – In 1899, Pearl Hart robbed a stagecoach.
Brooklyn Bridge – In 1883, there was a stampede across the bridge.
1631 – Gazette de France was first published.

May 31: Ready to Eat – In 1884, Kellogg patented corn flakes.
Johnstown Flood – In 1889, the South Fork Dam burst.
Pepys’s Diary – In 1669, Samuel made his last diary entry.
BEN – In 1859, Big Ben went on line.
Widest Recorded Tornado – In 2013, the El Reno tornado was filmed.
Madison Square Garden – In 1879, William Vanderbilt took over the venue.
1952 – Efteling opened.