“I thought they, like, declared Peace in the Middle East?”

1984

Robert Penn Warren is named the first US poet laureate. Can you imagine a world without a poet laureate? It was a dark and scary place.

1983

Michael Jackson’s album “Thriller” goes to the number one spot and stays there for 37 weeks. Billy Jean is not our lover, so beat it.

1980

Egypt and Israel exchange ambassadors for the first time.

1975

The first televised kidney transplant on the Today Show. The word “first” implies that this has happened since. How many times can you show a kidney transplant without the act getting stale? I mean, really, Today Show.

1936

Hitler introduces Ferdinand Porsche’s “Volkswagen.” Why is the VW the car of hippies? Seriously, I have always wondered this. High irony?

1935

RADAR, the world’s most famous acronym AND word, is first demonstrated.

1916

Charlie Chaplin is signed by Mutual.

1870

The first New York City subway line opens. It’s pneumatic powered, so you totally could have peed on the third rail.

1848

Marx and Engels publish the “Communist Manifesto.” Viva socialismo! Or not, whatever.

Birthday time!

1971

Singer/crazy person Erykah Badu

1945

Rocker Mitch Ryder (and the Detroit Wheels)

1932

The man in black! Musician Johnny Cash

1564

Playwright Christopher Marlowe. You know, that other guy in Shakespeare in Love.