This is a time to recognize those nonhuman friends who add a special dimension to our lives — it’s Be Kind to Animals Week and National Pet Week. While most pets are a source of companionship, many dogs provide protection and act as eyes for the blind, as well as helping other disabled owners. And [...]

The first disc-type phonograph record was demonstrated publicly this month in 1888. The invention of Emile Berliner of Washington, D.C. was called a gramophone, and used a flat disc of a spiraling groove to reproduce sound. Rather than the cylinders of the day. These proved easier to duplicate for the mass market. A few years [...]

Before the school year draws to a close and summer vacation takes over, it’s time to say thanks to America’s teachers. Today is National Teacher Day, part of PTA-Teacher Appreciation Week. The goal is to honor the dedication and valuable contributions teachers make to the rest of their students’ lives. The idea goes back to [...]

This is National Nurses Day — kicking off a week honoring the outstanding efforts of nurses in helping to keep Americans healthy. The observance ends next Saturday, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who established the world’s first nursing school in England in the 19th century. In the U.S., there were some 12,000 registered nurses by [...]

One of the key sporting events of each spring is the Kentucky Derby, and tomorrow’s running will be the 139th in the race’s long history. The first event was held in 1875, won by a horse named Aristides. Patterned after the English Derby, the race was a mile and a half long until shortened to [...]

One of the most influential motion pictures ever made was released this week 72 years ago –”Citizen Kane,” starring and directed by Orson Welles. He was already renowned for his 1938 Halloween radio broadcast of “War of the Worlds,” when he was just 23 years old. But his lasting legacy is “Citizen Kane,” which did [...]

Construction began on this date in 1884 in Chicago for a radical new building design — destined to be America’s first skyscraper. It was the Home Insurance Company headquarters, designed by engineer William Jenney. Jenney’s building used a metal frame for support, with the exterior walls hung like curtains on the frame. Previously, thick outer [...]

This is the anniversary of the one of greatest real estate deals in history — one that doubled the size of the U.S. and put the nation in position to become a world power. The year was 1803, and the deal was the Louisiana Purchase. The young U.S. under President Thomas Jefferson bought nearly 830,000 [...]