The World's First Electric Traffic Light

The world’s first electric traffic signal was put into place on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio, on this day in 1914. The device used red and green lights with a buzzer that warned when the color was about to change. The invention was designed by James Hoge, who received a U.S. patent in 1918. His "municipal traffic control system" displayed electrically-powered STOP and MOVE signs mounted on posts at each corner of an intersection that were wired to a manually-operated switch housed inside a control booth nearby.

Pop Artist Madonna

Madonna was born to Catholic parents Madonna Louise and Silvio Ciccone in Bay City, Michigan in 1958. Madonna's full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop" since the 1980s, Madonna is known for pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music, as well as visual imagery in music videos and on stage. Having sold more than 335 million records worldwide, Madonna is recognized as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records.

Enola Gay

Enola Gay was the nickname of the B-29 bomber that was used by the United States on this day in 1945, to drop the world’s first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The Enola Gay was named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. Approximately 80,000 people were killed as a direct result of the blast, and another 35,000 were injured. At least another 60,000 would be dead by the end of the year from the effects of the fallout. Today, the Enola Gay is on permanent display at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

Who Was the First Woman to Swim the English Channel?

On this day in 1926, 19-year-old Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Among other nicknames, the press sometimes called her "Queen of the Waves." In 1926, on her second attempt, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the 21 miles from Dover, England to Cape Griz-Nez across the English Channel, which separates Great Britain from the northwestern tip of France. She persevered through storms and heavy swells, but after 14 hours and 31 minutes in the water, she reached the English coast, becoming the sixth person and first woman to swim the Channel.

H. G. Wells

The atom bomb was one of the defining inventions of the 20th Century. So how did science fiction writer HG Wells predict its invention three decades before the first detonations? Written in 1913, nearly 30 years before the Manhattan Project started, Wells' “The World Set Free” describes cities around the world being devastated by what he called "atomic bombs." Wells predicted not only the mushroom cloud we associate with atomic bombs, but their lasting radiation as well. He chose for his epitaph the words: “I told you so. You damned fools.” 

How Many U. S. Presidents Have Been Impeached?

Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton are the only two presidents that have been impeached in U.S. history, and neither was convicted of the charges filed against him. The House impeached Andrew Johnson on February 24, 1868 for violating the Tenure of Office Act. Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice relating to the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Clinton was eventually acquitted by the Senate. Richard Nixon most likely would have been impeached had he not resigned his office on this day in 1974. Source: ThoughtCo.com

Sriracha Sauce

Sriracha is a type of hot sauce or chili sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. Sriracha sauce was created in Si Racha, Thailand, in the 1930s from the recipe of a housewife named Thanom Chakkapak. In Thailand, Sriracha is frequently used as a dipping sauce, particularly for seafood. Within the United States, Sriracha is associated with a sauce produced by Huy Fong Foods and is sometimes referred to as "rooster sauce" from the image of a rooster on the bottle.

President Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford was the Vice President of the United States, serving from 1973 to 1974, and the 38th President of the United States serving from 1974 to 1977. As the House Minority Leader, Ford was appointed Vice President following the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew, who pleaded no contest to tax evasion. Ford then went on to become President on this day in 1974 following the resignation of Richard M. Nixon. To this day, Gerald Ford remains the only President of the United States who was never elected President nor Vice-President by the Electoral College.

"They're Here!"

Poltergeist is a 1982 American horror film, co-written and produced by Steven Spielberg. Set in a California suburb, the plot focuses on a family whose home is invaded by malevolent ghosts that abduct the family's younger daughter. The tagline, "They're here," is not only one of the most memorable taglines in history, it is also one of the most widely used. "They're here," was meant to signify that the ghosts had arrived in the movie. The tagline was named the 69th-greatest movie quote on AFI's 100 Years...

Mona LIsa

The Mona Lisa has a rich and interesting history. King Francis I acquired the portrait from one of the painter's heirs. It was hung in royal palaces in Fontainebleau and Versailles until it was placed in the new Museum Central des Arts in the Louvre. When Napoleon Bonaparte came to power, he ordered that the painting be removed from the Louvre, and hung on the wall of his bedroom. For the next four years, the Mona Lisa remained in Bonaparte’s luxurious bedroom in the Tuileries Palace, but it was returned to the museum in 1804. It remains on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Wimpy

J. Wellington Wimpy, generally referred to as Wimpy, is one of the characters in the comic strip Popeye. Wimpy was a dominant character in the newspaper strip, but when Popeye was adapted as an animated cartoon series, Wimpy became a minor character. Hamburgers are Wimpy's favorite food, and he is usually seen carrying or eating one or more at a time. His famous catchphrase, "I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today” started in 1932. This phrase is now commonly used to illustrate financial irresponsibility and still appears in modern comedies such as The Drew Carey Show and The Office.

Curious George

Curious George is the protagonist of a series of popular children's books by the same name, written by H. A. Rey and Margret Rey.  The books feature a brown orphaned chimpanzee named George, who is brought from his home in Africa by "The Man with The Yellow Hat" as his best firendto live with him in a giant city.  he is always seen wearing a bright yellow suit and a wide brimmed yellow hat.  The Man is never mentioned by name in the original adventures or in any subsequent content ove rmore than six decades.  The books have been adapted into several television series and films.

Cobb Salad

The Cobb salad was created in 1937 at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, where it became a signature dish.  It is named for the restaurant's owner, Robert Howard Cobb.  Stories vary whether the saldwas invented by Cobb or by his chef, Paul J. Posti.  The legend is that Cobb had not eaten until near midnight, and so he mixed together leftovers he found in the kitchen, along with some bacon, and tossed it with their French dressing.  Cobb's midnight invention became an overnight sensation with Derby customers.  Since 1937, more than 4 million Cobb salads have been sold at Brown Derby restaurants.

Al Pacino - Scarface

Scarface is a 1983crime film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, a remake of the 1932 film of the same name.  The film tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino) who arrives in 1980s Miami with nothing and rises to become a powerful drug kingpin.  No single line from the film is as memorable as the now iconic, "Say hello to my little friend."  The line is relayed by Al Pacino as he launches a grenade across a bullet-ridden room.  But while the line itself is epic, it's Pacino's flawless delivery of it taht catapulted it into one of cinema's greatest sentences.