Category: Articles

May’s flower full moon will blossom in the sky this weekend

May’s full moon, known as the flower moon, will blossom in the sky on Sunday night into Monday.

The moon will reach its peak at 12:15 a.m. ET on Monday, May 16, so it will appear at its roundest the evening of May 15, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

The flower moon is named after the flowers that blossom this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, The Old Farmer’s Almanac said.

The lunar event is also known as the full corn planting moon because May marks the end of winter’s frost, which allows farmers to plant their seeds.

The Abernaki people from Maine also reference the planting season by calling this full moon the field maker moon, according to Western Washington University. The Winnebago people in the Great Lakes region call it “hoeing-corn moon,” according to the university.

Vesak, a sacred day for Buddhists, corresponds with May’s full moon, according to the United Nations. The birth of Gautama Buddha, the moment he attained enlightenment and his death all took place on days of Vesak, according to the organization.

Stargazers will be in for a treat as the flower moon transforms into a scarlet color during the total lunar eclipse happening at the same time. A total lunar eclipse is when the sun and …

Click here to read the rest of this article from CNN

May 15 Today in History and the Word of the Day

Today’s Important Historical Events

1252 Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad exstirpanda, which authorizes, but also limits, the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition

1618 German astronomer Johannes Kepler discovers the third of his three planetary laws his “harmonics law”

1869 National Woman Suffrage Association forms in New York, founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

1940 Richard and Maurice McDonald open the 1st McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino, California

1951 AT&T becomes the 1st US corporation to have a million stockholders after young car salesman Brady Denton purchases 7 shares worth $1,078

1988 USSR begins withdrawing its 115,000 troops from Afghanistan

Today’s Historical Events

756 Abd-al-Rahman I becomes emir of Cordova, Spain

884 Marinus I ends his reign as Catholic Pope

1004 Henry II the Saint crowned King of Italy

1213 King John of England names Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury

1222 Mongolian leader Genghis Khan meets the leader of the Taoist Dragon Gate sect Chang Chun at his camp in Parwan (Afghanistan)

1248 Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden lays cornerstone for Cologne Cathedral

1252 Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad exstirpanda, which authorizes, but also limits, the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition

1492 Cheese & Bread rebellion: German mercenaries kill 232 residents of Alkmaar, Netherlands

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1928 Mickey Mouse makes his 1st ever appearance in silent film “Plane Crazy”

1954 KGLO (now KIMT) TV channel 3 in Mason City, IA (CBS) 1st broadcast

1955 KPUA (now KGMD) TV channel 9 in Hilo, HI (CBS) begins broadcasting

1958 “Gigi” based on the story by Colette, directed by Vincent Minnelli and starring Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier premieres in New York (Best Picture 1959)

1959 12th Cannes Film Festival: “Black Orpheus” directed by Marcel Camus wins the Palme d’Or

1960 KHVO TV channel 13 in Hilo, HI (ABC) begins broadcasting

1960 “L’Avventura”, Italian film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, starring Gabriele Ferzetti, Monica Vitti. premieres at Cannes

1961 “Bonanza” by Al Caiola Orchestra hits #19

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1858 Royal Italian Opera opens in Covent Garden, London

1891 Jules Massenet‘s opera “Grisélidis” premieres in Paris

1914 Henri Rabaud’s opera “Marouf, savetier de Caire” premieres in Paris

1941 Nazi occupiers in Netherlands forbid Jewish music

1960 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s 7th String quartet premieres in Leningrad

1967 Paul McCartney meets his future wife Linda Eastman

1971 “70, Girls, 70” closes at Broadhurst Theater, NYC, after 35 performances

1972 “Hard Job Being God” opens at Edison Theater, NYC; runs for 6 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1862 First baseball enclosure opens at Union Grounds, Brooklyn

1876 2nd Kentucky Derby: Bobby Swim aboard Vagrant wins in 2:38.25

1894 20th Kentucky Derby: Frank Goodale aboard Chant wins in 2:41

1906 NY Giants’ Hooks Wiltse strikes out 4 batters in 1 inning

1912 37th Preakness: Clarnence Turner on Colonel Holloway wins in 1:56.6

1912 Ty Cobb rushes a heckler at a NY Highlander game & is suspended

1918 43rd Preakness: Johnny Loftus aboard War Cloud wins in 1:53.6

1918 Washington Senator Walter Johnson pitches 1-0, 18 inning game

Today’s Word is

Majestic

Brought to you by wordoftheday.net

Majestic / adjective / muh·jeh·stuhk

We use the word “majestic” in the English language to represent people, places, and things that have an elegant or stately quality. “Majestic” is a term that describes otherworldly greatness, grace, style, and outstanding beauty or form. English speakers often use the word “majestic” to describe things related to royalty and regality. Familiar terminology uses the word “majestic” to address royal kings and Queens as his or her “majesty.”

In a Sentence

It surprised them to see the “majestic” looking yacht emerge from the ocean.

The King and Queen of the palace always dress in a “majestic” fashion.

The Taj Mahal is one of the most “majestic” buildings in existence.

Etymology

English-speakers find the first instance of the word “majestic” showing up around the end of the late-15th century. Etymologists say the word “majestic” has Latin origins and first entered language around 1570. The original definition of “majestic” refers to outstanding and out-of-this world characteristics or behavior synonymous with exceptionality, dignity, and grace. “Majestic” still carries the original definition assigned in the 1500s.

Synonym

Classy, Courtly

Antonym

Dowdy, Graceless

May 14 Today in History and the Word of the Day

Today’s Important Historical Events

1787 Delegates gather in Philadelphia to draw up US Constitution

1796 English country doctor Edward Jenner administers his revolutionary cowpox-based vaccine for smallpox, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire

1804 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark‘s expedition commissioned by Thomas Jefferson sets out from St Louis for Pacific Coast

1948 Israel declares independence from British administration

Today’s Historical Events

649 Theodore I ends his reign as Catholic Pope

1027 Robert II of France names his son Henry I as junior King of the Franks

1264 Battle of Lewes, 2nd Barons’ War: Simon de Montfort the younger, Earl of Leicester, defeats English King Henry III

1483 Coronation of Charles VIII of France (“Charles the Affable”)

1509 Battle of Agnadello, French forces under Louis XII defeat the Venetians in Northern Italy

1576 Dutch Council of State replaced by Council of Beroerten

1607 English colonists establish the 1st permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown. Unknown to them they have landed amidst the worst drought in 800 years.

1608 The Protestant Union is founded in Auhausen.

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1897 Oldest continuously operating movie theater in the world, the State Theatre first opens in Washington, Iowa (Guinness World Records)

1938 “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland premieres

1948 WBEN (now WIVB) TV channel 4 in Buffalo, NY (CBS) begins broadcasting

1951 Ernie Kovacs Show, TV Variety debut on NBC

1964 17th Cannes Film Festival: “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” directed by Jacques Demy wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1972 24th Emmy Awards: “All in the Family”, Carrol O’Conner & Jean Stapleton win

1973 French film “Day for Night” written and directed by François Truffaut, starring Jacqueline Bisset and Jean-Pierre Léaud premieres at Cannes (Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film)

1975 Cult feminist film “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” written and directed by Chantal Ackerman and starring Delphine Seyrig premieres at Cannes

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1832 Felix Mendelssohn‘s concert overture “Hebrides” premieres in London

1902 Italian tenor Enrico Caruso makes his Covent Garden debut opposite Nellie Melba in Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto” in London

1927 “Ain’t She Sweet?” hits #1 on the singles chart by Ben Bernie

1942 World premiere performance of Aaron Copland‘s “Lincoln Portrait” with: Andre Kostelanetz conducting the Cincinnati Symphony in Cincinnati, Ohio

1946 Paul Hindemith‘s “For Those We Love” premieres

1949 “Love Life” closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 252 performances

1951 Sammy Fain and Yip Harburg’s musical “Flahooley” opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 40 performances

1957 Bob Merrill’s musical “New Girl in Town” opens at 46th St Theater, NYC; runs for 432 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1885 11th Kentucky Derby: Babe Henderson aboard Joe Cotton wins in 2:37.25

1886 12th Kentucky Derby: Paul Duffy aboard Ben Ali wins in 2:36.50

1888 14th Kentucky Derby: George Covington aboard MacBeth II wins in 2:38.00

1890 16th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Murphy aboard Riley wins in 2:45

1906 Flagpole at the White Sox ballpark breaks during pennant-raising

1913 Washington Senator Walter Johnson ends MLB record scoreless streak at 56 innings

1918 Sunday baseball is made legal in Washington, D.C.

1919 44th Preakness: Johnny Loftus aboard Sir Barton wins in 1:53 on way to first Triple Crown

Today’s Word is

Spiffy

Brought to you by wordoftheday.net

 

Spiffy / adjective / ˈspi-fē

“Spiffy” is an adjective we use in the English language to describe a person’s clothing and outer appearance. Someone said to be looking “spiffy” is well-dressed and sharp looking in their appearance. While the word doesn’t always apply to high fashion, when we think of the word “spiffy,” we think of elegant, well-dressed partygoers or business persons who have put on their most stunning outfits.

In a Sentence

The new army recruits were looking very “spiffy” in their uniforms.

The groom was looking spiffy in his tuxedo as he awaited the arrival of his bride.

That is quite a spiffy-looking vehicle you’re driving!

Etymology

Spiffy first entered the English language as an adjective. Etymologists say that “spiffy” was used to describe snappy dressers in the mid-18th century. We first see the word recorded toward the latter end of the 18th century in 1877. Other words derived from “spiffy” include ‘spiffier’ and ‘spifiest.’ All iterations of the word carry the same meaning intending to describe well-dressed people and people wearing high fashion or trending items of their time. “Spiffy” hasn’t changed its definition since its first introduction into the language.

Synonym

Stylish, Chic

Antonym

Unfashionable, Old Fashioned

May 13 Today in History and Introducing the Word of the Day

Today’s Important Historical Events

1787 Arthur Phillip sets sails with 11 ships of criminals to Botany Bay, Australia

1830 Republic of Ecuador is founded, with Juan Jose Flores as president

1934 Great dustbowl storm sweeps across US prairies

1940 Winston Churchill says “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat” in his first speech as Prime Minister to British House of Commons

1981 Pope John Paul II is shot and critically wounded by Turkish gunman Mehemet Ali Agca in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City

1989 Approx 2,000 students begin hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, China

Today’s Historical Events

535 St Agapitus I begins his reign as Catholic Pope

609 Pope Boniface I turns the Pantheon in Rome into a Catholic church

641 Eligius (Saint Eloy) becomes bishop of Doornik-Noyon

1106 Henry I of Limburg loses the duchy of Lower Lorraine to Godfrey of Louvain

1110 Crusaders march into Beirut causing a bloodbath

1277 As Vizier Mehmet I of Karaman issues a firman (decree) ordering only the Turkish language to be used, not Arabic or Persian

1364 Peter Coutherel banished from Leuven

1497 Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Italian Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola (urged the expulsion of the Medici’s from Florence)

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1878 Danvers State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts, opens—later serves as inspiration for Arkham Sanitorium in the work of H.P. Lovecraft, which in turn inspired Arkham Asylum of the D.C. Batman universe

1959 Kraft Music Hall with Milton Berle last airs on NBC-TV

1960 WOLE TV channel 12 in Aguadillo, PR

1970 Beatles movie “Let it Be” premieres

1982 Terri Lea Utley, 20 (Arkansas) crowned 31st Miss USA

1985 Laura Elena Martinez-Herring, 21, (Texas), crowned 34th Miss USA

1992 Frank Stallone beats Geraldo Rivera in boxing on Howard Stern Show

1993 Arsenio Hall‘s 1,000th show retrospective seen in Netherlands

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1767 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart‘s first opera “Apollo et Hyacinthus”, written when he was 11 years old, premieres in Salzburg

1848 First performance of Finland’s national anthem “Maamme”, composed by Fredrik Pacius, Swedish words by Johan Ludvig Runeberg

1941 Willy Lewis’ US jazz band performs in Switzerland

1954 “Pajama Game” opens at St James Theater NYC for 1063 performances

1965 The Rolling Stones record “Satisfaction”

1966 The Rolling Stones release “Paint it Black” in the UK

1973 “Cyrano” opens at Palace Theater NYC for 49 performances

1975 “Rodgers & Hart” opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 108 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1887 15th Preakness: William Donohue aboard Dunboyne wins in 2:39.25

1890 18th Preakness: W Martin aboard Montague wins in 2:36.75

1891 17th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Murphy aboard Kingman wins in 2:52.25

1905 World heavyweight boxing champion James J. Jeffries retires undefeated after 7 title defences; returns in 1910 to be beaten by Jack Johnson

1909 First Giro d’Italia takes place in Milan – Italian cyclist Luigi Ganna is the winner

1911 37th Kentucky Derby: George Archibald aboard Meridian wins in 2:05

1916 42nd Kentucky Derby: Johnny Loftus aboard George Smith wins in 2:04

1922 48th Kentucky Derby: Albert Johnson aboard Morvich wins in 2:04.6

Today’s Word is

We use the word frou-frou to describe the sound made by a woman’s clothing. In most cases, the frou-frou sound refers to the sound a ruffling dress makes as a woman is walking. As a noun, we also use frou-frou to describe frilly ornamentation and embellishments added to clothing.

We see a person wearing frou-frou clothing as annoyingly overdressed and unnecessarily flamboyant. Their over-the-top clothing style makes frou-frou dressers the butt of many fashion-related jokes.

In a Sentence

She disturbed the church service by walking in late wearing a frou-frou dress.

Please dress casually. None of that “frou-frou” excess is required for the occasion.

Her ruffled “frou-frou” dress made a loud swooshing sound when she walked by.

Etymology

We see the first use of the word “frou-frou” introduced in the late 18th-century. “Frou-frou” is a French word that came about in a …

Click here to read about the rest of today’s word brought to you by wordoftheday.net

Black hole at the center of our Galaxy imaged for the first time

The second-ever direct image of a black hole — Sagittarius A*, at the centre of the Milky Way.Credit: Event Horizon Telescope collaboration

The Event Horizon Telescope network has captured the second-ever direct image of a black hole — called Sagittarius A* — at the center of the Milky Way.

Radio astronomers have imaged the super massive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. It is only the second-ever direct image of a black hole, after the same team unveiled a historic picture of a more distant black hole in 2019.

The long-awaited results, presented today by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration, show an image reminiscent of the earlier one, with a ring of radiation surrounding a darker disk of precisely the size that was predicted from indirect observations and from Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity.

“Today, right this moment, we have direct evidence that this object is a black hole,” said astrophysicist Sara Issaoun of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics at a press conference in Garching, Germany.

“We’ve been working on this for so long, every once and a while you have to pinch yourself and remember that this is the black hole at the centre of our Universe,” said computational-imaging researcher and former EHT team member Katie Bouman at a press conference in Washington, DC. “I mean, what’s more cool than seeing the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way?”

Black-hole observations …

Click here to read the rest of this article about the Milk Way’s Black Hole

May 12 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1789 William Wilberforce makes his first major speech on abolition in the UK House of Commons, reasoning the slave trade morally reprehensible and an issue of natural justice

1940 Nazi blitzkrieg and conquest of France begins with the crossing of the Muese River

1943 Axis forces in North Africa surrender

2002 Former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro becoming first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since Castro’s 1959 revolution.

2008 Wenchuan earthquake, measuring 7.8 in magnitude occurs in Sichuan, China, killing over 87,000, injuring 374,643 and leaving homeless between 4.8 million and 11 million people

Today’s Historical Events

254 Stephan I succeeds Lucius I as Catholic Pope

919 Duke Henry of Saxony becomes King Henry I of Oostfrankischreich

1057 The Ostromir Gospel, now the oldest surviving Russian manuscript is recorded completed by its scribe Deacon Grigory [1]

1082 Battle at Mailberg: Vratislav II of Bohemia beats Leopold II of Austr

1215 English barons serve ultimatum on King John which eventually leads to the creation and signing of the Magna Carta

1294 Construction of Santa Croce begins in Florence, the largest Franciscan church in the world (consecrated 1442)

1328 Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV and assembly of priests select Pietro Rainalducc as anti-Pope Nicolas V; consecrated in Rome by the Bishop of Venice

1459 Jodhpur, Sun City, founded by Rao Jodhpur in India

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1953 KUHT TV channel 8 (PBS) in Houston, TX, begins broadcasting

1960 Elvis Presley appears on a Frank Sinatra television special; Elvis sings Sinatra’s 1957 Cy Coleman hit “Witchcraft”, and Frank performs Presley’s 1956 classic “Love Me Tender”

1963 Bob Dylan walks out of “The Ed Sullivan Show” over a dispute about his song choice

1967 20th Cannes Film Festival: “Blowup” directed by Michelangelo Antonioni wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1968 WSKG TV channel 46 (PBS) in Binghamton, NY, begins broadcasting

1970 KTVM TV channel 6 in Butte, MT (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting

1977 Emmy 4th Daytime Award presentation: “Ryan’s Hope” and “Family Feud” win

1983 Julie Lynne Hayek, (California), crowned 32nd Miss USA

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1832 Gaetano Donizetti’s opera “L’elisir d’amore” premieres in Milan

1894 Ludwig Englander’s musical “Passing Show” premieres in NYC

1926 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s 1st Symphony premieres in Leningrad

1934 “Cocktails For Two” by Duke Ellington hits #1

1936 Ralph Vaughan Williams’ opera “Poisoned Kiss” premieres in London

1938 Arthur Honegger and Paul Claudel’s oratorio “Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher” (Joan of Arc at the Stake) premieres in Basel, Switzerland

1950 Darius Milhaud‘s opera “Bolivar” premieres in Paris

1958 “Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu” by Dicky Doo & The Don’ts hits #40

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1890 First official County Cricket Championship match begins; Yorkshire beats Gloucestershire by 8 wickets at Bristol; James Cranston scores first century (101) in the competition

1909 34th Preakness: Willie Doyle aboard Effendi wins in 1:39.8

1910 Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Charles “Chief” Bender no-hits Cleveland Naps, 4-0

1913 English runner Harry Green runs world record marathon 2:38:16.2 in the Polytechnic Marathon in London, England

1917 42nd Preakness: E Haynes aboard Kalitan wins in 1:54.4

1917 43rd Kentucky Derby: Charles Borel on Omar Khayyam wins in 2:04.6

1919 New York Yankees and Washington Senators play second straight extra inning tie, 4-4 in 15 innings at the Polo Grounds; 0-0 in 12 the previous day

1923 48th Preakness: Benny Marinelli aboard Vigil wins in 1:53.6

Giant sinkhole with a forest inside found in China

I found this article to be interesting and informative.

Species unknown to science could be hiding in this gaping hole. A team of Chinese scientists has discovered a giant new sinkhole with a forest at its bottom.

I found this on NewsBreak: Giant sinkhole with a forest inside found in China https://share.newsbreak.com/11zjnnrz

May 11 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

330 Constantinople (Byzantium) becomes the capital of the Roman Empire

1189 Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa and 100,000 crusaders depart Regensburg for the Third Crusade

1751 Pennsylvania Hospital founded by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin, in Philadelphia

1995 More than 170 countries agree to extend the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty indefinitely and without conditions to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons [1]

2000 India’s population officially reaches 1 billion – Astha Arora named India’s billionth baby

Today’s Historical Events

330 Constantinople (Byzantium) becomes the capital of the Roman Empire

868 “The Diamond Sutra”, the world’s oldest surviving and dated printed book is printed in Chinese and made into a scroll

1068 Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror, is crowned Queen of England in Westminster Abbey, London

1189 Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa and 100,000 crusaders depart Regensburg for the Third Crusade

1310 Fifty-four members of the Knights Templar are burned at the stake in France for being heretics

1421 Jews are expelled from Styria Austria

1502 Christopher Columbus begins 4th & last trip to the “Indies”

1625 Peasants besiege Frankenburg estate in Upper Austria

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1918 44th Kentucky Derby: William Knapp on Exterminator wins in 2:10.8

1929 1st regularly scheduled TV broadcasts (3 nights per week)

1931 “M” Fritz Lang’s first sound film starring Peter Lorre premieres in Berlin

1956 Pinky Lee Show last airs on NBC-TV

1959 Mary Rodgers & Marshall Barer’s musical “Once Upon A Mattress”, starring Carol Burnett and directed by George Abbott, opens at Phoenix Theatre, NYC; runs for 244 performances

1968 Richard Harris releases “MacArthur Park”

1969 British comedy troupe Monty Python forms, made up of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin

1973 Ground-breaking Indian crime film “Zanjeer” directed by Prakash Mehra and starring “The Angry Young Man” Amitabh Bachchan released

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1812 Waltz introduced into English ballrooms. Some observers consider it disgusting and immoral.

1881 Bedřich Smetana’s opera “Libuše” premieres iat the Natonal Theater, in Prague

1956 Elvis Presley‘s 1st entry on UK charts with “Heartbreak Hotel”

1959 “Kookie, Kookie Lend Me Your Comb” by Byrnes & Connie Stevens hits #4

1963 “Puff (The Magic Dragon)” by Peter, Paul & Mary hits #2

1965 “Flora, the Red Menace” opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 87 performances

1967 “Sing, Israel Sing” opens at Brooks Atkinson Theatre NYC for 14 performances

1970 “The Long and Winding Road” becomes Beatles’ last American single release

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1887 13th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Lewis aboard Montrose wins in 2:39.25

1888 16th Preakness: F Littlefield aboard Refund wins in 2:49

1892 18th Kentucky Derby: Lonnie Clayton aboard Azra wins in 2:41½

1893 Henri Desgrange establishes world’s 1st bicycle world record, travelling 35.325 km (21.95 miles) an hour

1897 Washington Senator catcher Charlie Farrell throws out 8 attempted stealers

1900 James J. Jeffries KOs James J Corbett in 23 for heavyweight boxing title

1912 38th Kentucky Derby: Carol H Shilling aboard Worth wins in 2:09.4

1918 44th Kentucky Derby: William Knapp on Exterminator wins in 2:10.8

Printable – May 2022 Northern Hemisphere Gardening/Planting Moon Calendar

May 2022 – Gardening by the Moon, Biodynamic Planting Guide

From Astro-Seek.com

Please read this first:

1) Moon Phase x Moon Zodiac Sign:

Please keep in mind, that Gardening by Moon Phase and Gardening by Moon Zodiac Sign are two different/independent biodynamic systems and they might give you different or contradictiory gardening recommendations.

  • a) Each Moon Phase (except Full Moon and New Moon) lasts about 1 week
  • b) Each Moon Zodiac Sign lasts about 2.5 days

Try to experiment with these two systems to find which recommendations suits you the most.

2) Tropical (Astrological) x Sidereal (Astronomical) Zodiac:
(1-2 days difference in Leaf, Fruit, Root and Flower days)

There are two different zodiacs for determining the Moon Sign:

  • a) Tropical zodiac (Astrological) is based on the seasons – Vernal Equinox is fixed as 0° Aries (The 1st Fruit day)
  • b) Sidereal zodiac (Astronomical) takes into account Precession of Equinoxes and shifts 0° Aries back by cca 1-2 days. Maria Thun who was an authority on biodynamics was using this Sidereal zodiac

Try to experiment also with these two zodiac systems to find which system suits you better.

MAY

2022

 Moon Phase Gardening by the
Moon Phase		 Gardening by the
Moon Zodiac Sign

Tropical Zodiac (by Seasons)
Sidereal Zodiac (Maria Thun)
May 1
Sun		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
fruit Days
AriesAries

until 23:13
root Days
from 23:13

TaurusTaurus
May 2
Mon		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
root Days
TaurusTaurus
May 3
Tue		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
root Days
TaurusTaurus
May 4
Wed		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
root Days
TaurusTaurus

until 11:15
flower Days
from 11:15

GeminiGemini
May 5
Thu		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
flower Days
GeminiGemini
May 6
Fri		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
flower Days
GeminiGemini
May 7
Sat		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
flower Days
GeminiGemini

until 00:04
leaf Days
from 00:04

CancerCancer
May 8
Sun		 First Quarter Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
leaf Days
CancerCancer
May 9
Mon

MoonOppositionSaturn

 Waxing Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Fruit plants
also Cereals and Flowers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)

Spraying days: Moon Opposition Saturn
leaf Days
CancerCancer

until 11:37
fruit Days
from 11:37

LeoLeo
May 10
Tue		 Waxing Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Fruit plants
also Cereals and Flowers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
fruit Days
LeoLeo
May 11
Wed		 Waxing Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Fruit plants
also Cereals and Flowers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
fruit Days
LeoLeo

until 20:02
root Days
from 20:02

VirgoVirgo
May 12
Thu		 Waxing Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Fruit plants
also Cereals and Flowers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
root Days
VirgoVirgo
May 13
Fri		 Waxing Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Fruit plants
also Cereals and Flowers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
root Days
VirgoVirgo
May 14
Sat		 Waxing Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Fruit plants
also Cereals and Flowers
Optimum planting day (2 days before the Full Moon)

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
root Days
VirgoVirgo

until 00:42
flower Days
from 00:42

LibraLibra
May 15
Sun		 Waxing Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Fruit plants
also Cereals and Flowers
Optimum planting day (2 days before the Full Moon)

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
flower Days
LibraLibra
May 16
Mon		 FULL MOON
at 04:13		 Time to rest, celebrate and meditate

Pick medicinal herbs and plants
flower Days
LibraLibra

until 02:23
leaf Days
from 02:23

ScorpioScorpio
May 17
Tue		 Waning Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Below ground plants, especially Root plants
Plant trees, shrubs and perennials

– Harvest all crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
leaf Days
ScorpioScorpio
May 18
Wed		 Waning Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Below ground plants, especially Root plants
Plant trees, shrubs and perennials

– Harvest all crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
leaf Days
ScorpioScorpio

until 02:39
fruit Days
from 02:39

SagittariusSagittarius
May 19
Thu		 Waning Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Below ground plants, especially Root plants
Plant trees, shrubs and perennials

– Harvest all crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
fruit Days
SagittariusSagittarius
May 20
Fri		 Waning Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Below ground plants, especially Root plants
Plant trees, shrubs and perennials

– Harvest all crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
fruit Days
SagittariusSagittarius

until 03:15
root Days
from 03:15

CapricornCapricorn
May 21
Sat		 Waning Gibbous Sow/Plant:
Below ground plants, especially Root plants
Plant trees, shrubs and perennials

– Harvest all crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
root Days
CapricornCapricorn
May 22
Sun		 Last Quarter Sow/Plant:
Below ground plants, especially Root plants
Plant trees, shrubs and perennials

– Harvest all crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
root Days
CapricornCapricorn

until 05:42
flower Days
from 05:42

AquariusAquarius
May 23
Mon		 Waning Crescent Barren phase:
Time to rest. Avoid seed sowing

– Harvest and store crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Destroy weed
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
flower Days
AquariusAquarius
May 24
Tue		 Waning Crescent Barren phase:
Time to rest. Avoid seed sowing

– Harvest and store crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Destroy weed
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
flower Days
AquariusAquarius

until 10:56
leaf Days
from 10:56

PiscesPisces
May 25
Wed		 Waning Crescent Barren phase:
Time to rest. Avoid seed sowing

– Harvest and store crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Destroy weed
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
leaf Days
PiscesPisces
May 26
Thu		 Waning Crescent Barren phase:
Time to rest. Avoid seed sowing

– Harvest and store crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Destroy weed
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
leaf Days
PiscesPisces

until 19:08
fruit Days
from 19:08

AriesAries
May 27
Fri		 Waning Crescent Barren phase:
Time to rest. Avoid seed sowing

– Harvest and store crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Destroy weed
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
fruit Days
AriesAries
May 28
Sat		 Waning Crescent Barren phase:
Time to rest. Avoid seed sowing

– Harvest and store crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Destroy weed
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
fruit Days
AriesAries
May 29
Sun		 Waning Crescent Barren phase:
Time to rest. Avoid seed sowing

– Harvest and store crops
– Fertilize, Transplant
– Destroy weed
– Mow lawns & Prune (to reduce growth)
fruit Days
AriesAries

until 05:45
root Days
from 05:45

TaurusTaurus
May 30
Mon		 NEW MOON
at 11:30		 Time to rest, celebrate and meditate
root Days
TaurusTaurus
May 31
Tue		 Waxing Crescent Sow/Plant:
Above ground annuals, especially Leaf plants
also Cereals, Herbs, Cucumbers

– Mow lawns (to increase growth)
– Graft & Prune (to increase growth)
root Days
TaurusTaurus

until 17:59
flower Days
from 17:59

GeminiGemini

Gardening by the Moon Zodiac Sign (Element) – Legend

Biodynamic Calendar – Icon Legend
Leaf Days Leaf days (Water Element)

  • It is the appropriate time to sow, transplant and cultivate plants from which the intention is to use Leaves and Stems.
  • Ex: Cabbage, Salads, Lettuce, Spinach, Green onions, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Celeriac.
  • Leaf plants should be harvested in Flower days (or Fruit days).
  • Harvesting in Leaf days is not recommended (products start decomposing in a shorter time).
  • Beekeeping: Working with the hive is not recommended in Leaf days.
Fruit Days Fruit days (Fire Element)

  • It is the appropriate time to sow, transplant and cultivate plants that produce Fruits and Seeds.
  • Ex: Cherry, Strawberry, Tomato, Pea, Bean, Corn, Pumpkin, Nut, Cereal, Courgette.
  • Harvesting in Fruit days allows fruits and seeds to have a better storage quality.
  • Leaf plants should be harvested in Flower days (or Fruit days).
  • Beekeeping: Fruit days stimulate the collection of nectar. Bees are also supposed to be more gentle these days.
Root Days Root days (Earth Element)

  • It is the appropriate time to sow, transplant and cultivate Root plants and Root vegetables.
  • Ex: Carrot, Turnip, but also Potato, Beet-root, Garlic, Onion, Leek.
  • Crop should be stored in Root days.
  • Beekeeping: Bees should be encouraged to build more comb.
Flower Days Flower days (Air Element)

  • It is the appropriate time to sow, transplant, cultivate and harvest Flower plants or herbs used for medicinal purposes.
  • Flowers, if cut in these days, have a more intense scent and endure longer.
  • Leaf plants should be harvested in these Flower days.
  • Beekeeping: Flower days stimulate brood activity and colony development. Bees are also supposed to be more gentle these days.

Gardening by the Moon Phase – Legend
NEW MOON

  • Time to rest, celebrate and meditate.


NEW MOON PHASE

New Moon -» First Quarter (Waxing Crescent)

– Moonlight is increasing

– Strongest gravitational pull

– Soil releases / Earth exhales / Energy draws UP into upper planets

  • Sow/Plant: Above ground Leaf plants, Cereals, Grains, Lawns, Herbs, Cucumbers.
  • Jobs: Graft, Mow lawns & Prune foliage (to increase growth).


FIRST QUARTER PHASE

First Quarter -» Full Moon (Waxing Gibbous)

– Moonlight becomes stronger

– Gravitational pull is a little less now

– Soil releases / Earth exhales / Energy draws UP into upper planets

  • Sow/Plant: Above ground Fruit plants (with “inside seeds” such as Tomatoes, Peppers, Peas and Bean), Cereals, Grains, Lawns and Flowers.
  • Jobs: Graft, Mow lawns & Prune foliage (to increase growth).
  • Planting and Grafting take best if done two days just before the Full Moon.
FULL MOON

  • Time to rest, celebrate and meditate.
  • Pick medicinal herbs and plants.


FULL MOON PHASE

Full Moon -» Last Quarter (Waning Gibbous)

– Moonlight is decreasing

– Gravitational pull is decreasing

– Soil absorbs / Earth inhales / Energy draws DOWN into the Roots

  • Sow/Plant: Below ground Root plants such as Potatoes, Carrots & Onions.
    Plant trees, shrubs, biennials & perennials.
  • Jobs: Harvest all crops, Fertilize, Transplant, Mow lawns & Prune foliage (to reduce growth).


LAST QUARTER PHASE

Last Quarter -» New Moon (Waning Crescent)

– Moonlight has decreased

– Gravitational pull has decreased

– Soil absorbs / Earth inhales / Energy draws DOWN into the Roots

  • Barren phase: Time to rest and prepare for the next New Moon.
  • Jobs: Avoid seed sowing.
  • Jobs: Harvest and store crops, Fertilize, Transplant, Destroy weed, Mow lawns & Prune foliage (to reduce growth).

Moon Opposition Saturn
MoonOppositionSaturn SPRAYING DAYS

  • Spraying Biodynamic preparations out during Moon opposition Saturn increases soil activity.
  • The MoonMoon represents fertility and germination, while SaturnSaturn represents form and strong structure.
  • It is also a perfect time to plant seeds out.

Click here to see the Tropical Zodiac (By Seasons) Calendar from Astro-Seek.com

Mercury has super long, glowing tail

Mercury has a glowing dragon tail of sodium atoms that is more than seven times longer than ever suspected, scientists report.

New measurements of Mercury’s yellow-orange tail, which streams in the solar wind like the long tail of a kite, put it at more than 100 times the radius of the planet itself.

The neutral sodium atoms that make up the 2.5 million kilometre-long streamer are thought to be blasted off the surface by the sun and micro-meteor impacts. These impart enough energy to launch the atoms into space.

Other elements are also in the tail. But it’s the sodium that lights up and can be detected.

“This [sodium] ion is the ‘little atom that could’,” says Mercury researcher Dr Ann Sprague of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

It scatters photons like crazy, making it a great clue to various processes at work on and around the planet.

Shorter tail spotted before

Mercury’s tail has been spotted before, but scientists missed its great length as they were looking at too small a piece of the sky, says researcher Jeffrey Baumgardner of Boston University.

Baumgardner is the lead author of a report on Mercury’s sodium tail in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

“Our forte was wide-angle imaging,” Baumgardner says.

His team created an 8°-wide image using a telescope at McDonald Observatory in Texas that’s about 16 full-moons wide.

The actual 2° sodium tail is as long as four full moons.

In the image Mercury is blocked out because its brightness outshines the sodium tail. If Mercury were shown to scale in the image, it would be less than a pixel in diameter.

“But even so, you are limited by the sodium in Earth’s atmosphere,” says Baumgardner.

Earth’s own sodium glow is itself created by the steady supply of meteors that burn up in the atmosphere, he says.

Two sodium hot spots

To better understand how Mercury’s tail is created, Baumgardner’s team also made close-up sodium-glow images of Mercury. This revealed that the planet has two sodium hot spots, both at high latitudes.

These could be the product of the planet’s mineralogy, topography or have something to do with how the planet’s magnetic field channels in particles from the sun.

That’s similar to how Earth does the same thing and creates aurora light shows near the poles.

The secrets of these hotspots are likely to be revealed by the Messenger spacecraft, says Sprague.

Messenger made a close fly-by of the planet in January and is scheduled to settle into orbit in March 2011.

A large part of Messenger’s mission will be to map out the mineral composition of the swiftly moving planet.

Other planets have tails too

Mercury is not the only heavenly body with a sodium tail, Baumgardner says.

Neutral sodium is also seen streaming from our moon and forming a haze around Jupiter from the sodium blasted off of its tiny and hyper-volcanic moon Io.

It’s also seen blowing from comets.

Because tails are associated with rocky bodies in our solar system, they could some day help planet hunters identify rocky worlds orbiting other stars, says Sprague.

“It’s a stepping stone to understanding other planets,” he says.

This article comes from abc.net.au

May 10 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1497 Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for his first voyage to the New World (disputed)

1775 Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and issues paper currency for 1st time

1801 First Barbary War: The Barbary pirates of Tripoli declare war on the United States of America (1st US foreign war)

1857 Indian mutiny against rule by the British East India Company begins with the revolt of the Sepoy soldiers in Meerut

1940 Winston Churchill succeeds Neville Chamberlain as British Prime Minister

1960 US atomic submarine USS Triton completes 1st submerged circumnavigation of the globe

1994 Nelson Mandela sworn in as South Africa’s 1st black president

Today’s Historical Events

1267 Vienna’s church orders all Jews to wear a distinctive garb

1278 Jews of England imprisoned on charges of coining

1291 Scottish nobles recognize authority of English King Edward I

1294 Temür Khan declared Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty

1427 Jews are expelled from Bern, Switzerland

1497 Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for his first voyage to the New World (disputed)

1503 Christopher Columbus discovers the Cayman Islands

1525 Church reformer John Pistorius caught in the Hague

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1928 WGY, Schenectady begins regular TV programming

1952 5th Cannes Film Festival: “The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice” directed by Orson Welles and “Two Cents Worth of Hope” directed by Renato Castellani jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1953 KCBD TV channel 11 in Lubbock, TX (NBC) begins broadcasting

1955 8th Cannes Film Festival: “Marty” directed by Delbert Mann wins Palme d’Or

1956 KFSN TV channel 30 in Fresno, CA (ABC/CBS) begins broadcasting

1956 9th Cannes Film Festival: “The Silent World” directed by Jacques Cousteau and Louis Malle wins the Palme d’Or

1973 Bruce Lee collapses in Golden Harvest studios in Hong Kong and is rushed to Hong Kong Baptist Hospital where doctors diagnose him with cerebral edema

1982 WABC radio (NYC) plays its last record – John Lennon‘s “Imagine” – and switches to all-talk format

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1849 Astor Place Riot: Backers of American actor and working class hero Edwin Forrest attempt to disrupt British actor William McReady’s performance at Astor Place Opera House in NYC; Military troops supporting police shoot at the crowd, killing between 22 and 31 [1]

1907 Paul Dukas’ opera “Ariane et Barbe Bleue” premieres in Paris

1932 Government declares “Wilhelmus” as the Netherlands’ national anthem

1947 “Chocolate Soldier” closes at Century Theater NYC after 69 performances

1952 Revival of Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle’s musical “Shuffle Along” closes at Broadway Theater, NYC, after 4 performances

1957 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s 2nd Piano concerto premieres in Moscow

1963 Decca signs Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison

1967 Rolling Stones Keith Richards, Brian Jones & Mick Jagger arrested on drug charges

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1870 Jem Mace & defends his heavyweight crown against Irish champ Joe Coburn, it lasts 1 hr & 17 minutes, & neither is struck by a punch

1889 17th Preakness: W Anderson aboard Buddhist wins in 2:17.5

1893 19th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Kunze aboard Lookout wins in 2:39.25

1902 Dutch soccer club FC Blauw-Wit (Blue-White) is formed in the Kinkerbuurt area of Amsterdam; merge with VV De Beursbengels in 2015

1905 31st Kentucky Derby: Jack Martin aboard Agile wins in 2:100.75

1910 36th Kentucky Derby: Fred Herbert aboard Donau wins in 2:06.4

1913 39th Kentucky Derby: Roscoe Goose aboard Donerail wins in 2:04.8

1913 Yanks commit 8 errors & still beat Tigers 10-9 in 10 innings

How to Incorporate Wicca into Everyday Life

A Daily Wiccan routine doesn’t have to be much different from that of anyone else. Magic is simply working with the energies for channeling an intention, and the fact is that we can all practice Magic, and in fact we do it without realizing it. For example, while health experts agree that we shouldn’t take a shower every day¹ , many of us still do it as a ritual act of self-love. By setting a few minutes to consciously take care of our body, we let the water wash away any physical or emotional damage from the day, re-energizing our heart and soul 🛀

If you have ever been surprised by your own thoughts and realizations under a warm shower, then you have already experimented a ritual of Magic. Incorporating Magic into our daily lives feels just the same: A cleansing exercise for the spirit.

Daily Wiccan Practices

You probably already have some daily rituals or personal superstitions, so try combining these ideas with your usual routine in different ways until you find your preferred way to be a Wiccan:

  • When you wake up, greet the day by …

CLick here ans scroll down to read the rest of this article from Spells8.com

May 9 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1386 Treaty of Windsor between Portugal and England (oldest diplomatic alliance in the world still in force)

1865 President Andrew Johnson issues a proclamation declaring armed resistance in the South is virtually at an end; this is the commonly accepted end date of the American Civil War

1901 The First Australian Parliament opens in Melbourne, though the first working session will not be until 21 May

1941 British intelligence at Bletchley Park breaks German spy codes after capturing Enigma machines aboard the weather ship Muenchen

1945 World War II: The Soviet Union marks Victory Day

1960 US becomes the first country to legalize the birth control pill

2018 Historic win in Malaysian general election by opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan led by 92 year old former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, defeating Prime Minister Najib Razak and ending 61 years of rule by the Barisan Nasional coalition

Today’s Historical Events

328 Athanasius is elected Patriarch bishop of Alexandria

1092 Lincoln Cathedral is consecrated in Lincoln, England

1386 Treaty of Windsor between Portugal and England (oldest diplomatic alliance in the world still in force)

1450 ‘Abd al-Latif (Timurid monarch) is assassinated

1460 Courtyard of the episcopal palace in Atrecht (akak Arras) has witch burnings

1502 Christopher Columbus leaves Spain on his 4th and final trip to the New World

1519 Austrian adel and burgerij in uprising against central government

1573 Polish Parliament selects Duke of Anjou as king

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1754 1st newspaper cartoon in America-divided snake “Join or Die”

1946 1st hour long entertainment TV show, “NBC’s Hour Glass” premieres

1958 “Vertigo”, American film noir psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak, is released

1971 23rd Emmy Awards: All in the Family, Jack Klugman & Jean Stapleton win

1980 Slasher horror film “Friday the 13th” is released in US cinemas

1991 Italian actress Laura Antonelli found guilty of cocaine possession (conviction overturned 2006)

1992 Final episode of “Golden Girls” airs on NBC-TV

1992 Michelle McLean, 19, of Namibia, crowned 41st Miss Universe

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1868 Anton Bruckner‘s 1st Symphony in C, premieres

1944 Country singer Jimmie Davis becomes Governor of Louisiana

1950 Norman Dello Joio’s opera, “The Triumph of St. Joan”, premieres in Bronxville, New York

1962 The Beatles sign their 1st contract with EMI Parlophone

1964 Peter & Gordon release “A World Without Love”

1965 The Beatles attend a Bob Dylan concert, at the Royal Albert Hall in London

1976 “So Long 174th St” closes at Harkness Theater NYC after 16 performances

1978 “Ain’t Misbehavin'” opens at Longacre Theater NYC for 1604 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1889 15th Kentucky Derby: Thomas Kiley aboard Spokane wins in 2:34.50

1901 Cleveland’s Earl Moore no-hits Chicago White Sox 9 inn but loses in 10th 4-2

1914 40th Kentucky Derby: John McCabe aboard Old Rosebud wins in 2:03.4

1927 52nd Preakness: Whitey Abel aboard Bostonian wins in 2:01.6

1930 55th Preakness: Earl Sande aboard Gallant Fox wins in 2:00.6

1931 56th Preakness: George Ellis aboard Mate wins in 1:59

1932 57th Preakness: Eugene James aboard Burgoo King wins in 1:59.8

1937 Reds beat Phillies 21-10 (Ernie Lombardi goes 6 for 6)

May 8 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1660 English parliament declares Charles Stuart to be King Charles II of England

1835 1st installment of Hans Christian Andersen “Fairy Tales” published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark

1895 China cedes Taiwan to Japan under Treaty of Shimonoseki

1902 Mount Pelée on the French overseas island of Martinique erupts, wiping out the city of Saint-Pierre, killing 30,000 and leaving only two survivors

1945 V-E Day: World War II ends in Europe after Germany signs an unconditional surrender

1980 World Health Organization announces smallpox has been eradicated

2007 A new Northern Ireland Executive is formed with Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party) as First Minister and Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin) as Deputy First Minister

Today’s Historical Events

535 John II’s reign as Catholic Pope ends

589 Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo

615 St Boniface IV’s reign as Catholic Pope ends

685 St Benedict II’s as Catholic Pope ends after 11 months with his death

1254 University of Salamanca granted a royal charter by Alfonso IX. Third oldest university still operating and the oldest Hispanic.

1348 Ship from Bordeaux carrying the plague, lands in Melcombe Regis (now Weymouth), Dorset. The beginning of the Terrible Pestilence (Black Death) in England.

1360 Treaty of Brétigny signed by English & French, ending the first phase of the Hundred Years’ War

1450 Jack Cade’s Rebellion: Kentishmen revolt begins against King Henry VI and they march towards London

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1912 Film and television production and distribution studio Paramount Pictures is founded

1952 5th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS): “La Ronde” Best Film

1953 WIPB TV channel 49 in Muncie, IN (PBS) begins broadcasting

1958 Classic Hammer horror film “Dracula” film starring Christopher Lee as the eponymous vampire alongside Peter Cushing, directed by Terence Fisher released

1963 1st James Bond film, “Dr. No”, starring Sean Connery, premieres in US

1970 Beatles release 12th, and final, studio album, “Let It Be”, in conjunction with the film of the same name

1978 ABC TV airs “Stars Salute Israel at 30”

1993 ABC Masters Bowling Tournament won by Phil Ware

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1823 “Home! Sweet Home!” by John Howard Payne is 1st sung in London

1924 Arthur Honegger‘s orchestral tribute to steam locomotives “Pacifica 231” premieres

1952 Revival of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin’s musical “Of Thee I Sing” opens at Ziegfeld Theater, NYC; runs for 72 performances

1952 Revival of Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle’s musical “Shuffle Along” opens at Broadway Theater, NYC; runs for 4 performances

1960 1st performance of Ferde Grofé’s “San Francisco Suite”, with Grofé conducting, in San Francisco

1962 Stephen Sondheim‘s musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” starring Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford, and directed by George Abbott, opens at Alvin Theater, NYC; runs for 965 performances, and wins 6 Tony Awards

1971 Courtney, Courtney, and Link’s musical “Earl of Ruston” closes at Billy Rose Theater, NYC, after 5 performances

1976 Leonard Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner’s musical “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue” closes at Mark Hellinger, NYC, after 7 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1878 1st unassisted triple play in organized baseball, by Paul Hines

1896 Yorkshire Cricket all out for 887 against Warwickshire

1897 22nd Preakness: T. Thorpe aboard Paul Kauvar wins in 1:51¼

1906 Philadelphia A’s pitcher Chief Benders plays outfield & hits 2 HRs

1907 Boston’s Big Jeff Pfeffer no-hits Cincinnati Reds, 6-0

1907 Canadian Tommy Burns retains his world heavyweight boxing title after beating “Philadelphia” Jack O’Brien on points in 20 rounds in Los Angeles, California

1909 American Albert Raines runs world record marathon (2:46:04.6) in NYC

1909 British runner Henry Barrett runs world record marathon (2:42:31) in the Polytechnic Marathon in London

May 7 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1429 English siege of Orleans broken by Joan of Arc and the French army

1867 Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel Patents Dynamite in England, the first of three patents he would receive for the explosive material

1912 Columbia University approves plans for awarding the Pulitzer Prize in several categories, after established by Joseph Pulitzer

1915 RMS Lusitania sunk by German submarine off the southern coast of Ireland; 1198 lives lost

1939 Germany and Italy announce an alliance known as the Rome-Berlin Axis

1945 World War II: Unconditional German surrender to the Allies signed by General Alfred Jodl at Rheims

1952 The concept of the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is first published by G

eoffrey Dummer

2017 Emmanuel Macron wins France’s presidential election defeating Marine Le Pen

Today’s Historical Events

558 In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian I immediately orders the dome rebuilt.

1274 2nd Council of Lyons (14th ecumenical council) opens, convened by Pope Gregory X

1355 1,200 Jews of Toledo, Spain killed by Count Henry of Trastamara

1416 Monk Nicolaas Serrurier arrested because of heresy at Tournay

1429 English siege of Orleans broken by Joan of Arc and the French army

1579 Congress of Cologne forms in Netherlands

1624 Admiral Hermites conquering fleet reaches Callao the Lima, Peru

1638 Cornelis S Goyer takes possession of Mauritius (uninhabited)

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1947 “Kraft Television Theater” premieres on NBC

1965 WAOW TV channel 9 in Wausau, WI (ABC) begins broadcasting

1987 Diane Chambers’ (Shelley Long) final episode on TV comedy “Cheers”

1996 Comedian Martin Lawrence suffers a nervous breakdown

1997 Science fiction film “The Fifth Element” written and directed by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich is released. Then the most expensive European film ever made.

2006 52nd British Academy Television Awards: “Help” Best Comedy, “Doctor Who” Best Drama

2011 “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”, directed by Rob Marshall, starring Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz, premieres in – opening weekend makes $350.6m

2017 MTV becomes 1st major awards show to adopt gender-neutral categories – Emma Watson best film actor, Millie Bobby Brown best TV actor

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1824 Ludwig van Beethoven‘s 9th (Choral) Symphony, often regarded as his greatest work, premieres in Vienna

1888 Édouard Lalo’s opera “Le roi d’Ys” premieres in Paris

1941 Glenn Miller records “Chattanooga Choo Choo” for RCA, it becomes 1st record to be designated “gold”

1953 Cole Porter‘s musical “Can-Can” opens at the Shubert Theatre, NYC; runs for 892 performances

1960 Webster and Fain’s musical “Christine”, based on Hilda Wernher’s novel “My Indian Family”, closes at 46th St Theater, NYC, after 12 performances

1960 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical “Flower Drum Song” closes at St James Theater. NYC, after 602 performances and 1 Tony Award

1960 Musical review “From A to Z” closes at Plymouth Theater, NYC, after 21 performances

1961 “Young Abe Lincoln” closes at Eugene O’Neill NYC after 27 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1910 35th Preakness: R Estep aboard Layminster wins in 1:40.6

1917 In a testament to his pitching ability, future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Babe Ruth leads Boston Red Sox to a 1-0 victory against Washington Senators legend Walter Johnson

1921 47th Kentucky Derby: Charles Thompson on Behave Yourself wins 2:04.2

1922 Belgian soccer team defeats Netherlands: 1-2

1922 NY Giant Jesse Barnes no-hits Phillies, 2-0

1925 Phillies have their 8th game postponed in a row

1925 MBA Pittsburgh Pirate shortstop Glenn Wright makes an unassisted triple play

1932 58th Kentucky Derby: Eugene James aboard Burgoo King wins in 2:05.2

Making Room for all Genders in Paganism

Making Room for all Genders in Paganism

Author: Maggi Setti

In this age of women’s liberation, we still find a deep wound surrounding gender differences in our culture. How is gender expressed differently in the pagan community? Is there still a use for gender specific ritual spaces? Many of these questions are ongoing with many answers, but it is high time that we see these issues with new eyes as we approach a second generation of Pagan feminists, both male, female, and spectrum of gender identification in between.

At a public class I taught a couple weeks ago on developing energetic and psychic skills, I was surprised that that there was an equal number of male and female attendants. For Wicca, this is a rarity, as you will find the vast majority of Wiccans are women. The easy explanation for this is that women are more hurt by the patriarchal approach of mainstream religions and need the feminine divine more acutely than men.

In a personal conversation, a male Wiccan offered the idea that there are more women than men interested and involved in spirituality and religion in general. He used the example that most church functions, other than the priesthood itself, are run by women and often women are dragging their husbands to church rather than the men being self-motivated in attending. I think that if this premise is true, that women as a group are more spiritually focused than men in mainstream religions as well as Pagan denominations. We can infer that this phenomenon comes from at least two influences as follows.

1. Men are discouraged from being in touch with their soft emotions. It’s hard to be in touch with the greater picture and how one fits in to that greater whole, and at the same time, this suppresses much of one’s internal reality as well.
2. Much of adherence to the Christian religion, as it is currently expressed, depends on guilt and fear. There is more room for men to assert themselves, their ideas, opinions and what they want on other people in their lives. While this may be lopsided, it also allows for a greater development on one’s power and ego especially for men as a group more so than women. Women are more likely to struggle with fear and guilt, and feeling powerless, are therefore more susceptible to the disempowerment and subversion of the religions tenants.

Both of my points above would support that it is not the nature of women or men that make women more spiritually focused, but another example of how our culture is unhealthy and imbalanced. Unfortunately how the pagan community during the past 40 years has approached this is by creating overblown false egos for women and small-scale fiefdoms that breed infighting, confusion, and mistrust. I saw this in Sunday school as a kid, in the choir in high school, and still see it.

Women’s empowerment and healing the gap between the genders is not about the segregation of the sexes anymore though. It’s about building healthy egos, empowerment, self-esteem and ending the war of the sexes. Women’s only spaces were intended to be safe havens in which women felt supported rather than competing with other women. These spaces were meant as healing spaces to use ritual as a forum to connect with the feminine divine within each woman there, as well as the feminine divine of the group, the culture, and the Great Goddess Herself. Therefore these spaces are not about reliving the pain and hurt of what has been wrong with the system, but to encourage alchemical change within individuals so that they can build new paradigms of how they approach and express gender, but power, sexuality, self-expression, and self-worth.

All of this is about self-love and acceptance. Not acceptance that makes excuses for maladaptive behavior that is permissive our faults, but rather an acceptance to be gentle with ourselves so that we can motivate change, growth, and healing. “I love my body as uniquely my own. I am not flawed. I am as I should be.” Affirmations such as these help to let go of the cultural myth of the perfect feminine, youthful woman that does not exist.

Please note that I am referencing cultural expectations. Our culture oversimplifies definitions of qualities into white and black categories. If you can’t label someone, force him or her to go into a category until you are comfortable that you have him or her pegged. Much of the path of the witch embraces the grays of twilight and dawn and the myriad of shades of gray within continuum of many things. Where we fall on the continuum for many things including how we express gender, sexuality, our relationships, our connection to the Gods, will be different for all of us.

As Pagans we embrace our differences and still are able to work together, to manifest a new humanity. We need to be very cognizant of embracing each individual’s true expression of himself or herself: whether it be the gender labels they use for themselves in this case, or other expressions of self.

We can’t just look at women though. Women are not the only ones that have suffered from the imbalance of this “war of the sexes.” At Fall Frolic in Milford PA, I’ll be teaching a women’s empowerment class and leading a women’s only ritual. I’ve suggested to the organizers of Fall Frolic that we also run a men’s ritual at the same time. In fact, these rituals can do real magick upon the higher planes to interact in a spiritually fertilizing and polarizing way in order to heal the gender schism of the group mind of humanity. In my opinion, this magickal healing is the next step for building bridges for healthy intragender relationships.

How do we interest men in a way that retains their sense of strength, self-worth, respect, and power? How do we incorporate men into a religion that includes sparkly purple fairy glitter and witch Barbie? (Not my personal taste, but still an active stereotype) . How do we rebuild the archetype of the warrior for both men and women, working, fighting for a cause, and protecting their tribe?

I hope that there are Pagan men interested and willing to forge the way for answering these questions. We need all genders working together and creating new ways of relating to one another so that we can create a balanced future for our religion, our children, and our culture.

May 6 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1626 Dutch colonist Peter Minuit organizes the purchase of Manhattan Island from Native Americans for 60 guilders worth of goods, believed to have been Canarsee Indians of the Lenape

1840 World’s first adhesive postage stamp, the “Penny Black“, is first used in Great Britain

1889 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch

1937 German airship Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 on board and 1 on the ground

1941 Joseph Stalin becomes Premier of the Soviet Union, replacing his foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov

Today’s Historical Events

878 Battle of Edington: Alfred the Great and his West Saxon army defeat Viking army of Guthrum the Old [earliest possible date]

1312 Pope Clement V closes Council of Vienna

1432 Renaissance masterpiece The Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan van Eyck is consecrated at St Bravo’s Cathedral, Belgium, commissioned by wealthy merchants

1527 Spanish and German Imperial troops sack Rome, ending the Renaissance

1529 Battle at Gogra: Mughal Emperor Babur beats Afghans and Bengals

1541 King Henry VIII orders a bible in English be placed in every church in England

1542 Francis Xavier reaches Old Goa, then capital of Portuguese India

1598 Archduke Albrecht & Isabella become rulers of the Southern Netherlands

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1935 KTM-AM in Los Angeles California changes call letters to KEHE (now KABC)

1941 At California’s March Field, Bob Hope performs his first USO show

1956 WRCB TV channel 3 in Chattanooga, TN (NBC) begins broadcasting

1957 Last broadcast of “I Love Lucy” on CBS-TV

1977 “Beatles at Hollywood Bowl” released in UK

1990 Tom Cruise is ticketed for careless operation of a vehicle in South Carolina

1994 Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait sets fire to the couch on The Tonight Show

1995 Classic Sports Network begins on cable TV

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1948 Revival of Jerome Kerns and Clifford Grey’s rags-to-riches musical “Sally” opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC; runs for 36 performances

1950 “Great to Be Alive” closes at Winter Garden Theater NYC after 52 performances

1966 The Rolling Stones release “Paint it Black” in the US

1974 Stolen “Guitar Player” painting by Jan Vermeer found in London

1974 American composer Roger Sessions receives special Pulitzer Prize for his life’s work in music

1981 “Inacent Black” opens at Biltmore Theater NYC for 14 performances

1989 34th Eurovision Song Contest: Riva for Yugoslavia wins singing “Rock Me” in Lausanne

1997 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: The Bee Gees; Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills and Nash; The Jackson Five; Joni Mitchell; Parliament-Funkadelic; The (Young) Rascals; Mahalia Jackson; Bill Monroe; and Syd Nathan

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1733 First international boxing match: Local fighter Bob Whittaker beats “The Venetian Gondolier”, Tito di Carni at James Figg’s academy amphitheatre in Marylebone, London

1895 21st Kentucky Derby: James “Soup” Perkins aboard Halma wins last KD run over a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4km)

1896 22nd Kentucky Derby: Willie Simms aboard Ben Brush wins first Derby held at the current distance of 1.25 miles (2.0km)

1903 Chicago White Sox commit 11 errors against Detroit Tigers but win 10-9 at South Side Park. Chicago

1907 33rd Kentucky Derby: In muddy conditions and against a reduced field Andy Minder aboard Pink Star wins in a slow 2:12.6

1915 Future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Babe Ruth hits his first MLB home run; pitches 12 frames in Boston Red Sox 4-3 extra innings loss to New York Yankees

1917 St Louis Browns pitcher Bob Groom no-hits Chicago White Sox, 3-0 at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis

1921 Teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League merge to form the American Soccer League (ASL); collapses 1933

May 5 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1260 Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire

1941 Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie returns to Addis Ababa

1955 West Germany is granted full sovereignty by its three occupying powers

1965 First large-scale US Army ground units arrive in South Vietnam

1980 Siege at Iranian Embassy in London ends as the SAS and police storm the building

1981 After 66 days on hunger strike, 26 year old Provisional IRA member and British MP Bobby Sands dies in the Maze Prision. Nine more hunger strikers die in the next 3 months.

Today’s Historical Events

553 Second Council of Constantinople (5th ecumenical council) opens

1260 Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire

1430 Jews are expelled from Speyer, Germany

1494 On 2nd voyage to New World Christopher Columbus sights Jamaica, landing at Discovery Bay

1640 English Short Parliament rises

1646 King Charles I surrenders in Scotland

1665 Nicolaas Witsen visits patriarch Nikon in Moscow

1762 Russia & Prussia sign Treaty of Saint Petersburg ending the Seven Years’ War

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1949 KGO TV channel 7 in San Francisco, California (ABC) begins broadcasting

1952 “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” (also known as “Vitameatavegamin”) episode of “I Love Lucy” premieres, garnering 68% of US television viewers

1958 KNME TV channel 5 in Albuquerque, NM (PBS) begins broadcasting

1962 “West Side Story” soundtrack album goes #1 & stays #1 for 54 weeks which is more than 20 weeks longer than any other album

1996 Renette Cruz, Vancouver, wins Miss Canadian Universe

1997 “Married With Children” final episode on Fox TV

1999 34th Academy of Country Music Awards: Garth Brooks, Faith Hill & Tim McGraw win

2018 Childish Gambino [Donald Glover] releases the music video to new single “This is America” to wide acclaim

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1726 Marie de Camargo (16) premieres at Opera of Paris

1891 Music Hall (Carnegie Hall) opens in New York, Tchaikovsky is guest conductor

1900 “The Billboard” began weekly publication

1927 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s 1st Symphony premieres in Berlin

1951 “Out of This World” closes at New Century Theater NYC after 157 performances

1955 “Damn Yankees” opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 1022 performances

1967 The Kinks release “Waterloo Sunset” as a single; peaks at #2 on the British charts

1971 Courtney, Courtney, and Link’s musical “Earl of Ruston” opens at Billy Rose Theater, NYC, runs for 5 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1863 Irish boxer Joe Coburn KOs American Mike McCoole in the 67th round in his first defence of Heavyweight C’ship of America in Charlestown, Maryland

1904 Cy Young pitches the first perfect game in “modern” baseball as the Boston Americans beat Philadelphia Athletics, 3-0

1908 34th Kentucky Derby: Arthur Pickens aboard 66-1 chance Stone Street wins in muddy track conditions; 2:15.20 slowest Derby in history

1917 St Louis Browns pitcher Ernie Koob no-hits Chicago White Sox, 1-0 at Sportsman’s Park III

1922 After sharing the Polo Grounds with the New York Giants for 10 years construction begins on Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NYC

1925 Detroit center fielder Ty Cobb goes 6 for 6 with 4 runs, 5 RBI and 16 TBs in Tigers’ 14-8 win over the Browns at Sportsman’s Park III, St. Louis

1925 Yankee Everett Scott is benched, ending his 1,307-game playing streak

1930 Australian cricket batting prodigy Don Bradman scores an unbeaten 185 in a tour match for Australia v Leicestershire at Aylestone Road, Leicester

May 4 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1471 Battle of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, final battle between the Houses of Lancaster and York: Prince of Wales, Edward of Westminster killed and King Edward IV restored to his throne. Re-restores political stability to England until his death in 1483.

1814 King Ferdinand VII of Spain signs the Decree of the 4th of May, returning Spain to absolutism

1904 Construction begins by the United States on the Panama Canal

1979 Margaret Thatcher becomes the first woman to be elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Today’s Historical Events

1256 Augustinian monastic order constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV issues papal bull Licet ecclesiae catholicae

1303 Flemings conquers Middelburg

1415 Religious reformers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus are condemned as heretics at the Council of Constance

1471 Battle of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, final battle between the Houses of Lancaster and York: Prince of Wales, Edward of Westminster killed and King Edward IV restored to his throne. Re-restores political stability to England until his death in 1483.

1493 Spanish Pope Alexander VI divides America between Spain and Portugal

1535 Five Carthusian monks from London Charterhouse monastery hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, London, for refusing to acknowledge Henry VIII as head of the Church of England

1540 Venice and Turkey sign Treaty of Constantinople

1572 Veere sides with Geuzen

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1944 “Gaslight”, starring an 18-year-old Angela Lansbury in her film debut, is released

1959 “The 400 Blows”, French film directed by François Truffaut, starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, is released

1964 KIII TV channel 3 in Corpus Christi, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting

1975 Italian film “Seven Beauties” directed by Lina Wertmüller, starring Giancarlo Giannini, and Shirley Stoler released – first film directed by a women to be nominated for an Academy Award

1991 ABC Masters Bowling Tournament won by Doug Kent

1999 “The Mummy” film directed by Stephen Sommers starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah premieres in the US

2008 Seth MacFarlane reaches an agreement worth $100 million with Fox to keep “Family Guy” and “American Dad” on television until 2012, making MacFarlane the world’s highest paid television writer

2010 Julia Louis-Dreyfus receives the 2,407th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, although on the original star her name is spelled incorrectly

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1728 George Frideric Handel‘s opera “Tolomeo, re di Egitto” premieres in London

1878 Thomas Edison‘s Phonograph shown for 1st time at Grand Opera House

1957 Alan Freed hosts “Rock n’ Roll Show” 1st prime-time network rock show

1959 First Grammy Awards: Perry Como & Ella Fitzgerald win

1973 Wings release “Red Rose Speedway” in UK

1976 Leonard Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner’s musical “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue” opens at Mark Hellinger, NYC; runs for 7 performances

1985 30th Eurovision Song Contest: Bobbysocks! for Norway wins singing “La det swinge” in Gothenburg

1990 Angela Bowie reveals that ex-husband David slept with Mick Jagger

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings play their 1st official baseball game, a win against the Great Western Base Ball Club, 45-9

1871 1st baseball league game (National Association of Baseball Players), (Ft Wayne 2, Cleveland 0) Deacon Jim White gets 1st hit, a double

1893 Cowboy Bill Pickett invents bulldogging, the skill of grabbing cattle by the horns and wrestling them to the ground

1897 23rd Kentucky Derby: Buttons Garner aboard Typhoon II wins in 2:12.5

1898 24th Kentucky Derby: Willie Simms aboard Plaudit wins in 2:09

1899 25th Kentucky Derby: Fred Taral aboard Manuel wins in 2:12

1919 1st legal Sunday baseball game in NYC, 35,000 watch the Phillies beat the NY Giants 4-3

1924 VIII Summer Olympic Games open at Olympic Stadium of Colombes, Paris, France

May 3 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1791 Constitution of May 3 is proclaimed by the Great Sejm (Parliament) of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, becoming the 1st modern constitution in Europe

1926 Britain’s Trade Union Congress calls for the country’s first ever general strike, begins at 1 minute to midnight in support striking coal miners, lasts 9 days

1937 Margaret Mitchell wins Pulitzer Prize for “Gone With The Wind”

1945 World War II: German ship “Cap Arcona” laden with prisoners sunk by Royal Air Force in East Sea, 5,800 killed – one of largest maritime losses of life

1947 Japan’s post-war constitution goes into effect, granting universal suffrage, stripping Emperor Hirohito of all but symbolic power and outlawing Japan’s right to make war

Today’s Historical Events

1374 BC Solar eclipse (2m 07s) seen at Ugarit by Mesopotamian astronomers “On the day of the new moon, in the month of Hiyar, the Sun was put to shame, and went down in the daytime, with Mars in attendance.”

1294 John II becomes Duke of Brabant and Limburg

1342 Count Hartmann II becomes ruler of Vaduz (Liechtenstein)

1382 Battle of Beverhoutsveld near Bruges in modern-day Belgium – the army of Ghent beats a drunken Bruges militia

1491 Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries, adopting the baptismal name of João I

1512 Pope Julius II opens 5th Council of Lateran at St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome

1558 Ferdinand I officially appointed Holy Roman Emperor after his brother Charles abdicated in 1556

1616 Treaty of Loudun ends French civil war

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1944 “Going My Way”, directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby premieres in New York (Academy Award for Best Picture, 1945)

1948 1st broadcast of “CBS Evening News” – longest running network news show in the US

1953 WTVO TV channel 17 in Rockford, IL (NBC) begins broadcasting

1954 KTEN TV channel 10 in Ada-Ardmore, Oklahoma(ABC) begins broadcasting

1954 WHA TV channel 21 in Madison, Wisconsin (PBS) begins broadcasting

1965 KTCI TV channel 17 in St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN (PBS) 1st broadcast

1966 WDHO (now WNWO) TV channel 24 in Toledo, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting

1982 ABC’s All Talk network begins on radio (2 west coast stations)

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1917 1st performance of Ernest Bloch’s symphony “Israel”

1952 “Call Me Madam” closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 644 performances

1956 Frank Loesser’s musical “Most Happy Fella” opens at Imperial Theater, NYC; runs for 678 performances

1960 Musical “Fantasticks” by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, premieres in NYC (world’s longest running musical)

1969 “Trumpets of the Lord” closes at Brooks Atkinson NYC after 7 performances

1981 “Can-Can” closes at Minskoff Theater NYC after 5 performances

1986 31st Eurovision Song Contest: Sandra Kim for Belgium wins singing “J’aime la vie” in Bergen

1987 “Mikado” closes at Virginia Theater NYC after 46 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1900 26th Kentucky Derby: Jimmy Boland aboard Lieut Gibson wins in 2:06.25

1902 28th Kentucky Derby: Jimmy Winkfield on Alan-a-Dale wins in 2:08.75

1903 AVC Heracles (SC Heracles ’74) soccer team forms in Almelo

1909 35th Kentucky Derby: Vincent Powers on Wintergreen wins in 2:08.2

1910 Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States is renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

1922 Mayor Hylan closes 2 streets for building of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NYC

1936 NY Yankee Joe DiMaggio makes his major-league debut, gets 3 hits

1941 67th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Arcaro aboard Whirlaway, 1st leg of successful Triple Crown