1-Minute History | May 20 | Cher

1946 Cher –The diva Cher was born on this day. She was the first of the really crazily dressed music stars, so Lady Gaga, you are welcome. And she has even been nominated for an academy award.

• Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves
• The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
• Nominated for an Academy Award for Moonstruck
• If I Could Turn Back Time
• Believe
• I Found Someone
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 20 birthday.

1-Minute History | May 20 | Frost/Nixon

1977 In a TV interview with the legendary British Interviewer David Frost, Richard Nixon insisted his innocence by saying, “when the president does it, that means it is not illegal”.

• Climactic moment of the great film and play; Frost/Nixon.
• “when the president does it, that means it is not illegal”
• Nixon’s argument was that it is sometimes in the best interest of the nation to do something illegal.
• Frost had to fund the interview himself, having been rejected by the networks as “checkbook journalism”
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 20 birthday.

1-Minute History | May 20 | Jazz sucks day

1918 This is also Jazz sucks day, a holiday I invented based upon the fact that jazz sucks and the publishing of an article in 1918 calling Jazz “a musical vice” urging people to “be the last to accept the atrocity in polite society” published in the origin city of Jazz, New Orleans and yes Jazz sucks.

• Jazz is the refuge of the talent-less
• If you really want to be a musician and you are prepared to really work hard at it, but you don’t have the gift and you don’t have any soul and you don’t have any talent, jazz is what you should do
• Miles Davis, mostly crap
• Jazz sucks
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 20 birthday.

1-Minute History | May 20 | James Stewart

1908 James Stewart – Giant movie star and Brigadier General, yes that is true, James Stewart, star of the classic films It’s a Wonderful Life, Harvey, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

• It’s a Wonderful Life
• Harvey
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
• The Philadelphia Story
• Rear Window
• Vertigo
• The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
• How the West Was Won
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 20 birthday.

(Source: youtube.com)

1-Minute History | May 20 | Everybody Draw Muhammad day

This is everybody draw Muhammad day. Molly Norris started it as a holiday in 2010 to support a South Park episode and as a free speech reaction to threats and deaths of artists who have cartooned Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

• Started by cartoonist Molly Norris in Seattle
• Depictions of Muhammad are prohibited by Hadiths and not mentioned in the Qu’ran.
• Established to protest limits on free speech.
• A ‘Facebook cause’
• ”Cartoonists are the most dangerous people on earth.” –Said no one.
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 20 birthday.

1-Minute History | May 13 | Velcro

1955 And Velcro, becomesa registered trademark – when aliens brought it to us from the planet Commugny.

• Invented by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in 1948
• The inspiration for Velcro came from burs attached to his dog and clothing while he was hunting in the Alps
• The word Velcro is a portmanteau of the French words velours and crochet
• Microscopic hook and fastening
• Strong enough so that a two inch square piece can support a 175 lb person
• Technologists predict that ALL shoes will be Velcro… never
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 13 birthday.

(Source: youtube.com)

1-Minute History | May 13 | war on Mexico

1846 President Polk declares war on Mexico – This war would capture the entire southwest, basically California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and sizable chunks of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming were annexed.

• Polk wanted to push Mexico into negotiating with the United States
• Provoked by the Mexican government’s refusal to acknowledge the new independence of Texas
• Fought mainly along the border of Texas and Mexico, otherwise known as the Rio Grande
• The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, formerly known as the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement Between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic, ended the war.
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 13 birthday.

(Source: youtube.com)

1-Minute History | May 13 | Pope John Paul II shot

1981 Pope John Paul II shot – by a deranged Turkish murderer and in one of the most epic moments of forgiveness he met his shooter in prison so he could forgive him.

• Mehmet Ali Agca sentenced to life imprisonment in Italy, later pardoned and extradited to Turkey where he is still in prison for robbery and murder
• Pope John visited his assailant in prison, offering forgiveness
• God stepped in to make Mehmet a terrible shot
• Since this day Agca has given many conflicting statements on the reasoning behind his assassination attempt
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 13 birthday.

1-Minute History | May 13 | Bea Arthur

1922 Bea Arthur – Bea Arthur star of The Golden Girls and was a modern feminist in the show Maude.

• Outspoken liberal feminist, All in the Family (Maude)
• Endearingly sassy senior citizen, The Golden Girls (Dorothy Zbornak)
• Served in the US Marine Corps during WWII
• Jew
• Click the portraits to watch the Birthday Blog for the May 13 birthday.

(Source: youtube.com)