TODAY IN HISTORY

MAY 26

17		Germanicus of Rome celebrates his victory over the Germans.
1328		William of Ockham forced to flee from Avignon by Pope John XXII.
1647		A new law bans Catholic priests from the colony of Massachusetts. The penalty is banishment or death for a second offense.
1670		Charles II and Louis XIV sign a secret treaty in Dover, England, ending hostilities between England and France.
1691		Jacob Leiser, leader of the popular uprising in support of William and Mary's succession to the throne, is executed for treason.
1736		British and Chickasaw forces defeat the French at the Battle of Ackia.
1831		The Russians defeat the Poles at the Battle of Ostrolenska.
1835		A resolution is passed in the U.S. Congress stating that Congress has no authority over state slavery laws.
1864		The territory of Montana is organized.
1865		The last Confederate army surrenders in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1868		President Andrew Johnson is aquitted of all charges of impeachment.
1896		The last czar of Russia, Nicholas II, is crowned.
1938		The House Committee on Un-American Activities begins its work of searching for subversives in the United States.
1940		The evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk begins.
1946		A patent is filed in the United States for the H-bomb.
1958		Union Square, San Francisco, becomes a state historical landmark.
1961		The civil rights activist group, Freedom Ride Coordinating Committee, is established in Atlanta.
1961		A U.S. Air Force bomber flies across the Atlantic in a record of just over three hours.
1969		Apollo 10 returns to Earth.
1977		The movie Star Wars debuts.

TRIVIA

Who is credited with first writing down the periodic table of elements?
(click below for the answer)

UNUSUAL STAIRCASES

SISTER CLUBS FOR DEEP BONDS

By Narayan Murarka, a member of the Rotary Club of Barrington Breakfast, Illinois, USA

Through Rotary, people from different backgrounds and cultures come together to serve side by side and build long lasting friendships. I have seen this first hand in my club, the Rotary Club of Barrington Breakfast, Illinois, USA, which has formed a sister club relationship with the Rotary Club of Guatemala Sur, Guatemala.
In March 2010, I took part in an international service project to Guatemala, distributing water filters to residents of Sumpango, a village near Antigua. We attended Guatemala Sur’s regular meeting and met past district governor Jorge Aufranc and other local Rotarians. We quickly discovered a mutual interest and agreed to pursue service projects together in Sumpango. (click below to read more)

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT

TORONTO—Ever since the Wright brothers took flight in 1903, feats of aviation have come fast and furious—from Charles Lindbergh's trans-Atlantic flight in 1927 to the first, round-the-world, nonstop balloon voyage in 1999.
But there is at least one big milestone still out there: In 1980, the American Helicopter Society International created a $25,000 prize for the first aviator to stay airborne for 60 seconds, reach an altitude of more than 10 feet, and hover without drifting more than 1,076 square feet—all in a machine powered by nothing other than the human body. (click below to read more)

ABOUT THAT RESTAURANT VACANCY...

YOUR NEXT HOME

San Francisco: Designed in 1917 by renowned architect Willis Polk, this five-bedroom stucco row house is located in the Nob Hill neighborhood. Features include French doors, a master suite with a private roof deck, and a guest suite with a kitchenette. A courtyard and two additional decks allow for outdoor access. $3,250,000.

TODAY IN HISTORY

MAY 25

585BC		Thales of Greece makes the first known prediction of a solar eclipse.
1085		Alfonso VI takes Toledo, Spain from the Muslims.
1787		The Constitutional convention opens at Philadelphia with George Washington presiding.
1810		Argentina declares independence from Napoleonic Spain.
1851		Jose Justo de Urquiza of Argentina leads a rebellion against Juan Manuel de Rosas, his former ally.
1911		Porfirio Diaz, President of Mexico, resigns his office.
1914		The British House of Commons passes Irish Home Rule.
1925		John Scopes is indicted for teaching Darwinian theory in school.
1935		Jesse Owens sets six world records in less than an hour in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
1946		Jordan gains independence from Britain.
1953		The first atomic cannon is fired in Nevada.

AND I QUOTE

"The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."- General George Patton 

PEOPLE BEING PEOPLE

A New Hampshire man spent his entire life savings—$2,600—on a carnival ball-toss game, only to win a stuffed banana. “You just get caught up in the whole ‘I’ve got to win my money back [thing],’” said Henry Gribbohm, 30.

HOW SMART IS YOUR DOG?

Do you think your dog is smarter or more empathetic than other dogs? Now there’s an online testing site that can tell you for sure—and in the process help scientists crowdsource data about the canine mind. Brian Hare, a professor of animal cognition at Duke University, created the site, called Dognition.com, in hopes of identifying the “cognitive style” that makes for the best service dogs. (click below to read more)