United Artists Film Studio Is Founded (1919)

In 1919, four of the leading figures in Hollywood—Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith, and Douglas Fairbanks—decided to form their own film studio to better control their own work. Though initially successful, United Artists foundered as films became more expensive to produce. It was taken over in the 1950s and began to thrive again until the 80s, when it was bought by the studio MGM. What famous actor announced plans to resurrect United Artists in 2006 as part owner of the company? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Roger Williams Day

Roger Williams was the founder of the American Baptist Church. Born in Wales, he arrived in the Massachusetts colony on this day in 1631 and soon found himself in profound disagreement with the local Puritans. He fled south to what is now called Providence and founded the Rhode Island colony. Under his leadership, the people of Rhode Island were the first to establish a Baptist congregation on American soil (in 1638) and the first to build a community based on this principle of religious liberty. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron (1934)

Aaron was the first US baseball player to hit more career home runs than Babe Ruth. After playing briefly in the Negro leagues and then in the minor leagues, Aaron moved up to the majors as an outfielder with the Milwaukee—later Atlanta—Braves in 1954 and was National League MVP in 1957. Upon breaking Ruth’s record in 1974, he was besieged by the media and badgered by racist letter-writers, and retired just two years later. Aaron’s home run record remained unbroken until when? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Simulated Reality

The idea that reality could be simulated to a such a degree that it becomes indistinguishable from “true” reality raises a number of questions, including whether the reality we experience is in fact a simulated reality, whether it is possible to determine if we are in a simulated reality, and whether a simulated reality differs from a “real” one. What common phenomenon, which leads many people to believe that a false reality is true, is cited as proof that people will accept simulated realities? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The “Flying Tailor” Dies after Failed Parachute Jump from Eiffel Tower (1912)

Parachutes at the dawn of the aviation age were bulky and, inconveniently, had to be pre-opened. Among those trying to improve upon their design was French tailor Franz Reichelt. He had some success testing his designs on dummies, but he had no evidence that his parachute would work with a real person when he jumped from the Eiffel Tower before a crowd of spectators and reporters. The chute failed to open, and he plummeted to his death. How had he convinced the authorities to allow the jump? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Charles Lindbergh (1902)

In 1927, Lindbergh, an American aviator, made the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic in 33.5 hours, landing in Paris to a hero’s welcome. He returned to the US a celebrity but moved to England in 1932 to escape the media frenzy surrounding the kidnapping and murder of his son. Returning to the US in 1940, he faced criticism for opposing US entry into WWII. Still, he flew combat missions for the US during the war. He helped invent what device that made open-heart surgery possible? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary