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Today's Almanac

Tune in for Joe Burke's
"KALW Almanac" 
Monday Through Friday 
at 5:49am & 8:49am

 joe@kalw.org

Sun, Moon, Stars, Tides & Rainfall

Sunrise:5:59
Sunset:8:14

 

Moon Rise:4:28pm

Moon Set:3:30am

 

The Next Full Moon

May 19 @ 7:11pm

Full Flower Moon

 

 

Tides

High:8:51am/8:53pm

Low:2:52am/2:23pm

 

Rainfall

This Year:17.43

Last Year:16.84
Average:21.91

*Seasonal Rainfall Measured 
   July 1 - June 30


May Skywatch
The best time to see Mercury is on the 6th, at about 35 minutes after sunset, when the charbroiled planet floats next to the crescent Moon, 12 degrees high in the west. Although Mercury remains visible until the 26th, it is only one-tenth as bright by then, at magnitude 2.0, and hidden by the twilight. Mars, halfway up the western sky at nightfall, crosses into Cancer and floats in front of the famous Beehive star cluster from the 22nd to the 24th. This fine sight is best viewed through binoculars. Saturn is highest at nightfall and appears above the Moon on the 12th. Jupiter, at magnitude -2.5, rises by midnight at month's end. Venus is too close to the Sun to be seen.

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Today is Thursday May 15, 2008 - On This Day In ...

1618 --- Johannes Kepler discovered his harmonics law.

 

1856 --- Lyman Frank Baum, who was. Lyman grew up to become a newspaperman and the author of one of the most famous children’s stories in recent history. Lyman Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Baum wrote a series of Oz books, but this was the most famous. He also adapted the story into a musical play. It then became the basis for the 1939 MGM musical, The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan, and Billy Burke among others. The film, a classic, was nominated for six Academy Awards but won only two (Best Song: Over the Rainbow and Best Score). Lyman Frank Baum’s adaptation was adapted once again in 1978 as a Broadway show and film, The Wiz, featuring an all-black cast.

 

1862 --- The U.S. Department of Agriculture was established by President Abraham Lincoln on this day.

 

1888 --- The swinging washing machine was patented. The machine was attached to a large swing, which children could swing in and power the machine.

 

1918 --- Regular airmail service between New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, began under the direction of the Post Office Department, which later became the U.S. Postal Service.

 

1923 --- Listerine was registered as a trademark.

 

1930 --- Ellen Church became the first stewardess for an airline. Church served passengers flying between San Francisco, California and Cheyenne, Wyoming on United Airlines. She also served chicken, fruit salad and rolls. The term ‘stewardess’ has since been banished. The men and women who serve on airlines worldwide are known as flight attendants. Remember, the exits are clearly marked and life support cushions are located beneath the web site. We’ll begin beverage service in a few moments.

 

1940 --- Nylon stockings appeared on sale for the first time in the U.S. Competing brands went on sale simultaneously under an agreement between manufacturers.

 

1941 --- Joe DiMaggio began his historic major-league hitting streak (56 games). The New York Yankees got Joltin’ Joe off to a rather bad start, however, as they lost to the Chicago White Sox 13-1 at Yankee Stadium.

 

1948 --- Israel was attacked by Transjordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon only hours after declaring its independence.

 

1958 --- Sputnik III, the first space laboratory, was launched in the Soviet Union.

 

1970 --- - U.S. President Richard Nixon appointed America's first two female generals.

 

1970 --- Close to You, the Carpenter’s second album and the one that launched them to meteoric fame, was released by A&M Records. The title song, (They Long to Be) Close to You, became a pop music standard and the first of six million-sellers in a row for Karen and Richard. In all, The Carpenters would have 10 gold records for singles and a dozen top ten hits to their credit. The duo won Best New Artist honors at the Grammy Awards in 1970.

 

1972: 21-year-old Arthur Bremer shot Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace four times in Laurel, Maryland. The wounds left Wallace paralyzed for life. A month earlier, Bremer had planned to assassinate President Richard Nixon in Ottawa, but changed his mind at the last minute. He wrote in a diary he wanted "to do something bold and dramatic, forceful & dynamic, a statement of my manhood for the world to see." Bremer was sentenced to 53 years in prison. with good behavior, he could be released in 2015.

 

1978 --- Country singer Willie Nelson released Stardust, an album of pop songs. The LP stayed on the music charts for 10 years and sold over 5-million copies.

 

1988 --- Soviet forces began their withdrawal from Afghanistan. Soviet forces had been there for more than eight years.

 

1990 --- Vincent Van Gogh's "Portrait of Doctor Gachet" was sold for $82.5 million. The sale set a new world record.

 

1991 --- The famous Paris cooking school, L'Ecole de Cordon Bleu, opens a branch in Tokyo, Japan.

 

1997: U.S. health officials approved the first nicotine-free anti-smoking drug, Zyban, which worked on chemicals in the brain that control addiction.

 

2006 --- The U.S. State Department announced it would restore diplomatic relations with Libya for the first time since 1980 and remove the country from its terrorism sponsors list.

Talk Back to the 'Nac

Do you have comments or questions, corrections or suggestions for the Almanac?  Would you like the Almanac to acknowledge a special birthday or anniversary? Send us an e-mail. Here is the link:  mailto:joe@kalw.org

Holidays & Birthdays

Today Is:

*Chocolate Chip Day

*Nylon Stockings Day

*Peace Officer Memorial Day

*True Confessions Day

*Flip Your Mattress Day

*Never Turn Your Back
  On The Ocean Day
*Relive Your Past By
  Listening To The First
  Music You Ever Bought,
  No Matter What It Was,
  No Excuses Day

*U.N. Int’l Day Of Families

*Independence Day-Paraguay

*San Isidro Day-Spain

*Mother’s Day-Samoa

*Teacher’s Day-So Korea

*Int’l Conscientious
  Objector Day

Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season begins today and continues through November 30th


May 11 - 17  is:
*Tasmanian Devil Week

*Children’s Book Week

*Police Week

*Stuttering Awareness Week

*Kiwanis Prayer Week

*Women’s Health Week

*Universal Family Week

*Salvation Army Week

*Nursing Home Week

*Nat’l Transportation Week

*Gamblers Week

*Occupational Safety &
  Health Week

May is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian Calender and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. It is also a month within the season of spring. May begins with the sun in the sign of Taurus and ends in the sign of Gemini. Astronomically speaking, the sun begins in the constellation of Aries and ends in the constellation of Taurus.The month may have been named for theGreek Goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era Goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. In Japan, there is a so-called 'May sickness', where new students or workers start to be tired of their new schoolwork or jobs. (In Japan schoolyears and fiscal years start on April 1st.) In any given year, no other month starts on the same day of the week as May. The same is true for June.

May 2008 is :
Artisan Gelato Month
Asparagus Month
BBQ Month
Chocolate Custard Month
Egg Month
Hamburger Month
Salad Month
Salsa Month
Strawberry Month
Clean Air Month
Allergy/Asthma 
  Awareness Month
Arthritis Month
Family Wellness Month
Heal the Children Month
Get Caught
  Reading Month
Mental Health Month
Fitness and Sports Month
Moving Month, National
Bike Month
Motorcycle Safety Month
Women’s Health
  Care Month
Victorious Woman Month
Older Americans Month
Teen Self-Esteem Month
Asian/Pacific American
  Heritage Month
Haitian Heritage Month
Jewish American
  Heritage Month
Vinegar Month
Smile Month


May's Flower:
Lily Of The Valley or Hawthorn

May's Birthstone:
Emerald

Today's Birthday List
Eddie Arnold
Trini Lopez
Chaz Palminteri
L Frank Baum
James Mason
Richard Avedon
Madeline Albright
K T Oslin
Katherine Anne Porter
Jasper Johns
Don Nelson
Jerry Quarry
Brian Eno
Wavy Gravy