Today in 1927, artist/sculptor Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers began carving rock at Mount Rushmore. Their 60-foot high carvings of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln took 14 years to complete.
Bedbug infestations are on the rise in Paris, causing concern ahead of the 2024 Olympics. Reports of bedbugs in cinemas and on trains have fueled fears. Paris City Hall and the government are taking the issue seriously to protect the city’s image. Exaggerated stories on social media have added to the panic, although bedbugs have been making a comeback due to globalization. These pests are more of a psychological menace than a physical threat, as they don’t transmit diseases but can have a severe impact on mental health. Tackling superspreaders, individuals who unknowingly transport bedbugs, may be a key strategy in controlling the problem. (BBC)
Netflix plans to increase the price of its ad-free service after the Hollywood actors’ strike ends. The exact amount and timing of the price increase have not been revealed. Other streaming platforms have increased ad-free prices by approximately 25% in the past year. Another round of price increases are on the way elsewhere. Disney will implement hikes for its ad-free streaming platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. This marks the second increase in prices within a year, following similar moves by other streaming services like Peacock, HBO Max, Paramount+, and Apple TV+. Special pricing options tied to exclusive content like live sports are also under consideration.
The evolution of work spouses – Once upon a time, they were called “work wives,” the typically female secretaries who managed their boss’s affairs. As attitudes toward marriage and gender roles changed, work spouses transformed into more egalitarian, platonic bonds between colleagues of opposite or similar genders, characterized by a deep emotional connection, mutual trust, and support, without any romantic involvement. The term persists because it helps define and explain these unique bonds in the workplace, even if the use of “husband” or “wife” in this context doesn’t appeal to many of today’s sensibilities. (The Atlantic)
If you have a college degree, you’ll live longer – the non- college educated live roughly eight and a half years less than their degrees counterparts. 6 in 10 American adults lack college degrees, facing growing exclusion from quality jobs, political influence, good healthcare and social recognition. Life expectancy once grew by about four months annually during the 1970s. More recently, it’s lagged behind other wealthy nations, which have seen life expectancy rise by over two and a half months each year. (NYT)
Today in History:
1957- TV sitcom “Leave It to Beaver” debuts on CBS. The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the first man-made satellite to achieve Earth orbit in space. Sputnik fell out of orbit on January 4, 1958.
1961 – Bob Dylan had his concert hall debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall, earning $20 for the night with an audience mostly composed of friends. Alvin and the Chipmunks became TV stars when “The Alvin Show” debuted on CBS. The animated series lasted one season, then went to Saturday morning reruns for several years.
1963 – Billboard magazine reported that hot-rodding songs were the latest teen fad, with The Beach Boys’ “Little Deuce Coupe” sitting at #15 on the Billboard chart. 16-year-old Anthony Topham was replaced in The Yardbirds by 18-year-old Eric Clapton. The Beatles made their first appearance on the UK Rock ‘n’ Roll TV show Ready Steady Go!, where they were interviewed by Dusty Springfield.
1966 – Bobby Hebb received a Gold record for his US #2 hit, “Sunny.”
1968 – The supergroup Cream, consisting of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce, embarked on their farewell tour.
1969 – “Abbey Road,” the last album recorded by The Beatles, entered the charts at number one. Creedence Clearwater Revival started a four-week run at the top of the US album chart with “Green River.” Crosby, Stills & Nash released the single “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” written by Stephen Stills for his girlfriend of two years, singer Judy Collins, who was leaving him for actor Stacy Keach.
1970 – Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose just days after recording her biggest hit, “Me and Bobby McGee.”
1973 – The BBC broadcasted the 500th edition of the Rock ‘n’ Roll show, Top Of The Pops, featuring acts like Slade, Gary Glitter, and The Osmonds.
1974 – John Lennon released his “Walls And Bridges” LP. Irish rockers Thin Lizzy played their first date with the twin-guitar line-up of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson.
1975 – Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” LP hit #1 in the US..
1976: – Elvis Presley attracted a crowd at a gas station in Memphis, Tennessee, while filling up his Harley.1 Barbara Walters teamed with Harry Reasoner at the anchor desk of the “ABC Evening News.” For both it was an unhappy pairing that ended in 1978, replaced by a three-anchor format.
1979 – Jimmy Buffett appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine to promote the CD release of his album “Volcano.”
1980 – Fleetwood Mac members presented the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band with a Platinum record for their contribution to the album “Tusk.” Queen had their second US number 1 song with “Another One Bites the Dust.”
1996 – The movie “That Thing You Do!,” starring Tom Hanks, Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Jonathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, Rita Wilson, Chris Isaak, Kevin Pollak, Peter Scolari, Charlize Theron, Giovanni Ribisi, Chris Ellis and Bill Cobbs, opened in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters.
Today’s Birthdays:
1895 – Buster Keaton – Actor and comedian (Navigator, Steamboat Bill Jr, The General), born in Piqua, Kansas (d. 1066)
1923 – Charlton Heston – Actor (The Ten Commandments; Ben-Hur; Planet of Apes), born in Wilmette, Illinois, (d. 2008)
1929 – Leroy Van Dyke (Age 94) – (“Walk On By”)
1931 – Dick Tracy – comic strip crimestopper
1944 – Marlena Davis – vocalist for The Orlons (“Don’t Hang Up”) (d. 1993)
1946 – Susan Sarandon – Actress (Dead Man Walking, The Client) also known for her social and political activism, born in Queens, New York
1947 – Jim Fielder (Age 76) – bassist for Blood, Sweat and Tears (“Spinning Wheel”)
1949 – Armand Assante – American actor (Private Benjamin, Unfaithfully Yours), born in NYC, New York
1976 – Alicia Silverstone, Actress (Clueless, Batman Forever), born in San Francisco, California
