"I paint life as I would like it to be." -- Norman Rockwell, who died #OTD 1978

Carl Sagan was born #OTD 1934.

Carl Sagan was born #OTD 1934.

"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us..." -- Carl Sagan, born #OTD 1934

"We're in very bad trouble if we don't understand the planet we're trying to save." -- Carl Sagan, born #OTD 1934

"Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep thoughts can be winnowed from deep nonsense." -- Carl Sagan, born #OTD 1934

"We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces." Carl Sagan

On this date in 2020, drugmakers BioNTech and Pfizer announce their COVID-19 vaccine is over 90% effective in a first look at the results from their phase 3 trial involving nearly 44,000 people. Get the facts about COVID-19 vaccines - Mayo Clinic share.google/RIdOG6oZgvCbny…

"You may be sure that the Americans will commit all the stupidities they can think of, plus some that are beyond imagination." -- Charles de Gaulle, who died #OTD 1970 Behind Trump's 2024 Victory: Turnout, Voting Patterns and Demographics Pew Research share.google/zaiWPIsrZAbflJ…

"The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs." -- Charles de Gaulle, who died #OTD 1970

On this date in 1969, the children's TV series Sesame Street—which featured a cast of puppet characters that included Elmo, Big Bird, and the Cookie Monster—debuted on the National Educational Television network (later PBS).

On this date in 1775, the United States Marine Corps was founded when the Continental Congress ordered that two battalions of marines be raised for service during the American Revolution. History of the United States Marine Corps - Wikipedia share.google/04dj13Im1EsnmP…

On this day in 1871, according to his journal, explorer Henry Stanley greeted David Livingstone, the fellow explorer in search of the source of the Nile River, with the famous words “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

The Atlantic: Senate Democrats Just Made a Huge Mistake The shutdown was hurting Trump. Ending it helps him. By Jonathan Chait share.google/BXYMadDVCisuOL…

It's Trump's economy now: A critical part of the economy isn’t hiring. Bosses explain why. washingtonpost.com/business/2025/…

On this date in 1865, for her work as a surgeon during the American Civil War, physician Mary Edwards Walker became the first woman to be granted the U.S. Medal of Honor; the award was rescinded in 1917 but reinstated in 1977.

Kurt Vonnegut was born #OTD 1922

"Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum." -- Kurt Vonnegut, born #OTD 1922

"And so it goes..." -- Kurt Vonnegut, born #OTS 1922, in "Slaughterhouse-Five"

"All this happened, more or less." -- Kurt Vonnegut, born #OTD 1922,  in "Slaughterhouse-Five"