Happy early freedom day fellow Americans! Be safe and keep all your fingers, toes, hair, and other parts of your body safely attached tomorrow. And make sure to mock those darn Europeans/Canadians who have to work tomorrow. Like @DailyLlama or @Repairatrooper
Today in History: 1952 SS United States starts maiden voyage
The ocean liner S.S. United States leaves New York on its maiden voyage to Le Havre, France, breaking the speed record for an eastbound Atlantic crossing. On its return trip it breaks the westbound record.
Also on this day:
324 Battle of Adrianople: Roman Emperor Constantine I defeats his co-emperor Licinius, who flees to Byzantium
1767 Norway’s oldest newspaper still in print, Adresseavisen, is founded (first edition published this date)
1844 The last pair of Great Auks is killed
1861 Pony Express arrives in San Francisco with overland letters from NY
1863 Battle of Gettysburg, largest battle ever fought on the American continent, ends in a major victory for the Union during the US Civil War
1886 In Germany, Karl Benz first drives the first automobile in Mannheim at a top speed of 16 km/h (10 mph)
1913 Common tern banded in Maine; found dead in 1919 in Africa (1st bird known to have crossed the Atlantic)
1920 Royal Air Force holds an air display at Hendon, England
1928 Harry Ferguson granted a patent for his three-point hitch for tractors
1928 John Logie Baird demonstrates the first colour television transmission in London
1929 Dunlop Latex Development Laboratories made foam rubber
1930 US Veterans Administration created
1938 President Franklin Roosevelt dedicates the Eternal Light Peace Memorial and lights the eternal flame at Gettysburg Battlefield
1939 Ernst Heinkel demonstrates 800 kph (500 mph) rocket plane (He176) to Adolf Hitler
1985 “Back to the Future” directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd is released
1996 UK House of Commons announces that the Stone of Scone, aka the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish (and subsequently English and British monarchs), will be returned to Scotland after 700 years in Westminster Abbey
Births
1987 Sebastien Vettel - German auto racer (World Formula 1 Drivers Champion 2010-13 Red Bull Racing), born in Heppenheim, Hesse, Germany
1964 Yeardley Smith - French-born American actress (Lisa Simpson-The Simpsons), born in Paris
1961 Vince Clarke [Martin] - British rock keyboardist, and songwriter (Depeche Mode; Yazoo; Erasure), born in South Woodford, Essex, England
1923 Sue Ryder - Baroness Ryder of Warsaw & Cavendish, British volunteer with Special Operations Executive in the Second World War, Charity founder (Sue Ryder) born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England (d. 2000)
1883 Franz Kafka - Czech author (Metamorphosis, Trial, Amerika), born in Prague, Austria-Hungary (d. 924)
Deaths
2001 Delia Derbyshire - English musician and composer (Doctor Who theme, White Noise), dies of renal failure at 64
1971 Jim Morrison - American singer-songwriter (The Doors) and poet, dies of heart failure allegedly caused be an accidental heroin overdose at 27
1969 Brian Jones - British blues and rock guitarist, organist and sitar player (Rolling Stones, 1962-69), drowns in his swimming pool at 27
1965 Trigger - horse (Roy Rogers), dies at 25
1672 Francis Willughby - English ornithologist and ichthyologist, dies at 36
The Funnies:
Quote of the Day:
“Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.”
Video of the Day:
I dont think Ive featured these songs yet but if I have, tough.
Comic of the Day:
Mouseover: “Starting a meta-leaderboard for tracking who holds the record for ranking behind the most distinct people on an online leaderboard.”
Credit: XKCD
Inspirobot Always Controversial, Occasionally Inspirational Quote of the Day:
Read @dailyllama’s bare(naked) Spark! from yesterday here: https://community.spiceworks.com/t/spark-pro-series-2nd-july-2025
Don’t forget to leave some spice right here ↓
