Moments in Time
On September 1, 1983, Korean Airline Flight 007 entered the airspace of this country and was shot down.
What is the Soviet Union (or USSR)? The aircraft veered off course and flew over top-secret military installations. An American spy plane was flying near the commercial airliner, and it is possible that the Soviets mistook KAL 007 for the spy plane.
This tune sung by Bobby Goldsboro starts with: “See the tree, how big it’s grown But friend, it hasn’t been too long, it wasn’t big I laughed at her, and she got mad The first day that she planted it, was just a twig.”
What is “Honey”? The song was written by Bobby Russell. The refrain is a tearjerker: “And Honey, I miss you And I’m bein’ good And I’d love to be with you If only I could.
Iraq claimed this country was its province before Operation Desert Storm.
What is Kuwait? After storming Kuwait, Saddam Hussein annexed the country as a province of Iraq, in part to gain control over its large share of the global oil reserves.
This media maven and celebrity, who starred in The Color Purple (1985), once had a wildly popular daytime show.
Who is Oprah Winfrey? She established the OWN network, publishes a magazine, and is a billionaire. Early in her career, Oprah was fired from a television reporting job and told she was “unfit for TV.”
Many believe animals can sense this type of major earth event in advance.
What is an earthquake? There’s no concrete evidence to suggest animals receive advanced warning, but researchers have documented unusual behavior in animals prior to earthquakes, clues that they might detect vibrations or changes in groundwater before humans do.
On December 3, 1984, a Union Carbide chemical plant experienced a leak that killed 3,000 people in the Bhopal region of this country.
What is India? Thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries have been attributed to the leak.
In this tune by the Young Rascals, they were doing this “on a Sunday afternoon” and “really couldn’t get away too soon.”
What is “Groovin’”? Before they were wellknown, the band was called the Rascals. The record label changed their name to the Young Rascals, but they dropped the Young for good in 1968.
In 2017, this autonomous area voted to break away from Spain.
What is Catalonia? The international community denied recognition, and the Spanish authorities put down the independence movement. Catalonia has its own culture and language.
Teachers told this creator of the first practical incandescent lightbulb that he was “too stupid to learn anything.”
Who is Thomas Edison? His first patented invention was the electric vote recorder in 1869, and the inventions kept on coming. Edison received 1,093 patents for his inventions.
This tallest animal in the world sleeps only a few minutes at a time, with its neck arched and its head on its hindquarters or on the ground.
What is the giraffe? The giraffe’s unique sleep position and duration allow it to stay vigilant for predators.
On April 1, 1970, Richard Nixon signed the bill that killed advertising of these carcinogenic products on radio and TV.
What are cigarettes? The law took effect on January 2, 1971, and the last ad ran on The Tonight Show on January 1.
In her 1964 hit tune, Petula Clark sings, “When you’re alone and life is making you lonely,” you can always go here.
What is downtown? “Downtown” became Petula Clark’s signature song and helped make her an international star.
This famous actor was married five times, this famous actress was married eight times, and they were married to each other twice.
Who are Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor? Burton’s last wife, Sally, was reportedly incensed when a book revealed that her husband had written a letter to Elizabeth Taylor shortly before his death.
This amusement park and media mogul lost his newspaper job because his editor felt he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”
Who is Walt Disney? He created Mickey Mouse in 1928, and the franchise is still going strong. Disney won 47 Academy Awards and seven Emmys during his lifetime.
In 2008, these animals were observed to align their bodies facing north–south while grazing.
What are cows? German and Czech biologists noticed this on Google Earth, and in a paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they claimed that it’s due to Earth’s magnetic field. Later studies challenged the findings.
On May 1, 1982, the World’s Fair opened in this city.
What is Knoxville, Tennessee? The World’s Fair was built in an old railway yard. The theme of the fair was “Energy Turns the World.
Tommy Roe suffered from vertigo that left his “head spinning like a whirlpool, it never ends” in his 1969 tune.
What is “Dizzy”? The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Tommy Roe’s biggest hit.
When “Brangelina” broke up, these two entities stood on their own.
Who are Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? The nickname “Brangelina” was a mediacreated blend of their names during their high-profile relationship and marriage.
This famous sitcom actress’ agent “’splained” to her that she should look for a new career. Later, she and her husband had a hit sitcom that’s still popular today in syndication.
Who is Lucille Ball? I Love Lucy first aired in 1951, and today it’s enjoyed on cable TV.
These magnificent birds travel 25,000 miles each year, crossing Earth from pole to pole.
What are Arctic terns? Most Arctic terns fly a 25,000-mile round trip every year, but some take the scenic route of up to nearly 60,000 miles.
In honor of the bicentennial in 1976, Operation Sail brought hundreds of ships, including 16 tall ships, to this major city’s harbor.
What is New York City? The parade consisted of 225 sailing ships from 30 nations.
This band sang about Sherry, Sherry baby in the 1962 hit tune “Sherry.”
What is (Frankie Valli and) the Four Seasons? “Sherry” was their first No. 1 hit and helped launch a string of charttopping songs in the early 1960s
When the Beatles broke up, this member formed the band Wings.
Who is Paul McCartney? After the Beatles broke up, McCartney went into a depression and formed the new band to “get back to square one."
When this beloved rhyming children’s author submitted his first manuscript, 27 publishers rejected it.
Who is Dr. Seuss? His real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, and he added “Dr.” to his name as a joke—his father had wanted him to pursue a PhD and become a professor. Dr. Seuss authored more than 40 books. He had no children of his own, and in fact, it was said that he wasn’t fond of children. Among his most popular books are The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.
These large mammals can identify bones of their type, and they pay their respects to the dead.
What are elephants? They pay their respects not only to family members but also to other elephants by picking up and caressing the bones.