1576 Copenhagen, Science: The Danish king gave Tycho Brahe Hveen Island upon which to build the Uraniborg Observatory. We saw some Brahe sights and sites in Copenhagen on a day of 20,000 steps.
1785 Paris, Technology: Benjamin Franklin demonstrated bifocals. He had worn two pairs of glasses, one for reading and another for everything else, but found that a nuisance. He studied the lens in each and combined them.
1911 New York City, Culture: On Fifth Avenue President William Taft dedicated the New York City Public Library, an immense Beaux-Arts marble building with lions on guard that remains imposing today. I have done research there for the books. Across the street is a glass and steel lending library.
1958 Lincoln, Education: At Nebraska Book store Clifton Hillegass started Cliffs Notes with a guide to ‘Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.’ It has become an immense business and spawned rivals. To anticipate what students do I have looked a few examples and found each to be very well done, though no substitute for the primary work.
1994 Hollywood, Entertainment: The last of 153 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation ‘All Good Things’ went to air. Remember to follow ‘The Prime Time Directive.’
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