On this day in History

      Each year on April 15^th millions of dazed Americans wake to the realization that, once again, science has proven that prayer, mass alcohol consumption, and selective amnesia do not prevent their taxes from being due.  All across the nation, the

question “You took care of the taxes, right?” is greeted with a stern, indignant look and answered with a mumbled, “Of course, we can file an extension, whaddaya think I am an idiot?”

       But, did you know that the fifteenth of April is also the day that President Abraham Lincoln died.  He

was actually shot the day before, and may have even survived had his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, racked with grief, not leaned over her beloved Abe’s body and whispered into his ear “You took care of the taxes, right?”

       You know what else happened on April 15^th?  The RMS Titanic sunk in the icy waters of the North Atlantic, claiming 1,500 souls in the process.  The Titanic received no less than six warnings of sea ice before it plowed into an iceberg.  Recent discoveries have determined that radio man Jack Phillips was ‘preoccupied’ for hours trying to figure out how to write off ear muffs and Brandy as a business expense on his 1040A, and “simply ignored” the frantic warnings.

       April 15^th was also the day on which the great Jackie Robinson, walked onto the field as the first African American Major League Baseball player.  This had nothing to do with taxes, except Jackie was now able to pay more.

       The bottle opener was invented on April 15^th, which I’m sure has everything to do with taxes being due. 

      

The first American school for the deaf opened on 4/15, with the motto “No one shall whisper in our ears.”

       On this day in 1923 the first movie with sound premiered at The Rialto theater in New York City, attended by the students and faculty of the first American school for the deaf who clapped enthusiastically at the wrong moments.

       FDR was buried on April 15^th, 1945.

       The first ‘backwards walk across America’ started out on April 15^th (boy, was that prophetic!)

       Oh!  Two related things happened on April 15^th.  In 1923, insulin became available to the public, and in 1955 Ray Kroc opened the first McDonalds hamburger joint. 

       Finally, on April 15^th, 1992 the lovely billionaire, Leona Helmsly was sent to prison for tax evasion, proving once again that prayer, alcohol consumption, and selective amnesia sunk the Titanic.

DP

Psst!  You took care of the taxes, right?