THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

“Comedy brings religious persecutors, dictators, and tyrants to their knees faster than any other weapon.”

— Mel Brooks

BIRTHDAYS:

1265 Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet, philosopher, and political figure renowned for his epic poem the Divina Commedia (Divine Comedy), an allegorical narrative of the soul’s journey through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, which synthesized medieval Christian theology, classical philosophy, and personal exile to create a cornerstone of Western literature .

1806 Charles-Joseph Tolbecque, French cellist, composer, violin maker, restorer, instrument collector, author, organist, and organ builder, renowned for his multifaceted contributions to music performance, instrument craftsmanship, and historical scholarship on stringed instruments. Rondo pour violoncelle et piano

1837 Ivan Kramskoi, Russian painter and art critic.

1894 Dashiell Hammett, American detective novelist (The Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade).

1915 Herman Wouk, American novelist (The Caine Mutiny, Winds of War).

1916 Bernard Oliver, American engineer and inventor (hand-held calculators, SETI contributions).

1934 Harlan Ellison, American sci-fi author and screenwriter.

MISCELLANEOUS:

OKAY TO TAKE SERIOUSLY. China shakes up its space programs to land astronauts on the moon by 2030: ‘We will spare no effort’

ATTENTION STAR GAZERS. Night sky, May 2026: What you can see tonight [maps]