Marked This Day

On this day in 1971, Conrad Van Emde Boas became West Europe’s first professor of sexology at Amsterdam University. Hard to imagine he was the first. Or that it took until 1971 to have an official professor of sexology. Where did people go to get their sex advice? No Dr. Drew. No Dr. Ruth. Did they just go talk their cousin Ralphie, who thought he was experienced in manners of the heart and groin? But Ralphie would probably give you advice like “just ignore her, nothing makes a woman want you more than ignoring her.” Or he’d tell that you’re only job in the bedroom was “to be present.” Or people just didn't get advice at all. Not that I don’t appreciate a perspective from a good cousin Ralphie, but you really can’t beat a 66 year-old professor of sex to get your sex advice. Something about an older person telling you what’s what. And they always use the clinical terms. They speak frankly. It’s a strange dynamic, but it puts you at ease. And sexologists have a bit more of a wide ran...

On this day in 1962, Yogi the bear--not that Yogi--became the first creature ejected at supersonic speed from a B-58. While this seems like the plot of a bad kiddie comedy starring Eddie Murphy after he decided to not be funny anymore or the hair-brained scheme of a circus owner who smoked way too much marijuana, it was actually determined that the female Yogi was the closest thing in weight to human pilot. So they doped her up and strapped her in before shooting her out at a speed faster than sound. She survived, but not without some injuries. I can hear the PETA protesters clamoring already. And I doubt it would ever fly these days. You can’t just go drugging up bears and shooting them out of planes. But hey it was the 60’s. Free Love and Swingers and all that. Protests wouldn’t have done much good anyway. You can't hear protests if you are traveling faster than sound. Of course, if you're bear, you probably wouldn't understand what they were saying anyhow. This Day has b...