Tuesday, August 4 — National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Some familiar things started in surprisingly messy ways.

Today, we begin in 1790, when the service that became the U.S. Coast Guard started with ten revenue cutters built to enforce tariff laws, collect duties, and chase smugglers for a brand-new federal government. Then we jump to 1958, when Billboard introduced the Hot 100 and gave pop music one of its most famous scoreboards. Finally, we pour a glass of champagne and look at the famous Dom Pérignon legend that sounds wonderful… but probably is not quite true.

We also celebrate the birthday of Billy Bob Thornton, the actor, writer, director, and musician whose career has never fit neatly into one label.

History has a way of turning practical systems, popularity charts, luxury legends, and unusual careers into stories much stranger than the names suggest.

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