10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 23 May:
Born on this date in 1707 was Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish scientist who established the conventions for the naming of living organisms which became universally accepted in the scientific world.
In 1734, Friedrich Anton Mesmer was born. The German physician discovered what he called animal magnetism and others called mesmerism. Mesmer's ideas and practices led to the development of hypnosis. His name is the root of the English verb 'mesmerise'.
In 1934, the bank robbers Bonnie Parker, 23, and Clyde Barrow, 25, were shot to death in a police ambush as they drove a stolen car in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, ending their career with a fifteen second gun battle. During their four-year partnership, they'd killed at least 12 people as they robbed banks, petrol stations and diners. The couple wanted to be buried side by side, but the Parker family refused to allow it. The following words (from a poem Bonnie wrote) are inscribed on Bonnie's stone: "As the flowers are all made sweeter: by the sunshine and the dew, So this old world is made brighter: by the lives of folks like you."
The first underwater wedding took place on this date in 1988 when two Danish tourists married on an underwater reef in Mauritius. Fleming Koch and Nina Tolgard used divers sign language to make their vows to a Mauritian civil servant who conducted the service from a glass-bottomed boat. The couple’s diving instructor served as the underwater witness.
In 1997, Mother Teresa asked Bongo Java Café Nashville owner Bob Bernstein to kindly stop selling cinnamon nun buns made to look like her.
In 2001, chocolate scented postage stamps were issued for the Centenary of the Swiss Chocolate industry.
In 2002, Cliff Richard announced plans to launch a new Wine 'Vida Nova'. 27,000 bottles of the Portuguese red from the grapes of his 25 acre estate would go on sale at £8.99 a bottle.
Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter dated this date in 1785 that he'd invented Bifocals, so he wouldn't have to carry two pairs of glasses.
In 1797, a cartoon by Gillray was published which gave the Bank of England its nickname, ‘The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street’.
In 2003, a white tailed Deer named Dewey was born, the world's first cloned deer.
The Power of Love
Willow believes in crystal healing, cosmic ordering and the significance of chance encounters. She believes there's a spiritual explanation for everything. Except she struggles to find a reason why she can turn herself into mist and create a wave of energy which can slam a would-be mugger into a wall. Or why the love of her life left her for a mysterious woman in sunglasses, who then disappeared without trace.
A chance encounter with Firebolt, leader of the Freedom League superhero team, in a Glastonbury coffee shop, does turn out to be significant. He offers her a new start and the chance to use her powers for good.
Servant is a Christian who has joined the Freedom League in order to use his teleporting power to serve God. He and Willow clash from the start, yet they are drawn inexorably to one another.
When Willow leaves the team abruptly for reasons unknown, Servant knows he must put her out of his mind and find a nice Christian girl to settle down with. He is about to propose to devout and straight-laced Ruth, when Willow returns and turns his entire world upside down.
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