The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins
Nimoy releases the single The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s character from The Hobbit, for his album The Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy. Performing it on Malibu U, the appearance is the only known music video of the song.
To publish second novel
A recently rediscovered novel by Lee, Go Set a Watchman, which is set 20 years after the classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, will be published in July. The novel was actually completed before Mockingbird. Lee had to be persuaded to release the novel.
After much thought and hesitation, I shared it with a handful of people I trust and was pleased to hear that they considered it worthy of publication.
Publisher Michael Morrison:
I, along with millions of others around the world, always wished that Harper Lee had written another book. And what a brilliant book this is.
Launch
Ello, a social network dubbed the “anti-Facebook”, launches with the promise of no ads and keeping it’s users details private. Currently in beta testing, users need an invite to join and is receiving roughly 40,000 new sign-ups an hour. Co-founder Paul Budnitz
We’re not geo-locating, we’re stripping IP addresses, we don’t ask your name, your gender or sexual orientation. All I care about is that you obey the rules of Ello.
Forensic analysis reveals fatal blows
Scientists use modern forensic analysis to discover King Richard III suffered 11 injuries – nine to his skull and two elsewhere on his body, including his pelvis, that may have been caused by being thrown over the back of a horse. Professor Guy Rutty says
The most likely injuries to have caused the king’s death are the two to the inferior aspect of the skull — a large sharp force trauma possibly from a sword or staff weapon, such as a halberd or bill, and a penetrating injury from the tip of an edged weapon.
Wins eight Grammy awards
Jackson wins eight Grammy awards, including three best male vocalist awards, after a record 12 nominations.
UN gender equality speech
Watson delivers a speech for the HeForShe gender equality campaign at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
When I was eight, I was confused about being called “bossy” because I wanted to direct the plays that we would put on for our parents. But the boys were not. When at 14, I started to be sexualized by certain elements of the media, when at 15, my girlfriends started dropping out of their beloved sports teams, because they didn’t want to appear “muscle-y,” when at 18, my male friends were unable to express their feelings, I decided that I was a feminist.
Visitor center opens
The King Richard III Visitor Center opens in Leicester, England, at the site of his first grave. Visitors can see the story of his rise to power and how his defeat at Bosworth marked the beginning of the Tudor dynasty, along with a 3D replica of his bones. Center director Iain Gordon says:
We are looking forward to welcoming people from Leicester, and from all over the world, to learn more about the dramatic story of the king’s life, his brutal death at Bosworth Battlefield and the compelling story of his rediscovery.
WebP speeds page load
Google is making web pages load faster with a new image format called WebP, which shrinks the size of graphic files by 35%. So far, Google has changed the Google Play store and Chrome Web store to the new format, while Facebook, Netflix, and eBay have begun supporting it. At its I/O developers conference last month, Google announced that it has converted most of YouTube’s thumbnail images to WebP, improving the site’s load time by 10%. Google says that alone has saved users a cumulative 140,000 hours each day.
Ending after 12 seasons
After 12 seasons of helping struggling restaurants, Kitchen Nightmares is coming to an end. Ramsay:
During this time I’ve visited over 100 restaurants, meeting and trying to help or in some cases failing to help, some of the most weird and wonderful people. I’m glad I’ve been able to entertain and hopefully help a few people along the way. It’s sad to say goodbye to Kitchen Nightmares but I’ll be continuing with my other shows. It’s been memorable! Thank you for watching.
Dies age 89
Stritch dies at her home in Birmingham, Michigan. She had been suffering from diabetes and memory loss. Broadway League Executive Director Charlotte St. Martin says:
Elaine Stritch’s big personality was matched by her big talent. Collaborating with some of Broadway’s greatest playwrights and composers throughout her lengthy career, her signature numbers and singular style created a memorable legacy.
Broadway debut
Grint will be make his Broadway debut this fall in Terrence McNally’s It’s Only a Play. The play will have a 17-week run at Schoenfeld Theatre and includes an A-list cast, such as Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, and Stockard Channing. Grint plays Frank Finger, the wunderkind director of a play written by Broderick’s character.
Diagon Alley opens
With visitors starting to line up at 4 a.m., Diagon Alley opens to huge crowds at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Thousands of Harry Potter fans stood in long lines to partake in opening day; at one point, the Escape From Gringotts ride had a six-hour wait. Potter fan Luke Viramontes:
There are a lot of crazy fans like me here, so it’s definitely a great environment to be in. I’m here because I love Harry Potter.
Coulier, Bring marry
Coulier marries longtime girlfriend, Bring, in Montana.
I feel like the luckiest man on the planet. I get to marry my best friend, and she doesn’t mind that I have a really bad gas problem.