Silver Lining

Some might look at today in history and see only the unfortunate events at face value. They would leave that Wikipedia page glumly, feeling a desire to find something happy and kick it.

I, on the other hand, choose to look for the silver lining in each cloud. I figure the stormy clouds have the most silver in their linings because silver's a conductor, right? So lightening and silver would kind of...go together well...or something...right?

June 10, 1962: As mentioned previously, Bridget Bishop is hanged for "certaine Detestable Arts called Witchcraft and Sorceries". And thus the Salem Witch trials begin.
Silver lining: Claes Oldenburg was never hanged despite making some incredibly "Detestable Arts". See example on right of "Soft Toilet".

June 10, 1770: Captain James Cook runs aground on the Great Barrier Reef.
Silver lining: Wikipedia disagrees with itself as to the actual date of this occurrence, so it might not have even happened on this day in history!

June 10, 1793: The Jardin des Plantes museum opens in Paris. Oh great, another museum, just what Paris needs, right?
Silver lining: It became the first public zoo after a year. Funny, I didn't know they had DMV offices back them.

June 10, 1925: The first service of the United Church of Canada is held. This Church is a union of Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregationalist Churches.
Silver lining: Now you can make up words like "Presby-Method-Ationalist" and "Metho-Byter-Gation". I suppose you could even do "Congreg-Etho-Terian". What's the Cognregationalist Church anyway? Don't you congregate in all Churches? Well, I guess not in the Separate and Lonely faith.

June 10, 1935: Dr. Robert Smith takes his last drink of liquor and founds Alcoholics Anonymous. So, as many have suspected for years, AA was conceived in a drunken stupor.
Silver lining: Come on! It's AA! It's helped a whole bunch of people to get over their addiction! I'm still waiting for a World of Warcraft Anonymous though. It actually wouldn't even have to be anonymous. They could just say, "My name is Hrandor, Prince of the Northern Kingdoms, and I am a Warcra-holic, not to be mispronounced or confused with Workaholic." Other possible names include: Thalen'k the Cave Warrior, Jibjib the Winged Wonder, Garfnox the Elf Slayer, and Jack the Nimble and Quick (he wasn't as inventive as the other guys).

June 10, 1944: Joe Nuxhall of the Cincinnati Reds steps up to the plate to pitch for his first time in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, he couldn't finish off the inning, yielding five walks, two hits, one wild pitch, and five runs before being relieved. And they were already trailing, 13-0, when he started.
Silver lining: He was freaking 15 years old! And he didn't even have some funky injury heal in a special way to give him superhuman pitching powers!

So as you can see, there is clearly a silver lining to every cloud. The cup is always half full. Except if you're in AA...

Pictures:
Soft Toilet
DMV
World of Warcraft
Rookie of the Year