LANE: Welcome back to Touring History, where we make the past more entertaining than your uncle's vacation slides. I'm Lane.
DAVE: And I'm Dave, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that people used to pay money to watch other people get mauled by lions for entertainment. Really puts our reality TV obsession in perspective.
LANE: Today we're exploring July 26th, a date that's given us constitutional amendments, space achievements, and some truly questionable presidential decisions.
DAVE: Speaking of July 26th, we got a voice memo from a listener. Sezso, what do we have?
SEZSO (as listener): [Proud, slightly emotional voice] Hey Lane and Dave! July 26th, 1990, was the day the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. As someone who uses a wheelchair, this date literally changed my life and millions of others. It's wild to think that before 1990, businesses could just... not have ramps? Like, "Sorry, stairs only, good luck!" Now I can actually get into restaurants without having to be carried like a piece of furniture. It's not perfect, but man, what a difference 34 years makes. Thanks for making history fun, guys!
LANE: That's actually incredibly important. The ADA was a massive civil rights victory.
DAVE: And it really puts into perspective how recent basic accessibility requirements are. 1990 wasn't that long ago!
LANE: Let's celebrate some July 26th birthdays! We've got Mick Jagger turning 81 today, proving that rock stars apparently don't follow normal human aging rules.
DAVE: Also born today: Helen Mirren, who's basically achieved legendary status in everything from Shakespeare to action movies. And Sandra Bullock, who somehow made us believe that falling in love with Keanu Reeves on a bus was totally reasonable.
LANE: Can't forget Stanley Kubrick, born July 26th, 1928. Filmmaker genius who gave us masterpieces like "2001" and made everyone afraid of hotel carpets forever.
DAVE: That hallway scene still gives me nightmares. Thanks, Stanley.
DAVE: Scandal time! July 26th, 1953, Fidel Castro launched his first armed attack against the Batista government in Cuba by assaulting the Moncada Barracks. It was a complete disaster.
LANE: How is a failed revolution salacious?
DAVE: Because Castro showed up with 160 rebels to attack a fortress with 1,000 soldiers, thinking surprise was enough. It's like bringing a water gun to a tank fight! Most of his people were captured or killed, and Castro got sentenced to 15 years in prison.
LANE: So it's political incompetence as scandal?
DAVE: The salacious part is that this spectacular failure somehow launched his career! He turned his trial into a propaganda platform, got amnestied after two years, and came back to successfully overthrow the government. It's the ultimate "failed upward" story.
LANE: So he basically failed his way to success?
DAVE: Exactly! It's like getting fired from McDonald's and then becoming CEO of Burger King. Sometimes disaster is just delayed victory with better PR.
LANE: Innovation time! July 26th, 1971, Apollo 15 launched with the first lunar rover, basically turning moon exploration into the universe's most expensive off-road adventure.
DAVE: They literally took a dune buggy to the moon. That's peak human engineering right there.
LANE: The lunar rover let astronauts travel 17 miles across the moon's surface instead of just walking around their landing site. It transformed how we could explore space - suddenly we weren't limited to wherever we could walk in those bulky suits.
DAVE: Plus they got to do donuts on the moon, which has to be the ultimate "my commute is cooler than yours" story.
LANE: Also on July 26th, 1956, Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, which was basically President Nasser saying "This incredibly important waterway? Yeah, it's ours now." Revolutionary approach to international trade routes.
DAVE: That's like someone deciding they own the highway in front of their house. Except the highway connects Europe to Asia and handles 10% of global trade.
LANE: Time to talk about our friends at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, LA's most legendary cheese destination since 1967.
DAVE: With over 600 varieties of imported cheeses, this isn't just a store - it's basically a cheese university where you can eat your homework. And right now, they're celebrating the triumphant return of Bava Brothers to their shelves!
LANE: For those who don't know, Bava Brothers makes authentic Calabrian sopressata using a 4th generation family recipe. We're talking handcrafted, all-natural, no-nitrates-added Italian charcuterie that'll make you question every other salami you've ever had.
DAVE: Their spicy sopressata with fennel seeds and their 'Nduja Calabrese spread are back at The Cheese Store, which means your charcuterie boards just got a serious upgrade.
LANE: Visit cheesestore.com or stop by their Beverly Hills location. Trust us, your taste buds will thank you. And yes, they ship nationwide, so everyone can experience authentic Calabrian excellence.
DAVE: The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills: Where cheese dreams come true and your wallet goes to cry.
LANE: Deep thoughts time. Dave, what's July 26th telling you about humanity?
DAVE: July 26th shows that humans are basically professional improvisers. Castro's rebellion fails spectacularly, so he turns prison into a TED talk. We want to explore more of the moon, so we invent space cars. We need to control a canal, so we just... take it.
LANE: My deep thought is that July 26th proves that innovation often comes from refusing to accept limitations. Whether it's making the moon accessible, buildings accessible, or canals nationally accessible - July 26th is about expanding what's possible.
DAVE: So your deep thought is "humans don't like being told no"?
LANE: Pretty much. Your deep thought is "humans wing it and somehow it works out."
DAVE: And somehow we've built civilization on that philosophy! Either we're geniuses or the luckiest species in the universe.
LANE: Probably both. Definitely both.
LANE: That's July 26th - proving that sometimes the best way forward is to just go for it and figure out the details later.
DAVE: Thanks for touring history with us! Like, subscribe, and send us your voice memos about meaningful dates. We love hearing how history connects to your personal stories.
LANE: Until next time, remember: history is just humans saying "watch me try something" and then dealing with the consequences.
DAVE: This has been Touring History. I'm Dave.
LANE: I'm Lane.
BOTH: See you in the past!