May 19 - People Thought This Might End Everything

May 19, 2026 — Today is National Devil’s Food Cake Day, which feels more intense than it actually is.Today we’re looking at moments shaped by perception.From Halley’s Comet in 1910, where public reaction outweighed the actual risk, to the lingering effects of the Dark Day of 1780, to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show shaping how history was presented.Plus, a look at Pete Townshend, whose structured approach to music helped redefine albums as connected works.It raises a question about how often perception matters more than reality.Anyway… that’s what I ended up finding while working through May 19.