Today is May 2nd. On this date in 1918, General Motors acquired the Chevrolet Motor Company, both of which had been founded by the same man, William C. Durant. At the conclusion of the sale they opened a bottle of champagne and roasted marshmallows over burning Chevy Volts. On this date in 1519, the great Leonardo da Vinci died in Amboise, France. Da Vinci once said “Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!” To which the world apparently replied “Nope,” and promptly gave us Jersey Shore. Of all his many great works of art, scholarship, and invention, truly his most enduring achievement was his formation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Also on this date, in 1892, Baron Von Richthofen (The Red Baron) was born. His reign of terror as a top German ace ended in 1918, when he was shot down near Amiens, France, by a beagle flying a doghouse. And finally, today is the 11th annual “Great American Grump Out“, which asks “all you sour pusses to suck it up and refrain from getting your grump on — at least for 24 hours.” I’m looking at you, Leon Wolf. Consider this an Open Thread.

CHEAP SHOT: Occupier hits female cop in back of head with drum | Right Scoop
“Her back was turned and she totally didn’t see it coming. But that didn’t stop this Occupy jerk from nailing this shorter female cop in the back of the head in LA yesterday.”

Perverting Charity | Free Beacon
“One of America’s largest foundations has set aside its history of building hospitals, libraries, and schools in order to pour millions into liberal political causes.”

Video: Andy Garcia and For Greater Glory | Hot Air
“In March, I wrote about the rough cut version that I watched, and noted the similarity to Braveheart and the interesting and unplanned resonance of the question of religious freedom to the politics of today, when the government decides it has the authority to decide what kind of religious expression qualifies for First Amendment protection and which doesn’t.”

NBC Panelist: Ad Calling Obama A Celebrity ‘Another Attempt’ to Paint Him As ‘Other’ | Newsbusters
“On Wednesday’s NBC Today, panelist and attorney Star Jones fretted over a recent campaign ad mocking President Obama’s celebrity status and implied racial overtones in the criticism:”

Today’s Word of the Day comes via Merriam-Webster.
cachinnate (KAK-uh-nayt): verb to laugh loudly or immoderately.