2000: The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York crack down on more than 100 alleged mobsters and their cronies, claiming that the Mafia — in cahoots with brokers, investment bankers, a money manager, and a retired New York City cop — manipulated the prices of 19 stocks, defrauding thousands of investors out of an estimated $50 million. Much of the alleged fraud occurred in dotcom stocks, and prosecutors suggest that the Mob — shut out of gambling, drugs, and prostitution — has moved into the hottest new vice, Internet stock trading.

The Wall Street Journal, June 15, 2000, p. C1

1951: The U.S. Census Bureau finally fires up its UNIVAC I, the world's first commercial electronic computer, which had been delivered two-and-a-half months earlier. Built by the Mauchly-Eckert division of Remington-Rand (now part of Unisys Corp.), UNIVAC made headlines a year later by predicting a landslide presidential victory for Dwight Eisenhower — a prediction deemed so unlikely that the radio and TV networks refused to air it.

1949: The Dow Jones Industrial Average finishes the day at 161.86, up 0.26 points, as the longest bull market of all time begins. Stocks go up nearly non-stop for the entire decade of the 1950s, finally peaking on Dec. 13, 1961, at 734.91, a 355% gain (or roughly 13% annually).