Readers will notice a lapse in postings. My laptop died and it took me a couple of weeks to get a new one ordered, received and all set-up. Now that I have access to my history files again, the postings will resume, and I'll be posting some to catch up (which is why you will notice a number of them posted on the same day).
Thanks for your patience!!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
May 7: Indiana Territory is Formed
On this date in History ... .1800:
A bill is passed to divide the Northwest Territory and the Indiana Territory is created. The capital was Vincennes, the oldest settlement in Indiana territory, and William Henry Harrison, who would become the 9th President of the United States, was made governor of the Territory.
After Ohio, Michigan and Illinois were formed (in 1803, 1805, and 1809), various areas in Indiana, particularly those near the Michigan line and in Wayne County, by the Ohio line, wrote to the government protested the distance of Vincennes from the rest of the people which made it difficult to conduct business with travel times so far.
In 1813, the capital was moved to Corydon, then in 1820, was moved to centrally located Indianapolis.
A bill is passed to divide the Northwest Territory and the Indiana Territory is created. The capital was Vincennes, the oldest settlement in Indiana territory, and William Henry Harrison, who would become the 9th President of the United States, was made governor of the Territory.
After Ohio, Michigan and Illinois were formed (in 1803, 1805, and 1809), various areas in Indiana, particularly those near the Michigan line and in Wayne County, by the Ohio line, wrote to the government protested the distance of Vincennes from the rest of the people which made it difficult to conduct business with travel times so far.
In 1813, the capital was moved to Corydon, then in 1820, was moved to centrally located Indianapolis.
May 6: The Hindenberg
On this date in History .... 1937:
The Hindenberg explodes while trying to land at New Jersey, marking the end of these giant airships for transportation. The German airship carried 97 passengers and crew but only one death from the accident.
The event is probably more famous for newsman Herbert Morrison’s comments, which have been widely used in newsreels and pop culture. (I recall one on the TV sitcom, “WKRP” - click here to see the clip).
As seen in this video clip, the ship was destroyed in just seconds.
The Hindenberg explodes while trying to land at New Jersey, marking the end of these giant airships for transportation. The German airship carried 97 passengers and crew but only one death from the accident.
The event is probably more famous for newsman Herbert Morrison’s comments, which have been widely used in newsreels and pop culture. (I recall one on the TV sitcom, “WKRP” - click here to see the clip).
As seen in this video clip, the ship was destroyed in just seconds.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
May 4: Margaret Thatcher
On this date in History ..... 1979:
Margaret
Thatcher becomes the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first and only
woman to hold the office (and she holds the record for holding the office
longer than anyone!), and the first woman to head a major political party in
the UK.
Her leadership style earned her the nickname “The Iron Lady” from a
Soviet journalist. She escaped an assassination attempt in 1984 and refused to
cancel her speech that day.
May 3: MADD: Cari Lightner
On this date in History .... 1980:
13 year old Cari Lightner is killed by a drunk driver, inspiring her mother, Candace “Candy” Lightner, to organize Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Her purpose was to raise awareness and to promote tough legislation against the crime of drunk driving.
After she left MADD in 1985 she said MADD has become “far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned … I didn’t start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with the issue of drunk driving".
Some statistics ......
13 year old Cari Lightner is killed by a drunk driver, inspiring her mother, Candace “Candy” Lightner, to organize Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Her purpose was to raise awareness and to promote tough legislation against the crime of drunk driving.
After she left MADD in 1985 she said MADD has become “far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned … I didn’t start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with the issue of drunk driving".
Some statistics ......
- 1/3 of all traffic deaths in 2010 were attributed to alcohol.
- As bad as that is, it is a 30% decrease from 2006.
- Men make up 81% of the drunk drivers.
- Even tho’ males 21-35 are only 11% of the population, they make up 32% of all drunk drivers.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
May 2: Supreme Court rules on Eugenics
On this date in History .... 1927:
“Three generations of imbeciles are enough!”
Those were the famous words of Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes when the Supreme Court decided the case of Buck v. Bell, ruling that eugenics laws (laws permitting sterilization) of the unfit, “including the mentally retarded” did not violate the Due Process clause of the 14th amendment, upholding as constitutional Virginia’s compulsory sterilization of young women considered “unfit to continue their kind.” The decision has been viewed as “the attempt to improve the human race by eliminating ‘defectives’ from the gene pool.”
The mother, daughter and granddaughter in this case were considered
“feeble-minded and promiscuous” and the court accepted that as reason for
sterilization. It has been since argued
that Carrie Buck was not “feeble-minded” but was put away to hide the scandal
of having been raped by her adoptive mother’s nephew and was instead labeled as
promiscuous when she ended up pregnant.
(Watch for my May 9th post with more background on the eugenics topic.)
“Three generations of imbeciles are enough!”
Those were the famous words of Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes when the Supreme Court decided the case of Buck v. Bell, ruling that eugenics laws (laws permitting sterilization) of the unfit, “including the mentally retarded” did not violate the Due Process clause of the 14th amendment, upholding as constitutional Virginia’s compulsory sterilization of young women considered “unfit to continue their kind.” The decision has been viewed as “the attempt to improve the human race by eliminating ‘defectives’ from the gene pool.”
(Watch for my May 9th post with more background on the eugenics topic.)
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
May 1: Ricky Henderson
On this date in History ..... 1991:
Rickey Henderson stole his 939th base and became sport’s
all-time stolen base leader.
Henderson also
A left handed player, he batted right handed because “"All my friends were right-handed and swung from the right side, so I thought that's the way it was supposed to be done."
Rickey Henderson stole his 939th base and became sport’s
all-time stolen base leader. Henderson also
- holds the single-season record for stolen bases (130 in 1982)
- is the only player in AL history to steal 100 bases in a season, having done so three times.
- is the 1st and only player with 14 seasons of 50+ stolen bases per season and his career avg was 48.4 stolen bases per season.
- holds the major league records for:
- career stolen bases,
- runs scored,
- unintentional walks and
- leadoff home runs.
A left handed player, he batted right handed because “"All my friends were right-handed and swung from the right side, so I thought that's the way it was supposed to be done."
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