Today In History

[Zkribbler]

Who was it that said, when comparing gentleman-farmer Jefferson with pro-industrialist Hamiltion, that "Jefferson won our hearts while Hamilton won our future" ?

[Verto]

Originally posted by Dis
also a film called Metropolis was released on this day. I never heard of this film (I wasn't alive back then). It looks fascinating. It's probably impossible to find this thing, but I'll try.

I watched it once. From what I remember, there is no complete original, they've had to patch together different copies, or something like that.

[Saras]

1969 - British rock band Led Zeppelin released their first record album, Led Zeppelin.

[Zkribbler]

1982 : Plane crashes into Potomac

On this day in 1982, an Air Florida Boeing 727 plunges into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 78 people. The crash, caused by bad weather, took place only two miles from the White House.


The Air Florida flight took off from Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, with 74 passengers and 5 crew members on board. The plane had flown into Washington from Miami in the early afternoon and was supposed to return to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, after a short stop. However, snow in Washington temporarily closed the airport. When it reopened, the plane was de-iced with chemical anti-freeze, but the plane still had difficulty moving away from the gate due to the ice. When it eventually made it to the airport’s only usable runway, it was forced to wait 45 minutes for clearance to take off.


Not wanting to further delay the flight, the pilot, Larry Wheaton, did not return for more de-icing, and worse, failed to turn on the plane’s own de-icing system. In fact, the pilot and co-pilot discussed the situation, and the co-pilot said "It’s a losing battle trying to de-ice these things. It gives you a false sense of security, that’s all it does." During the delay, however, ice was accumulating on the wings, and by the time the plane reached the end of the runway, it was able to achieve only a few hundred feet of altitude.


Thirty seconds later, the plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River, less than a mile away from the runway. Seven vehicles traveling on the bridge were struck by the 727 and the plane fell into the freezing water. It was later determined that 73 of the people on board the plane died from the impact, leaving only six survivors in the river. In addition, four motorists died in the crash.


Terrible traffic in Washington that day made it difficult for rescue workers to reach the scene. Witnesses didn’t know what to do to assist the survivors who were stuck in the freezing river. Finally, a police helicopter arrived and began assisting the survivors in a very risky operation.


Two people in particular emerged as heroes during the rescue: Arland Williams and Lenny Skutnik. Known as the "sixth passenger," Williams survived the crash, and passed lifelines on to others rather than take one for himself. He ended up being the only plane passenger to die from drowning. When one of the survivors to whom Williams had passed a lifeline was unable to hold on to it, Skutnik, who was watching the unfolding tragedy, jumped into the water and swam to rescue her. Both Skutnik and Williams (along with bystander Roger Olian) received the Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal. The bridge was later renamed the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge.

[SlowwHand]

I flew into D.C. the day that happened. Our flight was diverted to the other airport, any my ex was worried ****less.
The airport was a madhouse, and an airman and I flagged down a taxi on approach to the airport and contracted him to take us to Andrews.

[Zkribbler]

I remember pictures of the guy swimming in icy water.

[Zkribbler]

1559 : Elizabeth crowned queen of England

Two months after the death of her half-sister, Queen Mary I of England, Elizabeth Tudor, the 25-year-old daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, is crowned Queen Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey in London.

The two half-sisters, both daughters of Henry VIII, had a stormy relationship during Mary's five-year reign. Mary, who was brought up as a Catholic, enacted pro-Catholic legislation and made efforts to restore papal supremacy in England. A Protestant rebellion ensued, and Queen Mary imprisoned Elizabeth, a Protestant, in the Tower of London on suspicion of complicity. After Mary's death, Elizabeth survived several Catholic plots against her; although her ascension was greeted with approval by most of England's lords, who were largely Protestant and hoped for greater religious tolerance under a Protestant queen. Under the early guidance of Secretary of State Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth repealed Mary's pro-Catholic legislation, established a permanent Protestant Church of England, and encouraged the Calvinist reformers in Scotland.

In foreign affairs, Elizabeth practiced a policy of strengthening England's Protestant allies and dividing her foes. Elizabeth was opposed by the pope, who refused to recognize her legitimacy, and by Spain, a Catholic nation that was at the height of its power. In 1588, English-Spanish rivalry led to an abortive Spanish invasion of England in which the Spanish Armada, the greatest naval force in the world at the time, was destroyed by storms and a persistent English navy.

With increasing English domination at sea, Elizabeth encouraged voyages of discovery, such as Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation of the world and Sir Walter Raleigh's expeditions to the North American coast.

The long reign of Elizabeth, who became known as the "Virgin Queen" for her reluctance to endanger her authority through marriage, coincided with the flowering of the English Renaissance, associated with such renowned authors as William Shakespeare. By her death in 1603, England had become a major world power in every respect, and Queen Elizabeth I passed into history as one of England's greatest monarchs.

[Verto]

Everyone should watch Elizabeth in honor of today (or yesterday, now that I look at the time).

[Zkribbler]

In 1957, the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, opened. It became famous as the place where The Beatles were a house band.

[Zkribbler]

1778 : Cook discovers Hawaii
1912 : Scott reaches the South Pole

Cook had better weather.

[Zkribbler]

What's more important: gold or beer?

1848 : Gold discovered at Sutter's Creek
1935 : First canned beer goes on sale
1908 : Boy Scouts movement begins
1965 : Winston Churchill dies

[Zkribbler]

Jan. 26:

1500 : Pinzon discovers Brazil
1788 : Australia Day
1939 : Franco captures Barcelona
1950 : Republic of India born

[Zkribbler]

Jan 27:

Fallen Apollo Astronauts Remembered 40 Years Later

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER -- Retired astronauts remembered the Apollo One disaster Saturday in a memorial service at the Kennedy Space Center, and the three astronauts who were killed in that flash fire.

The tragedy was remembered as the incident that paved the way for later astronauts to be able to travel to the moon.

The deaths 40 years ago Saturday of Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee forced NASA to take pause in its space race.

But it did allow the agency to make design and safety changes that were critical to later successes.

An investigation said the fire most likely started in an area near the floor around some wires between the oxygen panel and the environmental control system.

The astronauts died from inhaling toxic gases.

[Zkribbler]

Just out of curiousity....am I the only one reading this thread??

Jan 28 -- The day the space shuttle Challenger blew up

[Saras]

No you're not the only one

1595 - William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet is probably first performed.
1856 - Queen Victoria institutes the Victoria Cross.
1886 - Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile.
1933 - President of Germany Paul von Hindenburg appoints Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. (BAD MOVE).
1952 - Tommy Ramone, Hungarian-born musician and record producer (The Ramones) is born
1992 - Willie Dixon, American composer and musician (b. 1915) dies.