On this day in history.

[scifan57]

Here are some modern views of some of the Aztec ruins in Mexico City.

 

[giradman]

Here are some modern views of some of the Aztec ruins in Mexico City.
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Well, we did see some Aztec ruins in Mexico City near the gigantic Zocalo square (see pano pic) which covers much of the ceremonial area of Tenochtitlan - however off in one of the corners nearby are the ruins of the Templo Mayor, i.e. the main Aztec temple (2nd pic below) - not sure about the pics posted previously? Dave
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[scifan57]

August 19, 1909;

The first race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This first race was 5 miles long and was won by Louis Schwitzer with an average speed of 57.4 miles per hour.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

August 19, 1909;

The first race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This first race was 5 miles long and was won by Louis Schwitzer with an average speed of 57.4 miles per hour.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Wikipedia

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In the early 1990s, we flew into Indianapolis, and rented a car to take our son for his freshmen year at Indiana University in Bloomington (southern Indiana) - BUT, we decided to stay a couple of nights in Indy to see the sights - visited the Motor Speedway Museum which was much more impressive 'in person', especially the 2 1/2 mile track - took a fun bus tour around the track; also, there is an excellent museum on site, as shown in the pics. Dave
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[giradman]

USS Constitution Nicknamed 'Old Ironsides' This Day in 1812

The USS Constitution was named by George Washington and earned the nickname Old Ironsides this day in 1812 during the naval battle w/ the HMS Guerrière (see below) - the ship has been restored numerous times and can be seen and toured in Boston - there is a wonderful museum nearby - I've been aboard the ship probably three times but has been a while. Just one of the many historic attractions worth seeing when in Boston. Dave

During the War of 1812, the U.S. Navy frigate Constitution defeats the British frigate Guerrière in a furious engagement off the coast of Nova Scotia. Witnesses claimed that the British shot merely bounced off the Constitution‘s sides, as if the ship were made of iron rather than wood. By the war’s end, “Old Ironsides” destroyed or captured seven more British ships. The success of the USS Constitution against the supposedly invincible Royal Navy provided a tremendous boost in morale for the young American republic. (Source)

The Constitution was one of six frigates that Congress requested be built in 1794 to help protect American merchant fleets from attacks by Barbary pirates and harassment by British and French forces. It was constructed in Boston, and the bolts fastening its timbers and copper sheathing were provided by the industrialist and patriot Paul Revere. Launched on October 21, 1797, the Constitution was 204 feet long, displaced 2,200 tons, and was rated as a 44-gun frigate (although it often carried as many as 50 guns). (Source)

One month later, on August 19, the Constitution caught the British warship Guerrière alone about 600 miles east of Boston. After considerable maneuvering, the Constitution delivered its first broadside, and for 20 minutes the American and British vessels bombarded each other in close and violent action. The British man-of-war was de-masted and rendered a wreck while the Constitution escaped with only minimal damage. The unexpected victory of Old Ironsides against a British frigate helped unite America behind the war effort and made Commander Hull a national hero. The Constitution went on to defeat or capture seven more British ships in the War of 1812 and ran the British blockade of Boston twice. (Source)

In 1855, the Constitution retired from active military service, but the famous vessel continued to serve the United States, first as a training ship and later as a touring national landmark. Since 1934, it has been based at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. Over the years, Old Ironsides has enjoyed a number of restorations, the most recent of which was completed in 1997, allowing it to sail for the first time in 116 years. Today, the Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat. (Source)

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[giradman]

Earthquake Shakes Charleston, South Carolina in 1886

We been visiting Charleston, South Carolina for decades (beginning in the early 1970s) - this day in 1886, the largest recorded earthquake in the southeastern United States wreck havoc on the city - see quotes below for details. Initial pics below showing some of the damage caused by the earthquake, followed by current images of structures w/ 'earthquake bolts' - we've walked the streets of Charleston many times and have taken numerous carriage rides - these bolts are commonplace. Dave

An earthquake near Charleston, South Carolina, on this day in 1886 leaves more than 100 people dead and hundreds of buildings destroyed. This was the largest recorded earthquake in the history of the southeastern United States. The earthquake was preceded by foreshocks, but, no one was prepared for the strength of the August 31 quake. At 9:51 p.m., the rumbling began, and it was felt as far away as Boston, Chicago and Cuba. There was damage to buildings as far away as Ohio and Alabama. It was Charleston, South Carolina, though, that took the biggest hit from the quake, which is thought to have had a magnitude of about 7.6. Almost all of the buildings in town were seriously damaged. It is estimated that 14,000 chimneys fell from the earthquake. It caused multiple fires and water lines and wells were ruptured. The total damage was in excess of $5.5 million (about $112 million in today’s money). (Source)

While there were no apparent surface cracks as a result of this tremor, railroad tracks were bent in all directions in some locations. Acres of land were liquefied. This quake remained a mystery for many years since there were no known underground faults for 60 miles in any direction. However, better science and detection methods have recently uncovered a concealed fault along the coastal plains of Virginia and the Carolinas. Still, a quake of this magnitude remains highly unlikely in this location. (Source)

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[giradman]

Magellan’s expedition circumnavigates globe in 1522

On September 6, 1522, one of Magellan's original five ships returned to Spain (without him) after an arduous 3-year trek around the world - more information in the quotes and pics, including a map showing Magellan's and later Drake's routes of circumnavigation. The first video is a short 8+ minute presentation that is well done; the second is the first part of 4 videos (total time about 60 mins) about the modern replica of the Nao Victoria, the sole ship that made the entire vovage in the early 16th century. Dave

On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain in an effort to find a western sea route to the rich Spice Islands of Indonesia. In command of five ships and 270 men, Magellan sailed to West Africa and then to Brazil, where he searched the South American coast for a strait that would take him to the Pacific. One of Ferdinand Magellan’s five ships–the Vittoria–arrives at Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, thus completing the first circumnavigation of the world. The Vittoria was commanded by Basque navigator Juan Sebastián de Elcano, who took charge of the vessel after the murder of Magellan in the Philippines in April 1521. During a long, hard journey home, the people on the ship suffered from starvation, scurvy, and harassment by Portuguese ships. Only Elcano, 17 other Europeans, and four Indians survived to reach Spain in September 1522. (Source)

At the end of March 1520, the expedition set up winter quarters at Port St. Julian. On Easter day at midnight, the Spanish captains mutinied against their Portuguese captain, but Magellan crushed the revolt, executing one of the captains and leaving another ashore when his ship left St. Julian in August. On October 21, he finally discovered the strait he had been seeking. The Strait of Magellan, as it became known, is located near the tip of South America, separating Tierra del Fuego and the continental mainland. Only three ships entered the passage; one had been wrecked and another deserted. He was the first European explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic. His fleet accomplished the westward crossing of the ocean in 99 days, crossing waters so strangely calm that the ocean was named “Pacific,” from the Latin word pacificus, meaning “tranquil.” By the end, the men were out of food and chewed the leather parts of their gear to keep themselves alive. On March 6, 1521, the expedition landed at the island of Guam. (Source)

Ten days later, they dropped anchor at the Philippine island of Cebu–they were only about 400 miles from the Spice Islands. Magellan met with the chief of Cebú, who after converting to Christianity persuaded the Europeans to assist him in conquering a rival tribe on the neighboring island of Mactan. In subsequent fighting on April 27, Magellan was hit by a poisoned arrow and left to die by his retreating comrades. After Magellan’s death, the survivors, in two ships, sailed on to the Moluccas and loaded the hulls with spice. One ship attempted, unsuccessfully, to return across the Pacific. The other ship, the Vittoria, continued west. The vessel sailed across the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at the Spanish port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda on September 6, 1522, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the globe. The Vittoria then sailed up the Guadalquivir River, reaching Seville a few days later. (Source)

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[scifan57]

September 11, 2001;

Terrorists hijack airliners and fly them into the Pentagon and the World Trade Centre towers, killing all on board and thousands in the buildings. September 11 attacks - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

Concerning the 9/11 disaster, there was an article in USA Today about the increasing numbers of first responders and survivors who are dying from diseases related to the event, particularly cancer - the mortality rate is approaching that of those killed on that day and will easily exceed that number in the upcoming years - another news story HERE - Dave
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[scifan57]

Concerning the 9/11 disaster, there was an article in USA Today about the increasing numbers of first responders and survivors who are dying from diseases related to the event, particularly cancer - the mortality rate is approaching that of those killed on that day and will easily exceed that number in the upcoming years - another news story HERE - Dave
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There was a similar situation among the survivors of the atomic bomb attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Survivors are still dying from the effects of radiation exposure over 70 years later.

 

[giradman]

Yosemite National Park Created October 1 in 1890

On this day in 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed into law the creation of Yosemite National Park, located in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Susan and I have been there just once and stayed at the Ahwahnee Hotel (renamed the Majestic Yosemite Hotel in 2016) for 3 or 4 nights. There is MUCH to see including Half Dome, waterfalls, lakes, and the giant sequoia trees. Quotes and pics below.

The nature photographer, Ansel Adams, took numerous images in Yosemite Valley and surroundings - many are available for purchase at the still family-runned Ansel Adams Gallery - a number of years ago, we purchased 3 Adams photographs from the 'Special Edition' selection (printed from his original negatives and stunning - see description below, if interested) - a nice option vs. buying his originals which are also offered on the site for thousands of dollars. Dave

P.S. for those wanting more on Ansel Adams, the PBS documentary shown below is outstanding.

On this day in 1890, an act of Congress creates Yosemite National Park, home of such natural wonders as Half Dome and the giant sequoia trees. Environmental trailblazer John Muir (1838-1914) and his colleagues campaigned for the congressional action, which was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison. Native Americans were the main residents of the Yosemite Valley until the 1849 gold rush brought thousands of miners and settlers to the region. In 1864, to ward off commercial exploitation, conservationists convinced President Abraham Lincoln to declare Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias a public trust of California. This marked the first time the U.S. government protected land for public enjoyment and it laid the foundation for the establishment of the national and state park systems. Yellowstone became America’s first national park in 1872. (Source)

In 1889, John Muir discovered that the vast meadows surrounding Yosemite Valley, which lacked government protection, were being overrun and destroyed by domestic sheep grazing. Muir and Robert Underwood Johnson lobbied for national park status for the large wilderness area around Yosemite Valley. On October 1 of the following year, Congress set aside over 1,500 square miles of land for what would become Yosemite National Park, America’s third national park. In 1906, the state-controlled Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove came under federal jurisdiction with the rest of the park.Yosemite’s natural beauty is immortalized in the black-and-white landscape photographs of Ansel Adams (1902-1984), who at one point lived in the park and spent years photographing it. (Source)

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[giradman]

Columbus Day - Controversial Holiday - Worthy of Celebration?

In the United States, Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October, i.e. today despite the Bahamian landing being on October 12. This has always been a controversial issue on both American continents (see quotes below, especially the last one) w/ opponents wanting to eliminate the holiday and/or replace it honoring others, such as the Native Americans.

In USA Today this morning an article appeared about Columbus, Ohio (the largest namesake city in the USA, capital of the state in which I was born - in Toledo on Lake Erie) - opening states: "The city of Columbus, Ohio, will not observe the controversial federal holiday honoring its namesake, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, for the first time this year." (LINK). Over the decades, I've read many books on the exploration of the Americas and on the Native populations, who were virtually 'wiped out' by outright killings, slavery, and foremost diseases - one of my favorite books is shown below, American Holocaust, and for those who like tee shirts, I own several on the 'controversy', such as the one also shown. Dave

Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492, and Columbus Day 2018 occurs on Monday, October 8. It was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century, but did not become a federal holiday until 1937. For many, the holiday is a way of both honoring Columbus and celebrating Italian-American heritage. But throughout its history, Columbus Day and the man who inspired it have generated controversy, and many alternatives to the holiday have proposed since the 1970s. (Source)

In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation encouraging Americans to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage with patriotic festivities, writing, “On that day let the people, so far as possible, cease from toil and devote themselves to such exercises as may best express honor to the discoverer and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life.” In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a national holiday, largely as a result of intense lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, an influential Catholic fraternal organization. (Source)

Controversy over Columbus Day dates back to the 19th century, when anti-immigrant groups in the United States rejected the holiday because of its association with Catholicism. In recent decades, Native Americans and other groups have protested the celebration of an event that resulted in the colonization of the Americas, the beginnings of the transatlantic slave trade and the deaths of millions from murder and disease. European settlers brought a host of infectious diseases, including smallpox and influenza, that decimated indigenous populations. Warfare between Native Americans and European colonists claimed many lives as well. (Source)

The image of Christopher Columbus as an intrepid hero has also been questioned. Upon arriving in the Bahamas, the explorer and his men forced the native peoples into slavery. Later, while serving as the governor of Hispaniola, he allegedly imposed barbaric forms of punishment, including torture. In many Latin American nations, the anniversary of Columbus’ landing has traditionally been observed as the Dìa de la Raza (“Day of the Race”), a celebration of Hispanic culture’s diverse roots. In 2002, Venezuela renamed the holiday Dìa de la Resistencia Indìgena (“Day of Indigenous Resistance”) to recognize native peoples and their experience. Several U.S. cities and states have replaced Columbus Day with alternative days of remembrance. Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and South Dakota have officially replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, as have cities like Denver, Phoenix and Los Angeles. (Source)

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[giradman]

Spruce Goose Flies Today in 1947!

The 'Hughes Flying Boat', nicknamed the Spruce Goose because of its predominant wood construction, was suppose to be a trans-Atlantic transport plane but was not completed until 1946 after WW II ended; the aircraft was the largest ever built and had a short maiden voyage today in 1947 (story quoted below - also an interesting video).

"The aircraft remains in good condition. After being displayed to the public for almost 11 years in Long Beach, California from 1980 to 1991, it is now displayed at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, United States" (Wiki). My family and I were in Los Angeles in the 1980s to see my brother - one of our many activities included a visit to Long Beach, CA to see the Spruce Goose - quite impressive 'in person' as the pics below show. Dave

The Hughes Flying Boat—the largest aircraft ever built—is piloted by designer Howard Hughes on its first and only flight. Built with laminated birch and spruce, the massive wooden aircraft had a wingspan longer than a football field and was designed to carry more than 700 men to battle.Howard Hughes was a successful Hollywood movie producer when he founded the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932. He personally tested cutting-edge aircraft of his own design and in 1937 broke the transcontinental flight-time record. In 1938, he flew around the world in a record three days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes. (Source)

Following the U.S. entrance into World War II in 1941, the U.S. government commissioned the Hughes Aircraft Company to build a large flying boat capable of carrying men and materials over long distances. The concept for what would become the “Spruce Goose” was originally conceived by the industrialist Henry Kaiser, but Kaiser dropped out of the project early, leaving Hughes and his small team to make the H-4 a reality. Because of wartime restrictions on steel, Hughes decided to build his aircraft out of wood laminated with plastic and covered with fabric. Although it was constructed mainly of birch, the use of spruce would later earn the aircraft the nickname Spruce Goose. It had a wingspan of 320 feet and was powered by eight giant propeller engines. (Source)

Development of the Spruce Goose cost a phenomenal $23 million and took so long that the war had ended by the time of its completion in 1946. The aircraft had many detractors, and Congress demanded that Hughes prove the plane airworthy. On November 2, 1947, Hughes obliged, taking the H-4 prototype out into Long Beach Harbor, CA for an unannounced flight test. Thousands of onlookers had come to watch the aircraft taxi on the water and were surprised when Hughes lifted his wooden behemoth 70 feet above the water and flew for a mile before landing. (Source)

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[giradman]

Nazis Launch Kristallnact this day in 1938!

Eighty years ago on this day, the German Nazis launch a terror campaign against Jews in Germany and Austria - their homes, businesses, and synagogues were vandalized. The smashing of countless windows of Jewish owned establishments led to the naming of the event Kristallnact or 'Night of Broken Glass' - much more quoted below and just a few pics from the web.

Germany reflects today: "Germany on Friday remembered victims of the Nazi pogrom that heralded the Third Reich's drive to wipe out Jews, at a time when anti-Semitism and nationalism is resurgent in the West. In a speech at the Bundestag marking the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, also known as the Night of Broken Glass, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the violence on November 9th, 1938 marked "the incomparable break from civilization, Germany's fall into barbarism" (SOURCE). Dave

On this day in 1938, in an event that would foreshadow the Holocaust, German Nazis launch a campaign of terror against Jewish people and their homes and businesses in Germany and Austria. The violence, which continued through November 10 and was later dubbed “Kristallnacht,” or “Night of Broken Glass,” after the countless smashed windows of Jewish-owned establishments, left approximately 100 Jews dead, 7,500 Jewish businesses damaged and hundreds of synagogues, homes, schools and graveyards vandalized. An estimated 30,000 Jewish men were arrested, many of whom were then sent to concentration camps for several months; they were released when they promised to leave Germany. Kristallnacht represented a dramatic escalation of the campaign started by Adolf Hitler in 1933 when he became chancellor to purge Germany of its Jewish population. (SOURCE)

The Nazis used the murder of a low-level German diplomat in Paris by a 17-year-old Polish Jew as an excuse to carry out the Kristallnacht attacks. On November 7, 1938, Ernst vom Rath was shot outside the German embassy by Herschel Grynszpan, who wanted revenge for his parents’ sudden deportation from Germany to Poland, along with tens of thousands of other Polish Jews. Following vom Rath’s death, Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels ordered German storm troopers to carry out violent riots disguised as “spontaneous demonstrations” against Jewish citizens. Local police and fire departments were told not to interfere. In the face of all the devastation, some Jews, including entire families, committed suicide. (SOURCE)

In the aftermath of Kristallnacht, the Nazis blamed the Jews and fined them 1 billion marks (or $400 million in 1938 dollars) for vom Rath’s death. As repayment, the government seized Jewish property and kept insurance money owed to Jewish people. In its quest to create a master Aryan race, the Nazi government enacted further discriminatory policies that essentially excluded Jews from all aspects of public life. Over 100,000 Jews fled Germany for other countries after Kristallnacht. The international community was outraged by the violent events of November 9 and 10. Some countries broke off diplomatic relations in protest, but the Nazis suffered no serious consequences, leading them to believe they could get away with the mass murder that was the Holocaust, in which an estimated 6 million European Jews died. (SOURCE)

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[J. A.]

November 12, 1918:
German-Austria is officially declared a republic. Today, Austria celebrates it‘s 100th „birthday“.
Republic of German-Austria - Wikipedia
If you read the article thoroughly, you‘ll notice that my state, Burgenland, wasn‘t part of the original 9 provinces. We joined in 1921.