Wednesday, January 3, 2024

This Date in History - January 3

 

It's Victoria Principal's birthday.  Everybody take the rest of the day off.

1521: POPE LEO X EXCOMMUNICATES MARTIN LUTHER.

Today he would simply take away his cell phone.

1749:  BENNING WENTWORTH ISSUES THE FIRST OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS, LEADING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF VERMONT.

The saps.

1777:  AMERICAN GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON DEFEATS BRITISH GENERAL LORD CORNWALLIS AT THE BATTLE OF PRINCETON.

Take Princeton with ten points.

1823:  STEPHEN F. AUSTIN RECEIVES A GRANT OF LAND IN TEXAS FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO.

And I think I'll call it...wait...Austin, Texas.

1861:  AMERICAN CIVIL WAR - DELAWARE VOTES NOT TO SECEDE FROM THE UNITED STATES.

Phew.

1870:  CONSTRUCTION OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE BEGINS.

Because thousands of patsies are ready to buy it.

1888:  THE JAMES LICK TELESCOPE IS USED FOR THE FIRST TIME...THE LARGEST REFRACTING TELESCOPE IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME.

Couldn't care a...lick.

1911:  A GUN BATTLE IN THE EAST END OF LONDON LEFT TWO DEAD AND SPARKED A POLITICAL ROW OVER THE INVOLVEMENT OF THEN-HOME SECRETARY WINSTON CHURCHILL.

Get off my lawn.

1913:  AN ATLANTIC COAST STORM SETS THE LOWEST CONFIRMED BAROMETRIC PRESSURE IN THE US.

Climate change!!!

1916:  TV PERSONALITY BETTY FURNESS IS BORN.

Just what did she do other than open refrigerator doors?

1925:  BENITO MUSSOLINI ANNOUNCES HE IS TAKING DICTATORIAL POWERS OVER ITALY.

Why?  Because he said so.

1932:  MARTIAL LAW IS DECLARED IN HONDURAS TO STOP A REVOLT OF BANANA WORKERS FIRED BY THE UNITED FRUIT COMPANY.

They need to re-peel.

1933:  MINNIE D. CRAIG BECOMES THE FIRST WOMAN ELECTED AS SPEAKER OF THE NORTH DAKOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD A SPEAKER POSITION ANYWHERE IN THE US.

And not the last...sadly.

1938:  THE MARCH OF DIMES IS ESTABLISHED BY PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT.

Coins can march.  He can't.

1945:  WORLD WAR II - ADMIRAL CHESTER W, NIMITZ IS PLACED IN COMMAND OF ALL US NAVAL FORCES IN PREPARATION FOR PLANNED ASSAULTS AGAINST IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA IN JAPAN.

Prepare to say sayonara.

1945:  MUSICIAN STEPHEN STILLS IS BORN.

Paging Crosby, Nash, and Young.

1947:  PROCEEDINGS OF THE US CONGRESS ARE TELEVISED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

For those who can't sleep.

1950:  ACTRESS VICTORIA PRINCIPAL IS BORN.

My school needed a Principal like that.

1953:  FRANCES P. BOLTON AND HER SON OLIVER FROM OHIO BECOME THE FIRST MOTHER AND SON TO SERVE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE US CONGRESS.

That famed Bolton voting bloc.

1956:  ACTOR MEL GIBSON IS BORN.

Much to the regret of many liberals in the world.

1956:  A FIRE DAMAGES THE TOP PART OF THE EIFFEL TOWER.

Call Allstate.

1957:  THE HAMILTON WATCH COMPANY INTRODUCES THE FIRST ELECTRIC WATCH.

That must be one long extension cord.

1959:  ALASKA IS ADMITTED AS THE 49TH US STATE.

Hawaii, wait your turn.

1962:  POPE JOHN XXIII EXCOMMUNICATES FIDEL CASTRO.

I had no idea that Castro and Martin Luther had something in common.

1967:  MURDERER JACK RUBY DIES.

He knew.

1975:  ACTRESS DANICA MCKELLAR IS BORN.

Had dinner with her several times.   Just saying.

1977:  APPLE COMPUTER IS INCORPORATED.

You may have heard of them.

1979:  BUSINESSMAN CONRAD HILTON DIES.

Checkout time.

1993:  IN RUSSIA, PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH AND BORIS YELTSIN SIGN THE SECOND STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY.

Collusion!!!

2000:  THE FINAL DAILY PEANUTS COMIC STRIP.

Good grief.

2014:  MUSICIAN PHIL EVERLY DIES.

So he's not really here for-everly.

2015:  NY GIANTS COACH ALLIE SHERMAN DIES.

Wonder if his wife's name was Kate.

Dinner last night:  Rinse and repeat.  Had egg nog French toast again.

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