This Date in History - March 5

Russian leader Joseph Stalin died on this date.   And the creepy thing those Soviets always do is keep their dead leaders on display.  Talk about your odd tourist attractions.

1046:  NASER KHOSROW BEGINS THE SEVEN-YEAR MIDDLE EASTERN JOURNEY WHICH HE WILL LATER DESCRIBE IN HIS BOOK SAFARNAMA.

As long as we don't have to sit through the slide show.

1496:  KING HENRY VII OF ENGLAND ISSUES LETTERS PATENT TO JOHN CABOT AND HIS SONS, AUTHORIZING THEM TO EXPLORE UNKNOWN LANDS.

Once again...as long as we don't have to sit through the slide show.

1616:  NICOLAUS COPERNICUS' BOOK, DE REVOLUTIONIBUS ORBIUM COELESTIUM, IS BANNED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Banned?  I bet they couldn't even pronounce it.

1770:  THE BOSTON MASSACRE---FIVE AMERICANS ARE KILLED BY BRITISH TROOPS, WHICH WILL LEAD TO THE START OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

It's time for high tea.

1836:  SAMUEL COLT PATENTS THE FIRST .34 CALIBER REVOLVER.

And later the malt liquor.

1872:  GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE PATENTS THE AIR BRAKE.

You can be sure it's....

1908:  ACTOR REX HARRISON IS BORN.

"Marry Freddy??"

1912:  ITALIAN FORCES ARE THE FIRST TO USE AIRSHIPS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES, EMPLOYING THEM FOR RECONNAISSANCE BEHIND TURKISH LINES.

Because you never really know what those Turks are up to, do you?

1927:  ACTOR JACK CASSIDY IS BORN.

Shirley's husband, David's dad, Hopalong's cousin.

1933:  PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT DECLARES A BANK HOLIDAY, CLOSING ALL US BANKS AND FREEZING ALL FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS. 

What about the ATMs?

1933:  ADOLF HITLER'S NAZI PARTY RECEIVES 43.9% OF THE REICHSTAG ELECTIONS.  THIS LATER ALLOWS THE NAZIS TO ESTABLISH A DICTATORSHIP.

With only 43.9?  What happened to "majority rules?"

1939:  ACTRESS SAMANTHA EGGAR IS BORN.

Name one movie she's done.  I dare you.

1940:  MEMBERS OF SOVIET POLITBURO, INCLUDING GENERAL SECRETARY JOSEPH STALIN, SIGN AN ORDER FOR THE EXECUTION OF 25,700 POLISH POWS.

Hey, Big Joe, remember this date.   What goes around comes around.

1946:  WINSTON CHURCHILL COINS THE PHRASE "IRON CURTAIN" IN HIS SPEECH AT WESTMINISTER COLLEGE, MISSOURI.

Of course, you will notice he was on one of his many vacations to the US.

1947:  BASEBALL STAR KENT TEKULVE IS BORN.

One of the ugliest baseball players ever.   But see for yourself.

1953:  JOSEPH STALIN DIES.

I told you so.

1960:  CUBAN PHOTOGRAPHER ALBERTO KORDA TAKES HIS ICONIC PHOTOGRAPH OF MARXIST CHE GUEVARA.

I'll take five wallet size.

1963:  SINGER PATSY CLINE DIES.

"I'm crazy...crazy for flying in that plane."

1966:  BOAC FLIGHT 911 CRASHES ON MOUNT FUJI, JAPAN, KILLING 124.  

Luckily, there were no country music stars on board.

1974:  ACTOR BILLY DE WOLFE DIES.

He was never married and who's surprised by that??!!

1974:  DURING THE YOM KIPPUR WAR, ISRAELI FORCES WITHDRAW FROM THE WEST BANK OF THE SUEZ CANAL.

Again?

1979:  AMERICA'S VOYAGER I SPACECRAFT HAS ITS CLOSEST APPROACH TO JUPITER.  

They can do this, but some airplane can't get over Mount Fuji?

1982:  ACTOR JOHN BELUSHI DIES.

Samurai Corpse.

1984:  ACTOR WILLIAM POWELL DIES.

He was propably even thinner at the time of his death.

1999:  PAUL OKALIK IS ELECTED FIRST PREMIER OF NUNAVUT.

Who?  Where?

1999:  ACTOR RICHARD KILEY DIES.

The impossible dream is now an eternal one.

2012:  SONGWRITER ROBERT B. SHERMAN DIES.

A spoonful of sugar makes the formaldehyde go in.

2013:  POLITICIAN HUGO CHAVEZ DIES.

I love his ravine.

Dinner last night: Leftover chili.