Today in History

LizzieMaine · Aug 10, 2019

Seventeen other African-Americans excelled in that Olympics alongside Owens -- one of them was Mack Robinson of Los Angeles, who won the silver in the 200 meter dash, just 4 hundredths of a second behind gold-medal winner Owens. Two years later, he was working as a street sweeper in Pasadena. He wore his Olympic jacket while pushing his broom, showing his contempt for a nation that claimed to honor its "fine Negro athletes" abroad while confining them to second-class status at home.

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Eleven years after Mack Robinson's trip to Berlin, his younger brother Jack broke the major league baseball color line with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Zachary · Aug 11, 2019

Now I do have something to share that my fellow Ladies and Gentlemen from the left side of the Great Soup might not be aware of:

Today 20 years ago (August 11, 1999) the first-ever solar eclipse for me took place here in Europe, and I remember very well that it was called the "eclipse of the century" since it was a seldom find in history -- a solar eclipse which's umbra shadow spread across the most densely populated areas of mid-Europe. While my fellow countrymen (in Germany) very haunted by bad weather, I enjoyed the eclipse in purest sunshine in Southern Hungary. Actually, a drunkard who happened to be our neighbour was at work in his shed and at some point shouted out: "Why's it so daahk here? Turn up the liiiights someone!"

Finally, I was satisfied by the cosmic view albeit the totality at my place was at only 98 %. Most other people of Hungary travelled to Lake Balaton, and trains were so excessively crowded that one man, swearing in anger, remained alone on the platform looking after the departing train and waving his fist. It was the conductor.

GHT · Aug 12, 2019

35 years ago Ian Lancaster Fleming passed away. (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) He was an English author, journalist and naval intelligence officer. Fleming came from a wealthy family, connected to the merchant bank, Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst and, briefly, the universities of Munich and Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing.

While working for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War, Fleming was involved in planning Operation Goldeneye as well as the planning and oversight of two intelligence units, 30 Assault Unit and T-Force. His wartime service and his career as a journalist provided much of the background, detail and depth for his future novels.

Fleming wrote his first novel, Casino Royale, in 1952. It was a success, with three print runs being commissioned to cope with the demand. Eleven more novels and two collections of short stories followed between 1953 and 1966. The novels revolve around an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Known by his code number, 007, he was a commander in the Royal Naval Reserve. The stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Fleming also wrote the children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and two works of non-fiction. In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

Fleming was married to Ann Charteris, who was divorced from the second Viscount Rothermere because of her affair with the author. Fleming and Charteris had a son, Caspar. Fleming was a heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life and succumbed to heart disease in 1964 at the age of 56. Two of his novels were published posthumously. He called his agent, James Bond, wonder what became of him?

Lean'n'mean · Aug 12, 2019

On this day in 2014, Lauren Bacall died aged 89 following a stroke.

Peacoat · Aug 12, 2019

GHT said:
35 years ago Ian Lancaster Fleming passed away. (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) Uh, like, I think it would be closer to 55 years ago? How do I know this? Because the summer of 1964 was the summer of my first love, and it was a lot longer ago than 35 years. We were both James Bond fans and have stayed in touch over the years.

Thank you for remembering Ian Fleming. He gave us some good adventures.

GHT · Aug 12, 2019

Peacoat said:
I think it would be closer to 55 years ago?

Oh dear, red faces here. hope my neighbour's boy doesn't see that. He was struggling to understand the binary system. His mother asked if I could help. I found my old maths schoolbook and went round to see what his problem was. After a few attempts he started to get the gist of it, but said, he couldn't see the point of a system that only had zero and one. When I told him that by replacing zero and one with pulse, no pulse you had the basis of a computer system, the scales fell from his eyes. Then he said, "if you are so good at mathematics, how come I had to program your phone to get it to work?" "Good question," I replied, gathering up my book and going back home.

MissMittens · Aug 12, 2019

Today in 1935, FDR signed the Social Security Bill into law.

On this day in 1941, Marshal Petain committed treason against France by announcing Vichy France's full cooperation with the German Reich

Peacoat · Aug 13, 2019

On this day in 1961 construction began on the Berlin Wall during the night. It lasted until November, 1991.

Fading Fast · Aug 13, 2019

Peacoat said:
On this day in 1961 construction began on the Berlin Wall during the night. It lasted until November, 1991.

You know something isn't right in your country when you're walling your own people in - and shooting them if they try to get out.

MisterCairo · Aug 13, 2019

Peacoat said:
On this day in 1961 construction began on the Berlin Wall during the night. It lasted until November, 1991.

That's a hell of a long time to build a wall...

Sorry, I could not resist...

Peacoat · Aug 13, 2019

Yes, the antecedent of "It" is the wall, not the construction thereof. After I posted, I saw the problem but didn't want to take the time and go back and change it. My wife had lunch ready, and I was more interested in eating than editing.

Nobert · Aug 14, 2019

Peacoat said:
On this day in 1961 construction began on the Berlin Wall during the night.

That's kind of sneaky, but who were they attempting to blindside?

"Good morning, Franz."
"'Morning, Gunter."
"Say, something seems different. Was this wall here yesterday?"
"I don't think so. I would surmise that if I had been greeting you all this time with a massive concrete barrier between us, I would likely have taken notice."

GHT · Aug 14, 2019

LizzieMaine said:
Seventeen other African-Americans excelled in that Olympics alongside Owens -- one of them was Mack Robinson of Los Angeles, who won the silver in the 200 meter dash, just 4 hundredths of a second behind gold-medal winner Owens. Two years later, he was working as a street sweeper in Pasadena. He wore his Olympic jacket while pushing his broom, showing his contempt for a nation that claimed to honor its "fine Negro athletes" abroad while confining them to second-class status at home.

Michael Schumacher is often described as the greatest Formula One racing driver ever. Seven times world champion. Most of his achievements were with Ferrari. He is feted and adored by motor racing fans the world over.

Lewis Hamilton has won five world championships and could be on course to win more championships than Sshumacher. We Brits don't get much in the way of sporting bragging rights. It's a shame then that Hamilton's success so far, has been suggested, that his Mercedes formula one car is the real winner. Comments like: "Would Hamilton be so successful if every F1 driver had a Mercedes." Why can't they just give the man the credit for his hard work and dedication?

Lean'n'mean · Aug 14, 2019

Fading Fast said:
You know something isn't right in your country when you're walling your own people in - and shooting them if they try to get out.

Shootin' 'em if they try to get in ain't much better.

Peacoat · Aug 15, 2019

It started today in 1969 in tiny Bethel, NY. Over 400,000 young people showed up for 3 days of music, sex and drugs. I wasn't there, but I should have been.

scotrace · Aug 15, 2019

And not necessarily in that order...

LizzieMaine · Aug 15, 2019

On August 15, 1945, the Office of Price Administration announced the end, effective immediately, of gasoline and fuel oil rationing in the US. In drugstores from coast to coast there was a rush on single-edge razor blades as millions of car owners scraped stickers off their windshields.

EngProf · Aug 16, 2019

Peacoat said:
It started today in 1969 in tiny Bethel, NY. Over 400,000 young people showed up for 3 days of music, sex and drugs. I wasn't there, but I should have been.

That was during the summer between my junior and senior years of college. I'm 99% certain that I was unaware of it.
In the latter part of August of that year we were getting ready for a road trip to what would have been a more important destination for us: the NHRA US National Drag Racing Championships in Indianapolis, IN. (Labor Day weekend)
"I love the smell of nitromethane in the morning..."

GHT · Aug 16, 2019

Lean'n'mean said:
Shootin' 'em if they try to get in ain't much better.

We had that scenario almost two thousand years ago. After the Romans had conquered our country they wanted to keep the barbaric Scots away, so on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian, a wall was constructed across the country. Built between AD 122 and 128, it still stands today, all eighty miles of it, well almost. Some major roads and railway lines run over it.

Peacoat · Aug 30, 2019

Today in 1967 the Senate confirmed Thurgood Marshall as the first African American Supreme Court Justice.

Today in History

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