History and Headlines - A Bizarre Look at History...One Day at a Time!

March 30, 1987: Actor Paul Newman Wins Best Actor at the Academy Awards

By Dr. Zar on August 17, 2018 Cinema & TV, March 30

A Brief History Renowned American film actor and philanthropist Paul Newman had an unusual relationship with the Academy Awards. Before he won his first Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role in March 30, 1987, he was nominated for the same award six times prior. The first nomination was in 1959 for The Cat in the Hot Tin Roof. Newman had to wait almost 30 years for his first Oscar. Digging Deeper The result of this long wait was that when he was nominated for the seventh time, he snubbed the ceremony – even though it was obvious that…

August 17, 2018: Mile 22 Movie Review, Marky Mark Goes Postal!

By Major Dan on August 17, 2018 August 17, Cinema & TV

A Brief History On August 17, 2018, American action film fans are treated to the opening of the new action/thriller/black-ops movie starring Mark Wahlberg in his quirkiest best, Mile 22. Yes, we watched a pre-screening of the film and like the full packed audience, we loved every gun shot, grenade blast, and kick to the face. What we do not like is the title of the film! We know that is being picky, but for what it is worth we think a title that grabs the potential movie goer would represent the film better. Still… Digging Deeper Well directed by…

August 15, 1914: What Was the First Ship Through the Panama Canal?

By Major Dan on August 15, 2018 August 15, Inventions, Travel, Vehicles

A Brief History On August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal was opened for traffic, with the SS Ancon making the first transit of the great canal. Constructed from 1904 to 1914 by the United States, a previous French attempt at building the canal from 1881 to 1894 failed miserably, with thousands of workers killed by disease and venomous snakes, a rate of fatalities that reached 200 per month. Despite an asking price of $100 million dollars, the US was able to purchase the rights to the canal project for only $40 million. Completion of the canal became a great source…

August 14, 2003: The Great Blackout of 2003

By Major Dan on August 14, 2018 August 14, Politics, Science & Technology

A Brief History On August 14, 2003, an enormous electrical blackout struck the Northeast and upper Midwest of the United States and a large part of Western Ontario, Canada, leaving about (or “aboot” in the Great White North) 55 million people without electricity for a period lasting between 7 hours and 2 days. As is nearly always the case, the government response was a knee jerk reaction to lie to the public! While the 9/11 terrorist attacks were still fresh in the minds of North Americans, the US Government assured the public that the power outage was NOT a terror…

August 12, 1994: 10 Famous Labor or Protest Strikes (Sports Edition)

By Major Dan on August 13, 2018 August 12, Lists, Sports

A Brief History On August 12, 1994, major league baseball players went on strike, ending the 1994 major league baseball season and causing the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. Sacrilege! Any labor dispute that cause the cancellation of anything as publicly visible as the World Series is sure to get attention, though labor or protest strikes outside of the sporting world can also be highly visible or even intrusive to the public at large. Today we list “10 Famous Labor or Protest Strikes” that have particular historical interest or consequence. What strikes would you add to the list? (Note:…