Author: Major Dan

A Brief History On November 17, 1993, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution establishing the North American Free Trade Agreement, normally referred to as NAFTA, a trade treaty between the United States, Canada, and Mexico that has generated bitter political debate ever since.  The agreement became effective as of January 1, 1994. Digging Deeper The trade treaty replaced a previous trade agreement between the US and Canada called the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (effective January 1, 1988), and serves to reduce or eliminate barriers to trade between the US and its neighbors, creating a free trade…

A Brief History On November 16, 1914, The Federal Reserve Bank of the United States officially opened as a series of 12 banks serving 12 Federal Reserve Districts with each bank tasked with implementing the monetary policy of the United States as set forth by the Federal Open Market Committee, all being authorized by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Digging Deeper Collectively called the Federal Reserve System, The Federal Reserve, or just simply “The Fed,” this group of money managers has the responsibility to prevent or alleviate any economic crises that develop or may develop, and was created after…

A Brief History On November 15, 1969, the Cold War in the icy waters of the Barents Sea became very real when the US submarine USS Gato collided with the Soviet submarine K-19.  Lucky for both crews, neither sub sank and no lives were lost.  Throughout history, ships have found ways to run into each other or other objects, sometimes on purpose, but usually by accident.  Today we list 5 of these unfortunate occurrences. Digging Deeper 1. USS Gato vs. USSR K-19, 1969. While both ships were patrolling the arctic waters of the Barents Sea North of Scandinavia and Murmansk, the…

A Brief History On November 14, 2017, we take the opportunity to review the new film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri that we had the chance to screen last night in a full theater.  Briefly, two things stand out about the movie.  The first thing, is that the audience enthusiastically clapped at the end.  Such applause is always a darn good sign.  The other main takeaway from the movie is that the star, Frances McDormand, is almost certain to get a nomination for the Best Actress Oscar.  The film has already been released on November 10, 2017 in selected US…

A Brief History On November 14, 1889, American female journalist, Nellie Bly, began her trip around the world in a successful attempt to match the fictional story of Phileas Fogg who went Around the World in Eighty Days in the 1873 Jules Verne novel by the same title.  Not only did Bly become the first known human to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days, she actually beat the target by completing the journey in only 72 days, a world record at the time. Digging Deeper Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran in Cochran Mills, Pennsylvania in 1864, Bly was incensed in 1880…