A Brief History On August 4, 2020, one of the largest explosions of something not meant to be an explosive occurred in a warehouse in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, when 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate went up in an explosion that rivaled a small nuclear weapon. Digging Deeper A fire resulting from welding at the warehouse was the cause, and over 200 people died with an additional 7,000 injured, leaving a crater over 400 feet across and over 140 feet deep! Incredibly, 300,000 people were made homeless by the double blasts 30 seconds apart and homes 6 miles aways…
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A Brief History This article presents a chronological list of notable events that happened on August 4th. For each date below, please click on the date to be taken to an article covering that date’s event. Digging Deeper On August 4, 70 A.D., the Romans punished the rebellious Jews by destroying the Second Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. On August 4, 1693, the monk Dom Peringnon is traditionally believed to have invented Champagne. On August 4th, 1761, the first veterinary school of medicine was founded by Claude Bourgelat in Lyon, France. On August 4, 1821, little Louis Vuitton…
A Brief History On August 4, 1987, the Federal Communications Commission officially removed any obligation of television and radio media to present controversial issues in an even and “fair” manner when they rescinded the Fairness Doctrine. Digging Deeper Much has been made of the blatant cheerleading by mass media for one side or the other in recent years, making so called news programs more partisan than just information. Calling the media “biased” and “fake news” has become an allegation by all sides of every issue anytime the media does not agree with a point of view. The Fairness Doctrine originated…
A Brief History On August 4, 1892, the father and stepmother of 32 year old Lizzie Borden were brutally murdered, hacked to pieces with an axe! Digging Deeper Borden, born in Fall River, Massachusetts, was charged with murder in a sensational case that achieved national attention. Despite public opinion that Lizzie had committed the gruesome crime, she was acquitted at trial 10 months after the crime. Contributing to her defense was another axe murder that took place in Fall River only 5 days before her trial. Such a high-profile case attracted prominent attorneys to both the prosecution and the defense,…
A Brief History On August 4, 2019, we celebrate another Friendship Day, truly one of the worthwhile “Days” you might find on those ubiquitous event calendars that have a day for (seemingly) everything. So important is this “holiday,” it has its own organization (which you could see by clicking the link above). After family, friends are the next most important people in the world, and today we take a look at 10 examples of friends that are famous, infamous, or of historical importance. Who is your best friend? Your mom/dad? Your sister/brother? Someone you have known since childhood, or a…