Browsing: December 22

A Brief History On December 22, 1880, English writer George Eliot, author of such novels as Adam Bede and Silas Marner, died at the age of 61 of a throat infection and chronic kidney problems.  Eliot was actually a woman, born Mary Ann Evans in Warwickshire, England, and was sent by her family to receive a quality education, a relatively rare thing for a girl in those days. Digging Deeper Despite her obvious intelligence, the reason for her referral to the academic world was because she was not expected to land a husband with her decidedly mediocre physical appearance!  Her…

A Brief History On December 22, 69 AD, the reigning Emperor of Rome, Vitellius, was captured and murdered on the Gemonian Stairs in Rome, proving once again how dangerous it was to be a Roman Emperor. Digging Deeper The year 69 AD is also known as “The Year of the Four Emperors” which should give something of a clue as to how short one’s reign may be.  The guy that succeeded Vitellius, known as Vespasian, managed to stay on the throne for 10 years, die of natural causes and be succeeded by his son Titus, who also died of natural…

A Brief History On December 22, 1965, one more bit of personal freedom went the way of the passenger pigeon when a 70 mph speed limit was set on all British rural roads.  Prior to this law, there had been no speed limit in Great Britain, a country that had the most cars per mile of road than any other country in the world. Digging Deeper Before Anglophiles get all upset, this article is not a slam on the island of Great Britain or the country known as the United Kingdom.  It is merely a lamentation of some past glory that seems lost forever. A while…

A Brief History On December 22, 1984, the tables got turned on criminals when their victim shot them! Digging Deeper Bernhard Goetz, a 37-year-old white man, riding a New York subway believed himself threatened when approached by four African-American men ages 18 and 19.  In an instant after initial contact, five shots rang out in rapid succession and all four young men were shot. Although the four young men were apparently carrying screwdrivers for their intended breaking into of vending machines, none of them actually threatened Goetz with a screwdriver when they either asked or demanded $5 from Goetz. Being…