This Day in History on January 6 - History and Headlines

January 6, 2017: Mass Shooting in Airport Leads to Serious Mental Health Questions

By Major Dan on January 6, 2019 Crime, January 6, Politics

A Brief History On January 6, 2017, an American citizen and veteran of the War in Iraq opened fire at the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Broward County, Southern Florida with a legally purchased and owned pistol, killing 5 people and injuring another 6 before surrendering to police. While it is not unusual for mass shooters to either be assessed as mentally ill or to at least seem (to the general public) to be mentally ill, the convoluted path through mental illness to a tragic mass murder in this case is particularly disturbing. While we describe the course of this…

January 6, 2017: Infamous Killer Whale, Tilikum, Dies at Age 35

By Major Dan on January 6, 2018 Animals/Pets, January 6, Nature

A Brief History January 6, 2017, the infamous Killer Whale (also known as Orca), named Tilikum, the subject of the expose Blackfish that first aired in 2013 on CNN detailing the keeping and displaying of Killer Whales (Orcas) by Sea World, died of natural causes at the age of 35. Due mostly to pressure created by the CNN documentary, SeaWorld had announced an end to their showing of Orcas and their Orca breeding program in 2016. Digging Deeper The whipping boy of the Blackfish documentary, SeaWorld, was first opened in San Diego in 1964. Its success created a push to…

January 6, 1930: First Ever Diesel Powered Automobile Trip

By Major Dan on January 6, 2017 January 6, Vehicles

A Brief History On January 6, 1930, a milestone in automobile engine history occurred when the first diesel powered automobile trip was taken from Indianapolis, Indiana to New York, New York. Clessie Cummins of Cummins Engine Company (1919) had installed one of his Diesel engines in a used Packard limousine and took the first short ride in a diesel powered car on Christmas, 1929. When the engine and automobile combination proved successful, Cummins then orchestrated the first road trip by a Diesel powered automobile with his trip to New York. Digging Deeper Internal combustion engines had been furiously developed during…

January 6, 1941: FDR Delivers Four Freedoms Speech

By Major Dan on January 6, 2016 January 6, Politics

A Brief History On January 6, 1941, much of the world was enmeshed in World War II, with only the United States among the great powers not yet at war. Many US citizens wanted to keep it that way, and sentiment was largely against any involvement in the affairs of Europe where Hitler and Nazi Germany along with Italy were at war with Western democracies such as France and Britain, and Asia where Japan was fighting in China. Digging Deeper US President Franklin Roosevelt publicly echoed the party line of non-involvement with the war, but he personally wanted to help…

Newsflash! Light Heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts Champ Tests Positive for Cocaine!

By Dr. Zar on January 7, 2015 January 6, Newsflash, Sports

A Brief History A few days ago, we featured an article hailing mixed martial artist Jon Jones for having cemented his position as greatest light heavyweight champion ever. Digging Deeper Unfortunate news has come out that he had tested positive for cocaine use in a pre-fight drug test (the results of which were only made public after the fight). As can be read here, the MMA community is deeply disappointed by this news. Question for students (and subscribers): The full consequences of this revelation are yet to be revealed, but we ask our readers what punishment do you think will or should happen to…