A Brief History On August 31, 2019, a sightseeing tourist helicopter crashed in Norway, killing the pilot and all five passengers. Sadly, the thrill of taking a helicopter tour of Hawaii, The Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, New York City, Hoover Dam, and any of a number of tourist sites is often marred by a jarring crash that too often kills the occupants of the chopper. Digging Deeper The military are not strangers to massive use of helicopters, and during the Vietnam War, the US lost 5,607 of their military whirlybirds. While helicopters are useful for troop and gear transport, medevac,…
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A Brief History On August 24, 2016, the European Southern Observatory discovered the closest planet to Earth that is not in our solar system, calling this newfound planet Proxima Centauri b. Digging Deeper Located in the tri-star system known as Alpha Centauri, our new planet orbits the red dwarf star, Proxima Centauri. Not only is it the closest known exoplanet, it is also believed to exist in the “habitable zone,” meaning it is just the right distance from its star to support life. Also intriguing, its size is nearly identical to that of Earth. Before you start making a reservation…
A Brief History On July 22, 1942, due to wartime demands on gasoline, the US instituted a national rationing program for this fuel. World War II saw many items rationed, including fuels, tires, and even cars. But it gets worse! Digging Deeper World War II begat the issuance of ration stamps, resulting in black market and counterfeit stamps. Dog food in cans disappeared, and toothpaste tubes were limited. A national 35 mph speed limit was instituted, coffee availability was cut in half, shoes, bicycles, rubber products, many foods, coal, firewood, and medicines such as penicillin were rationed. Silk was rationed,…
A Brief History On July 21, 2012, Turkish-American adventurer Erden Eruç, completed an historic first ever human powered circumnavigation of the Earth. His official jumping off point was Bodega Bay, California on July 10, 2007, taking a rowboat across the Pacific Ocean. Digging Deeper He completed his journey around the World by rowboat, bicycle, canoe, kayak, and on foot until he reached California in 2012, the first person to accomplish the feat on his own power. The intrepid, brave, and sturdy man had traveled an incredible 41,196 miles in the 5 year odyssey, crossing the Equator twice but skipping some…
A Brief History On July 4, 1946, the Philippines became an independent country after having been under colonial rule by Spain and then the US for 381 years. Today, we look at countries that spent even more years under colonial rule than the Philippines. Digging Deeper Guyana, 387 years under Dutch then British rule, and English is the official language. Cuba, 389 years under Spanish rule. Angola, 400 years, first visited by the Portuguese in 1484 and later colonized, gaining independence in 1975. Ghana, 426 years dominated by European countries including Portugal, the Netherlands, Britain, Sweden, and Denmark! Jamaica, 454…