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A Brief History On July 6, 1999, US Army Private Barry Winchell died for a stupid reason.  One of his fellow soldiers had beaten him with a baseball bat the day before while Winchell was sleeping, because Winchell had a relationship with a transgender showgirl!  How exactly that was the business of the murderer, Calvin Glover, is hard to fathom.  (The showgirl was a former Navy Corpsman named Calpernia Addams.)  Glover, among others, had been harassing Winchell about his “girlfriend,” and Winchell had won a fight between the two of them.  Apparently Glover was goaded about being beaten up by…

A Brief History On July 5, 1937, Hormel Foods Corporation introduced Spam to a Depression weary world.  A cooked, ready to eat meat product in a can, Spam was just the ticket for soldiers in the field in the upcoming World War.  It was also ideal for shipping to hungry allies.  Unfortunately, many folks think the salty, greasy, fat laden stuff in better suited as dog food, especially if you do not like your dog.  Britain and Australia got their share shipped to them, and Spam became a Monty Python joke.  Even unwanted emails are called Spam!  Still, it now comes in several flavor varieties (as many as 15)…

A Brief History On July 4, 1926, Knoebels Amusement Resort opened in Elysburg, Pennsylvania.  One of the few amusement parks that allows you to bring your dog, it is a particularly comfortable place with ample shade and excellent food.  This great old amusement park is just one of several in Pennsylvania, and is among the many reasons to visit the state.  Here we list only 10 of the many attractions, the ones that interestus the most.  Perhaps some of the other museums, resorts, historical sites or parks is what interests you.   Digging Deeper 10. Laurel Caverns. The largest cave system in Pennsylvania, the…

A Brief History On July 2, 1937, the last radio transmission from Amelia Earhart and her radio operator Fred Noonan was heard.  After that, they were never seen or heard again, lost over the vast Pacific.  Earhart was an aviation pioneer and perhaps the world’s best known aviatrix.  Other famous or important people have also died in aircraft mishaps, and here we list 10 of them, hopefully among the most interesting if not the most famous.  (Quite a few entertainers have died in airplane crashes so we cannot list all of them, and famous air to air combat aces that…

A Brief History On June 30, 1953, Flint, Michigan gave birth to an American legend, the first Chevrolet Corvette.  In production ever since, the car has remained a 2 seater throughout its history and has become an American Icon, a car that symbolizes the United States and the American car industry.  Here we list 10 such motor vehicles (leaving room for pick-ups and SUV’s) that are unmistakably American.  Not necessarily the best, but the ones most people around the world would think of being associated with the USA.   Digging Deeper 10. Dodge Viper. Built off and on since 1992, the…