Browsing: October

A Brief History The United Nations Population Fund designated October 12, 1999 as the approximate day on which the world’s human population reached 6 billion.  This day is celebrated as the “Day of 6 Billion.”  In the meantime, approximately 7 billion people inhabit the Earth.  With so many issues affecting the planet, it is hard to say which ones are more detrimental than others.  It is clear, however, that these issues are rapidly getting worse.  What is the cause of all this?  Simply put: humans.  The biggest issues facing the planet are interrelated, and the most recognizable common denominator is human consumption habits.  It is crucial that…

A Brief History On October 11, 1975, the iconic television show Saturday Night Live made its debut with the late, great George Carlin hosting.  Guest performers included Andy Kaufman, Billy Preston and Janis Ian.  That memorable show featured Janis Ian singing her second major hit song, “At Seventeen.” Her first hit had been the controversial song “Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking),” a song that dealt with a relationship between a 16-year-old white, Jewish girl and a black man.  Initially released in 1965, the song about interracial love was released 3 times before it made the charts in 1967.  It was subsequently banned from many radio stations…

A Brief History On October 10, 1973, Spiro Agnew, former Governor of Maryland and current Vice President of the United States, resigned his office following criminal charges.  Agnew’s crimes and subsequent resignation constituted one of the worst political scandals in U.S. history, as he was only the second U.S. vice president to resign and the only one to resign because of crimes.  Just like other people, politicians sometimes do the wrong thing, however when they do, and it becomes public knowledge, a scandal often ensues.  Here 9 such scandals are listed.  For similar stories, please also read the History and Headlines articles: “10 U.S. Politicians Who…

A Brief History On October 9, 2012, Malala Yousafzai boarded her school bus in northwest Pakistan.  A gunman asked for Malala by name, then pointed a Colt 45 at her and fired three shots.  One bullet hit the left side of Malala’s forehead, traveled under her skin the length of her face and then penetrated her shoulder.  In the days immediately following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition, but later her condition improved enough for her to be sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in England for intensive rehabilitation.  She went on to win Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize and the Sakharov Prize for 2013. Digging…

A Brief History On October 9, 1992, an unidentified flying object (UFO) crashed in a driveway in Peekskill, New York, crushing the trunk of the 1980 Chevy Malibu that was parked there. Digging Deeper The UFO did not remain unidentified for long;  it turned out to be a 26-pound meteorite that had fallen in the area, an event caught on video by at least 16 people and witnessed by thousands more in several US states as a “huge, greenish fireball.”  Since it was a Friday night, plenty of camcorders were already filming high school football games when the meteorite passed. It was a foot in diameter…