A Brief History On August 23, 1904, Harry Weed of Canastota, New York patented the automobile tire chain. In those days before snow tires and before Four Wheel and All Wheel Drive, tire chains undoubtedly saved many a would be stranded motorist. Here we list 10 Nifty Automotive Inventions, some of those great things that might not be of great necessity, but that make our motoring lives easier and even more fun. Digging Deeper 1. Tire Chains, 1904. As stated above, this invention is not only helpful, but in some circumstances an absolute necessity, especially in the mountains. Tire chains are…
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A Brief History This article presents a timeline of American history since the Civil War. Please click on any of the dates to learn more about that date’s events. Digging Deeper I. Reconstruction – 1865-1877 On July 21, 1865, a real life showdown resulting in face to face gunplay happened for the first time, the first of the classic duels we have come to know as a Wild West gunfight. On November 10, 1865, the long sad saga of the Camp Sumter prisoner of war camp located in Andersonville, Georgia finally came to a conclusion of sorts when the Camp Commandant, Confederate Major…
A Brief History On August 19, 2002, the Russian military suffered the worst fatal helicopter incident and crash in the history of aviation when a missile fired by Chechen Islamic Separatists struck a Russian Mi-26 helicopter, bringing the huge helicopter down in a minefield and killing a total of 127 Russian soldiers. Digging Deeper The Mil Mi-26 (NATO code named “Halo”) is a heavy lift helicopter introduced in 1983. Over 300 of the giants have been built, and it is the biggest and most powerful production helicopter ever produced. Its 2 turboshaft engines produce a total of almost 23, 000…
A Brief History On August 12, 1883, the last known living specimen of the Quagga died, and the species became extinct. This Zebra-like critter had only the front half of its head and body striped, and unfortunately, only 1 photo of a live Quagga is known to exist. Human encroachment on the habitat of the Quagga, including European colonization of Africa, farming and fencing, and hunting led to the extinction of this nifty looking beast. We previously listed “10 Animals Extinct or Endangered Because of Humans,” and today we list “10 More.” Digging Deeper 1. Woolly Rhinoceros. Did you know that…
A Brief History On July 30, 2003, in Puebla, Mexico of all places, the last of the “old style” (what we like to call “real”) Volkswagen Beetles came off the assembly line, ending the longest and most prolific manufacturing streak of any car platform ever made. Digging Deeper (Note: The Toyota Corolla has sold 40 million units under that name, but the car has definitely not been the same basic car for its lifespan, from 1966 to Present. It is the same in name only.) The Volkswagen Beetle was the brainchild of Ferdinand Porsche (yes, as in that Porsche) who…