A Brief History On September 16, 1979, eight people yearning to be free of oppressive communism in East Germany made a flight to freedom in a hot air balloon to West Germany. Digging Deeper Amazingly, the escapees had been plotting their flight for over 18 months and had failed in a previous attempt. Lucky for them the authorities were unable to identify the would-be aeronauts. The successful balloon was the third balloon constructed by the determined Germans. Germany had been separated into Soviet and other Allied zones after the end of World War II in Europe, with East Germany dominated…
Browsing: Politics
A Brief History On September 15, 1978, the self-proclaimed “Greatest” boxer, Muhammad Ali, won a decision on points against former US Marine, Leon Spinks, winning back the heavyweight boxing championship he had held twice before. Digging Deeper Ali became the first three-time heavyweight champion, having previously won the crown in a fight against Sonny Liston in 1964, defending his title nine times successfully before losing his crown during a dispute with the US government over military conscription in 1967. Ali returned to the ring in 1970, winning a pair of fights before challenging Joe Frazier for the title. Ali lost…
A Brief History On September 11, 1941, aviator Charles Lindbergh delivered a speech for the America First Committee in Des Moines, Iowa, in which he claimed the US was being coerced into World War II, alleging, “…pressing this country toward war; the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt Administration.” Digging Deeper Having become a celebrity and American hero by becoming the first pilot to fly non-stop solo across the Atlantic in 1927, Lindbergh was a popular figure. Unfortunately, he had political leanings that included anti-British and anti-Jewish sentiments, while openly admiring Germany. An anti-communist, Lindbergh echoed contemporary German ideology by…
A Brief History On September 10, 1977, Tunisian French landscaper and pimp, Hamida Djandoubi, became the last person executed by guillotine in France, and the last person executed for a crime in Western Europe. Digging Deeper As the civilized world moved away from the death penalty, a furious debate about capital punishment has raged, with nearly half of the United States abolishing it altogether. Today, 27 states, the Federal government, and American Samoa retain capital punishment as a potential sentence, while in Europe only Belarus and Russia retain capital punishment. American neighbors Canada and Mexico have abolished the death penalty,…
A Brief History On September 4, 1882, the Pearl Street Station opened for business in New York City, the first commercial provider of electric power to customers. Built and operated by the Edison Illuminating Company, a new era began of providing the public with mass quantities of electric power. Digging Deeper In the century plus since 1882, the US has seen an electrical grid fed by over 11,000 utility type electric plants. Coal originally fired most electric plants, but today natural gas provides over 38% of our electricity. Coal accounts for 22%, while nuclear energy provides almost 19% of our…
