A Brief History On February 8, 1837, the United States Senate elected Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky as the incoming Vice President of the United States, the only time in US history that the Senate was required to make such an election due to the failure of any Vice Presidential candidate to garner enough Electoral votes to get elected.  The 12th Amendment to the Constitution, which went into effect starting with the Presidential election of 1804, is the basis for the Senate being tasked with electing a Vice President in the absence of a majority Electoral College votes for a…

A Brief History No, we do do not live in the Dark Ages, but yes, thousands of people are stuck at sea, trapped in ships, with no way out. The reason? Coronavirus. This epidemic has not only strangled people in China; it is also releasing its wrath on those who have been traveling through the seas. Cruise ships are idling at coastlines, but the passengers aboard are unable to exit. They are being quarantined. Digging Deeper Although the people on these ships are being provided with basic necessities, such as food, water and toilet paper, it is uncertain whether other…

A Brief History On February 7, 1863, the waters off New Zealand witnessed the worst maritime disaster in that country’s history when the Royal Navy corvette, HMS Orpheus went aground and sank while trying to enter Manukau Harbour, leaving 189 of the 259 man crew dead.  We have discussed numerous naval and maritime “oops moments” in which blunders have sunk or heavily damaged ships, often with the cost of many lives. Digging Deeper The Orpheus was fitted out as a “full rigged ship,” although she also had a steam engine that powered a single screw drive (propeller).  Classed as a…

A Brief History Nowadays, perhaps we can agree that if nothing else, at travel is without a doubt one of life’s most thrilling and incredible and pleasures.  It is your opportunity to shed your everyday skin, escape the stresses of life and explore the places you’ve dreamed of; however, in between the visits to sites of indescribable beauty, tasting delicious authentic cuisine and partaking in wild and wonderful activities are periods where you can find yourself feeling a little bit bored and demotivated, which is why undertaking a couple of side projects is a great idea – they give you…

A Brief History On February 6, 1998, Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. was renamed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.  Many major airports around the country and around the world are named for a real person, and today we look at 10 of those people and the airports they are named after.  (Many of the really big airports in the world are named after a place rather than a person.)  What airports would you add to this list? Digging Deeper Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C. Formerly just called Washington National Airport, this is the airfield that serves most…