A Brief History On January 14, 1969, we were once again reminded how navies around the world manage to make mistakes that cost lives and even entire ships.  This time, 28 lives were lost and 314 sailors injured, but the USS Enterprise, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was not lost. Digging Deeper We have commented on naval disasters we call “Naval Oops Moments,” and this time the problem was a Zuni rocket under a jet’s wing that blew up.  The explosion destroyed that plane and caused a fire resulting in multiple explosions, destroying 15 jets and blowing holes in the deck.…

A Brief History On January 13, 1998, Alfredo Ormando committed self-immolation in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City for the purpose of protesting homophobia.  While many protestors have used setting themselves on fire to make a point, we contend that there are good as well as bad ways to protest. Digging Deeper While self-immolation grabs brief public attention, the reaction of the public is rarely sympathy with the cause, but more an impression that the protestor is mentally ill.  Some good ways of protesting include: Boycotts, which can bring pressure on business or government to change without violence,…

A Brief History On January 12, 1969, the New York Jets of the AFL beat the Baltimore Colts of the NFL, a monumental upset that spurred a merger of the two major pro football leagues.  Today, we list some of the biggest sports upsets. Digging Deeper Baseball: The 1969 “Miracle Mets” beat the Orioles to cap their miracle season. Basketball: The woeful 1972 Cleveland Cavaliers beat the record setting LA Lakers 124 to 120, an incredible upset of a team that boasted Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West. Boxing: Mike Tyson got knocked out by 42 to 1 underdog “Buster” Douglas…

A Brief History On January 11, 1935, American aviatrix Amelia Earhart became the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California, one of her many aviation firsts.  She was also the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and was a proponent of women in aviation, of which there have been many great ones, as listed below: Digging Deeper Jackie Cochran (1906-1980) was an aviation pioneer that held more aviation records during her life than any other pilot of either sex.  The first woman to fly supersonic, she also helped organize female pilots for Britain and the US…

A Brief History On January 10, 2015, Karachi, Pakistan was the scene of a horrific motor vehicle crash when a tanker truck and passenger bus collided, resulting in 62 deaths, of which six were children.  Anytime you have a “close one” while driving, you may think of the dire consequences of a car wreck, and today we list a few of the worst. Digging Deeper Le Mans Disaster of 1955, when car racing proved to be deadly, as a track wreck spilled into the stands, killing one driver and 83 spectators. Sotouboua, Togo, truck vs. dancers wreck of 1965, when…