On This Day In History...

In 1897, The first Drunk Driving Arrest was made.

A 25-year-old London taxi driver named George Smith because the first person ever arrested for drunk driving after slamming his cab into a building.

He later pled guilty and was fined 25 shillings.

In the US, the first laws against operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol went into effect in New York in 1910.

It wasn't until 1953 that Robert Borkenstein, a former Indiana state police captain, and university professor, invented the Breathalyer. It was the first practical and scientific test available to police offices to establish whether someone had too much to drink.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-drunk-driving-arrest

Mike

 

And back then 25 shillings was alot of money...
But i bet he enjoyed that drink

 

Mike:

This is a fantastic idea for a thread. Each day someone could post something of note that occurred on that particular day.

 

Thanks, Scott... You're up next!



Mike

 

+1

Wikipedia's home page is a great source for this kind of trivia too, September 10th;

I guess that's cheating though......

Cheers,
Ian

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lake_Erie

 

DGS you beat me to it!!

The Perry monument is on Put in Bay island.

 

I know Rob hates 'cut and paste.' (Sorry, Rob) But this is significant.

9-11-2001

At 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors. As the evacuation of the tower and its twin got underway, television cameras broadcasted live images of what initially appeared to be a freak accident.

Then, 18 minutes after the first plane hit, a second Boeing 767--United Airlines Flight 175--appeared out of the sky, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center, and sliced into the south tower at about the 60th floor. The collision caused a massive explosion that showered burning debris over surrounding buildings and the streets below. America was under attack.

The attackers were Islamic terrorists from Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations. Reportedly financed by Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist organization, they were allegedly acting in retaliation for America's support of Israel, its involvement in the Persian Gulf War, and its continued military presence in the Middle East. Some of the terrorists had lived in the United States for more than a year and had taken flying lessons at American commercial flight schools.

Others had slipped into the U.S. in the months before September 11 and acted as the "muscle" in the operation. The 19 terrorists easily smuggled box-cutters and knives through security at three East Coast airports and boarded four flights bound for California, chosen because the planes were loaded with fuel for the long transcontinental journey. Soon after takeoff, the terrorists commandeered the four planes and took the controls, transforming the ordinary commuter jets into guided missiles.

As millions watched in horror the events unfolding in New York, American Airlines Flight 77 circled over downtown Washington and slammed into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 a.m. Jet fuel from the Boeing 757 caused a devastating inferno that led to a structural collapse of a portion of the giant concrete building. All told, 125 military personnel and civilians were killed in the Pentagon along with all 64 people aboard the airliner.

Less than 15 minutes after the terrorists struck the nerve center of the U.S. military, the horror in New York took a catastrophic turn for the worse when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed in a massive cloud of dust and smoke. The structural steel of the skyscraper, built to withstand winds in excess of 200 mph and a large conventional fire, could not withstand the tremendous heat generated by the burning jet fuel. At 10:30 a.m., the other Trade Center tower collapsed.

Close to 3,000 people died in the World Trade Center and its vicinity, including a staggering 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers, and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete an evacuation of the buildings and save the office workers trapped on higher floors. Only six people in the World Trade Center towers at the time of their collapse survived. Almost 10,000 other people were treated for injuries, many severe.

Meanwhile, a fourth California-bound plane--United Flight 93--was hijacked about 40 minutes after leaving Newark International Airport in New Jersey. Because the plane had been delayed in taking off, passengers on board learned of events in New York and Washington via cell phone and Airfone calls to the ground. Knowing that the aircraft was not returning to an airport as the hijackers claimed, a group of passengers and flight attendants planned an insurrection.

One of the passengers, Thomas Burnett, Jr., told his wife over the phone that "I know we're all going to die. There's three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey." Another passenger--Todd Beamer--was heard saying "Are you guys ready? Let's roll" over an open line. Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water. Her last words to him were "Everyone's running to first class. I've got to go. Bye."

The passengers fought the four hijackers and are suspected to have attacked the cockpit with a fire extinguisher. The plane then flipped over and sped toward the ground at upwards of 500 miles per hour, crashing in a rural field in western Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m. All 45 people aboard were killed. Its intended target is not known, but theories include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, or one of several nuclear power plants along the eastern seaboard.

At 7 p.m., President George W. Bush, who had spent the day being shuttled around the country because of security concerns, returned to the White House. At 9 p.m., he delivered a televised address from the Oval Office, declaring "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve." In a reference to the eventual U.S. military response he declared: "We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them."

Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led international effort to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and destroy Osama bin Laden's terrorist network based there, began on October 7, 2001. Bin Laden was killed during a raid of his compound in Pakistan by U.S. forces on May 2, 2011.

FROM: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

 

Somewhat eerily today is also a Tuesday and the weather forecast is identical to the weather on 9/11/01. Like 11 years ago, I am planning to go into New York City for a lunch and then a business meeting.

All of the events of that day are burned into my memory forever.

Never Forget.

 

may your memory never, ever fade.

But, thank god the short shorts did
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

150 years ago today was America's Bloodiest Day, as @23,000 casualties were incurred at Battle of Antietam aka Battle of Sharpsburg to Southerners.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Antietam

 

Here's a light-hearted one... although, admittedly, those of you not in the UK might not have heard of it before:

On this day (18th September) in 1879, the Blackpool Illuminations were switched on for the very first time (link). Each year, they're turned on in Autumn by a special guest and run for 66 days. It's a fun cultural event to promote Blackpool and it's particularly popular in the North of England. As a bit of car-related trivia, a few years ago Top Gear did a challenge to drive to Blackpool to switch on the lights. This year, the Illuminations were switched on by some of Britain's 2012 Olympic medallists.

All the best,
Andrew.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Also on this day, in 1970, Jimi Hendrix died.

RIP Jimi, you changed at lot of things, and made a difference.

Mike

 

Interesting history lesson OP. This is a great thread idea as well

 

Sep 19, 1796: George Washington's Farewell Address published across America as an open letter to the public.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington%27s_Farewell_Address
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Washington%27s_Farewell_Address

I'd like to quote paragraphs 20-22, on the dangers of party factions, but this isn't P&R.

Washington never acknowledged association with any political party.
The only President to be unassociated -- except for Taylor, who was thrown out of the Whig party during his administration.

 

On this day, Sept 26th, in 2008, Screen legend Paul Newman died.

He made over 65 movies over five decades, winning his first Oscar nomination for 1959's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and (not generally known) joined the US Navy at age 18, serving as a radioman/gunner on a torpedo plane during WWII.

After the war, went to college on a football scholarship and studied acting, going on to star in plays and films.

His multi-million-dollar food business, "Newman's Own" is still a going concern, and as always, all profits go to charity.

He was 83 when he succumbed to cancer at his home in Westport, Connecticut.

He was also a consummate 'car guy.'

RIP Mr. Newman.

Mike

 

On this day in 1983, Stanislav Petrov, a lieutenant colonel of the Soviet Air Defense Forces most likely prevented a nuclear exchange between the U.S. and the USSR. He was the duty officer at the command center for the Oko nuclear early warning system when the system reported a launch from the United States. Petrov judged that the report was a false alarm and prevented an erroneous retaliatory nuclear attack on the United States and its Western allies. Investigation later confirmed that the satellite warning system had malfunctioned.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov



BTW, I can't believe it has already been 4 years since Paul Newman died.

 

I can't believe we missed Constitution Day (Sep 17th):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Day_(United_States)
commemorating the day in 1787 that the U.S. Constitution was signed in Philadelphia.

Formerly "Citizenship Day".

It was announced as a holiday for any school receiving Federal funding in 2005.
Most schools have some kind of "celebration" in order to meet the Federal requirement.

 

On this day, in 1995, OJ Simpson was acquitted of the brutal 1994 double murder of his estranged wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

Simpson's trial was the longest ever held in California, and was recorded by TV cameras.

The prosecution's 'mountain of avidence' was called into doubt by Simpson's team of expensive attorneys, who made the case that their client was framed by racist police officers.

The jury took four hours before reaching the verdict of 'not guilty.'

In 1997, Simpson was ordered by a civil court to pay $33.5 million, although he has avoided paying the damages.

Ten years later, in 2007, Simpson was arrested on felony robbery charges related to the theft of sports memorabilia in Las Vegas.

On December 5, 2008, Simpson was sentenced to a total of thirty-three years in prison with the possibility of parole after about nine years, in 2017. On September 4, 2009, the Nevada Supreme Court denied a request for bail during Simpson's appeal. In October 2010, the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed his convictions. He is now serving his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center.

Mike

 

I brought a TV into my office and was watching live. When it happened it was as though there was this groan that started from the east and then passed right over the entire office complex from one end to the other and continued on by, like the wave at a baseball game straight out of a vacuum... Later that day I described it like a nationally organized book drop.

BTW, Ron Goldman was a close friend of my room mate and I knew him well. RIP.

 

19 years ago today was the Battle of Mogadishu; also known as "Blackhawk Down."

A U.S. Army force in Mogadishu, consisting primarily of US Army Rangers from 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment; B [Bravo] Company, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), better known as "Delta Force"; and helicopters from 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, attempted to seize two of Aidid's high-echelon lieutenants during a meeting in the city.

Shortly after the assault began, Somali militia and armed civilian fighters managed to down two MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters over the city. The subsequent rescue operation to secure and recover the crews of both helicopters drew the raid, intended to last no more than an hour, into an overnight standoff in the city.

The battle resulted in approximately 20 deaths, 80 wounded, and 1 helicopter pilot captured amongst the raid party and rescue forces, including Pakistani and Malaysian troops. US sources estimate between 1,500 and 3,000 Somali casualties, including civilians; SNA forces claim only 315 casualties, with 812 wounded.

The battle is referred to as the First Battle of Mogadishu to distinguish it from the Second Battle of Mogadishu in 2006.

And, 50 years ago today, The Beatles released their first hit single, "Love Me Do."

When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom, it peaked at number seventeen; in 1982 it was re-issued and reached number four. In the United States the single was a number one hit in 1964.

Mike

 

One year ago today we lost a true innovator. Watch the video on the homepage

http://www.apple.com

 

I was born!


Okay, so not important.


But a critical allie of the US, Anwar Sadat was assassinated October 6, 1981.

 

francois cevert was killed oct. 6, 1973 at the 1973 u.s.gp at watkins glen.

i just happened to be standing across the track talking to some friends at
the accident scene as it happened.

even now it's still possible hearing, smelling, and seeing the crash in my mind.
even though my camera was with me, i did not photograh the catastrophie.

he and jackie stewart were team-mates with the tyrell team. ken tyrell withdrew
his team in honor of francois.

 

14th December 1972 the last men to walk on the moon leave the surface for the journey home.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo17.html