On this day in
1818, the
Convention of 1818 signed between the United States and the United Kingdom which, among other things, settled the Canada/United States border on the 49th parallel for most of its length.
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On this day in
1944, liquid natural gas leaks from storage tanks in Cleveland, then explodes; the explosion and resulting fire level 30 blocks and kill 130. Ka-freaking-BOOM, muddafuggaz.
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On this day in
1947, the
House Un-American Activities Committee begins its investigation into Communist infiltration of Hollywood, resulting in a blacklist that prevents some from working in the industry for years. It would take the combined forces of
Stanley Kubrick,
Kirk Douglas and time (over a decade) before the blacklist was smashed for good when formerly untouchable writer
Dalton Trumbo was hired to pen the script for the decidedly "liberal" sword-and-sandal epic
Spartacus.
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On this day in
1968, former First Lady
Jacqueline Kennedy marries Greek shipping tycoon
Aristotle Onassis. This gives rise to countless conspiracy theories of a particularly 70's-tinted hue. Remember
Gemstone? And now, there's even some relatively
new conspiracies popping up around this odd couple!
Aristotle behind the assassination of
RFK? Dunno if I buy that one, personally, but who knows?
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On this day in
1977, 3 members of Southern-flavored rock combo
Lynyrd Skynyrd and its entourage perish in a fiery plane crash. Some of their more sentimental, superstitious fans insist that the three -
Ronnie Van Zant,
Steve Gaines and his sister
Cassie Gaines - became "free birds" in that crash. Yer old pal Jerky suspects the only birds those poor bastards resembled on that day were of the Kentucky Fried variety.
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On this day in
2011, ousted Libyan dictator
Muammar Gaddafi is found hiding in a culvert near his hometown of Sirte by National Transitional Council forces who proceed to torture, then kill him. Disgusting video footage of his last moments show rebel fighters beating him senseless (and, allegedly, buggering him with a rifle) before shooting him dead, then inflicting further desecration upon his corpse. US Secretary of State
Hilary Clinton's subsequent media gloating is, quite possibly, the most offensive thing she's ever done. The fact that it feels to me like she was doing it to curry favor with neocon hawks and right-wing Republicans (a fruitless endeavor) makes it all the more disappointing and disturbing. Oh well... at least she isn't Trump.
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