On this day in
1863, the first ever American military draft begins. All males between the ages of 18 and 35 are potential targets… unless, of course, they can pay the $100 "exemption fee" required to skip duty.
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On this day in
1947, a bunch of little green men get blitzed on Venusian grog, then crash their flying saucer on a ranch near (you guessed it)
Roswell, New Mexico. Tourism ensues.
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On this day in
1983, a U.S. schoolgirl by the name of
Samantha Smith flies to the Soviet Union at the invitation of Secretary General Yuri Andropov. In short order, the bright and telegenic Smith became internationally renowned as a peace activist and good will ambassador, much to the annoyance of the
Reagan/Bush administration and other right-wing and anti-communist elements the world over. Small wonder, then, that she should die in a small plane crash in the summer of 1985. The Soviets remembered her with a stamp. The Americans? Nothing.
***
On this day in
2005, four explosions rip through London's public transportation system, killing 52 people along with four suicide bombers. It was later learned that this terrorist attack was masterminded by
Haroon Rashid Aswat, an individual with curious connections to England's MI6 intelligence agency.
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