The Hidden Fault That Could Destroy Los Angeles

Beneath the towers of Downtown Los Angeles runs a fault that appeared on no geological map for a century. It has moved four times in the past eleven thousand years. And with every millennium that passes, it moves a little faster.

The Puente Hills blind-thrust fault was identified in 1999 by Harvard geologist John Shaw and Scripps seismologist Peter Shearer, working from oil-industry seismic reflection files that had sat unread for decades. Its full rupture scenario is modeled by the United States Geological Survey as one of the costliest natural disasters possible in the continental United States. And in 2017, a paper in the journal Geology showed that the fault's slip rate has accelerated six-fold since the last Ice Age.

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

Local news went all in on the World Cup - Nieman Lab

A journalist's guide to job hunting in the age of AI - Journalism UK

The next AI debate is unfolding within the news organization itself - E&P Magazine

Journalism job cuts in 2026 tracked: Sherwood News shuts down and axes staff - PG

This baseball newsletter is proving that smaller audiences are good business - Poynter

Today in Labor History July 14, 2026

 

Woody Guthrie

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, sometimes referred to as “The Great Upheaval” began today in Martinsburg, West Virginia, after the B&O Railroad cut wages were the third time in a year. Riots spread through 17 states. An estimated 100 people were killed in the 45 strikes. Workers burned down and destroyed both physical facilities and rolling stock of the railroads. Local populations feared that workers were rising in revolutions, such as the Paris Commune of 1871. At the time, the workers were not represented by unions. The city and state governments quickly organized armed militias to fight the workers, aided by the national guard, federal troops and private militias organized by the railroads. Disruption was widespread and at its height, the strikes were supported by about 100,000 workers. With the intervention of federal troops, most of the strikes were suppressed by early August. – 1877

Woody Guthrie was born today in Okemah, Oklahoma. Woody was a singer-songwriter whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, folk, and children’s songs. He frequently performed with the slogan “This machine kills fascists” displayed on his guitar. His best-known song is “This Land Is Your Land”. – 1912

Italian immigrants and anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are convicted in Massachusetts of murder and payroll robbery – unfairly, most historians agree – after a two-month trial, and are eventually executed. Fifty years after their deaths the state’s governor issued a proclamation saying they had been treated unfairly and that “any disgrace should be forever removed from their names.” – 1921

Important Events From This day in History July 14

 1966 U.S.A. Richard Speck Murders

1966 : In one of the worst murder cases to date 8 student nurses are brutally murdered by Richard Speck at their group residence in Chicago, Illinois.

1988 95% US Car Sales By Ford, GM and Chrysler

1988 : The latest figures released show that the big three US auto makers Ford Motor Company, GM Motors and Chrysler between between them account for 95% of the US domestic sales. This is just 21 years ago.

1922 U.S.A. Monster Dirigible

1922 : A monster dirigible (ZR1) is under construction at the air craft factory of Philadelphia Navy Yard, as parts are completed they are sent to Lakehurst New Jersey for assembly which will be the air ships home port. This dirigible will be the first of the Zeppelin type built in this country.

1933 Russia Typhus Epidemic

1933 : A typhus epidemic has broken out in the city of Moscow and hospitals are full and overflowing with victims of the disease.

1933 Austria Hitler

1933 : A newspaper in Austria made public that Adolf Hitler Nazi Chancellor of Germany and a sworn enemy of Jews is a Jew himself, there has been speculation for some time that this was the case but never publicly published.

1933 Germany Other Political Parties Banned

1933 : All other political parties are banned in Germany except for the Nazi Party.

2008 U.S.A. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Bailout

2008 : Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae who own or guarantee about $5.3 trillion worth of home loans about half of all US mortgages have seen a loss of confidence my the market due to the mortgage foreclosure increase and the drop in property values in the United States. Both company Shares have been under increasing pressure and have lost as much as 80% of share value in just 12 months . The Fed has given the green light for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York authority to lend any money needed to allow them to continue providing mortgages at 2.25% and will expand its current line of credit to the two companies and buy shares of the companies if needed to prop up share price in these troubled times. Congress is also to approve a package next week which includes a foreclosure rescue to help strapped homeowners get new, more affordable government-backed mortgages through the Federal Housing Administration.

1941 Libya Tripoli

1941 : Two Axis ships were destroyed and a third set on fire just off Tripoli by RAF Fighter Bombers.

1955 Germany Karmann Ghia Coupe

1955 : Following on with it's world wide success of The Beetle Volkswagen introduced the Karmann Ghia coupe as a Volkswagen that could show the world that they could produce great looking cars as well as reliable cars.

1958 Iraq Military Coup

1958 : A military coup in Iraq overthrows the monarchy making Iraq a republic. The Crown Prince Abdul Illah and Nuri es Said, prime minister of the Iraq-Jordan Federation, had been assassinated by the rebels.

1978 U.S.A. Public Service Strikes

1978 : Public Servants today began a strike in 3 major US Cities leaving cities with no police on the streets, no fire protection and most other public service employees on strike . The cities were Cleveland, Louisville and Philadelphia. Each city had National Guardsman standing by.

1989 Celebrations of The French Revolution

1989 : Celebrations in France over the the 200th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille to release the prisoners and execute their jailers which was the beginning of the end of Ten years of bloody revolution, ending with the execution of King Louis XVI.

2003 U.S.A. Hurricane Claudette

2003 : Hurricane Claudette with 90 MPH winds hits the Texas coast causing major damage, especially in Galveston, where it kills two people.

2004 Philippines Troop Pull Out From Iraq

2004 : Bowing to pressure from within the country the Philippine deputy foreign minister has announced they will would withdraw troops "as soon as possible." The Philippines does not have a large contingent of troops in Iraq (estimated less than 100) but it is seen as a blow to the United States because of the signals it will send around the world over allies commitment to Iraq. This could also send the wrong signals to militants in Iraq that hostage-taking works as many believe this is the main reason for Philippine withdrawal.

2006 Lebanon Israeli Bombing

2006 : Israel continued its attacks on the country of Lebanon after the militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers. Over fifty people, most of whom were civilians, were killed in the attacks on this day. The conflict between Israel and Lebanon lasted until August 14 of 2006.

2007 North Korea Closes Nuclear Reactors

2007 : North Korea closed the first of many nuclear reactors as specified by a fuel deal made in exchange for fuel. The International Atomic Energy Agency monitored and helped North Korea shut down this first reactor and in exchange North Korea received 6,200 tons of heavy fuel, the first shipment in a 1 million ton deal. The closings are put on hold in 2008 as tensions between North Korea and the United States heighten.

2007 Great Canary Telescope

2007 : One of the largest optical telescopes began testing in the Canary Islands on this day. After seven years of construction and a cost of 130 million euros, the Great Canary Telescope on La Palma was predicted to be powerful enough to see some of the most distant images of the universe. When it was completed it was the world's largest single-aperture optical telescope.

2008 U.S.A. Anheuser- Busch Taken Over

2008 : After a $52 billion takeover deal, American beer maker, Anheuser- Busch, was taken over by the Belgian beer maker InBev on this day. The merging of the two companies made the newly combined company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest beer maker in the world. The new combined company produces some of the most well known beer brands in the world including Bud Light, Budweiser, Becks and Stella Artois.

2009 Sir Edward Thomas Downes Assisted Suicide

2009 : Famous British conductor, Sir Edward Thomas Downes and his wife died after choosing assisted suicide at the Dignitas organization in Switzerland. Both were suffering from health problems and decided to end their lives together peacefully instead of continuing to suffer from worsening health problems.

2012 Mexico Gang Attacks Christian Youth Camp

2012 : An armed gang attacked campers at a Christian youth camp just outside of Mexico City, Mexico. The gang came to the camp and had sexually assaulted girls at the camp and beaten up others, they also stole valuables and cash and got away in two stolen vehicles. The whole situation lasted several hours as the 90 members of the camp were held at gunpoint in a remote area with no cell phone coverage.

2013 United States George Zimmerman Verdict

2013 : In the highly controversial George Zimmerman case, the long-awaited verdict was revealed. Zimmerman who was a part of a neighborhood watch had shot dead an unarmed seventeen year old black teenager named Trayvon Martin. The case brought up issues with racial profiling in the country. Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder, a controversial verdict in a hotly debated case.

Today in Labor History July 13, 2026

 Detroit Newspaper workers on strike

Martial law was declared in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, with National Guards and federal troops coming to “restore order” after the dynamiting at the Frisco mine on July 11. – 1892

600 Pressed Steel Car employees went out on strike, supported and encouraged by the IWW. Company President Frank N. Hoffstat immediately fired those who had walked out and hired replacement workers. The next day, IWW representatives led thousands of immigrant workers out in support of the strike, initiating a two-month-long work action that was punctuated by numerous violent clashes. – 1909

The Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union organized in Tyronza, Arkansas. The Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union was one of only a few unions in the 1930s that was open to all races. Promoting not only nonviolent protest for their fair share of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration money, they also promoted the idea that blacks and whites could work efficiently together. Because these ideas were highly controversial at the time, the Farmers’ Union met with harsh resistance from the landowners and local public officials. The Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union leaders were often harassed and ignored. – 1934

Newspaper workers struck against The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. Hundreds of workers were locked out in the strike. – 1995

Important Events From This day in History July 13

  

1985 The Live Aid Concert

1985 : The Live Aid Concert was a series of rock concerts held to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia around the world in cites including London, Philadelphia, Sydney and Moscow. The concerts attracted close to 200,000 people and using satellite link-ups and television broadcasts around the world attracted an estimated 1.5 viewers in 100 countries watching the concerts performed live. The Concerts were organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and raised over $250 million. Below are just some of the artists who provided their time and performances for free and this concert showed like nothing before or after what can be achieved when ego's and a desire to give something back by some of the most popular figures in entertainment put their efforts in.

Adam Ant, Ashford & Simpson, B. B. King, Billy Ocean, Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Boomtown Rats, Brian May, Bryan Adams, Bryan Ferry, Cher, Cliff Richard, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, David Bowie, Dire Straits, Duran Duran, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Eric Clapton, Freddie Mercury, Griff Rhys Jones, Hall & Oates, Joan Baez, Judas Priest, Keith Richards, Kenny Loggins, Kiki Dee, Kool & the Gang, Led Zeppelin, Lionel Richie, Madonna, Mel Smith, Men at Work, Mick Jagger, Neil Young, Nik Kershaw, Pat Boone, Patti LaBelle, Paul McCartney, Paul Young, Phil Collins London and Philadelphia Plant Page and Jones Power Station, Queen, REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Roger Daltrey, Ron Wood, Run-DMC, Sade, Santana, Simple Minds, Spandau Ballet, Status Quo, Sting, Style Council, The Beach Boys, The Cars, The Four Tops, The Pretenders, The Who, Thompson Twins, Tina Turner, Tom Petty, U2, Ultravox, Wham

1922 S.A. Rail Strike

1922 : President Harding announced that Federal Troops may be used to enforce the presidents proclamation that interference with the United States Mail Service by the rail strike will not be tolerated.

1936 U.S.A. Heatwave

1936 : The Midwestern region of the United States experienced a record shattering heat wave, destroying millions of dollars in crops and causing more than 1,000 heat-related deaths.

1943 Russia World War II Tank Battle

1943 : The biggest tank battle in history The Battle of Kursk, involving 6,000 tanks, two million men, and 5,000 aircraft, ends the German offensive of Russia.

1951 U.S.A. Flooding

1951 : Major flooding in Kansas which was caused by rivers in Kansas overflowing causing the greatest destruction from flooding in the Midwestern United States 1/2 million people were left homeless and 24 people died in the disaster.

1955 England Ruth Ellis Hanged

1955 : Ruth Ellis the last woman in England to be executed is hung at Holloway Prison, thousands mass outside protesting the death penalty.

1960 U.S.A. Senator John F. Kennedy

1960 : Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts is nominated for the presidency by the Democratic Party Convention, defeating Senator Lyndon B. Johnson.

1970 U.S.A. Black Panther Party

1970 : FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover named the Black Panther party the most dangerous terrorist group in existence today.

1977 U.S.A. Blackout Hits New York

1977 : A lightening strike strikes a substation on the Hudson River, tripping two circuit breakers in Westchester County, then a second lightning strike caused the loss of two 345,000 volt transmission lines causing a 25 hrs blackout of the New York City area. In some areas of New York Looting and vandalism were widespread with the hardest hit Crown Heights. Subway services, LaGuardia and Kennedy airports are closed and the city struggles for the next 24 hours.

1978 U.S.A. Lee Iacocca

1978 : Lee Iacocca was fired as president of Ford Motor Co. after falling out with the chairman of Ford, Henry Ford II. Following the ending of his career at Ford Lee Iacocca takes over as Chrysler's Chairman where he restructured the company.

1998 U.S.A. GM Recall

1998 : GM motors is forced to recall 800,000 cars, vans and trucks due to malfunctioning airbags.

1998 Russia IMF $22bn Loan

1998 : As Russia continues it's economic problems the International Monetary Fund's has agreed to give Russia a $22bn loan to help stabilize it's economy. The IMF when providing loans always place conditions with any loan and the proposed loan to Russia is no different. The conditions include: Russia is to stop issuing short-term government bonds, Tough new tax reforms and collection, Strict controls on public spending, The Duma Russia's Parliament is due to vote later this week to approve the reform package which will ease market pressure to devalue the Rouble.

2000 Fiji Hostages Released By Rebels

2000 : Rebels led by leader George Speight have released 18 hostages including the former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry after eight weeks from parliament. Within hours, Ratu Josefa Iloilo was appointed president of Fiji.

2001 Internet Code Red Virus

2001 : The code red (WORM) virus is first seen on the Internet. The worm is designed to attack web sites running on Microsoft's IIS web server. The virus is thought to have affected over 250,000 web sites between 13th July and July 20th before a patch provided by Microsoft fixed the vulnerability and became well known for displaying the words "Hacked By Chinese!" on sites it had taken control of (hence the name).

2006 U.S.A. New HIV Breakthrough Approved

2006 : The Food and Drug Administration in the United States licensed the drug Atripla on this day. This treatment for HIV combined three common drugs used to treat the virus and was meant to be a once-a-day treatment. The development of this combined medication made it easier for patients to upkeep their treatment on a regular basis.

2006 Lebanon Israeli Bombing

2006 : Hezbollah fire dozens of rockets into Israel causing Israel to impose a naval blockade on Lebanon and blasted the Beirut airport and army air bases.

2007 U.S.A. David Beckham

2007 : David Beckham, former British soccer captain, and his wife Victoria, former pop star from "The Spice Girls" arrived in the United States on this day. Beckham joined the American soccer team the Los Angeles Galaxy with hopes that his star power would revitalize the sport in the United States.

2008 Afghanistan Terrorist Attacks

2008 : On this day, twenty-one people were killed after a suicide bombing in the province of Uruzgan in Afghanistan. Of the twenty-one who were killed seventeen were civilians.

2009 Afghanistan Terrorist Attacks

2009 : Twenty-nine Indian police were killed after an ambush took place in Rajnandgaon in the state of Chhattisgarh. They were ambushed by Maoist rebels after trying to respond to a smaller attack on two officers. Over a period of twenty years, the conflict between the government and Maoist rebels had killed over 6,000 people in India.

2012 First Cargo Ship from Miami to Cuba After 50 Years

2012 : A cargo ship carrying humanitarian aid supplies like food and medicine has traveled from Miami to Havana, Cuba for the first time in fifty years. Other similar services have operated out of different ports but only recently had the International Port Corporation obtained the special permit required to transport these services from Miami to Cuba due to the trade embargo that was placed on the country in 1962

2013 Canada Glee Star Monteith Dies

2013 : Corey Monteith, one of the stars of the musical television show Glee, was found dead at the age of thirty-one in a hotel in Vancouver, Canada. Monteith had died of a drug and alcohol overdose after spending time in rehab to address his addiction issues.

He Spent $500M on the LA Times, Then Stopped Paying His Reporter

He's worth billions. He spent $500 million buying the 144-year-old Los Angeles Times, killed its Kamala Harris endorsement, floated an AI "bias meter" to grade his own reporters, and reinvented himself as a friend of the MAGA movement.

There's just one problem: according to reporting first broken by Status and picked up by the Daily Beast, he couldn't reliably pay them. Marquee investigative hire Catherine Herridge went months without a paycheck. A former CBS News president got flown economy and lent an SUV — and walked. The top finance executive stepped down. And now he's trying to raise another $500 million to take the whole thing public. Here's what happens when a billionaire buys a press to control the narrative, and the narrative gets away from him.

Sunday Morning in the Blogosphere

 Jim Wright, Red, and myself

What’s going to happen to CNN? - Poynter

A quiet shift in how Americans perceive local news - Nieman Lab

NMA and America’s Newspapers come together in Washington - E&P Reports

Who to follow: 75 media consultants to help your newsroom - Journalism UK

Epoch Times executive pleads guilty to multimillion-dollar fraud that funded newspaper - CNS

Today in Labor History July 12, 2026

 

Deportation at Bisbee, Arizona

Members of the shoemakers’ union went on trial in New York City for striking to win a raise. They were fined $1 each. – 1810

Oscar W. Neebe, founder of the Beer Wagon Drivers Union (later the Teamsters Union) was born. Neebe was one of Haymarket martyrs, executed for his “role in the Haymarket bombing”, despite the fact that he was not in Haymarket Square at the time. – 1850

The state militia moved in to break a 12-day strike against Carnegie Steel in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The guardsmen were there primarily to protect scabs and remained in Homestead until October.  Strikers were protesting wage cuts of 18-26% and suffered seven deaths in attacks on them by Pinkerton (“Pinks”) detectives. On July 23, Alexander Berkman, anarchist friend of Emma Goldman, tried to kill Henry Clay Frick, chairman of the board at Carnegie, in an attentat (propaganda by the deed), an action many anarchists of the day believed would inspire the working class to rise up in revolt against the ruling class. – 1892

Today was the final day of the vigilante deportation of striking mineworkers at Bisbee, Arizona. The company illegally kidnapped and deported about 1300 strike mine workers, their supporters, and citizen bystanders. The action was orchestrated by Phelps Dodge, the major mining company in the area, which provided a list of workers and others who were to be arrested. The arrested were first held at a local baseball park before being loaded onto cattle cars and deported 200 miles to Tres Hermanas in New Mexico. The 16-hour journey took place through the desert without food or water. Once unloaded, the deportees, most without money or transportation, were warned against returning to Bisbee. During the Bisbee mine strike, company-hired vigilantes attempted to kidnap and deport Jim Brew, a miner and IWW member. Brew fought back and was shot and killed. Brew was a veteran of the West Virginia Cripple Creek strike of 1903-4. – 1917

The Screen Actors Guild held its first meeting. Among those attending: future horror movie star (Frankenstein’s Monster) and union activist Boris Karloff. – 1933

Congress passed first minimum wage law (40 cents per hour). – 1933

Important Events From This day in History July 12

 

 

1962 The Rolling Stones

1962 : The Rolling Stones give their first public performance at the Marquee Club in London, the original band included singer Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Brian Jones, bassist Dick Taylor, and drummer Mick Avory.

1967 U.S.A. Newark Race Riots

1967 : Race Riots began in Newark, New Jersey, after a black cab driver was arrested and beaten by police. At the end of the rampage by rioters there were 24 deaths, 1,100 wounded, 1,300 arrested and property loss of more than $5 million, the problems were believed to be caused a combination of factors including rumor's that the Cab Driver was dead and charges that cops dealing with problems were racist and brutal together with poor leadership by the local mayor.

1924 U.S.A. Air Mail

1924 : The Post Office has announced it will now accept air mail letters for countries where the domestic later rate applies.

1924 Round The World Flight

1924 : The three American Army Planes together with the three crews set off from Constantinople on the next leg of their round the world trip to Bucharest in Romania. They had begun their attempt on the world's first round the world flight setting off from departed Seattle, Wash., on April 6, in Four Douglas World Cruiser airplanes. Two of the aircraft completed the full round the world trip on September 28th, 1924.

1963 England Moors Murderers

1963 : The infamous moors murderers begin their killing spree when 16 yr old Pauline Reade is abducted by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, the so-called "Moors Murderers," launching a series of cruel murders lasting over two years.

1967 U.S.A. Airline Strike

1967 : The strike by workers in the airline industry continues to effect 5 major airlines with little hope seen of an early settlement and some airlines are now laying workers off including Eastern Airlines.

1986 Northern Ireland Continued Violence

1986 : Portadown, County Armagh: The Orange Parade by Orangemen have caused problems to flare up in Portadown, County Armagh. Catholic Nationalist and Protestant Loyalist youths are fighting on the streets throwing bottles, darts and bricks at each other and the security forces. There are also a number of looting of shops and businesses in the area and the army has been using baton charges and plastic bullets to bring peace back to the area. Ballymoney, Northern Ireland: A loyalist attack on a Catholic family has left three children dead after an arson attack on the home in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland.

1987 New York Land Prices

1987 : As more and more areas of land are sold for development of new out of town shopping Malls many can not believe how much the price of land has changed in Syracuse New York, just 10 years ago an acre of land was a mere $2,000 per acre and now it commands up to $100,000 per acre.

1987 England Church Criticized

1987 : The Church of England has been criticized for it's investments in South Africa due to the countries Apartheid Policies , but they have refused to stop investing in South African companies and land.

1990 Russia Mikhail Gorbachev

1990 : After the election of Mikhail Gorbachev as head of the Soviet Communist Party, Boris Yeltsin, president of the Republic of Russia, announces his resignation from the Soviet Communist Party. This was a blow to Gorbachev who was hoping to keep all parts and factions of the Communist party working together.

1993 Japan Tsunami Okushiri

1993 : Following an earthquake estimated at 7.8 which generated giant waves a tsunami left roughly 200 people dead on the island of Okushiri in Japan.

1995 Heat Wave Wisconsin and Illinois kills 1,000

1995 : A heat wave that effects Illinois and Wisconsin starts when a heat advisory is issued in Chicago, Illinois, warning of an impending record-breaking heat wave. By the time the heat wave ends one week later, nearly 2,000 people are dead in Illinois and Wisconsin with temperatures being recorded in Chicago up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit.

1999 Europe Beef Import Ban

1999 : Following a ban by the European Union on all Beef Imports from the US over the widespread use of growth hormones which the EU believes could cause increased cancer, nerve disorders and other health problems. The US has placed trade sanctions worth $116m on EU Goods. All European Union farmers are banned from giving hormones to cattle because of health fears. Many believe this could spread to an all trade war between Europe and America as GM crop imports are also restricted due to concerns over possible health issues. As of 2008 the European Union still has a ban on beef raised with the use of hormones, which bars most U.S. beef imports. They also now have a ban on US pork produced with a growth hormone and poultry treated with chlorine and other chemicals. Europe is still also refusing to accept imports of any unauthorized GM crops which again effects imports / exports between the EU and the US.

2006 South Korea / US Trade Talks

2006 : Nearly 30,000 protesters rioted in Seoul as the United States and South Korea held the third day of talks with the purpose of reducing trade barriers between the two countries. Despite some clashes between police and protesters no one was arrested or injured during the demonstration.

2007 U.S.A. Lady Bird Johnson Dies

2007 : Former First Lady, Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson, better known as Lady Bird Johnson passed away at the age of 94 on this day. Best known for her environmentalism, Johnson was also a strong supporter of civil rights and combating poverty.

2008 Iran / Israel Missile Testing

2008 : The Tension between Iran and Israel is increasing as Iran shows the strength of it's resolve both in words and saber rattling this week as Iran tests more missiles and tells the world if Israel attacks it will strike Tel Aviv and US Military bases . Meanwhile Israel is committed to stopping Iran gaining Nuclear weapons capability in any way and any how with the Israel defense minister talking about Israel's readiness to strike Iran. The possibility of a win by presidential nominee Barack Obama who has pledged to pursue diplomacy routes rather than confrontation with Iran and who may not provide Israel with US backing for an attack on Iran leaves many including Iran concerned that the window of opportunity for Israel to attack Iran with US backing is slipping away as it is thought the current Bush administration would provide the backing Israel needs.

2008 U.S.A. IndyMac Bank Collapse

2008 : The IndyMac Bank, based in California, failed on this day. The bank became the fifth to fail in the United States in 2008, and became one of the largest financial institutions to fail in United States history.

2011 Funeral Held for Former First Lady Betty Ford

2011 : The funeral for former first lady Betty Ford was held after her death at the age of ninety-three. In attendance were current first lady Michelle Obama, former first ladies Nancy Reagan and Rosalynn Carter, former president George W. Bush, and Secretary of State and former first lady Hilary Clinton. Betty Ford had been known for her outspoken and honest manner on issues such as women's rights, as well as work on drug and alcohol treatment.

2012 Saudi Arabia to Send Two Female Athletes to Olympics

2012 : The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that Saudi Arabia would send two female athletes, Sarah Attar for the women's 800m and Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani for judo, to the London 2012 Summer Games. The inclusion of Saudi women in the games would mark the first time in the history of the games that there would be a female athlete from every competing country. Female athletes from Brunei and Qatar would also be entering the games for the first time.

2013 Ireland Approves Abortion

2013 : Ireland's lower house in parliament voted in favor of legalizing abortion in cases where it would save the life of the mother. This is the first time the Irish government has voted in favor of any type of abortion.

Friday Morning in the Blogosphere

 My first Los Angeles Times ID

Emily Sweeney is why news videos go viral - E&P Magazine

Two anniversaries reveal a warning for America at 250 - E&P Magazine

Generative AI was useful; agentic AI is game-changing - E&P Magazine

How to Run CBS News and CNN Under Common Ownership - Second Rough Draft

Pulitzer Prize recipients peel back the curtain, revealing the work behind the win - E&P Magazine

Today in Labor History July 10, 2026

 Mary Jane McLeod Bethune

Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was born. Bethune was an American educator, stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian, and civil right activist best known for starting a private school for African-American students in Daytona Beach, Florida. She attracted donations of time and money, and developed the academic school as a college. It later continued to develop as Bethune-Cookman University. She was appointed as a national adviser to President Roosevelt as part of what was known as his Black Cabinet. She was known as “The First Lady of the Struggle” because of her commitment to gain better lives for African Americans. – 1875

14,000 federal and state troops finally succeed in putting down the strike against the Pullman Palace Car Company The strike had been peaceful until July 5, when federal troops intervened in Chicago, against the repeated protests of the Governor and Chicago’s mayor. Some 34 American Railway Union members were killed by troops over the course of the strike. – 1894

A powerful gas and dust explosion occurred in the Rolling Mill Mine in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. At approximately 11 a.m., the explosion occurred in the Klondike section of the mine, and ultimately 112 miners, 84 of whom were immigrants from England, Poland, and Slovakia, lost their lives. Killed immediately were those miners working in the Klondike section. Many other miners, as well as the vast majority of the mine animals, were killed by an asphyxiating gall called afterdam that spread through the mine as they fled to the Millcreek Portal, several miles away, the only other exit from the mine. The Rolling Mill Mine Disaster still ranks as one the most deadly mining accidents in American history. – 1902

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce held a mass meeting of more than 2,000 merchants to organize what was to become a frontal assault on union strength and the closed shop. The failure of wages to keep up with inflation after the 1906 earthquake had spurred multiple strikes in the city. – 1916

Sidney Hillman died at age 59. Head of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, he was a key figure in the founding of the Congress of Industrial Organization and in marshaling labor’s support for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Democratic Party. – 1946

Important Events From This day in History July 10

 

1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial Begins

1925 : John T. Scopes, a science teacher in Tennessee, was charged with violating the state's Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach evolution in Tennessee schools. The trial was based on the charge he did unlawfully and willfully teach in Tennessee schools certain theories that deny the story of the divine creation of man as told in the Bible. He was found guilty on July 21st and received a $100 fine.

More about the Scopes Monkey Trial

1985 Rainbow Warrior is Sunk

1985 : The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior is sunk when French agents plant a bomb on the hull of the boat while docked in Auckland harbor, New Zealand. The Rainbow Warrior had been preparing for a protest voyage to the French nuclear test site in the South Pacific.

1924 Brazil Rebels

1924 : With each day the rebellion by well armed rebels and guerrillas is gaining new converts in cities other than San Paulo with each day and many warn government forces are losing control of more areas.

1938 Aviator Howard Hughes

1938 : Aviator Howard Hughes makes a record flight around the world. He completed the trip in just 91 hours, breaking the previous record by more than four days. Taking off from New York City in a Lockheed Super Electra he continued to Paris, Moscow, Omsk, Yakutsk, Anchorage, Minneapolis, ending back at New York City.

1940 Great Britain Luftwaffe Bombing

1940 : The Germans Luftwaffe begin bombing raids against Great Britain, signaling the start of the Battle of Britain, the bombing continued over major Ports and cities across the UK for 3 months and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfires and Hurricanes try to combat German Bf 109E while also trying to stop German Bombers (Junkers Ju 87) reaching their destinations to drop their bombs, the new introduction of Radar along the English coast provided much needed intelligence for UK fighter pilots. Winston Churchill made many memorable speeches in World War II but one of the sentences that is his famous speech where he used the words "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few", referring to the allied pilots who fought against the German pilots in the Battle of Britain.

1941 Poland World War II

1941 : 1,600 Jews are forced into a barn in Jedwabne, Poland by the local villagers and burned to death.

1943 Sicily Operation Husky

1943 : Allies begin their invasion of Axis controlled Europe with landings on the island of Sicily "Operation Husky."

1958 U.S.A. Alaska Earthquake

1958 : An earthquake hit north of Juneau in Alaska causing a tidal wave that completely covered a small island and 3 people were drowned on the island while picking wild strawberries.

1962 U.S.A. Telstar Launched

1962 : Telstar, the world's first communications satellite a privately sponsored space launch was launched into orbit . The Telstar communications satellite relays the first live transatlantic television signal and the worlds telephone call transmitted through space on July 23rd.

1964 Beatles "A Hard Day's Night" Released

1964 : The Beatles release the "A Hard Day's Night" album as the soundtrack to their first film of the same name. The album included well known tracks which enter the charts as single's including: "A Hard Day's Night," "Tell Me Why," "Can't Buy Me Love," "And I Love Her."

1965 Rolling Stones First Number One Hit

1965 : The Rolling Stones have their first number 1 single on the US Billboard charts "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" from the album "Out of Our Heads."

1973 Bahamas Independence

1973 : The Bahamas gains independence from Great Britain after 300 years of British of British Rule, the Bahamas remain a part of the British Commonwealth. The new prime minister will be Lyndon Pindling whose Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) won the elections in September 1972.

1987 Persian Gulf Iranians Attack Super Tanker

1987 : An attack by an Iranian Gunboat on a US super tanker in the Persian Gulf has caused a big jump in oil prices to jump to $21.23 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

1987 Canada / United States Trade

1987 : Negotiations between the worlds biggest two nation trading partnership has reached a point where neither believe they can change policy and the free trade agreement between them could break down completely.

1991 Soviet Union Boris N. Yeltsin

1991 : Boris N. Yeltsin takes office as the first elected president of the Russian republic.

1998 U.S.A. Diocese of Dallas

1998 : The Diocese of Dallas agreed to pay $23.4 million to nine former altar boys who said they were molested by 52-year-old Rudolph 'Rudy' Kos, who is now serving a life sentence in prison.

1999 US Women's Soccer Team Wins World Cup

1999 : The U.S. women's soccer team wins the final between the U.S. and China beating the Chinese team in a penalty shootout at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif making them the FIFA Women's World Cup champions.

2000 Worldwide Internet Users

2000 : UK 1 in 4 (25%) now use the internet at home up from 1 in 10 (10%) just 2 years ago.

U.S.A. 1 in 3 (33%) now use the Internet up from 1 in 5 (20%) just 2 years ago.

Figures for estimate of 2008 Internet usage: UK 2 in 3 (66%) now use the internet at home, U.S.A. 3 in 4 (73%) now use the Internet at home.

2002 Nevada Yucca Mountain Nuclear Dump Site

2002 : The United States Senate gives final approval to bury all of the country's nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain, Nevada about 80 miles from Las Vegas. The plans include storing 70,000 metric tons of radioactive material from America's 103 nuclear power plants deep inside the mountain for about 10,000 years. As of 2008 the project is still not accepting Nuclear waste due to legal challenges, funding, the transport of nuclear waste issues, and ongoing political pressure. Currently there are 130 separate nuclear waste sites scattered around the US.

Today in Labor History July 9, 2026

 

The Charleston Five

Federal troops raided the IWW hall in Yakima, Washington. – 1917

The worst rail accident in U.S history occurred when two passenger trains operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway (“NC&StL”) collided head-on at Dutchman’s curve in west Nashville, Tennessee. 101 people died, and another 171 were injured. – 1918

New England Telephone “girls” went on strike for a seven-hour workday, $27 weekly pay after four years’ service. – 1923

New York City subway system managers in the Bronx attempted to make cleaning crews on the IRT line work faster by forcing the use of a 14-inch squeegee instead of the customary 10-inch tool. Six workers were fired for insubordination; a two-day walkout by the Transport Workers Union won a reversal of the directive and the workers’ reinstatement. – 1935

The first U.S. mine safety law was enacted to prevent mine disasters. – 1952

United Packinghouse, Food & Allied Workers merged with Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen. – 1968

Five thousand demonstrators rallied at the state capitol in Columbia, South Carolina in support of the “Charleston Five,” labor activists. The Five were longshoremen and union members of Local 1422 of the International Longshoremen’s Association. The were peacefully protesting a Danish freight company’s use of non-union workers on the Charleston docks when a fight broke out between picketing workers and the police force. The Charleston Five were arrested along with four others and were held on felony charges which could have carried a prison sentence of up to 10 years. They were finally freed of all charges in November 2001 after a one-year trial, throughout which they were kept under house arrest. – 2001

Important Events From This day in History July 9

 

 

1984 Wing of York Minster Gutted By Fire

1984 : A 760-year-old wing of York Minster, the largest medieval cathedral in Britain, was gutted by a fierce fire started by lightning. A rescue party save most of the historic and valuable artifacts from the burning cathedral including tapestries and silver candlesticks. These Bells are still rung by hand and the sound is stunning [ the heaviest bell (Great Peter) weighs 10.8 tons ].

1941 UK Enigma Code Broken

1941 : British cryptologists break the secret code (Enigma) used by the German army to direct ground-to-air operations on the Eastern front.

1932 U.S.A. Beer Bill Rejected Again

1932 : A bill to legalize beer containing 3.2 percent alcohol was presented to the senate but was again rejected keeping the country dry for a further period.

1947 UK Princess Elizabeth

1947 : Princess Elizabeth the future Queen of England announces her engagement to Lt. Philip Mountbatten.

1982 Michael Fagan Breaks Into Queen's Bedroom

1982 : 30-year-old Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace morning and spent 10 minutes talking with Queen Elizabeth II in her bedroom before being arrested inside the palace at 3 a.m. Major questions were asked on how he evaded 43 soldiers, 24 police, 350 palace staff members, dog patrols, surveillance cameras, electronic listening devices and other equipment.

1991 South Africa Admitted To Olympics

1991 : South Africa is readmitted into the Olympics after 20 years, they were expelled from the IOC in 1970 because of apartheid policies of racial segregation.

1995 U.S.A. Grateful Dead

1995 : The Grateful Dead played their last concert including the lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, at Soldier Field in Chicago.

1960 U.S.A. Cuba Concerns Castro

1960 : With the continuing cold war and the new communist revolutionary Fidel Castro taking control of Cuba which then became the focus of arguments between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev due to Americas concern over having a communist controlled country within striking distance of the United States.

1966 U.S.A. Prison Riot

1966 : Prisoners at Maryland Penitentiary rioted setting fire to a number of buildings, the riot was stopped in the end by authorities using tear gas on the 1200 inmates.

1975 U.S.A. Earthquake Minnesota

1975 : In Morris, Minnesota, an earthquake of with a magnitude of almost five strikes the area.

1996 UK Michael Stone

1996 : A family is attacked in the small English village of Nonington by a man wielding a hammer on their way home, he then bludgeoned them one by one. One daughter Josie 9 years old was the sole survivor of the vicious assault. Michael Stone was arrested 12 months later and charged with the murder of Dr. Lin Russell and her daughter Megan.

1998 Azores Earthquake

1998 : A magnitude 5.9 Earthquake strikes the Portuguese Azores killing at least 10 with many more still missing in the rubble. The Portuguese government has reacted quickly sending medical supplies, portable generators, rescue workers with sniffer dogs, and 100's of tents for temporary sleeping accommodation.

2000 UK Pete Sampras Wimbledon

2000 : Pete Sampras wins his seventh and final Wimbledon singles title, tying the record with William Renshaw for men at the All England Club. He had won on 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

2003 Bangladesh Ferry Disaster

2003 : The ferry "MV Nasrin-1" travelling from Dhaka, to Lalmohan hits strong winds and high seas causing the ferry to overturn (it is also believed the ferry was overloaded with passengers and cargo) making it more unstable. At least 500 are believed to have drowned in the strong currents and 200 are rescued.

2004 Iraq War Justification Believed False

2004 : A Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIA had provided unfounded assessments of the threat posed by Iraq which the Bush administration used to justify for invasion of Iraq.

2006 Venezuela New Oil and Gas Pipeline

2006 : Construction on a gas and oil pipeline began in Venezuela. The project, with a cost of $200 Million is supposed to extend Venezuelan gas and oil to parts of Central America, including Colombia and Panama. The pipeline would not only provide gas and oil to Central America, but would speed up exportation of the products to East Asia by extending this pipeline to the Pacific Ocean.

2007 U.S.A. Boeing 787 Dreamliner

2007 : The plane manufacturer Boeing showed its plans for its new environmentally friendly airplane the 787 Dreamliner, on this day. This marks the first newly designed jet from the company for twelve years. The plane was said to be composed of more carbon fiber than aluminum and would produce twenty percent less carbon dioxide than other planes.

2008 Turkey Terrorist Attack US Consulate

2008 : In an attack on the United States consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, a total of six people were killed on this day. The attacks were linked to an Islamic fundamentalist group by the name of the Great Eastern Islamic Raiders.

2011 South Sudan Holds Independence Ceremony

2011 : Tens of thousands of people gathered in Juba to witness the raising of the flag of the newly formed South Sudan at an independence ceremony. The new president of the new nation, Salva Kiir, signed the constitution and took his oath of office at the ceremony. South Sudan's formation follows decades of conflict with its Northern neighbor Sudan, which became the first country to recognize its independence in an official manner. Sudan's president and the UN chief were among onlookers at the ceremony.

Today in Labor History – July 7, 2026

 Mother Jones

Striking New York longshoremen met to discuss ways to keep new immigrants from scabbing. They were successful, at least for a time. On July 14, 500 newly arrived Jews marched straight from their ship to the union hall. On July 15, 250 Italian immigrants stopped scabbing on the railroad and joined the union. – 1882

The March of the Mill Children, the three-week trek from Philadelphia to President Roosevelt’s home on Long Island by striking child and adult textile workers, was launched by Mary Harris “Mother” Jones. The march turned public attention on the scourge of child labor and energized efforts to end it by law. – 1903

Cloakmakers began what was to be a two-month strike against New York City sweatshops. – 1910

Workers began construction on the Boulder Dam (now known as Hoover Dam) on the Colorado River, during the Great Depression. Wages and conditions were horrible—16 workers and work camp residents died of the heat over just a single 30-day period—and two strikes over the four years of construction led to only nominal improvements in pay and conditions. – 1931

The Puerto Rican general strike of 1998 began as a strike of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC) workers protested a government privatization plan. Three weeks later, 500,000 people joined a two-day general strike, bringing commerce and travel to a standstill. The strike failed to stop the privatization plan, and in July a consortium led by GTE bought the PRTC for $1.9 billion. – 1998