Wednesday, February 04, 2026
Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere
Important Events From This day in History February 4th
1938 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1938 : The animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released and had major success in the box-office, making more money than any other motion picture up till that point. Find More What happened in 1938
1959 Barbie Doll
1959 : Today was the first day of the invention of the Barbie Doll. This doll was created by Ruth Handler, who was one of the founders of the Mattel Company. Barbie was named after Ruth's daughter. Later on, when the Ken doll was made, it was named after Ruth's son.
4 Feb, 1920 U.S. Prohibition
1920 : Someone had stolen 21 barrels of whiskey which was held at a Pennsylvania brewery. The person who had taken this liquor was sentenced a fine of $7,000. This particular crime had taken place during the Prohibition Era, during a time when the sale of alcohol was not allowed. By the way, liquor licenses were still being granted during this time. However, beverages could not contain more than one-half percent of alcohol in them.
1922 Lincoln / Ford
1922 : Lincoln purchased the Ford Company for $8 million dollars on this day. During the time of this transition, Henry Ford had assumed position of president of Lincoln.
1931 US Banks Go Bust
1931 : As banks continue to close across the US when depositors ask for their deposits back, the problems continue to escalate as most small banks had large amounts invested in the stock market and with the crash of wall street in late 1929 many banks do not have sufficient funds left to meet current members deposits. Many are going into receivership with little help for investors. The government is looking at schemes to bail the banks out and help consumer confidence.
1932 Winter Olympics
1932 : The first Winter Olympics to be held in the United States. These games took place in Lake Placid, New York.
1937 U.S. Floods
1937 : Restrictions were lifted from flood quarantine areas on this day. People could return to these areas that were originally prohibited from entering without any further threat of disease or sickness. A main concern regarding the possible spread of disease epidemic applied to those unregistered refugees who had not yet been immunized. They had been confined to one specific area for as long as was decided was necessary.
1943 Olds Patent
1943 : Ransom Eli Olds, the creator of one of the first internal combustion engine designs, received his last patent on this day. Olds was noted for creating the first automobile production line, through a company that has made cars such as the Olds Runabout.
1948 Ceylon Independence
1948 : Ceylon now Sri Lanka gains independence from British rule and becomes an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth.
1950 British Atomic Scientist
1950 : On this day a British Atomic scientist was arrested and charge of gathering information that would be useful to enemy forces. He was the holder of some of the most classified (top secret) information regarding the A-bomb. He was found out by American FBI agents, and these agents reported the info to the Scotland Yard.
4 Feb, 1957 Smith-Corona
1957 : This was the first day of the sale of Smith-Corona portable typewriters. This company had been producing typewriters since 1886 , when it created the first upper and lower-case typing model.
1964 U.S.A. Poll Tax
1964 : As of this date, it was no longer legal to charge a poll tax for voting. This action was repealed upon the passing of the 24th Amendment.
1968 Kenya
1968 : The continued persecution of Asians in Kenya is forcing many thousands to leave the country and many are choosing Britain for their future . Kenya has introduced new tough immigration laws which only allow work permits to Kenyan Citizens.
1974 UK Bombing
1974 : A bomb believed to have been set by the IRA kills 11 including soldiers and children when the coach they were travelling in is blown up by a bomb.
1974 Patricia Hearst
1974 : Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is kidnapped in Berkeley, California by the Symbionese Liberation Army.
1976 Guatemala and Honduras earthquake
1976 : In Guatemala and Honduras a 7.5 magnitude earthquake centered about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City kills more than 22,000. The quake caused major landslides which blocked transport routes leaving food and water supplies were severely reduced. Some of the areas were without electricity and communication for up to 1 week and the main shock was followed by thousands of aftershocks, some of the larger ones causing additional loss of life and damage.
1988 UK Seamen Strike
1988 : Ferry ports in the UK are causing major congestion on roads on the south coast as British Seamen continue their strike without union backing. The strike is because of the increase of cheaper low-cost Third World crews, while making British Seamen redundant.
1997 O.J. Simpson
1997 : A civil jury panel in Santa Monica, California had determined that O.J. Simpson was guilty of the deaths of both his ex-wife Nicole Brown-Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. He had originally been acquitted in the year 1995.
4 Feb, 1998 Afghanistan Earthquake
1998 : An earthquake in northern Afghanistan has left up to 4000 dead, and tens of thousands more injured or 4th homeless. The earthquake epicenter was close to the city of Rostaq in the remote province of Takhar, close to the border with Tajikistan.
2003 Yugoslavia Country Dissolved
2003 : Lawmakers formally dissolve Yugoslavia and replace it with a loose union of Serbia and Montenegro.
2004 Massachusetts Gay Marriage
2004 : The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declared that same-sex marriage is legal.
2004 Facebook
2004 : Facebook, a mainstream online social network is founded by Mark Zuckerberg.
2006 Danish and Norwegian Embassies Destroyed in Syria
2006 : Following the publishing of caricatures of the prophet Muhammad Muslim protesters torched and destroyed the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus. And in Gaza, Palestinians marched through the streets, storming European buildings and burning German and Danish flags.
2007 U.S. Generals Against Military Strike on Iran
2007 : Three former military officers have warned against a military strike on Iran, and said that such action would have 'disastrous consequences' for the security in the Middle-east, and for coalition forces in Iraq. They agree that the crisis over Iran's nuclear program should be resolved through diplomacy, and urge Washington to start direct talks with that country. These warnings were published in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper, and signed by: Lieutenant-General Robert Gard, a former military assistant to the U.S. Defense Secretary, General Joseph Hoar, a former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Central Command and Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, a former Director of the Center for Defense Information.
2008 China Snow Storm
2008 : China has been hit by the worst snow storms in 50 years and some of the worst affected are the poorest in China. The Chinese rural population of farmers do not have the high tech farm machinery needed to weather these type of conditions and are living very close to poverty so when a natural disaster occurs like this which ruins the crops many are forced into near starvation.
2008 US Navy Must Follow Environmental Laws
2008 : A Federal judge has ruled that the Navy must follow environmental laws by placing limits on its mid-frequency sonars. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper has written that the Navy is not exempt from a compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and a court injunction has created a 12-nautical-mile no-sonar zone along the coastline of southern California. President Bush had decided to exempt the Navy from this law.
2008 New President of Mormon Church
2008 : Thomas S. Monson has been named as the 16th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has said that the church will not be veering from the course that was set by his predecessor, Gordon B. Hinckley. He has taken over at a time when the church has been undergoing a rapid growth around the globe, and been getting a lot of attention from Mitt Romney's campaign for the White House.
2009 Gaddafi Speaks Out on Democracy in Africa
2009 : The new African Union (A.U.) chairman, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, has said that multi-party democracy in Africa always leads to bloodshed. He was speaking at the A.U. summit in Ethiopia, where he went on to explain that Africa was essentially tribal environment, and that political parties themselves became tribalised, which led to further bloodshed. He concluded that the best model for Africa was his own country, where opposition parties are not allowed.
2010 Bank of America / Merrill Lynch
2010 : Legal action has started against the Bank of America and its former executives, and accuses them of duping investors and taxpayers during their takeover of Merrill Lynch. The defendants are accused of having withheld details of Merrill Lynch's huge losses. New York state officials have filed an action against the bank, its former chief-executive Kenneth Lewis and former chief-financial officer Joseph Price. Bank of America has said that the charges are 'regrettable.' The charges are for duping shareholders and the federal government in order to complete the merger.
2010 Google Books
2010 : The Department of Justice has said that it is not satisfied with a deal that allows the search engine Google to build a vast digital library. It says that the plan fails to address its antitrust and copyright concerns. It has been following the online retailer Amazon's complaints that Google's plan to scan and distribute books online could lead to a monopoly. The Department of Justice is advising the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York that issues in the settlement agreement from The Authors Guild Inc. et al. v. Google Inc., class certification, copyright and antitrust still remain.
2010 Barack Obama's Aunt in Court for Asylum Case
2010 : Barack Obama's Kenyan aunt has appeared at a court in Boston on a second attempt to gain political asylum in the United States. The immigration hearing for 57-year-old Zeituni Onyango has ended without an immediate decision on her asylum. The half-sister of Mr. Obama's father, Onyango had moved to the U.S. in 2000. Her first asylum application was rejected in 2004, and she was ordered to be deported, but continued living in public housing in Boston. Her immigration status became an issue during Mr. Obama's election campaign. He said at the time that he was not aware of his aunt being in the U.S. illegally.
2011 The Philippines Bans Logging
2011 : President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines announced a nationwide ban on logging after the country suffers from flooding and mudslides. In January over seventy people died from floods and President Aquino believed that too much logging might have contributed to the causes of the flooding.
2012 Mexican Police Arrest Leader of Gente Nueva Gange
2012 : Police in Mexico have announced that they captured and arrested Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo, the suspected leader of the Gente Nueva gang (a part of the Sinaloa drug cartel). Police arrested him and his bodyguard in Leon and say that the two men were carrying weapons and crystal meth.
2013 France Women Pants Ban Lifted
2013 : The government of France has overturned a two-hundred year law that banned women from wearing trousers. The law had effectively been out of use for several years as people just ignored the law, however the change would make it formally legal for women to wear trousers.
2014 Libya Announces Destruction of Chemical Weapons
2014 : The foreign minister of Libya announced that all of the country's chemical weapons had finally been destroyed. The process had begun in 2004 when the country had signed the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Today in Labor History February 4th, 2026
The Ohio legislature authorized construction of the 249-mile Miami and Erie Canal to connect Toledo to Cincinnati. Local historians said “Irish immigrants, convicts and local farmers used picks, shovels and wheelbarrows,” at 30 cents per day, to construct the 249-mile-long waterway. – 1825
Tuesday, February 03, 2026
Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere
Important Events From This day in History February 3
1959 Buddy Holly Plane Crash
1959 : Rock 'n' Roll singers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson ( The Big Bopper ) died in a plane crash today along with the pilot when their chartered plane went down near Mason City, Iowa. The deaths are immortalized in the "The Day the Music Died" by Don McLean.
1986 Mother Teresa
1986 : The Pope meets Mother Teresa, and visited her refuge for the sick and dying. Her Missionaries of Charity order, now has 4,500 sisters in 133 countries providing food and shelter and hospices for the dying.
1870 The Fifteenth Amendment Ratified
1870 : The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution is ratified in 1870 which prohibits each government in the United States from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude" (i.e., slavery).
3 Feb, 1919 League of Nations
1919 : The first meeting of the League of Nations was held on this day. President Woodrow Wilson was head of this committee. The purpose of this committee was to promote international security as well as world peace. This organization was later replaced by the present-day United Nations (UN). The goals of the UN are very similar to the goals of the League of Nations.
1927 Federal Radio Commission Created
1927 : President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill on this day that created the Federal Radio Commission. This is the organization that issues licenses in the present day for people to broadcast over the radio.
1931 Earthquake Napier
1931 : A major earthquake and fire devastated the area of Hawke's Bay region and the city of Napier in New Zealand and surrounding towns and villages, the city is still ablaze and virtually helpless with local hospitals also burned to the ground and 10,000 major injuries. The death toll is expected to reach many hundreds when rescuers can get into the collapsed buildings. Local inhabitants are planning to sleep on the beach as this appears to be the only safe place currently.
1931 Sir Malcolm Campbell
1931 : Sir Malcolm Campbell has bought his bluebird racing machine to Daytona Beach for an attempt on the world land speed record of 231 MPH . In an unofficial test he achieved 240 MPH so is confident of breaking the record. He went on to break the record on the 5th, 1931 at Daytona Beach, USA with Blue Bird achieving 253.96 MPH.
1933 U.S. Fire
1933 : Nine women fled back to their rooms during the time that a fire was taking place in a mental hospital. As a result, they had died, despite efforts of workers to help them out of the building.
1937 Flood Control Improvements
1937 : President Roosevelt had presented a request to Congress for almost three billion dollars ($2,750,000,000) money for flood control improvements. This money was to be spent on improving dikes and levee systems in areas such as the Ohio River and lower Mississippi River.
1945 Operation Thunderclap
1945 : 1,000 B-17's of the Eighth Air Force bomb Berlin.
1947 Coldest Recorded Temperature In North America
1947 : Snag, Yukon in Canada records the lowest temperature for North America of -63 -C (-81.4 -F).
1948 Big Tail-fins
1948 : Late in the 1940s the first of the next generation of car design ( tail-fins ) is seen for the first time on the Cadillac.
3 Feb, 1950 Russian Spy
1950 : Klaus Fuchs one of the scientists who came to Britain following the end of World War II and helped develop the atomic bomb, is arrested for passing top secret information about the bomb to the Soviet Union.
1953 Jacques Cousteau
1953 : The well known oceanographer Jacques Cousteau’s last and most famous book The Silent World is published.
1959 Increased Water Price
1959 : As of this year Algona, Iowa residents were expected to pay as high as 73% more for water than in previous years. This increase was intended to be used to help pay for the cost of water system improvement and expansion. This new water project was estimated to cost about $565,000 dollars.
1966 Luna 9
1966 : The Soviet Union had successfully accomplished the first controlled landing on the moon. The unmanned ship Luna 9 landed in the Ocean of Storms area on the moon’s surface.
1973 Vietnam Peace Treaty
1973 : A peace treaty was signed a few days before and then U.S. troops were withdrawn in Vietnam as a part of the fulfillment of that agreement. However, fighting continued to take place in other areas of Vietnam until the year 1975, despite the treaty that was signed.
1988 Contras
1988 : The U.S. House of Representatives rejects Ronald Reagan's request for more than $36 million in aid to the Nicaraguan Contras.
1994 Space Shuttle Discovery
1994 : A woman astronaut took control of the Space Shuttle Discovery during this year. This was the first time ever that a female had operated a spaceship as a pilot.
1994 Bill Clinton
1994 : President Bill Clinton had lifted the trade embargo that was placed on the Republic of Vietnam. Trade restrictions had been established for 19 years, ever since the capture of Saigon by North Vietnamese troops during the Vietnam War.
Today in Labor History February 3rd
Explosion at a Thiokol chemical plant
The U.S. Supreme Court rules the United Hatters Union violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by organizing a nationwide boycott of Danbury Hatters of Connecticut - 1908
Monday, February 02, 2026
Robert Murray Rest in Peace
Our friend Robert Murray passed away on 01/31/2026 at 73 years of age. Mr. Murray was an pressman at the Los Angeles Times Orange County production facility, before moving to the Olympic Production Facility.
His funeral service will be in Pomona, CA.
Dan Rooney Rest in Peace
Jennifer Scheer is with Dan Rooney. My dad passed very peacefully today with family at his side. Thankful for the end of his pain.
Dan worked with us at the Los Angeles Times for many years. Condolences to his family.
Important Events From This day in History February 2
USA Groundhog Day
2nd February : In weather lore, if a groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, or marmot emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow winter will soon end. If on the other hand, it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, winter will continue for 6 more weeks
1989 Sky Television Launched
1989 : Sky Television Satellite Service launched by Rupert Murdoch's News International. Later after both British Sky Broadcasting and Sky Television are losing money they combine to create the current British Sky Broadcasting.
2 Feb, 1990 Apartheid
1990 : President De Klerk of South Africa lifts the 30-year ban on leading anti-apartheid group the African National Congress ( ANC ). He also stated the jailed ANC leader Nelson Mandela would be released.
1916 Zeppelins Drop Bombs
1916 : German zeppelins drop close to 400 bombs over the West Midlands the crew of a British fishing trawler later comes across the crashed remains of one of the giant airships floating in the North Sea.
1921 Ideal Town
1921 : A short article was published in a local Pennsylvania newspaper indicating what people look for in a town-especially if contemplating moving there. Ten points of consideration were outlined in regards to what people look for in a town. Four of the ten points mentioned are as follows: Attractiveness, and healthfulness (availability of adequate health care), as well as availability of education, and friendliness of people. The availability of recreation, practicality of living, accessibility of necessities, along with business and employment opportunities are also very important to most people. Additionally, the level of progressiveness of an area is one factor that people consider when relocating to a new area.
1923 Gasoline
1923 : Gasoline mixed with tetraethyl lead was sold starting this day and year. This gasoline blend was first introduced to the public by the General Motors Company.
1925 Alaska Diphtheria
1925 : A major epidemic of Diphtheria in Nome, Alaska, today received much needed diphtheria serum delivered by a team of sled dogs led by Gunnar Kasson.
1925 Sears, Roebuck Opens It's First Store
1925 : Sears opens it's first retail store in the Merchandise building ( part of it's headquarters building in Chicago ). The first retail store was just an expansion of it's existing catalog business started in the 1890's
1933 Buster Keaton
1933 : Buster Keaton was a slapstick comedy and silent film star who was fired from MGM as of this day. The reason that was given in one history report was that he was drinking excessively. A possible reason for Buster Keaton's failure to make it with MGM was the fact that it may have been hard for him to adjust working under the direction of someone else. Before this time, he had actually been able to have control over his own creativity. From the time that he had been fired until about 10 years later, Keaton had undergone more trials. For one, his wife had divorced him, and he had taken on smaller and smaller film roles. He had even ended up in a psychiatric ward (mental hospital) for awhile as well. However, he made a strong comeback in the 1950s
2 Feb, 1933 Livestock
1933 : On this day, a new livestock board appointed by Ferguson (presumably the name of the livestock company) had decided to replace 260 old employees with new ones.
1936 Babe Ruth
1936 : Babe Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on this day. He was a famous major league baseball player for the Boston Red Sox (1914-1919) and then the New York Yankees (1920-1934). He also played for the Boston Braves (now Atlanta Braves) during his last year as a player in 1935 During Ruth's career, he had achieved much, for instance, he ranked 3rd on the all-time home run list. Part of the reason why is because he achieved a record of 60 home runs in the year 1927 Babe Ruth was also the only player to hit three home runs in two World Series appearances (1926 and 1928).
1937 White House
1937 : On this day it was reported that the White House roof was leaking, and that further rain and snow was expected to fall. Believe it or not, while this was going on Congress was still debating whether or not to spend $400 to fix it.
1937 Paducah Flood
1937 : The city of Paducah in Kentucky experienced the affect of the terrible Ohio River Flood of 1937. Waters reached as high as 60.8 feet.
1942 World War II in Norway
1942 : A Puppet government is set up in Norway following the German Occupation and Vidkun Quisling, a collaborator with the German occupiers is established as prime minister of a puppet government.
1943 WWII German Armies Surrender to Red Army
1943 : On this day, a crucial battle had been one by Allied World War II forces. The remnants of the German 6th Army surrendered to the Russians (The Red Army) in Stalingrad. This was one more decisive victory that had occurred during World War II.
1949 First 45 RPM Vinyl Record Released
1949 : The first 45 RPM vinyl record was released. It would be one of the most popular ways for music lovers to enjoy their favorite song without buying an entire record. The cassette single during the 1980s and 1990s was a comparable format.
1961 Brazil Hijacking
1961 : The nearly 600 passengers aboard the hijacked Santa Maria liner were finally landed and released in Brazil.
1964 GI Joe Launched
1964 : Following the success of the Barbie doll for girl, Hasbro launches G.I. Joe, an action figure for boys. G.I. Joe stood for "Government Issue Joe," there were four originally four figures launched - one for each branch of the Armed Forces.
1968 Richard M. Nixon
1968 : Richard M. Nixon begins his campaign for the 1968 Republican presidential nomination in New Hampshire.
1971 Idi Amin
1971 : Major General Idi Amin declares himself president of Uganda and chief of the armed forces. Shortly after taking power he launched a genocidal program to purge Uganda of its Lango and Acholi ethnic groups and later that year, he ordered all Indians and Pakistanis to leave the country.
Today in Labor History February 2nd, 2026
Three hundred newsboys organize to protest a cut in pay by the Minneapolis Tribune - 1917
Legal secretary Iris Rivera fired for refusing to make coffee; secretaries across Chicago protest - 1977
The 170-day lockout (although management called it a strike) of 22,000 steelworkers by USX Corp. ends with a pay cut but greater job security. It was the longest work stoppage in the history of the U.S. steel industry - 1987
Sunday, February 01, 2026
Sunday Morning in the Blogosphere
Important Events From This day in History February 1st
1992 - Cold War Ends
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/february2nd.html
Another role of law enforcement-along with health personnel-was to provide services to certain unregistered Memphis residents. Unfortunately, it was reported that taking care of these unregistered residents was a "nuisance".
The 20,000 people of Memphis, Tennessee who were not registered had not been immunized before, and they also have not been examined previously. Therefore, guards have been stationed in various places, such as on the Harahan Bridge, which runs across the Mississippi River to the state of Arkansas.
The woman's argument regarding the allowing of money to be stuffed into her costume is that it is an old Greek custom. The jury had decided that it is Greek to them too, which implies that the jury probably ruled that she had done nothing wrong.
Part of the welfare improvement plan proposed by JFK was to increase the amount of money funding rehabilitation. Part of this funding was to help pay social workers who would be in charge of helping people regain independence.
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