Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Monday Morning in the Blogosphere
Monday, May 19, 2025
Important Events From This day in History May 19th
19 May, 1997 Hong Kong Avian Flu
1997 : The first victim of Avian Flu A (H5N1) a three-year-old boy has died in Hong Kong. By the end of the year there were 18 recorded cases with six of the victims dying. Authorities slaughter 1.6 million chickens and other domestic fowl in Hong Kong hoping to prevent further spread of the disease. The World Health Organization and other interested parties are still concerned that the Avian Flu Virus could mutate further causing a similar pandemic to the 1918/1919 Spanish flu pandemic which killed anywhere from 20 to 100 million worldwide, Or between 2.5 to 5% of the worlds human population.
19 May, 1962 Marilyn Monroe Performs Rendition of "Happy Birthday"
1962 : Marilyn Monroe performed a rendition of "Happy Birthday" for President John F. Kennedy for his forty-fifth birthday during a fund-raiser at New York's Madison Square Garden. The dress she wore that night was noted for being sheer and flesh colored with 2500 rhinestones sewn into it and designed by Jean Louis. The dress sold in 1999 at auction in New York for over US$1.26 million.
19 May, 1921 U.S.A. Emergency Quota Act
1921 : The Emergency Quota Act was passed into law which limits the number of immigrants admitted into the US. More about Emergency Quota Act
19 May, 1923 U.S.A. Harry Houdini
1923 : Harry Houdini ex medium, magician, handcuff king, disappearing artist denounced spirit mediums, clairvoyants in a radio interview and has said his good friend Sir A Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes) has been duped by tricksters and fraudsters.
1982 Italy Sophia Loren
1982 : Actress Sophia Loren began serving a 30-day prison sentence in Italy for failing to report five million lire on her income tax return for 1970.
1986 South Africa Zambia
1986 : South African troops launch multiple raids on Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana in an effort to destroy bases purportedly used by the anti-apartheid organisation the African National Congress (ANC). The Nations of Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Tanzania, form the so-called "frontline states" that support the ANC in their struggle against white minority rule. During the Mid to Late 1980s sanctions imposed by the US, most Commonwealth nations and the European Community forced South Africa to end it's anti-apartheid policies and in 1994 the ANC formed South Africa's first democratically elected government with Mr Mandela as the country's first black president.
Born This Day In History 19th May
Celebrating Birthdays Today
Grace Jones
Born: May 19th, 1948 Spanish Town, Jamaica
Known For : Grace Jones is a model, actress, singer, songwriter, and music producer who gained fame in the 1970s and 1980s for her unique style. She began modeling as a teenager and soon transitioned to music, becoming a star of the disco-scene in New York City. During the 1980s her music transitioned to a new wave style and drew influence from reggae. As an actress, she appeared in several films including as a Bond girl in 1985's "A View to Kill." She is also well-known for her distinctive androgynous look and bold cubist-inspired fashion choices.
1991 Croatia Seeks Independence
1991 : Croatian Voters in Civil war torn Yugoslavia have voted to seek independence and sovereignty, the country is being torn apart by nationalists and ethnic Serbs who wish to be part of Serbia.
1992 U.S.A. 27th Amendment
1992 : The 27th Amendment to the US constitution is ratified.
1994 U.S.A. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
1994 : The former First Lady ( President Kennedy's wife ) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died today of lymphoma at the age of 64.
2005 U.S.A. Revenge of the Sith
2005 : The final chapter of Star Wars "Revenge of the Sith," opens in movie theaters with movie goers queuing all night.
2005 Rwandan Official Apologizes for Genocide
2005 : The Rwandan defense minister, Marcel Gatsini, apologized for being a part of the Hutu government behind the genocide of 1994. This marks the first time a senior official of the government behind the genocide publicly apologized. Gatsini stated he was fired from the government after the genocide began because he was accused of being too moderate.
2006 U.S.A. Guantanamo Bay
2006 : World Leaders urge the Bush administration to close its prison in Guantanamo Bay, saying the indefinite detention of terror suspects there violated the world's ban on torture.
Today in Labor History May 19, 2025
South Amboy, New Jersey docks
An explosion in Coal Creek, Tennessee killed 184 miners. – 1902
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Important Events From This day in History May 17
17 May, 1936 U.S.A. New Deal
1936 : A number of proposals are being looked at to finance " The New Deal " program including a flat tax on all corporate income, and also an increase in the normal income tax rate from 4% to 5%.
17 May, 1946 U.S.A. Railroads Seized By Truman
1946 : President Harry S. Truman uses U.S. troops to seize control of US railroads, delaying a threatened strike by engineers and trainmen.
17 May, 1943 Germany Dam Busters Raid
1943 : Lancaster bombers use the revolutionary bomb designed to bounce on the water to bypass dam defenses ( immortalized in a 1954 war film Dambusters ) . The bombs were invented for the task by aircraft engineer Dr Barnes Wallis with pilots flying the Lancaster bombers just 100 ft above the water. The destruction of the dams two on the rivers Möhne and Sorpe, and a third on the River Eder caused flood waters to sweep through the Ruhr valley, damaging factories, houses and power stations.
17 May, 1875 U.S.A. First Kentucky Derby
1875 : In front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the First Kentucky Derby in 1875 at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky.
17 May, 1955 U.S.A. End Segregation
1955 : The Chief Justice Earl Warren has indicated that a ruling will be made by the Supreme Court before summer recess on how and when to end segregation of white and black children in the public school system.
17 May, 1954 U.S.A. Brown v. Board of Education
1954 : The United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Brown v. Board of Education , ruling that racial segregation in public educational facilities is unconstitutional. The case centered on Linda Brown an African American girl who had been denied admission to her local elementary school in Topeka, Kansas, because of the color of her skin.
1925 Germany Mining Disaster Dortsfeld
1925 : A major mine disaster in Dortsfeld in Germany has now claimed the lives of 43 men, rescue attempts are still continuing but are hampered by the deadly gasses in the mines with rescue workers collapsing from the fumes in the narrow passageways.
1948 Israel Statehood
1948 : Following the formation of the Jewish State of Israel , Russia has now extended recognition of the Hebrew state and 4000 Arab fighters have surrendered in the old walled city of Acre weakened by a major outbreak of Typhoid.
1960 France East - West Summit
1960 : The East-West summit in Paris has failed before it even started following three days of bitter arguments over the American U2 spy plane shot down two weeks ago over Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union by a Russian Missile.
1969 U.S.A. Apollo 10
1969 : The Apollo 10 is all go for the final test before America lands a man on the moon later this year. Apollo 10 is scheduled to go over the landing site where Apollo 11 hopes to land later this year, this flight is a complete dress rehearsal as everything will be done except the final phase of landing man on the moon.
1973 U.S.A. Watergate
1973 : The investigation of Watergate by the Senate begins televised hearings on the Watergate scandal.
1974 Car Bombs In Dublin
1974 : Three car bombs are exploded in Dublin, killing 23 and injuring 100 more during rush hour. No one has ever been charged with these bombings but a number of conspiracy theories exist.
1974 U.S.A. Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA)
1974 : In Los Angeles, California, LAPD place a siege on the home in Compton where the leaders of the terrorist group known as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) are hiding out.When SLA members shoot at the police surrounding the home the LAPD shot an estimated 1,200 rounds of ammunition and throw teargas containers into the Compton home leaving six SLA members dead, including the leader Donald DeFreeze.
Today in Labor History May 17, 2025
Saturday Morning in the Blogosphere
Foreign states should not be co-owners of UK newspapers - The Guardian
Friday, May 16, 2025
Important Events From This day in History May 16
16 May, 1969 U.S.A. Protest and Rioting
1969 : Rioting and protests against the war in Vietnam continue on campuses throughout California with local National Guardsman patrolling Berkeley campus of the University of California area with fixed bayonets to keep peace and order.
16 May, 1929 U.S.A. First Academy Awards
1929 : The First ever Academy Awards of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards were handed out at a banquet held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
16 May, 1918 U.S.A. Sedition Act
1918 : The Sedition Act is passed by the U.S. Congress, creating more harsh penalties aimed at people who were against American participation in World War I. The law punished dissenters including anyone who was found to be insulting the government. The Sedition Act is considered by many law scholars to be in direct conflict with the First Amendment right to free speech. Palmer Raids Timeline
16 May, 1943 Poland Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
1943 : Resistance in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw has ended as SS Police and Wehrmacht units using tanks and other armored vehicles take back control of the ghetto crushing resistance after 1 month of fighting.
16 May, 1927 U.S.A. Floods in Louisiana
1927 : Following the floods in Louisiana rescue workers have so far found over 20 people dead with more coming as they continue to check homes flooded due to the flooding.
16 May, 1944 Italy World War II
1944 : Many believe the end of the World War is getting closer as allied forces push the Nazis back an all fronts including Italy and from the Eastern Front by Russia, at the same time significant gains are being made in the Pacific.
1946 U.S.A. "Annie Get Your Gun"
1946 : The Irving Berlin musical, "Annie Get Your Gun," opened at New York’s Imperial Theatre for its debut performance. It went on to do 1,146 more performances to become one of the most popular musicals in theater history.
1960 France U2 Spy Plane
1960 : The leaders of the most powerful nations on earth came to verbal blows in Paris over the U2 Spy Plane which flew over the Soviet Union. President Nikita Khrushchev and US President Dwight D. Eisenhower are at odds over the issue.
1968 England Block Of Flats in Newham Collapses
1968 : A block of Flats in Newham in the heart of docklands area in London's East End collapses following a gas explosion on the 18th floor leaving at least 3 dead and 80 families fleeing the tower block.
1974 Lebanon Israeli Bombing
1974 : Israeli planes bomb 7 Palestinian refugee camps in southern Lebanon killing at least 27 people and leaving 138 injured.
1976 Lebanon Muslims and Christians Fighting
1976 : Muslims and Christians in Lebanon are fighting a fierce battle using rocket artillery and the death toll has reached over 220 with fighting still continuing , food shortages are now affecting most of the population and nether side wish to attend peace talks.
Born This Day In History 16th May
Celebrating Birthday Today
Pierce Brosnan
Born: May 16th 1953 , Drogheda, Ireland
Known For : He is best known as the fifth actor to play secret agent James Bond in the Bond film series, starring in four films (GoldenEye 1995, Tomorrow Never Dies 1997, The World Is Not Enough 1999, and Die Another Day 2002). His early breakthrough came with the television series Remington Steele (1982–1987). Other movies include The Fourth Protocol (1987) and the comedy Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and the remake of the heist film The Thomas Crown Affair (1999).
Today in Labor History May 16, 2025
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere
Important Events From This day in History May 15
15 May, 1941 UK Gloster-Whittle E 28/39 Jet aircraft
1941 : The Gloster-Whittle E 28/39 Jet aircraft flies successfully over Cranwell, England, The aircraft's jet engine, was devised by Frank Whittle, an Britiah aviation engineer and pilot generally regarded as the inventor of the jet engine. Although Frank Whittle is considered the inventor of the Jet Engine Concept which he patented in 1930 the Gloster-Whittle E 28/39 Jet aircraft was not the first Jet aircraft to fly successfully. The first was the German Heinkel He 178, designed by Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain, on August 27th, 1939.
15 May, 1918 U.S.A. Airmail Service
1918 : The first flights for the new U.S. airmail service begins between Washington, Philadelphia and New York.
15 May, 1939 U.S.A. Food Aid
1939 : A new plan is to be tested in Rochester New York for providing food aid to the 14,000 families on relief , A number of foods are designated in surplus will be provided with the blue food stamps issued by the government these include Butter, White Flour, Fresh Oranges and Eggs. They are hoping that this will help to distribute surplus foods to the needy if this works it will be integrated into the New Deal Program.
15 May, 1940 U.S.A. Nylon Stockings
1940 : Nylon stockings from DuPont (Nylon invented in 1935 by Wallace Carothers) went on general sale for the first time in the United States.
15 May, 1948 Israel Independence
1948 : Israel declares independence on May 14, 1948 and one day later the new state of Israel is attacked by Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq which lasted almost a year, a cease fire was declared and temporary borders, known as the Green Line, were instituted. The creation of Israel as an independent state had been rejected by The Arab League from the very beginning.
15 May, 1949 U.S.A. Tornado Amarillo
1949 : A major Tornado strikes Amarillo Texas causing 6 deaths and many injuries and over 50 homes completely destroyed.
1954 U.S.A. Marilyn Monroe
1954 : After several weeks Marilyn Monroe is back at work on dance rehearsals for the new film "There's No Business Like Show Business."
1957 Britain H Bomb Testing
1957 : Britain tests first hydrogen bomb on the Christmas Island area in the Pacific Ocean, the arms race between countries continues to escalate as each country tests bigger and more destructive nuclear devices.
1970 U.S.A. Jackson State University
1970 : During a student protest at Jackson State University in Mississippi police opened fire, killing two students and injuring twelve others.
Today in Labor History May 15
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere
Important Events From This day in History May 14
14 May, 1991 South Africa Winnie Mandela
1991 : Winnie Mandela, the wife of Nelson Mandela, is given a six-year prison sentence for her part in the kidnap of four youths suspected of being police informers, one of the kidnapped boys later died of his injuries. Mrs Mandela's is believed to be behind the activities of her bodyguards - known as the "Mandela Football Club" who are involved in violence in the Soweto township including the notorious "necklace killings" which involved putting a tyre around a victim's neck and setting fire to it.
14 May, 1804 U.S.A. The Lewis and Clark Expedition
1804 : The Lewis and Clark expedition started from Camp Dubois, near present day Hartford, Illinois on this day in 1804. They reached the Pacific Ocean on November 20th, 1805. They arrived back to St. Louis, Missouri on September 23rd 1806.
14 May, 1920 U.S.A. Airmail Service
1920 : The airmail service continues to grow with a new service from Chicago to Omaha carrying 500 lbs of mail daily except Sundays and Holidays , the service will take about 5 1/2 hrs. The 1920s was a major growth period for Mail Delivery both domestic and later world wide.
14 May, 1948 Israel Independent State
1948 : The independent state of Israel is proclaimed as British rule in Palestine came to an end. It has taken Israel 2000 years to gain nationhood status.
14 May, 1931 India Mahatma Gandhi
1931 : Mahatma Gandhi the leader of the Indian Nationalist movement has agreed to talks with Britain in London to discuss more independence from Britain in return for stopping the current boycott on foreign goods in India.
14 May, 1940 England The Home Guard
1940 : The British Secretary of State for War Anthony Eden announced the creation of the Local Defense Volunteers (LDV) name changed in July of 1940 to "The Home Guard". The creation of the LDV was a direct result of Germany's conquest of Norway so quickly and the beginning of the invasion of France by German forces. Anthony Eden announced during the radio broadcast .
Radio Broadcast Requesting Volunteers for The Home Guard:
The government had expected 150,000 men to volunteer in total, but by the end of the first month 750,000 men had volunteered. By the end of June 1940, there were nearly 1.5 million volunteers.
1942 U.S.A. Air Travel
1942 : FDR has stated that all domestic air travel will be placed on a full wartime basis with the army operating or controlling the nations fleet of over 500 transport planes to help in the war effort.
1955 Poland Warsaw Pact Signed
1955 : The Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc allies including USSR, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania sign a security pact in the Polish capital, Warsaw, after a three-day conference. The Warsaw Pact will provide close integration of military, economic and cultural policy between the eight Communist nations.
Today in Labor History May 14
“We Want Beer” marches were held throughout the United States. 15,000 unionized workers demonstrated in Detroit. Prohibition was repealed within a year. – 1932
Milwaukee brewery workers began a 10-week strike, demanding contracts comparable to East and West coast workers. The strike was won because Blatz Brewery accepted their demands, but Blatz was ousted from the Brewers Association for “unethical” business methods. – 1953
Monday, May 12, 2025
Important Events From This day in History May 12
12 May,1937 England King George VI
1937 : King George VI was crowned at Westminster Abbey. King George was second in line to the throne but following his younger brother Edward who abdicated so he could marry American socialite Wallis Simpson he became King. King George's wife was the much loved Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon much better known as "Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother", who died at the grand old age of 102 on March 30th 2002. Their oldest daughter Queen Elizabeth is current Queen of England.
12 May,1932 U.S.A. Lindbergh Baby Found Dead
1932 : The Baby son kidnapped from Charles Lindbergh was found dead just miles away from the Lindbergh home today.
12 May,1966 U.S.A. Draft Deferment Test
1966 : Hundreds of thousands of College and University Students are preparing to sit the Draft Deferment Test , The test is a way for them to convince the Draft Board that they would serve the nation better in the quiet of the Classrooms than in the Jungles of Vietnam.
2008 China Earthquake Magnitude 7.8
2008 : An Earthquake measuring 7.8 strikes near Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital in south western China. Early reports indicate primary school buildings collapsed in the Chongqing area leaving hundreds of children buried in the rubble. As the full scale of the destruction caused by the largest earthquake in China for many years become known, the death toll is expected to reach 60,000 and up to five million Chinese are now homeless. Video shot by students during the earthquake.
12 May,1926 England General Strike Ends
1926 : The British general strike ends with no changes for working conditions or wages for the miners.
12 May,1935 Poland Joseph Pilsudski
1935 : The Polish dictator Joseph Pilsudski has died and thousands mourn in Poland meanwhile the rest of Europe are wondering how the passing of this strong man will effect alliances in Europe.
1943 Tunisia World War II
1943 : Allied Armies completed the conquest of Tunisia in North Africa as a base for invasion of Southern Europe capturing some 150,000 prisoners, 1000 guns and 250 tanks. The two generals commanding this part of the war in North Africa General Eisenhower and General Alexander said the conquest of North Africa is now complete.
12 May,1949 Germany West Berlin Blockade
1949 : After blocking all road traffic into West Berlin for 11 months after diplomatic meetings around the world the Soviet Union has lifted the blockade of road and rail links. The Blockade of West Berlin had been broken by a U.S. / British airlift of vital supplies to West Berlin's two million citizens.
12 May,1967 England Stansted Airport
1967 : British Government has agreed to allow development of Stansted Airfield to become London's third airport, currently the airfield is used mostly for pilot training.
1971 France Mick Jagger
1971 : The Rolling Stones singer, Mick Jagger, marries Bianca Perez Morena de Macias at a civil ceremony in the local town hall in the French Mediterranean town of St Tropez.
1973 U.S.A. Pentagon Papers Trial
1973 : The Pentagon Papers trial which was focused on THE FIRST AMENDMENT and The Governments Authority to control information and the Public's access to that information has now ended and with a verdict of NOT GUILTY for the defendants Daniel Ellsburg and Anthony J Russo Jr , but many of the answers given by defendants and testimony by witnesses raise many more questions concerning the Watergate Affair. ( This eventually led to Impeachment proceedings against President Nixon ) Daniel Ellsberg was a contributor but gave most of the Pentagon Papers to New York Times reporter Neil Sheehan, with Ellsberg's friend Anthony Russo assisting in their copying.
1981 Northern Ireland IRA Hunger Striker
1981 : Following the death of Bobby Sands on May 5th a second IRA hunger striker, 25-year-old Francis Hughes, starves to death in the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland.
Today in Labor History May 12
Friday, May 09, 2025
Los Angeles Times Reunion Oct. 4th
Former Los Angeles Times pressman, John Martin, has created an event for all former Los Angeles Times employees. This will be a pot luck with a no host bar at the American Legion in Rialto. Additional details are forthcoming. Saturday October 4th, 2025
848 S. Lilac Ave.
Rialto, CA.
Friday Morning in the Blogosphere
Important Events From This day in History May 9
9 May, 2010 Iceland Flights Cancelled Due to Volcanic Ash
2010 : Hundreds more flights are cancelled due to volcanic ash disrupting the atmospheric conditions over Europe. Ash clouds from an Icelandic volcano forced the cancellation of many flights to and from Europe and many airports around the continent were forced to close, including sixteen airports in Spain alone.
9 May, 1974 U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen
1974 : Bruce Springsteen nicknamed "The Boss," with his E Street Band performed a concert in Cambridge, Mass., which made the well known rock critic Jon Landau write, "I saw rock and roll future and it's name is Bruce Springsteen." Bruce Springsteen most famous albums include Born to Run (1975) and Born in the U.S.A. (1984). He has sold over 65 million albums in the U.S.
9 May, 1933 US Tornadoes
1933 : 61 people have died as Tornado's strike Kentucky and Tennessee leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake, among the worst hit are areas of Louisville.
9 May, 1934 West Coast Longshoremen's Strike
1934 : The West Coast Longshoremen's Strike begins when Int’l. Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union workers demand a 6 hr working day, more men on each gang, lighter loads and an independent union. They shut down seaports in Washington, Oregon and California for 3 months.
9 May, 1960 U.S.A. Contraceptive Pill
1960 : The Food and Drug Administration approved the first pill for contraceptive use in Birth Control, called Envoid. The pill is a mix of of an estrogenand a progestin and is now used by by more than 100 million women worldwide.
1994 Ebola Virus Outbreak
1994 : The first cases of the Ebola Virus in the latest outbreak in Gabon, are identified which cause the death of 9 of those infected with the virus.
Further Ebola Virus outbreaks occur in:
Gabon, in February 1995 (37 cases including 21 deaths)
Gabon, in July 1996 (60 cases including 45 deaths)
A Further Ebola Virus epidemic occurs in Kikwit, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1995 with 315 cases, 250 of which had fatal outcomes.
(Figures From World Health Organization)
The strain of Ebola which broke out in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo) has one of the highest case fatality rates of any human pathogenic virus, at roughly 90%.
1925 U.S.A. Rum Runners
1925 : Rum runners were chased today by the Coast Guard and were forced to dump 100 cases of Liquor in the Delaware River as part of the Rum War between smugglers and Coast Guard, after dumping the booze the smugglers managed to escape the Coast Guard.
1926 U.S.A. North Pole
1926 : Commander Richard Byrd and his companion the first to fly an airplane to the North Pole ( Later Disputed ).
1944 U.S.A. War Rationing
1944 : Like most of the countries throughout the world war rationing is in effect for everything from tires to Red Meat.
1944 U.S.A. Jimmie Davis
1944 : Jimmie Davis becomes the Governor of Louisiana. He wrote the song "You Are My Sunshine." He became famous for recording secular and religious songs and also served two nonconsecutive terms as the governor. He lived to be over 100 years old and also has the distinction of living longer than any other United States governor.
1953 U.S.A. The Mob
1953 : Calls for the federal government to take on the Mob / Crime Syndicate / The System after the murder of a longshoreman. The Mob makes money from Prostitution, Gambling, Loan Shark, Narcotics and The Waterfront and calls are rising daily for federal action as they appear to be immune from the law due to local politicians protection.
1955 Germany NATO
1955 : West Germany Joins NATO.
1956 England Frogman Disappears
1956 : A British naval diver ( Commander Lionel "Buster" Crabb ) goes missing and is later found dead during a Goodwill Visit by a Soviet cruiser carrying Soviet leaders Nikita Khruschev and Marshal Nikolai Bulganin. At the time no one would admit that he was spying on the Russian Cruiser on a spying mission for MI6 and had dived under the cruiser to check out the hull and any other information he could find. And it still remains a mystery on how he died.
Today in Labor History – May 9th, 2025
William “Big Bill” Haywood