Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

E&P’s Masters of Media 2025 - E&P Magazine

Newsquest now employing 36 ‘AI-assisted reporters’ - Press Gazette

The ACOS Alliance: Protecting a free and independent press - E&P Magazine

Media Alliance urges administration to forgo targeted newsprint tariffs - Media Alliance

How to grow and sustain readership when you run your own news project - Journalism UK

Important Events From This day in History April 2

 

1982 Falklands Islands - Argentina invades Falklands Islands

1982 : Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands, and quickly overcame the small garrison of British marines at the town of Stanley on East Falkland, this led to the Falklands Crisis ( Both sides never used the word war all throughout the conflict although the popular press in both countries did ), . The final official date of the conflict is given as 14th June just 6 weeks after the Argentinean Invasion with Britain back in full control of the Islands. Find More What happened in 1982

1980 U.S.A. - Windfall Act on Oil Industries High Profits

1980 : Following the increases of petrol in the mid to late 70's President Carter urged Congress to create legislation that would take advantage of the oil industry's high profits . And the "Crude Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act" did by collecting roughly $227 billion dollars over the next 10 years .

1801 U.S.A. - The Battle of Copenhagen

1801 : Twelve British ships commanded by Horatio Nelson aboard HMS Elephant engaged with Danish ships, following an agreement between Nelson and the Danish commander, Crown Prince Frederick to call a truce Nelson landed in Copenhagen and on May 19th, 1801 was awarded the Viscount Nelson of the Nile and of Burnham Thorpe in the County of Norfolk.

1917 U.S.A. - US Troops To World War I

1917 : President Woodrow Wilson tells Congress "The world must be made safe for democracy." asking Congress for a declaration of war and to send U.S. troops into battle against Germany in World War I .

1932 U.S.A. - Lindbergh Pays Ransom

1932 : Charles Lindbergh, whose son was kidnapped paid $50,000 ransom in a New York cemetery to a man who promised to return his kidnapped son. ( His son is later found dead after being murdered by Bruno Hauptmann, who was executed )

1941 Africa - Rommel Continues Advance Into Libya

1941 : Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel, "the Desert Fox," resumes his advance into Cyrenaica, modern-day Libya, signaling the beginning of what nine days later will become the recapture of Libya by the Axis forces.

1956 U.S.A. - "As the World Turns"

1956 : As the World Turns the first half-hour serial is aired at 1:30 PM airing each weekday on CBS. Currently the show is one hour long set in the fictional town of Oakdale, Illinois, with between over 13,000 episodes being shown.

1972 U.S.A. - Charlie Chaplin returns to the United States

1972 : Following 20 years of self imposed exile after he was accused of "un-American activities" as a suspected communist sympathizer during the era of McCarthyism. He returned only to receive an Honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards, and went back to his home in Vevey, Switzerland.

1974 France - President Georges Pompidou

1974 : The French President Georges Pompidou died from Waldenström macroglobulinemia in Paris.

1977 UK - Red Rum Grand National

1977 : Red Rum the diminutive horse with the heart of a champion wins the English Grand National for a record third time after winning in 1973 and 1974. The Grand National is widely recognized as one of the testing races in the world with the majority of horses falling or refusing to continue. This year was no exception with 9 of the 42 starters completing the 4.5 mile (7.2 kilometre) course at Aintree in Liverpool.

1979 Russia - Anthrax Epidemic

1979 : The world’s first anthrax epidemic begins in Ekaterinburg, Russia by the time it was finished 62 people were dead. The town did contain a biological weapons plant, and in 1992 the cause was confirmed as starting at that plant

1982 Falklands Islands Argentina invades Falklands Islands

1982 : Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands, and quickly overcame the small garrison of British marines at the town of Stanley on East Falkland, this led to the Falklands Crisis ( Both sides never used the word war all throughout the conflict although the popular press in both countries did ), . The final official date of the conflict is given as 14th June just 6 weeks after the Argentinean Invasion with Britain back in full control of the Islands.

1986 Greece - Bomb Explodes on TWA Boeing 727

1986 : Bomb Explodes on TWA Boeing 727 tearing hole in the side of the aircraft which sucks four passengers including an eight-month old baby from the aircraft. The TWA Passenger Jet was flying over Greece, on its way to Athens, when the bomb exploded

1987 U.S.A. - Speed Limit Increased to 65 MPH

1987 : Congress passed laws which allowed each state to increase the speed limit on rural roads from 55mph to 65mph. observed on our country's roads

1989 Cuba - Soviet Leader Visits Cuba To Patch Up Relations

1989 : Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev arrives in Havana to meet with Fidel Castro . Much of the problems stemmed from Russia's inability to continue large scale aid to Cuba due to it's economic woes.

1992 U.S.A. - John Gotti

1992 : Mob boss John Gotti often referred to as "The Teflon Don" because of the number of times he was charged but not convicted is finally convicted in New York of racketeering, murder, obstruction of justice, hijacking, illegal gambling, extortion, tax evasion and loan sharking largely helped through the testimony of an ex high ranking member of the Mafia who had turned informant Salvatore Gravano. John Gotti is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, where he died in 2002.

1998 France - Maurice Papon

1998 : A Former cabinet minister Maurice Papon is sentenced to 10 years in jail after proof is published in the press showing his signature on papers deportation 1,690 Jews of Bordeaux to Drancy internment camp from 1942 to 1944 during World War II.

Today in Labor History April 2nd

 

The Union Label Trades Department is chartered by the American Federation of Labor.  Its mission: promote the products and services produced in America by union members, especially those products identified by a union label, shop card, store card, and service button - 1909

The Supreme Court declares unconstitutional a 1918 Washington, D.C., law establishing a minimum wage for women - 1923

Argentina occupies the Falkland Islands The invasion escalated a long-standing conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the archipelago in the South Atlantic. It triggered the Falklands War, which was won by the U.K. - 1982

Major league baseball players end a 232-day strike, which began the prior August 12 and led to the cancellation of the 1994 postseason and the World Series - 1995

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 Press men 1951

Newsmax valuation soars in MAGA media boom - Axios

The Newspaper Flourishing Without a Paywall - New York Magazine

Has the Tariff War Brought Highcon to Bankruptcy? - Printing Impressions

Concerned about press freedom? Here are some things you can do about it - Poynter

Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers announces leadership changes - The Daily Gazette

Important Events From This day in History April 1

 

1918 Great Britain - Royal Air force is Founded

1918 : The Royal Air force is founded in England, this is truly an amazing piece of History as the first flight was only made 8 years before by Wilbur and Wright and for countries around the World to set up a separate arms of the Forces shows how important politicians believed the aircraft would become as a part of the military.

The aircraft in use in 1918 when the RAF started included the Sopwith Pup, Bristol F2B Fighters, Sopwith Camels and Royal Aircraft Factory SE5's

1933 Germany - Persecution of Jews

1933 : Nazi Germany begins the persecution of German Jews by declaring a boycott of Jewish owned businesses

, 1945 U.S.A. - US Forces Land on Okinawa

1945 : The United States Tenth Army commanded by Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. land on Okinawa, main island of the Ryukyus, 362 miles from the Japanese home islands.

The Occupation of Island of Okinawa was considered crucial if there is to be an invasion of the Japanese mainland and during the campaign the U.S. Navy sustained greater casualties in this operation than in any other battle of the war and it was not until on about June 21st , ( 11 weeks ) that the main battles for the Island ended. ( In the event the Nuclear Bombs changed military strategy. )

, 1946 U.S.A. - Hawaii Earthquake and Tsunami

1946 : A major undersea earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitude in the north pacific ocean caused a Tsunami that by the time it reached Hawaii some 2,400 miles away and travelling at 500 miles per hour, only 4 1/2 hours after the quake waves reaching 60ft in height hit coastal areas of Hawaii causing the deaths of 150 + . This Tsunami prompted the setting up of the U.S. to establish the Seismic SeaWave Warning System to help in evacuation but any similar occurrence today would be even more devastating as can be shown with the damage and loss of life caused by Hurricane Katrina where the warning was greater than 6 hours.

, 1970 U.S.A. - AMC Gremlin

The AMC group introduced one of the first sub compact cars way back in 1970 before many realized gas prices would be a critical factor in future car buying, the car was called the Gremlin and cost $1879. Car imports were just starting to have an impact on the US market including the Volkswagen Beetle and the new generation of Japanese imports like the Datsun.

, 1970 U.S.A. - Cigarette Advertising Banned

1970 : President Nixon signed into law the banning of cigarette advertising on television and radio.

1983 UK - CND Peace Demonstrators

1983 : Tens of thousands of CND peace demonstrators form a human chain stretching 14 miles across Southern England from the American airbase at Greenham Common, via the Aldermaston nuclear research centre and ending at the ordnance factory in Burghfield.

1990 UK - Strangeways Prison

1990 : A thousand prisoners run amok in Strangeways Prison in Manchester in a violent riot setting fire to the chapel and gymnasium, and a number of prison cells, the inmates are protesting the primitive conditions and severe overcrowding.

The riot at Strangeways lasted 25 days the longest in British penal history.

, 1991 U.S.A. - Riverboat Gambling

1991 : Iowa becomes one of the first states to allow riverboat gambling .

, 1999 Europe - The Euro

1999 : Eleven countries in the European Union adopted the Euro as a common currency as the dream of monetary union became reality.

, 1999 U.S.A. - Melissa" e-mail virus

1999 : David Smith is arrested and charged with originating the "Melissa" e-mail virus, which infected more than 1 million computers worldwide and caused more than $80 million in damage.

Melissa is classified as a computer worm and shut down Internet mail systems that got clogged with infected e-mails propagating from the worm. Melissa was spread via the word processors Microsoft Word 97 and Word 2000 through the use of an inbuilt macro in the template and could mass-mail itself from e-mail client Microsoft Outlook 97 or Outlook 98.

, 1999 Great Britain - Minimum Wages

1999 : Britain introduces the first ever legally binding minimum rate of pay. From This Day all adults must be paid at least £3.60 an hour and workers under the age of 22 must get no less than £3 an hour.

I have created a small chart below giving an idea of some of the yearly earnings based ( equiv in US Dollars ) on minimum wage for an Adult Working Full Time in that country in 2007. If the figures depend on State of Province or by trade and profession we have taken the lowest figure paid.

Country Annual wage based on Minimum Wage In Equiv US Dollars

Algeria 3,799

Angola 973

Argentina 9,266

Australia 18,382

Belarus 1,987

Belgium 17,879

Brazil 3,130

Burundi 11

Canada 10,196

Chad 1,638

China No Minimum Wage Exists

Costa Rica 4,505

Czech Republic 7,168

Dominican Republic 2,305

El Salvador 1,747

Ethiopia 1,656

France 16,668

Haiti 1,497

Hungary 6,504

India No Minimum Wage Exists

Indonesia 1,369

Ireland 18,842

Jamaica 2,544

Japan 10,599

Kazakhstan 1,619

Kenya 1,785

Libya 1,143

Luxembourg 21,070

Malawi 594

Mexico 1,557

Netherlands 17,015

New Zealand 15,822

Nigeria 831

Poland 5,918

Portugal 7,258

Russia 871

Slovakia 5,400

South Africa 3,794

Switzerland 15,466

Uganda 206

United Kingdom 22,368

United States 12,168

Many Many Countries including China and India who are listed above do not have minimum wages and the countries range from very westernized countries like Germany, Finland and Norway through to some of the poorest countries in the World like Bangladesh, North Korea and Rwanda.

The figures do not mean workers will only earn that per year but are the minimum set if there is a minimum.

For much more detail and including many countries not listed here check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minimum_wages_by_country

Today in Labor History April 1st, 2025

 

Textile workers at the Loray Mill in Gastonia, North Carolina

Many believe that Cincinnati on this day became the first U.S. city to pay fire fighters a regular salary. Others say no, it was Boston, back in 1678, exact date unknown - 1853

United Mine Workers of America win 8-hour day - 1898 

San Francisco laundry workers strike for wage increases and an 8-hour day - 1907

What was to become a 13-week strike begins today in Hopedale, Mass., when hundreds of workers seeking higher pay and a 9-hour day gathered in the street near the Draper Corp. loom-making plant.  The president of the company declared:  “We will spend $1 million to break this strike,” and, in fact, did, aided by hundreds of sworn “special policemen” with clubs.  Police were drawn from a three-state area as well - 1913
(Strike! Revised, Expanded, and Updated Edition: In this latest edition of Strike! you can read about labor-management conflicts that have occurred over the past 140 years. Here you’ll learn much about workers’ struggle to win a degree of justice, from the workers’ point of view. Brecher also examines the ever-shifting roles and configurations of unions, from the Knights of Labor of the 1800s to the AFL-CIO of the 1990s.)

Unionized miners at West Virginia’s Coal River Colliery Co. (CRC) strike for union scale. CRC was an investment venture of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), with shares owned by BLE members - 1924 (Source: Conflict at Coal River Collieries: The UMWA Versus the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, by Thomas J. Robertson & Ronald L. Lewis) 

Strike of cotton mill workers begins in Gastonia, N.C. During the strike, police raided the strikers’ tent colony; the chief of police was killed. The strike leaders were framed for murder and convicted, but later freed - 1929 

Some 400,000 members of the United Mine Workers strike for higher wages and employer contributions to the union’s health and welfare fund. President Truman seizes the mines - 1946 

Forty thousand textile workers strike in cotton and rayon mills of six southern states, seeking higher pay, sickness and accident insurance, and pensions - 1951 

Longest newspaper strike in U.S. history, 114 days, ends in New York City. Workers at nine newspapers were involved - 1963 

Major league baseball players begin what is to become a 13-day strike, ending when owners agree to increase pension fund payments and to add salary arbitration to the collective bargaining agreement - 1972 

Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters merges with Brotherhood of Railway, Airline & Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express & Station Employees - 1978 

Eleven-day strike by 34,000 New York City transit workers begins, halts bus and subway service in all five boroughs before strikers return to work with a 17 percent raise over two years plus a cost-of-living adjustment - 1980 

United Cement, Lime & Gypsum Workers Int’l Union merges with Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers & Helpers - 1984 

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers granted a charter by the AFL-CIO - 1989 

The U.S. minimum wage increases to $3.80 per hour - 1990 

The United Mine Workers of America dedicates the John L. Lewis Mining and Labor Museum at Lewis’ boyhood home in Lucas, Iowa - 1990 

The U.S. minimum wage increases to $4.25 per hour - 1991 

Players begin the first strike in the 75-year history of the National Hockey League. They win major improvements in the free agency system and other areas of conflict, and end the walkout after 10 days - 1992

Tour The Star-Ledger newspaper printing facility

New Jersey’s largest newspaper press will run for the last time on Feb. 1, 2025. After the Montville, N.J. plant shuts down, The Star-Ledger will continue publishing online only. You can read the online newspaper or sign up for a subscription at reader.sl.nj.com

Monday Morning in the Blogosphere

 Working hard producing tomorrow's newspaper

New recycling rules come into place for businesses - Print Week

Estates Gazette magazine saved by Mark Allen Group bid - Press Gazette

News apps above average in leaking user data, report finds - Journalism UK

Newspapers, stations turning to ‘citizen journalists’ to help fill reporting void - NE

What rights do green card and visa holders have? How can they be deported? - Poynter

Important Events From This day in History March 31st

 

1951 U.S.A. UNIVAC

1951 : The first commercially built U.S. computer The UNIVAC I (UNIVersal Automatic Computer I) is sold to the United States Census Bureau costing about US$159,000. This computer was built by Remington Rand and had been designed principally by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, the inventors of the ENIAC (1947 - the first general-purpose electronic computer) known as the "Giant Brain." These computers did not use transistors or micro chips but vacuum tubes (similar to what you find in old TV's from the fifties) and were the size of a small house (680 sq ft.)

1959 India Dalai Lama

1959 : The spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, has crossed the border into India after a 15 day journey on foot from the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, over the Himalayan mountains seeking asylum. This follows the Chinese repression of the rebellion by Tibetans in Lhasa. The Dalai Lama, is granted political asylum in India.

1990 England Poll Tax Demonstrations

1990 : The worst violence seen so far in the series of Anti Poll Tax demonstrations erupted in London during the largest rally when nearly 100,000 people take to the streets in protest at the new government levy. More than 400 were arrested and property was damaged with repairs estimated at £400,000 after the demonstration.

The Poll Tax (Community Charge) was introduced by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in 1989 (Scotland) and 1990 (England and Wales) and was a single flat rate per person tax on every working adult, at a rate set by the local authority. It was designed to replace the rating system of taxes, which was based on valuation and rent value, to fund local government. The tax was believed by many to move the tax burden from the rich to the poor, under earlier local taxes (Rateable Value "Rates") those who owned the largest and most expensive property paid the most but under "Poll Tax" the tax was moved to the number of people living in the house.

The Poll Tax was formally abolished in 1993 /1994 with the new The Council Tax which resembled the old rating system that the Poll Tax had replaced.

1889 France The Eiffel Tower

1889 : The Eiffel Tower, or the Tour Eiffel, was opened on March 31st, 1889, and was the work of a Gustave Eiffel, who was a bridge engineer. It was made for the centenary of the French Revolution and was chosen instead of over one hundred other plans that were given.

1940 Winston Churchill Warns Against German Invasion

1940 : The first sea lord of the admiralty Winston Churchill has warned that a million German troops are massed on the borders of Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland ready to strike and that England and it's allies must be prepared to protect other countries in the forthcoming conflict.

1943 U.S.A. Oklahoma!

1943 : The musical "Oklahoma!" debuts on Broadway. This play, written by the famed duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, was originally titled "Away We Go" and continues to be produced by theaters across the country.

1964 Brazilian coup d'état

1964 : A military coup d'état in Brazil led by Gen. Humberto Castello Branco ousted Pres. Joao Goulart.

1966 England Harold Wilson

1966 : Harold Wilson wins sweeping victory as the Labour party wins the general election with a majority of about 100 seats in the House of Commons.

1968 US Johnson Announces He Will Not Run

1968 : President Johnson announces on nationwide television he would not run for another term of office saying "I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party as your President."

1972 England CND March

1972 : The CND ( Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament ) organizes a four day demonstration against nuclear arms including a march to Aldermaston.

1973 U.S.A. Mississippi Floods

1973 : The Mississippi River reaches its peak level in St. Louis during a record 77-day flood. During the flooding 33 died and and millions of acres of farm land were unusable for a full year following the flood, also because the area's affected were in a known flood plain many residents had no insurance and lost everything they had worked for, this is also why the 33 died as they refused to evacuate the area.

1995 U.S.A. Selena Quintanilla-Pérez

1995 : Grammy award winning Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was shot and murdered in a motel room by the woman who was the president of her fan club.

1995 Major League Baseball Strike

1995 : Baseball players agreed to end a 232-day strike which had begun on August 12, 1994, after a judge granted a preliminary injunction against club owners. The strike led to the cancellation of 938 games overall, including the entire 1994 postseason and 1994 World Series. Like nearly all strikes the Baseball player strike revolved around money with club owners demanding a salary cap in response to the worsening financial situation in baseball. Find Out More on our History of Baseball Page

2004 Iraq Four US Contractors Ambushed and Murdered

2004 : Four Blackwater Security Consulting (BSC) employees are ambushed and murdered in Fallujah, Iraq. The four armed contractors, Scott Helvenston, Jerko Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Michael Teague, were dragged from their cars, beaten, and set ablaze. Photos of the horrendous crimes were released to news agencies worldwide, causing indignation and outrage in the United States and other countries.

2005 U.S.A. Terri Schiavo

2005 : Terri Schiavo, the center of the most heavily litigated right-to-die dispute in U.S. history, died today, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed.

2005 UK Children Conceived Using Donor Eggs or Sperm Can Trace Parents

2005 : New laws in the UK now give the right to those born using donor eggs or sperm will have the option to ask for the identity of their donor will be when they turn 18. The new law is not retrospective, so people who have already donated will not be affected, but those donating from now and the children born through those donations will have the right to trace their biological parent in through the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority the same way as children who are adopted can ask adoption agencies. The new laws are causing some concern by infertility clinics about the future because the number of donors is expected to drop significantly.

Today in Labor History March 31, 2025

 

Cesar Chavez

U.S. President Martin Van Buren issued an Executive Order, “finding that different rules prevail at different places as well in respect to the hours of labor by persons employed on the public works under the immediate authority of himself and the Departments as also in relation to the different classes of workmen…hereby directs that all such persons, whether laborers or mechanics, be required to work only the number of hours prescribed by the ten-hour system.” – 1840

The new closed-range cattle ranching industry that became dominant after the Civil War denied cowboys the right to be paid in cattle, start their own herds, or have access to open land.  Ranchers insisted that cowboys work exclusively for wages (which averaged only $40/month), and the cowboys responded by going on strike. – 1883

Cesar Chavez was born on this day in Yuma, Arizona.- 1927

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation establishing the Civilian Conservation Corps to help alleviate suffering during the Depression. By the time the program ended after the start of World War II, it had provided jobs for more than six million men and boys. The average enrollee gained 11 pounds in his first three months. – 1933

Wisconsin state troopers failed to get scabs across the picket line to break a 76-day Allis-Chalmers strike in Milwaukee led by UAW Local 248. The plant remained closed until the government negotiated a compromise. – 1941

Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor, later to become a Supreme Court justice, issued an injunction against baseball team owners to end a 232-day work stoppage. – 1995

Today Cesar Chavez Day was celebrated as an official state holiday in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Texas and unofficially throughout the United States. The day honors the life and work of farmworkers’ advocate, union activist, and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. – 2013

Saturday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

Bridging the AI trust gap in news media - America's Newspapers

2025 journalism job cuts tracked: Los Angeles Times cuts continue - Press Gazette

Prof. Jeff Jarvis grades the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg on SignalGate - E&P Reports

Bill to improve on-time news deliveries in rural America - Ripon Advance News Service

Understanding and serving the neurodiverse community, with Nick Ransom - Journalism UK

Important Events From This day in History March 29

 

1967 England Torrey Canyon

1967 : The British Royal Navy continues it's attempt to sink the remains of the supertanker Torrey Canyon just off the coast of Lands End, hoping to ignite a fire and burn off the massive oil slick near the ship containing tens of thousands of tons of oil. This is now the second day the navy has tried and has so far dropped 62,000 lbs of bombs, 5,200 gallons of petrol, 11 rockets and large quantities of napalm onto the ship. The ship was eventually sunk the next day.

2006 Palestine Hamas

2006 : Hamas ( Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya ) the Palestinian Islamist militant organization and political party which is listed as a terrorist organization by Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, and the United States, wins the Palestinian parliamentary elections, taking 76 of the 132 seats in the chamber,and formally took over the Palestinian government, with Ismail Haniyeh sworn in as the new prime minister.

1857 The Indian Mutiny

1857 : The Indian Mutiny against British rule in India had been begun by Indian troops (sepoys) that were in the service of the British East India Company. On March 29th, 1857 the sepoy Mangal Pandy of the 34th Native Infantry refused orders on the parade ground at Barrackpore, and he was hanged leading to increased violence and Mutiny against British Rule.

1936 Germany Re-Occupies Rhineland

1936 : The German people voted overwhelmingly in favor of reoccupying the demilitarized Rhineland zone and abandon the clauses of the Versailles treaty restricting the military, with 99% of the votes supporting Hitler.

1943 U.S.A. War Rationing

1943 : The rationing of meat, cheese, butter and cooking oils goes into effect when Americans are given ration books allowing the purchase of a certain amount of meat, cheese, butter and cooking oils each month. This followed earlier rationing of Gasoline.

1950 The Mad Bomber New York

1950 : A note is sent to police in New York warning of a bomb planted at Grand Central Station in New York City, the bomb squad do mange to diffuse the bomb. The Mad Bomber had been targeting New York since 1940 taking a break during World War II and left a total of at least 33 bombs, of which 22 exploded until he was caught. When the Mad Bomber ( George Peter Metesky ) a disgruntled ex-employee of Con Edison, New York's electric utility company, was caught in 1957 he was sent to a mental institution where he stayed until his release in 1973.

1951 U.S.A. Rosenbergs

1951 : Rosenbergs found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage for their role in providing nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union.

1951 U.S.A. 23rd Amendment

1951 : The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution is ratified Available as a downloadable image on our Public Domain Images Page.

1971 U.S.A. Charles Manson

1971 : Charles Manson and three of his followers receive the death penalty for the 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others. The California Supreme Court abolished the death penalty before they could be executed in 1972 and the four were given life sentences. They are still incarcerated despite numerous applications for parole.

1971 My Lai, Vietnam

1971 : Following the massacre of 500 South Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai, Vietnam in 1968 when Lieutenant Calley was in charge of Charlie Company, a unit of the American Division's 11th Infantry Brigade, the unit committed crimes which included murder, rape, sodomy, maiming and assault of civilians. Lieutenant William Calley has been found guilty of murder at a court martial for his part in the My Lai massacre. He was the only officer ever convicted for the massacre and was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor but was released within three days , pending appeal, on the personal instructions of President Richard Nixon, and spent the next three years under house arrest at Fort Benning in Georgia. He was freed on bail in 1974 his sentence was then cut to 10 years but he was paroled later that year after completing one third of his sentence.

1973 US Troops Leave Vietnam

1973 : The last United States troops left South Vietnam, ending America's direct military involvement in the Vietnam War. The US had originally become involved by supplying 50 military advisers in 1960 /1961 and over the coming years escalated first the number of advisers and then direct military involvement. The Vietnam war had started in 1959 and finally ended in 1975, and was fought between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) supported by communist allies and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) supported by the US and other western Allies. The war resulted in a North Vietnamese victory in 1975 when the North Vietnamese took over the capital Saigon.

1981 England London Marathon

1981 : The first London Marathon organised by Chris Brasher is run with 7,590 taking part including a number of celebrities including Jimmy Saville raising money for charity. The London Marathon is now a yearly event attracting 30,000 runners from around the world, including some of the world's greatest athletes and tens of thousands of others who complete the marathon raising many millions for charities along the way and many wearing fancy dress costumes.

1982 Mexico Earthquake

1982 : An earthquake and a volcanic eruption at El Chichon in southern Mexico, kills many thousands. The eruptions, which continued for over a week, caught many local people unaware and unprepared as the last time the Volcano had erupted was 130 years earlier.

1999 U.S.A. Dow Jones

1999 : The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 10,000 for the first time, at 10,006.78.

2002 Palestine Yasser Arafat

2002 : Israel sends tanks and armored personnel carriers to isolate Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat considered an enemy of Israel in his headquarters compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah. He is kept confined within his Ramallah compound for over two years by the Israeli army, and dies at the age of 75 in 2004.

Today in Labor History March 29

 

Ohio made it illegal for children under 18 and women to work more than 10 hours a day. – 1852

Sam Walton, founder of the huge and bitterly anti-union Wal-Mart empire, was born on this date in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. He once said that his priority was to “Buy American”, but Wal-Mart is now the largest U.S. importer of foreign-made goods, often produced under sweatshop conditions. – 1918

The U.S. Supreme Court, in West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish, upheld the constitutionality of minimum wage legislation enacted by the State of Washington, overturning a decision in 1923 that held that federal minimum wage legislation for women was an unconstitutional infringement of liberty of contract. The case was brought by Elsie Parrish, a hotel housekeeper who lost her job and did not receive back wages in line with the state’s minimum wage for women law. – 1937

The “Battle of Wall Street” occurred as police charged strikers lying down in front of stock exchange doors. 43 were arrested. – 1948

The National Maritime Union of America merged with the National Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association. – 1988

Friday Morning in the Blogosphere

 This was a long time ago

Massachusetts mayor shut down newspaper over fake stories - AP

LA Times owner defends remaking paper to Tucker Carlson - Politico

The ACOS Alliance: Protecting a free and independent press - E&P Magazine

50 state broadcasters associations adopt resolutions supporting local radio - NAB

The challenges and opportunities AI poses to local broadcasting - National Association of Broadcasters

Important Events From This day in History March 28

 

1979 Three Mile Island Nuclear Radiation

1979 : Radiation is released at Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station when a cooling plant malfunction releases radioactive steam and radiation near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, The authorities declare a general emergency but did not inform the public until five hours after the gas escaped.

A study in 2002 found that incidences of cancer in the area were not significantly higher than elsewhere.

This is still considered the worst nuclear incident in US history, but it should be remembered no deaths were attributed to the disaster.

1942 Malta George Cross Medal for Bravery

1942 : King George VI has awarded the people from the small Mediterranean island of Malta the George Cross Medal for Bravery saying "To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta, to bear witness to a heroism and a devotion that will long be famous in history." The Island had been under constant attack by Italian and German bombers and Messerschmitts machine guns since June 1940 because of it's strategic location for both the North Africa campaign and the European Campaign, Food supplies and health and hygiene became a serious problem as the ships that would normally supply the Island were sunk by the enemy before they bring in new supplies.

1964 Radio Caroline begins transmission of pop music

1964 : Radio Caroline was a pirate radio station based on a former Danish passenger ferry used to broadcast from international waters ( 1 of 2 ships converted to radio ships ) as a teen aged 14 I can remember it well and my transistor radio was nearly always tuned into Radio Caroline because the dj's were much more edgy than the other radio DJ's of the time ( I was lucky and lived on the south coast of the UK where the signal could be picked up ) . Irish musician manager and businessman Ronan O'Rahilly set up the station after he could not get any airplay on Radio Luxembourg for Georgie Fame's records because the station was committed to sponsored programmes promoting major record labels: EMI, Decca, Pye and Philips.

2006 France Contrat Première Embauche

2006 : More than 1 million mostly students take to the streets in France disrupting air, rail and bus travel in the largest nationwide protest over the "Contrat première embauche" (CPE - First Employment Contract or Beginning Workers Contract) which would make it much easier for workers under twenty-six years old to be fired. The main parts of the bill which caused protests included:

Allowed employers the opportunity to terminate employment of workers under twenty-six without any reason, with little or no notice, within their first two years of employment

Night lab our being permitted for youths as young as 15 years old

Suspension of family welfare in cases of students skipping school

Possibility of manual lab our apprenticeship for 14-year-olds

The bill was seen by many as a direct attack on younger workers but the government believed by easing these laws it would encourage companies to take on more younger employees. The new "Contrat première embauche" CPE was scrapped by Chirac on April 10 under the pressure of ongoing protest and blockade throughout France

2000 Zimbabwe White Farmer Shot And Killed

2000 : Problems with racial tension continue in the country of Zimbabwe as President Robert Mugabe pressed on with his plan to remove Zimbabwe's farms from white ownership, with the latest death when a white farmer in Zimbabwe is shot dead by squatters occupying his land.

1908 Canada Mining Accident

1908 : A record of a terrible mining accident that occurred a few days before this date was made public. Two well-known miners died while involved in drifting operations in the Spruce Creek Mine. While working, the mine had caved in, and these men were entrapped. A third person had escaped and sounded an alarm, hoping it would signal the other two men to evacuate in time. Unfortunately, it was too late.

1920 U.S.A. Tornadoes

1920 : Tornadoes swept through the mid-western and southern portions of the United States, killing more than 200 people and injuring more than a 1,000.

1921 US Advertising

1921 : A short, sweet description of the importance of advertising a business was presented in a local Oklahoma publication. This advice was depicted in the form of a short rhyming poem, to which the first line is as follows: “The city that gets the publicity gets the business.”

1930 Turkey City Name Changes

1930 : Two of Turkey's largest cities change their names ( Constantinople and Angora ).

The City of Constantinople is changed to Istanbul

The City of Angora is changed to Ankara

1933 U.S.A. Wet and Dry Rally

1933 : A wet and dry rally and parade took place. Both supporters of alcohol and supporters of dry laws attended this event, which occurred in Oklahoma. On the same day, further debate took place regarding the legalization of pari-mutuel horse-betting systems. No decision has yet been made regarding this issue, even though proposals towards legalizing this form of gambling were made two weeks beforehand.

1939 Spanish Civil War

1939 : Madrid, Spain is now in the hands of Nationalist General Francisco Franco and the Spanish civil war ends. The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 with Rebels attempting a coup d'état by parts of the army against the government. Like many modern conflicts other countries often become involved and take sides often supporting one side or the other with weapons and volunteers . The Spanish Civil War was no different with the Government in power getting the support of the Soviet Union and Mexico, and the rebels supported by Italy and Germany. The Spanish Civil War also bought out the worst in people with terrible atrocities committed on and by both sides during the war, with up to 100,000 people executed in the name of ???.

1940 Great Britain

1940 : France and Britain were beginning to think about expanding their support. They expected the alliance they create would be semi-permanent, providing strength for battle. For instance, World War II took place during this time, and France and Britain looked to other countries’ resources to draw upon.

1950 Yugoslavia Travel to US Eased

1950 : Yugoslavia and the United States made an effort to pave the way for restrictions of travel to Yugoslavia to be cleared. The issue of dual nationality was discussed as well.

1963 Russia Wedding During The Cold War

1963 : During one of the most crucial times in American and Russian history THE COLD WAR, an American woman wed a Russian man while studying in Moscow. This wedding was opposed by the Soviet government, the American woman’s mother, and the Red Communists Party. However, this did not stop the couple from saying “I Do.”

1964 U.S.A. The Beatles

1964 : The Beatles have 10 hits on Billboard's Hot 100 at the same time surpassing the previous best by Elvis Presley.

1969 U.S.A. Dwight D. Eisenhower

1969 : Former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower died of heart failure aged 78 yrs.

1972 U.S.A. Farming Practices

1972 : A tiny bit of information regarding farming was printed. At this time in history, a typical U.S. farm produced enough food and fiber to supply the needs of up to 45 people (39 at home and six abroad). Ten years prior to this date, only about 24 people were supported by the yield of an average American farm. Current Figures - A Typical U.S. farm today supplies enough food and fiber to supply the needs of over 200 people

1990 Lithuania Drops Border Guards

1990 : Lithuania, formerly a part of the USSR, decided against earlier plans to implement a border guard. This was done in order to avoid conflict with Soviet Troops. Lithuania also ordered citizens to give up weapons at request of these Soviet military personnel.

1991 England Hillsborough Disaster

1991 : An inquest held over the deaths of 95 fans killed during during the Hillsborough disaster at Sheffield Wednesday's football stadium has returned a verdict of accidental death. The disaster happened during an FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool held at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium on April 15th 1989, and is blamed on too many Liverpool fans being allowed in to the back of an already full stand at the Leppings Lane end of the ground. As more and more fans were allowed in fans were being crushed to death by the sheer volume of additional fans being allowed in. In total 95 Liverpool fans died during the disaster.

Today in Labor History March 28, 2025

 

Emma Goldman

Emma Goldman was arrested for giving a lecture on contraceptives. Goldman believed that knowledge of and access to contraceptives was key to women’s ability to control their own bodies and thus their social and material well being. – 1915

Members of the Gas House Workers’ Union Local 18799 began what was to become a four-month recognition strike against the Laclede Gas Light Company in St. Louis. The union later said the strike was the first ever against a public utility in the U.S. – 1935

Martin Luther King led a march of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. Police attacked the workers with mace and sticks. A 16-year old boy was shot and 280 workers were arrested. He was assassinated a few days later after speaking to the striking workers. The sanitation workers were mostly black. They worked for starvation wages under plantation like conditions, generally under racist white bosses. Workers could be fired for being one minute late or for talking back and they got no breaks. Organizing escalated in the early 1960s and reached its peak in February 1968, when two workers were crushed to death in the back of a garbage truck. – 1968