Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere


 






Some Modest Concerns of a Loyal New York Times Reader - Second Rough Draft








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Important Events From This day in History December 16th

 

  

1979 U.S.A. -- Increases in Gas Prices

1979 : As OPEC has increased prices and oil production over the last 12 months the price of gas continues to increase sharply, mostly due to the ongoing crisis in Iran. In just 12 months the price of gas has risen from just 63 cents at the end of 1978 to over a $1.00 per gallon today. It should also be noted the US government had produced Gas coupons for rationing due to panic buying and ongoing concern over supplies but had not issued them . Find More What happened in 1979

1944 Belgium -- Battle of the Bulge

The Battle of the Bulge during World War II began as German forces launched a surprise counterattack against Allied forces at Ardennes Belgium . The Battle of the Bulge was the bloodiest of the battles that U.S. forces experienced in World War II with over 19,000 American soldiers killed

1773 United States -- Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a culmination of protests against the Tea Act and about the extent of the British Parliament's authority over the British American colonies including new taxes, including one on tea, the colonists primary dispute was "no taxation without representation", the tea just offered a way to protest no representation for the colonies in the British Government. Following the decision of officials in Boston who refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor.

1955 England -- Heathrow Airport

1955 : The Queen has opened new buildings in the centre of London Airport ( renamed Heathrow Airport ) , part of a new complex designed to handle a growing number of air passengers. London Airport ( Heathrow ) was originally opened in 1946 but the new buildings were part of a planned extension Heathrow Airport now has four terminals with a fifth terminal under construction and is one of the world's busiest airports with over 65 million passengers per year.

1907 South Africa -- Ethiopian Movement

The British were very concerned about the Ethiopian movement in South Africa. This movement had as its slogan "South Africa for the blacks" and its aim was to abolish British rule. The most radical group of rebels was the Zulu tribe.

1910 UK -- Houndsditch Murders

A gang attempts to break into the rear of a jeweller's shop at 119 Houndsditch, during a police check the gang shot and killed Constable Choate and Sergeant Bentley, On January 2nd and 3rd the following year Police surround an area in Stepney and a gunfight leaves 2 of those responsible dead.

1916 Russia -- Rasputin

Rasputin, the monk who had wielded powerful influence over the Russian royal family, was murdered by a group of noblemen led by Prince Felix Yusupov and the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich .

1920 China -- Severe Earthquake

1920 : An earthquake measuring 8.5 magnitude on the Richter scale hits the heavily populated of Gansu province of midwestern China, causing the deaths of an estimated 200,000 people.

1926 U.S.A. -- Calls to Bolster the Navy

1926 : Congress appealed to President Coolidge for money to bolster a weak and embarrassing American navy. They said that their navy was a third rate power and was behind France, Japan, and Great Britain.

1933 Germany -- Quits the League of Nations

Germany quit the League of Nations and Adolph Hitler was in power with his Nazi regime. Other European countries were nervous of Germany's intentions; however, they were relying on negotiations instead of war at that point. France was threatened by Germany, but generally felt secure behind her fortifications.

1940 England -- Aircraft Production

British factories could manufacture a plane in two hours, making a total of a dozen planes a day. Although Nazi bombing raids had damaged some of the plane factories Britain was still producing plenty of aircraft for the war effort. The majority of steel for the planes came from the United States.

1950 U.S.A. -- Communist Threat

1950 : President Truman proclaimed a state of emergency to combat the growth of communism and delegated many of his own war powers to Charles E. Wilson, the new Mobilization Director of the Economic Stabilization Agency . As part of the measures to fight communism new price controls are put in place and new war production targets are set.

1950 Italy -- US Ambassador

1950 : Italy had a new ambassador from the United States. He was J.D. Zellerbach and was president of the Crown-Zellerbach Corporation. During World War II Italy awarded him the Knightly Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his mission in 1948-50.

1960 U.S.A. -- Plane Crash

A United Air Lines DC-8 and a TWA Super Constellation collide over New York City, killing 134 people

1967 Canada -- Call For Quebec to Separate

General de Gaulle in France was encouraging Quebec to separate from the rest of Canada. The Newport Daily News explained, "Whereas practically all educated French learned English as a matter of necessity, any number of leading British Canadians knew little or no French - Canadian culture was almost exclusively British and American, with hardly a dash of French."

1969 England -- Death Penalty Abolished

The British Parliament votes to abolish the death penalty in Great Britain, there had been a temporary ban on the death penalty since 1965.

1971 Pakistan -- Bangladesh

Two weeks after the Indian invasion of East Pakistan ( Now Bangladesh ) in support of the independence movement, 90,000 Pakistani troops surrender to Indian forces.

1977 England -- Picadily Line to Heathrow

The Queen opens the new underground link on the Picadily Line from central London to Heathrow's terminals which will run every 4 minutes and take 40 minutes and cost 80 pence one way. ( current price £3.80 )

1978 Japan -- Massive New Store

Brooks Bothers and Daido Worsted Mills, were merging to create a 4,000 square foot store in Japan. This was an unusual move since Japan usually did not allow foreign companies to have the controlling interest in a joint Japanese company. Brooks was the oldest textile and retail manufacturer in the U.S. and Daido was a Japanese company.

1985 U.S.A. -- Mafia Boss Shot

Paul Castellano the head of the Gambino crime family, then one of New York's largest Mafia families, is shot to death outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan on the orders of John J. Gotti.

1989 China -- Sanctions Following Student Deaths

Sanctions were placed on China due to the death of student protesters and this was affecting Japan economically. Japan was the second largest investor in China. Since 1979 Japan loaned 770 billion yen to China and promised another 10 billion yen from 1990-1995. Japan did not resume trade with China, because the Japanese did not want to offend the United States.

1990 Haiti -- President

Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected president of Haiti in the country's first democratic elections

1997 Mexico -- Border Control

1997 : President Bill Clinton and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo joined forces to combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling along the 2,000 mile border between Mexico and the United States. President Clinton declared, "The United States and Mexico are working hard to forge a true partnership founded on mutual respect, a partnership as broad as our border is long."

1998 Iraq -- US Air strikes

President Bill Clinton orders a series of air strikes against Iraq by American and British forces in response to Saddam Hussein's continued defiance of UN weapons inspectors.

2000 U.S.A. -- Colin Powell

The next President of the United States George W. Bush announces his selection for secretary of state, Colin Powell who will be the first African-American Secretary Of State.

2004 England -- Anti Terrorism

The United Kingdoms high court makes a ruling to the government's anti terrorism policy that it can not detain foreign suspects indefinitely without trial.

2006 Iraq -- Study Group

The Iraq Study Group report which is 96 pages long had just been released on the Internet and in book form. The study's critics were busy quibbling over semantics and whether or not the U.S. administration's actions were right or wrong. In one paragraph it read, "Iraq is vital to regional and even global stability, and is critical to U.S. interests. It runs along the sectarian fault lines of Shia and Sunni Islam, and of Kurdish and Arab populations. It has the world's second-largest known oil reserves. It is now a base of operations for international terrorism, including al Qaeda."

2006 Iraq -- Turkish bombing of Kurdistan

Turkey's air strikes against Kurdish rebels in Iraq are said to have been approved in advance by the United States. The country's top general, Yasar Buyukanit, said that the U.S. opened northern Iraqi airspace for the operation, and jets targeted the Kurdish rebel P.K.K. in areas near around the border. The Turkish media says that up to fifty planes were used. Iraqi officials said the bombs hit ten villages, leaving one woman dead. The P.K.K. have reported seven deaths.

The United States has denied approving the Turkish attacks on P.K.K. targets in northern Iraq, which killed one woman. The Turkish army claims the U.S. provided intelligence and gave tacit approval by opening Iraqi airspace to Turkish jets. The U.S. has denied approving the Turkish attacks, and would only say it had been informed of the operation in advance. A U.S. embassy official in Iraq has told Reuters: "We have not approved any decision, it is not for us to approve. However, we were informed before the event."

2008 United States -- Governor Rod Blagojevich Impeachment

Illinois lawmakers have taken the first step towards impeaching Governor Rod Blagojevich by voting to begin an inquiry into the grounds for impeachment. If the inquiry determines that impeachment is warranted, the house will vote on whether to impeach him, and a trial in the state senate will follow. Blagojevich had been arrested the previous week for trying to sell the President-elect's Senate seat.

2009 Iran -- Iran test fires new missiles

2009 : Iran has successfully test-fired an improved version of one of their medium-range missiles. TV pictures have shown the launch of the Sajjil-2 rocket, which is said to have enough range to hit Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf. Correspondents say it has been tested before, but it is likely to add to the increased speculation on Iran's nuclear ambitions. The West is speculating that Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies, and the U.S. says the test has 'undermined Iran's claims of peaceful intentions.'

2009 European Union -- The Swiss minaret ban goes to court in Europe

An appeal against last month's decision by Swiss voters to ban minarets has been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The appeal has been lodged by an Algerian-born Muslim and a former spokesman for the Geneva Mosque. He wants the court to rule that the ban is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. Some 57.5% of Swiss voters and twenty-two out of twenty-six cantons voted in favour of the ban.

2011 Syria -- Continued Anti-Government Unrest in Syria

Security forces reportedly opened fire on anti-government demonstrators across Syria. Protesters claim that several people were killed during the protests which took place after Friday prayers. An estimated 200,000 people joined marches in various cities throughout the country.

2011 Russia -- Russia Joins World Trade Organization

2011 : Russia officially joined the World Trade Organization after a ceremony in Switzerland commemorated the event. Russia spent nearly eighteen years negotiating its membership and finally gained membership after making a deal with Georgia who had been trying to block Russia's membership. Russia's membership was hailed as the last of the Group of 20 major economies to join the organization.

2013 Chile -- Bachelet Wins Election

Former Chilean President Michele Bachelet won the President election with sixty-two percent of the vote compared to rival candidate Evelyn Matthei's thirty-eight percent. Bachelet had been the president of Chile from 2006 to 2010 but by law could not run for a second consecutive term.

2014 Pakistani -- Peshawar school massacre

6 gunmen, wearing explosive belts entered the Peshawar Army Public School from the back through a cemetery adjacent to the school after having scaled the walls. They opened fire on school staff and children, killing 149 people including 132 schoolchildren, ranging between eight and eighteen years of age making it the world's fourth deadliest school massacre. The Terrorist Group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.


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Today in Labor History December 16th, 2025


 The National Civic Federation is formed by business and labor leaders, most prominently AFL president Sam Gompers, as a vehicle to resolve conflicts between management and labor. Not all unionists agreed with the alliance. The group turned increasingly conservative and labor withdrew after Gompers’ 1924 death - 1900

 
New York City’s Majestic Theater becomes first in the U.S. to employ women ushers - 1902
 
The Bagel Bakers of America union is continuing a work slowdown at 32 of New York’s 34 bagel bakeries in a dispute over health and welfare fund payments and workplace sanitation, the New York Times reports.  Coincidentally—or not—lox sales were down 30 percent to 50 percent as well.  The effect on the cream cheese market was not reported - 1951
 
Four railway unions merge to become the United Transportation Union: Trainmen, Firemen & Enginemen, Switchmen, and Conductors and Brakemen - 1968
Eight female bank tellers in Willmar, Minn., begin the first strike against a bank in U.S. history. At issue: they were paid little more than half what male tellers were paid. The strike ended in moral victory but economic defeat two years later - 1977

(United Apart: Gender and the Rise of Craft Unionism: At the turn of the twentieth century, American factory workers were often segregated by sex—males did heavier, dirtier, and better paid, work while women might be employed in a separate area performing related, lighter work. Men might cut bolts of fabric, for example, while women stitched cuffs onto sleeves. How this division of labor played out when an occupational group comprised of one sex went on strike is the subject of this book.)
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Saturday, December 13, 2025

Important Events From This day in History December 13th

 

  

1972 England -- Thalidomide

1972 : 300 British Thalidomide victims are being offered a compensation deal said to be worth £11.85 million over 10 years which is rejected by the victims. ( Eventually an agreement is reached providing £20.00 million.

Thalidomide became notorious in the mid 50's to early 60's when it was prescribed to pregnant women to ease morning sickness. and was marketed under the names Distaval, Talimol, Nibrol, Sedimide, Quietoplex, Contergan, Neurosedyn, and Softenon.

It was sold in 50 countries around the world and is blamed for causing approximately 10,000 children to be born with severe malformations.

Thalidomide is approved today for the treatment of Leprosy and Multiple Myeloma but strictly controlled in it's use. Find More What happened in 1972

1939 Gone With The Wind Premiers

Gone With The Wind Premiers in Atlanta, Georgia. The movie adapted from the novel by Margaret Mitchell published in 1936. The movie, starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, and Hattie McDaniel set in the deep south tells a story of the Civil War and its aftermath from a white Southern viewpoint.

1903 Tibet -- British Control

Great Britain wanted to maintain dominance in Tibet to counteract the Soviet Union's control over Manchuria and other parts of Asia. Tibet would also act as a buffer between Soviet controlled zones and India.

1924 Great Britain -- France Wartime Debt

France's World War I wartime debt to Great Britain amounted to 623,000,000 pounds and the French also owed the United States 798,000,000 pounds. Although the British government was going to approach France about repaying its debts, the British public was skeptical that France would ever pay anything back.

1930 U.S.A. -- Depression and Typhoid

Charlotte Dynn died in Milwaukee of typhoid fever and her family couldn't afford to feed their five remaining children, let alone pay for her funeral. However, during the Christmas season the funeral director, the cemetery's executive, and a pastor all arranged a free funeral for Charlotte.

1937 China -- Rape of Nanking

Japanese forces capture the city of Nanking and Japanese General Matsui Iwane orders the city of Nanking to be destroyed. Japanese troops launched a campaign of atrocities against civilians. including the massacre of an estimated 200,000 and the rape and mutilation of at least 20,000 women and girls of all ages .

1944 France -- Allied Prisoners of War Freed

In Sarreguemines, France one thousand allied soldiers who had been German captives became free as the 39th division stormed their prison. The liberated group included Russian, Polish, Italian, Serbian, and Yugoslavian soldiers who smiled at their new liberty.

1950 U.S.A. -- James Dean

1950 : James Dean who is still unknown at that time appears in a Pepsi commercial, dancing with other teens around a jukebox 5 years before he becomes an icon for the teenage revolution in such films as Rebel Without a Cause

1959 Cyprus -- Archbishop Makarios

1959 : Archbishop Makarios is elected as the first President of the Republic of Cyprus in free elections winning with over 66% of the vote. His vice president is Dr Fazil Kutchuk a leading political figure from the Turkish community.

1966 Saudi Arabia -- King Saud

1966 : King Saud, previous king of Saudi Arabia was overthrown by his brother Fiesal. Saud was ailing and wanted to live in Egypt. Egypt's president, President Abdul Gamel Nasser, who King Saud is suspected of trying to assassinate, allowed the ailing former king to come to Egypt.

1972 China -- Schistosomiesis Epidemic

Near Shanghai in communist China there was an epidemic of schistosomiesis, so of course when two specialists in this illness came to visit from the U.S., they instantly became celebrities. Dr. H. F. Hsu and is wife Dr. S. Y .Li Hsu were medical doctors born in China who became Americans and had not been back to China for 23 years. They received a very friendly reception while sharing their medical knowledge.

1978 U.S.A. -- Susan B Anthony Dollar

1978 : The first Susan B. Anthony ( a key figure in the woman suffrage movement )dollar is minted but is not accepted by the public due to it's very similar appearance to the quarter.

1981 Poland -- Martial Law Imposed

Martial law and a state of emergency is imposed by Poland's military rulers. Leaders of the Solidarity trade union have been placed under arrest for inciting the unrest and the army are on the streets in a massive show of military strength imposing strict censorship and a curfew.

1988 Switzerland -- Yasser Arafat

Following the refusal of the US to grant Yasser Arafat a Visitors Visa the United Nations is convened in Geneva, Switzerland so that PLO chairman Yasser Arafat can address the U.N. General Assembly .

1989 Syria -- Release of Amed Jibril

President Hafez Assad, Syria's president got an order from U.S. President George Bush to expel Amed Jibril or face being cut off from American diplomacy. Jibril was suspected of blowing up Pan Am flight 103 and killing 259 people, most of who were American citizens.

1995 England -- Brixton Riots

Hundreds youths take to the streets at Brixton, in south London attacking police, ransacking shops and burning cars

1996 U.S.A. -- Kofi Annan

The U.N. Security Council chooses Kofi Annan of Ghana to be the United Nations seventh secretary-general.

1996 Ireland -- EU Finance Ministers

1996 : In Dublin, fifteen EU finance ministers debated for eleven hours about imposing fines on EU countries whose poor accounting practices jeopardized EU stability. The new common currency of the EU, the Euro, was to be launched in 1999.

2000 U.S.A. -- Texas 7 Escapees

Seven prisoners escape from the John Connally Unit maximum-security state prison near Kenedy, Texas, they were captured in January and due to them shooting and murdering a police officer during a crime receive the death sentence.

2001 India -- Parliament Attacked

Gunmen have broken through tight security to attack the parliament building in the Indian capital, New Delhi leaving At least 12 dead and 22 injured.

2001 U.S.A. -- Osama bin Laden Video

The Pentagon released a captured videotape of Osama bin Laden in which the al-Qaida leader said the deaths and destruction achieved by the September 11th attacks exceeded his ''most optimistic'' expectations.

2001 U.S.A. -- Pulls Out Of Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty

President George W. Bush served formal notice that the United States was pulling out of the More News and Events From 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia.

2002 European Union -- 10 New Members

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia are accepted into the European Union and will become members from 1st May 2004.

2003 Iraq -- Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces at a farmhouse in Adwar, near his hometown of Tikrit.

2006 Iran -- Deny Holocaust

In Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to a crowd of people who deny the Holocaust ever existed and asserted, 'The Zionist regime will be wiped out the same way the Soviet Union was, and humanity will achieve freedom.' Hostility over this meeting could have sanctions placed on Iran by the United States.

2006 Belgian -- TV prank

Belgians reacted badly to the news that their country had been split in two. It wasn't until later that they were told it was part of a spoof. The Belgian public television station R.T.B.F. ran the bogus report, which said that the Dutch-speaking half of the nation had declared its independence. R.T.B.F. said that the program was meant to stir up debate, and thousands of people made panicked calls. Politicians made a complaint to the station.

2006 United States -- The political manipulation of scientific work

Some ten thousand researchers have signed a statement protesting about political interference in their scientific work. The statement, which includes the backing of fifty-two Nobel Laureates, demands a restoration of scientific integrity in government policy-making and announcements. According to the American Union of Concerned Scientists, a lot of data is being misrepresented for political reasons. Al Gore’s lecture on Climate Change: The Role of Science and the Media in Policy Making took place on the same day, where he said that it was imperative that scientists tell the people what is happening to the world.

2007 U.S.A. -- Wall Street Journal

Rupert Murdoch buys Dow Jones & Co. which includes The Wall Street Journal for $5 billion-plus

2007 U.S.A. -- Mitchell Report

Mitchell Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone by Players in Major League Baseball is released which names 89 Major League Baseball players who are alleged to have used them.

2007 U.S.A. -- Democratic candidates debate in Johnston, Iowa

The Democratic candidates for the presidency have held their last debate before the nominating elections begin with the Iowa caucuses of January 3rd. Their discussion was more polite and genial than their previous encounters. The candidates outlined their positions on issues ranging from the economy to Iraq, trade, energy and human rights. Recent polls in Iowa have shown Barack Obama edging ahead of national frontrunner Hillary Clinton. The participants were: Joe Biden (DE), Hillary Clinton (NY), Barack Obama (IL), Christoper Dodd (CT) and John Edwards.

2007 EU -- Lisbon Treaty

E.U. leaders have signed a treaty in Lisbon that is expected to alter the way in which the 27-nation body operates. The treaty creates an E.U. president, as well as a more powerful foreign policy chief. The document, signed at a ceremony at the city's Jeronimos Monastery, also scraps veto powers in many policy areas. It has been signed as a replacement for the E.U. constitution, which was abandoned in the wake of French and Dutch opposition to it.

2007 Pakistan -- Musharaff takes control of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal

2007 : Pervez Musharraf has put the country's nuclear weapons under the control of the president, rather than its prime minister. On issuing an ordinance the president must have it ratified by parliament within six months. This move comes amid concern abroad that the country's nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of Islamist extremists.

2009 England -- Buckingham Palace denies Prince William is taking on more duties

Buckingham Palace has that claims of Prince William taking over a substantial part of the Queen's duties are 'total and utter fabrication.' British Newspapers have reported that the Queen was passing on more tasks to her grandson. One newspaper has said that the monarch is cutting her workload owing to her age. A royal spokesman told the BBC that Prince William was gradually taking on more engagements but there were no plans to by-pass Prince Charles.

2011 Belgium -- Gunman Attacks Liege, Belgium Killing Four

2011 : A gunman fired on the center of Liege in Belgium and killed at least four people while injuring another 123. The man also threw grenades into the city center before he killed himself. The shooter was identified as Nordine Amrani, a 33 year old man who had previous firearms offences.

2012 United States -- TV Ads Volume Law

A law was implemented that would make it mandatory for television advertisements to be played at the same volume level as the main program. The FCC adopted the rules a year prior but allowed a one-year grace period to adjust.

2013 North Korea -- Top North Korean Official Executed

2013 : It was announced by the North Korean media that leader Kim Jong-un's uncle, Chang Song-thaek, was executed for "acts of treachery." It was reported that he confessed to trying to overthrow the government at a military trial and was then executed. Chang had reportedly been a close mentor to Kim Jong-un as he took power in 2011.


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Today in Labor History December 13th, 2024

 


Samuel Gompers


Death in San Antonio, Texas, of Samuel Gompers, president and founder of the American Federation of Labor - 1924

Major League Baseball’s Mitchell Report was released, identifying 85 names to differing degrees in connection with the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs, and more events that happened on this day in history.

In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson, right, arrived in France, becoming the first chief executive to visit Europe while in office.

In 1977, Air Indiana Flight 216, a DC-3 carrying the University of Evansville basketball team on a flight to Nashville, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 29 people on board.

In 1981, authorities in Poland imposed martial law in a crackdown on the Solidarity labor movement. (Martial law formally ended in 1983.)

In 2000, Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency a day after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida; Democrat Al Gore conceded, delivering a call for national unity.

In 2002, Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as Boston archbishop because of the priest sex abuse scandal.

In 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces while hiding in a hole under a farmhouse in Adwar, Iraq, near his hometown of Tikrit.

The House Judiciary Committee approved two articles of impeachment accusing President Donald Trump of abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress in the investigation that followed. 2020

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Tuesday, December 09, 2025

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 





Turning ‘maybe later’ into ‘let’s get started’ - E&P Magazine

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Important Events From This day in History December 9th

 

  

1993 - Space -- Hubble Telescope Repair
1993 : A historic mission to repair the Hubble Telescope has ended and is considered a complete success with Hubble back in action . The repair involved of a number of space walks with the longest made by Story Musgrave and Jeff Hofman spending seven hours and 21 minutes on their final task to unravel the 40 ft solar panels which power Hubble. Find More What happened in 1993
 
1963 - U.S.A. -- Studebaker Production Ends
1963 : The last American made Studebaker is produced, and the factory in South Bend, Indiana, is closed
 
1990 - Poland -- Lech Walesa
1990 : Solidarity founder Lech Walesa wins Poland's presidential runoff by a landslide
 
1992 - England -- Charles Diana Separation
Prince Charles and Princess Diana announce a formal separation
 
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/december10th.html
1901 - Canada -- Military to South Africa
The Canadian Mounted Military was going to supply 600-900 of its troops to help in fighting in the 2nd Boer War, to South Africa. They also would send 900 extra horses.
 
1923 - Mexico -- Rebels
Insurgents and government soldiers fought in Vera Cruz. General Sanchez, leading the rebels, took the battle to Tampico near Mexico's oil fields. American troops sailed from New Orleans to Vera Cruz to protect American interests.
 
1930 - U.S.A. -- Lettuce Dress
A gorgeous dancer from Hollywood, Billie Stockton, fashioned herself a dress from an entire head of lettuce and played the part of Eve in the garden of Eden. Her backdrop was donated by the Chamber of Commerce. El Centro, where the unusual dress was from is famous for its lettuce
 
1947 - India -- Kashmir Not Resolved
Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sandar Valiabbhai Patel announced that for the most part India and Pakistan reached an accord on the division between the two countries. However, the issue of Kashmir had not yet been resolved.
 
1959 - Norway -- Ship Sinks
Severe storms in the North Sea sunk a Norwegian freighter and twenty seamen were lost in the ocean. The Norwegian Air-Sea Rescue had three search planes looking for survivors. Seven men from the ship were rescued off of the Scottish coast. Radios were jammed in Norway due to all the emergency calls.
 
1968 - Albania -- Chinese Troops
1968 : Diplomats thought that China and Albania have come to a consensus about stationing Chinese troops in Albania to counter Russian aggression.
 
1973 - Northern Ireland -- Sunningdale Agreement
1973 : Tripartite talks on Northern Ireland have end with the signing of the Sunningdale Agreement the historic agreement to set up a Council of Ireland. After less than 12 months following strikes and paramilitary involvement the Council of Ireland collapsed and direct rule was imposed.
 
1975 - U.S.A. -- New York Bankruptcy
New York City government avoids bankruptcy when President Gerald R. Ford signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan authorization to prevent the City from having to default and debt restructuring by the Municipal Assistance Corporation, headed by Felix Rohatyn. The city was also forced to accept increased financial scrutiny by an agency of New York State
 
1981 - Sweden -- Soviet Submarine Grounded
A Soviet submarine, stuck in the mud off of Sweden's shores, provided a lot of sport for the pacifist nation. The Soviets had approached Sweden in a menacing manner with warships, however, Swedish authorities insisted on boarding the submarine. In the end the superpower's submarine crew had to ask for Sweden's help to get back to the Baltic Sea - a humbling experience.
 
1993 - U.S.A. -- Missiles Destroyed
The US Air Force destroys the first of 500 Minuteman II missile silos marked for elimination under the Soviet / US arms control treaty.
 
1994 - U.S.A. -- Joycelyn Elders
President Bill Clinton fires Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders after she tells a conference that masturbation should be discussed in school as a part of human sexuality.
 

1999 - England -- Tyson Fight
The British could look forward to a fight between Mike Tyson and Julius Francis on January 29 in the city of Manchester. The British Commonwealth Championship was at stake and it was Tyson's first fight outside America since his defeat by James "Buster" Douglas in Tokyo.
 
2002 - U.S.A. -- United Airlines
United Airlines files for bankruptcy protection after losing $4 billion in the previous two years.
 
2004 - Canada -- Gay Marriage
Canada's Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is constitutional
 
2006 - Afghanistan -- Schools Built
Schools in Afghanistan needed to be rebuilt especially for girls, who under the Taliban, had been deprived of any education. Thirty-seven year old Ben Tupper from DeWitt, a member of the 27 Infantry Brigade, volunteered his time to help with the reconstruction along with sixteen other volunteers from New York.

 
2008 - United States -- Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is taken into federal custody at his Chicago home for trying to trade Obama’s Senate seat . Newspapers say that the action comes amid allegations that his pay-to-play politics could affect his pending choice of who will be selected for Barack Obama's Senate seat.

 
2009 - Norway -- Mysterious lights in sky over Norway
The Norwegian Metrological Institute has received hundreds of calls from confused observers, but so far has been unable to identify the origin of the skylights that have been seen. Some experts have speculated that the phenomenon might have been caused by a Russian rocket launch, although the Russian embassy has insisted such claims are completely unfounded. Neither meteorologists, astronomers, or the armed forces have offered a solution to the matter. The light was captured by amateur photographer while he was on his way to work at a salmon factory. 'The light appeared for two or three minutes. I could not believe my eyes, and got the shivers and was quite shaken by it,' he said. Another observor, who saw the light phenomena from Sortland in northern Norway, added: 'A large ring appeared, and then spread out, sending a green beam down to earth.'
 
2012 - United Kingdom -- British Astronomer Dies
Sir Patrick Moore, a broadcaster and astronomer, died at the age of eighty-nine. Moore was known for being the longest-running host of the same tv show of all time, having hosted The Sky At Night for more than fifty years.

 
2013 - Russia -- State News Agency Replaced
Russian President Vladimir Putin closed the state-run news organization, RIA Novosti, in a surprise decree. He declared that it would be replaced by a new organization called "Russia Today," to be run by Putin supporter Dmitry Kiselev. The Voice of Russia radio station was also closed.
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Today in Labor History December 9th

 


Ratification of a new labor agreement at Titan Tire of Natchez, Miss., ends the longest strike in the history of the U.S. tire industry, which began May 1, 1998, at the company's Des Moines, Iowa, plant - 2001

James D. Hodgson
In December 1970, President Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act into law, a result of Hodgson's work as secretary of labor. Hodgson also led the expansion of employment and training programs for Vietnam-era veterans under the Emergency Employment Act of 1971.

Lech Wałęsa
  • In 1990, Wałęsa won Poland's first direct presidential election after leading Solidarity, Poland's first independent trade union. He also received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1983. 
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