Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Robert Murray Memorial Service

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

Why vertical video is becoming essential for local news - E&P Magazine

Efforts to keep Pittsburgh Post-Gazette operating appear to stall - CBS Pittsburgh

When universities silence student newspapers, press freedom is at risk - E&P Magazine

After USPS changes, more newspapers aren’t reaching subscribers on time - Nieman Lab

Local media industry looks to optimize cross-platform ad growth in 2026 - Local Media Consortium

Important Events From This day in History February 11th

1963 The Beatles Please Please Me Recorded

1963 : The Beatles record their first album Please Please Me at the Abbey Road Studios which is released on 22 March which helped to create the phenomenon known as Beatlemania. Each one of The Beatles received seven pounds and ten shillings (£7.50) session fee for each three hour session making a total £30.00 as full payment for the recording session of 9 hours and 45 minutes.

1916 Jailed for Advocating Birth Control

1916 : Emma Goldman who worked as a nurse and midwife among the poor in New York who was also a crusader for women's rights and social justice, is arrested in New York City for lecturing and distributing materials about birth control. She was accused of violating the Comstock Act of 1873, which made it a federal offense to disseminate contraceptive devices and information through the mail or across state lines.

11 Feb, 1920 U.S.A. Flu Epidemic

1920 : Medical advancements were being made in regards to dealing with flu epidemics. However, precaution still needed to be taken at this time-as is still true even today. For instance, it was suggested that a person who has the flu (influenza) to stay in bed at least three days after feeling "well." Likewise, people were told to cover their faces when coughing or sneezing. For medical staff taking care of people infected with the flu, it was recommended that they use handkerchiefs to catch catarrhal discharge. These handkerchiefs should then be placed in water and boiled. Either that or small cloths which are burn-able after use for collecting patient discharge. Medical staff should also be careful to wash their hands thoroughly after taking care of a sick patient. Likewise, other people should avoid any direct contact with infected persons until those persons recover.

1929 Italy Vatican City

1929 : The Lateran Treaty is signed, with Italy recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City. The agreements included a political treaty which created the state of the Vatican City and guaranteed full and independent sovereignty to the Holy See.

1932 U.S.A. Waldo Frank

1932 : A novelist by the name of Waldo Frank announced that a Congressional Investigation of alleged terrorism would be demanded as of this day. Frank belonged to an association of New York writers who were subjected to comply with a certain terrorist group at Pineville, Kentucky. Waldo Frank had arrived in Kentucky early in the morning with Allen Taub, another novelist. At this time they were beaten by a mob and then were taken to the Tennessee state line. Frank and Taub were in the process of making an effort to supply striking miners with food. They were beaten so bad that Frank had to be bed-ridden. One of the two men (the writers) had suffered a broken nose.

1932 Japanese Bomb US Marines

1932 : Japanese troops were reported to have bombed 19 U.S. Marines. Afterwards, the Japanese had apologized for it, as the bombing was meant to target the Chinese and not the Americans. The Japanese were attempting to dismantle Chinese troops that were stationed along the Markham road sector when they decided to bomb a mill where the U.S. Marines were killed. Not only did the Marines get killed, but four Chinese women and one man (non-combatant) were killed and 3,000 others had escaped, screaming on the way out.

1937 U.S.A. Flood

1937 : A flood had caused damage in nine states. As a result, 460 lives were killed, and 1,610,000 people were left homeless. Aside from the extensive damage to humans and property, the cost of rebuilding was expected to be in the billions of dollars (at least one billion dollars worth of damage reported).

1937 US Auto Workers Strike

1937 : A sit down strike against General Motors ended with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union.

11 Feb, 1945 Yalta Agreement

1945 : President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin sign the Yalta Agreement laying down rules for control of Germany after the war is ended including the occupation by the three Allies, each of a separate zone, also for reparations in kind to be paid by Germany for damages.

1952 Austria Avalanches

1952 : A series of deadly deadly avalanches begin in Europe following a 10-day snowstorm. The worst affected was Austria where an avalanche crashed down on the ski resort in Melkoede. Twenty people, almost all German tourists, were killed at the resort and another 10 were seriously injured.

1956 Soviet Union Burgess and Maclean

1956 : Two former members of the British Foreign Office who had disappeared from England in 1951, Burgess and Maclean amid rumors that they were spies for the Soviet Union appear in Moscow confirming suspicians may well have been correct.

1961 Israel Adolf Eichmann

1961 : Adolf Eichmann ( a high-ranking Nazi and SS Obersturmbannfuhrer during World War II) was indicted today on 15 criminal charges in Jerusalem, Israel. He was convicted in December of 1961 and hanged in Jerusalem on June 1st, 1962.

1970 Japan 4th Space Power

1970 : Japan launches Oshumi, its first satellite, and it had made a complete revolution around the earth. This achievement made Japan the worlds "fourth space power," after the Soviet Union (1957), the United States (1958), and France (1965).

1975 UK Margaret Thatcher

1975 : The British Conservative Party has chosen it's first women leader, Margaret Thatcher and will be the first woman to head any British political party.

1976 UK John Curry

1976 : Figure skater John Curry wins Britain's first Olympic gold in figure skating and the country's first medal at the winter games for 12 years.

11 Feb, 1979 Iran Khomeini

1979 : Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini took control of Iran as the Islamic Revolution reached its climax.

1987 UK Cynthia Payne

1987 : Cynthia Payne is acquitted of nine charges of controlling prostitutes at her home in south west London, but is still to be prosecuted for keeping a brothel.

1990 Nelson Mandela Released

1990 : Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years. He was the person who had lead the movement to end South African apartheid back in the mid-1940s. Mandela was a lawyer who had joined the African National Congress (ANC), which was the oldest black political organization in South Africa. For this organization, he had served as the leader of the Johannesburg youth ANC chapter, and then later he became ANC deputy national president. During his time as the president of ANC he advocated non-violence and resisted apartheid (South Africa's system of white supremacy and segregation of races). He had changed his tune in 1960, however, when he lead a revolt against the white minority government-after the massacre of peaceful black demonstrators had taken place.

2002 Palestine Israel Attack

2002 : Israel attacked Palestinian security headquarters in Gaza City in response to unprecedented Palestinian rocket fire and a shooting attack on Israeli civilians.

2006 Dick Cheney

2006 : Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a Harry Whittington who is in intensive care at a Corpus Christi hospital after being hit by several pellets of birdshot, during a weekend quail-hunting trip in Texas.

2006 U.S.A. Blizzard

2006 : What has become known as the Blizzard of 2006 started on the evening of the 11th. Heavy snow fell across the northeastern United States from Virginia to Maine through to the evening of the 12th. Its last falls were in eastern Canada on 13th. Cities from Baltimore to Boston received at least a foot of snow, and 26.9 inches was recorded in New York City. This was the heaviest snow recorded since about 1869 (when records began).

2007 Iran Accused of Supplying E.F.P's to Iraq

2007 : The U.S. military has accused the Iranian government of supplying increasingly sophisticated roadside bombs to Iraqi insurgents. At an intelligence briefing in Bagdad a display of the weapons captured in Iraq showed that they had Iranian markings on them. The name for this a type of bomb is an E.F.P. or Explosively Formed Penetrator. The Pentagon has estimated that 'more than 170 Americans killed in action and more than 600 wounded' by these weapons.

2007 G7 Wants China to Control Currency

2007 : Finance ministers and bankers from the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations have renewed pressure on China to relax its controls over its currency. They've said that Beijing needs to increase its efforts to improve the Yuan's exchange rate flexibility. The G7 ministers were meeting in Germany.

2008 Europe Space Lab Columbus

2008 : Europe's space laboratory, Columbus, has docked with the International Space Station, the Columbus was delivered to the Space Station by the US space shuttle Atlantis.

2008 Six Al-Qaeda Charged

2008 : The Pentagon has announced the charges against six of the Guantánamo Bay prisoners over their involvement in the September 11th, 2001 attacks in the U.S. Prosecutors will be seeking the death penalty for the six, who include the plot mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The charges, which are the first to accuse the Guantánamo inmates of direct involvement in 9/11, are expected to be heard in a military tribunal. Brigadier-General Thomas Hartmann, a legal adviser to the head of the Pentagon's Office of Military Commissions, has said that the charges were made against a 'long-term, highly sophisticated plan by al-Qaeda to attack the U.S.'

2008 F.B.I. Arrest Chinese Spies

2008 : The F.B.I have arrested four people for passing defense information to China. A former Boeing engineer is said to have given them details on the space shuttle and other programs, and two men and a woman are accused of handing over Defense Department documents about Taiwan. A Justice Department spokesman has said that the cases are serious breaches of national security. Investigators say these people are partners in an espionage network, and accused of transferring classified military information from a U.S. Defense Department weapons expert to a Chinese government official.

2010 EU Blocks US Monitoring Bank Transactions

2010 : The European Parliament has blocked an agreement that allows the United States to monitor Europeans bank transactions. This has angered Washington. The U.S. has called the decision a 'setback for E.U.-U.S. counter-terror co-operation.' The vote is seen as a rebuff to the intensive U.S. lobbying for E.U. help in its counter-terrorism investigations.

2010 US Tests Airborne Laser Weapon

2010 : The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has said that an American high-powered airborne laser weapon has shot down a ballistic missile in the first successful test of a futuristic directed energy weapon. The agency went on to say that the test took place at 8:44 p.m. PST at Point Mugu's Naval Air Warfare Center in central California. 'The Missile Defense Agency demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser Testbed (A.L.T.B.) successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile.' The high-powered Airborne Laser system has been developed by Boeing Co., (BA.N) the prime contractor, and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

2008 Six Al-Qaeda Charged

2008 F.B.I. Arrest Chinese Spies

2010 EU Blocks US Monitoring Bank Transactions

2010 US Tests Airborne Laser Weapon

Today in Labor History February 11th

2011 Wisconsin protests

500 Japanese and 200 Mexican laborers united to form the Japanese-Mexican Labor Association (JMLA) in order to fight the labor contractor responsible for hiring at the American Beet Sugar Company in Oxnard, California. They refused to work until their grievances were addressed and by the first week in March, over 90% of the county’s beet industry labor force has joined the JMLA, bringing the sugar industry to a standstill. They ultimately won higher wages and the right to shop at stores not owned by the company. – 1903

Workers at the Firestone factory walked off the job over the imposition of a new piece-rate scale. Four days later, nearly 15,000 workers were on strike in the city. – 1913

The Seattle General Strike ended after six days. Some 65,000 workers struck for higher pay after two years of World War I wage controls. – 1919

2,000 unemployed workers stormed the Cleveland City Hall, dispersing only when the police threaten to turn fire hoses on them. With over 4 million jobs lost within months of the stock market crash in late October 1929, unemployed workers took to the streets to demand work and food. Similar actions happened in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles throughout just this month alone. – 1930

General Motors recognized the United Auto Workers (UAW) following a 44-day sit-down strike involving 48,000 GM workers. Two months later, company guards beat up UAW leaders at the River Rouge, Michigan plant. – 1937

On this day, “White Shirt Day” was implemented at UAW-represented GM plants. Union members were encouraged to wear white shirts, marking the anniversary of the 1937 sitdown strike that gave the union bargaining rights at the automaker. The mission: send a message that “blue collar” workers deserve the same respect as their management counterparts. One of the day’s traditional rules: Don’t get your shirt any dirtier than the boss gets his. The 44-day strike was won in 1937 but the tradition didn’t begin until 1948, at the suggestion of Local 598 member Bert Christenson. – 1948

Some 1,300 sanitation workers began what was to become a 64-day strike in Memphis, Tennessee. They ultimately won union recognition and wage increases. The April 4 assassination in Memphis of Martin Luther King Jr., who had been taking an active role in mass meetings and street actions, brought pressure on the city to settle the strike. – 1968

Eight workers were contaminated when 100,000 gallons of radioactive coolant leaked into a containment building of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Sequoyah I plant in Tennessee. – 1981

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced he would call out the National Guard if necessary, to deal with any “unrest” among state employees in the wake of his decision to unilaterally end nearly all collective bargaining rights for the workers. – 2011

2,600 educators from 160 schools walked out in Denver, Colorado over the merit-based pay system that relies heavily on annual bonuses that fluctuate from year to year. After 3 days of picketing, they won an average of an 11.7% pay raise, and an emphasis on education and training when considering promotions. – 2019

Monday, February 09, 2026

Monday Afternoon in the Blogosphere

We held many press men dinners here

National Apprenticeship Week kicks off - Print Week

37+ things The Washington Post did wrong - Nieman Lab

The career advice that journalists rarely hear - Journalism UK

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison - Press Gazette

A coach offers some comfort – and practical ideas – for journalists in the wake of a layoff - Poynter

Important Events From This day in History February 9

1971 Sylmar earthquake

1971 : The San Fernando earthquake ( 6.6 ) at 6:00 AM ruptures a segment of the San Fernando fault zone, causing the loss of life of 65, the worst loss of life was at the at the Veterans Administration Hospital in San Fernando, where 49 people died. The damage caused by the quake was estimated at 1/2 billion dollars due to damage to buildings, bridges and major freeways including Interstate 5.

1943 World War II Battle of Guadalcanal

1943 : The Battle of Guadalcanal, which occurred in the Southwest Pacific Ocean, ended on this day. This was a very important victory over the Japanese, which was achieved by the United States.

1961 U.S.A. Medicare Program

1961 : President Kennedy asked Congress to approve a health insurance program ( the Medicare Program ) for 14.2 million Americans 65 or older, financed by an increase in Social Security taxes.

9 Feb, 1920 Wellsboro Corning Glass Works

1920 : Following a major fire which destroyed the plant Superintendent Smith of the Wellsboro Corning Glass Works plant had dispelled rumors that the plant was going to close. He also had mentioned that there were no grounds for this rumor at all. Necessary repairs were going to be made, but the plant was to remain open.

1937 U.S.A. Work Relief and Flood Rehab

1937 : A bill was passed which allowed for a total of $940,000,000 to be used for relief projects. $790,000,000 of this money was intended to be used to fund work relief and flood rehab programs. This aid was expected to be administered between the 1st and June 30th. It took several weeks to reach a verdict regarding this bill. This was one of the most controversial pieces of legislation passed during this time in history.

1942 World War II Joint Chiefs of Staff

1942 : For the first time since the start of the war, the Joint Chiefs of Staff had come together for an official meeting. The purpose of this staff was to coordinate military strategy, which would help the allied forces (i.e. U.S., France, Italy, Russian Empire, British Empire) win World War II.

1942 SS Normandie

1942 : The SS Normandie had burned in New York on this day, while in the process of being converted to an allied transport ship. Normandie was regarded as the number one most elegant ocean liner ever built.

1950 U.S.A. Post Goes Up to 2 Cents

1950 : A majority has been reached among the members of the United States House of Representatives regarding the hike in postal rates. As a result of a voice vote made on this day, a bill was passed which had raised the rate of postal card rates from one to two cents. Regular letter rates would stay at three cents.

1950 U.S.A. Joseph McCarthy

1950 : Senator Joseph Mc Carthy from Wisconsin had announced that 205 communists had made their way into the U.S. State Department.

9 Feb, 1964 The Beatles

1964 : For the first time ever, the popular music group the Beatles had appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Shortly afterwards, they played their first American concert at the Coliseum. The Beatles had come a long way-literally. They originated from England, and were told that they "could not carry a tune across the Atlantic". In the early days they were though of to be no more than a fad. That of course was proven wrong many times over.

1966 UK Dounreay Nuclear Reactor

1966 : The first of it's kind a Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) is to be built at the Dounreay power station on the north coast of Scotland. This reactor will be 5 times more efficient at obtaining the extraction of the energy available in nuclear fuel than current reactors in use.

1969 U.S.A. 747 Test Flight

1969 : Boeing 747 airliner takes its first test flight piloted by test pilots Jack Waddell and Brien Wygle at the controls.

1979 UK Football Transfer Record Over a Million

1979 : England forward Trevor Francis signs for Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side in Britain's first £1m transfer deal.

1981 U.S.A. Bill Haley

1981 : Bill Haley dies at age 56 he brought the existing genre of rock and roll into the spotlight with his chart-topping single "Rock Around the Clock," in 1955, you can find more information and other music on our 1950s Music Page

9 Feb, 1996 Kasparov

1996 : The legendary Russian Chess Grandmaster Kasparov loses his first chess game ever to IBM's chess computer Deep Blue. He did go on to gain three wins and two draws and easily wins the match.

2001 USS Greenville

2001 : An American submarine (USS Greenville) accidentally struck a Japanese fishing boat and nine lives were lost. This event took place off the coast of Hawaii in Pearl Harbor.

2002 UK Princess Margaret

2002 : Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, died at age 71 after suffering a massive stroke.

2008 Pakistan Political Unrest

2008 : The political unrest in Pakistan continues following the murder of Benazir Bhutto and the detention of the deposed chief justice. An estimated 100,000 supporters of Benazir Bhutto turned out for her party's first major election rally since her assassination. Meanwhile in the capital of Islamabad riot police used water cannons and tear gas on protesters over the detention of the deposed chief justice. Also at a political gathering Saturday in northwestern Pakistan, a bomb is detonated killing at least 25 people.

Today in Labor History February 9th, 2026

George Lippard

Novelist, journalist, and social activist George Lippard died on this day. Considered the first muckraking novel in the United States, his The Quaker City was a bestseller about city life in Philadelphia. Lippard founded the Brotherhood of the Union to “espouse the cause of the Masses, and battle against the tyrants of the Social System – against corrupt Bankers, against Land Monopolists, and against all Monied Oppressors”. The Brotherhood eventually had 40,000 members in 20 states. – 1854

Congress approved legislation allowing for a total of $940,000,000 to be used for Depression-era relief projects. $790,000,000 of this money was intended to be used to fund work relief and flood recovery programs. – 1937

U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy falsely charged that the State Department was riddled with Communists. It seemed that just about everyone else the Wisconsin senator didn’t like was a Communist as well, including scores of unionists. This was the beginning of “McCarthyism”. McCarthy ultimately was officially condemned by the Senate and died of alcoholism. – 1950

President Kennedy asked Congress to approve the creation of the Medicare program. It was financed by an increase in Social Security taxes and aided 14.2 million Americans aged 65 or older. – 1961

Boeing engineers and technical workers begin what was to become a forty-day strike over economic issues. At the time, it was the largest white-collar strike at a private company in the U.S. It ended in a victory for the 22,000 workers represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA). – 2000

Friday, February 06, 2026

Friday Morning in the Blogosphere

Royce Hall UCLA

Revenue, resilience and community: Inside ACP - E&P Magazine

Shriveling 'Washington Post' Cuts Nearly A Third Of Staff - Media Post

How AJP is cutting through the AI hype for local newsrooms - E&P Magazine

Minnesota Star Tribune launches News Literacy Initiative - The Minnesota Star Tribune

Why the Issues Around Newsrooms and Trust Aren’t Quite What You May Think - 2nd Rough Draft

Important Events From This day in History February 6

1952 King George VI Dies

1952 : King George VI dies making Elizabeth II the Sovereign of Great Britain, The future Queen of England heard the news while on a trip to Kenya.

1971 Apollo 14

1971 : Alan Shepard became the first man to hit a golf ball on the Moon, using a ball and golf club head he had smuggled on board inside his space suit.

1964 England / France Channel Tunnel

1964 : The British and French Governments announce commitment to build a tunnel under the English Channel. In 1984 Euro tunnel was selected to build the tunnel and The Channel Tunnel is finally opened in 1994. When completed The Channel Tunnel consists of three tunnels and is the longest undersea tunnel in the world, measuring 31 miles in total, with 24 miles under the sea.

6 Feb, 1911 Rolls-Royce Mascot

1911 : On this day and year in history, the official Rolls-Royce mascot has been chosen. It is a silver-winged animal called "The Spirit of Ecstasy" and it is used as the Rolls hood ornament to this day.

1926 First Doughnut Making Machine

1926 : In Dubuque, Iowa the first doughnut-making machine was launched by a company called Trausch Bakery.

1928 Anastasia Tchaikovsky

1928 : Anastasia Tchaikovsky, the young woman who claimed to be the daughter of the late Russian Czar who was murdered had come to the United States. Reporters were skeptical of this claim because there had been about dozen other women who had made the same claim.

1937 USA Rattlesnakes

1937 : A report was printed on this day about the "Rattlesnake Scare". The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) had housed a rattlesnake in a camp located about a half a mile from the rim of the Grand Canyon. During lunch time, a rattlesnake named Cleo had wandered in to where some visitors where eating with CCC members. The rattlesnake was de-fanged, but the visitors did not know this at first. Therefore, they ran out of the room as fast as they could.

1938 Bondi Beach Waves

1938 : A series of freak waves strike Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. The waves pull people back into the sea causing the death of 5 and a further 250 had to be rescued as they had been dragged hundreds of yards off shore. The day became tragically known as "Black Sunday" in Australia.

1943 Frank Sinatra

1943 : Frank Sinatra makes his singing debut on the popular radio show "Your Hit Parade." His career takes off after that and he eventually becomes one of the most respected vocalists of all time.

1943 World War II Dwight D. Eisenhower

1943 : Lt. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the commander-in-chief of all allied forces in North Africa.

6 Feb, 1950 West Germany Nazism

1950 : West Germans had harshly criticized the allied countries on this day. The allied countries were the forces that fought against the Germans and other pro-Nazi armies during World War II, and the U.S. was one of those countries. In response to West Germany's Criticism, U.S. high commissioner John J. McCloy reprimanded the West Germans for their criticism. He also made it clear that Nazism would not rule again in that country. McCloy also presented a nine-point plan for West Germany to follow. Part of this plan included the strong suggestion that Germans stop involving themselves too much in foreign affairs and take care of the problems in their own country.

1950 U.S.A. Strike

1950 : Federal telephone negotiations were being made to postpone and/or end nationwide walkout planned for Wednesday 6 p.m. the same week. Earnest Weaver, president of the installment division of CIO Communications Workers of America, said the organization would consider a walkout postponement if their was something to be gained. However, Weaver also mentioned that it would be impossible to call off a strike within 24 hours. Therefore, any decision to postpone the workers strike would have to be made before tomorrow (Tuesday). This did not give federal negotiators much time to reach a decision. However, another meeting was scheduled for 2 p.m. that day. If the strike were to take place, it would involve 300,000 workers.

1951 US Train Crash

1951 : A commuter train, The Broker, derailed off a temporary trestle and slid down an embankment in Woodbridge, New Jersey, killing 85 and injuring many more.

1954 Mercedes 300SL Coupe

1954 : Mercedes introduced the 300SL coupe, the car is far advanced of anything else with its gull-wing doors a six-cylinder engine and a top speed of 155mph. Only 1,400 300SL coupes are ever produced but many consider it to be the most impressive sports car of the decade.

1958 Manchester United Football Club Disaster

1958 : A British European Airways flight crashes just after takeoff from Munich Airport. Eight players from the Manchester United soccer team together with 15 others died in the crash. The Team manager Matt Busby and striker Bobby Charlton are being treated in hospital.

1964 Cuba Guantanamo Bay

1964 : Cuba has shut off the fresh water pipeline to the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay until 36 Cuban fishermen jailed in Florida are freed.

1974 National Health Insurance

1974 : President Nixon has urged Congress to approve a comprehensive national health insurance plan.

1985 Hertz

1985 : Walter L. Jacobs, the founder of the first car rental company, died on this day. He had formed what is now the present-day Hertz Corporation, after Hertz had purchased Jacob's car rental business.

1995 Pre-Employment Alcohol Testing

1995 : Pre-employment alcohol testing for motor carriers was to take place as of the first of this year. However, it was delayed, and as of this date it was determined that May 1 would be the date when the DOT would require trucking companies as well as other transport companies to comply with this new ruling. The testing was to be completed with some type of unit that would check an employee's breath, or would include a test of saliva.

6 Feb, 1995 England Security Cutbacks

1995 : It was revealed via a letter not intended to be made public that airport security cutbacks were to be made. A third of the staff of Transec, the company responsible for airport security in UK and overseas ports are to be let go. As a result, Brian Mawhinney was questioned regarding this manner. Concerns were expressed as well by people such as Dr. Jim Swire, whose daughter was killed by the airport bombing incident that took place in 1988 Dr, Swire recounted the promise that was made that airport security would be improved. However, he feared that instead progress in this area would be reversed.

1998 Mary Kay Letourneau

1998 : A school teacher was sent to prison for the second time as of this date. Mary Kay Letourneau was sent back to prison for seven years after violating a restraining order that was set between her and a former student. She had been on probation and failed to uphold the agreement set before.

Today in Labor History - February 6th, 2026

Ironworkers from six cities meet in Pittsburgh to form the Int’l Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers of America. Their pay in Pittsburgh at the time: $2.75 for a nine-hour day - 1896

A strike by shirtwaist workers, primarily immigrant women and girls, in Philadelphia’s garment sweatshops ends. Despite mass arrests, intimidation, scabs, and media blasts against them, the workers refused to back down until their demands for improved working conditions, reduced working hours, increased wages, and union recognition were met. – 1910

The Seattle General Strike began on this date. The city’s 10,000 Japanese immigrants participated in the walkout, along with longshoremen, trolley operators, and bartenders.

The strike began in response to government sanctioned wage cuts. During the strike, councils were formed consisting of workers, soldiers and sailors, which took over virtually all major city services, including food distribution and security. The strike ultimately ended as a result of bureaucratic labor union intervention. – 1919

After 136 days on strike, Fisher Body workers ratified a new agreement. – 1970

Today in Labor History February 5th

The first daily labor newspaper, the N.Y. Daily Sentinel, began publication. – 1830

The movie Modern Times premiered. The tale of the tramp (Charlie Chaplin) and his paramour (Paulette Goddard) mixed slapstick comedy and social satire, as the couple struggled to overcome the difficulties of the machine age, including unemployment and nerve wracking factory work. – 1937

President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act. The law requires most employers of 50 or more workers to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a family or medical emergency. – 1993

In what turned out to be a bad business decision, Circuit City fired 3,900 experienced sales people because they were making too much in commissions. Sales plummeted. In 2007, the company laid off approximately 3,400 higher-paid workers and replaced them with workers starting off at $7.40 an hour. In 2009, Circuit City declared bankruptcy. – 2003

Cal/OSHA, California’s state-run OSHA office, held a meeting to discuss a draft of what would become the nation’s first ever comprehensive workplace violence prevention regulation for healthcare workers. Healthcare and social assistance workers experience the most assaults on the job, accounting for almost 60 percent of violent assaults in the workplace, but management’s response too often is that it is just “part of the job”. – 2015

Wednesday, February 04, 2026

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

The Murder of The Washington Post - The Atlantic

National chain buys three Utah magazines - Salt Lake Tribune

The career advice that journalists rarely hear - Journalism UK

The real reason media sellers struggle to get appointments - E&P Magazine

Washington Post says one-third of its staff across all departments is being laid off - AP

Important Events From This day in History February 4th

1938 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

1938 : The animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released and had major success in the box-office, making more money than any other motion picture up till that point. Find More What happened in 1938

1959 Barbie Doll

1959 : Today was the first day of the invention of the Barbie Doll. This doll was created by Ruth Handler, who was one of the founders of the Mattel Company. Barbie was named after Ruth's daughter. Later on, when the Ken doll was made, it was named after Ruth's son.

4 Feb, 1920 U.S. Prohibition

1920 : Someone had stolen 21 barrels of whiskey which was held at a Pennsylvania brewery. The person who had taken this liquor was sentenced a fine of $7,000. This particular crime had taken place during the Prohibition Era, during a time when the sale of alcohol was not allowed. By the way, liquor licenses were still being granted during this time. However, beverages could not contain more than one-half percent of alcohol in them.

1922 Lincoln / Ford

1922 : Lincoln purchased the Ford Company for $8 million dollars on this day. During the time of this transition, Henry Ford had assumed position of president of Lincoln.

1931 US Banks Go Bust

1931 : As banks continue to close across the US when depositors ask for their deposits back, the problems continue to escalate as most small banks had large amounts invested in the stock market and with the crash of wall street in late 1929 many banks do not have sufficient funds left to meet current members deposits. Many are going into receivership with little help for investors. The government is looking at schemes to bail the banks out and help consumer confidence.

1932 Winter Olympics

1932 : The first Winter Olympics to be held in the United States. These games took place in Lake Placid, New York.

1937 U.S. Floods

1937 : Restrictions were lifted from flood quarantine areas on this day. People could return to these areas that were originally prohibited from entering without any further threat of disease or sickness. A main concern regarding the possible spread of disease epidemic applied to those unregistered refugees who had not yet been immunized. They had been confined to one specific area for as long as was decided was necessary.

1943 Olds Patent

1943 : Ransom Eli Olds, the creator of one of the first internal combustion engine designs, received his last patent on this day. Olds was noted for creating the first automobile production line, through a company that has made cars such as the Olds Runabout.

1948 Ceylon Independence

1948 : Ceylon now Sri Lanka gains independence from British rule and becomes an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth.

1950 British Atomic Scientist

1950 : On this day a British Atomic scientist was arrested and charge of gathering information that would be useful to enemy forces. He was the holder of some of the most classified (top secret) information regarding the A-bomb. He was found out by American FBI agents, and these agents reported the info to the Scotland Yard.

4 Feb, 1957 Smith-Corona

1957 : This was the first day of the sale of Smith-Corona portable typewriters. This company had been producing typewriters since 1886 , when it created the first upper and lower-case typing model.

1964 U.S.A. Poll Tax

1964 : As of this date, it was no longer legal to charge a poll tax for voting. This action was repealed upon the passing of the 24th Amendment.

1968 Kenya

1968 : The continued persecution of Asians in Kenya is forcing many thousands to leave the country and many are choosing Britain for their future . Kenya has introduced new tough immigration laws which only allow work permits to Kenyan Citizens.

1974 UK Bombing

1974 : A bomb believed to have been set by the IRA kills 11 including soldiers and children when the coach they were travelling in is blown up by a bomb.

1974 Patricia Hearst

1974 : Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is kidnapped in Berkeley, California by the Symbionese Liberation Army.

1976 Guatemala and Honduras earthquake

1976 : In Guatemala and Honduras a 7.5 magnitude earthquake centered about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City kills more than 22,000. The quake caused major landslides which blocked transport routes leaving food and water supplies were severely reduced. Some of the areas were without electricity and communication for up to 1 week and the main shock was followed by thousands of aftershocks, some of the larger ones causing additional loss of life and damage.

1988 UK Seamen Strike

1988 : Ferry ports in the UK are causing major congestion on roads on the south coast as British Seamen continue their strike without union backing. The strike is because of the increase of cheaper low-cost Third World crews, while making British Seamen redundant.

1997 O.J. Simpson

1997 : A civil jury panel in Santa Monica, California had determined that O.J. Simpson was guilty of the deaths of both his ex-wife Nicole Brown-Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. He had originally been acquitted in the year 1995.

4 Feb, 1998 Afghanistan Earthquake

1998 : An earthquake in northern Afghanistan has left up to 4000 dead, and tens of thousands more injured or 4th homeless. The earthquake epicenter was close to the city of Rostaq in the remote province of Takhar, close to the border with Tajikistan.

2003 Yugoslavia Country Dissolved

2003 : Lawmakers formally dissolve Yugoslavia and replace it with a loose union of Serbia and Montenegro.

2004 Massachusetts Gay Marriage

2004 : The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declared that same-sex marriage is legal.

2004 Facebook

2004 : Facebook, a mainstream online social network is founded by Mark Zuckerberg.

2006 Danish and Norwegian Embassies Destroyed in Syria

2006 : Following the publishing of caricatures of the prophet Muhammad Muslim protesters torched and destroyed the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus. And in Gaza, Palestinians marched through the streets, storming European buildings and burning German and Danish flags.

2007 U.S. Generals Against Military Strike on Iran

2007 : Three former military officers have warned against a military strike on Iran, and said that such action would have 'disastrous consequences' for the security in the Middle-east, and for coalition forces in Iraq. They agree that the crisis over Iran's nuclear program should be resolved through diplomacy, and urge Washington to start direct talks with that country. These warnings were published in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper, and signed by: Lieutenant-General Robert Gard, a former military assistant to the U.S. Defense Secretary, General Joseph Hoar, a former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Central Command and Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, a former Director of the Center for Defense Information.

2008 China Snow Storm

2008 : China has been hit by the worst snow storms in 50 years and some of the worst affected are the poorest in China. The Chinese rural population of farmers do not have the high tech farm machinery needed to weather these type of conditions and are living very close to poverty so when a natural disaster occurs like this which ruins the crops many are forced into near starvation.

2008 US Navy Must Follow Environmental Laws

2008 : A Federal judge has ruled that the Navy must follow environmental laws by placing limits on its mid-frequency sonars. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper has written that the Navy is not exempt from a compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and a court injunction has created a 12-nautical-mile no-sonar zone along the coastline of southern California. President Bush had decided to exempt the Navy from this law.

2008 New President of Mormon Church

2008 : Thomas S. Monson has been named as the 16th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has said that the church will not be veering from the course that was set by his predecessor, Gordon B. Hinckley. He has taken over at a time when the church has been undergoing a rapid growth around the globe, and been getting a lot of attention from Mitt Romney's campaign for the White House.

2009 Gaddafi Speaks Out on Democracy in Africa

2009 : The new African Union (A.U.) chairman, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, has said that multi-party democracy in Africa always leads to bloodshed. He was speaking at the A.U. summit in Ethiopia, where he went on to explain that Africa was essentially tribal environment, and that political parties themselves became tribalised, which led to further bloodshed. He concluded that the best model for Africa was his own country, where opposition parties are not allowed.

2010 Bank of America / Merrill Lynch

2010 : Legal action has started against the Bank of America and its former executives, and accuses them of duping investors and taxpayers during their takeover of Merrill Lynch. The defendants are accused of having withheld details of Merrill Lynch's huge losses. New York state officials have filed an action against the bank, its former chief-executive Kenneth Lewis and former chief-financial officer Joseph Price. Bank of America has said that the charges are 'regrettable.' The charges are for duping shareholders and the federal government in order to complete the merger.

2010 Google Books

2010 : The Department of Justice has said that it is not satisfied with a deal that allows the search engine Google to build a vast digital library. It says that the plan fails to address its antitrust and copyright concerns. It has been following the online retailer Amazon's complaints that Google's plan to scan and distribute books online could lead to a monopoly. The Department of Justice is advising the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York that issues in the settlement agreement from The Authors Guild Inc. et al. v. Google Inc., class certification, copyright and antitrust still remain.

2010 Barack Obama's Aunt in Court for Asylum Case

2010 : Barack Obama's Kenyan aunt has appeared at a court in Boston on a second attempt to gain political asylum in the United States. The immigration hearing for 57-year-old Zeituni Onyango has ended without an immediate decision on her asylum. The half-sister of Mr. Obama's father, Onyango had moved to the U.S. in 2000. Her first asylum application was rejected in 2004, and she was ordered to be deported, but continued living in public housing in Boston. Her immigration status became an issue during Mr. Obama's election campaign. He said at the time that he was not aware of his aunt being in the U.S. illegally.

2011 The Philippines Bans Logging

2011 : President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines announced a nationwide ban on logging after the country suffers from flooding and mudslides. In January over seventy people died from floods and President Aquino believed that too much logging might have contributed to the causes of the flooding.

2012 Mexican Police Arrest Leader of Gente Nueva Gange

2012 : Police in Mexico have announced that they captured and arrested Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo, the suspected leader of the Gente Nueva gang (a part of the Sinaloa drug cartel). Police arrested him and his bodyguard in Leon and say that the two men were carrying weapons and crystal meth.

2013 France Women Pants Ban Lifted

2013 : The government of France has overturned a two-hundred year law that banned women from wearing trousers. The law had effectively been out of use for several years as people just ignored the law, however the change would make it formally legal for women to wear trousers.

2014 Libya Announces Destruction of Chemical Weapons

2014 : The foreign minister of Libya announced that all of the country's chemical weapons had finally been destroyed. The process had begun in 2004 when the country had signed the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Today in Labor History February 4th, 2026

Montgomery Bus Boycott - Facts, Significance & Rosa Parks

The Ohio legislature authorized construction of the 249-mile Miami and Erie Canal to connect Toledo to Cincinnati. Local historians said “Irish immigrants, convicts and local farmers used picks, shovels and wheelbarrows,” at 30 cents per day, to construct the 249-mile-long waterway. – 1825

The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers formed at a meeting in Pittsburgh with 16 delegates from local unions. Today, the union represents 120,000 ironworkers in North America. – 1896

Haywood started mining at age nine. He became secretary-treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners in 1900 and co-founded the IWW in 1905. Charged in the bombing murder of former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg in 1907, he was acquitted with the counsel of Clarence Darrow. His radicalism led to his dismissal from the WFM in 1918. That same year, a victim of the Red Scare, he was convicted of violating alien and sedition acts and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. However, he jumped bail and fled to the Soviet Union, where he died in 1928. – 1869

Rosa Parks, whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man launched the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott and the birth of the civil rights movement, was born on this date in Tuskegee, Alabama. – 1913

Unemployment demonstrations took place in major U.S. cities. – 1932

37,000 maritime workers on the West Coast struck for wage increases. – 1937

President Barack Obama imposed $500,000 caps on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving federal bailout money, saying Americans are upset with “executives being rewarded for failure”. – 2009