Interesting historical facts and occurences that nobody knows about.


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Liberty's Edge

LazarX wrote:
InVinoVeritas wrote:

If anyone is wondering why California wanted to be annexed, it was in part because the Mexicans maintained a policy of accepting American immigrants to their vast northern territories which had very little infrastructure.

Money also was probably part of the reason as it was in the case of Texas. Texas revolted from Mexico in anticipation of being instantly admitted to the United States. But the U.S. didn't want Texas for a variety of reasons, the nature of it's population being largely expatriate criminals and m alcontents, and not wishing to assume it's fiscal burden. Deep in debt and strapped for cash during it's Republic years, Texas sold off large chunks of it's territory before the U.S. finally agreed to annex it. The last bit of modification removed a bit off the top and grafted it to Oklahoma so that Texas would just fit below the Mason-Dixon line.

Also didn't want to tip the balance between slave and free states by adding just a slave state.

Also an unknown on Texas: it was also talking with Britian about joining them if the US thing didn't work out.

Liberty's Edge

Katrina Sinclair wrote:
Martin Sheaffer wrote:
Katrina Sinclair wrote:
In fact, of the four most populous Muslim countries, five have had women in the highest leadership positions.
Five out of four? That is most impressive. :)
Typo. Four out of five.

I figured, but being a smart alec I couldn't resist pointing it out that way.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Martin Sheaffer wrote:
LazarX wrote:
InVinoVeritas wrote:

If anyone is wondering why California wanted to be annexed, it was in part because the Mexicans maintained a policy of accepting American immigrants to their vast northern territories which had very little infrastructure.

Money also was probably part of the reason as it was in the case of Texas. Texas revolted from Mexico in anticipation of being instantly admitted to the United States. But the U.S. didn't want Texas for a variety of reasons, the nature of it's population being largely expatriate criminals and m alcontents, and not wishing to assume it's fiscal burden. Deep in debt and strapped for cash during it's Republic years, Texas sold off large chunks of it's territory before the U.S. finally agreed to annex it. The last bit of modification removed a bit off the top and grafted it to Oklahoma so that Texas would just fit below the Mason-Dixon line.

Also didn't want to tip the balance between slave and free states by adding just a slave state.

Also an unknown on Texas: it was also talking with Britian about joining them if the US thing didn't work out.

If Britain had made that move, the U.S. might very well have gone and invoked the Monroe Doctrine.


Tiny Coffee Golem wrote:

Brazil has the largest population of japanese outside of Japan because when slavery was abolished the Japanese came to fill manual labor roles in agriculture. As employees, of course. not slaves.

Additionally there is a large italian population because as the japanese improved their standing over time and moved out of the roles of menial labor Italian immigrants came to replace them in the fields.

Cool that you know this because i presented that subject last week to my students.

I am a Geography teacher in Brasil.

by the way, You are right the were employees, but the condition of their labor was similar to slavery.


Quote:
Napoleon was also a champion of religious tolerance (he gave the Jews religious freedom), and, compared to other rulers of the day, actually rather liberal when it came to the rights of women.

And also of dragons


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Napoleon was not short. He was of the average height for a European man of his era.

Brazil fought in WW2. German and Italian submarines sank some of their shipping, and Brazil got so pissed off that they declared war and sent the allies an expeditionary force. This force was sent to Italy, and saw significant action. The Brazilians were the only South American nation to fight in WW2.


LazarX wrote:
If Britain had made that move, the U.S. might very well have gone and invoked the Monroe Doctrine.

Otherwise known as the, "Go away my toys" doctorine.


kaymanklynman wrote:
Tiny Coffee Golem wrote:

Brazil has the largest population of japanese outside of Japan because when slavery was abolished the Japanese came to fill manual labor roles in agriculture. As employees, of course. not slaves.

Additionally there is a large italian population because as the japanese improved their standing over time and moved out of the roles of menial labor Italian immigrants came to replace them in the fields.

Cool that you know this because i presented that subject last week to my students.

I am a Geography teacher in Brasil.

by the way, You are right the were employees, but the condition of their labor was similar to slavery.

I assumed it wasn't a happy situation for them, but I didn't want to imply they were technically slaves even if they were basically so in practice.


Set wrote:

"We're going to send a dozen ships, six thousand men and 500,000 silver to support the colonials? Why?"

"Because it will piss off the British."
"Ah, oui! Tres bon!"

I lol'd.


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In the early day's of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's) they were basically lawnmower engines with wings and a camera, with accompanying landmower engine sound. Navy gunships would often use them for reconnaissance before they fired the big guns at a landbound target and for damage assessment after.

Around the time of gulf war I targets (Somewhere in the middle east I forget where) started figuring out that the lawnmower sound preceeded all hell breaking loose (ie explosions). So on more than a couple occations insurgents have come out and surrendered to UAV's without the US Navy having to drop bombs.

The moral of the story is, if you do it right your enemy will surrender to a lawnmower engine. ;-)

The Exchange

FallofCamelot wrote:
Crimson Jester wrote:
FallofCamelot wrote:
The Welsh language is spoken in Wales, parts of England and Chubut province in Argentina.
There was a large concentration of Welsh people in the Applachian section of Southeast Ohio, such as Jackson County, Ohio and was nicknamed "Little Wales". The Welsh language was commonly spoken there for generations until the 1950s when its use began to subside.
That's very cool.

I heard, or may have heard my memory not being what it once was, that one of the cities in the region has all the street and municipal signs in the city are bilingual being both in English and in Welsh.


Katrina Sinclair wrote:

Napoleon was not short. He was of the average height for a European man of his era.

Brazil fought in WW2. German and Italian submarines sank some of their shipping, and Brazil got so pissed off that they declared war and sent the allies an expeditionary force. This force was sent to Italy, and saw significant action. The Brazilians were the only South American nation to fight in WW2.

OS PRACINHAS (The name of the brazilian soldiers send to war) , my granfather was one of then.


kaymanklynman wrote:
OS PRACINHAS (The name of the brazilian soldiers send to war) , my granfather was one of then.

MAN! You can´t leave us with that ! Please translate the name at least.

Liberty's Edge

During Desert Storm the U.S. would drop pamplets asking the soldiers to surrender and telling them to look in the direction of the group that wouldn't surrender. We would then bomb the group that wouldn't surrender.


ShadowcatX wrote:
During Desert Storm the U.S. would drop pamplets asking the soldiers to surrender and telling them to look in the direction of the group that wouldn't surrender. We would then bomb the group that wouldn't surrender.

O_O. Damn, America. You scary.


Katrina Sinclair wrote:
Napoleon was not short. He was of the average height for a European man of his era.

I am not short. I am of the average height for a Chinese man of Napoleon's era!


Katrina Sinclair wrote:
ShadowcatX wrote:
During Desert Storm the U.S. would drop pamplets asking the soldiers to surrender and telling them to look in the direction of the group that wouldn't surrender. We would then bomb the group that wouldn't surrender.
O_O. Damn, America. You scary.

Yeah it's a triple whammy -- the psychology impact that if someone surrenders they'll help you be targeted, and if you don't surrender you'll be bombed to death, and if you surrender you'll want all your friends to do so instead of letting them be killed.

It really helps enforce an 'all or nothing' strategy. But remember we are at least trying to give them a chance to save us money and not die in the process.

The Exchange

First proposed border for USA/Canada was a line running west from Jamestown.


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Kirth Gersen wrote:
Katrina Sinclair wrote:
Napoleon was not short. He was of the average height for a European man of his era.
I am not short. I am of the average height for a Chinese man of Napoleon's era!

The French of Napoleon's era liked buying big furniture to help them feel like kids again, which could help give the impression that someone wasn't as big as they really were.


yellowdingo wrote:
First proposed border for USA/Canada was a line running west from Jamestown.

Not surprised. It took a long time for the distinction between America and Canada to become clear.


RedPorcupine wrote:
kaymanklynman wrote:
OS PRACINHAS (The name of the brazilian soldiers send to war) , my granfather was one of then.
MAN! You can´t leave us with that ! Please translate the name at least.

here it is

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pracinhas

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/For%C3%A7a_Expedicion%C3%A1ria_Brasileira

you may have to translate the pages .

"PRACINHAS" is the name of the sculpture made to honor the veterans of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force.

The meaning of the word "Pracinhas" is dificult to explain in english but i will try.

PRAÇA(Soldado) means Soldier

PRACINHA means small soldier (but not in a negative way. Instead in a way that the brasilian people means to love/care for those who lost their lives in the war - like a mother love for his children).


In the sixth and seventh centuries, there was a Jewish kingdom in present-day Yemen.


Stolen from an evil monkey (so if it's not right, blame him):

"Panama was the site of Scotland's only foray into the colonization game. A colony known as "New Caledonia" was founded, but failed miserably. The resulting economic trauma is blamed for the later Act of Union that merged Scotland and into the larger United Kingdom system."


Vlad the impaler was actually very popular with his peasants. It was the nobility who didn't like him much

The second President and founding father John Adams blatantly tossed out the first amendment right to free speech with the alien and sedition acts.

Our country had an undeclared naval war with the revolutionary french government.

There were numerous rebellions against the American government at its inception. Most used similar reasoning to why America left Britain. The federal government had a similar response to the British government but obviously was more successful.

The ability to declare laws unconstitutional is not explicitly in the constitution. The SC used the reasoning that it did in order to give Jefferson a ruling that he wanted... and since getting the ruling meant accepting the reasoning we've accepted the reasoning ever since.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Doodlebug Anklebiter wrote:

Stolen from an evil monkey (so if it's not right, blame him):

"Panama was the site of Scotland's only foray into the colonization game. A colony known as "New Caledonia" was founded, but failed miserably. The resulting economic trauma is blamed for the later Act of Union that merged Scotland and into the larger United Kingdom system."

That one I knew about, but only because of the song about it.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

In 1954, chilean lawyer and poet Jenaro Gajardo Vera made an official claim of ownership over the Moon. In accordance to chilean law, he registered his claim at the Realstate Conservatory of Talca -his hometown- and published it in the Official Newspaper for 3 days -done so anyone who has a counterclaim can present it to the authorities-. As no one came out, he was allowed to fill in the proper paperwork and using a fix normally employed back then for properties without proper registrations -by claiming to have owned the land since a date prior to two years after the current date-, he became legally the owner of the Moon.

Living to its title of the world's most efficient tax department, the Chilean Internal Tax Service (SII in castillian) sent two agents to Mr Vera's home to work on the tax declaration regarding his extraplanetary property. After filling all the paperwork, the lawyer said:

"In accordance to chilean law, in order to tax my property it must first be assessed by an appraiser. Just say when and we can organize a visit"

The SII dessisted about a month afterward. It is the only registered case in chilean taxing history that the SII had to file a report on "property exempt from taxation due to the Service's inhability to visit the premises for proper assesment".

In 1969, President Richard Nixon actually sent a letter to Mr Vera asking permission to land on the Moon. The letter, which can today be seen in the US embassy in Santiago, read:

"In representation of the people of the United States of America, I request authorization for the landing of the astrounauts Aldrin, Collins, and Armstrong, in the lunar satellite of your property"

To which Mr Vera responded:

"In name of Jefferson, Washington and the great poet Walt Whitman, I hereby authorize the landing of Aldrin, Collins, and Armstrong in the lunar satellite of my property, and what interests me the most is not just the happy landing of the astronauts, those brave men, but also a happy return to their homeland. Thank you, Mr President"

Upon death, Mr Vera had his will include "I leave to my people the Moon, filled with love for their sorrows"

It was the first formal claim for ownership of the Moon ever made, and since it was made prior to the UN Resolution banning the ownership of extraterrestrial land, it is still debated whether or not it can be deemed valid.

What is true, however, is that to this day the Moon appears listed to have an address at "1270 First Oriental Street, Talca, Maule Region, Chile" in the National Realstate Conservatory.

He also founded the Interplanetary Telescopic Society, which was mean to prepare the welcoming of extraterrestrials should they ever come. Though laughed at first, the inclusion of the renowned catholic bishop Monsignor Manuel Larrain Errazuriz actually made it a very respectable organization at its time.


Most people remember the tales of El Dorado, the 7 Cities of Gold or the Fountain of Youth, but few remember the ones about the City of the Caesars, also known as the Enchanted City of Patagonia or the Errant City, supposedly located somewhere in southern Chile, and made out of no less than platinum rathern than gold.

It was the tale of this fabulous city that drove one of my ancestors, Don Sambat Felix de Ugarte Artiagoitia y Goyenechea, a penniless nobleman from Navarra, to sail across the globe in the early 1500's toward America; he almost died during a pirate incursion near Brasil, where a lot of crewmembers were killed or drowned.

When he landed in Panama, he was victim of a robbery and lost an eye.

During his trip southward to Chile (a region so far removed from the world that actually noone wanted to go there, hence probably why the stories about flying platinum cities and angels who deposited saintly relics over the mountains were so common back then), he almost died of fever near modern Equator.

Finally he managed to get to Cuzco -in modern Peru-, where he joined the daring expedition of conquistador Don Diego de Almagro. Rather than going through the desert to get south to Chile, Almagro decided to go accross the Andes with about 1500 men. The expedition was a disaster, and my ancestor actually lost most of his toes due to the cold in the mountains (they were frozen to his boot, so whe he took it out, the toes came out with it). Only around 100 men made it back to Peru, my ancestor included.

However, Don Sambat wasn't ready to call it quits, and as soon as he heard another crazy spaniard was preparing an expedition to the End of the World (that is what the name Chile roughly means in the native tongue of the mapuche), Don Pedro de Valdivia, the man signed up.

This time they made it right across the Atacama Desert and survived. Got attacked by indians all the way through, and like if God was trying to make a point, he lost a hand during a fight.

But finally, on February 12, 1541, they made it to the lush valleys of central Chile, where they decided it was time to settle. And so it was that this probably insane navarrese hidalgo became one of the founders of Santiago de la Nueva Extremadura.

As my grandfather once put it, "He was like a colonial Rambo"


Hitler was an animal lover.

Before WW2, Walt Disney was pro-Nazi.

John F. Kennedy had a drug problem.

Stalin's own son died in the Gulags.

Benjamin Franklin was both promiscuous and bisexual.

The Exchange

Kelsey MacAilbert wrote:

Hitler was an animal lover.

Before WW2, Walt Disney was pro-Nazi.

John F. Kennedy had a drug problem.

Stalin's own son died in the Gulags.

Benjamin Franklin was both promiscuous and bisexual.

Hitler owned a dog named Blondi, given to him by Martin Bormann. She had puppies. He kept one of them, named him Wolf, after himself. Adolf = Noble Wolf.

Walt Disney was long rumored to be anti-Semitic during his lifetime, and such rumors have persisted after his death. Indeed, in the 1930s he welcomed German filmmaker and Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl to Hollywood. However Disney biographer Neal Gabler, the first writer to gain unrestricted access to the Disney archives, concluded in 2006 that available evidence does not support such accusations.

President John F. Kennedy's medical records reveal that he had suffered health problems since childhood, and used an arsenal of drugs, including painkillers and stimulants, to treat various medical conditions during his presidency.

Yakov Dzhugashvili, one of four sons of Soviet premier Stalin. He Died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where he was being held. Yakov committed suicide at by running into the electric fence in the German POW camp. Stalin turned down a chance to trade him for Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus, stating "You have in your hands not only my son Yakov but millions of my sons. Either you free them all or my son will share their fate."

At 17 Franklin, proposed to 15 year old Deborah Read. They were not allowed to marry. They established a common law married in 1730, because she had between the time he proposed and then she had already married another and then left him. She then later married another man. Franklin already had an illegitimate son, William, by this time. His promiscuity while Ambassador in France is very publicly known and written of. I have as of yet to hear anything of any bisexuality, and have attempted to check online for anything and came up short.

Shadow Lodge

Crimson Jester wrote:

Yakov Dzhugashvili, one of four sons of Soviet premier Stalin. He Died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where he was being held. Yakov committed suicide at by running into the electric fence in the German POW camp. Stalin turned down a chance to trade him for Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus, stating "You have in your hands not only my son Yakov but millions of my sons. Either you free them all or my son will share their fate."

"Thanks, Dad. (My life is pain...)"


Crimson Jester wrote:

Yakov Dzhugashvili, one of four sons of Soviet premier Stalin. He Died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where he was being held. Yakov committed suicide at by running into the electric fence in the German POW camp. Stalin turned down a chance to trade him for Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus, stating "You have in your hands not only my son Yakov but millions of my sons. Either you free them all or my son will share their fate."

According to your source, that was the official Nazi story about Yakov's death, but it appears to be unsubstantiated.

However, one of the many idiotic tragedies of Stalin's reign was the fate of returning Red Army soldiers who had been in German POW camps. Many (if not all) were "tainted" by their "exposure to the West" (in a POW camp?!?) and were sent to the gulags. Would Uncle Joe have inflicted this upon his own son? Who knows?, the guy was a freak.

One of his daughters, Svetlana, defected in 1967 and her published memoirs caused an international stir, although I haven't read them.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

Chicago was originally supposed to be in Michigan.

Rather then let their primary city go, Illinois prevailed upon the legislature to include the unwanted but large area of the upper pennisula of Michigan to the state, in return for Illinois keeping Chicago.

The bottom line of the state of Michigan, once drawn straight across, was given a northward 'zig' in it, so as not to encompass the bottom of Lake Michigan and Chicago's area.

And so all Da Yuppers who should have been part of Wisconsin or Minnesota instead have to make fun of the Trolls in Lansing.

==
Paul Bunyan is based upon an actual lumberjack from Bay City, Michigan, my home town, and the lumberjack stories are based on the timber trade that cleared the lower half of the state of virtually all white pine, exported elsewhere to build homes across America before and after the Civil War. The phrase 'timber barons' was part of the parcel of the wealthy men in Michigan...the timber trade was the driving force that settled Michigan, when it faded so did the importance of the state until the automobile factories came along.

==Aelryinth

Dark Archive

Aelryinth wrote:

Chicago was originally supposed to be in Michigan.

Rather then let their primary city go, Illinois prevailed upon the legislature to include the unwanted but large area of the upper pennisula of Michigan to the state, in return for Illinois keeping Chicago.

The bottom line of the state of Michigan, once drawn straight across, was given a northward 'zig' in it, so as not to encompass the bottom of Lake Michigan and Chicago's area.

And so all Da Yuppers who should have been part of Wisconsin or Minnesota instead have to make fun of the Trolls in Lansing.

==

==Aelryinth

Not to doubt you, but might you actually be referring to the Toledo War? I've lived in SE Michigan my whole life (and my wife is a Yooper) and we've never heard that story about Chicago. The Toledo War is pretty well known, though.

The Exchange

Comrade Anklebiter wrote:
Crimson Jester wrote:

Yakov Dzhugashvili, one of four sons of Soviet premier Stalin. He Died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where he was being held. Yakov committed suicide at by running into the electric fence in the German POW camp. Stalin turned down a chance to trade him for Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus, stating "You have in your hands not only my son Yakov but millions of my sons. Either you free them all or my son will share their fate."

According to your source, that was the official Nazi story about Yakov's death, but it appears to be unsubstantiated.

However, one of the many idiotic tragedies of Stalin's reign was the fate of returning Red Army soldiers who had been in German POW camps. Many (if not all) were "tainted" by their "exposure to the West" (in a POW camp?!?) and were sent to the gulags. Would Uncle Joe have inflicted this upon his own son? Who knows?, the guy was a freak.

One of his daughters, Svetlana, defected in 1967 and her published memoirs caused an international stir, although I haven't read them.

Well, yes of course they said it was a suicide.

I had not heard of her memoirs, bet they are eye opening.


IIRC, there's actually a scene in the Jewish-boy-growing-up-hiding-in-the-Hitler-Youth movie Europa Europa where the Nazis capture Yakov and all pose around him to have their picture taken.

Grand Lodge

Dr. William Halsted, the man who first developed the modern medical training system for doctors known as medical residency, often requiring doctors to work for more than 36 hours straight, was a cocaine addict.

The Exchange

While the moon landing may be the single most remembered event in the history of mankind and President John Kennedy, as the man who championed and led this accomplishment, often forgotten is Kennedy’s true motive for the daunting task. In a conversation with James Webb, the director of NASA at the time, Kennedy was quoted as saying, “Everything we do ought to really be tied into getting on to the Moon ahead of the Russians [...] otherwise we shouldn’t be spending that kind of money, because I’m not interested in space [...] The only justification for [the cost] is because we hope to beat [the USSR] to demonstrate that instead of being behind by a couple of years, by God, we passed them.” Due to this passion to push the U.S. past the Soviets, Kennedy essentially diverted all of NASA’s funds to the moon landing, much to the dismay of Webb, who favored a broader approach of discovery and programs.

The Exchange

Due to the powerful images conjured up while recalling the horrific incident in Jonestown that saw 900+ men, women and children die through suicide or murder, the world often only remembers the victims that were actually in the compound itself and forgets the victims that tried to flee with Congressman Leo Ryan, who was there to determine whether or not U.S. citizens were being held against their will. The day before the mass suicide, Ryan and other U.S. government officials landed in Guyana. During their visit, many of the cult members asked to leave with Ryan’s delegations. Arriving at the airport, the delegation was ambushed by the cult, one of who had embedded himself into the group asking to leave. The embedded cult member drew a gun on the plane and summarily shot the passengers. Additionally, the cult disbanded a small force and attacked the delegation from a tractor with a trailer. Congressman Ryan was one of those murdered, becoming the first and only U.S. Congressman killed in the line of duty in the history of the U.S. Although, Giffords almost changed that.

The Exchange

When U.S. history recalls Japan in WWII, it often only remembers the mushroom clouds that scarred Japan’s physical geography and overlooks the strong psychological moorings that were devastated after the surrender. Following the surrender of Japan, U.S. General MacCarthur forced Hirohito to issue the, “Humanity Declaration,” or the Ningen-sengen. In the declaration, the Emperor proclaimed that in fact and contrary to the Shinto religion, which the culture at the time was largely built upon, he was not a god. Interestingly however, the confession was given in an archaic, court form of Japanese allowing the Emperor to be deliberately vague. It is theorized that he substituted the much more common word, “arahitogami” or “living god”, with the much more unique word “akitsumikami,” meaning an, “incarnation of god.” Many scholars have noted that one could be a living god, without being an incarnation of god.

The Exchange

In case your wondering, yes I stole this off of a web site, but they were cool and I thought it was nice to share.

The Exchange

Immediately following the 2004 Tsunami, the world was so rocked with the staggering death toll of nearly 240,000 individuals that it is often forgotten that many of the more rural and traditional citizens were able to survive through an indigenous understanding of the signs of an incoming tsunami. For example, scientists in the area initially were convinced that the aboriginal population of the Andaman Islands would be significantly ravaged by the tsunami, however, all but one of the tribes in the islands (oddly enough, the one that had largely converted to Christianity and thus, a change of lifestyle,) suffered only minor casualties. When questioned, the tribesmen explained to the scientists that the land and ocean often fought over boundaries and when the earth shook they knew that the sea would soon enter the land until the two could realign their borders. Because of this, the villagers fled to the hills and suffered little or no casualties. Additionally of note is the story of Tilly Smith, a 10-year-old British student vacationing on Mikakhao Beach in Thailand. Tilly, had recently studied tsunamis in school and immediately recognized the frothing bubbles and receding ocean as a harbinger of a tsunami. Along with her parents, they warned the beach and it was entirely evacuated safely.

The Exchange

While nearly everyone can name the place (The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles) and perpetrator of the assassination (Sirhan Sirhan), few people recall the man who captured and disarmed the gunman. That man was Rosie Grier, an American Football sensation (Super Bowl Champion, 2 time pro-bowler, member of the Ram’s “Fearsome Foursome,” and 5 time All Pro defensive tackle.) On the night of the assassination, Grier was the bodyguard for Kennedy’s pregnant wife. Along with Rafer Johnson, an Olympic gold medal decathlete, Grier heard the shots and tackled Sirhan. Grier, then jammed his finger behind the trigger of the gun and broke Sirhan’s arm. Grier then fought off those that were literally ready to rip Sirhan apart. Later Grier, would explain that, “I would not allow more violence.” Additionally, Grier would later testify to Judge Lance Ito during the O.J. Simpson trial that he had been present when O.J. confessed to the crimes in prison. Judge Ito however, ruled that the testimony was inadmissible.

The Exchange

When the news broke that the Russian military had ended the standoff where 850 people were held hostage by a Chechen separatist group in Moscow, the focus of the news quickly turned to the dramatic rescue. Due to this, the heroism and sacrifice of Olga Romanova, is often overlooked. When Romanova, a 26 year-old perfume-shop clerk, heard of the crisis, she left the safety of her parent’s house and walked to the Theater alone. Convinced that she could reason with the terrorists and at the very least convince them to free the women and children, Romanova somehow managed to bypass the intense security in the area and enter the theater. She then confronted the rebels and pleaded for the immediate release of the hostages. The terrorists, suspecting that she was FSB, marched her into an adjoining room and executed her with a shot to the head.

The Exchange

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Due to the iconic photo of a student lying dead and another leaning over his body and weeping, the Kent State Massacre has largely been accepted as a single event that took place in Ohio and resulted in 4 students being killed by the U.S. National Guard. What is often forgotten about the event is the sheer size and scale of the overall national unrest at the time of the shootings. Immediately following the shooting and centered on the common sentiment of, “they can’t kill us all,” 900 college campuses were closed because of violent and non-violent protests. Also, 100,000 people descended on Washington D.C., smashing car windows, lighting fires, looting and barricading streets and freeways. The President of the United States was evacuated to Camp David and the 82nd Airborne was brought in to defend the white house. Additionally, Nixon organized a special commission to focus solely on campus unrest. Ray Price, Nixon’s chief speechwriter was quoted as saying, “that’s not student protest, that’s civil war.” Overall, 4,000,000 people took place in the protests. It was at the time, the only nation wide protest on college campuses.

The Exchange

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When the Altamont Concert, also sometimes called "Woodstock West," is remembered, it is often solely for the Hell’s Angels providing “security,” and the ensuing riot that left an 18-year old man dead. According to sources, the Rolling Stones had hired the Hell’s Angels to keep people off the stage and to escort the Stones through the site. According to some witnesses, the Angels were hired for $500.00 worth of beer. As the evening went on, the crowd and the Angels got increasingly agitated with one another. The crowd pressed to the stage and the Angels fought them back. In the ensuing melee, Meredith Hunter was killed and the death has ever since been remembered as an example of the Angel’s inherent lawlessness and violence. However, what is not often remembered is the actual event that spawned the killing. Meredith Hunter, high on methamphetamine was captured on camera approaching the stage and brandishing a pistol. In response to the imminent danger, an angel drew a knife and stabbed him. The act of violence was determined by a judge to be an act of justifiable homicide as the Angel had every reason to believe his life was in jeopardy.

The Exchange

The Boston massacre was one of the most critical events that led the colonies of America to revolt against King George III. While it is well remembered in this fashion, the fates of the British soldiers that fired on the civilians are often forgotten. In fact, the Captain that was present and 8 of the soldiers were arrested and tried. What is interesting is that the defender of the soldiers was none other than, John Adams, founding father and future President of the United States. No lawyer in Boston would take the case and so the court pled with Adams to represent the men. Although, he was hesitant, he so believed that everyone deserved a fair trial that he finally relented. Adams successfully convinced the jury that 6 of the men were afraid for their life and therefore, had the right to defend themselves. Interestingly, two of the men were convicted of murder, however, Adams presented a loophole to the court whereby according to English law, if the men could read then they could claim to be clergy and thereby were not bound by secular law. Adams had the men read out-loud from the Bible and the charges were reduced to manslaughter for which they were punished by a branding on the thumb.


"Mama" Cass Elliot died of a heart attack; the ham sandwich she supposedly "choked on" (according to urban myth) was still sitting on the table next to her.

Also, Catherine the Great's death had nothing to do with a horse.
And Harry Truman's death had nothing to do with Mt. St. Helens.

The Exchange

Kirth Gersen wrote:

"Mama" Cass Elliot died of a heart attack; the ham sandwich she supposedly "choked on" (according to urban myth) was still sitting on the table next to her.

Also, Catherine the Great's death had nothing to do with a horse.
And Harry Truman's death had nothing to do with Mt. St. Helens.

I had forgotten about Catherine the great and the horse story.


Crimson Jester wrote:


Due to the iconic photo of a student lying dead and another leaning over his body and weeping, the Kent State Massacre has largely been accepted as a single event that took place in Ohio and resulted in 4 students being killed by the U.S. National Guard. What is often forgotten about the event is the sheer size and scale of the overall national unrest at the time of the shootings. Immediately following the shooting and centered on the common sentiment of, “they can’t kill us all,” 900 college campuses were closed because of violent and non-violent protests. Also, 100,000 people descended on Washington D.C., smashing car windows, lighting fires, looting and barricading streets and freeways. The President of the United States was evacuated to Camp David and the 82nd Airborne was brought in to defend the white house. Additionally, Nixon organized a special commission to focus solely on campus unrest. Ray Price, Nixon’s chief speechwriter was quoted as saying, “that’s not student protest, that’s civil war.” Overall, 4,000,000 people took place in the protests. It was at the time, the only nation wide protest on college campuses.

Part of that wave of unrest, which most people have forgotten because the victims were black, was the killing of two students and the shooting of a dozen more at Jackson State College in Mississippi 10 days after Kent State.


Crimson Jester wrote:


When the Altamont Concert, also sometimes called "Woodstock West," is remembered, it is often solely for the Hell’s Angels providing “security,” and the ensuing riot that left an 18-year old man dead. According to sources, the Rolling Stones had hired the Hell’s Angels to keep people off the stage and to escort the Stones through the site. According to some witnesses, the Angels were hired for $500.00 worth of beer. As the evening went on, the crowd and the Angels got increasingly agitated with one another. The crowd pressed to the stage and the Angels fought them back. In the ensuing melee, Meredith Hunter was killed and the death has ever since been remembered as an example of the Angel’s inherent lawlessness and violence. However, what is not often remembered is the actual event that spawned the killing. Meredith Hunter, high on methamphetamine was captured on camera approaching the stage and brandishing a pistol. In response to the imminent danger, an angel drew a knife and stabbed him. The act of violence was determined by a judge to be an act of justifiable homicide as the Angel had every reason to believe his life was in jeopardy.

Sympathy for the Devil, indeed.

IIRC, The Grateful Dead were supposed to play Altamont. They showed up, checked out the scene and refused to take the stage because of "bad vibes."

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