2014 AFC North Preview

For a long time, this division was known as the black and blue division, and for good reason! These were very tough, physical teams, and they got a lot of things accomplished! The Steelers have gone to multiple Super Bowls in the last decade or so, and Baltimore joined them in this feat more recently. Between those two teams, they had four Super Bowl appearances in a span of eight seasons, and three Super Bowl championships! Three seasons ago, this division sent three teams to the playoffs. Two seasons ago, the AFC North sent two teams to the playoffs, and the Ravens wound up winning the Super Bowl. By contrast, last season, only the division winners, the Cincinnati Bengals, qualified for the postseason, and they were bounced out in their very first game.

So, what happened? Was last season an aberration, or a sign of things to come? The Steelers used to be perennial powerhouses, but they have not been remarkably successful ever since losing Super Bowl XLV, and have missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons. The Ravens had a miserable title defense last season, but this was not unexpected, since they lost a lot of starters and talent, especially on the defensive side. The Bengals are tough, but they just can't seem to win a playoff game. They probably need to get that done this season, with Andy Dalton getting an incredibly huge contract, or else they will get a well earned reputation as a team that just cannot get the job done. And the Browns have some talent and seem to be heading in the right direction generally, but they always seem to see things unravel at some point each season. Will it happen again, or will they finally reach the status of true contender?

Here are my predictions for the AFC North:

1. Cincinnati Bengals (projected division winners) - The Bengals are kind of a weird team. Three seasons ago, many expected them to be closer to the worst team in the league than the best. But they surprised people in going 9-7, and qualifying for the playoffs. The only problem is that they could not beat anybody with a winning record, and they lost right away, and rather badly, in the playoffs. In 2012, they looked more solid, with improvements on both offense and defense, en route to a 10-6 record, and another playoff appearance (a rare feat for this franchise). A loss to the Texans, for the second season in a row, but at least they put up a fight that time. Then the Bengals looked solid for much of last season, with even more improvements to both their offense and defense, and their record reflected it, as they went 11-5, good enough for the division title (which they won with a very comfortable margin), and the third seed in the AFC. They won some impressive games, such as home wins against Green Bay, New England and Indianapolis, and a road win at San Diego, the team that they would meet in their third consecutive postseason appearance (a team record). The only problem is that they got dominated in that game, dashing high expectations. So, the questions then are whether they can keep improving on both offense and defense and, if so, can they actually win a playoff game. At this point, that is what the Bengals have to accomplish in order to view this season as a success. Failing that, the doubts will justifiably remain. Still, they should be good enough to secure another division title, at the very least, although I expect that they will get a tougher challenge from Baltimore than they did last year.

2. Baltimore Ravens (projected second place)  - It's hard to tell when exactly the Ravens saw their title hopes last season really disappear. It might have been once they were officially eliminated from the playoffs, when they were 8-6, and then blown out 41-7 in front of their own home fans by the New England Patriots, the team that they had defeated earlier in the year to qualify for the Super Bowl. Or, it might have been in midseason, after a particularly cruel divisional loss to the Cleveland Browns, their fourth loss in five weeks. But realistically, it seemed that they had, in effect, been dethroned right on opening weekend, when Peyton Manning threw a record seven touchdowns on the day, a feat that had not been achieved in forever, and which catapulted the Broncos right away to de facto favorites in the AFC. From that point onward, the Ravens never looked even remotely like the team that had won the previous Super Bowl title. Yet, it was not as bad as all that, either. There were some highlights. They blew out the Texans, a then undefeated team that then ranked among the favorites. That was before anyone knew that the Texans would not win another game all year, though. They beat the eventual division champion Cincinnati Bengals in an overtime thriller, and they even had a four game winning streak towards the end of the season, that saw them go from 4-6, and on the precipice, to playoff contention. I suspect that the Ravens, who dropped both defensively and offensively last season, were the victims of being targeted as the defending champions, and should be better, as a result this season. In a disastrous season, the Ravens were still only 8-8, and still in playoff contention in late December. A lot of other down on their luck teams wish that they could have an "off year" like that! This season, I suspect, the Ravens should more closely resemble the team that made the playoffs five years in a row, prior to last season! 

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (projected third place) - On the one hand, the Steelers got off to a horrendous start, not winning a single game until mid-October. On the other hand, after starting off a dismal 0-4, the Steelers recovered to reach 8-8 by season's end, even winning six of their last eight! True, they lost to the Vikings (one of the few teams that did) and the Raiders, but they also beat the Ravens, the Bengals, and the Packers! It was hard to tell which team was the "real" Steelers last season. But then again, it very well might have been both. Pittsburgh ranked right in the middle of the pack both offensively and defensively, and 8-8 is a middle of the pack record if there possibly can be one. They made it respectable last year, but they were also well out of playoff contention by midseason. And that was a season after they missed the playoffs, which now makes two seasons in a row for them - a relative rarity in recent years for Pittsburgh! They might be able to bounce back this year, but quite frankly, the Steelers are not the same team that made it to three Super Bowls in six seasons, winning two of them. This team is not a real threat to get to another Super Bowl, although they might be a playoff condtender again, and possibly even have a chance at second, or even first, in the division. Their schedule really does not look all that difficult, but they must remain healthy and focused. Also, they are not getting any younger, which is a definite source of concern. Those limitations are the only reason I have them in third, but their tremendous experience and toughness are what prevents me from seeing them as a bottom feeder. There is a better chance at them winning the division than being last place.

4. Cleveland Browns (projected last place) - I would love to be able to predict much better things for the Browns. Really, I would! I mean, I'm a Giants fan. But my team aside, the ideal Super Bowl for me (as I have mentioned on "The Charbor Chronicles before) would be between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns, both stories franchises that have run into incredible bad luck in recent years. There was a while there when the Browns were looking good last season. After an 0-2 start, they won three games in a row, including a contest against eventual division champions Cincinnati! At 3-2, the Browns were in first place! But then it all felt apart for them. Their defense only kept one opponent to under twenty points in the remaining eleven games of the season, and the offense generally struggled. All told, both the offense and defensive units ranked in the bottom third of the league, which accounts for their 4-12 record. Now, the Browns obviously attracted a lot of attention this offseason, with the acquisition of Johnny Manziel, although he did not even win the starting job for opening day. My suspicions are that he is more style than substance, but we shall see. In the meantime, I would love to forecast better things for this team and, perhaps in the near future, they will reach farther than they have in recent seasons. But this season is not looking like the one where Cleveland finally rises up. Perhaps they will improve on their 4-12 record, hopefully. Maybe they even take big strides towards improving. But there is just something about this team, where it all seems to unravel for them during a typical season, and sooner rather than later. That is why I have them as the last place team. 

On This Day in History - August 30 Cleopatra Commits Suicide

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

Aug 30, 30 B.C.: Cleopatra commits suicide

Cleopatra, queen of Egypt and lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, takes her life following the defeat of her forces against Octavian, the future first emperor of Rome.  

Cleopatra, born in 69 B.C., was made Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt, upon the death of her father, Ptolemy XII, in 51 B.C. Her brother was made King Ptolemy XIII at the same time, and the siblings ruled Egypt under the formal title of husband and wife. Cleopatra and Ptolemy were members of the Macedonian dynasty that governed Egypt since the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Although Cleopatra had no Egyptian blood, she alone in her ruling house learned Egyptian. To further her influence over the Egyptian people, she was also proclaimed the daughter of Re, the Egyptian sun god. Cleopatra soon fell into dispute with her brother, and civil war erupted in 48 B.C.  

Rome, the greatest power in the Western world, was also beset by civil war at the time. Just as Cleopatra was preparing to attack her brother with a large Arab army, the Roman civil war spilled into Egypt. Pompey the Great, defeated by Julius Caesar in Greece, fled to Egypt seeking solace but was immediately murdered by agents of Ptolemy XIII. Caesar arrived in Alexandria soon after and, finding his enemy dead, decided to restore order in Egypt.  

During the preceding century, Rome had exercised increasing control over the rich Egyptian kingdom, and Cleopatra sought to advance her political aims by winning the favor of Caesar. She traveled to the royal palace in Alexandria and was allegedly carried to Caesar rolled in a rug, which was offered as a gift. Cleopatra, beautiful and alluring, captivated the powerful Roman leader, and he agreed to intercede in the Egyptian civil war on her behalf.  

In 47 B.C., Ptolemy XIII was killed after a defeat against Caesar's forces, and Cleopatra was made dual ruler with another brother, Ptolemy XIV. Julius and Cleopatra spent several amorous weeks together, and then Caesar departed for Asia Minor, where he declared "Veni, vidi, vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered), after putting down a rebellion. In June 47 B.C., Cleopatra bore a son, whom she claimed was Caesar's and named Caesarion, meaning "little Caesar."  

Upon Caesar's triumphant return to Rome, Cleopatra and Caesarion joined him there. Under the auspices of negotiating a treaty with Rome, Cleopatra lived discretely in a villa that Caesar owned outside the capital. After Caesar was assassinated in March 44 B.C., she returned to Egypt. Soon after, Ptolemy XIV died, likely poisoned by Cleopatra, and the queen made her son co-ruler with her as Ptolemy XV Caesar.  

With Julius Caesar's murder, Rome again fell into civil war, which was temporarily resolved in 43 B.C. with the formation of the second triumvirate, made up of Octavian, Caesar's great-nephew and chosen heir; Mark Antony, a powerful general; and Lepidus, a Roman statesman. Antony took up the administration of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, and he summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus, in Asia Minor, to answer charges that she had aided his enemies.  

Cleopatra sought to seduce Antony, as she had Caesar before him, and in 41 B.C. arrived in Tarsus on a magnificent river barge, dressed as Venus, the Roman god of love. Successful in her efforts, Antony returned with her to Alexandria, where they spent the winter in debauchery. In 40 B.C., Antony returned to Rome and married Octavian's sister Octavia in an effort to mend his strained alliance with Octavian. The triumvirate, however, continued to deteriorate. In 37 B.C., Antony separated from Octavia and traveled east, arranging for Cleopatra to join him in Syria. In their time apart, Cleopatra had borne him twins, a son and a daughter. According to Octavian's propagandists, the lovers were then married, which violated the Roman law restricting Romans from marrying foreigners.  

Antony's disastrous military campaign against Parthia in 36 B.C. further reduced his prestige, but in 34 B.C. he was more successful against Armenia. To celebrate the victory, he staged a triumphal procession through the streets of Alexandria, in which he and Cleopatra sat on golden thrones, and Caesarion and their children were given imposing royal titles. Many in Rome, spurred on by Octavian, interpreted the spectacle as a sign that Antony intended to deliver the Roman Empire into alien hands.  

After several more years of tension and propaganda attacks, Octavian declared war against Cleopatra, and therefore Antony, in 31 B.C. Enemies of Octavian rallied to Antony's side, but Octavian's brilliant military commanders gained early successes against his forces. On September 2, 31 B.C., their fleets clashed at Actium in Greece. After heavy fighting, Cleopatra broke from the engagement and set course for Egypt with 60 of her ships. Antony then broke through the enemy line and followed her. The disheartened fleet that remained surrendered to Octavian. One week later, Antony's land forces surrendered.  

Although they had suffered a decisive defeat, it was nearly a year before Octavian reached Alexandria and again defeated Antony. In the aftermath of the battle, Cleopatra took refuge in the mausoleum she had commissioned for herself. Antony, informed that Cleopatra was dead, stabbed himself with his sword. Before he died, another messenger arrived, saying Cleopatra still lived. Antony had himself carried to Cleopatra's retreat, where he died after bidding her to make her peace with Octavian. When the triumphant Roman arrived, she attempted to seduce him, but he resisted her charms. Rather than fall under Octavian's domination, Cleopatra committed suicide on August 30, 30 B.C., possibly by means of an asp, a poisonous Egyptian serpent and symbol of divine royalty.  

Octavian then executed her son Caesarion, annexed Egypt into the Roman Empire, and used Cleopatra's treasure to pay off his veterans. In 27 B.C., Octavian became Augustus, the first and arguably most successful of all Roman emperors. He ruled a peaceful, prosperous, and expanding Roman Empire until his death in 14 A.D. at the age of 75.














Aug 30, 1967: Thurgood Marshall confirmed as Supreme Court justice    

On this day in 1967, Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African American to be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. He would remain on the Supreme Court for 24 years before retiring for health reasons, leaving a legacy of upholding the rights of the individual as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.  

From a young age, Marshall seemed destined for a place in the American justice system. His parents instilled in him an appreciation for the Constitution, a feeling that was reinforced by his schoolteachers, who forced him to read the document as punishment for his misbehavior. After graduating from Lincoln University in 1930, Marshall sought admission to the University of Maryland School of Law, but was turned away because of the school's segregation policy, which effectively forbade blacks from studying with whites. Instead, Marshall attended Howard University Law School, from which he graduated magna cum lau

Setting up a private practice in his home state of Maryland, Marshall quickly established a reputation as a lawyer for the "little man." In a year's time, he began working with the Baltimore NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and went on to become the organization’s chief counsel by the time he was 32, in 1940. Over the next two decades, Marshall distinguished himself as one of the country's leading advocates for individual rights, winning 29 of the 32 cases he argued in front of the Supreme Court, all of which challenged in some way the 'separate but equal' doctrine that had been established by the landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). The high-water mark of Marshall's career as a litigator came in 1954 with his victory in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. In that case, Marshall argued that the 'separate but equal' principle was unconstitutional, and designed to keep blacks "as near [slavery] as possible."  

In 1961, Marshall was appointed by then-President John F. Kennedy to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a position he held until 1965, when Kennedy's successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, named him solicitor general. Following the retirement of Justice Tom Clark in 1967, President Johnson appointed Marshall to the Supreme Court, a decision confirmed by the Senate with a 69-11 vote. Over the next 24 years, Justice Marshall came out in favor of abortion rights and against the death penalty, as he continued his tireless commitment to ensuring equitable treatment of individuals--particularly minorities--by state and federal governments.    
























Aug 30, 1918: Vladimir Lenin shot

After speaking at a factory in Moscow, Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin is shot twice by Fanya Kaplan, a member of the Social Revolutionary party. Lenin was seriously wounded but survived the attack. The assassination attempt set off a wave of reprisals by the Bolsheviks against the Social Revolutionaries and other political opponents. Thousands were executed as Russia fell deeper into civil war.  

Born Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov in 1870, Lenin was drawn to the revolutionary cause after his brother was executed in 1887 for plotting to assassinate Czar Alexander III. He studied law and took up practice in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg), where he associated with revolutionary Marxist circles. In 1895, he helped organize Marxist groups in the capital into the "Union for the Struggle for the Liberation of the Working Class," which attempted to enlist workers to the Marxist cause. In December 1895, Lenin and the other leaders of the Union were arrested. Lenin was jailed for a year and then exiled to Siberia for a term of three years.  

After the end of his exile, in 1900, Lenin went to Western Europe, where he continued his revolutionary activity. It was during this time that he adopted the pseudonym Lenin. In 1902, he published a pamphlet titled What Is to Be Done? which argued that only a disciplined party of professional revolutionaries could bring socialism to Russia. In 1903, he met with other Russian Marxists in London and established the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party (RSDWP). However, from the start there was a split between Lenin's Bolsheviks (Majoritarians), who advocated militarism, and the Mensheviks (Minoritarians), who advocated a democratic movement toward socialism. These two groups increasingly opposed each other within the framework of the RSDWP, and Lenin made the split official at a 1912 conference of the Bolshevik Party.  

After the outbreak of the Russian Revolution of 1905, Lenin returned to Russia. The revolution, which consisted mainly of strikes throughout the Russian empire, came to an end when Nicholas II promised reforms, including the adoption of a Russian constitution and the establishment of an elected legislature. However, once order was restored, the czar nullified most of these reforms, and in 1907 Lenin was again forced into exile.  

Lenin opposed World War I, which began in 1914, as an imperialistic conflict and called on proletariat soldiers to turn their guns on the capitalist leaders who sent them down into the murderous trenches. For Russia, World War I was an unprecedented disaster: Russian casualties were greater than those sustained by any nation in any previous war. Meanwhile, the economy was hopelessly disrupted by the costly war effort, and in March 1917 riots and strikes broke out in Petrograd over the scarcity of food. Demoralized army troops joined the strikers, and on March 15 Nicholas II was forced to abdicate, ending centuries of czarist rule. In the aftermath of the February Revolution (known as such because of Russia's use of the Julian calendar), power was shared between the ineffectual Provincial Government and the soviets, or "councils," of soldiers' and workers' committees.  

After the outbreak of the February Revolution, German authorities allowed Lenin and his lieutenants to cross Germany en route from Switzerland to Sweden in a sealed railway car. Berlin hoped (correctly) that the return of the anti-war Socialists to Russia would undermine the Russian war effort, which was continuing under the Provincial Government. Lenin called for the overthrow of the Provincial Government by the soviets, and he was condemned as a "German agent" by the government's leaders. In July, he was forced to flee to Finland, but his call for "peace, land, and bread" met with increasing popular support, and the Bolsheviks won a majority in the Petrograd soviet. In October, Lenin secretly returned to Petrograd, and on November 7 the Bolshevik-led Red Guards deposed the Provisional Government and proclaimed soviet rule.  

Lenin became the virtual dictator of the world's first Marxist state. His government made peace with Germany, nationalized industry, and distributed land but beginning in 1918, had to fight a devastating civil war against czarist forces. In 1920, the czarists were defeated, and in 1922 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was established. Upon Lenin's death in early 1924, his body was embalmed and placed in a mausoleum near the Moscow Kremlin. Petrograd was renamed Leningrad in his honor. After a struggle of succession, fellow revolutionary Joseph Stalin succeeded Lenin as leader of the Soviet Union.



Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

257 - St Sixtus II begins his reign as Catholic Pope

1125 - Duke Lotharius of Supplinburg elected king of Germany

1146 - European leaders outlaw crossbow intending to end war for all time

1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang—are pitted against each other in what was one of the largest naval battles in history, during the last decade of the ailing, Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty.

1464 - Pietro Barbo elected to succeed Pope Pius II (Paul II)

1481 - 2 Latvian monarchs executed for conspiracy to Polish king Kazimierz IV

1563 - Jewish community of Neutitschlin Moravia expelled

1574 - Guru Ram Das became the Fourth Sikh Guru/Master.

1590 - Tokugawa Ieyasu enters Edo Castle. (Traditional Japanese date: August 1, 1590)

1645 - Dutch & Indians sign peace treaty (New Amsterdam (NY))

1673 - Leopold I, Spain, Netherlands & Lutherans form anti-French covenant

1682 - William Penn left England to sail to New World

1721 - Russian/Swedish Peace of Nystad, ends North Sea War

1751 - Georg Friedrich Handel completes oratorio "Jephtha"

1757 - Battle at Gross Jagerndorf: Russian army beats Prussia [OS=Aug 19]

1776 - US army evacuates Long Island/falls back to Manhattan, NYC

1781 - French fleet of 24 ships under Comte de Grasse defeat British under Admiral Graves at battle of Chesapeake Capes in Revolutionary War

1791 - The HMS Pandora sank after running aground on a reef the previous day.

1799 - Bataafse fleet surrender to English

Composer George Friedrich HandelComposer George Friedrich Handel 1800 - Gabriel Prosser leads a slave rebellion in Richmond, Virginia

1813 - Battle of Kulm: French forces defeated by Austrian-Prussian-Russian alliance.

1831 - Charles Darwin refuses to travel with HMS Beagle

1835 - Melbourne, Australia is founded.

1836 - The city of Houston is founded by Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen

1843 - 1st blacks participation in natl political convention (Liberty Party)

1850 - Honolulu, Hawaii becomes a city

1854 - John Fremont issues proclamation freeing slaves of Missouri rebels

1860 - 1st British tram opens (Birkenhead)

1862 - last day of 2nd Battle of Bull Run Va - Confederates beat Union forces

1862 - Battle of 2nd Manassas-Pope defeated by Lee-Battle of Richmond, KY

1862 - Battle of Altamont-Confederates beat Union forces in Tennessee

1873 - Austrian explorers Julius von Payer and Karl Weyprecht discover the archipelago of Franz Joseph Land in the Arctic Sea.

1884 - Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey wins middleweight title in 1st fight with boxing gloves

1885 - 13,000 meteors seen in 1 hour near Andromeda

Naturalist Charles DarwinNaturalist Charles Darwin 1888 - Lord Walsingham kills 1070 grouse in a single day

1893 - 13rd US Mens Tennis: Robert D Wrenn beats Fred H Hovey (64 36 64 64)

1894 - Frederick Lugards expedition to Niger

1895 - Belgium begins compulsory Roman Catholic education

1896 - Eight provinces in the Philippines were declared under martial law by the Spanish Governor General Ramon Blanco. This included the provinces of Batangas, Rizal, Cavite, Nueva Ecija as well as the nearby areas.

1897 - The town of Ambiky is captured by France from Menabe in Madagascar.

1900 - Last 2000 British prisoners in Nooitgedagt South Africa freed

1901 - Hubert Cecil Booth patents vacuum cleaner

1904 - Thomas Hicks wins 3rd Olympics marathon (3:28:53.0) (40 km)

1905 - Pogoro/Ngindo attack Fort Mahenge German East-Africa

1905 - Tiger Ty Cobb makes his debut, doubling off Yank Jack Chesbro

1906 - Hal Chase became 1st Yank to hit 3 triples in a game

1906 - NY Highlander Joe Doyle debuts pitching back-to-back shut-outs

1909 - Burgess Shale fossils discovered by Charles Doolittle Walcott.

1910 - Yank Tom Hughes pitches 9 no-hit innings but loses to Cleve 5-0 in 11

1912 - St Louis Brown Earl Hamilton no-hits Detroit Tigers, 5-1

1913 - Phillies lead Giants 8-6 in top of 9th, fans in bleachers try to distract Giants, Umpire forefeits game to Giants, later overruled

1914 - 1st German plane bombs above Paris, 2 killed

1914 - Battle at Tannenberg ends in destruction of Russian 2nd Narev army

1916 - Boston's Dutch Leonard no-hits St Louis Browns, 4-0

1916 - Paul Von Hindenburg becomes chief-of-General-Staff in Germany

1918 - Czechoslovakia forms independence republic

Marxist Revolutionary Vladimir LeninMarxist Revolutionary Vladimir Lenin 1918 - Fanya Kaplan shoots at Lenin

1918 - Lenin, new leader of Soviet Russia, shot & wounded after speech

1919 - Ernst Toller's "Die Wandlung," premieres in Berlin

1922 - Babe Ruth is thrown out of a game for 5th time in 1922

1925 - 6th Iron pilgrim at Diksmuide Belgium

1926 - Jack Hobbs scores 316* at Lord's (Surrey v Middlesex)

1927 - 41st US Womens Tennis: Helen Wills Moody beats Betty Nuthall (61 64)

1928 - Jawaharlal Nehru requests independence of India

1932 - Hermann Goering elected chairman (Reichstag)

1933 - Air France forms

1933 - Portuguese dictator Salazar forms secret police (PIDE)

1937 - Joe Louis beats Tommy Farr in 15 for heavyweight boxing title

1939 - 6th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: NY Giants 9, All-Stars 0 (81,456)

1939 - General Reijnders appointed supreme commander of Dutch army

1939 - Isoroku Yamamoto appointed supreme commander of Japanese fleet

Nazi Politician Hermann GoeringNazi Politician Hermann Goering 1939 - NY Yankee Atley Donald pitches a baseball a record 94.7 mph (152 kph)

1939 - Poland mobilizes

1941 - Siege of Leningrad by Nazi troops began during WW II

1941 - St Louis Card Lon Warneke no-hits Cin Reds, 2-0

1942 - Nazi-Germany annexes Luxembourg

1944 - 11th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Chi Bears 24, All-Stars 21 (48,769)

1944 - Philip Yordan's "Anna Lucasta," premieres in NYC

1944 - Soviet troops enter Bucharest Romania

1945 - 12th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Green Bay 19, All-Stars 7 (92,753)

1945 - Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 9th Symphony

1945 - Gen MacArthur lands in Japan

1945 - Hong Kong liberated from Japan

1949 - Roly Jenkins (Worcs v Surrey) takes his 2nd hat-trick of the game

1949 - WTVN (now WSYX) TV channel 6 in Columbus, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting

1951 - US & Philippines sign mutual defense pact

1954 - Hurricane Carol, kills 68

1956 - USSR performs nuclear test (atmospheric tests)

1956 - White mob prevents enrollment of blacks at Mansfield HS, Texas

1956 - Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opens.

1957 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1957 - US senator Strom Thurmond speaks 24hrs 27m against civil rights

1958 - US performs nuclear test at S Atlantic Ocean

1960 - Boston 2nd baseman Pete Runnels goes 6-for-7

1960 - East Germany imposes a partial blockade on West Berlin

1961 - 1st Negro judge of a US District Court confirmed-JB Parsons

1961 - J B Parsons is 1st African American judge of a US District Court

1961 - Last Spanish troops leave Morocco

1961 - Oriole Jack Fisher walks 12 LA Angels in a 9 inning game

1961 - USSR says it will resume nuclear testing

1962 - Japan conducts a test of the NAMC YS-11, its first aircraft since the war and its only successful commercial aircraft from before or after the war.

1963 - Hot Line communications link between Moscow and Washington, DC installed

1963 - Hotline between U.S. and Soviet leaders goes into operation.

1964 - Clifford Ann Creed wins LPGA Riverside Ladies Golf Open

1965 - Casey Stengel announces his retirement after 55 years in baseball

1965 - Section of Allalin glacier wipes out construction site at Mattmark Dam near Saas-Fee, Switzerland

First Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood MarshallFirst Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall 1967 - US Senate confirm Thurgood Marshall as 1st black justice

1968 - 1st record under Apple label (Beatle's Hey Jude)

1968 - John & Yoko's "One on One" benefit for children at Madison Square Garden

1969 - 120,000 attend Texas Intl Pop Festival

1969 - 25,000 attend 2nd Annual Sky River Rock Festival, Tenino Wash

1969 - 69th US Golf Amateur Championship won by Steve Melnyk

1969 - Racial disturbances in Fort Lauderdale Florida

1971 - WNPI TV channel 18 in Norwood, NY (PBS) begins broadcasting

1972 - John Lennon & Yoko Ono perform at Madison Square Garden

1973 - Danny Seiwell quits Wings

1974 - Express train runs full speed into Zagreb, Yugo rail yard killing 153

1974 - Launching of 1st Dutch satellite, ANS, from Vandenberg

1974 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1975 - KTW-AM in Seattle Wash changes call letters to KYAC (now KKFX)

1976 - Tom Brokaw becomes news anchor of Today Show

Artist & Musician Yoko OnoArtist & Musician Yoko Ono 1976 - Turks & Caicos Islands adopts constitution

1979 - -Sept 13] Hurricane David, kills 1200 in Florida, Domincana & Dom Rep

1979 - 1st recorded occurrance-comet hits sun (energy=1 mil hydrogen bombs)

1979 - Ian Botham makes 1000 runs/100 wkts in Tests in his 21st match

1979 - Kathy Horvath (14y5d) is youngest to play in US Tennis Open, she loses

1979 - Pres Carter attacked by a rabbit on a canoe trip in Plains Ga

1979 - Wildest US Tennis Open match, McEnroe defeats Ilie Nastase 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Nastase was defaulted by the umpire then reinstated

1980 - Polish government recognizes Solidarity

1981 - Joanne Carner wins Columbia Savings LPGA Golf Classic

1982 - PLO leader Yasser Arafat leaves Beirut

1983 - 8th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 3-launched (6 days)

1983 - Elizabeth R Zakarian (Devon Pierce), 17, NY, crowned 1st Miss Teen USA

1983 - WKBC-TV (channel 48) ends broadcasting in Phila

1983 - Guion Bluford becomes 1st African-American astronaut in space

1984 - 12th Space Shuttle Mission (41-D)-Discovery 1-launched (6 days)

Palestinian Leader Yasser ArafatPalestinian Leader Yasser Arafat 1984 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation

1984 - Red Sox Jim Rice grounds into record 33rd double play en route to 36

1984 - Sotherby's in London begins 2 day auction of rock memorabilla

1986 - Gelindo Bordin wins Stuttgart marathon (2:10:54)

1986 - Soviet authorities arrested Nicholas Daniloff (US News World Report)

1987 - 87th US Golf Amateur Championship won by Billy Mayfair

1987 - Ayako Okamoto wins LPGA Nestle World Golf Championship

1987 - Ben Johnson of Canada runs 100 m in world record 9.83 sec

1987 - Kirby Puckett goes 6-for-6 with 2 HRs in Minn 10-6 win over Milwaukee

1987 - Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria sets high jump woman's record (6'10½")

1987 - Yves Pol of France runs complete marathon backwards (3:57:57)

1987 - Knuckleballer Charlie Hough on the mound, Rangers catcher Geno Petralli ties the major league record by allowing 6 passed balls

1988 - France performs nuclear test

1988 - Julianne Philips files for divorce from Bruce Springsteen

1988 - Kent Tekulve is 2nd pitcher in majors to appear in 1,000 games

1990 - Ken Griffey & Ken Griffey Jr become 1st father & son to play on same team (Seattle Mariners), both single in 1st inning

1990 - Tatarstan declares independence from the RSFSR.

1991 - Dan O'Brien sets US decathalon record with 8,812 points

1991 - Mike Powell of US, sets then long jump record at 29' 4½" (8.95m)

1991 - Tamil Tigers capture Sri Lanka poet Selvi

1992 - "2 Trains Running" closes at Walter Kerr Theater NYC after 160 perfs

1992 - "Most Happy Fella" closes at Booth Theater NYC after 229 performances

1992 - 92nd US Golf Amateur Championship won by Justin Leonard

1992 - David Lewett & Jane Luu discovers comet: "1992 QB1" 64 mil km from Sun

1992 - Dottie Mochrie wins LPGA Sun-Times Golf Challenge

1993 - 150,000,000 millionth visitor to Eiffel Tower

1993 - Hassan II mosque opens in Casablanca, 2nd largest mosque in the world

1994 - Gund Arena in Cleve opens

1994 - Largest US Tennis Open single session (total) 23,618

1995 - Cable News Network joins internet

1995 - Tigers teammates Lou Whitaker & Alan Trammell play in 1,914 game together tying AL record

1997 - 1st WNBA Championshion: Houston Comets beat NY Liberty

1997 - Greg Rudaski is 1st to serve (2) 141 MPH serves in a match (US Open)

1998 - State Farm Rail Golf Classic

1999 - East Timorese vote for independence in a referendum.

2012 - Cholera outbreak kills 229 people in Sierra Leone

2012 - A blast in the in the Xiaojiawan coal mine, China, kills 26 miners with 21 missing

1146 - European leaders outlawed the crossbow.   1645 - American Indians and the Dutch made a peace treaty at New Amsterdam. New Amsterdam later became known as New York.   1682 - William Penn sailed from England and later established the colony of Pennsylvania in America.   1780 - General Benedict Arnold secretly promised to surrender the West Point fort to the British army.   1806 - New York City's second daily newspaper, the "Daily Advertiser," was published for the last time.   1809 - Charles Doolittle Walcott first discovered fossils near Burgess Pass. He named the site Burgess Shale after nearby Mt. Burgess.   1862 - The Confederates defeated Union forces at the second Battle of Bull Run in Manassas, VA.   1905 - Ty Cobb made his major league batting debut with the Detroit Tigers.   1928 - The Independence of India League was established in India.   1941 - During World War II, the Nazis severed the last railroad link between Leningrad and the rest of the Soviet Union.   1945 - General Douglas MacArthur set up Allied occupation headquarters in Japan.   1951 - The Philippines and the United States signed a defense pact.   1956 - In Louisianna, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opened.   1960 - A partial blockade was imposed on West Berlin by East Germany.   1963 - The "Hotline" between Moscow and Washington, DC, went into operation.   1965 - Thurgood Marshall was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a Supreme Court justice. Marshall was the first black justice to sit on the Supreme Court.   1982 - P.L.O. leader Yasir Arafat left Beirut for Greece.   1983 - The space shuttle Challenger blasted off with Guion S. Bluford Jr. aboard. He was the first black American to travel in space.   1984 - The space shuttle Discovery lifted off for the first time. On the voyage three communications satellites were deployed.   1984 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan, and several others, were inducted into the Sportscasters Hall of Fame.   1991 - The Soviet republic of Azerbaijan declared its independence.   1993 - On CBS-TV "The Late Show with David Letterman" premiered.   1994 - Rosa Parks was robbed and beaten by Joseph Skipper. Parks was known for her refusal to give up her seat on a bus in 1955, which sparked the civil rights movement.   1994 - The largest U.S. defense contractor was created when the Lockheed and Martin Marietta corporations agreed to a merger.   1996 - An expedition to raise part of the Titanic failed when the nylon lines being used to raise part of the hull snapped.   1999 - The residents of East Timor overwhelmingly voted for independence from Indonesia. The U.N. announced the result on September 4.

30 B.C. Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt, committed suicide. 1862 The Second Battle of Bull Run took place during the Civil War. 1905 Ty Cobb made his major league batting debut, playing for the Detroit Tigers. 1941 The two-year siege of Leningrad during World War II began. 1963 A hot line between the Kremlin and the White House went into operation to reduce the chances of an accidental war. 1967 Thurgood Marshall was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the first African American Supreme Court justice. 1999 East Timor residents voted to secede from Indonesia.   

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/aug30.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

Gaspé, Province de Québec

Gaspé is the birthplace of modern Canada. This is where Jacques Cartier first landed, and claimed the land for the King of France. This is the very edge of mainland Canada, at the mouth of the all-important St. Lawrence seaway!

Yet, it is a small city, if it even qualifies as such. Really, it is a medium sized town, given relative prominence both by it's historical significance, as well  as it's size in comparison to the rest of the region, which is predominately rural.

Thus, it has become a place to visit.

The trip here for us marked the second time that we visited Gaspé. Last time, I was a teenager, we actually stayed in town (we did not stay here this time around), and while taking an evening stroll, I was approached by a strange man who drove around the blocks that I went out for a walk on, before pulling up and trying to converse with me. He was a pretty creepy and very weird guy, and became the dominant memory for me of this town. I was determined to get a better memory of it this time around, more than twenty years later!

It is a nice town, with some cool things to see. There was a surprising amount of people by the cross that is dedicated to Cartier and his landing, which also had a native styled wigwam, and some houses that were made to feel rustic, to recall the history of old Canada. There is also the cathedral (pictured), and the Hôtel de Ville, as well as a museum here. But the real attraction is the water, which is wide enough to give an open view of the surrounding mountains, which looked really spectacular!

Here are the pictures. Enjoy!

2014 NFC North Preview

So, the preseason is over. For the first time in many years, I did not go to a single game! Some memorable occurences during this preseason? My Giants went 5-0, although I know that stands for didley squat next week, when the official season begins. Still, I remember the Giants going 4-0 in the 1990 preseason, and they started off 10-0 that season. Coach Bill Parcells liked to get wins under his belt for the preseason, just to get the team in the mode. And seeing as though they wound up Super Bowl champs that year, I always liked the results! So, I don't know how great of a thing it is or not that they went undefeated in August. But hey, at least it's not a bad thing, right?

The Giants were not the only team to go undefeated through the preseason, either. In fact, the number was relatively high: three teams managed it. The other teams were the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings. Must be something about the purple and gold colors. On the flip side, the Colts and the Cowboys both were winless. Must be something about the blue and white and silver (although silver is hardly a prominent color for the Colts, but you do see it on their gear and fan wear here and there).

Of course, none of that is any real indication as to how teams will fare in the regular season. More meaningful would be the injuries and other things that could affect teams. And unfortunately, some teams received bad news on that front. The Rams lost Sam Bradford for the entire season. Yes, again. And Browns receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended for the entire 2014 season! Those are things that can certainly affect both of those teams, as each attempts to get out of the basement of their respective tough divisions. finally, 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has been suspended for the first nine games this season.

In any case, now, we can look forward to the regular season, and here I go again with another division to make predictions about. This time, it's the gun-slinging, quarterback happy NFC North!

1. Green Bay Packers (projected division winners) - The NFC North has basically been dominated by the Packers in recent years, almost since Aaron Rodgers took over, and certainly since he came into his own. Although overshadowed by Bret Favre and the Vikings in 2009, the Packers still went 11-5, and qualified for the playoffs. But they were considered a young, up and coming team back then, and they certainly followed up on that the next year! Despite a rough start that saw them at 8-6 and fighting for their playoff lives, the Packers won out the remaining games - including the playoffs, to win the Super Bowl! They then went 15-1 in 2011, but lost to the red hot Giants. In 2012, the Packers cooled off somewhat, but still won the division with an 11-5 mark. And last season, despite all odds, Green Bay sneaked up from behind both the Lions and Bears to win the division on the final weekend with a less than impressive 8-7-1 mark. That means that the Packers have qualified for the playoffs each of the last five seasons, won the last three division titles, and won the Super Bowl the season before that! That makes them one of the most accomplished teams in the league in recent years, and they look like the most talented team in the division this year, as well. If they play as well as they are capable, and keep Rodgers in the lineup throughout the season (something that did not happen last year), they are one of the elite teams in the league, and legitimate contenders for the Super Bowl. In any case, they are my pick to win this division yet again. I just don't see any other team in this division that can stay consistent enough to take it away from the Pack, and the cream rises to the top once again in the NFC North.

2. Chicago Bears (projected second place team) - The Bears at their best have a potentially explosive offense, and what at least should be a more solid defense. By all accounts, they have enough talent to get past the Green Bay Packers, if they play as well as they are capable of playing this season. But it just seems that the Bears always find a way to fall short, and I fear this has become a habit for the Bears in recent years. Even when they win, they lose, as they won the division outright in 2010, but then lost the one that counts to the Packers in the NFC Championship. And last season, they had beaten the Packers in Green Bay, had a better record for much of the rest of the season, and hosted a winner takes all meeting with the Packers in the final week of the regular season, only to lose once again, and watch the playoffs from home, once again. There is always something that goes wrong, even when Chicago looks like they have all the pieces in place to be a serious contender. That does not bode well, and I think it serves as the perfect example of Vince Lombardi's philosophy that losing become a habit. If the Bears play as well as they are capable throughout, they can challenge the Packers, and even win the division. But I suspect this season might follow a familiar pattern of late, where the Bears get off to a solid start, only to see everything fall apart later in the season. Even then, they should be at least a playoff contender but, with the Bears, who knows? 

3. Detroit Lions (projected third place) - Much like the Chicago Bears, the Lions have the pieces in place to be a serious contender this season, but something always gets in the way. They had the pieces in place last season, and looked primed through much of the season to win the division outright. Hell, at times, they looked capable of dominating this division! This was a team that started off 4-2, and were even 6-3 by midseason, coming off a very important win over the Bears that gave them the all-important sweep! Even after they dropped both of the next two games, they enjoyed a very satisfying blowout win over the Packers, 40-10! They were 7-5, and basically, if they would win one, maybe two more games tops, the division belonged to Detroit. Even after losing the first of those next two games, all they really had to do was win out in their last two games against teams that had been out of the playoff hunt for a long, long time. But they failed to get a single win in the entire month of December, and dropped from solidly in first place, to third place and out of the running before the final weekend! When you have so many chances, and it comes time to get things done, you need to find that killer instinct, and the Lions have consistently failed to show anything resembling a killer instinct, unless they apply that to their own chances. So, it's just very hard to imagine the Lions finding their way around that to dominate this division this year. The talent is probably there, if they have the season they are capable, at best, of having. But history has shown that they will not have that kind of season. As much as I would love to see this team finally succeed, even big time, I cannot reasonably predict anything better than third place for Detroit this season. Sorry, but that's the way that I see it.

4. Minnesota Vikings (projected last place) - The Vikings seem to be in a constant state of turmoil in recent seasons, with the sole exception of a 2012 season that saw them barely scrape into the playoffs, and then get bounced immediately. I just don't see them turning it around this season, either. Too many question marks at quarterback, too much reliance on an aging Adrian Petersen, and way too many holes on that defense. True, they looked good in the preseason. But once the games really count, I doubt that the Vikings will be able to hold their own for very long. Looking at their schedule, and seeing games like at New Orleans, versus New England and Atlanta, and with tough divisional games, it is all too easy to see Minnesota struggling early, falling behind, and staying there, once again. Nothing against the Vikings, but I just don't see them really competing this season, although they can use this to build up for a more solid 2015!

On This Day in History - August 29 Hurricane Katrina

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

Aug 29, 2005: Hurricane Katrina slams into Gulf Coast

Hurricane Katrina makes landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane on this day in 2005. Despite being only the third most powerful storm of the 2005 hurricane season, Katrina was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States. After briefly coming ashore in southern Florida on August 25 as a Category 1 hurricane, Katrina gained strength before slamming into the Gulf Coast on August 29. In addition to bringing devastation to the New Orleans area, the hurricane caused damage along the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, as well as other parts of Louisiana.  

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a mandatory evacuation of the city on August 28, when Katrina briefly achieved Category 5 status and the National Weather Service predicted "devastating" damage to the area. But an estimated 150,000 people, who either did not want to or did not have the resources to leave, ignored the order and stayed behind. The storm brought sustained winds of 145 miles per hour, which cut power lines and destroyed homes, even turning cars into projectile missiles. Katrina caused record storm surges all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The surges overwhelmed the levees that protected New Orleans, located at six feet below sea level, from Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River. Soon, 80 percent of the city was flooded up to the rooftops of many homes and small buildings.  

Tens of thousands of people sought shelter in the New Orleans Convention Center and the Louisiana Superdome. The situation in both places quickly deteriorated, as food and water ran low and conditions became unsanitary. Frustration mounted as it took up to two days for a full-scale relief effort to begin. In the meantime, the stranded residents suffered from heat, hunger, and a lack of medical care. Reports of looting, rape, and even murder began to surface. As news networks broadcast scenes from the devastated city to the world, it became obvious that a vast majority of the victims were African-American and poor, leading to difficult questions among the public about the state of racial equality in the United States. The federal government and President George W. Bush were roundly criticized for what was perceived as their slow response to the disaster. The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Michael Brown, resigned amid the ensuing controversy.  

Finally, on September 1, the tens of thousands of people staying in the damaged Superdome and Convention Center begin to be moved to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, and another mandatory evacuation order was issued for the city. The next day, military convoys arrived with supplies and the National Guard was brought in to bring a halt to lawlessness. Efforts began to collect and identify corpses. On September 6, eight days after the hurricane, the Army Corps of Engineers finally completed temporary repairs to the three major holes in New Orleans' levee system and were able to begin pumping water out of the city.  

In all, it is believed that the hurricane caused more than 1,300 deaths and up to $150 billion in damages to both private property and public infrastructure. It is estimated that only about $40 billion of that number will be covered by insurance. One million people were displaced by the disaster, a phenomenon unseen in the United States since the Great Depression. Four hundred thousand people lost their jobs as a result of the disaster. Offers of international aid poured in from around the world, even from poor countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Private donations from U.S. citizens alone approached $600 million.  

The storm also set off 36 tornadoes in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, resulting in one death.  

President Bush declared September 16 a national day of remembrance for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

















Aug 29, 1533: Pizarro Executes Last Inca Emperor

Atahuallpa, the 13th and last emperor of the Incas, dies by strangulation at the hands of Francisco Pizarro's Spanish conquistadors. The execution of Atahuallpa, the last free reigning emperor, marked the end of 300 years of Inca civilization.  

High in the Andes Mountains of Peru, the Inca built a dazzling empire that governed a population of 12 million people. Although they had no writing system, they had an elaborate government, great public works, and a brilliant agricultural system. In the five years before the Spanish arrival, a devastating war of succession gripped the empire. In 1532, Atahuallpa's army defeated the forces of his half-brother Huascar in a battle near Cuzco. Atahuallpa was consolidating his rule when Pizarro and his 180 soldiers appeared.  

Francisco Pizarro was the son of a Spanish gentleman and worked as a swineherder in his youth. He became a soldier and in 1502 went to Hispaniola with the new Spanish governor of the New World colony. Pizarro served under Spanish conquistador Alonso de Ojeda during his expedition to Colombia in 1510 and was with Vasco Nunez de Balboa when he discovered the Pacific Ocean in 1513. Hearing legends of the great wealth of an Indian civilization in South America, Pizarro formed an alliance with fellow conquistador Diego de Almagro in 1524 and sailed down the west coast of South America from Panama. The first expedition only penetrated as far as present-day Ecuador, but a second reached farther, to present-day Peru. There they heard firsthand accounts of the Inca empire and obtained Inca artifacts. The Spanish christened the new land Peru, probably after the Vire River.  

Returning to Panama, Pizarro planned an expedition of conquest, but the Spanish governor refused to back the scheme. In 1528, Pizarro sailed back to Spain to ask the support of Emperor Charles V. Hernan Cortes had recently brought the emperor great wealth through his conquest of the Aztec Empire, and Charles approved Pizarro's plan. He also promised that Pizarro, not Almagro, would receive the majority of the expedition's profits. In 1530, Pizarro returned to Panama.  

In 1531, he sailed down to Peru, landing at Tumbes. He led his army up the Andes Mountains and on November 15, 1532, reached the Inca town of Cajamarca, where Atahuallpa was enjoying the hot springs in preparation for his march on Cuzco, the capital of his brother's kingdom. Pizarro invited Atahuallpa to attend a feast in his honor, and the emperor accepted. Having just won one of the largest battles in Inca history, and with an army of 30,000 men at his disposal, Atahuallpa thought he had nothing to fear from the bearded white stranger and his 180 men. Pizarro, however, planned an ambush, setting up his artillery at the square of Cajamarca.  

On November 16, Atahuallpa arrived at the meeting place with an escort of several thousand men, all apparently unarmed. Pizarro sent out a priest to exhort the emperor to accept the sovereignty of Christianity and Emperor Charles V., and Atahuallpa refused, flinging a Bible handed to him to the ground in disgust. Pizarro immediately ordered an attack. Buckling under an assault by the terrifying Spanish artillery, guns, and cavalry (all of which were alien to the Incas), thousands of Incas were slaughtered, and the emperor was captured.  

Atahuallpa offered to fill a room with treasure as ransom for his release, and Pizarro accepted. Eventually, some 24 tons of gold and silver were brought to the Spanish from throughout the Inca empire. Although Atahuallpa had provided the richest ransom in the history of the world, Pizarro treacherously put him on trial for plotting to overthrow the Spanish, for having his half-brother Huascar murdered, and for several other lesser charges. A Spanish tribunal convicted Atahuallpa and sentenced him to die. On August 29, 1533, the emperor was tied to a stake and offered the choice of being burned alive or strangled by garrote if he converted to Christianity. In the hope of preserving his body for mummification, Atahuallpa chose the latter, and an iron collar was tightened around his neck until he died.  

With Spanish reinforcements that had arrived at Cajamarca earlier that year, Pizarro then marched on Cuzco, and the Inca capital fell without a struggle in November 1533. Huascar's brother Manco Capac was installed as a puppet emperor, and the city of Quito was subdued. Pizarro established himself as Spanish governor of Inca territory and offered Diego Almagro the conquest of Chile as appeasement for claiming the riches of the Inca civilization for himself. In 1535, Pizarro established the city of Lima on the coast to facilitate communication with Panama. The next year, Manco Capac escaped from Spanish supervision and led an unsuccessful uprising that was quickly crushed. That marked the end of Inca resistance to Spanish rule.  

Diego Almagro returned from Chile embittered by the poverty of that country and demanded his share of the spoils of the former Inca empire. Civil war soon broke out over the dispute, and Almagro seized Cuzco in 1538. Pizarro sent his half brother, Hernando, to reclaim the city, and Almagro was defeated and put to death. On June 26, 1541, allies of Diego el Monzo—Almagro's son—penetrated Pizarro's palace in Lima and assassinated the conquistador while he was eating dinner. Diego el Monzo proclaimed himself governor of Peru, but an agent of the Spanish crown refused to recognize him, and in 1542 Diego was captured and executed. Conflict and intrigue among the conquistadors of Peru persisted until Spanish Viceroy Andres Hurtado de Mendoza established order in the late 1550s.


















Aug 29, 1972: Nixon announces another troop reduction

President Nixon sets December 1 as the target date for reducing U.S. troops strength in Vietnam by 12,000, to 27,000, an all-time low since the American troop buildup began in 1965.



















Aug 29, 1962: Robert Frost leaves for a goodwill tour of U.S.S.R.

Robert Frost leaves for the Soviet Union on this day in 1962. The goodwill tour is sponsored by the U.S. State Department in an effort to thaw Cold War relations. Frost's poetry has established his international reputation as American's unofficial poet laureate. While his best work appeared in earlier decades, he is nevertheless seen as an elder statesman of literature.  

Despite his close association with New England, Robert Frost was born in 1874 in California, where he lived until his father, a journalist, died when Robert was 11. His mother brought him to Massachusetts, where he graduated as co-valedictorian of his high school class. He attended Dartmouth and Harvard, but didn't complete a degree at either school. Three years after high school, he married his high school co-valedictorian, Elinor White.  

Frost tried unsuccessfully to run a New England farm, and the family, which soon included four children, struggled with poverty for two decades. Frost became more and more depressed. In 1912, he moved his family to England to make a fresh start. There he concentrated on his poetry and published a collection called A Boy's Will in 1913, which won praise from English critics and helped him win a U.S. publishing contract for his second book, North of Boston (1914). The American public took a liking to the 40-year-old Frost, who returned to the U.S. when World War I broke out. He bought another farm in New Hampshire and continued to publish books. He taught and lectured at Amherst, University of Michigan, Harvard, and Dartmouth, and read from his work at the inauguration of President Kennedy. He also endured personal tragedy when a son committed suicide and a daughter had a mental breakdown.  

While Frost never graduated from a university, he collected 44 honorary degrees before he died in 1963. His last poetry collection, In the Clearing, was published in 1962.



Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708).

1178 - Anti-Pope Callistus III gives pope title to Alexander III

1261 - Jacques Pantaleon elected as Pope Urban IV

1350 - Battle of Winchelsea (or Les Espagnols sur Mer): The English naval fleet under King Edward III defeats a Castilian fleet of 40 ships.

1475 - Treaty of Picquigny] king Louis XI buys English contacts

1484 - Giovanni B Cibo elected as Pope Innocent VIII

1521 - The Ottoman Turks capture Nándorfehérvár, now known as Belgrade.

1526 - Hungary conquered by Turks in Battle of Mohács

1533 - Francisco Pizarro orders death of last Incan King of Peru, Atahualpa

1540 - Emperor Karel deprives city Gent definitive rights/privileges

1541 - The Ottoman Turks capture Buda, the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom.

1612 - Battle at Surat India: English fleet beats Portuguese

1640 - English King Charles I signed a peace treaty with Scotland

1655 - Warsaw falls without resistance to a small force under the command of Charles X Gustav of Sweden during The Deluge.

1664 - Adriaen Pieck/Gerrit de Ferry patent wooden firespout in Amsterdam

1708 - English troops occupy Menorca & Sardinia

1708 - Haverhill, Mass destroyed by French & Indians

1742 - Edmond Hoyle published his "Short Treatise" on the card game whist

1756 - England & France meet in war

King of England King Charles IKing of England King Charles I 1756 - Prussian Libya occupies Saxson: beginning 7 years War

1758 - New Jersey Legislature forms 1st Indian reservation

1776 - Americans withdraw from Manhattan to Westchester

1786 - Shay's Rebellion in Springfield, Mass

1792 - English warship Royal George capsizes in Spithead; kills 900

1793 - Slaves in French colony of St Domingue (Haiti) freed

1825 - Portugal recognizes the Independence of Brazil.

1831 - Michael Faraday demonstrates 1st electric transformer

1833 - Britain's Slavery Abolition Act becomes law

1842 - Gr Britain & China sign Treaty of Nanking, ends Opium war

1844 - 1st white-indian lacrosse game in Montreal, Indians win

1854 - Self-governing windmill patented (Daniel Halladay)

1861 - American Civil War: US Navy squadron captures forts at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina.

1862 - 2nd Battle of Bull Run Va (Manassas) during US Civil War

1862 - Battle of Aspromonte-Italian royal forces defeat rebels

1862 - US Bureau of Engraving & Printing begins operation

1864 - William Huggins discovers chemical composition of nebulae

1871 - Emperor Meiji orders the Abolition of the han system and the establishment of prefectures as local centers of administration. (Traditional Japanese date: July 14, 1871).

1882 - Australia beat England by 7 runs "Death of English cricket"

1882 - Fred Spofforth completes 14-90 for match v England (7-46 & 7-44)

1883 - Seismic sea waves created by Krakatoa eruption create a rise in English Channel 32 hrs after explosion

1885 - Gottlieb Daimler receives German patent for a motorcycle

1885 - Phillies Charlie Ferguson no-hits Providence 1-0

1885 - Boxing's 1st heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves & 3-minute rounds fought between John L Sullivan & Dominick McCaffrey

1889 - 1st American Intl pro lawn tennis contest (Newport RI)

1895 - The formation of the Northern Rugby Union at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, England.

1896 - Chop suey invented in NYC by chef of visiting Chinese Ambassador

1898 - The Goodyear tire company is founded.

1904 - 1st Olympics in US are held (St Louis)

1904 - 3rd modern Olympic Games opens in St Louis

1905 - Pierre de Brazza leaves Brazzaville

1906 - Bridge in St Lawrence Canada caves in; 70 die

1906 - William J Clothier wins the US Tennis Open

1907 - The Quebec Bridge collapses during construction, killing 75 workers.

1908 - NY gives a ticker tape parade to returning US Olympians from London

1909 - AH Latham of France sets world airplane altitude record of 155 m

1909 - World's 1st air race held in Rheims France. Glenn Curtiss (USA) wins

1910 - Japan changes Korea's name to Chōsen and appoints a governor-general to rule its new colony.

1911 - Ishi, considered the last Native American to make contact with European Americans, emerges from the wilderness of northeastern California.

1913 - Pieter Cort Van de Linden forms Dutch government

1914 - 4th day of Tannenberg: Russian Narev-army panics, Gen Martos caught

1914 - Arizonian is 1st vessel to arrive in SF via Panama Canal

1914 - Battle at St Quentin: French counter attack under General Lanrezac

1916 - Congress creates US Naval reserve

1916 - Gen Von Hindenburg becomes German Chief of Staff

1916 - Transportship Hsin-Yu & cruiser Hai-Yung collide; 1000 die

1916 - US Congress accept Jones Act: Philippines independence

1916 - Von Hindenburg replaces Von Falkenhayn as German chief of staff

1918 - Bapaume taken by Australian Corps and Canadian Corps in the Hundred Days Offensive

1924 - German Republic day accepts Dawes plan

Baseball Great Babe RuthBaseball Great Babe Ruth 1925 - After a night on the town, Babe Ruth shows up late for batting practice Miller Huggins suspends Ruth & slaps a $5,000 fine on him

1929 - German airship Graf Zeppelin ends a round-the-world flight

1930 - The last 36 remaining inhabitants of St Kilda are voluntarily evacuated to other parts of Scotland.

1932 - International Anti-War Committee forms in Amsterdam

1932 - United Cigar Stores shuts 800 shops

1935 - 2nd NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Chi Bears 5, All-Stars 0 (77,450)

1937 - Phila A's Bob Johnson is 2nd to get 6 RBIs in an inning (1st)

1939 - Chaim Weizmann informs England that Palestine Jews will fight in WW II

1940 - 7th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Green Bay 45, All-Stars 28 (84,567)

1941 - German Einsatzkommando in Russia kills 1,469 Jewish children

1943 - Denmark scuttles their warships so as not to be taken by Germany

1944 - 15,000 American troops liberating Paris march down Champs Elysees

1944 - Anti German rebellion in Slovakia

1945 - British liberate Hong Kong from Japan

1945 - Gen MacArthur named Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan

1947 - Constantine Tsaldaris follows Maximos as Greece premier

1949 - USSR performs first nuclear test

1949 - USSR explodes its 1st atomic bomb

1950 - Intl Olympic Committee votes admission to West Germany & Japan in '52

1953 - KHSL TV channel 12 in Chico, CA (CBS) begins broadcasting

1953 - USSR explodes its 1st hydrogen bomb

1954 - SF International Airport (SFO) opens

1956 - French government routes troops to Cyprus near Suez crisis

1957 - Congress passes Civil Rights Act of 1957

1957 - Strom Thurmond (Sen-D-SC) ends 24 hr filibuster against civil rights

1958 - Air Force Academy opens in Colorado Springs, Colo

1958 - George Harrison joins Quarrymen (Lennon-McCartney-Best-Sutcliffe)

1960 - Jordan premier Hazza-el-Madjali deadly injured at bomb attack

1962 - Some provisions of Kuwaiti constitution are suspended

1962 - US U-2 flight sees SAM launch pads in Cuba

1963 - Harmon Killebrew (Twins) HRs off Pete Burnside (Senators) in DH

1964 - "Funny Thing Happened" closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 965 perfs

Animator Walt DisneyAnimator Walt Disney 1964 - Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" released

1964 - On Elston Howard Night, Mickey Mantle ties Babe Ruth's career strikeout record (1,330)

1965 - Astronauts Cooper & Conrad complete 120 Earth orbits in Gemini 5

1965 - Willie Mays sets NL record for HRs in a month with his 17th of August

1966 - Beatles last public concert (Candlestick Park, SF)

1966 - Dutch Internal minister Smallenbroek resigns after driving drunk

1967 - Final TV episode of "Fugitive"

1967 - Yanks longest day, Red Sox take 1st game 2-1 in 9, Yanks win 2nd game in 20, 4-3 a total of 8 hours & 19 minutes

1968 - 1st US Open tennis match (Billie Jean King beats Dr Vija Vuskains)

1968 - Democratics nominate Hubert H Humphrey for president (Chicago)

1969 - Joe Pepitone quits Yanks after being fined $500 for leaving the bench

1969 - KYUS TV channel 3 in Miles City, MT (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting

1970 - Black Panthers confront cops in Phila (1 cop killed)

1972 - SF Giant Jim Barr retires 1st 20 batters he faces added to last 21 he retired 6 days earlier for record 41 in a row

1974 - USSR performs underground nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1975 - Star in Cygnus goes nova becoming 4th brightest in sky

1976 - Sandra Palmer wins LPGA National Jewish Hospital Golf Open

1977 - St Louis Cardinal Lou Brock eclipses Ty Cobb's 49-year-old career stolen bases record at 893 as Padres win 4-3

1978 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1978 - USTA National Tennis Center opens in Flushing NY

1979 - Great Britain performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1979 - Sheridan Broadcasting Corp purchases Mutual Black Network

1981 - 28th Walker Cup: US wins 15-9

1981 - Phillies minor leaguer Jeff Stone steals pro baseball record 121st base en route to 122 (Spartanburg (South Atlantic League))

1982 - 38°F lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in August

1982 - George Brett gets his 1,500th hit

1982 - Joanne Carner wins LPGA Henredon Golf Classic

1982 - Steve Miller's "Abracadabra" hits #1

1982 - The synthetic chemical element Meitnerium, atomic number 109, is first synthesized at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany.

1985 - Atlantis moves to launch pad for 51-J mission

1985 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation

1985 - NY Yank Don Baylor is hit by a pitch for a record 190th time

1986 - Heike Drechsler of E Germany ties world women's 200 m mark (21.71s)

1986 - Morocco king Hassan II signs unity treaty with Libya

1987 - Nolan Ryan passes the 200-strikeout barrier for record 11th time

1987 - Rosa Mota becomes wins female Rome marathon (2:25:17)

1988 - Macy's Tap-o-Mania sets Guiness record

1988 - USSR launches 3 cosmonauts (Valery Polyakav, 1 Afghan) to station Mir

1990 - C-5 transport plane crashes at Ramstein AFB, Germany, killing 13

Iraqi President Saddam HusseinIraqi President Saddam Hussein 1990 - Saddam Hussein declares America can't beat Iraq

1991 - JFK Jr wins his 1st battle as an attorney

1991 - USSR suspends Communist Party activities

1992 - Largest wrestling crowd out side of US (75,000) at Wembley Stadium

1992 - Randy Myers blows his 6th save of the season & it marks the 5th time he's blown a potential win for Greg Harris

1992 - Brave's Charlie Leibrandt 1,000th strikeout & decides to keep the ball He rolls it to the dugout, allows Ricky Jordan to take 2nd on error

1993 - 21st du Maurier Golf Classic: Brandie Burton

1993 - 93rd US Golf Amateur Championship won by John Harris

1995 - NATO launches Operation Deliberate Force against Bosnian Serb forces.

1996 - Vnukovo Airlines Flight 2801, a Vnukovo Airlines Tupolev Tu-154, crashes into a mountain on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, killing all 141 aboard.

1997 - At least 98 villagers are killed by the GIA in the Rais massacre, Algeria.

2003 - Ayatollah Sayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, the Shia Muslim leader in Iraq, is assassinated in a terrorist bombing, along with nearly 100 worshippers as they leave a mosque in Najaf.

2005 - Hurricane Katrina devastates much of the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, killing more than 1,836 and causing over $115 billion in damage.

2007 - A United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident takes place at Minot Air Force Base and Barksdale Air Force Base.

2012 - Georgian hostage crisis results in 3 police officers and 10 militants being killed

2012 - Operation Eagle, undertaken by the Egyptian Army, results in the deaths of 11 suspected terrorists and the arrest of another 23

2012 - Banana Spider venom is found to be effective in relieving erectile dysfunction

Professional Road Cyclist and Testicular Cancer Survivor Lance ArmstrongProfessional Road Cyclist and Testicular Cancer Survivor Lance Armstrong 2012 - The USADA claims to have stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles

1828 - A patent was issued to Robert Turner for the self-regulating wagon brake.   1833 - The "Factory Act" was passed in England to settle child labor laws.   1842 - The Treaty of Nanking was signed by the British and the Chinese. The treaty ended the first Opium War and gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain.   1885 - The first prizefight under the Marquis of Queensberry Rules was held in Cincinnati, OH. John L. Sullivan defeated Dominick McCaffery in six rounds.   1886 - In New York City, Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang's chef invented chop suey.   1892 - Pop (Billy) Shriver (Chicago Cubs) caught a ball that was dropped from the top of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.   1944 - During the continuing celebration of the liberation of France from the Nazis, 15,000 American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris.   1945 - U.S. General Douglas MacArthur left for Japan to officially accept the surrender of the Japanese.   1949 - At the University of Illinois, a nuclear device was used for the first time to treat cancer patients.   1957 - Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina set a filibuster record in the U.S. when he spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes.   1962 - The lower level of the George Washington Bridge opened.   1965 - Gemini 5, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles ("Pete") Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after eight days in space.   1966 - Mia Farrow withdrew from the cast of the ABC-TV's "Peyton Place."   1967 - The final episode of "The Fugitive" aired.   1971 - Hank Aaron became the first baseball player in the National League to hit 100 or more runs in each of 11 seasons.   1977 - Lou Brock brought his total of stolen bases to 893. The record he beat was held by Ty Cobb for 49 years.   1983 - Two U.S. marines were killed in Lebanon by the militia group Amal when they fired mortar shells at the Beirut airport.   1983 - The anchor of the USS Monitor, from the U.S. Civil War, was retrieved by divers.   1990 - Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, in a television interview, declared that America could not defeat Iraq.   1991 - The Communist Party in the Soviet Union had its bank accounts frozen and activities were suspended because of the Party's role in the failed coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev.   1991 - The republics of Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement to stay in the Soviet Union.   1992 - The U.N. Security Council agreed to send troops to Somalia to guard the shipments of food.   1994 - Mario Lemieux announced that he would be taking a medical leave of absence due to fatigue, an aftereffect of his 1993 radiation treatments. He would sit out the National Hockey Leagues (NHL) 1994-95 season.   1998 - Northwest Airlines pilots went on strike after their union rejected a last-minute company offer.   2004 - India test-launched a nuclear-capable missle able to carry a one-ton warhead. The weapon had a range of 1,560 miles.



1533 Atahualpa, the last ruler of the Incas, was murdered as Francisco Pizarro completed his conquest of Peru. 1786 Shays's rebellion, an insurrection of Massachusetts farmers against the state government, began. 1842 The Treaty of Nanking was signed, ending the Opium Wars and ceding the island of Hong Kong to Britain. 1877 Brigham Young died in Salt Lake City, Utah. 1949 The U.S.S.R. tested their first atomic bomb. 1957 Strom Thurmond ended the longest filibuster in U.S. Senate history. He spoke for more than 24 hours against a civil rights bill; the bill passed. 1966 The Beatles played their last major live concert at Candlestick Park, California. 1991 The Supreme Soviet, the parliament of the U.S.S.R., suspended all activities of the Communist Party, bringing an end to the institution. 2005 Hurricane Katrina slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast, destroying beachfront towns in Mississippi and Louisiana, displacing a million people, and killing more than 1,000.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/aug29.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory