This is the anniversary of a dark day in American history, but one that we should never forget.
It was on this day in 1890 that the massacre at Wounded Knee took place, when hundreds of native people were killed by American forces.
The history is not apparently so well known by most Americans, but it should be. If we are ever to overcome or even make progress towards the problems of a racial past anytime in the future, we need to be aware of chapters in our history like this, even if (or perhaps especially if) it makes us uncomfortable.
Here is what I originally wrote in 2013 on the occasion of the anniversary of Wounded Knee:
Belated, But Still Powerful originally published December 29, 2013:
I wanted to commit an entire blog entry to Wounded Knee, but this has been a hectic time for me, and my focus is not where perhaps it should be.
That said, I wanted to make sure to do something to commemorate the memory of a very important and tragic event in American history, one that many people don't seem to know about, and even more do not want to talk about or acknowledge.
But it happened. We might not be comfortable with that fact, but that does not change that it is an undeniable part of our history.
And it is important to keep the memory alive. To learn what lessons are available for us to learn from the event. We marvel at the memory of Custer's Last Stand, and many of us (myself included, admittedly) grew up with westerns, where Indians were more often than not portrayed as mindless savages, almost as just another inconvenient part of a rugged and untamed landscape that needed to be conquered and subdued. Seeing things in this light, they were hardly viewed as human beings at all.
It is easier to commit atrocities against people when you first dehumanize them. In fact, perhaps it is necessary to do so. After all, how can you commit mass murder or genocide against people that you now intimately, that you value and respect, as individuals and as a community of people?
So, we need to remember what American soldiers did not on that frigid day in late December at Wounded Knee some 123 years ago, or in the hot jungle of Vietnam at My Lai on March 16, 1968. We need to understand that we share a common humanity with all other people, and that we never have the right to summarily and indiscriminately kill masses of people in a huge massacre.
Here is a link that might help us to understand what happened at Wounded Knee better:
Wounded Knee 1890 @ Ya-Native.com:
http://www.ya-native.com/timeline/WoundedKnee1890.html
Monday, December 29, 2014
Berlin Wall Falls: Rise and Fall of the Wall
Last month, Berlin celebrated a quarter of a century since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
That was also a movement across eastern Europe, and Europe has never been the same since, even if at the moment, it looks like we are heading towards Cold War II.
In any case, to honor such a momentous occasion, some footage about the Berlin Wall, it's history, the fall, and some other footage honoring the fall, seemed appropriate.
Here are a few links to articles that I wrote on the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall earlier this year. Please take a look:
Germany Celebrates 25 Years Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall:
http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/germany-celebrates-25-years-since-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/
Berlin Remembers Fascinating History 25 Years After Fall of Wall:
http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/berlin-remembers-fascinating-history-25-years-after-fall-of-wall/
Gorbachev Criticizes West for Reaction 25 Years After Fall of Wall:
http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/gorbachev-criticizes-west-for-reaction-25-years-after-fall-of-wall/
The Berlin Wall : Documentary on the Berlin Wall from Construction to Destruction
Berlin Wall Falls: Rise and Fall of the Wall
The Fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989
German Reunification:
Celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Wall:
That was also a movement across eastern Europe, and Europe has never been the same since, even if at the moment, it looks like we are heading towards Cold War II.
In any case, to honor such a momentous occasion, some footage about the Berlin Wall, it's history, the fall, and some other footage honoring the fall, seemed appropriate.
Here are a few links to articles that I wrote on the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall earlier this year. Please take a look:
Germany Celebrates 25 Years Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall:
http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/germany-celebrates-25-years-since-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/
Berlin Remembers Fascinating History 25 Years After Fall of Wall:
http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/berlin-remembers-fascinating-history-25-years-after-fall-of-wall/
Gorbachev Criticizes West for Reaction 25 Years After Fall of Wall:
http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/gorbachev-criticizes-west-for-reaction-25-years-after-fall-of-wall/
The Berlin Wall : Documentary on the Berlin Wall from Construction to Destruction
Berlin Wall Falls: Rise and Fall of the Wall
The Fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989
German Reunification:
Celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Wall:
The Jefferson Bible
I thought that this was a very interesting subject, and have found it such for many years now.
Many years ago, I found out about the Jefferson Bible, and wanted to get a copy. I finally happened on one in a used bookstore, an old edition from 1964.
The introduction was pretty brilliant in it's own right, although I cannot remember who wrote it.
In any case, the idea behind this was that Jefferson wanted to put together all of the sayings of Jesus, although it was stripped of all the miracles. Basically, it is the message that Jesus had, and it is a fascinating idea! I have read it a couple of times, now.
Here is an article about the Jefferson Bible, and what Thomas Jefferson really thought about religion (which may surprise some Bible thumpers and neocons):
Thomas Jefferson vs. the Bible: What America’s founding father really thought about religion by Valerie Tarico, AlterNet, December 3, 2014:
http://www.salon.com/2014/12/03/thomas_jefferson_vs_the_bible_what_americas_founding_father_really_thought_about_religion_partner/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
Many years ago, I found out about the Jefferson Bible, and wanted to get a copy. I finally happened on one in a used bookstore, an old edition from 1964.
The introduction was pretty brilliant in it's own right, although I cannot remember who wrote it.
In any case, the idea behind this was that Jefferson wanted to put together all of the sayings of Jesus, although it was stripped of all the miracles. Basically, it is the message that Jesus had, and it is a fascinating idea! I have read it a couple of times, now.
Here is an article about the Jefferson Bible, and what Thomas Jefferson really thought about religion (which may surprise some Bible thumpers and neocons):
Thomas Jefferson vs. the Bible: What America’s founding father really thought about religion by Valerie Tarico, AlterNet, December 3, 2014:
http://www.salon.com/2014/12/03/thomas_jefferson_vs_the_bible_what_americas_founding_father_really_thought_about_religion_partner/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
2014 NFL Regular Season Finale Weekend
What an eventful day in the NFL!
A bunch of games with significant playoff relevance. Teams losing and getting knocked out of the playoffs. Other teams winning and not making the playoffs anyway. The Broncos clinched the second seed in the AFC, the Seahawks clinched the NFC West and the top seed for the NFC, and the Packers clinched the NFC North and the second seed for the NFC. Coach Jim Harbaugh celebrating his highly successful tenure with the 49ers on the field in the waning seconds, before he and the 49ers parted ways.
Plus, a few other coaches and managers are likely to be on the hot seat, as well.
So, let's see what happened this weekend in the NFL:
Dallas 44, Washington 17 - Wow! These Dallas Cowboys remind me of the juggernaut Dallas teams of the nineties. I really admire the way that they played this season, especially on the road (they went 8-0). Many great road teams wind up qualifying for the Super Bowl, although that remains to be seen. Beating every team that you face on the road in the regular season is impressive, but it is likely the Cowboys would have to face both the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks on the road if they are to qualify for the Super Bowl, and that's a different thing altogether. Still, what an impressive season!
NY Jets 37, Miami 24 - The Jets put together what might have been their most impressive game, although they waited until the season finale to do it. The offense clicked, and left you wondering where they have been all season? Impressive, but not enough to save Rex Ryan's job, and a lot of changes are expected in New York.
Minnesota 13, Chicago 9 - The Bears end this truly miserable season for them by losing the regular season finale, which plants them solidly in the basement of the NFC North. Quite a few had expected them to emerge as serious playoff contenders, even possibly title contenders. Now, it's rebuilding time in Chicago.
Buffalo 17, New England 9 - At least the Buffalo Bills managed to end their dreadful streak at Foxboro, even though the game meant nothing to the Patriots. The Bills had never won at Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots hardly ever seem to lose there, period. This should be a confidence booster for Buffalo, who at least managed to end with a winning record this season at 9-7. Maybe they can build on this for a more successful 2015 season.
Kansas City 19, San Diego 7 - One of the hardest to believe statistics from this season surely is that the Chiefs wide receivers failed to catch a touchdown pass the entire season. One of them came very close in the final game, but was hit hard and fumbled just before crossing the goal line, although it was recovered by another Chief in the end zone for a touchdown, anyway. Still, Kansas City won, and the Chargers were knocked out.
New Orleans 23, Tampa Bay 20 - Both teams won something this game. The Saints won the game, managing to end a forgettable season on a winning note. And Tampa Bay "earned" the first to pick in the draft, for the first time since 1987. Let's see what it is worth to them.
Indianapolis 27, Tennessee 10 - Pretty much exactly what you would expect from this one, right? A horrible season for the Titans end on a dull note with another listless loss. They did not even get the good news of "earning" the first pick in next year's draft!
Baltimore 20, Cleveland 10 - Johnny Football is apparently too much of a distraction, and already, his future with the Cleveland Browns is in question. And the Browns, once again, suffered through a miserable end to the season. A season that once seemed promising. Three teams in the AFC North are heading to the playoffs, and only one failed to do so. The Browns, of course, are that one team. Sigh. Depressing.
Houston 23, Jacksonville 17 - The Jaguars have been surprisingly competitive at times this season, and this day was no exception. Still, J.J. Watts had another incredible performance, becoming the first man to ever get multiple season with over 20 sacks. That, plus all of the other stuff that he did this season, should earn him MVP honors.
Philadelphia 34, NY Giants 26 - A miserable season for the Giants ends on a down note, while the Eagles get a victory to salvage some respect and pride heading into the offseason. Both teams have some issues that they need to address for next year.
Green Bay Packers 30, Detroit Lions 20 - Well, I don't know why I picked against the Packers at Lambeau. They are particularly dominant there, especially Rodgers. But the Lions had a shot there for a little while. A tough defense, and an injured Aaron Rodgers. But it just was not happening for them. I will admit to not particularly liking Suy, the Lions controversial defenseman, who stomped on Aaron Rodgers in a clear case of a cheap shot yesterday.
Carolina Panthers 34, Atlanta Falcons 3 - Wow! The Falcons could at least have added a little suspense, couldn't they? Apparently not. The Panthers left absolutely no doubt and, in a strange way, are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, having won four in a row, and often looking dominant in the process. However, the Arizona Cardinals should - should - prove a tougher test than Atlanta did today.
San Francisco 20, Arizona 17 - Harbaugh's last game with San Francisco was a little unusual, almost festive towards the end. But the 49ers ended his tenure on a winning note, admittedly fittingly. Who knows who will wind up on the sidelines coaching the Niners, but it is hard to imagine anyone better than Harbaugh, who is allegedly on his way to coach the Michigan Wolverines.
Seattle 20, St. Louis 6 - The Seahawks defensive dominance continues, as they now get the chance to rest up before their next big game. It is going to be tough (although I guess not impossible) for someone to come into Seattle and knock the Seahawks out, although that is an extremely tall order. Especially if the defense plays lights out the way that they have played in the last six games.
Denver 47, Oakland 14 - Denver left no doubt in this one. They completed an impressive 12-4 season, and remained undefeated at home, and get the bye to rest up.
Pittsburgh 27, Cincinnati 17 - The Bengals failed to capture the AFC North division title, and I'll bet they regret some of the stupid losses that they suffered at times this season, especially the drubbing at home by the Cleveland Browns. Ultimately, however, the Bengals are in the playoffs, although you have to wonder if their current streak of no playoff victories since the 1990-91 season will continue.
A bunch of games with significant playoff relevance. Teams losing and getting knocked out of the playoffs. Other teams winning and not making the playoffs anyway. The Broncos clinched the second seed in the AFC, the Seahawks clinched the NFC West and the top seed for the NFC, and the Packers clinched the NFC North and the second seed for the NFC. Coach Jim Harbaugh celebrating his highly successful tenure with the 49ers on the field in the waning seconds, before he and the 49ers parted ways.
Plus, a few other coaches and managers are likely to be on the hot seat, as well.
So, let's see what happened this weekend in the NFL:
Dallas 44, Washington 17 - Wow! These Dallas Cowboys remind me of the juggernaut Dallas teams of the nineties. I really admire the way that they played this season, especially on the road (they went 8-0). Many great road teams wind up qualifying for the Super Bowl, although that remains to be seen. Beating every team that you face on the road in the regular season is impressive, but it is likely the Cowboys would have to face both the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks on the road if they are to qualify for the Super Bowl, and that's a different thing altogether. Still, what an impressive season!
NY Jets 37, Miami 24 - The Jets put together what might have been their most impressive game, although they waited until the season finale to do it. The offense clicked, and left you wondering where they have been all season? Impressive, but not enough to save Rex Ryan's job, and a lot of changes are expected in New York.
Minnesota 13, Chicago 9 - The Bears end this truly miserable season for them by losing the regular season finale, which plants them solidly in the basement of the NFC North. Quite a few had expected them to emerge as serious playoff contenders, even possibly title contenders. Now, it's rebuilding time in Chicago.
Buffalo 17, New England 9 - At least the Buffalo Bills managed to end their dreadful streak at Foxboro, even though the game meant nothing to the Patriots. The Bills had never won at Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots hardly ever seem to lose there, period. This should be a confidence booster for Buffalo, who at least managed to end with a winning record this season at 9-7. Maybe they can build on this for a more successful 2015 season.
Kansas City 19, San Diego 7 - One of the hardest to believe statistics from this season surely is that the Chiefs wide receivers failed to catch a touchdown pass the entire season. One of them came very close in the final game, but was hit hard and fumbled just before crossing the goal line, although it was recovered by another Chief in the end zone for a touchdown, anyway. Still, Kansas City won, and the Chargers were knocked out.
New Orleans 23, Tampa Bay 20 - Both teams won something this game. The Saints won the game, managing to end a forgettable season on a winning note. And Tampa Bay "earned" the first to pick in the draft, for the first time since 1987. Let's see what it is worth to them.
Indianapolis 27, Tennessee 10 - Pretty much exactly what you would expect from this one, right? A horrible season for the Titans end on a dull note with another listless loss. They did not even get the good news of "earning" the first pick in next year's draft!
Baltimore 20, Cleveland 10 - Johnny Football is apparently too much of a distraction, and already, his future with the Cleveland Browns is in question. And the Browns, once again, suffered through a miserable end to the season. A season that once seemed promising. Three teams in the AFC North are heading to the playoffs, and only one failed to do so. The Browns, of course, are that one team. Sigh. Depressing.
Houston 23, Jacksonville 17 - The Jaguars have been surprisingly competitive at times this season, and this day was no exception. Still, J.J. Watts had another incredible performance, becoming the first man to ever get multiple season with over 20 sacks. That, plus all of the other stuff that he did this season, should earn him MVP honors.
Philadelphia 34, NY Giants 26 - A miserable season for the Giants ends on a down note, while the Eagles get a victory to salvage some respect and pride heading into the offseason. Both teams have some issues that they need to address for next year.
Green Bay Packers 30, Detroit Lions 20 - Well, I don't know why I picked against the Packers at Lambeau. They are particularly dominant there, especially Rodgers. But the Lions had a shot there for a little while. A tough defense, and an injured Aaron Rodgers. But it just was not happening for them. I will admit to not particularly liking Suy, the Lions controversial defenseman, who stomped on Aaron Rodgers in a clear case of a cheap shot yesterday.
Carolina Panthers 34, Atlanta Falcons 3 - Wow! The Falcons could at least have added a little suspense, couldn't they? Apparently not. The Panthers left absolutely no doubt and, in a strange way, are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, having won four in a row, and often looking dominant in the process. However, the Arizona Cardinals should - should - prove a tougher test than Atlanta did today.
San Francisco 20, Arizona 17 - Harbaugh's last game with San Francisco was a little unusual, almost festive towards the end. But the 49ers ended his tenure on a winning note, admittedly fittingly. Who knows who will wind up on the sidelines coaching the Niners, but it is hard to imagine anyone better than Harbaugh, who is allegedly on his way to coach the Michigan Wolverines.
Seattle 20, St. Louis 6 - The Seahawks defensive dominance continues, as they now get the chance to rest up before their next big game. It is going to be tough (although I guess not impossible) for someone to come into Seattle and knock the Seahawks out, although that is an extremely tall order. Especially if the defense plays lights out the way that they have played in the last six games.
Denver 47, Oakland 14 - Denver left no doubt in this one. They completed an impressive 12-4 season, and remained undefeated at home, and get the bye to rest up.
Pittsburgh 27, Cincinnati 17 - The Bengals failed to capture the AFC North division title, and I'll bet they regret some of the stupid losses that they suffered at times this season, especially the drubbing at home by the Cleveland Browns. Ultimately, however, the Bengals are in the playoffs, although you have to wonder if their current streak of no playoff victories since the 1990-91 season will continue.
Kevin Gilbride Believes Tom Coughlin Will Make Giants Great Again
I wrote this a long time ago, but never published it. Then, I forgot about it.
Even though it is dated now, I am choosing to publish this now.
Apologies that it is not particularly timely.
Okay, so, we are getting much closer now to playoff time in the NFL. Usually, this time of the year, we are starting to get a clearer picture of what teams truly have a chance, and what teams may have started by racing out of the gates and looking awesome for a while, but then withering away as the season went along. Right now, it seems (to me, at least), that the Chargers and Cardinals both are in danger of doing exactly that, as both teams had people starting to stand up and take notice earlier this season, only to see the losses - and their chances at playoff glory - look decidedly compromised once the losses started to come with more regularity.
Of course, now that I say that, watch those two teams meet in the Super Bowl.
Right?
Nah. I doubt it.
Anyway, there are teams that are starting to emerge as truly capable of making a run and going all the way, at least based on the way that they have played so far. And the hell of it is that these are teams that, for the most part, are very often among the favorites to win it. Teams like the New England Patriots, who were left for dead after a terrible loss to the Chiefs in KC earlier this season, but who now look like they will easily win the AFC East and probably have a playoff bye, if they keep it up. Teams like the Green Bay Packers, who people forgot about because of two consecutive playoff defeats to San Francisco, and started this season off in rough shape, but have recovered enough to enjoy a lead in the NFC North race, and look ready to potentially get a playoff bye, and possibly even home field advantage. Teams like the Denver Broncos, who always seem to be in position to make the Super Bowl, and look that way again this season. They are not lighting up the boards the way that they did last season, but they look like a tough team capable of a run to the Super Bowl. And the Seattle Seahawks, the defending champions, who look like they are recovering from a sluggish start and finding their mojo right in time for a potential playoff run.
There may be other teams out there that have a chance. The Eagles right now look good, and so, potentially, do the Cowboys. But neither of those teams have a ton of recent playoff victories where they proved themselves, and from which they gained valuable experience. Detroit looks good, too. They have the top defense in the league, and their offense can potentially explode at any moment. But, like with Dallas and Philly, not a lot of playoff experience, and that leaves more question marks then anything. The Cincinnati Bengals have become a regular playoff contender and possible challenger for a playoff bye and even home field. But it is hard to picture them making a run to the Super Bowl for exactly the same reasons mentioned about those other teams. To a lesser extent, that holds true for the Colts as well, although I do believe that they are getting better, and will be a solid contender for a title in the near future - but just not likely this season, yet.
A few teams should probably be stronger contenders at this point in the season than they have proven to be. The New Orleans Saints. The San Francisco 49ers. The Kansas City Chiefs. The Chicago Bears, who figured to be a solid team this season, according to quite a few experts, as well as the Vegas line (although I am not entirely sure why).
One team that by all rights should be a contender, but never even came close, would be the New York Giants. My New York Giants.
Yes, they are a terrible team this season, no question.
Kevin Gilbride: Tom Coughlin will resurrect Giants again By Justin Terranova, November 21, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/11/21/kevin-gilbride-tom-coughlin-will-resurrect-giants-again/
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/sports/the-5-nfl-teams-with-the-best-super-bowl-odds-in-december.html/6/
http://www.totalprosports.com/2012/10/22/9-disgraced-sports-heroes/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_308932#10
http://www.totalprosports.com/2014/01/31/the-11-best-quarterbacks-never-to-win-a-super-bowl/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_308933
Even though it is dated now, I am choosing to publish this now.
Apologies that it is not particularly timely.
Okay, so, we are getting much closer now to playoff time in the NFL. Usually, this time of the year, we are starting to get a clearer picture of what teams truly have a chance, and what teams may have started by racing out of the gates and looking awesome for a while, but then withering away as the season went along. Right now, it seems (to me, at least), that the Chargers and Cardinals both are in danger of doing exactly that, as both teams had people starting to stand up and take notice earlier this season, only to see the losses - and their chances at playoff glory - look decidedly compromised once the losses started to come with more regularity.
Of course, now that I say that, watch those two teams meet in the Super Bowl.
Right?
Nah. I doubt it.
Anyway, there are teams that are starting to emerge as truly capable of making a run and going all the way, at least based on the way that they have played so far. And the hell of it is that these are teams that, for the most part, are very often among the favorites to win it. Teams like the New England Patriots, who were left for dead after a terrible loss to the Chiefs in KC earlier this season, but who now look like they will easily win the AFC East and probably have a playoff bye, if they keep it up. Teams like the Green Bay Packers, who people forgot about because of two consecutive playoff defeats to San Francisco, and started this season off in rough shape, but have recovered enough to enjoy a lead in the NFC North race, and look ready to potentially get a playoff bye, and possibly even home field advantage. Teams like the Denver Broncos, who always seem to be in position to make the Super Bowl, and look that way again this season. They are not lighting up the boards the way that they did last season, but they look like a tough team capable of a run to the Super Bowl. And the Seattle Seahawks, the defending champions, who look like they are recovering from a sluggish start and finding their mojo right in time for a potential playoff run.
There may be other teams out there that have a chance. The Eagles right now look good, and so, potentially, do the Cowboys. But neither of those teams have a ton of recent playoff victories where they proved themselves, and from which they gained valuable experience. Detroit looks good, too. They have the top defense in the league, and their offense can potentially explode at any moment. But, like with Dallas and Philly, not a lot of playoff experience, and that leaves more question marks then anything. The Cincinnati Bengals have become a regular playoff contender and possible challenger for a playoff bye and even home field. But it is hard to picture them making a run to the Super Bowl for exactly the same reasons mentioned about those other teams. To a lesser extent, that holds true for the Colts as well, although I do believe that they are getting better, and will be a solid contender for a title in the near future - but just not likely this season, yet.
A few teams should probably be stronger contenders at this point in the season than they have proven to be. The New Orleans Saints. The San Francisco 49ers. The Kansas City Chiefs. The Chicago Bears, who figured to be a solid team this season, according to quite a few experts, as well as the Vegas line (although I am not entirely sure why).
One team that by all rights should be a contender, but never even came close, would be the New York Giants. My New York Giants.
Yes, they are a terrible team this season, no question.
Kevin Gilbride: Tom Coughlin will resurrect Giants again By Justin Terranova, November 21, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/11/21/kevin-gilbride-tom-coughlin-will-resurrect-giants-again/
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/sports/the-5-nfl-teams-with-the-best-super-bowl-odds-in-december.html/6/
http://www.totalprosports.com/2012/10/22/9-disgraced-sports-heroes/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_308932#10
http://www.totalprosports.com/2014/01/31/the-11-best-quarterbacks-never-to-win-a-super-bowl/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_308933
On This Day in History - December 29 Wounded Knee Massacre
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
Dec 29, 1890: U.S. Army massacres Indians at Wounded Knee
On this day in 1890, in the final chapter of America's long Indian wars, the U.S. Cavalry kills 146 Sioux at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota.
Throughout 1890, the U.S. government worried about the increasing influence at Pine Ridge of the Ghost Dance spiritual movement, which taught that Indians had been defeated and confined to reservations because they had angered the gods by abandoning their traditional customs. Many Sioux believed that if they practiced the Ghost Dance and rejected the ways of the white man, the gods would create the world anew and destroy all non-believers, including non-Indians. On December 15, 1890, reservation police tried to arrest Sitting Bull, the famous Sioux chief, who they mistakenly believed was a Ghost Dancer, and killed him in the process, increasing the tensions at Pine Ridge.
On December 29, the U.S. Army's 7th cavalry surrounded a band of Ghost Dancers under the Sioux Chief Big Foot near Wounded Knee Creek and demanded they surrender their weapons. As that was happening, a fight broke out between an Indian and a U.S. soldier and a shot was fired, although it's unclear from which side. A brutal massacre followed, in which it's estimated almost 150 Indians were killed (some historians put this number at twice as high), nearly half of them women and children. The cavalry lost 25 men.
The conflict at Wounded Knee was originally referred to as a battle, but in reality it was a tragic and avoidable massacre. Surrounded by heavily armed troops, it's unlikely that Big Foot's band would have intentionally started a fight. Some historians speculate that the soldiers of the 7th Cavalry were deliberately taking revenge for the regiment's defeat at Little Bighorn in 1876. Whatever the motives, the massacre ended the Ghost Dance movement and was the last major confrontation in America's deadly war against the Plains Indians.
Conflict came to Wounded Knee again in February 1973 when it was the site of a 71-day occupation by the activist group AIM (American Indian Movement) and its supporters, who were protesting the U.S. government's mistreatment of Native Americans. During the standoff, two Indians were killed, one federal marshal was seriously wounded and numerous people were arrested.
Dec 29, 1940: Worst air raid on London
On the evening of December 29, 1940, London suffers its most devastating air raid when Germans firebomb the city. Hundreds of fires caused by the exploding bombs engulfed areas of London, but firefighters showed a valiant indifference to the bombs falling around them and saved much of the city from destruction. The next day, a newspaper photo of St. Paul's Cathedral standing undamaged amid the smoke and flames seemed to symbolize the capital's unconquerable spirit during the Battle of Britain.
In May and June 1940, Holland, Belgium, Norway, and France fell one by one to the German Wehrmacht, leaving Great Britain alone in its resistance against Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's plans for world domination. The British Expeditionary Force escaped the continent with an impromptu evacuation from Dunkirk, but they left behind the tanks and artillery needed to defend their homeland against invasion. With British air and land forces outnumbered by their German counterparts, and U.S. aid not yet begun, it seemed certain that Britain would soon follow the fate of France. However, Winston Churchill, the new British prime minister, promised his nation and the world that Britain would "never surrender," and the British people mobilized behind their defiant leader.
On June 5, the Luftwaffe began attacks on English Channel ports and convoys, and on June 30 Germany seized control of the undefended Channel Islands. On July 10--the first day of the Battle of Britain according to the RAF--the Luftwaffe intensified its bombing of British ports. Six days later, Hitler ordered the German army and navy to prepare for Operation Sea Lion. On July 19, the German leader made a speech in Berlin in which he offered a conditional peace to the British government: Britain would keep its empire and be spared from invasion if its leaders accepted the German domination of the European continent. A simple radio message from Lord Halifax swept the proposal away.
Germany needed to master the skies over Britain if it was to transport safely its superior land forces across the 21-mile English Channel. On August 8, the Luftwaffe intensified its raids against the ports in an attempt to draw the British air fleet out into the open. Simultaneously, the Germans began bombing Britain's sophisticated radar defense system and RAF-fighter airfields. During August, as many as 1,500 German aircraft crossed the Channel daily, often blotting out the sun as they flew against their British targets. Despite the odds against them, the outnumbered RAF fliers successfully resisted the massive German air invasion, relying on radar technology, more maneuverable aircraft, and exceptional bravery. For every British plane shot down, two Luftwaffe warplanes were destroyed.
At the end of August, the RAF launched a retaliatory air raid against Berlin. Hitler was enraged and ordered the Luftwaffe to shift its attacks from RAF installations to London and other British cities. On September 7, the Blitz against London began, and after a week of almost ceaseless attacks several areas of London were in flames and the royal palace, churches, and hospitals had all been hit. However, the concentration on London allowed the RAF to recuperate elsewhere, and on September 15 the RAF launched a vigorous counterattack, downing 56 German aircraft in two dogfights that lasted less than an hour.
The costly raid convinced the German high command that the Luftwaffe could not achieve air supremacy over Britain, and the next day daylight attacks were replaced with nighttime sorties as a concession of defeat. On September 19, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler postponed indefinitely "Operation Sea Lion"--the amphibious invasion of Britain. The Battle of Britain, however, continued.
In October, Hitler ordered a massive bombing campaign against London and other cities to crush British morale and force an armistice. Despite significant loss of life and tremendous material damage to Britain's cities, the country's resolve remained unbroken. The ability of Londoners to maintain their composure had much to do with Britain's survival during this trying period. As American journalist Edward R. Murrow reported, "Not once have I heard a man, woman, or child suggest that Britain should throw her hand." In May 1941, the air raids essentially ceased as German forces massed near the border of the USSR.
By denying the Germans a quick victory, depriving them of forces to be used in their invasion of the USSR, and proving to America that increased arms support for Britain was not in vain, the outcome of the Battle of Britain greatly changed the course of World War II. As Churchill said of the RAF fliers during the Battle of Britain, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Dec 29, 1170: The making of an English martyr
Archbishop Thomas Becket is brutally murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights of King Henry II of England, apparently on orders of the king.
In 1155, Henry II appointed Becket as chancellor, a high post in the English government. Becket proved a skilled diplomat and won the trust of Henry, who nominated him as archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. The king hoped his friend would help in his efforts to curb the growing power of the church. However, soon after his consecration, the new archbishop emerged a zealous defender of the jurisdiction of the church over its own affairs. In 1164, Becket was forced to flee to France under fear of retaliation by the king.
He was later reconciled with Henry and in 1170 returned to Canterbury amid great public rejoicing. Soon afterward, against the objections of the pope, Henry had his son crowned co-king by the archbishop of York, and tensions again came to a head between Becket and Henry. At this time, perhaps merely in a moment of frustration, the king issued to his court the following public plea: "What a parcel of fools and dastards have I nourished in my house, and not one of them will avenge me of this one upstart clerk." A group of Henry's knights took the statement very seriously, and on December 29, Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.
The Christian world was shocked by Becket's death, and in 1173 he was canonized a Catholic saint. In 1174, Henry was forced to do penance at his tomb, and his efforts to end the separation between church and state ceased. In 1220, Becket's bones were transferred to Trinity Chapel in Canterbury Cathedral, which later became a popular site of English religious pilgrimage.
Dec 29, 1915: French government gives land for British war cemeteries
On this day in 1915, the French National Assembly passes a law formally ceding the land that holds the British war cemeteries to Great Britain. The move ensured even as the war was being fought that its saddest and most sacred monuments would be forever protected.
The law stated that the land was "the free gift of the French people for a perpetual resting place of those who are laid there." By the end of the war, it would apply to more than 1,200 cemeteries along the Western Front, the majority located near the battlefields in the Somme, Nord, and Pas-de-Calais regions. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established in 1917 by a British royal charter, supervised the construction of the cemeteries and their monuments, which were designed by some of the most prominent British architects of the day. The last monument was put in place in 1938.
The French office of the commission is charged with the maintenance of these cemeteries; between 400 and 500 members of its staff tend the graves and the surrounding horticulture. In addition to the cemeteries, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission also tends to the numerous monuments that exist on the Western Front to commemorate the missing. One of the largest of these stands at Thiepval, on the Somme battlefield, and bears the names of 73,357 British and South African soldiers and officers who died there between July 1915 and March 1918 and whose final resting place is not known.
Dec 29, 1845: Texas enters the Union
Six months after the congress of the Republic of Texas accepts U.S. annexation of the territory, Texas is admitted into the United States as the 28th state.
After gaining independence from Spain in the 1820s, Mexico welcomed foreign settlers to sparsely populated Texas, and a large group of Americans led by Stephen F. Austin settled along the Brazos River. The Americans soon outnumbered the resident Mexicans, and by the 1830s attempts by the Mexican government to regulate these semi-autonomous American communities led to rebellion. In March 1836, in the midst of armed conflict with the Mexican government, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.
The Texas volunteers initially suffered defeat against the forces of Mexican General Santa Anna--the Alamo fell and Sam Houston's troops were forced into an eastward retreat. However, in late April, Houston's troops surprised a Mexican force at San Jacinto, and Santa Anna was captured, bringing an end to Mexico's efforts to subdue Texas. The citizens of the independent Republic of Texas elected Sam Houston president but also endorsed the entrance of Texas into the Union. The likelihood of Texas joining the Union as a slave state delayed any formal action by the U.S. Congress for more than a decade. In 1844, Congress finally agreed to annex the territory of Texas. On December 29, 1845, Texas entered the United States as a slave state, broadening the irrepressible differences in the United States over the issue of slavery and setting off the Mexican-American War.
Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:
1170 - St. Thomas à Becket, the 40th archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in his own cathedral by four knights acting on Henry II's orders. 1812 - The USS Constitution won a battle with the British ship HMS Java about 30 miles off the coast of Brazil. Before Commodore William Bainbridge ordered the sinking of the Java he had her wheel removed to replace the one the Constitution had lost during the battle. 1813 - The British burned Buffalo, NY, during the War of 1812. 1837 - Canadian militiamen destroyed the Caroline, a U.S. steamboat docked at Buffalo, NY. 1845 - U.S. President James Polk and signed legislation making Texas the 28th state of the United States. 1848 - U.S. President James Polk turned on the first gas light at the White House. 1851 - The first American Young Men's Christian Association was organized, in Boston, MA. 1860 - The HMS Warrior, Britain's first seagoing first iron-hulled warship, was launched. 1888 - The first performance of Macbeth took place at the Lyceum Theatre. 1890 - The U.S. Seventh Cavalry massacred over 400 men, women and children at Wounded Knee Creek, SD. This was the last major conflict between Indians and U.S. troops. 1895 - The Jameson Raid from Mafikeng into Transvaal, which attempted to overthrow Kruger's Boer government, started. 1911 - Sun Yat-sen became the first president of a republican China. 1913 - "The Unwelcome Throne" was released by Selig’s Polyscope Company. This was a moving picture and the first serial motion picture. 1934 - The first regular-season, college basketball game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York University defeated Notre Dame 25-18. 1934 - Japan renounced the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and the London Naval Treaty of 1930. 1937 - Babe Ruth returned to baseball as the new manager of the Class D, De Land Reds of the Florida State League. Ruth had retired from baseball in 1935. 1940 - During World War II, Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London. 1945 - The mystery voice of Mr. Hush was heard for the first time on the radio show, "Truth or Consequences", hosted by Ralph Edwards. 1945 - Sheb Wooley recorded the first commercial record made in Nashville, TN. 1949 - KC2XAK of Bridgeport, Connecticut became the first ultrahigh frequency (UHF) television station to begin operating on a regular daily schedule. 1952 - The first transistorized hearing aid was offered for sale by Sonotone Corporation. 1953 - Jean Stapleton debuted in her first Broadway play, "In the Summer House", which closed after only 55 performances. 1972 - Following 36 years of publication, the last weekly issue of "LIFE" magazine hit the newsstands. The magazine later became a monthly publication. 1975 - A bomb exploded in the main terminal of New York's LaGuardia Airport. 11 people were killed. 1985 - Phil Donahue and a Soviet radio commentator hosted the "Citizens’ Summit" via satellite TV. 1986 - The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, FL, reopened for business after eighteen years and $47 million expended on restoration. 1989 - Following Hong Kong's decision to forcibly repatriate some Vietnamese refugees, thousands of Vietnamese 'boat people' battled with riot police. 1996 - The Guatemalan government and leaders of the leftist Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union signed a peace accord in Guatemala City, ending a civil war that had lasted 36 years. 1997 - Hong Kong began killing 1.25 million chickens, the entire population, for fear of the spread of 'bird flu'. 1998 - Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed 1 million lives.
1170 Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights acting under the orders of Henry II. 1845 Texas became the 28th state in the United States. 1851 The first Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) opened in Boston. 1890 The last major battle of the Indian Wars, at Wounded Knee Creek, took place with hundreds of Indian men, women, and children massacred. 1937 The Constitution of Ireland, changing the Irish Free State into Eire, went into effect. 1940 During World War II, Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London. 1989 Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia. 1996 A peace agreement was signed, ending 36 years of conflict in Guatemala.
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/dec29.htm
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history
http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history
Dec 29, 1890: U.S. Army massacres Indians at Wounded Knee
On this day in 1890, in the final chapter of America's long Indian wars, the U.S. Cavalry kills 146 Sioux at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota.
Throughout 1890, the U.S. government worried about the increasing influence at Pine Ridge of the Ghost Dance spiritual movement, which taught that Indians had been defeated and confined to reservations because they had angered the gods by abandoning their traditional customs. Many Sioux believed that if they practiced the Ghost Dance and rejected the ways of the white man, the gods would create the world anew and destroy all non-believers, including non-Indians. On December 15, 1890, reservation police tried to arrest Sitting Bull, the famous Sioux chief, who they mistakenly believed was a Ghost Dancer, and killed him in the process, increasing the tensions at Pine Ridge.
On December 29, the U.S. Army's 7th cavalry surrounded a band of Ghost Dancers under the Sioux Chief Big Foot near Wounded Knee Creek and demanded they surrender their weapons. As that was happening, a fight broke out between an Indian and a U.S. soldier and a shot was fired, although it's unclear from which side. A brutal massacre followed, in which it's estimated almost 150 Indians were killed (some historians put this number at twice as high), nearly half of them women and children. The cavalry lost 25 men.
The conflict at Wounded Knee was originally referred to as a battle, but in reality it was a tragic and avoidable massacre. Surrounded by heavily armed troops, it's unlikely that Big Foot's band would have intentionally started a fight. Some historians speculate that the soldiers of the 7th Cavalry were deliberately taking revenge for the regiment's defeat at Little Bighorn in 1876. Whatever the motives, the massacre ended the Ghost Dance movement and was the last major confrontation in America's deadly war against the Plains Indians.
Conflict came to Wounded Knee again in February 1973 when it was the site of a 71-day occupation by the activist group AIM (American Indian Movement) and its supporters, who were protesting the U.S. government's mistreatment of Native Americans. During the standoff, two Indians were killed, one federal marshal was seriously wounded and numerous people were arrested.
Dec 29, 1940: Worst air raid on London
On the evening of December 29, 1940, London suffers its most devastating air raid when Germans firebomb the city. Hundreds of fires caused by the exploding bombs engulfed areas of London, but firefighters showed a valiant indifference to the bombs falling around them and saved much of the city from destruction. The next day, a newspaper photo of St. Paul's Cathedral standing undamaged amid the smoke and flames seemed to symbolize the capital's unconquerable spirit during the Battle of Britain.
In May and June 1940, Holland, Belgium, Norway, and France fell one by one to the German Wehrmacht, leaving Great Britain alone in its resistance against Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's plans for world domination. The British Expeditionary Force escaped the continent with an impromptu evacuation from Dunkirk, but they left behind the tanks and artillery needed to defend their homeland against invasion. With British air and land forces outnumbered by their German counterparts, and U.S. aid not yet begun, it seemed certain that Britain would soon follow the fate of France. However, Winston Churchill, the new British prime minister, promised his nation and the world that Britain would "never surrender," and the British people mobilized behind their defiant leader.
On June 5, the Luftwaffe began attacks on English Channel ports and convoys, and on June 30 Germany seized control of the undefended Channel Islands. On July 10--the first day of the Battle of Britain according to the RAF--the Luftwaffe intensified its bombing of British ports. Six days later, Hitler ordered the German army and navy to prepare for Operation Sea Lion. On July 19, the German leader made a speech in Berlin in which he offered a conditional peace to the British government: Britain would keep its empire and be spared from invasion if its leaders accepted the German domination of the European continent. A simple radio message from Lord Halifax swept the proposal away.
Germany needed to master the skies over Britain if it was to transport safely its superior land forces across the 21-mile English Channel. On August 8, the Luftwaffe intensified its raids against the ports in an attempt to draw the British air fleet out into the open. Simultaneously, the Germans began bombing Britain's sophisticated radar defense system and RAF-fighter airfields. During August, as many as 1,500 German aircraft crossed the Channel daily, often blotting out the sun as they flew against their British targets. Despite the odds against them, the outnumbered RAF fliers successfully resisted the massive German air invasion, relying on radar technology, more maneuverable aircraft, and exceptional bravery. For every British plane shot down, two Luftwaffe warplanes were destroyed.
At the end of August, the RAF launched a retaliatory air raid against Berlin. Hitler was enraged and ordered the Luftwaffe to shift its attacks from RAF installations to London and other British cities. On September 7, the Blitz against London began, and after a week of almost ceaseless attacks several areas of London were in flames and the royal palace, churches, and hospitals had all been hit. However, the concentration on London allowed the RAF to recuperate elsewhere, and on September 15 the RAF launched a vigorous counterattack, downing 56 German aircraft in two dogfights that lasted less than an hour.
The costly raid convinced the German high command that the Luftwaffe could not achieve air supremacy over Britain, and the next day daylight attacks were replaced with nighttime sorties as a concession of defeat. On September 19, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler postponed indefinitely "Operation Sea Lion"--the amphibious invasion of Britain. The Battle of Britain, however, continued.
In October, Hitler ordered a massive bombing campaign against London and other cities to crush British morale and force an armistice. Despite significant loss of life and tremendous material damage to Britain's cities, the country's resolve remained unbroken. The ability of Londoners to maintain their composure had much to do with Britain's survival during this trying period. As American journalist Edward R. Murrow reported, "Not once have I heard a man, woman, or child suggest that Britain should throw her hand." In May 1941, the air raids essentially ceased as German forces massed near the border of the USSR.
By denying the Germans a quick victory, depriving them of forces to be used in their invasion of the USSR, and proving to America that increased arms support for Britain was not in vain, the outcome of the Battle of Britain greatly changed the course of World War II. As Churchill said of the RAF fliers during the Battle of Britain, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Dec 29, 1170: The making of an English martyr
Archbishop Thomas Becket is brutally murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights of King Henry II of England, apparently on orders of the king.
In 1155, Henry II appointed Becket as chancellor, a high post in the English government. Becket proved a skilled diplomat and won the trust of Henry, who nominated him as archbishop of Canterbury in 1162. The king hoped his friend would help in his efforts to curb the growing power of the church. However, soon after his consecration, the new archbishop emerged a zealous defender of the jurisdiction of the church over its own affairs. In 1164, Becket was forced to flee to France under fear of retaliation by the king.
He was later reconciled with Henry and in 1170 returned to Canterbury amid great public rejoicing. Soon afterward, against the objections of the pope, Henry had his son crowned co-king by the archbishop of York, and tensions again came to a head between Becket and Henry. At this time, perhaps merely in a moment of frustration, the king issued to his court the following public plea: "What a parcel of fools and dastards have I nourished in my house, and not one of them will avenge me of this one upstart clerk." A group of Henry's knights took the statement very seriously, and on December 29, Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.
The Christian world was shocked by Becket's death, and in 1173 he was canonized a Catholic saint. In 1174, Henry was forced to do penance at his tomb, and his efforts to end the separation between church and state ceased. In 1220, Becket's bones were transferred to Trinity Chapel in Canterbury Cathedral, which later became a popular site of English religious pilgrimage.
Dec 29, 1915: French government gives land for British war cemeteries
On this day in 1915, the French National Assembly passes a law formally ceding the land that holds the British war cemeteries to Great Britain. The move ensured even as the war was being fought that its saddest and most sacred monuments would be forever protected.
The law stated that the land was "the free gift of the French people for a perpetual resting place of those who are laid there." By the end of the war, it would apply to more than 1,200 cemeteries along the Western Front, the majority located near the battlefields in the Somme, Nord, and Pas-de-Calais regions. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established in 1917 by a British royal charter, supervised the construction of the cemeteries and their monuments, which were designed by some of the most prominent British architects of the day. The last monument was put in place in 1938.
The French office of the commission is charged with the maintenance of these cemeteries; between 400 and 500 members of its staff tend the graves and the surrounding horticulture. In addition to the cemeteries, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission also tends to the numerous monuments that exist on the Western Front to commemorate the missing. One of the largest of these stands at Thiepval, on the Somme battlefield, and bears the names of 73,357 British and South African soldiers and officers who died there between July 1915 and March 1918 and whose final resting place is not known.
Dec 29, 1845: Texas enters the Union
Six months after the congress of the Republic of Texas accepts U.S. annexation of the territory, Texas is admitted into the United States as the 28th state.
After gaining independence from Spain in the 1820s, Mexico welcomed foreign settlers to sparsely populated Texas, and a large group of Americans led by Stephen F. Austin settled along the Brazos River. The Americans soon outnumbered the resident Mexicans, and by the 1830s attempts by the Mexican government to regulate these semi-autonomous American communities led to rebellion. In March 1836, in the midst of armed conflict with the Mexican government, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.
The Texas volunteers initially suffered defeat against the forces of Mexican General Santa Anna--the Alamo fell and Sam Houston's troops were forced into an eastward retreat. However, in late April, Houston's troops surprised a Mexican force at San Jacinto, and Santa Anna was captured, bringing an end to Mexico's efforts to subdue Texas. The citizens of the independent Republic of Texas elected Sam Houston president but also endorsed the entrance of Texas into the Union. The likelihood of Texas joining the Union as a slave state delayed any formal action by the U.S. Congress for more than a decade. In 1844, Congress finally agreed to annex the territory of Texas. On December 29, 1845, Texas entered the United States as a slave state, broadening the irrepressible differences in the United States over the issue of slavery and setting off the Mexican-American War.
Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:
1170 - Assassination inside Canterbury Cathedral of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury by followers of King Henry II; he subsequently becomes a saint and martyr in the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
1503 - Battle at Carigliano: Spanish army beats France
1539 - St Jacobs Church burns after being hit by lightning
1541 - Isabella of Poland & King Ferdinand of Austria sign Treaty of Gyalu
1558 - Charles V, German Emperor, buried
1705 - Prosper Jolyot's "Idomenée," premieres in Paris
1708 - Great Alliance occupies Gent
1778 - English troops occupy Savannah, Georgia
1782 - 1st nautical almanac in US published by Samuel Stearns, Boston
1786 - French Revolution: The Assembly of Notables is convoked
1812 - The USS Constitution under the command of Captain William Bainbridge, captures the HMS Java off the coast of Brazil after a three hour battle.
1813 - British burn Buffalo, NY during War of 1812
1835 - The Treaty of New Echota is signed, ceding all the lands of the Cherokee east of the Mississippi River to the United States.
1837 - Canadian militia destroy Caroline, a US steamboat docked at Buffalo
1837 - Steam-powered threshing machine patented, Winthrop, Maine
1841 - King/grand duke Willem II installs Order of Eikenkroon
1845 - Texas admitted as 28th state
1848 - Gas lights 1st installed at White House (Polk's administration)
1851 - 1st American Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) chapter opened in Boston Massachusetts.
Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas BecketArchbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket 1852 - Emma Snodgrass arrested in Boston for wearing pants
1857 - Franz Liszt's "Die Hunnenschlacht," premieres in Weimar
1860 - The first British seagoing iron-clad warship, HMS Warrior is launched.
1862 - Battle of Chichasaw Bayou: confederate armies defeat Gen Sherman
1862 - Bowling ball invented
1864 - Fire Dept celebrates 1st annual ball
1867 - 1st telegraph ticker used by a brokerage house, Groesbeck & Co, NY
1876 - 11 passenger cars crash in a ravine near Ashtabula Ohio, 92 die
1885 - Gottlieb Daimler patents 1st bike (Germany)
1890 - US 7th Cavalry massacre 200+ captive Sioux at Wounded Knee, SD
1891 - Edison patents "transmission of signals electrically" (radio)
1895 - Dr L S Jameson begins failed raid on Johannesburg
1899 - English fleet brings German postschip Bundesrath up
1900 - General Viljoen surprise attack British garrison to Helvetia
1903 - French Equatorial Africa separates into Gabon, Chad& amp; Ubangi-Shari
Composer/Pianist Franz LisztComposer/Pianist Franz Liszt 1906 - Montreal Wanderers beat New Glasgow (NS) for Stanley Cup (2nd of 1906)
1908 - Patent granted for a 4-wheel automobile brake, Clintonville, Wisc
1911 - Proclamation restores "Dei Gratia" from Canada's coins
1911 - SF Symphony formed
1911 - Sun Yat-sen becomes the first President of the Republic of China.
1911 - Mongolia gains independence from the Qing dynasty.
1913 - 1st movie serial, "Adventures of Kathlyn," premieres in Chicago
1920 - The netherlands/Venezuela recover diplomatic relations
1920 - Yugoslav government bans communist party
1921 - William Lyon Mackenzie King succeeded Arthur Meighen as Canadian PM
1922 - Dutch Constitution proclaimed
1922 - Revised Netherlands Law proclaims suffrage
1926 - Vatican puts French fascist Charles Maurras' work on the index
1926 - Victoria (1107) beat NSW (221 & 230) by an innings 656 runs
1929 - Police arrest Sukarno & 100s PNI-leaders
1930 - Fred P Newton completes longest swim ever (1826 miles), when he swam in the Mississippi River from Ford Dam, Minn, to New Orleans
1931 - Identification of heavy water publicly announced, HC Urey
1931 - Victoria score 7 for 435 in second innings to beat NSW
Baseball Great Babe RuthBaseball Great Babe Ruth 1933 - Yank refuses to release Babe Ruth so he can manage the Cin Reds
1934 - 1st collegiate basketball doubleheader (Madison Square Garden)
1934 - Federico Garcia Lorca's "Yerma," premieres in Madrid
1934 - Japan renounces Wash Naval Treaty of 1922 & London Treaty of 1930
1937 - 2nd Irish constitution goes into effect; Irish Free State renamed Erie
1937 - Ireland adopts constitution (Irish Free State becomes Eire)
1937 - Lou Thesz beats E Marshall in St Louis, to become wrestling champ
1937 - Pan Am starts San Francisco-to-Auckland, New Zealand service
1938 - Construction on Lake Washington Floating Bridge, Seattle, begins
1939 - First flight of the Consolidated B-24.
1940 - Germany begins dropping incendiary bombs on London (WW II)
1940 - NFL Pro Bowl: Chi Bears beats NFL All-Stars 28-14
1944 - Belgian nazi Leon Degrelle at default to the death sentenced
1944 - Gen Eisenhowers train returns to Versailles
1947 - Ship carrying Jewish immigrants driven away from Palestine
1948 - "Rape of Lucretia" opens at Ziegfeld Theater NYC for 23 performances
1948 - Canada recognizes Israel
1948 - US State Dept announces work on placing objects into Earth orbit
1949 - 1st UHF television station operating regular basis (Bridgeport Ct)
1949 - Hungary nationalized its industries
1951 - Flying Enterprise in difficulty in Canal
1952 - 1st transistorized hearing aid offered for sale (Elmsford NY)
1954 - Kingdom of Netherlands, with Netherlands & Netherlands Antilles as autonomous parts, comes into being
Singer-songwriter & Actress Barbra StreisandSinger-songwriter & Actress Barbra Streisand 1955 - Barbra Streisand's 1st recording "You'll Never Know" at age 13
1957 - Detroit Lions beat Cleveland Browns 50-14 in NFL championship game
1957 - Singers Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme wed in Las Vegas
1958 - Balt Colts beat NY Giants 23-17 in NFL championship game
1958 - TV soap "Young Dr Malone" debuts
1959 - Saul Levitt's "Andersonville Trial," premieres in NYC
1962 - Doug Walters makes 1st-class debut for NSW 17 yrs 8 days
1963 - 52nd Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Adelaide (3-2)
1965 - "Thunderball" premieres in US
1965 - CBS purchases NFL TV rights for 1966-68 at $18.8 million per year
1965 - Supremes release "My World is Empty Without You"
1966 - Pirate Radio Phoenix, 1st transmission (Worcester, Mass)
1967 - Star Trek's "Trouble With Tribbles" 1st airs
1967 - Turkish-Cypriot government forms in Cyprus
1968 - Balt Colts beat Cleveland Browns 34-0 in NFL championship game
1968 - Israeli commandos destroy 13 Lebanese airplanes
1968 - NY Jets beat Oakland Raiders 27-23 in AFL championship game
1969 - NY Times reports Curt Flood will sue baseball & challenge the reserve clause
1972 - Eastern Tristar Jumbo Jet crashes near Everglades killing 101
1972 - Life magazine ceases publication
1972 - Test Cricket debut of Jeff Thomson & Max Walker v Pakistan at MCG
1974 - Murray Schisgal's "All Over Town," premieres in NYC
1975 - 11 killed, 75 hurt by terrorist bomb at LaGuardia Airport in NYC
1977 - Ronald Ribman's "Cold Storage," premieres in NYC
1978 - Shah of Iran, asks Shapour Bahktiar to form a civilian government
1978 - Spain constitution goes into effect
1978 - Test Cricket debut of Allan Robert Border, v England at the MCG
1979 - Red Army beats NY Islanders 3-2 at Nassau Coliseum
1980 - Shuttle STS-1 moves from Vandenberg AFB to Launch Complex 39A
1982 - Bob Marley postage stamp issued in Jamaica
1982 - Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant ends his career with Alabama (323 wins)
1983 - Gavaskar makes the highest Test Cricket score by an Indian, 236* v WI
1983 - Graeme Yallop completes 268 v Pakistan at cricket MCG
1983 - US announced withdrawal from UNESCO
1984 - 5th United Negro College Fund
1984 - Blues took 27 shots against Islanders in 1 period
1984 - Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi claims victory in parlimetary elections
1988 - Soviet Red Army Team edges NY Islanders, 3-2 at Nassau Coliseum
1988 - Victorian Post Office Museum in Australia closes
1989 - Jane Pauley says goodbye to NBC's "Today" show
1989 - Vaclav Havel becomes president of Czechoslovakia
1989 - Wayne Gretzky & Martina Navratilova, named athletes of decade by AP
1989 - Riots break-out after Hong Kong decides to forcibly repatriate Vietnamese refugees.
1991 - "Christmas Carol" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 14 perfs
Tennis Player Martina NavratilovaTennis Player Martina Navratilova 1991 - 12th United Negro College Fund
1991 - Boeing 747-200F of China Airlines crash into mountain at Taipei
1992 - Gov Cuomo grants Jean Harris (Scarsdale Diet Dr killer) clemency
1993 - Courtney Love sues doctors for leaking news of her methadone treatment
1993 - Todd Bridges arrested for transporting methamphetamine (speed)
1994 - B737-400 flies into a mountain at Edremit East Turkey, 54 killed
1994 - Bangladesh government of Zia resigns
1994 - Last Dutch electro-magnetic telephone exchange shuts down
1994 - Shane Warne takes a hat-trick v England at cricket MCG
1996 - "Dreams & Nightmares" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC
1996 - "Skylight" closes at Royale Theater NYC after
1996 - "Taking Sides" closes at Atkinson Theater NYC
1997 - Carquest Bowl 8: Georgia Tech beats West Virginia, 35-30
1997 - Hong Kong begins slaughtering all its chickens to prevent bird flu
1997 - Orville Lynn Majors, 36, arrested for many deaths under his care
Singer-Songwriter Courtney LoveSinger-Songwriter Courtney Love 1997 - Russia signs agreement to build a $3B nuclear power plant in China
1998 - Leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologize for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed over 1 million.
2001 - Mesa Redonda shopping center fire, Lima, Peru, at least 291 killed.
2012 - 200 people are executed by the Syrian army in Homs
2012 - 21 security personnel are killed by Pakistani Taliban near Peshawar
2012 - 5 people are killed in a Tupolev Tu-204 plane crash in Moscow
1170 - St. Thomas à Becket, the 40th archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in his own cathedral by four knights acting on Henry II's orders. 1812 - The USS Constitution won a battle with the British ship HMS Java about 30 miles off the coast of Brazil. Before Commodore William Bainbridge ordered the sinking of the Java he had her wheel removed to replace the one the Constitution had lost during the battle. 1813 - The British burned Buffalo, NY, during the War of 1812. 1837 - Canadian militiamen destroyed the Caroline, a U.S. steamboat docked at Buffalo, NY. 1845 - U.S. President James Polk and signed legislation making Texas the 28th state of the United States. 1848 - U.S. President James Polk turned on the first gas light at the White House. 1851 - The first American Young Men's Christian Association was organized, in Boston, MA. 1860 - The HMS Warrior, Britain's first seagoing first iron-hulled warship, was launched. 1888 - The first performance of Macbeth took place at the Lyceum Theatre. 1890 - The U.S. Seventh Cavalry massacred over 400 men, women and children at Wounded Knee Creek, SD. This was the last major conflict between Indians and U.S. troops. 1895 - The Jameson Raid from Mafikeng into Transvaal, which attempted to overthrow Kruger's Boer government, started. 1911 - Sun Yat-sen became the first president of a republican China. 1913 - "The Unwelcome Throne" was released by Selig’s Polyscope Company. This was a moving picture and the first serial motion picture. 1934 - The first regular-season, college basketball game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York University defeated Notre Dame 25-18. 1934 - Japan renounced the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and the London Naval Treaty of 1930. 1937 - Babe Ruth returned to baseball as the new manager of the Class D, De Land Reds of the Florida State League. Ruth had retired from baseball in 1935. 1940 - During World War II, Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London. 1945 - The mystery voice of Mr. Hush was heard for the first time on the radio show, "Truth or Consequences", hosted by Ralph Edwards. 1945 - Sheb Wooley recorded the first commercial record made in Nashville, TN. 1949 - KC2XAK of Bridgeport, Connecticut became the first ultrahigh frequency (UHF) television station to begin operating on a regular daily schedule. 1952 - The first transistorized hearing aid was offered for sale by Sonotone Corporation. 1953 - Jean Stapleton debuted in her first Broadway play, "In the Summer House", which closed after only 55 performances. 1972 - Following 36 years of publication, the last weekly issue of "LIFE" magazine hit the newsstands. The magazine later became a monthly publication. 1975 - A bomb exploded in the main terminal of New York's LaGuardia Airport. 11 people were killed. 1985 - Phil Donahue and a Soviet radio commentator hosted the "Citizens’ Summit" via satellite TV. 1986 - The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, FL, reopened for business after eighteen years and $47 million expended on restoration. 1989 - Following Hong Kong's decision to forcibly repatriate some Vietnamese refugees, thousands of Vietnamese 'boat people' battled with riot police. 1996 - The Guatemalan government and leaders of the leftist Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union signed a peace accord in Guatemala City, ending a civil war that had lasted 36 years. 1997 - Hong Kong began killing 1.25 million chickens, the entire population, for fear of the spread of 'bird flu'. 1998 - Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed 1 million lives.
1170 Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights acting under the orders of Henry II. 1845 Texas became the 28th state in the United States. 1851 The first Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) opened in Boston. 1890 The last major battle of the Indian Wars, at Wounded Knee Creek, took place with hundreds of Indian men, women, and children massacred. 1937 The Constitution of Ireland, changing the Irish Free State into Eire, went into effect. 1940 During World War II, Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London. 1989 Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia. 1996 A peace agreement was signed, ending 36 years of conflict in Guatemala.
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/dec29.htm
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history
http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Djokovic Names Nadal as His Biggest Problem
Djokovic is on top of the world right now.
He just had a baby, so he's a proud new daddy. He also just won his third ever ITF championship as the number one ranked player at year's end in men's tennis, as his tennis resume continues to grow impressively.
Yet, he is not completely comfortable, and he explains his main problem in one word: Nadal.
Daily Bagel: Djokovic: 'I have a problem, his name is Nadal'
http://www.si.com/tennis/2014/12/09/daily-bagel-andy-murray-djokovic-nadal-iptl
He just had a baby, so he's a proud new daddy. He also just won his third ever ITF championship as the number one ranked player at year's end in men's tennis, as his tennis resume continues to grow impressively.
Yet, he is not completely comfortable, and he explains his main problem in one word: Nadal.
Daily Bagel: Djokovic: 'I have a problem, his name is Nadal'
http://www.si.com/tennis/2014/12/09/daily-bagel-andy-murray-djokovic-nadal-iptl
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