Today in History: Striking Out, Yet Making History

General William
T. Sherman helped
the Union capture Atlanta

I had a dream, that I would eventually be back to blogging my Today in History post. That dream began today! Starting school was very busy for me, but it will not stop be from writing my post! I can't believe I missed out writing about the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s
I Have A Dream" post on August 28! However, time has moved on and that was all history, so I digress and will explain the events on this day, August 31st, in history!

Georgia was an important state in the American Civil War. It was a large slave state, but also where General Sherman's March to the Sea, a large advancement for the Union in the war's final months, took place. We can back up a few months before Sherman's March to this day in 1864, where the decisive Battle of Jonesboro begins. Union General William T. Sherman launches this attack that would eventually lead to the capture of Atlanta, Georgia for the Union, forcing Confederate soldiers to flee the area. It did not only influence the battles of the south, but also secured Abraham Lincoln's reelection in the fall of 1864.

Charles Kayser of
the Edison lab pictured
with a Kinetograph

If I asked you what a Kinetograph (or a Kinetoscope) is at the top of your head, what would you say? I honestly did not know what it was honestly, but after researching a little bit, I found out it was a type of movie camera patent by Thomas Edison on this day in 1897. With still-photography principles surfacing society in the late 1890s, Edison used these concepts to create a movie recording device. His new device used celluloid film, a new concept in the camera industry. By 1909, Edison had left the film industry, though the kinetograph had already been another invention in his impressive resume.

Sandy Koufaxin his
historic 18-strikeout
performance

Avoiding any war for the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Neutrality Act on this day in 1935. This was the first of a series of Neutrality Acts, as this act of 1935 was set to expire 6 months after its ratification. Eventually by March of 1941, the end of the neutrality came when the Lend-Lease Act was passed to increase America's military export to Britain, which helped the English when Adolf Hitler's German forces advanced toward England.

To the end the day off with some classical, historical baseball, we must draw our attention to Sandy Koufax's dominating performance against the San Francisco Giants on this day in 1959. With his dominating performance, Koufax lead the Brooklyn Dodgers in a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. With 60,194 in attendance, Koufax allowed 2 earned runs on 7 hits in 9 innings while striking out 18, setting the National League record at that time for must strikeouts in a game. Among the 18 strikeouts, the Giants 3-4-5 hitters Willie McCovey, Willie Mays, and Orlando Cepeda, all future Hall of Famers, struck out 6 times. Koufax himself also struck out 2 times in his 3 at bats of the day.

Sincere Apoligies!

Hello readers! I sincerely apologize for the  missing Today in History posts. I have started school this week and have been very busy. This week will have limited posts because of my busy week, but I am definitely continuing the series! Starting next week, the Today in History posts will be back to a regular schedule. 

Today in History: There's A Start and An Ending

A 14th-century depiction of
Mongol leader Genghis Kahn

A reported noted that 1 in 200 of the world population are possibly related to Genghis Khan. If the report were truly accurate, that would mean that at least 1 in 200 people in this world lost at least one descendent today in 1227.  August 18th, 1227 marks the death of Mongol leader Genghis Khan, who died in a camp while campaigning against the Xi Xia kingdom in China during the Song Dynasty. Unknown of true age, historians have estimated at the time of his death, the senile Khan was over 60 and suffered from multiple injuries like falling off a horse a year before. Khan ordered the kingdom of Xi Xia to be completely destroyed on his deathbed. Following Khan's orders, the kingdoms were demolished by the Mongols. The Mongols killed anyone who laid an eye on the funeral possessions of Khan, which were making its way back to the capitol of the Mongol empire, Karakorum. Khan's resting place is currently still a mystery.

The first page of
the Jay Treaty

The Jay Treaty was a treaty proposed mainly by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and George Washington, was signed by Washington on this day in 1795. This treaty, also known as the Treaty of London of 1794, was to sooth post war tensions between the newly-formed United States of America and Great Britain. British King George III had signed this treaty nearly a year before on November 19, 1794. After much opposition to the treaty in the United States, it had been finally been approved by Congress days before on August 14th, only awaiting president approval. 

The 19th Amendment document
can be found in the US
Government archives

Women's rights have always been a problem in the world. On this day in 1920, women's rights in the United States makes a big milestone with the ratification of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote. With Tennessee ratifying the amendment, allowing the two-thirds of state majority vote on the amendment, the simple two sections described that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on the account of sex." 

An image of Bird
playing on the
Boston Celtics

Today in history marks the 21st anniversary of basketball legend, Larry Bird. On August 18th, 1992, Bird announced his retirement as a player in the NBA. Bird's jersey number 33 was retired by the Boston Celtics shortly after. Retiring from the NBA as a player did not stop him from totally disappearing from the NBA. He worked as the Celtics' front office special assistant for five years until he was hired as the Indiana Pacers head coach. In 1998, Bird continued his legacy with an induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Bird also was named NBA Coach of the Year that year after leading the Pacers to a franchise record 58-24 season. Currently, Bird is the Pacers' president of basketball operations. 

Today in History: Going the Distance

Gehrig along with other Yankees legend, Babe Ruth

For any fan of baseball, Lou Gehrig was no doubt an amazing player. Today in 1933 was the day that Henry Louis Gehrig of the New York Yankees, breaks former Yankee Everett Scott's record for consecutive games played. Scott had played 1,307 consecutive games until Gehrig played in 1,308th on August 17th, 1933 versus the St. Louis Browns. Gehrig went 2-5 with an RBI. The Yankees lost 6-7 to the Browns, but Gehrig would go on to play in 2,230 consecutive games, a Major League record for over half a century until Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed him on September 6th, 1995.

Nearly a year after starting construction on August 13th, 1961, a man tries to cross the Berlin Wall, though is killed on this day in 1962. Before this man's death, he attempted to escape with another friend from East Germany to West Germany for freedom. His friend climbed over the barbed wired fence and managed a few cuts, but escaped safely to West Berlin. The man killed on this day attempted to escape, but was shot by machine guns controlled by East German soldiers. Even after being shot, the man stood up and attempted climbed across the wall, only to be shot once again. The man falls from the wall on the East German side, slowly bleeding into a painful death. Horrified West German soldiers and residents watched this man left to bleed for an hour before he finally dies. West German soldiers attempted to throw bandages at the man while angry West Berlin citizens screamed at the East German guards who seemed to be satisfied with the bleeding man. Throughout its 38 years, the Berlin Wall saw many who tried to cross the wall. Interestingly, nearly 80 peopled were killed trying to cross the wall east to west, but no one was ever shot attempting to enter into the east.

The Double Eagle II
flies through the sky

In fun and quirky events, the first balloon, the Double Eagle II, crosses the Atlantic Ocean after six days on this day in 1978. Manned by pilots Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman, the helium filled hot air balloon flew from Preque Isle, Maine, to a barley field near Paris, France. The Double Eagle II flew rather smoothly for the first few days of flight until August 16th, where atmospheric conditions caused the balloon to fly at a safer altitude of 20,000ft to the dangerous conditions of 4,000ft. As the men flew along France, their families followed them in car. Two of the men on this flight, Ben Abruzzo and Larry Newman, along with two other men, Ron Clark and Rocky Aoki, also flew on the first transpacific balloon flight in 1981.

Clinton during his
public apology on
August 17, 1998

August 17th, 1998 was quite a day for Bill Clinton. On this day in 1998, Clinton becomes the first president in office to testify to the Office of Independent Council. After four years of investigation, a testimony finally came to accused Clinton of several scandals including sexual harassment and illegal real-estate dealing. After testifying, Clinton publicly addressed the nation live via television explaining his side of the story, admitting that he did in fact have an "inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was impeached by Congress, though was later acquitted, allowing him to serve his full presidential term. Polls revealed that the public did not condone of Clinton's affair, but was not a worthy action for impeachment or resignation.

Today in History: Loss of Revolutionary Men

The first two paragraphs of this post are short biographies of Babe Ruth and Elvis Presley. 

The Bambino poses for a
photography with a bat

Ruth hit more home runs
than whole teams

Though today marks the fifty-fifth birthday of pop icon, Madonna, today was a sad day for two men that have revolutionized their respective fields. Baseball saw the lost of Hall of Fame legend Babe Ruth on this day in 1948. Ruth revolutionized baseball, aiding it to become "America's sport" after the unforgivable Black Sox Scandal of 1919. "The Sultan of Swat" or the "Bambino" hit more home runs than teams would hit in one season. With amazing baseball abilities, fans began swarming the baseball diamond to see this amazing baseball "god." Today, baseball draws over 70 million fans to the ballpark every year, excluding any who visit in standing view territory (in certain ball parks).

Ruth enjoyed to smoke and drink,
even at his older age

Though Ruth aided the return to popularity for baseball, he did not live a very healthy lifestyle. In 1946, doctors warned Ruth, who was a heavy drinker and smoker, to take better care of his health by limiting his drinking and smoking and also warning against a trip to the South Pacific. After two years of suffering through malignant tumors and reported throat cancer, the Great Bambino dies in his sleep at the age of 53 on August 16th, 1948. Ruth's legendary career can be seen when visiting the New York Yankees Stadium, where his number is retired. Ruth is not only honored by being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, but also honored by having his own room in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

Presley's famous
publicity photo
for Jailhouse Rock

Today was also a sad lost in 1977, when "the King" or "the King of Rock n' Roll" dies of a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 42. Shortly after the death of "the King," thousands of mourning fans visited his mansion, Graceland, in Tennessee. Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8th, 1935. Shortly after birth, Presley's twin brother, Jesse, died. Presley, who lived a dirt-poor family, moved to Memphis in 1948 when he was thirteen years old. One day at age 19, he decided to visit a Memphis recording studio where he paid $4 to record a few songs for this mother. Impressed with Presley's soulful, rough voice, the studio owner, Sam Philips, invited Presley to practice with local musicians. After Presley had recorded "That's All Right (1954)," he grants Philips the permission to release the single under Sun Records label. The single topped local charts, which started Elvis Presley's legendary career. From 1956 to 1958, Elvis dominated the music charts with singles such as Love Me Tender (1956), Jailhouse Rock (1957), Loving You (1957), and King Creole (1958). Elvis' dominating music ushered in the age of rock n' roll. Elvis' music career took a turn when he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1958, serving 18 months in West Germany. Presley's manager stockpiled on Elvis songs before his departure, with all five released singles becoming million sellers.

Presley still connected with his
passion for music while
serving in West Germany

Elvis was not only known
for music, but also
his famous dances

However, by the turn of the decade, the rock n' roll that Presley had known and have produced had undergone dramatic changes. With the change, "the King" was not seen as relevant in the eyes of American youth. He gained back some fans in a 1968 television appearance, allowing for the King's final Top 10 song, "Burning Love," in 1972. Presley's decline began in mid 1970s, starting with his divorce with wife Priscilla Beaulieu. After the divorce, Presley became addicted to prescription drugs and junk food, causing considerable weight gain. On the afternoon of August 16th, 1977, he was found unconscious in Graceland and immediately transferred to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Graceland is the final resting place of Elvis Presley, where millions of fans are attracted to view this tourist attraction of "the King of Rock n' Roll."

Today in history was rather quiet in event, though there were many small events. Perhaps one of the largest events on this day was the discovery of gold in the Yukon territory in Canada in 1896. While salmon fishing near the Klondike River, George Carmack spots gold nuggets in the creek. Years after the end of the California Gold Rush, Carmack seems to have found the final traces of valuable gold in western-North America. With the "Klondike Fever," Carmack became rich off his discovery, retrieving over $1 million worth of gold. Around 200 small gold mines are still in operation in the region today.

A news artcle from the late 1800s
reporting about the gold find
near the Klondike River

Small events are also scattered through the Vietnam War. Firstly, on this day in 1964, General Nguyen Khanh is elected as president of South Vietnam by the Military Council. Khanh ousted Duong Van Minh, who was president of the Republic in 1963. Today also marked heavy air attacks in North Vietnam by U.S. fighter bombers in 1972. With 370 air strikes, this was the highest daily total of the year.

Today in History: Planning and Building!

An image of Henry Ford with a Ford Model T
that he had designed after resigning from
Edison's Illumination Company in 1898.

When thinking of the greatest industrialist and inventors in history, Henry Ford should be on that list. When thinking of people who have revolutionized the "modernization" of society, Henry Ford should be on that list. When thinking of events that happened on this day in history, Henry Ford should also be on your mind. Today was not the day that Ford created the Ford Model T, or the day that he received any awards or recognition, but the day that he quits from his position of chief engineer at famed inventor Thomas Edison's company, the Edison Illuminating Company in 1899. At age 16, Ford had left his family farm in Dearborn, Michigan to travel about nine miles to Detroit, Michigan to work in various machine shops. In 1891, Ford began working at Thomas Edison's Illuminating Company, where he became chief engineer in 1893. Ford's main job was to keep the city's electricity flowing, forcing him to be on call 24 hours a day. Ford decided to quit this job to focus more on automobile production, where he became a legendary figure in the industry.

Opening of the Panama Canal in 1914.
The ship pictured it the U.S. vessel, the SS Ancon.

Today was an interesting day in the Panama Canal. Canals are channels of water that are mainly used as waterways to connect bodies of water or aqueducts for water supply. This day was the opening of the famous Canal that helped join the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. To inaugurate the American-built canal, the U.S. vessel Ancon, a cargo and passenger ship, passages through the waterway. With the rush of settlers who wished to venture west in the 19th century (1800s), the United States was prompted to build an artificial waterway across Central America. The right to build this artificial waterway was awarded to Frenchman, Ferdinand de Lesseps. The canal construction began in 1881, but with arising problems such as diseased workers, inadequate planning, and financial issues, Lesseps' company was driven to bankruptcy in 1889. After three years, in 1892, a French chief engineer of canal works, Philippe-Jean Banau-Varilla, acquired Lesseps' defunct company. The United States decided to buy Banu-Varilla's company in 1902 after Congress authorizes the purchase of the company. By 1903, the United States had acquired the company from Columbia, which had administrated a Hay-Banau Varilla Treaty with the French company, exchanging U.S. teritorial usage and cash compensation. Former construction began in 1906, and finally opened to traffic on August 15th, 1914 after a near $400 million budget on the Central American canal.

The Berlin Wall began construction of a solid
concrete on this day in 1961.

On this day in 1945, Emperor Hirohito of Japan broadcasts his news of the Japanese surrender to his people. The day before, a Japanese radio station had already broadcasted about this proclamation to the Japanese public, but the Emperor's words spoke of surrender to his people.

German soldiers lining
cement slabs to
construct the Berlin Wall

The past two days have been about the Berlin Wall, though the past two days were only about the barbed wire that did not allow for people to travel through. Today in 1961 marks the day that the official wall begins its building to close off any access from East Germany to West Germany, or vice versa. More information about the Berlin Wall, check out my post from August 13th, 2013. 

Today in History: All's Fair in War and Social Security!

The hilarious Steve Martin
in the Pink Panther 

Happy Birthday to Steve Martin! Personally, my favorite Steve Martin movies has to be the Cheaper by the Dozen movies and the Pink Panther! Wow! There was so much history today! I hope everyone enjoys this read!

The check worth USD $7.2
that the United States used
to purchase the Alaska territory

Alaska was purchased by the United States from Russia on March 30th, 1867, but not formally a state until January 3rd, 1959. Today in history marks the date when Russian fur traders find the Three Saints Bay in 1784, becoming the first permanent Russian settlement in Alaska. European discovery of Alaska had been established many years before in 1741, though the fur traders created the first settlement in the land. Many years later, Russia sold the land of Alaska to the United States after being interested to sell it for years as the land had little value and the financial situation in the country.

As World War I narrowly enters its fourth year, China's inactivity promptly disappears, as the nation declares war on Germany on this day in 1917. Entering the war was not only to place a bidding at the post war bargaining, but also the regain control of the the Shantung Peninsula and revive its power before Japan began to gain any more power.

FDR signing the Social Security Act in 1935

Franklin D. Roosevelt was sandwiched between the two world wars, but also found him to be the president during America's Great Depression. During the Great Depression, on this day in 1935, Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act, which guarantees income for those who are unemployed and retired. Part of Roosevelt's "New Deal" programs including the Works Progress Administration and the Civilians Conservations Corps, the Social Security Act expressed FDR's concern for young people and his fellow Americans. Social Security was initially not created to mainly focus on a safety net for retirees and the disabled, but for lowering the high unemployment rates of the Great Depression. Social Security slowly became the modern function used today, and has remained fairly unchanged since its creation in 1935.

General Korechika
Anami was a part of the
War Council. He
refused to hear the
words of surrender by
his emperor

I have reported a couple times in my past post about Japan's surrender in World War II. In the afternoon of August 14th, 1945, a Japanese radio station announced that an Imperial Proclamation would be soon made announcing the country's surrender in the war. Over 1,000 Japanese soldiers angrily stormed the Imperial Palace, trying to find the prerecorded proclamation and prevent it from allies finding out. General Anami, a member of the Japanese War Council, who was still very adamant of surrender, committed suicide later that night never wanting the hear the words of surrender come out of Emperor Hirohito's mouth. Though this was a public surrender in Japan, it was not a formal surrender until September 2nd, 1945. The exact date of the war's end was controversial, as some suggested that it had ended on this day, but other suggest that it ended with Japan's formal surrender.

Vietnam was not the only setting of the Vietnam War, though it was where the majority of the war was fought. Battles were also fought in surrounding countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Today in 1973, one and a half years before the end of the war, was the end of heavy and intense bombings in Cambodia by the United States.

Today in History: Destruction, Lost, and Separation

Happy Birthday to Alfred Hitchcock! For those who do not know who Hitchcock is, he is a famed movie director with much innovation and creativity that has revolutionized the film industry! Now it's time for history!

Hernán Cortés ends the Aztec empire on this day in 1512,
where he holds Cuauhtémoc hostage and forces him
to surrender Tenochtitlaán to the Spanish

The Aztecs were a large empire that ruled the lands in present-day Central America. Today in 1521 marks the fall of the empire, when last Aztec emperor, Cuauhtémoc surrenders to Spanish Conquistador, Hernán Cortés. Cortés came to the West Indies in 1504, but found Veracruz, a city in present-day Mexico in 1519, where he was elected general of the colony. When Cortés arrived in Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capitol, Montezuma II, leader of the Aztecs at the time believed that Cortés was a divine form of the Aztec god, Quetzalcatl. With a great Spanish force pulling in by 1520, the Spaniards and the Aztec battled. The Spaniards were forced to pull back after lack of food and being under pressure. Subsequently, Montezuma died in this battle. Cortés returned to Tenochtitlán again in 1521, where he forced emperor Cuauhtémoc surrendered the empire to the Spanish.

German Aircrafts in the Battle of Britain

Following a series of relatively short battles in my past few post, one of the Battle of Britain's largest events escalated on this day in 1940 as part of World War II. This was "the Day of the Eagle" according to Germans, as the Luftwaffe's begin their mission to destroy the British Royal Air Force's advanced radar stations, the Germans began bombing southern England. Though this battle lasted only three months and three weeks from July 10th, 1940 to October 31st, 1940, it was a decisive battle for Great Britain, and a turning point for World War II. Germans sought to take out the over-powering British radars on this day, though the Luftwaffe only managed to take down one radar and damaging five after sending out over 1,500 aircrafts on the first day. Believing that he had put out too many forces into this task, leader of the Luftwaffe, Herman Goering, decided to stale further bombing on the British. Many historians agree that this was a mistake for the Germans. If the Luftwaffe's had continued to destroy British radar stations, British communication could have been cut off, unknowingly when German bombers would strike. By the end, the Royal Air Force would not be defeated, as Britain won one of the most decisive wars in the Second World War.

The Berlin Wall being built by East Germans.
The wall was not formally built until August 15th, 1961. 

Yesterday, I mentioned the beginning of the Berlin Wall. Berlin had been separated by this wall by this day in 1961, as soldiers began laying out barbed wire and bricks in the early hours. East Germany was mostly taken by Soviets, causing nearly 3 millions of East German residents moved to West Germany to find better opportunity. As many residents in Berlin woke up this morning, some were separated from friends and family due to this wall. However, why was this wall built? It was built to separate the Soviet Zones in Germany when the other zones of the United States, France, and Germany began to merge. The Berlin Wall is perhaps the most famed symbol during the Cold War. On November 9th, 1989, this barrier between Berlin saw its demise when East Germany began to be a subject of liberal reform. West Germans and East Germans alike gathered at the wall and began to dismantle it. East and West Germany became one again.


Today was a sad day for baseball fans, as the Yankees great, Mickey Mantle dies of liver cancer in Dallas, Texas at the age of 63. Mantle is considered one of the greatest switch-hitters in Major League history. His #7 jersey number is retired by the Yankees, hanging up there proudly with Babe Ruth's #3, Lou Gehrig's #4, and Joe DiMaggio's #5. Mantle was a twenty-time-All-Star along with a seven time World Series champion, and three time American League MVP. At the time of his death, he held many World Series records, including most home runs (18), most RBIs (40), and most runs (42).

                                          Mickey Mantle poses for a photograph ->

Today in History: A Short Note and Blog Update!

Poster for the Wizard of Oz

Today's post will be slightly short and vague, as school is starting soon and I am preparing for it. Though my school is starting, I will be sure to post everyday and continue to write my more exiting articles like My Passport Experiences and Movie Reviews.

The Spanish-American War was very brief and also very one sided. Compared to many other major battles, this war was a short, 3 month war. Today in 1898 marked the end to the war, resulting in the decline of the Spanish Empire, 1898 Treaty of Paris, and an outbreak of the Philippine-American War. The aftermath of this war ultimately ended with Spain ceding Cuba to the United States.

Have you ever wanted to follow the yellow brick road? If you do not know where this reference is from, it's from the classic book and movie, The Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz movie premiered on this day in 1939 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Even for many who have not seen the movie, they may recognize its signature song, "Over The Rainbow," which won an Oscar for Best song in 1940.

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a big event in the Cold War. Many have heard about the fall of the wall, but what about its construction? East Germany begins its construction officially the next day on August 13th, 1961, but on the night of August 12th the same year, the East German government sealed off sections of Berlin to begin construction on the wall. More information on the wall will come out on tomorrow's post, the day construction of the wall began!

Sue the tyrannosaurus rex displayed
in Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois

Today is an important day for paleontologist and dinosaur enthusiast, as a skeleton of a tyrannosaurus rex is found in 1990. Paleontologist Susan Hendrickson discovered the bones hanging on the side of a cliff near Faith, South Dakota. These three bones jutting from the side of the cliff turned out to be the skeleton of the largest t-rex skeleton ever discovered. The skeleton was named "Sue" after Hendrickson, where it has been displayed at Field Museum in 2000. With this important discovery, scientist have learned much more about the tyrannosaurus rex with Sue's well-preserved bones. Though using Sue, scientist determined that the t-rex had an incredible sense of smell, they still could not determine its gender.

Today in History: Joking About a Strike

A view of Alcatraz during its 29 year tenure

Alcatraz, also known as "The Rock," was known to the planet as a military prison in the middle of the San Francisco Bay. On October 12th, 1933, the United States Department of Justice acquired Alcatraz from the United States Disciplinary Barracks. On 9:40 am of August 11th, 1934, a first batch of 137 prisoners arrived on the island, becoming the first prisoners to reside on Alcatraz as a new high-security penitentiary.  One of these 137 sent to Alcatraz was the famous mobster, Al Caopne. Famous prisoners of Alcatraz included Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and  Richard "Birdman of Alcatraz" Stoud. While housing over 1,500 prisoners in its 29 year tenure, the prison claimed that no prisoner has successfully escaped. Thirty-six prisoners took fourteen attempts to escape, including two men who tried twice. Of these thirty-six who attempted to escape, 23 were caught, six were shot and killed, while two drowned. The other five are considered "missing and presumed drowned," though many consider Frank Morris to have escaped in one of the most violent escape attempts by Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin on June 11th, 1962. Today, Alcatraz is one of the most famed and a popular landmark for tourist in the Bay Area since its opening as a museum in 1971.

The Father of Hip Hop, DJ Kool Merc

Hip Hop fans should be grateful of this day in 1973, as the genre was born in the Bronx, New York. It is indeed hip hop's 40th birthday today! In the summer of 1973, DJ Kool Herc refined his style of "break-beat" and used it on his sister's party on August 11th 1973. For DJ Kool Herc, he performed among his largest crowd ever using the most powerful sound system he had worked. The success of the party was a base to a new genre that became the household term "hip hop."

Joking about bombing another country is often not taken very much like a joke, especially if you were the President of the United States. On this day in 1984, 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, jokes about bombing Russia while testing his microphone. Reagan said, "My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." Though many realized this was a joke instantaneously, others did find this joke to be a distasteful political gaffe by Reagan. The Soviet leaders' reaction are unknown, though Reagan's approval rating dropped after this incident. This incident was not a major factor in Reagan's second presidential race, as he recovered and beat Democrat Walter Mondale for his second term in office.

Fans pleading not to strike and
continue the 1994 MLB season

Finally, today was a big day for Major League Baseball in 1994.

A fan's sign during the
1994 MLB strike

Baseball fans may have a negative connotation to the 1994 season, as this day marked the longest work stoppage in MLB history. For the first time in 89 years, baseball did not crown a World Champion. There was not World Series due to the strike. The negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement during the 1994 season had risen tensions between owners and players. Players did not wish to put a cap on their salaries at the owners desires. Baseball fans were furious and showed their vexation the next season, when the players began to work again on April 2nd, 1995. Attendance was at its lowest in 1995, dropping from an average of 31,000 fans to 25,000 fans. The collective bargaining agreement was renewed in 1996 and expired in 2002, where players and owners quickly ratified a new deal after realizing how unforgiving fans were in the 1995 season.

Today in History: Countries, Music, and Sports: Revolutionized!

I'm so sorry that my Today In History's are coming out so late lately! The following post will be published on time! (Which would be around the morning to the late noon). On this day, there were many events and tidbits that have impacted history whether it be a major or minor event. Sit back, and be prepared for an extensive and leisurely read through today in history!

The United States of America declared its independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776, though the news did not reach London, England, until this day in 1776. By this time of the year, the U.S. was already working on building its newly formed union.

A wonderful view of the Louvre and the
Louvre Palace in the background

When visiting Paris, France, there are many things to see, many things to do. One day could be spent strolling around one of the "Big Four" Fashion Capitals of the World. Another day could be spent on a romantic stroll around the Arc de Triumph, Notre Dame de Paris, and ending the day in the beautiful Eiffel Tower for dinner. Another famous attraction, the Louvre museum, is also another choice of tourist in Paris. On this day in 1793, this world-renowned public museum opened its doors. The Louvre contains one of the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. This year of 2013 marks the 220th year of the famed Louvre, where some of the most important artwork in the history of the earth can be viewed in a matter of hours.

An map of the United States in 1822

On this day of August 10th, we can go back to the humid lands of present-day Missouri, USA, 1821. What happened there? Well, the 24th state in the Union was formed. Not only was Missouri the 24th state in the United States, but also the first to be located entirely west of the Mississippi River.  Louisiana, the 18th state to enter the Union, was the only other state to have territory west of the Mississippi River, but was also located partially to the east of the river. Missouri was located north of the Arkansas Territory, which partially became the state of Arkansas in 1836. The state of Missouri was part of the Missouri Territory. Missouri is named after a Native American group that became U.S. possession in 1803 as a result of the Louisiana Purchase. The State of Missouri became an important factor even before its establishment, as it was used in the Missouri Compromise to separate slave and free states. Missouri also became an important state during the Civil War, as the state was split with residents who supplied to both the Union and the Confederate forces.

When walking into the guitar section of a music store, there will always be two main categories of guitars available: the acoustic guitar and the electric guitar. The first ever electric guitar patent was approved and awarded to the Electro String Corporation on this day in 1937. This instrument, known as the Rickenbacker Frying Pan, was an instrument that revolutionized not only a single genre of music, but many genres including jazz, country, and rock n' roll.

Pete Rose batting for
the Cincinnati Reds

Pete Rose currently holds Major League Baseball records in career hits, singles, gamed played, and at bats. This day in 1981 marks one of Rose's hits milestone when he surpasses Hall of Famer, Stan Musial's record for most his by a National League player. Pete Rose is currently banned from baseball due to his gambling on the game when he was a player and manager. Many consider Rose to be one of the greatest players in MLB history to not be inducted in the Hall of Fame.

A promotional poster for
the original Red Dawn (1984)

The final note on this day in history is an important one in movie history. As a kid, PG-13 movies seemed like the "restricted" movies to me. I always wondered why PG-13 movies were even created. On July 1st, 1984, the "PG-13" category became a part of the movie film ratings. This day in 1984 marked the release of the original Red Dawn, which was the first PG-13 movie ever. Red Dawn is a sci fi drama about a group of teenagers in mid-western America who group together to defend their town and country from invading Soviets. The original Red Dawn starred Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, and Lea Thompson.   Red Dawn was remade in 2012, also having a PG-13 rating, which starred Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, and Joh Hutcherson.

Today in History: Happy National Day!

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter flies
the Singaporean flag across the sky
during NDP. This is a popular sight
to see during the festivities

I'm sorry that this post came out a little bit late, but I have been spending the whole day learning to play the ukulele! I spent this Singaporean National Day learning the uke! (I am Singaporean if you were wondering or will wonder why I am writing so much on the topic). Singapore is a busy, small island city-state directly under Malaysia. It's not the jungle-like-island that it was when Sir Stamford Raffles saw when he landed on January 28th, 1819, but a bustling country housing nearly 6 million. Though today is National Day in Singapore, there was still another important event that happened first. 

On August 6th, 1945, Hiroshima, Japan is hit by the world's first atomic bomb. Today at 1:56 am on August 9th, 1945, a second atomic bomb hits Japan in Nagasaki. The deviation of the first bomb did not convince the Japanese War Council to surrender, prompting the United States to drop a second atomic bomb nicknamed the "Fat Man" to drop. The US had already planned to drop "Fat Man" on August 11th, but expected bad weather triggered the early drop. The second bomb finally inclined Emperor Hirohito of Japan to declare unconditional surrender, which was publicly acknowledged on August 14, 1945. 

Beautiful fireworks light up the sky
during Singapore's National Day Parade

Happy National Day! At the time of me writing this post, the 2013 National Day Parade has already concluded, but August 9th is still a day Singaporeans feel pride in. August 9th, National Day, is like Independence Day in the United States, a day for Singaporeans to celebrate independence. On September 16th, 1963, Singapore became a part of Malaysia as part of a merger that was thought to help the economy. Nearly two years later, Singapore decided to declare independence abruptly. In 48 years, a small island that had an unemployment rate of nearly 12% boomed into one of the world's major port and business city. Every National Day, Singapore celebrates by hosting the National Day Parade either at the National Stadium, Padang, or the The Float at Marina Bay. I have been to the parade before and have watched the broadcast. Weeks before August 9th, there would be National Day songs and themes that would appear everywhere. These songs and themes are changed every year and gets everyone pumped up for the NDP! Listening to the songs always remind me of Singapore and the parade, but going to the parade is a unique experience! There is always a fun pack that is filled with food, drinks, and other awesome goodies that make me feel good that it is National Day! I hope for the best to everyone on this 48th year of Singapore's independence! 

President Gerald Ford
being sworn in as
President of the United States

Though this is National Day, it is also the day that 37th US President Richard Nixon formally resigns from being president in 1974. Nixon announced the day before that he will be stepping down from his position at noon. Soon after, Nixon's vice-president, Gerald Ford, was sworn in as president. Ford is not only the first vice-president and president not to be elected, but also the only president to assume presidency upon a predecessor's resignation as of writing this post. This would be Ford's only inauguration, as he lost to Jimmy Carter while running for president in 1976. 

The Silver Linings Playbook Review

Since the flight from SFO to Hong Kong was a near fourteen hour flight, I decided to spend one-seventh of the flight watching The Silver Linings Playbook starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. This review is considerably late, especially to the time The Silver Linings Playbook came out (November 16, 2012), but many people still do not know too much about this movie, even after its
activity in the Academy Awards.

~~~~~~~SPOILER SUMMARY!~~~~~~~

The movie started, in my opinion, odd. There was very little background on what was going on. When we see Pat (Cooper) he is receiving his pills from a nurse at the mental facility he is in, he secretly is spitting them out as he walks away. Pat is released from the facility as long as he resides with his parents Delores (Jacki Weaver) and Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro). Returning home, Pat realizes that his father is illegally bookmarking to start a restaurant after losing his job. Pat also realizes that his wife, Nikki, had obtained a restraining order against him and moved out of town. To put his life back on track, Pat starts a "silver linings" plan not only to get Nikki back, but also control his bipolar personality.

Pat and Tiffany in a diner where they
talk about Nikki and how they will deliver the
letter, but things shake up when Pat implies that
Tiffany is crazier than him

At a trip to the court mandated therapist, it is revealed that Pat has bipolar disorder and he discusses his rage to Dr. Patel (Anupam Kher). When entering the office, Pat freaks out in the lobby after hearing a song. He reveals to Dr. Patel that listening to "My Cherie Amour" by Stevie Wonder enrages him because it was his wedding song and the song that was playing the day he found Nikki having an affair with another man in the shower. At that moment, Pat nearly beats the man to death and is the reason he was in the mental facility to detain and treat his bipolar disorder. Pat describes the plan he wishes to reconcile with Nikki to Dr. Patel, unknowing that he will be starting his plan when he meets his friend Ronnie (John Ortiz) for dinner.

Pat arrives to Ronnie's house with a Philadelphia Eagles jersey, which does not impress Ronnie's wife. At the dinner, he meets Tiffany Maxwell, Ronnie's sister-in-law. Strangely, the two bond due to their shared neuroses. Abruptly, Tiffany leaves and request that Pat walks her home. As they walk, Pat realizes that Tiffany can deliver a letter to Nikki. Tiffany accepts, but only under the condition that Pat was to partner with her in an upcoming dance competition. Pat accepts, thinking that participating in this completion would further push himself to reconcile with Nikki. During one of their dance practices, Tiffany gives pat a typed up reply from Nikki. Things are going well until Pat Sr. asks his son to go to an Eagles game that conflicts with Pat Jr.'s training schedule.

Pat and Tiffany rehearse their dance number

Pat Jr. goes to the game, skipping out on practice with Tiffany. At the game, Pat sees Dr. Patel and and that Tiffany and Pat Jr. will receive at least a 5 out of 10 on their dance competition. Pat Jr. backs out of the competition with these conditions, but is persuaded when Tiffany tricks him to thinking that Nikki will be there. After isolating himself from everyone else, Pat Jr. realizes the letter was typed by Tiffany with the identical phrase "reading the signs."
seems to have an amazing time until he meets a group of thugs that made racist remarks toward Dr. Patel and his Indian group. Enraged, Pat gets into a fight with these thugs and is detained by the police. Pat Sr. is at home enraged because the Eagles lost and that Pat is spending too much time with Tiffany, who he thinks is unlucky. Tiffany storms into the Solitano household, lecturing that every time Pat Jr. spent time with her, Philadelphia sports teams would win. She points out that this is how she "reads the signs" and sparks Pat Sr. to make a parlay with his gambling partner. Convinced that Tiffany was good luck, Pat Sr. bets that the Eagles will win their game against the Dallas Cowboys,

At the competition, Tiffany is horrified to find that Nikki is in attendance and decides to go to the bar and drink. Pat Jr. finds the drunken Tiffany moments before they must perform. During their routine, a special move that they have prepared goes wrong when Tiffany gets stuck onto Pat for too long. Through the odd performance, Pat's parents await their score, as the Eagles had beaten the Cowboys that night. Adrenaline pumps though their bloods when the first three of four judges reveal their scores to be sub-five, however the final judge gave them a 5.4, just enough for a perfect 5 score.

Tiffany is furious when she finds out
that Pat stood her up for the Eagles game

Shortly, Pat seeks Nikki from the crowd and whispers into her ear. As Tiffany sees this and storms off, Pat runs off to seek her, but he is already too late. Pat finds Tiffany on the street and tells her that he knew she forged the letter, but also reveals that he loves her. In the final scenes of the movie, Pat and Tiffany become a couple while Pat Sr. opens his restaurant with the parlay money he has won

~~~~End Spoilers/ Summary~~~~

Wow! That was a summary! I really try to limit the length of the summaries but sometimes I just can't help it. Enough of my rambling, I think it's time for my review!

I was skeptical about this movie at first. I am a huge Jennifer Lawrence fan and found a lack-of-Jennifer-Lawrence for the beginning of the film. I tried not to use this point to derail this movie too much though. Still a little doubtful with the lack of Jennifer Lawrence, my opinions started to change as the movie progressed. I was confused at the beginning because of the lack of information, but personally, I like these type of movies because it makes me want to put the puzzle pieces together.

Pat and Tiffany celebrate after they receive a "perfect" 5

Overall, I thought the movie was magnificent. The movie itself doesn't come on as a large-scale production like Les Miserables, but is a good "feel good" movie to watch whenever you're free. Though the plot does not particularly stand out to me, the acting was what stood out to me. I may be biased because of my love for Jennifer Lawrence, but her performance alone does not account for the overall performance of the cast. Cooper and De Niro's performances particularly stood out to me outside of Lawrence's. Interestingly enough, the Silver Linings Playbook gave me a sense of wonder, anticipation, and laughter.

The popular dancing scene seen in the trailer

Applaud or Veto?

Not only is the Silver Linings Playbook have a 92% "certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but also a 9/10 in my book. I definitely encourage anyone to watch this movie on a casual movie night. It's not a family type movie (as it is rated R), but a nice young adult or couples movie. It's one of the nicer, quality films that I have seen lately that have really engaged me into it. 

Today in History: It's Nixon's Day

A depiction of Robert. E. Lee

It's not 37th President of the United States President Richard Nixon's birthday, though it is an important day in his presidential career. Though it's a "big" day in Nixon's presidency, I must go in chronological order and first include Confederate General Robert E. Lee's resignation on this day in 1863. The famed general that Abraham Lincoln wished to recruit for the Union Army resigns after his defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Lee sends a letter of resignation to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Taking the Gettysburg defeat personally, Lee noted in the letter that,

 "I have been prompted by these reflections more than once since my return from Pennsylvania to propose to Your Excellency the propriety of selecting another commander for this army... No one is more aware than myself of my inability for the duties of my position. I cannot even accomplish what I myself desire... I, therefore, in all sincerity, request your Excellency to take measure to supply my place." 

Not only emotionally weakened, Lee was also physically fatigued at age 56. After the war, Lee suffered the effects of pneumonia until his death on October 12th, 1870 after suffering a stroke.

Nixon's Vice President, Sprio Agnew

This day in 1968 was the day Republican Richard Nixon was nominated as presidential candidate for the upcoming election. Spiro T. Agnew, who later became Nixon's vice-president, was also nominated as a vice-presidential nominee on this day. Nixon promised to "bring an honorable end to the war in Vietnam."

37th U.S. President, Richard Nixon

Nixon and Agnew later became president and vice-president of the United States respectively in 1969.

In reference to the last paragraph, Nixon and Agnew became president and vice-president, respectively, though many may not give much respect to Richard Nixon. In many polls and rankings, President Nixon is considered one of the worst U.S. Presidents ever. On this day in 1974, Nixon announces at noon the next day, August 9th, he will resign from office as the President of the United States. To avoid certain impeachment after a major political scandal that he was involved in, Nixon decided to resign rather than be the second president to be impeached after Andrew Johnson. Nixon is currently the only U.S. President to resign from office