Eat your vegetables kids

European history would have been dramatically different if only for a higher fiber diet. One of the most decisive battles in the history of Europe was fought in Belgium on June 18, 1815, as a resurgent Napoleon Bonaparte launched his last military offensive against the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian Marshal Blücher. Nearly 50,000Continue reading “Eat your vegetables kids”

Wouldn’t It Be Nice was released

June 18, 1966 –The Beach Boys release the single Wouldn’t It Be Nice (with God Only Knows on the flip side of the 45), on this date. Brian Wilson wrote the song with contributions from vocalist Mike Love and lyricist Tony Asher. Asher wrote all of the lyrics except for the “Good night, my baby,Continue reading “Wouldn’t It Be Nice was released”

Things that draw you to vinyl – the expense and the inconvenience

June 18, 1948 –Goodbye to our old 78’s A CBS employee named Edward Wallerstein walked into a room at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York with Goddard Lieberson, the president of Columbia Records and publicly unveiled its new long-playing phonograph record, the 33 1/3, on this date. Unlike the standard 10-inch 78 rpm record, whichContinue reading “Things that draw you to vinyl – the expense and the inconvenience”

Sally Ride in space

June 18, 1983 –Almost 20 years to the day after the USSR sent Valentina Tereshkova into orbit, the United States sent its first woman astronaut into space. Sally Ride, an astrophysicist from Stanford University, and four other colleagues lifted off aboard the space shuttle Challenger. During the six-day mission, Ride operated the robot’s arm, whichContinue reading “Sally Ride in space”

It was 50 years ago today

June 17, 1972 –Perhaps the former President might be interested in the following – Five men broke into the Democratic Party National Committee headquarters at the Watergate building in Washington, DC on this date. They had hoped to bug the offices but were arrested before they could release any insects. President Richard Nixon would laterContinue reading “It was 50 years ago today”

There was not restroom on board, by the way

June 17, 1928 –Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make a transatlantic flight, when she took off from Trepassey Harbor, Newfoundland, in a Fokker F.VIIb/3m on this date. Amelia Earhart was the passenger (and keeper of the flight log,) in a plane named Friendship with co-pilots Wilmer “Bill” Stultz and Louis “Slim” Gordon. TheContinue reading “There was not restroom on board, by the way”

Don’t complain about your mail being late

The Statue of Liberty, France’s gift to the United States marking the Centennial of the American Declaration of Independence arrived in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885 on board the French frigate Isere (only nine years after the gift was offered.) To prepare for transit, the Statue was reduced to 350 individual pieces andContinue reading “Don’t complain about your mail being late”