August 9, 1974 –After President Richard M. Nixon resigned from office, his successor, Gerald Ford, assures the American people that their “long national nightmare is over.“ Ford was the only person to hold the office of US Vice President and US President without being elected to either office. He also served on the Warren Commission.Continue reading “Coincidence, you decide!”
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The US dropped the bomb (again)
August 9, 1945 –Just three days after Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb (a 22 kiloton Atomic Bomb) called Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, population 270,000, by the U.S. B-29 bomber Bockscar. Though the amount of energy generated by the bomb was significantly larger than that of the LittleContinue reading “The US dropped the bomb (again)”
Smokey the Bear first appears
August 9, 1944 –Smokey Bear debuted on this date, when the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council agreed that a fictional bear would be the symbol for their joint effort to promote forest fire prevention. Artist Albert Staehle was asked to paint the first poster of Smokey Bear. It depicted a bear pouring aContinue reading “Smokey the Bear first appears”
Jive Talkin’ topped the charts
August 9, 1975 –The Bee Gees single, Jive Talkin‘, reached No. #1 on the Billboard charts on this date. This was the first big disco hit for The Bee Gees. They became icons of the era, singing in falsetto harmonies over dance beats. They had seven more #1 hits in the disco era, but theContinue reading “Jive Talkin’ topped the charts”
Dizzy Dishes premiered
August 9, 1930 –A forerunner of the cartoon character Betty Boop made her debut in Max Fleischer’s animated short Dizzy Dishes on this date. In later films she loses the dog ears and becomes the familiar human character we know today.
STS-28 launched
August 8, 1989 –The space shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a secret, five-day military mission to deploy a new Pentagon spy satellite. But you didn’t hear that from me. And so it goes
Glen Campbell
August 8, 2017 –Glen Campbell died at 81 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Campbell released more than 70 studio albums and sold 45 million records worldwide. His hits include: By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Wichita Lineman, Galveston and Rhinestone Cowboy. His guitar playing can be heard on Strangers in the NightContinue reading “Glen Campbell”
The night the lights went on in Chicago
August 8, 1988 –Wrigley Field in Chicago was the last Major League Baseball venue to begin holding night games when they turned on its lights for the first time on this date. The first major league night game happened in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1935 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously switched on the lights. DemandContinue reading “The night the lights went on in Chicago”
The Tragedy of Dick Nixon (in Three Acts)
August 8, 1968 – Someone should have said “beware the 8th of August” to Richard Nixon! Richard M. Nixon was nominated for president at the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach. Later that day, Nixon chose Maryland Gov. Spiro T. Agnew to be his running mate. August 8, 1973 –VP Spiro T Agnew branded asContinue reading “The Tragedy of Dick Nixon (in Three Acts)”
Just cross the street already
August 8, 1969 – At a ‘zebra crossing’ in London, four bitterly fractious friends are forced to take a picture on this date. Photographer Iain Macmillan took one of the most famous photographs of all time – the cover of the Beatles album, Abbey Road. And so it goes
The Haus of Dcaligari 