Today in History

[1mach1]

40 years later I still haven't seen it.

41

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[3fingers]

41

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[Fading Fast]

40 years later I still haven't seen it.

If there is one cultural phenomenon that I was right in the middle of / the perfect age for and completely ignored, it would be "Star Wars." Despite being a Star Trek fan, SW just didn't appeal to me when it came out and seeing it later (I think in the '90s on cable), it did absolutely nothing for me. I only saw the first movie that one time and have ignored all of it since. I'm sincerely not criticizing it - as most of it I, as noted, haven't seen - it just didn't and doesn't interest me for no real reason that I can explain.

 

[LizzieMaine]

One of the first films I projected. It's not art, but it's the best "drive in" film ever made.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I saw it in NYC a week or two after it opened, and enjoyed it.

But as I've said here more than once, I'd just graduated college as an English major and was already a very well-versed film buff and SF reader. Thus I didn't see it as impressionable child: I immediately recognized every trope and narrative strand that Lucas had synthesized. The samurai films, knight errant stories, Tolkien, movie dogfights, assorted myth tropes, Flash Gordon serials, bits of John Ford, old-school adventure flicks, Jack Kirby comics, etc. And a few years later, when Lucas began his campaign for highbrow respect with the whole "I wanted to create a modern mythology based on Joseph Campbell's studies" schtick, I knew it was pure BS.

It doesn't mean I don't like Star Wars, I've seen all the films, some of them many times. I just never had any illusions about it being anything other than a series of fun popcorn fantasy films. This puts me out of step with a whole lot of folks just a few years younger than me who view Star Wars as the brilliant epic modern mythology of their youth.

http://www.moongadget.com/origins/index.html

 

[Formeruser012523]

I saw it in NYC a week or two after it opened, and enjoyed it.

But as I've said here more than once, I'd just graduated college as an English major and was already a very well-versed film buff and SF reader. Thus I didn't see it as impressionable child: I immediately recognized every trope and narrative strand that Lucas had synthesized. The samurai films, knight errant stories, Tolkien, movie dogfights, assorted myth tropes, Flash Gordon serials, bits of John Ford, old-school adventure flicks, Jack Kirby comics, etc. And a few years later, when Lucas began his campaign for highbrow respect with the whole "I wanted to create a modern mythology based on Joseph Campbell's studies" schtick, I knew it was pure BS.

It doesn't mean I don't like Star Wars, I've seen all the films, some of them many times. I just never had any illusions about it being anything other than a series of fun popcorn fantasy films. This puts me out of step with a whole lot of folks just a few years younger than me who view Star Wars as the brilliant epic modern mythology of their youth.

http://www.moongadget.com/origins/index.html

Wow! So sick of reading about how great Joseph Campbell is. Someone that agrees with me about Star Wars! I can never say a word around anybody without having popcorn thrown my way. I don't despise the franchise, but I don't love it, either.

And, thanks for the website, I spent far too much time looking at that. Had never seen the bit about Flash Gordon. And now I know where to get a good Bio on Tolkien.

Surprised it didn't mention how Rowling did the same thing. hmm...

 

[LizzieMaine]

May 30, 1937: the Memorial Day Massacre takes place in South Chicago, as ten unarmed striking Republic Steel workers are murdered -- all of them shot in the back in cold blood -- by law enforcement officers attempting to break up a peaceful demonstration. Thirty other demonstrators were wounded, either by bullets or by being clubbed in the head by police. Nine of those were permanently disabled by the assault.

No charges were ever filed against the police, and Paramount News, which filmed the attack, had its footage seized by the Chicago Police Department in order to suppress the truth of what happened that day.

In Memoriam

Earl Handley
Otis Jones
Kenneth Reed
Lee Tisdale
Anthony Tagliori
Hilding Anderson
Alfred Causey
Leon Francisco
Sam Popovitch
Joe Rothmunc

 

[vitanola]

44 years ago today Charles Colson entered a plea of "guilty" to the charge of obstruction of justice.

130 years ago today a certain poem was published in the Examiner which later assured DeWolfe Hopper a career.

 

[3fingers]

130 years ago today a certain poem was published in the Examiner which later assured DeWolfe Hopper a career.

But there is no joy in Mudville.

 

[2jakes]

Today, 76 years ago, the Battle of Midway began and changed the course of World War II.

 

[2jakes]

D-DAY "The Invasion"

First reports came via German news agency in the early
hours of June 6, 1944.

Radio broadcasters remain skeptical describing it as
unconfirmed.

At 3:32 AM on June 6, 1944, Colonel R.Ernest Dupuy
under the command of General Eisenhower announced
communique #1 confirming that the invasion was
indeed on:

Considered as radio's finest moments of the 20th century,
most of America was waking up, unaware that the greatest
military undertaking in history was underway.

 

[2jakes]

Alice Huyler Ramsey, 22 year old housewife who
became the first woman to drive across the country
driving a Maxwell.

On June 9th of 1909, she, along with her “conservative” two older sisters-in-law and 16-year-old friend Hermine Jahns set off for San Francisco from Hell Gate in Manhattan.

(The idea that road trips are best taken with friends is not a new one!) She was the only one of the bunch who knew how to drive, but along the way, the whole group learned more about cars than they probably bargained for.

In 1909, road trips looked a little different: For starters, only 152 miles of the 3,600 they traveled total were paved. Ramsey changed 11 tires, kept the spark plugs clean, and repaired a broken brake pedal. They got creative during tough situations, bringing water to cool off the overheated radiator using their toiletry holders. During one memorable moment, while they were waiting on a coil repair, a passerby shouted at the waiting women, “Get a horse!” The maximum speed they reached? 42 MPH. They had AAA maps, but also followed the wires on telephone poles in the hopes that they would lead to a town.

They saw and experienced a lot along the way. They slept in the car when it got stuck in the mud, passed by a manhunt for a serial killer in Nebraska, got bedbugs from a Wyoming hotel, and were surrounded by a Native American hunting party, bows drawn, in Nevada.

59 days after they set out from New York, they arrived at the St. James Hotel in San Francisco, where a crowd awaited them.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s headline about the trip proclaimed, “PRETTY WOMEN MOTORISTS ARRIVE AFTER TRIP ACROSS THE CONTINENT”.

 

[2jakes]

June 9th, 1934.
First appearance of Donald Duck:

 

[Harp]

Two hundred forty-three years ago on June 14, 1775 the United States Army is established.

 

[MisterCairo]

The CN (Canadian National) Tower opened to the public in Toronto in 1976. For many years it was the tallest free standing structure in the world. It was also my first part-time job in 1984:

 

[MisterCairo]

First part of the boardwalk opened in Atlantic City in 1870 (photo obviously taken much later):

No word on whether or not The Commodore was present for the opening...

 

[MisterCairo]

Berlin airlift (1948):

 

[MisterCairo]

JFK made the famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech (which does NOT mean "I am a donut") 1963:

 

[MisterCairo]

The St. Lawrence Seaway was officially opened by Dwight Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth, 1959:

 

[Fading Fast]

Berlin airlift (1948):

View attachment 124262

While certainly famous, this is, IMO, one of the US' and UK's finest moment that is fading a bit from, at least, popular knowledge. Everything can be deconstructed to self interest and snark - and there are no shortage of people willing to do so especially when it comes to US history - but, to me, what the US and UK did in The Berlin Airlift was both generous of spirit and impressive in logistic and technology in an awe-inspiring way.