PARACULTURAL CALENDAR FOR AUGUST 25

[Mark Thibodeau]

Thank you! : )

On Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 2:36 PM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:

> you really aggregate some surprising stuff. And Galileo situation
> rarely so well expressed.
>
> On Tue, Aug 25, 2015 at 2:30 PM, Mark Thibodeau <jerkyleboeuf at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > On this day in 1609, medieval scientist/astronomer Galileo demonstrates
> his
> > first telescope to Venetian lawmakers. Unfortunately, these lawmakers
> turn
> > out to be a buncha fuckin' assholes.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1835, the New York Sun begins running a series of stories
> > about astronomer John Herschell's discovery - with the help of an
> immensely
> > powerful South African telescope - of a society of intelligent, bat-like
> > humanoids on the moon. Although almost forgotten today, the Great Moon
> Hoax
> > of 1835 remains the greatest prank in the history of journalism.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1914, the library of the Catholic University of Leuven is
> > deliberately destroyed by the German Army. Hundreds of thousands of
> > irreplaceable volumes and Gothic and Renaissance manuscripts are lost.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1916, the United States National Park Service is created.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1944, Paris is liberated by the Allies.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1945, ten days after World War II ends with Japan
> announcing
> > its surrender, armed supporters of the Chinese Communist Party kill
> Baptist
> > missionary John Birch, regarded by some of the American conservative
> > movement as the first victim of the Cold War... hence the creation of the
> > right-wing and rabidly anti-communist (and often virulently anti-Semitic)
> > John Birch Society.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1948, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
> holds
> > first-ever televised congressional hearing: "Confrontation Day" between
> > commie-turned-right-winger Whittaker Chambers and accused commie spy
> Alger
> > Hiss.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1950, President Harry Truman orders the U.S. Army to seize
> > control of the nation's railroads to avert a strike. Just imagine that
> > happening today.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1981, the Voyager 2 spacecraft makes its closest approach
> to
> > Saturn. Eight years later, on this day in1989 – it makes its closest
> > approach to Neptune, the second to last planet in the Solar System at the
> > time.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1991, the nation of Belarus gains its independence from
> the
> > Soviet Union. It is now home to the last remaining bona-fide
> dictatorship in
> > mainland continental Europe.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > On this day in 1996, Netscape launches Navio Communications. The new
> company
> > was dedicated to integrating Netscape software into televisions, phones,
> > cars, and other electronic devices. Thankfully, Bill Gates put a stop to
> > thatnonesense!
>
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