Paracultural Calendar for Feb 15

[Mark Thibodeau]

On this day in *399 BC*, seminal Greek philosopher *Socrates* is sentenced
to death by a jury of citizens for having "corrupted the youth of Athens."
His legendary but unsuccessful oratory in his own defense was recorded by
his follower, *Plato*, and is known as *The Apology*, which remains one of
the greatest portraits of courage,conviction and wit in the entire Western
canon. Read it *here* <http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/archives/apology.htm>.
I feel I must warn you, however, that reading Socrates is much like smoking
marijuana, in that it is a"gateway drug" that leads you on to ever stronger
stuff.

***

On this day in *1898*, a huge explosion rips through the *USS Maine* while
it's moored in Havana harbor, killing 258 sailors and Marines. Though
subsequent investigations showed the blast was likely due to an accidental
coal-fire, that didn't stop politicians of the day from using the incident
as a pretext for sparking the Spanish-American War. *"Remember the Maine!"*
<http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/ussmaine.htm> was a popular rallying cry
of the day.

***

On this day in *1925*, much-needed anti-diptheria serum arrives in Nome,
Alaska, ending the 1925 *serum run to Nome
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1925_serum_run_to_Nome>*, with *Balto* being
the lead dog of the last team.

***

On this day in *1931*, the first ever *Dracula* movie premieres. Goths
ensue.

***

On this day in *1933*, disgruntled immigrant *Giuseppe Zangara* takes a
shot at president-elect *Franklin Delano Roosevelt* in Florida. He misses,
hitting Chicago mayor *Anton Cermak*, instead. Cermak fell out of the
convertible, and the driver raced off, but Roosevelt ordered him to turn
back. FDR then personally *hauled Cermak into the car* and the raced off to
hospital. But it was too late. Cermak succumbed to his wounds. Zangara was
executed just over a month later.

***

On this day in *1942*, following an assault by Japanese forces, the British
General *Arthur Percival *surrenders. About 80,000 Indian, United Kingdom
and Australian soldiers become prisoners of war, the largest surrender of
British-led military personnel in history. The vast majority of those
British POW horror stories you hear come from this single event.

***

On this day in *1946*, the first electronic general-purpose computer,
*ENIAC*, is formally dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania in
Philadelphia.

***

On this day in *1954*, Canada and the United States agree to construct
the *Distant
Early Warning Line*, a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic
regions of Canada and Alaska.

***

On this day in *1965*, after flying the Union Jack for
two-hundred-and-sixty years, followed by ninety-five years under the Red
Ensign, Canada adopts the famous *Maple Leaf* flag design, to the delight
of botanists and stoners the world over.

***

On this day in *1982*, the drilling rig *Ocean Ranger* sinks during a storm
off the coast of Newfoundland, killing 84 workers.

***

On this day in *2001*, the first draft of the complete *human genome* is
published in Nature.

***

On this day in *2003*, protests against the Iraq war take place in over 600
cities worldwide. It is estimated that between *8 million to 30 million
people* participate, making this the largest peace demonstration in
history. It doesn't make a damn bit of difference. The brutal, bloodthirsty
invasion of a disarmed and defenseless enemy goes ahead as planned.

***

On this day in *2013*, a meteor explodes over Russia, injuring 1,500 people
as a shock wave blows out windows and rocks buildings. This happens
unexpectedly only hours before the expected closest ever approach of the
larger and unrelated asteroid *2012 DA14*.
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