Paracultural Calendar for Feb 15

[Kai Frederik Lorentzen]

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

It wasn't the first.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu

 > The film, shot in 1921 and released in 1922, was an unauthorized 
adaptation of Bram Stoker <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker>'s 
/Dracula <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula>/, with names and other 
details changed because the studio could not obtain the rights to the 
novel (for instance, "vampire" became "Nosferatu 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu_%28word%29>" and "Count Dracula 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Dracula>" became "Count Orlok"). 
Stoker's heirs sued over the adaptation, and a court ruling ordered that 
all copies of the film be destroyed. However, one print of /Nosferatu/ 
survived, and the film came to be regarded as an influential masterpiece 
of cinema. <

On 16.02.2015 07:48, Mark Thibodeau wrote:
> 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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