Paracultural Calendar for Feb 18

[Mark Thibodeau]

On this day in the year *1856*, members of the secretive, nativist,
anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic *Know-Nothing Party* hold their first ever
convention in Philadelphia. Little did they know that the Lord would fail
to provide them with their perfect presidential candidate until
one-hundred-and-fifty-six years after their short-lived party's demise.

***

On this day in *1861*, in Montgomery, Alabama, *Jefferson Davis* is
inaugurated as the provisional President of the Confederate States of
America.

***

On this day in *1927*, the United States officially opens diplomatic
relations with the post-revolutionary British Loyalist refugee nation of
*Canada*. "No hard feelings, eh?"

***

On this day in *1930*, while studying photographs taken in January, *Clyde
Tombaugh* discovers *Pluto*.

***

On this day in *1930*, *Elm Farm Ollie* becomes the first cow to fly in a
fixed-wing aircraft and also the first cow to be milked in an aircraft.

***

On this day in *1943*, Nazi propaganda minister *Joseph Goebbels* delivers
his Sportpalast - or *Total War
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportpalast_speech>* - speech.

***

On this day in *1954*, the first *Church of Scientology* is established in
Los Angeles, California.

***

On this day in *1968*, *David Gilmour* joins *Pink Floyd*. If you're
wondering why this news merits a mention in the Daily Dirt, go listen to
*Meddle*, *Wish you were Here*, or *Animals*. If you're still left
wondering after that, then there's nothing yer old pal Jerky can do for you.

***

On this day in *1970*, an ever-humble President *Richard Nixon* launches a
campaign to promote his "Nixon Doctrine." Meanwhile, in Chicago, the
so-called *Chicago Seven* are found not guilty of conspiring to incite
riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

***

On this day in *1972*, the California Supreme Court in the case of People
v. Anderson, (6 Cal.3d 628) invalidates the state's death penalty and
commutes the sentences of all death row inmates to life imprisonment...
including *Charles Manson* and others.

***

On this day in *1978*, the first ever *Iron Man Triathlon* - consisting of
a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race and a complete marathon - is held in
beautiful Kona, Hawaii.

***

On this day in *1983*, 13 people die and one is seriously injured in the
Wah Mee massacre in Seattle, Washington. It is said to be the largest
robbery-motivated mass-murder in U.S. history.

***

On this day in *1995*, surgically-enhanced *Baywatch* starlet *Pamela
Anderson* marries millionaire *Motley Crue* stickman *Tommy Lee*. They
squirt out a brat, accidentally star in the most popular porno movie of all
time, have drug and violence problems, and eventually get a divorce. Then a
neighbor's kid drowns at the bottom of a pool during their son's birthday
party. It's like *Dynasty*, only with dumb white trash instead of the Upper
Crust.

***

On this day in *2001*, FBI agent *Robert Hanssen* is arrested for spying
for the Soviet Union. He is ultimately convicted and sentenced to life
imprisonment.
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