PARACULTURAL CALENDAR FOR OCTOBER 20

[Mark Thibodeau]

<http://csudigitalhumanities.org/exhibits/files/original/aerial-redo_b1a9533d9b.jpg>

On this day in *1818*, the *Convention of 1818* signed between the United
States and the United Kingdom which, among other things, settled the
Canada/United States border on the 49th parallel for most of its length.

***

On this day in *1944*, liquid natural gas leaks from storage tanks in
Cleveland, then explodes; the explosion and resulting fire level 30 blocks
and kill 130. Ka-freaking-BOOM, muddafuggaz.

***

On this day in *1947*, the *House Un-American Activities Committee* begins
its investigation into Communist infiltration of Hollywood, resulting in a
blacklist that prevents some from working in the industry for years. It
would take the combined forces of *Stanley Kubrick*, *Kirk Douglas* and
time (over a decade) before the blacklist was smashed for good when
formerly untouchable writer *Dalton Trumbo* was hired to pen the script for
the decidedly "liberal" sword-and-sandal epic *Spartacus*.

***

On this day in *1968*, former First Lady *Jacqueline Kennedy* marries Greek
shipping tycoon *Aristotle Onassis*. This gives rise to countless
conspiracy theories of a particularly 70's-tinted hue. Remember *Gemstone
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemstone_File>*? And now, there's even some
relatively *new conspiracies
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1047924/Did-Jackie-Kennedys-jealous-lover-order-assassination-beloved-brother-law-Bobby.html>*
popping
up around this odd couple! *Aristotle* behind the assassination of*RFK*?
Dunno if I buy that one, personally, but who knows?

***

On this day in *1977*, 3 members of Southern-flavored rock combo *Lynyrd
Skynyrd* and its entourage perish in a fiery plane crash. Some of their
more sentimental, superstitious fans insist that the three - *Ronnie Van
Zant*, *Steve Gaines* and his sister *Cassie Gaines* - became "free birds"
in that crash. Yer old pal Jerky suspects the only birds those poor
bastards resembled on that day were of the Kentucky Fried variety.

***

On this day in *2011*, ousted Libyan dictator *Muammar Gaddafi* is found
hiding in a culvert near his hometown of Sirte by National Transitional
Council forces who proceed to torture, then kill him. Disgusting video
footage of his last moments show rebel fighters beating him senseless (and,
allegedly, buggering him with a rifle) before shooting him dead, then
inflicting further desecration upon his corpse. US Secretary of State *Hilary
Clinton*'s subsequent media gloating is, quite possibly, the most
disgusting bit of political theater ever caught on video.
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