Paracalendar for Sept 2

[Mark Thibodeau]

On this day in *1192*, the *Treaty of Jaffa* was signed between *Richard I* of
England and *Saladin*, leading to the end of the Third Crusade.

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On this day in *1666*, the Great Fire of London breaks out and burns for
three days, destroying 10,000 buildings including St Paul's Cathedral.

***

On this day in *1752*, Great Britain adopts the Gregorian calendar, nearly
two centuries later than most of Western Europe.

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On this day in *1806*, a massive landslide destroys the town of Goldau,
Switzerland, killing 457.

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On this day in *1859*, a solar super storm affects electrical telegraph
service. If the same storm happened today, under the same circumstances...
we'd be royally fucked.

***

On this day in *1885*, the Rock Springs massacre happens in Rock Springs,
Wyoming. 150 White miners, who are struggling to unionize so they could
strike for better wages and work conditions, attack their Chinese fellow
workers killing 28, wounding 15 and forcing several hundred more out of
town.

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On this day in *1935*, the Labor Day Hurricane hits the Florida Keys
killing 423.

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On this day in *1944*, future American President *George Herbert Walker
"Poppy" Bush* had to ditch his burning plane and - thanks to the 30 square
yards of hemp fabric strapped to his back - he survived. That's right, you
heard right... the parachute that saved President Bush's life was made of
marijuana. I tell you what... if yer old pal Jerky had been that parachute,
and if he had known about the way Bush would crank up the War On DrugsTM,
and if he had known about the horrific mediocrity that was destined to
spring from his loins... yer old pal Jerky the parachute would have ripped.
By the way, the rest of the crew perished in the crash, and cameras just
happened to be on hand to catch the scene. See above.

***

On this day in *1945*, Vietnam declares its independence, forming the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam. And they all lived happily ever after.

***

On this day in *1958*, United States Air Force C-130A-II is shot down by
fighters over Yerevan in Armenia when it strays into Soviet airspace while
conducting a sigint mission. All crew members are killed.

***

On this day in *1998*, Swissair Flight 111 crashes near Peggys Cove, Nova
Scotia. All 229 people on board are killed. Gruesome floating body parts
ensue.

***

Also on this day in *1998*, the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda finds *Jean Paul Akayesu*, the former mayor of a small town in
Rwanda, guilty of nine counts of genocide. Nine! How can that possibly be?!
I didn't even know there were nine different ethnicities in Rwanda! Oh
well. I guess if it was gonna happen *some* place...
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