In 1982, comedian John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in a rented bungalow in Hollywood; he was 33.

Posted: Mar 15, 2013 - 5:49am

meower wrote:

antony?

only my hair dresser knows...

Posted: Mar 15, 2013 - 5:48am

meower wrote:

antony?

Brutal

Posted: Mar 15, 2013 - 5:42am

oldviolin wrote:

bet that's going to leave a mark...

antony?

Posted: Mar 15, 2013 - 5:38am

Red_Dragon wrote:

44 BC - Julius Caesar is stabbed to death

bet that's going to leave a mark...

Posted: Mar 15, 2013 - 5:33am

44 BC - Julius Caesar is stabbed to death

Posted: Mar 8, 2013 - 10:36am

1965 First U.S. combat troops arrived in Vietnam

Posted: Mar 8, 2013 - 7:36am

black321 wrote:

On this day (or, more correctly....+2....approximately) in 1349, in the midst of the
infamous Black Plague epidemic, the forces of government, science and academia
came together with a plan to save the people. As you recall from earlier episodes, the
Black Plague had spread from the eastern Mediterranean throughout most of Europe
killing millions over the preceding three years. People searched everywhere for the
source of the plague...a heavenly curse; a burden of immigrants; the result of spices in
the food. It was tough to figure however, since whenever they held a conference
either the host area caught the plague or the visitors did...so...not too many
conferences.
Then in the six months preceding this date the death rate leveled off…..or seemed to.
So in castles and universities and town halls across Europe, great minds pondered the
cause of the plague. And they came pretty close. The collective
governmental/academic wisdom was that the source of the Black Plague was fleas -
(absolutely correct).
So the word went out from town to town across Europe - to stop the plague - kill the
fleas - by killing all the dogs. And immediately the slaughter of all dogs began.
But like lots of well intentioned governmental/academic ideas it was somewhat wide
of the mark…..and had unexpected consequences. The cause was fleas alright but not
dog fleas...it was rat fleas. And in the 1300's what was the most effective way to
hold down the rat population...you guessed it - dogs. So by suggesting that
townsfolk kill their dogs, the wise authorities had unwittingly allowed the rat
population to flourish and thus a new vicious rash and global outbreak of Black
Plague began. Before it was over, three years later, nearly 1 out of 3 people in the
world had died of the plague.
(Historic footnote...Published sources say that with so many people dying, millions of
estates had to be settled - result...the fallout of the plague was a huge growth
in.....the number of.....you guessed it…..lawyers.)
(Historic Note II…All that property shuffling also transformed how we deal with
property and real estate. Recall – the word – "mortgage" comes from the French and
means "death contract".)

Posted: Mar 8, 2013 - 7:08am

On this day (or, more correctly....+2....approximately) in 1349, in the midst of the
infamous Black Plague epidemic, the forces of government, science and academia
came together with a plan to save the people. As you recall from earlier episodes, the
Black Plague had spread from the eastern Mediterranean throughout most of Europe
killing millions over the preceding three years. People searched everywhere for the
source of the plague...a heavenly curse; a burden of immigrants; the result of spices in
the food. It was tough to figure however, since whenever they held a conference
either the host area caught the plague or the visitors did...so...not too many
conferences.
Then in the six months preceding this date the death rate leveled off…..or seemed to.
So in castles and universities and town halls across Europe, great minds pondered the
cause of the plague. And they came pretty close. The collective
governmental/academic wisdom was that the source of the Black Plague was fleas -
(absolutely correct).
So the word went out from town to town across Europe - to stop the plague - kill the
fleas - by killing all the dogs. And immediately the slaughter of all dogs began.
But like lots of well intentioned governmental/academic ideas it was somewhat wide
of the mark…..and had unexpected consequences. The cause was fleas alright but not
dog fleas...it was rat fleas. And in the 1300's what was the most effective way to
hold down the rat population...you guessed it - dogs. So by suggesting that
townsfolk kill their dogs, the wise authorities had unwittingly allowed the rat
population to flourish and thus a new vicious rash and global outbreak of Black
Plague began. Before it was over, three years later, nearly 1 out of 3 people in the
world had died of the plague.
(Historic footnote...Published sources say that with so many people dying, millions of
estates had to be settled - result...the fallout of the plague was a huge growth
in.....the number of.....you guessed it…..lawyers.)
(Historic Note II…All that property shuffling also transformed how we deal with
property and real estate. Recall – the word – "mortgage" comes from the French and
means "death contract".)

Posted: Mar 8, 2013 - 6:39am

1921: Alan Hale, Jr. born.
skipper

Posted: Mar 6, 2013 - 6:00am

1912: the Oreo cookie is introduced by Nabisco

Posted: Mar 5, 2013 - 9:31am

In 1982, comedian John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in a rented bungalow in Hollywood; he was 33.

oh...and
In 1934, the first Mothers-in-Law Day celebration and parade took place in Amarillo, Texas. ( unannounced of course) {#Roflol}

Posted: Mar 5, 2013 - 7:01am

1770 - The Boston Massacre

Posted: Mar 5, 2013 - 6:49am

Antigone wrote:

On this day in 1839, Charlotte Brontë wrote to the Reverend Henry Nussey, declining marriage. The 23-year-old Brontë told him that he would find her "romantic and eccentric" and not practical enough to be a clergyman's wife. Rather than marry, Brontë struggled as a teacher and governess to help support her brother Branwell's literary aspirations. In the end, Branwell's excesses destroyed him; his sisters, though, all became literary figures.

I wonder how many women were brave enough to take the step of remaining single throughout their lives, because they did not want the drudgery of marriage.

Posted: Mar 5, 2013 - 6:37am

On this day in 1839, Charlotte Brontë wrote to the Reverend Henry Nussey, declining marriage. The 23-year-old Brontë told him that he would find her "romantic and eccentric" and not practical enough to be a clergyman's wife. Rather than marry, Brontë struggled as a teacher and governess to help support her brother Branwell's literary aspirations. In the end, Branwell's excesses destroyed him; his sisters, though, all became literary figures.

Posted: Feb 26, 2013 - 1:40pm

You guys are cracking me UP!

Posted: Feb 26, 2013 - 7:56am

meower wrote:

BHD was born!!!

HBD BHD!

WoooHooo, joyous day!

Posted: Feb 26, 2013 - 7:54am

MsJudi wrote:

Happy Birfday BHD!

Posted: Feb 26, 2013 - 7:46am

meower wrote:

BHD was born!!!

HBD BHD!

Posted: Feb 26, 2013 - 7:22am

BHD was born!!!

HBD BHD!

Posted: Feb 26, 2013 - 7:05am

On this day (-2) in 1803, the U.S. Supreme Court assumed immense power by
announcing that it lacked power. In that single act it threw a curveball past a hostile
President and redefined the Constitution. And this is how it happened.
When John Adams lost the Presidency to his adversary, Thomas Jefferson, Adams
rushed to fill lots of political posts before the new guy got in. In that rush, the
Secretary of State forgot to get all the appointments posted before Adams' term
expired. So, Jefferson said the appointments were invalid and he could appoint his
own guys.
One of Adams' appointees decided, in what has become an American tradition; to sue
to get the job he was promised. His name was William Marbury, and he sued the
incoming Secretary of State, a guy named James Madison. So, naturally when it hit
the Supreme Court docket, it was called "Marbury vs. Madison" (now known as,
perhaps, the most important judicial decision in U.S. History).
The Chief Justice was a guy named John Marshall. Since he was appointed to the
Court by Adams, Messrs. Jefferson and Madison figured they would not get a fair
shake. So they told associates that if Marshall found for Marbury they would ignore
the Court and hide all its quill pens.
So, Marshall was in a quandary. He knew that Marbury had a good case but to
decide in his favor could destroy the Court. He decided to throw one of the biggest
curveballs in judicial history.
He wrote that Jefferson & Madison were probably wrong guys who might have put
gum on folks’ seats during the Constitutional Convention. He said Marbury clearly
deserved his post. EXCEPT - - - - (and this was the big one) - - - - the act under which
Congress had granted to the Supreme Court the right to mediate appointment
disputes (the Judiciary Act of 1789) was unconstitutional.
Thus Jefferson was presented with a decision that said - - You don't have to give
Marbury the job because I don't have the power to make you give Marbury the job
because I have decided the law that gave me that power was unconstitutional. (And
now since I demonstrated that I have the power to interpret the Constitution that
gives me more power than you or Congress now have.)
The decision forever changed American history, politics and government. Marshall is
universally renowned as the most important Chief Justice in history (mainly for this
decision).
But the answer to one of the twelve best bar bets of all time is - - - -
who was Adams' dopey Secretary of State, whose error set up the
whole crisis. Okay so you guessed it. Yup! The same John Marshall - - himself a last
minute appointment - - to the Supreme Court.