I've been intrigued by the Internet since I first discovered I had the capacity to gain access. I really can't remember when that was, but it's been a few years. What continues to amaze me is how much information there is floating around out there, available to anyone with only a click of the mouse.
As often happens, I began to wonder about odd "stuff," the stuff in this instance being the date of February 3. A few clicks of the mouse brought me to a hitherto undiscovered service of the ubiquitous Wikipedia: Wikipedia Answers. At that site, I discovered a plethora of interesting information concerning this date in history, from which I have selected the following (I offer my apologies, in advance, to my non-U.S.A. readers, as most of this information applies to American events):
1690 - The colony of Massachusetts issues the first paper money in America.
1809 - The Illinois Territory is created
1834 - Wake Forest University is established
1870 - The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, granting voting rights regardless of race (comment: men only)
1913 - The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, authorizing the government to impose and collect income tax ( you needed to know that, didn't you?)
1947 - The lowest temperature in North America is recorded at Snag, Yukon: -81.4 degrees F., -63 degrees C.
1959 - THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED - A plane crash near Clear Lake, IA kills Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, The Big Bopper, and Roger Peterson
1966 - Unmanned Soviet Luna 9 spacecraft makes the first controlled rocket-assisted landing on the moon.
1984 - The first untethered spacewalk was made by U.S. astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Steward.
Birthdays of note on this date:
1809 - Felix Mendelssohn
1811 - Horace Greeley
1842 - Sidney Lanier
1874 - Gertrude Stein
1894 - Norman Rockwell
1904 - Pretty Boy Floyd
1907 - James Michener
1911 - Robert Earl Jones
Deaths of note on this date:
1468 - Johannes Gutenberg
1889 - Belle Starr
1922 - John Butler Yeats
1924 - Woodrow Wilson
1943 - THE FOUR CHAPLAINS - if you're too young to remember the story of these heroic men, it's worth a read; just click on the link.
OK... I'll stop there. If you've read this far, you are a blog friend indeed!
Additional information about all of the above is available at Wikipedia Answers, which has very nicely left a trail of clickable links in case you have any interest.
That is a bunch of very interesting info. Pat, but where do you find the time? When I have finished reading and commenting on my favourites, read and commented on David's POTD [I'm three days behind] read the comments on my own blog and drafted out a few ideas, JP is yelling up the stairs that 'isn't it time you started supper?' or...'Do you intend to stay there all day?'
ReplyDeleteI love stuff like this. You never know when a bit of trivia might turn out to be really useful.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I've posted the award you so kindly gave to me. I denigrated it unmercifully, of course, but that's just my way of saying "Thanks!" :-)
I often wonder how I ever survived before the days of googld and wikipedia.
ReplyDeleteI can now say that I learned something today. Thanks
ReplyDeleteAn Arkie's Musings
Well, I learned something today too, as I thought "John Butler Yeats" was a mistake and that it should have said "William Butler Yeats" so I did a search of my own on JBY and discovered he was WBY's father and a quite well-known painter in his own right which painting is certainly not my area of expertise, it is always good to learn something new but I am really concerned because I'm beginning to sound more and more like Billy Ray Barnwell, oh wait, I am Billy Ray Barnwell at the moment.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love the internet...I could do without tv if I had to, but I would for sure miss the internet. I have always been able to find anything I wanted, except for a couple things. And one of them I sort of found after 12 years!
ReplyDeleteThere's certainly not much need for a library anymore, Pat, is there? Anytime I am looking for one thing on the internet, I always find something else to check out... All of a sudden, four hours have passed!!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember when Buddy Holly died. Doesn't seem like it was THAT long ago.
AND--I love the music of Mendelssohn.. Gorgeous!!!
Thanks for a great post this morning.
Hugs,
Betsy
Always fun to visit and learn something!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Stopped by via Brinkbeest....so glad I did! I love interesting and thought provoking posts! Really enjoyed my time here today. :)
ReplyDelete