1887 – The telescopic fishing rod, made of steel tubes inside one another, was patented by Everett Horton.
1894 – The state of New York enacted the first dog license law in the U.S. It cost dog owners a $2 annual fee per pooch in cities with a population over 1,200,000.
1917 – In Russia, the February Revolution (known as such because of Russia’s use of the Julian calendar) began when riots and strikes over the scarcity of food erupted in Petrograd. One week later, centuries of czarist rule in Russia ended with the abdication of Nicholas II.
1950 – The Volkswagen “microbus” goes into production.
1953 – A U.S. Census Bureau report indicated that 239,000 farmers had quit tilling the soil and planting crops (giving up farming) over the previous two years.
1957 – Egypt re-opens the Suez Canal to international traffic, following Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territory.
1962 – The Beatles – then made up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best – performed for the first time on the BBC in Great Britain.
1965 – The U.S. landed its first combat troops in South Vietnam, as 3,500 Marines arrived in Da Nang to defend the U.S. air base.
1985 – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) discovered that 407,700 Americans were millionaires – more than double the total of just five years before.
An abandoned structure, meant to be part of an overpass, now serves as a concrete island in the Yamuna River in Delhi, India. Photograph by Kevin Frayer/AP
“Mainstream Catholics want leaders who can address the moral challenges of our day like income inequality, underwater mortgages and poverty, not leaders who perpetuate a never-ending culture war that divides our community.”
— James Salt, Catholics United Executive Director, explaining why Catholic voters are not casting ballots in favor of Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, who is also Catholic.
Survivalist Tip: If you plan to hike your way to safety when the apocalypse hits, a canteen is one of the many things you’ll have to take with you. Canteens have come a long way from the forest green-colored, military-issued containers you’ve seen before. They come in a rainbow of colors, including my favorite: plaid. Camping and hiking enthusiasts know that canteens are now made of either durable plastic or stainless steel. I recommend purchasing some made of stainless steel. Why? Because plastic is human-made junk, which will aggravate the Mayan gods! That’s why! Canteens, of course, are renowned for storing water, but they can be used to store any beverage: milk, hot chocolate, tequila, etc. You’ll need one with a sturdy adjustable strap to sling over your shoulder and a screw-on cap with a tether. Now, understand there is a difference between a canteen and a cantina. A canteen, as described above, is for quick transport of consumable fluids; a cantina is where you hope to end up once the Mayan gods realize you’re on their side and the chaos has subsided. Just don’t hunker down at your favorite cantina on December 20th, or you’ll turn into a zombie. Or worst, a Mormon.
1854 – Charles Miller received a patent for the sewing machine that stitches buttonholes.
1876 – Alexander Graham Bell of Salem, MA received a patent for his invention – the telephone. Bell initially called his device a “harmonic telegraph.”
1911 – Willis Farnsworth of Petaluma, CA received a patent for the coin-operated locker.
1918 – Finland became an independent nation upon reaching a peace settlement with Germany.
1936 – Adolph Hitler violated the 1919 Treaty of Versailles by sending German military forces to occupy the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone along the Rhine River in western Germany.
1954 – Russia defeated Canada 7-2 to capture the world ice-hockey title in Stockholm, Sweden. It marked the first time that Russia participated in the ice-hockey competition and started a dynasty – until being checked by Team USA in the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, NY.
1973 – Sheikh Mujib Rahman became Bangladesh’s first democratically elected leader.
1987 – World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champ, ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, became the youngest heavyweight titlist ever as he beat James Smith in a decision during a 12-round bout in Las Vegas.
1994 – In Campbell vs. Acuff-Rose Music Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a parody mocking an original work can be considered “fair use” and doesn’t require the copyright holder’s permission.
2010 – Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win a Best Director Oscar for her work on 2009’s The Hurt Locker.
Chief Writing Wolf 