Friday, August 21, 2009
Senior Citizens Day
Today, August 21, is National Senior Citizens Day. So spend some time with an elderly loved one. Or, if you are a senior take the day off. You should be retired already. Thanks Reagan.
Water Skiing Record
On today’s date, August 21 1977, Donna Patterson Brice set the world record in high speed water skiing at a speed of 111.1 m.p.h. The record has since been broken by speeds over 150 m.p.h.
WWJ Radio
On today’s date August 20, 1920, WWJ of Detroit, Michigan, became the first commercial radio station. The original call letters were 8MK. The Scripps family, which owned the station, kept some distance from the station believing radio would be a fad. The station is still broadcasting news.
Salem Witch Trials
Today was a bad day for witches. On today’s date August 19, 1692, five people of Salem, Massachusetts, were executed for witchcraft. Hysteria ruled when reason left the community.
Fulton Steamboat
On August 17, 1807, the North River Steamboat, invented by Robert Fulton, became the first commercially successful steamboat. Fulton is also credited with the invention of the first practical submarine, which he invented in 1800 through a commission by Napoleon Bonaparte.
PC Release
On August 11, in 1981, IBM released the PC, Personal Computer. Their computer dominated the home computer market throughout the 80s and brought the computer into many homes. Its influence is still felt to this day. The first PCs operated at a speed of 4.77 MHz, had 16 KB of RAM (later 64) and 64 KB of ROM.
Missouri Statehood
On August 10, 1821, Missouri was admitted into the Union as the 24th state. Central to The Missouri Compromise, her admission into the Union only helped to delay the Civil War a few more decades.
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