Today in History

On This Day In History, December 2nd

2001 Enron Files for Bankruptcy
The Houston, Texas-based energy company filed for Chapter Eleven bankruptcy after reports of widespread accounting fraud became public. At that time, the company became the largest company in the history of the United States to declare bankruptcy.

1988 Benazir Bhutto is sworn in as Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto takes office as Pakistan's Prime Minister, becoming the first woman PM of Pakistan.

1982 First artificial heart transplant
Barney Clark became the first person to receive a permanent artificial heart. The surgery occurred at the University of Utah Medical Center. Clark lived for 112 days after the transplant.

1939 LaGuardia Airport in New York City opens its doors
The airport was named after New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. American Airlines was the first carrier to regularly provide passenger service.

1804 Napoleon is crowned Emperor of France
Napoleon Bonaparte had risen through the ranks of the French army during the French revolution and became one of the most influential political figures of his era. His self-coronation as Napoleon I took place in Notre Dame in Paris, France.
 

Births On This Day, December 2nd 🎂

1981 Britney Spears
American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress

1978 Nelly Furtado
Canadian singer-songwriter, producer

1923 Maria Callas
Greek soprano

1825 Pedro II of Brazil

1760 John Breckinridge
American politician, 5th United States Attorney General

Deaths On This Day, December 2nd 🪦

1993 Pablo Escobar
Colombian drug lord

1990 Aaron Copland
American composer

1985 Philip Larkin
English poet

1859 John Brown
American activist

1814 Marquis de Sade
French author, politician
 
Holidays and Events on This Day, December 2nd 🍹🌴

Farmer's Day- Ghana

Gospel Day- Marshall Islands

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery- USA

National Day- United Arab Emirates, Laos

Public Sector Holiday- Romania
 

1816
The 1st U.S. Savings Bank opens in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Savings Fund Society
1927
The 1st Model T Ford sold fro $385
1950
'I Robot' collection of science- fiction stories by biochemistry prof/ author, Isaac Asimov is published
1970
Environmental Protection Agency{EPA} begins in U. S.under director, William Ruckelshaus
2001
Enron Corp, a energy-trading company in Houston,Texas files Chapter 11 bankruptcy in NYS Federal Court
It was one of the biggest corporate scandals at the time. It was # 7 on Fortune Magazine's list of top 500 U.S. companies. In 2000, the stock began to plummet,employees were encouraged to buy more stock thinking the company would rebound, it didn't What caused the demise, company had inflated its earning while hiding debts,5,600 employees lost their jobs&pensions
 
Dec 2nd Birthdays:
1924
Jonathan Frid- Canadian actor,- best known TV role, vampire' Barnabas Collins' in ABC Gothic soap opera'Dark Shadows' '66-'71
1946
Gianni Versace- Italian fashion designer
1963
Ann Patchett- author' Bel Canto, State of Wonder, The Dutch House, These Precious Days
1983
Aaron Rodgers- NFL QB with Green Bay Packers
Deaths:
1973
Watson Washburn- tennis player, founder of International Tennis Hall of Fame 79
1982
Marty Feldman- British comedian, best know movie role' Igor' in Mel Brooks movie' Young Frankenstein' 49{heart attack}
1990
Aaron Copland- composer' Billy the kid, Fanfare for the Common Man' 90
2014
Jean Beliveau- Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame center with Montreal Canadiens 83
 
2nd December

1697 The rebuilt St Paul’s Cathedral, the work of Sir Christopher Wren, was opened. The previous cathedral had been destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.

1816 The Spa Fields Riots. A large crowd, who had gathered to demand political reform, decided to march on London. One of a number of popular incidents provoked by hunger and revolutionary feeling in the wake of the French wars.

1943 The first Bevin Boys, aged between 18 and 25 were directed into the mining industry. Many miners had been called up to the armed forces, resulting in a grave shortage of coal.

1966 The Mini skirt, the symbol of the Swinging Sixties, was banned from the Houses of Parliament at Westminster.
 
On This Day In History, December 3rd

1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster
A gas leak from a Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in the city of Bhopal, India killed over 2000 people and affected thousands of others. It is said to be the world's worst industrial disaster.

1970 Ayatollah Khomeini takes office
The Iranian religious leader was a leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

1927 First Laurel & Hardy movie released
Putting Pants on Philip, a short silent film starring the comedy duo marked the beginning of a long partnership.

1910 First public demonstration of neon lights
Seen in most urban settings and cities today, the neon light was invented by French inventor and engineer, Georges Claude. They were first displayed at the Paris Motor Show.

1818 Illinois joins the Union
The midwestern state became the 21st state to be part of the United State. 3 U.S. presidents call it their home state.
 
Births On This Day, December 3rd 🎂

1985 Amanda Seyfried
American actress, singer

1981 David Villa
Spanish footballer

1895 Anna Freud
Austrian/English psychoanalyst

1857 Joseph Conrad
Polish/English author

1826 George B. McClellan
American general, politician, 24th Governor of New Jersey

Deaths On This Day, December 3rd 🪦

1939 Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll

1928 Ezra Meeker
American businessman

1910 Mary Baker Eddy
American writer, founder of Christian Science

1894 Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish author, poet

311 Diocletian
Roman Emperor
 
1586
Sir Thomas Heriot introduces potatoes to England from Columbia
1833
1st U. S. co ed college, Oberlin College in Ohio opens
1931
Alka Selzer goes on sale which is an effervesant antacid to relieve stomach aches, heartburn, sold in fold packets of two
1947
original production of Tennessee Williams play,' A Streetcar Named Desire' opens on Broadway starring Jessica Tandy"Blanche', Marlon Brando' Stanley ', Kim Hunter' Stella' Tandy won Best Actress Tony
1984
single' Do They Know Its Christmas' co written by Bob Geldof/ Midge Ure sung by British rock stars aka' Band Aid' which raised money for African relief. It was the counter part of USA Africa's 'We Are The World'
2019
70th anniv of NATO had meeting with world leaders in London. Queen Eliz II held reception at Buckingham Palace
 
Dec 3rd Birthdays:
1857
Joseph Conrad- author' Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness'
1927
Andy Williams- singer' Days of Wine&Roses' Where Do I Begin'{love theme from movie Romeo&Juliet} Moon River
1948
Ozzy Osborne -singer/songwriter with British heavy metal band' Black Sabbath'
1960
Julieanne Moore- actress 'The Kids Are Alright, Still Alice, The Hours, won best actress Oscar for' Alice', she plays 50 yr old college prof in early stages of Alzheimers
Deaths:
1815
John Carroll- 1st U.S. Roman Catholic bishop who founded Georgetown Univ in Washington,DC 80
1910
Mary Eddy Baker- founder of religious movement' Christian Science' 89
1999
Madeline Kahn- comic actress 'What's Up Doc, Paper Moon, 2 Mel Brooks movies' Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles' 57{ ovarian cancer}
2015
Scott Weiland- singer/ songwriter with band, Stone Temple Pilots 48{drug overdose}
 
On This Day In History, December 4th

1991 Pan Am ceases operations
Pan American World Airways, the largest airline in the United States began operations in October 1927.

1982 China adopts its current constitution
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China replaced the Constitutions of 1954, 1975, and 1978.

1980 Led Zeppelin disbands
The British rock band announced that it was disbanding 12 years after coming onto the music scene after the death of drummer John Bonham.

1978 Dianne Feinstein became the first female mayor of San Francisco
A United States Senator from California, Feinstein became the 38th mayor of San Francisco after the murder of George Moscone.

1791 First Sunday paper published
The Observer, a British newspaper became the first newspaper in the world to be published and read on a Sunday.
 
Births On This Day, December 4th 🎂

1969 Jay-Z
American rapper, producer, and actor, co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records

1964 Marisa Tomei
American actress

1949 Jeff Bridges
American actor, singer, producer

1923 Charles Keating
American lawyer, businessman

1892 Francisco Franco
Spanish general, politician, Caudillo of Spain

Deaths On This Day, December 4th 🪦

1993 Frank Zappa
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer

1976 Benjamin Britten
English composer, conductor, pianist

1975 Hannah Arendt
German/American theorist, philosopher

1893 John Tyndall
British physicist

1123 Omar Khayyám
Persian mathematician, astronomer, poet
 
1791
Britain's 'The Observer' ,the world's oldest newspaper was 1st published
1909
The oldest NHL hockey franchise was established, by J.Ambrose O'Brien &Jack Laviolette, known as 'Club de Hockey Canadien later renamed 'Montreal Canadiens'
1956
a impromptu jazz recording session at Sun Records in Memphis, Tenn took place with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis &Carl Perkins It was dubbed' Million Dollar Quartet'
1991
Muslim Shiites release U.S hostage, Terry Anderson after being held for 6 1/2 yrs
2018
French couture house, Chanel ends its use of fir& exotic skins following bans by other companies
 
Dec 4th Birthdays:
1896
Larry Stock- composer 'Blueberry Hill, You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You'
1912
Pappy Boyington- Marine Corps fighter ace/pilot during WWII
1937
Max Baer,Jr -actor best known TV role' Jethro' in CBS sitcom 'Beverly Hillibillies'
1949
Jeff Bridges- actor Tron, Last Picture Show, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Big Lebowski. The Giver, Crazy Heart-won Best Actor Oscar
1967
Jay- Z -rapper/ record producer
Deaths:
1967
Bert Lahr- comedic actor best known movie role' The Cowardly Lion' in Wizard of Oz' 72
1976
Benjamin Britten- British composer of operas' Peter Grim, War Requiem' 63
1993
Frank Zappa- singer/ songwriter with group 'Mothers of Invention' 52{ prostate cancer}
 
On This Day In History, December 5th

2005 UK's Civil Partnership Act of 2004 comes into force
UK's Civil Partnership Act of 2004 came into force almost a year after it was passed.

1977 Egypt breaks all relations with Arab countries
President Anwar al-Sadat broke all relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, and South Yemen in response to these countries and the Palestinian Liberation Organization signing the Declaration of Tripoli. The declaration followed Sadat's visit to Israel.

1936 Establishment of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
The Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic was established as a republic of the Soviet Union.

1933 End of prohibition in the U.S.
A national ban on alcohol in the U.S. first instituted in 1920 by the 18th amendment, ended on this day after the ratification of the 21st amendment.

1766 Christie's held their first sale
Art auction house Christie's founder James Christie made his first art sale.
 
Births On This Day, December 5th 🎂

1975 Ronnie O'Sullivan
English snooker player

1927 Bhumibol Adulyadej
Thai king

1907 Lin Biao
Chinese military officer, politician, and Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China

1901 Walt Disney
American animator, director, screenwriter, and producer, co-founded The Company

1901 Werner Heisenberg
German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate

Deaths On This Day, December 5th 🪦

2012 Dave Brubeck
American pianist, composer

2007 Karlheinz Stockhausen
German composer

1950 Sri Aurobindo
Indian philosopher

1891 Pedro II of Brazil

1791 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Austrian composer
 
Holidays and Events on This Day, December 5th 🍹🌴

Day of Abolition of the Army- Costa Rica

Day off for the Anniversary of the Coronation of King Tupou I- Tonga

Holiday for Foundation of Quito- Ecuador

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development- USA

King Bhumibol's Birthday/Father's Day- Thailand
 
1766
Christie's the world's largest auction house held its 1st sale in the permanent salesroom in Pall Mall in London
1848
U.S. Pres James Polk triggers the 'Gold Rush of 1849' when he confirms gold was found in Calif
1945
5 U.S. Navy torpedo bombers with 14 men comprising of Flight 19 took off from Ft Lauderdale Naval Station in Fla on a routine 3 hr training session. They never returned bodies never found, several radar stations on land figured the plane was somewhere north of the Bahamas,east of Fla known as the "Bermuda Triangle'
1955
American Federation of Labor merges with Congress of Industrial Organizations to become AFL-CIO with George meany as President
2006
The Givenchy black dress Audrey Hepburn wore in the movie' Breakfast At Tiffany's was auctioned for charity with a record $923,187 at Christie's in London
 
Dec 5th Birthdays:
1901
Walt Disney- U. S. animator/ co founder of Walt Disney Company
1932
Little Richard- singer/ song writer/rock n roll pioneer' Tutti Fruiti'
1947
Jim Messina- singer/ songwriter/ guiatrist with ' Buffalo Springfield, Poco/ Kenny Loggins 'Loggins/ Messina' Your Mama Don't Dance' Pooh Corner
1965
John Rzeznik- singer/ songwriter/ guitarist with' Goo Goo Dolls'
Deaths
1791
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- musical prodigy/ composer 'The Marriage of Figaro' 35
1870
Alexandre Dumas- French author' The 3 Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo' 68
2002
Roone Arledge- U. S. sports broadcasting pioneer, Pres of ABC Sports{MON Night Football}/ABC News 71
2013
Nelson Mandela- South African anti-apartheid activist 95
 
On This Day In History, December 6th

1977 South Africa grants independence to Bophuthatswana
The Republic of Bophuthatswana was never internationally recognized. In 1994, after a series of coups, it reintegrated with South Africa.

1967 World's first pediatric heart transplant
3 days after the first heart transplant in the world occurred in South Africa, Adrian Kantrowitz and his team of surgeons performed United States' first heart transplant and the world's first pediatric heart transplant at the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn.

1922 Establishment of the Irish Free State
The Anglo-Irish Treaty signed between the British and Irish representatives in 1921 paved the way for the establishment of the Dominion of the British Empire. The state lasted until December 1937.

1917 Finnish Declaration of Independence
The declaration ended 109 years of Finland being a Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire. The Northern European country came under the control of the Russian Empire in 1809. After the October Revolution in Russia, which created the Soviet Union, the Finnish Parliament declared independence on this day.

1865 Adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime.
 

Births On This Day, December 6th 🎂

1982 Alberto Contador
Spanish cyclist

1967 Judd Apatow
American director, producer, screenwriter

1941 Richard Speck
American murderer

1920 Dave Brubeck
American pianist, composer

1875 Evelyn Underhill
English poet

Deaths On This Day, December 6th 🪦

1990 Tunku Abdul Rahman
Malaysian politician, 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia

1988 Roy Orbison
American singer-songwriter

1956 B. R. Ambedkar
Indian jurist, politician

1889 Jefferson Davis
American colonel, politician, and President of the Confederate States of America

1882 Alfred Escher
Swiss businessman, politician
 
1877
Washington Post newspaper 1st published
1897
London becomes the world's 1st city to have licensed taxi cabs
1956
Nelson Mandela a long with 156 others were arrested for poltical activies in South Africa
1964
animated TV show' Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer' makes its TV debut on NBC. actor, Burl Ives is narrator, acted as 'Sam The Snowman', face of puppet was structured to loosely resemble him. It was stop-action animation,script was inspired by classic song written by Johnny Marks.Its the longest running holiday TV special in history, has been shown every yr since its debut
2018
the oldest known plague sample found in 4,900yr old remains of a 20 yr old woman in Gokhem, Sweden was published in "Cell' magazine
 

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