Histortweet Week in Review - W/E November 7, 2009

[SFX: CHURCHBELL] Greetings, History Lovers! Welcome to This Tweet in History, the Week In Review, podcasting to you on tape delay from our North American Studios.

Here are your top stories for the week ending November 7, 2009:

[SFX: SOUND827]World: DATELINE Central America, November 3, 1903 – Panama trades canal to US for independence from Colombia: http://bit.ly/3peOx3

The Back-Story: [SFX:Panama] It was a marriage of convenience. France had spent five years trying to build a canal across Panama, but gave up the effort after losing 22,000 workers to yellow fever.[SFX: Fever] Over the objection of Colombia, of which Panama was still a part, the French made a deal for the United States to complte the canal. The US didn’t want to pay the prrice that Colombia was demanding, so it struck a deal – with Panama. Panama, which was in thein the midst of its independence movement, needed the financial and military backing the the US could provide and, in exchange for these, agreed to give the United States to the canal zone in perpetuity. [SFX: For God’s Sake, John, Sit Down]

[SFX: SOUND827]Sports: DATELINE Tipperary, November 1, 1884 – Hurlers, camogiers, and rounders rejoice! There’s a GAA for that: http://bit.ly/28E7zb
The Back-Story: [SFX: Shades of a blue orphanage; It’s a long way to tipperary] The Gaelic Athletic Association was formed by a spirited group of Irishmen who had the foresight to realize the importance of establishing a national organization to review and nurture traditional, indigenous pastimes. The group’s original charter called out the sports Gaelic Football, Hurling, Handball, and Rounders. This year, the Association marked their 125th anniversary with 125 celebrations. [SFX:Holiday]

[SFX: SOUND827]: In other news: DATELINE Tacoma, November 7, 1940 – Galloping Gertie, resonating with 42 mph wind, collapses: http://bit.ly/V9YQz (video)
The Back-Story: [SFX:Love Rollercoaster; Blowing in the wind] The Tacoma Narrows bridge opened to traffic on July 1940 and collapsed spectacularly just four months later. It was nicknamed Galloping Gertie because of the way that it contorted in the wind. Although the bridge was built to withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour, it collapsed in winds of just 42 mph as the wind resonated with the harmonic frequency of the bridge, amplifying its movements. Spectacular footage of the collapse, now preserved in the Library of Congress, shows a reporter whose car was the last to attempt a crossing on that fateful day, abandoning his car and escaping just in time. His daughter’s dog, who snapped at him when he tried to help her out of the vehicle, was the only casualty of the collapse.. [SFX:Rip it up; How much is that doggie in the window]

[SFX: SOUND827] This week’s birthdays:[SFX: In the Club]

November 1: Author Stephen Crane
November 2:Queen of France Marie Antoinette
November 3:Politician Michael Dukakis
November 4: Folk humorist Will Rogers
November 5: Actor Roy Rogers
November 6: Composer John Philip Sousa
And November 7: Chemist Madame Curie

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