Saturday, November 7, 2009

++This Tweet in History: November 8, 2009++

  • WRLD: 1520 – Executions begin in the Stockholm Bloodbath, leading to animosity, separation of Sweden and Denmark
  • SPRT: 1966 – LBJ signs law clearing AFL/NFL to merge into new NFL
  • TECH: 1895 – X-phile Röntgen sees what lies beneath the surface
  • BDAY: Leif Garrett; Morley Safer; Patti Page; Margaret Mitchell

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  • 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

    [SFX:GENERIC1MOTION]Thank you for joining us for This Tweet in History, the Week in review. Be sure to follow us on Twitter.com/histortweet, and check our archives at histortweet.blogspot.com.

    ++This Tweet in History: November 7, 2009++

  • WRLD: 1907 – Jesus saves. . . Nacozari
  • SPRT: 1991 – Magical hoops careers ends with a whimper as he announces he’s HIV positive
  • OTHR: 1940 – Galloping Gertie, resonating with 42 mph wind, collapses
  • BDAY: Joan Sutherland; Billy Graham; Leon Trotsky; Madame Curie

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    Follow us at twitter.com/histortweet

    Thanks!