TODAY IN HISTORY

we live in a slightly mad world


 

Feb 15 1898

The battleship U.S.S. Maine blows up in Havana Harbor, commencing a splendid little war against Spain that ends with the United States owning a colonial empire and Cuba under martial law.

Feb 15 1933

An unsuccessful attempt on FDR’s life by Joseph Zangara in Miami leaves Chicago mayor Anton Czermak dead. Zangara is electrocuted the following month.

Feb 15 1936

 

At a speech in Berlin, Hitler confronts German industry with the challenge of creating the Volkswagen. Thus Ferdinand Porsche designs the Beetle which is now widely seen as the final solution to fahrvergnugen. But neither Hitler nor Porsche would have the foresight to realize how groovy the Beetle would be, man.

Feb 15 1954

Ronald Reagan opens his stand-up act at the Las Vegas Ramona Room with the “Honey Brothers”, a wacky slapstick troupe. His show was a smashing success.

Feb 15 1961

The U.S. figure skating team is obliterated when their Sabena Airlines 707 crashes in Belgium.

Feb 15 1988

Surely you’re dead, Mr. Feynman.

Feb 15 1992

Jeffrey Dahmer sentenced to fifteen consecutive life terms for the murder of fifteen young and mostly ethnic boys. He completed his sentence when he was beaten to death in the shower by other inmates.

Feb 15 1995

The most wanted computer hacker in history, Kevin Mitnick, is arrested in Raleigh North Carolina for various offenses, one of which was breaking into security specialist Tsutomu Shimomura’s computer.