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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Fun Facts and Trivial Tidbits - 2012

Welcome to the first installment of Fun Facts and Trivial Tidbits for 2012.  It has been quite a while since this mid-week entertainment has been posted, so without further adeu, let's get started.  Since we have begun a new year, perhaps it would be good to see what happened to us 100 years ago: 

For you runners out there, did you know that January 1st, 1912 was the first running of San Francisco's "Bay to Breakers" race?

On January 6th, 1912 New Mexico became the 47th state admitted to the United States.
On February 14th, 1912 Arizona became the 48th state to join the United States.
May 11, 1912 Alaska is organized as a US Territory.  By August 24th the Territory of Alaska organizes

 It looks like our US Marines were very busy in 1912:
On January 9th, 1912 the US Marines invaded Honduras
May 30, 1912 the US Marines are sent to Nicaragua, on August 14th of this year 2,500 more Marines were added and they stayed until 1925.
June 5, 1912 the US Marines invade Cuba

In January 18th, British Naval Captain and explorer Robert F. Scott and his expedition arrive at the South Pole only to discover hat the Norwegian explorer Roland Amundsen had preceded them by just over a month.  By March 30th while storm-bound in a tent near the South Pole, he makes the last entry in his diary, "the end cannot be far".  Captain Robert F. Scott and 4 others in his expedition died in Antartica.  Captian Scott's body and diary are finally located by November 12th of this year. 

April 2nd, 1912 the Titanic undergoes sea trial under it's own power.  After successful trials, the Titanic leaves Queesntown, Irland with final passengers and mail, headed for New York.  On April 14th, on route from Southampton to New York, "Unsinkable" Titanic strikes an iceberg 453 miles southeast of Newfoundland.  Six of the 15 watertight compartments are breached by a 300-foot gash.  Just after midnight on April 15th Captain Smith of the Titanic orders lifeboats to be uncovered and for passengers to be assembled in preparation to abandon the ship.  By approximately 2:30 AM the RMS Titanic sinks into the North Atlantic, an estimated 1,522 people of the 2,200 passengers and crew aboard perish.

On a lighter note, on August 27th, 1912 Edgar Rice Burrough's publishes the book, "Tarzan of the Apes".

March 1, 1912 Captain Albert Berry made the first successful parachute jump from an aeroplane over Saint Louis, MO.

Mrs. William Howard Taft plants the first cherry tree in Washington, D.C. on March 16th, 1912

On March 23rd, the Dixie Cup was invented.

In 1912, Casimir Funk, a Polish biochemist, then 28, published his discovery of substances in the body which he classified as "vitamines" (vitamins).  He proved that some diseases are caused by vitamin deficiency.

Did you know that 1912 was a leap year and a U.S election, as 2012 is also a leap year and election year?
November 5th, 1912 Woodrow Wilson (D) defeated Theodore (Teddy) Roosewvelt (Prog) and President Taft (R).  Who will win in the 2012 election...?  Only time will tell...

Hopefully you enjoyed the initial 2012 mid-week installment of Fun Facts and Trivial Tidbits.

Until Monday...

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