GodsendJen

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

When I was growing up I remember trying earnestly to convince my cousin Chad, whose birthday fell on Christmas Day, that my birthday was better because grown-ups care more about Flag Day than Christmas.

I've since realized the foolishness of that argument and thought that in honor of my birthday it would be fun to create a list of other cool stuff that turned 30 today. You would think that the wonder that is google would make this easy. Sadly the only pop culture event I could find attributed to my birthday was the premeir of the Gong Show.

What I did turn up was a few terrible things that happened on June 14.

1940: Auschwitz, the largest Nazi concentration camp was established in German-occupied Poland
1954: The first national civil defense drill was held.
1985: TWA Flight 847 was hijacked by Lebanese Shi'ites after takeoff from Athens, beginning a 17-day ordeal

Other events attributed to "Today in History"

In 1775, the United States Army was founded.
In 1777 we adopt the stars and stripes.
1789 - Whisky distilled from maize is first produced by American clergyman the Rev Elijah Craig. It is named Bourbon because Rev Craig lived in Bourbon County, Kentucky.
In 1846, a group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the Republic of California.
In 1946 Donald Trump was born.
In 1951 the first Univac Computer was dedicated.
In 1954, President Eisenhower signed an order adding the words ``under God'' to the Pledge of Allegiance.
In 1976...well that's when I showed up.