This Day in History

[Gravdigr]

April 2

1912 - RMS Titanic



leaves Belfast for sea trials.

1982 – Falklands War: Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.

2014 – A spree shooting occurs at the Fort Hood army base in Texas, with four dead, including the gunman, and 16 others injured.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

1982 – Falklands War: Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.

It seems like yesterday.
I vividly recall Al Haig making a commendable, if exhausting and ultimately unsuccessful, effort to broker a settlement between ourselves and Argentina.

[Gravdigr]

April 3



1882 - An unarmed Jesse James is shot by the coward Robert Ford, in the back of the head, while standing on a chair cleaning a dusty picture hanging on the wall.

James had just learned from a newspaper article that gang member Dick Liddil had confessed to the murder of one Wood Hite. He was suspicious as to why the Ford brothers hadn't told him about it. James then realized the Fords were there to betray him. Instead of confronting them, with whom he had just eaten breakfast, James removed both his pistols, walked across the room, laid them on the sofa, and returned across the living room, and began cleaning the picture.

[Carruthers]

Photo of Jesse James bought on eBay could be worth millions

A photo bought by a collector for £7 on eBay could be worth millions after experts identified it as a rare picture of Wild West outlaw Jesse James.

Justin Whiting, 45, bought the tintype image and noticed a similarity between the boy in the picture and a photo of Jesse James in a book.

He consulted experts who confirmed it was a genuine portrait of the bank robber taken when he was 14.

The selling title stated: "Victorian tintype photo young man in dark suit standing by chair 1870-1879 US"

Mr Whiting, from Spalding, said experts believe it could be worth at least £2m.

He bought the tintype - an early form of photography in which an image is produced on a thin sheet of tin - via eBay last July.

He decided to have it analysed and enlisted the help of Will Dunniway, a 19th Century photography expert from California, who concluded the photo was taken between 1861 to 1862.

A report by the expert said: "It is very evident by the face, hair cut, jacket, shirt and tie that this is the same image of Jesse James at 14 years old. One of the originals."

Mr Whiting, who has been out of work since 2003 due to back problems, then sent the image, measuring 3.5in by 2.5in, to Los Angeles forensic expert Kent Gibson who also confirmed its authenticity.

He said he intended to sell the photo so he could buy his own house and car, adding: "I'm being super careful. That photograph is the most valuable thing I've ever had in my possession.

It's staying in my friend's safe for now."

Mr Gibson said: "All power to Justin. An authentic photograph of outlaw Billy the Kid sold for $5m (£3.6m) in 2015 so the sky's the limit.

"Jesse James is a very famous outlaw so this is obviously a valuable image."

20 March 2018

£1.00 = $1.41

LINK

[xoxoxoBruce]

I't's amazing, If I spent millions of dollars to buy that tintype I probably wouldn't see any more than looking at the picture Carruthers posted. As a matter of fact less because the tintype is 2.5 x 3.5 and my screen picture is about 7" square.

Now I can't hang it over the mantle without an armed guard, so it's got to be locked away in a damn big safe, a safety deposit box, or a museum. Also every crook and con man will be looking me up to see I have any money left. And never before seen distant relatives will be crawling out of the sewers.

Plus the gold digging harlots.

OK, I'm in.

[Gravdigr]

All of that shit will happen.

It doesn't have to be a whole lot of money, either.

Because people.

[Gravdigr]

April 9, 1865

CSA General Robert E. Lee surrenders the Army of Northern Virginia (26,765 troops) to US General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the American Civil War.

[Gravdigr]

April 16

1943 -

It gave me an inner joy, an open mindedness, a gratefulness, open eyes and an internal sensitivity for the miracles of creation. [...] I think that in human evolution it has never been as necessary to have this substance LSD. It is just a tool to turn us into what we are supposed to be.

~ Albert Hofmann, Speech on 100th birthday

[Gravdigr]

Today is ANZAC Day.

[Gravdigr]

April 26, 1986

Chernobyl

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

April 26, 1986

Chernobyl

The fire began in Reactor number 2's Turbine 4 (ТГ-4 in Russian) when the turbine was being idled for repairs. A faulty switch caused a surge of current to the turbine, igniting insulating material on some electrical wiring.[14] This subsequently led to hydrogen, used as a turbine coolant, being leaked into the turbine hall "which apparently created the conditions for fire to start in the roof and for one of the trusses supporting the roof to collapse."[15]

Led to HYDROGEN being used as a coolant?!?!

What the fucking fuck?

[xoxoxoBruce]

That's common everywhere but not in the turbine, in the generator.

[Gravdigr]

Not led to hydrogen being used a s a coolant.

Led the hydrogen which was already being used as a turbine coolant to leak from the turbine into the turbine hall.

Hydrogen's cold, y'know.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Not the turbine, the generator. They got that wrong. The turbine must cool slowly or it'll break.

[Gravdigr]

I assumed.

Yet another time that assuming has made an ass outta me.