Tagged: Datebook

Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist known for his remarkable breakthroughs in vaccinating rabies and anthrax, and for reducing mortality from fevers. He may be best remembered for the discovery that is his namesake: pasteurization, a method to stop milk, beer, and wine from causing sickness. His research showed that the growth of micro-organisms were responsible for spoiling beverages. So he invented a process in which liquids were heated to kill most the bacteria already present within.

Watching the first clip, "Good Night," which premiered on The Tracey Ullman Show 25 years ago today, it's hard to believe that the crudely drawn, kind of lackluster sketch would become something that would have such a profound influence on modern pop-culture. The dysfunctional family from Springfield holds records for longest-running American sitcom, animated program, and primetime scripted TV series. It's won 27 Emmy Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The sinking of the Titanic was 100 years ago last Sunday,but what happened to the 710 survivors is quite interesting. Around 4 a.m. the RMS Carpathia arrived to the scene, responding to distress calls and picked up the survivors in the lifeboats. Due to severe weather conditions, Carpathia took 3 days to get to New York City. The passenger steamship was greeted by a crowd of 40,000 in heavy rain. Most of the survivors boarded trains to their destinations. The Carpathia was quickly restocked to resume its initial journey to Austria-Hungary.

On April 17, 1492, The Capitulations of Santa Fe were signed between Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabella I. This agreement granted Columbus honorific titles and allowed him to travel West to find the East, and granted him a tenth of any riches he were to find along the way. Many of Isabella's council of experts (sailors, philosophers, astrologers, and other monarchs) thought the journey was absurd, but some influential members argued there'd be little to lose should Columbus fail and much to gain should he succeed. So it was signed on this day, and soon he would sail the ocean blue.

Walter Cronkite became anchor of CBS Evening News, the network's flagship nightly news program, on April 16, 1962. During this time, Cronkite became known as "the most trusted man in America," for his coverage of the JFK Assasination. The progrma dominated nightly news ratings for over 18 years with Cronkite at the helm. His image was bolstered by his support for the space program, leading him to anchor coverage of the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969.

James Cash Penney, Jr. was an American businessman and entrepreneur best known for founding J.C. Penney stores. Penney began working for a chain of stores in the northwest in 1898. The owners were so impressed by his work ethic, they offered him partnership in a new store. In 1902 (at the age of 27), he invested $2,000 (roughly $50,000 today), in a store in Kemmerer, Wyoming. By 1907, his partnerships dissolved and he had full ownership of three stores. By 1912, he ran 34 stores, and set up headquarters in Salt Lake City. By 1924, his annual income was more than one million dollars.