Trivia Page of Wireclub. (Page 35)

chronology: 1908 America's first ever Air Crash victim.

Thomas E Selfridge achieved a distinction he would have definitely never have wanted when he became the first American killed in an Air Crash.

He was flying with one of the Wright brothers when the plane he was in crashed in a field and the U.S. Army engineer sustained severe head injuries. He died a week later.

After seeing the Wright Brothers first successful flight, American and European Political and Military leaders publicly expressed disinterest in the idea of Aircraft as a weapon, privately, all nations able to develop aircraft were working night and and day to establish a strategic lead on rival nations, it was during one of these test flights Mr Selfridge was killed.

chronology: 'A Nation of crazed Fiends'

In 1912 when the idea of using Cocaine as an anesthetic was suggested to a Conference of American Doctors, speakers overwhelming condemned the idea seeing it as the beginning of a era of drug crazed fiends who would prowl the streets in insane greed looking for their next 'fix' of Cocaine.

Hmmmm wonder if they were right or wrong?

chronology: Walking through lushes rich Bamboo forest in ............. New Jersey.

Well come on Guys, it is called 'The Garden State' New Jersey has it's very own Bamboo Forest, more of a Grove, in the Gardens of Rutgers University.

It certainly looks like a engrossing walk through rich Bamboo plants over 50 feet tall.

Despite being as tall as trees, remember Bamboo is a 'grass' not a tree.

chronology: 'You look just like .......... '

Some folks in Los Angeles are always being told 'hey you look just like' ,,,,,,, and then some Movie Star is named.

Mary Pickford was probably the most famous woman in the world in 1915. The first of the Hollywood Superstars and known from Hong Kong to Moscow. When Mary visited London and Paris on her honeymoon huge crowds swamped the romantic couple everywhere causing near riots as people flocked to see them.

But in Los Angeles Mary sold Hot Dogs now and then, huh? Well Mary's cousin owned a Hot Dog stall on the Los Angeles Beach and to help him sell his Hot Dogs Mary would drop by occasionally and sell the tasty snacks from the stall. 'You know you look just like ..... ' folks buying Hot Dogs probably said to her.

Mary was almost killed by the 1920 Flu Epidemic that killed millions of people world wide.

Called 'Americas Sweetheart' Mary was noted for her charity work and patriotic Bond Selling, often photographed kissing the American flag. She was in fact a Canadian Citizen until she married Douglas Fairbanks and became an American/Canadian.

chronology: Taking pen to paper from 50 miles away.

So a man sits down in an office in South New York and picks up a pen in a small machine and writes a short message. 50 miles away a pen connected to a telegraph line moves about exactly like the pen being used far away and writing out the messages. This is 1899, and the machine was the teleautograph.

The teleautograph in many ways was faster than the traditional telegraph morse code but had the draw back of being exact in reproduction, so the Guy with scribble for handwriting would send you a page of scribble for a message. The system could also be used to send drawings.

The system was the for runner of the Fax Machine.

chronology: 'Lady of the Waves'

October 11 1907 and New Yorkers turn out in their thousands to wave flags, cheer, and welcome the Lusitania to their great city. The Lusitania had won the Blue Ribbon for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic by a passenger ship. The Cunard Liner had not even set out to break any speed records, the owners had noted the rough waves and head winds expected during the crossing and told Captain Watt not to worry about breaking any speed records. But New Yorkers had plenty of time to prepare a warm cheery welcome as Lusitania arrived in Port almost 12 hours faster than the last record, Lusitania crossed the Atlantic in 4 days, 19 hours, and 52 minutes powered on by her 70.000 horsepower engines.

When asked for his opinion of his Ship Captain Watt replied; 'she is a Daisy' .

chronology: 'Bottle Tree Farm'

So you are driving back to L.A. through the desert from Las Vegas and you see a small forest of trees made from bottles, 200 hundred trees or more. The trees are made from scrap iron and the bottles are randomly collected. Elmer Long is the California Artist who has created this curious road side location. Listening to the wind blow through the bottles and watching the sunsets through the coloured glass 'branches' is a 'one of a kind' experience.

So next time you are driving from L.A. to Vegas watch out for Elmer's Bottle Tree Farm.

chronology: 'He is big and tough and plays Football and will kick your *ss '

So threatened Ms Drew Barrymore at the beginning of the Movie 'Scream' but Ms Barrymore almost never got to say that line after a national debate in the U.S. in 1909.

Football's reputation as a game played by big very tough Guys was growing back then across America, so were the numbers of young men killed and injured in the game. In 1909 Americans were deciding whether to ban the game which was criticised as 'too dangerous and too rough' .

chronology: 'Who placed Old Glory at the North Pole first'

Americans were the first to reach the North Pole in 1909, there is no doubt about that, but 'which' American reached the Pole first has never been decided.

The problem is the North Pole is not like Everest. When American Explorers were ascending the world's highest mountain the found objects and mementos left by prior assents. The Stars and Stripes was placed with other flags at the top of the world. Americans joined the club of nations who had reached the top of the world.

But the North Pole was different. Shifting Ice and high winds mean there is no where to leave a marker establishing your success as an Explorer. It was even difficult to know if you were at the North Pole in 1909. You need a very accurate Sextant to take a Star reading if the sky was clear.

Dr Frederick Cook from New York City and United States Navy Commander Robert E Peary were on a Joint U.S. Expedition in 1909 at the Pole and both men bravely sallied forth to reach the North Pole. around the same time, but who got there first? It was an 'All American' race and there is no doubt the Stars and Stripes was the first flag at the Pole, but who was first Explorer?

We will probably never know for sure. But Dr Cook was probably a little hurt when The Royal Geographic Association invited Navy Commander Peary to speak at it's Formal Dinner and not him.

'Hat's off' to both brave men some folks say.

chronology: February 4 1912 and Franz Keichel stands 200 feet up on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Franz stood on a stool near a ledge, then after a long pause he stepped over the side and fell for 3 seconds till he hit the icy floor and was killed instantly, his home made parachute failing to deploy.

Parisian Authorities to say the least were embarrassed at the spectacle, they had been assured by Franz that he would use dummies like he had in the past to test his parachute, not jump himself. Franz had even been stopped on his way up the Tower by a guard who tried to talk him out of his adventure.

Franz had thrown dummies with parachutes off the Tower in the past and they also failed to land safely, but only two days before Franz fatal attempt an American had successfully jumped from the Statue of Liberty in New York City and landed safely wearing a parachute. 'If he can do it so can I' may have been Franz reasoning.

A heated few weeks of debate followed the incident in Paris with Authorities insisting Franz followed his own Agenda which he had not made clear to Parisian Officials.

It is not clear what Franz and others planned to use parachutes for at the time as aircraft were almost non existent and had an uncertain future.

chronology: The Cleveland Airport Mystery.

911 conspiracy theorists are inventive to say the least. They say one of the hijacked planes never got destroyed but landed in Cleveland airport. Hmmmm well let's see.

First, a plane 'did' indeed make an unscheduled landing at Cleveland on 911, there are conflicting reasons given for the landing, one says a passenger was suspected of having a heart attack. Another that there was a suspected bomb on board.
Whatever the reason, the plane landed at Cleveland and passengers were disembarked. There can be no mystery there at all. We know the plane and the passengers, nothing to do with the Terrorist gangs at all.

The mystery may be connected to another plane that landed at Cleveland minutes after the scheduled aircraft diverted there by the bomb alert. The unknown plane landed and parked up away from other planes and the occupants transported to the large NASA hangar at Cleveland. Most likely the 'mystery' plane had in fact taken off from Cleveland only a short time before and was ordered to return due to events in New York. NASA were said to be conducting tests with zero gravity dipping and diving the plane in the sky. Any plane flying like that on 911 would have been at serious risk of being shot down by U.S. Fighter planes ripping into the sky responding to 911. So the plane went to it's hanger and the NASA crew went to finish off their paperwork.

Try telling conspiracy theorists that.

chronology: Kim goes from Dem to GOP.

Kim Davis who made news around the world by refusing to issue Marriage Licenses to Gay couples has changed Parties from Democrat to Republican. But the future does not look rosy for Kim. Her 80.000 dollar a year job may be lost if she continues to drag her feet over issuing Marriage Licenses to Gay couples, and the Media have only just got started on dragging up dirt from her past, two illegitimate kids and four marriages will make her an unusual visitor to GOP meetings to say the least, and more dirt may be coming.

chronology: 1924 and America meets 'Leopold and Loeb'

With so much sensational journalism in America in the 1920s it took a lot to shock Americans, but the crime committed by two Chicago students left many American families speechless.

Simply put they kidnapped 14 year old Bobby Franks and killed him simply to see if they could get away with murder. They believed their high social position and 'obvious mental and physical superiority' over working class Police Detectives meant they could easily escape capture.

However, the crime became noted in American history more because of the clash of Prosecution and Defence Lawyers.

The Prosecution argued the supposed reason given for the crime was baloney, the two killers may be rich, but they were the scum of the earth, snakes, perverts, mad dogs, trash and filth, who murdered an innocent child in an attempt to extort money to pay off gambling debts and blackmail each other into perverted sex acts they wallowed in.

The Defence argued that both Leopold and Loeb were really 'madly obsessed' lovers who had deluded themselves with ideas that they were the 'Supermen' of the world and Masters of the Universe' '

Leopold and Loeb both escaped the Death Penalty, surprising given the shocking nature of the crime.

Inevitably, some Americans suspect there was 'more to the murder' than was made public.

chronology: It may seem a little morbid to consider, but where would you like your ashes scattered?

With the majority of dead people now being cremated, the place where their ashes are scattered is something people may like to consider.

Most often it is a place where folks had their happiest memories, a countryside place, or riverside or even some more exotic location like a past holiday location.

Some Pilots offer a service where you can scatter a relatives ashes from the sky onto the mountain or lake they loved.

State Regulations may govern how remains are disposed of as ashes so check on Lawmakers rules before planning a send off for the deceased.

Having your ashes scattered over the breath taking Grand Canyon would be desired by not just Americans, but again, check State Regulations before planning the resting place of your dreams.

Edit note. San Francisco is the most popular place in the world for scattering ashes. People have so much love for the Town they want their ashes scattered there. Folks in San Francisco have responded to this final wish of visitors to their Town by providing a number of Services and Funeral Homes offer advice on State and Federal Law, also International Law if you want a Sea Service. One popular Service is a final flight over the beautiful Town then out to the Bay to release the ashes. Other Services are boat trips out to the Bay to scatter ashes.

It is always best to hire a Professional Service if possible. Funeral Service providers have many stories of people who attempted to scatter remains from aircraft or boats without the proper advice ...... only to go home 'wearing' their much loved relative after a disaster of 'blow back' in the plane or boat.

chronology: 1964 the year the world changed and no one noticd.

While Americans were dancing to Elvis and the Beatles, in 1964 the world changed forever. For the first time Steam Engines no longer provided the biggest proportion of engine power. Internal combustion engines in 1964 provided more than 50pc of global engine power. Since then, steam has dwindled to powering turbines in electricity stations.

This shift in energy needs was to have profound consequences for domestic coal mining and U.S. Foreign Policy.

The change was unstoppable, large diesel engines gave far more power and required only one operator usually and were 'good to go' instantly, while Steam Locomotives and ships needed 'crews' of men to prepare and keep the engine fed with fuel.

New York and San Francisco Harbours would never be the same again.in the mornings. Both Harbours would greet the dawn with smoke rising from ships funnels as Cooks fired up their coal stoves for cooking breakfast for sailors.

chronology: Smaller just got bigger, and bigger and bigger,

Remember buying your 12MB SD Card and wondering what you would do with all that space? Well a 512GB is now available and 2TB Cards are soon to go on sale.

This means your Tablet could soon hold so many Movies, Books, Songs, Games, you will probably never explore what is recorded in your SD Card. Although it may take Tablets some time to be able to handle all that memory.

chronology: 'What a way to go'

Two people have just died in Mexico after their Air Bags deployed in their automobile. The Airbags had been stuffed with Cocaine. It is not clear yet whether the dead driver and passenger were killed by the crash or a massive overdose of Cocaine.

chronology: Judge Judy's shortest Trial ever.

Her Honour Judge Judy settled a case in 26 seconds when an accused incriminated himself in Court.

YouTube Video of the Trial has gone Viral as people flock to watch the Defendants Gaff.

chronology: Wedding Day disaster.

Well it should be the most memorable day of a woman's life. Every detail planned to perfection from hairstyle to church music.

As she stands on the steps after saying 'I do' with her fine figure of a man she stands for the dozens of video and camera photographers, and then ..................... a gust of wind catches her dress and lifts it up revealing she is a girl who does not wear underclothes, well not that day anyway.

So ladies, remember, tho your husband to be will be the only one to see them, your knickers are definitely important items on your wedding check list.

chronology: Aileen Rizo and Bill Dodd's Equal Pay Law will today be signed by Governor Jerry Brown in California.

The Law protecting women from unfair employment contracts goes further than United States Federal Law and is set to give Californian women a fair and level playing field in the work place.

So three cheers for Governor Brown and California Lawmakers and Voters.

chronology: 'New' Roswell F.B.I. Memo.

Newspapers are carrying a purported newly discovered F.B.I. Memo that 'proves' Aliens crashed at Roswell. Actually the F.B.I. is the last place to look for any information on UFOs in the U.S. in the 1940s.

F.B.I. Agents were so angry and frustrated with the lack of cooperation from the newly formed U.S. Air Force that they wrote to Washington Headquarters threatening to refuse to work anymore with the Air Force on UFO cases. They insisted the Air Force Staff were not revealing any details to them about UFOs. It was not just the F.B.I. that were frustrated by the Air Force secrecy, a CBS TV Programme was 'Muted' during a discussion about UFOs . The Air Force certainly was keeping the lid on something back then. U.S. Airline companies were also ordered by the Air Force to rewrite Pilot's contracts, effectively banning them from discussing anything they saw while flying involving UFOs .

chronology: Yikes! one mile high and the floor starts cracking.

Visitors to a Chinese National Park were given a shock when the glass walkway they were crossing one mile above the ground stated cracking.

No one was hurt, but the experience of seeing your 'see through' walkway developing cracks was 'interesting' to say the least.

Glass can be made as strong as steel, but it seems these glass plates have issues. Chinese Authorities are correcting the problem, and soon you will be able to walk above the clouds again.

chronology: 'The Devil's Holiday'

Well wireclubers, it is almost that time of year again. After spending all year hearing the 'Jews' are part of some evil conspiracy to bring down America, we at this time of year hear of another group attempting to corrupt the chaste pure hearted American family, the 'Irish' .

'Hu'h' you may be saying. Well yes wireclubbers, it was the Irish who arranged for Christmas and Halloween to be legal again, thus pouring forth a hellish brew of satanic symbols on the unsuspecting God fearing American people.

It seems Halloween symbols have double meanings of revolting evil rites brought over from 'the Old Sod' to America. And don't even go there when considering what Christmas wreaths cunningly placed on American doors at Christmas really symbolise (Christmas will never look the same again) . Even old Santa (real name 'Satan' ) will make you balk at the holiday.

To most folks who hear the descriptions of the double meaning of words, symbols, and traditions at Christmas and Halloween it is all 'double Dutch' not hidden meaning.

Most Americans are unlikely to return to their roots of siting at home with their King James Bible and family prayers at the Holidays. Instead American Towns will be festooned with the symbols of Hell and the Devil in a few weeks, and again at Christmas.

chronology: Don't forget Rio 2016 wireclubbers

If you are a sports fan, then holidaying in Brazil next year may be just the ticket for you.

Commentators are reporting Rio is on target for a fine show. After the spectacular events in China in 2008 and Russia's breath taking winter games in 2014 Rio and London had a tough act to follow. But London was said to have been a 'worth a visit' and Rio will no doubt rock folks with a Latin rhythm.

But if you intend a visit to the Games, then get your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

chronology: The Mysterious East.

Officially the U.S Military seems to have little to say about the Foo Fighters seen in the skies above the battlefields of WW2 Pacific.

Today the C.I.A. and U.S. Air Force would dismiss the reports as faulty Radar data and 'war nerves' in war weary soldiers, but the Foo Fighters remain a mystery.

Most people associate Foo Fighters with German airspace during WW2, but they were reported just as often in the Pacific theatre.

In 1947 William Rhodes is claimed to have photographed what could have been a Foo Fighter circling his home near Phoenix Arizona. He says 'Federal Agents' visited him and took away his negatives of the photographs of the flying disc. 'Project Blue Book' Officers visited Mr Rhodes to hear his story but could find no record of U.S. Agents visiting him or of his photographic negative.

The 'best ever' photograph' of a U.F.O. is said to be held in U.S. Records. This was a photograph of a Foo Fighter taken in Europe during WW2.

Photographic experts have examined prints of the Rhodes U.F.O. and concluded they seem genuine.