Category: Open Lines

Forty-seven years ago today, an eerie darkness spread over much of the northeastern United States from Canada, beginning at 5:16 p.m. A massive electrical blackout caused by human error eventually enveloped 80,000 square miles, putting the health and safety of 30 million people at risk for up to 12 long hours. Even though the blackout of August 2003 affected more people, the 1965 outage is still the best remembered major blackout, as it was the first to make people aware …

A simple device was patented this month in 1868 that helped change the course of history in the American West — barbed wire. Michael Kelly of Dekalb, Illinois invented the first practical such wire. He threaded little blade-shaped metal thorns onto one of two wires, then twisted them together. He called it “thorny fence,” based on Osage orange, a thorny plant from Texas. The double strand made the fence stand up to cattle, and livestock soon learned to steer clear …

Congratulations to re-elected President Obama.   You can see full results on WRAL’s site here:  http://www.wral.com/news/political/page/11679961/?group=top_races And specifically for Vance County here:  http://www.wral.com/news/political/page/11679961/?group=vance_county Congrats to all the candidates for a hard working political season. The Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship, the USS New York, was commissioned three years ago today. Some 6,000 spectators turned out for the ceremony held at the retired aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, now the Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York Harbor. The New York is …

With the 2012 presidential election here, officials in both parties are looking over results of the congressional elections two years ago for any guidance for today’s balloting. One notable finding is that 7 percent of Hispanics voted — the highest percentage since the Census Bureau started collecting this information in 1974. Maine and Washington had voter turnouts greater than 55 percent, while fewer than 40 percent of eligible Texans went to the polls. The most common reason given for not …

This year’s Nobel prizes were announced last month, and the award ceremonies will be held in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway next month. In 1952, the prize for medicine was awarded for the discovery of the first antibiotic produced in the U.S. — streptomycin. The breakthrough medicine was developed by a Ukrainian immigrant, Dr. Selman Waksman, and four of his students at Rutgers University in New Jersey in 1944. It went into production later that year and proved to be …

Even with all our electronic gadgets, many of us listen to radio every day when we wake up, eat breakfast, and when we drive to and from work. The wide variety of formats means we can choose our favorite type of music, and radio keeps us up to the minute on news and weather. Ninety-two years ago today was an election day, and the event saw the first scheduled radio broadcast. Station KDKA in Pittsburgh carried the results of the …

One of the great match races in horse racing history took place on this date in 1938 at Baltimore’s Pimlico track between War Admiral and Seabiscuit. The heavily favored War Admiral was larger, as well as the reigning triple crown winner and horse of the year. Seabiscuit’s regular jockey was injured and could not ride that day. Seabiscuit jumped to an early lead, but War Admiral caught up and the two horses raced side by side for almost a mile. …

Beware — it’s Halloween or more properly, All Hallow’s Eve, the day before the Feast of All Saints. According to Celtic tradition, it’s a time when witches, ghosts, and other unsavory characters walk the Earth for a day. For years, Halloween was eagerly awaited by youngsters, who would dress up in whatever was handy and make the rounds of the neighborhood, begging for candy with the empty threat “trick or treat!” Now, more formal parties are being held, and grownups …

Against the backdrop of rising concern about the cost of energy, most homeowners across the nation are anxiously watching the dropping temperatures as fall advances. Most homes in the U.S. have central heating, and six-out-of-10 have a warm-air furnace. By far the most popular heating fuel is gas — either piped in or bottled — which heats just over 60 percent of the nation’s homes. About one-third use electricity. Fuel oil, while still important in New England, is used to …

Can you imagine having to reach outside to clear your car windshield when it rains or snows? That’s just what people had to do in the early days of the automobile. A young woman from Alabama named Mary Anderson noticed this on a visit to New York City. She promptly drew up plans for the first hand-operated windshield wiper and was granted a patent in 1903. By 1916, such wipers were standard equipment on all automobiles and street cars. Checking …

Even with smart phones, iPads, and other electronic gadgets, just about everyone on vacation buys some picture postcards, either to send to friends –or just to keep as a reminder of the trip. In the U.S., the first postcards were mailed this week in 1870. For many years, only the post office was allowed to print postcards. Beginning about 1900, private firms were allowed to produce them, and illustrations and photographs began appearing on them. These picture postcards were wildly …

One of the most traveled bridges in the U.S is celebrating its 81st birthday today — the graceful George Washington Bridge, linking New York and New Jersey. When it opened in 1931, it was the world’s longest suspension bridge. The designer, Othmar Ammann, had the foresight to build in expansion potential to handle increased traffic. In 1946, two lanes were added to its original six. Then, in 1962, a six-lane lower deck was added. Today, the bridge carries some 300,000 …

Jokes are often made about elderly people telling youngsters how tough they had it when they were young, especially going to school. For those of a certain age, there may be a certain element of truth to their stories. In the warmer areas of the country, classrooms in May, June and September could be exceptionally hot in the past. Now, of course, just about every school in those areas is air conditioned. The first public elementary school to be air- …

One of the most famous bird migrations in the world is scheduled for its latest chapter today — the traditional day the swallows leave the mission at San Juan Capistrano in California. After circling the old mission, the birds fly 6,000 miles to Goya, Argentina to spend the winter. They return in the early hours of March 19, a few days after some scout birds arrive to check out the area. Their arrival is celebrated by a big festival and …

One of the key events of the long-running Cold War started 50 years ago today — the Cuban Missile Crisis. Ships and aircraft of the Soviet Union had brought nuclear-armed missiles into Cuba, only 90 miles from the U.S. On this date in 1962, President John F. Kennedy made a national television address, demanding the removal of Soviet missiles, launch equipment and bombers from Cuba. He also imposed a naval quarantine to prevent further weapons from reaching Cuba. Six days …

Today marks the birthday of one of the legends of American mountain climbing — Annie Peck. Born in 1850, she was a dedicated scholar and became one of the first women professors in the U.S. Turning her attention to mountain climbing at the age of 44, she was only the third woman to scale the Matterhorn in Switzerland. At the age of 58, she climbed the north face of Mount Huascaran in Peru — the first American, man or woman …

A key piece of environmental legislation became law on this date 40 years ago. Known as the Water Pollution Control Act, the bill was vetoed by President Richard Nixon because of its $25 billion price tag. This veto was overridden by Congress. The law was later amended and is now known as the Clean Water Act. The goal is controlling the discharge of toxic waste into the nation’s waterways. In its first 20 years, the Clean Water Act is estimated …

As the weather gets colder, a bulky package will be taken out of closets in many homes across the country — where it has been stored since spring. Inside is an electric blanket, and homeowners will be testing their memories to make sure it’s hooked up correctly. For thousands of years, people used handmade woolen blankets to ward off the cold — and started their evening’s rest with either a bed warmer filled with coals from the fire or a …

Many Americans are dedicated to staying fit. Often, they have exercise equipment at home, and many hotels maintain workout rooms for their traveling guests. But most people interested in fitness plan their busy schedules to include exercising at a local gym on a regular basis. Along with a variety of equipment, these facilities usually offer professional instruction, either to groups or individuals. The first gymnasium to offer systematic instruction was started this month in 1823 by the Round Hill School …

As National Hispanic Heritage Month winds up, a good deal of attention is being focused on the role members of this growing community play in the country’s business world. There are 2.3 million Hispanic-owned firms in the U.S., an increase of almost 44 percent in a recent five-year period. These companies generated nearly $351 billion in annual revenue — up more than 58 percent in the same period. New Mexico led the rest of the states in its proportion of …