March 5, 2014: Boston, Banks, Censorship, and More

March 5: today in history (from Wikipedia)

1496 – "King Henry VII of England issues letters patent to John Cabot and his sons, authorising them to explore unknown lands." British Empire conceived.

1770 – "Boston Massacre: Five Americans, including Crispus Attucks, and a boy, are killed by British troops in an event that would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War five years later. At a subsequent trial the soldiers are defended by future U.S. president John Adams." Thus establishing his reputation for integrity and launching his political career.

1906 – "Moro Rebellion: United States Army troops bring overwhelming force against the native Moros in the First Battle of Bud Dajo, leaving only six survivors." The phrase, "women and children first" didn't mean what the troops apparently thought it meant.

1933 – "Great Depression: President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares a "bank holiday", closing all U.S. banks and freezing all financial transactions." And he got the power, where?

1946 – "Winston Churchill coins the phrase "Iron Curtain" in his speech at Westminster College, Missouri." Because we always have to be afraid of foreign monsters!

Notable quotes (from BrainyQuote unless otherwise sourced)

"The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all." - Karl Rahner (March 5, 1904 – March 30, 1984)

"Exhilaration is that feeling you get just after a great idea hits you, and just before you realize what's wrong with it." - Rex Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990)

"I have a very specific definition of censorship. Censorship must be done by the government or it's not censorship."

"If you don't pay your taxes and you don't answer the warrant and you don't go to court, eventually someone will pull a gun. Eventually someone with a gun will show up. I want everything the government does to be done, I just want it to be done voluntarily."

- Penn Jillette (born March 5, 1955)

Song of the Day

Happy 66th, Eddy Grant!