Sunday, January 1, 2017

LOOKING AHEAD: 2017

The new year is upon us, so let's pause to see what's on the horizon.

Besides the fact that The Free Choice E-zine will be celebrating both its 1800 and 1900th posts this year (based upon the strength of just our regular features), President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to be sworn in and begin his administration January 20, despite much controversy and questions surrounding the election results.

Among other major milestones in the year ahead...

1015 Anniversaries (1002)
Leif Erikson and his crew first landed in what we know today as North America on October 9.

230th Anniversaries (1787)
Delaware became the first member of the United States on December 7. The rest of the 13 original colonies would officially join in 1788.

225th Anniversaries (1792)
Kentucky joined America as the 15th state on June 1.

215th Anniversaries (1802)
Washington, DC became the capital of the United States on May 3.

205th Anniversaries (1812)
Louisiana joined America as the 18th state April 30.

200th Anniversaries (1817)
Mississippi joined America as the 20th state December 10.

180th Anniversaries (1837)
Michigan joined America as the 26th state January 26.

155th Anniversaries (1862)
President Abraham Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22.

140th Anniversaries (1877)
The first catcher's masks were used in professional baseball as their season began April 12 of that year.

105th Anniversaries (1912)
Sadly, the RMS Titanic sank April 15.

90th Anniversaries (1927)
Aviator Charles Lindbergh made his historic Trans-Atlantic solo flight on May 20.
The Columbia (Phonograph) Broadcasting System, CBS, began its radio career on September 18.
The Holland Tunnel officially opened on November 13.

85th Anniversaries (1932)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was first released January 30.
Aviator Amelia Earhart became the first woman to perform a Trans-Atlantic solo flight on May 20.
The Alley Oop comic strip debuted on December 5.
Radio City Music Hall officially opened on December 27.

80th Anniversaries (1937)
Petunia Pig (Porky's long time girl friend) debuted in Porky's Romance on April 3, while Daffy Duck premiered in Porky's Duck Hunt on April 17, back when cartoons were a regular part of movie programs.
The Golden Gate Bridge officially opened on May 27.

75th Anniversaries (1942)
Tweety Bird debuted in the cartoon short A Tale of Two Kitties on November 21.

70th Anniversaries (1947)
Jackie Robinson broke "the color barrier" in Major League Baseball on April 15.

65th Anniversaries (1952)
The Adventures of Superman with George Reeves debuted on September 19.

60th Anniversaries (1957)
Russia launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite on October 4.

55th Anniversaries (1962)
The U.S.S. Arizona Memorial was dedicated that Memorial Day.
The movie version of The Music Man premiered on June 19.

50th Anniversaries (1967)
Although it wasn't called that for the first game, what we know as the Super Bowl technically began January 15 of that year.
The United States, Great Britain, and Russia unilaterally agreed there would be no nuclear weapons in outer space on May 19.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band♫ released by the Beatles on June 1.
Baseball's New York Giants played their last game on September 29, and would become the San Francisco Giants the following season.

45th Anniversaries (1972)
Kolchak the Night Stalker (first TV movie aired January 11)
Magnavox's Odyssey system debuted on May 24, ushering in the video game age.
Atari released Pong! the first arcade video game on November 29.

35th Anniversaries (1982)
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan premiered on June 4.
Scott E. Fahlman created the computer smilie :-) on September 19.

30th Anniversaries (1987)
The FOX network began broadcasting on April 5.
June 14th is technically the wedding anniversary of Peter (Spider-man) Parker and Mary Jane Watson Parker.

20th Anniversaries (1997)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer debuted as a TV series February 10.
The Pathfinder probe first explored Mars on July 5.

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