on this day 8/20 1964 – A $1 billion anti-poverty measure was signed by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. 


1741 – Danish navigator Vitus Jonas Bering discovered Alaska.

1862 – Horace Greeley’s “The Prayer of Twenty Millions” was published.

1866 – The National Labor Union in the U.S. advocated an eight-hour workday. 

1866 – It was formally declared by U.S. President Andrew Johnson that the American Civil War was over. The fighting had stopped months earlier.

1882 – Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” debuted in Moscow.

1885 – “The Mikado”, by Gilbert and Sullivan, opened at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City.

1914 – German forces occupied Brussels, Belgium, during World War I.

1918 – The British opened its Western Front offensive during World War I.

1923 – The first American dirigible, the “Shenandoah,” was launched in Lakehurst, NJ. The ship began its maiden voyage from the same location on September 4.

1939 – The National Bowling Association was founded in Detroit, MI. It was the first bowling association in the U.S. for African-Americans.

1940 – France fell to the Germans during World War II.

1945 – Tommy Brown (Brooklyn Dodgers) became the youngest player to hit a home run in a major league ball game. Brown was 17 years, 8 months and 14 days old.

1948 – Cleveland’s Indians and Chicago’s White Sox played at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland before a crowd of 78,382 people. It was the largest crowd to see a nighttime major-league baseball game to date.

1953 – It was announced by the Soviet Union that they had detonated a hydrogen bomb.

1955 – In Morocco and Algeria hundreds of people were killed in anti-French rioting.

1955 – Colonel Horace A. Hanes, a U.S. Air Force pilot, flew to an altitude of 40,000 feet. Hanes reached a speed of 822.135 miles per hour in a Super Sabrejet.

1964 – A $1 billion anti-poverty measure was signed by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson

1967 – The New York Times reported about a noise reduction system for album and tape recording developed by technicians R. and D.W. Dolby. Elektra Record’s subsidiary, Checkmate Records became the first label to use the new Dolby process in its recordings.

1968 – The Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact nations began invading Czechoslovakia to crush the “Prague Spring” liberalization.

1977 – Voyager 2 was launched by the United States. The spacecraft was carrying a 12 inch copper phonograph record containing greetings in dozens of languages, samples of music and sounds of nature.

1985 – The original Xerox 914 copier was presented to the Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of American History. Chester Carlson was the man who invented the machine.

1991 – A rally of more that 100,000 people occurred outside the Russian parliament building to protest the coup that removed Gorbachev from power.

1997 – NATO troops seized six police stations in Banja Luka that had been held by troops controlled by former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic.

1998 – Canada’s Supreme Court announced that Quebec could not secede without the federal government’s consent.

1998 – U.S. military forces attacked a terrorist camp in Afghanistan and a chemical plant in Sudan. Both targets were chosen for cruise missile strikes due to their connection with Osama bin Laden.

1998 – The U.N. Security Council extended trade sanctions against Iraq for blocking arms inspections.

2010 – The last American combat brigade exited Iraq after more than seven years after the U.S.-led invasion began.

on this day 8/19 1934 – Adolf Hitler was approved for sole executive power in Germany as Fuehrer.


1812 – “Old Ironsides” (the USS Constitution) won a battle against the British frigate Guerriere east of Nova Scotia.

1848 – The discovery of gold in California was reported by the New York Herald.

1856 – Gail Borden received a patent for his process of condensing milk by vacuum.

1919 – Afghanistan gained independence from Britain.

1929 – “Amos and Andy,” the radio comedy program, made its debut on NBC starring Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll.

1934 – Adolf Hitler was approved for sole executive power in Germany as Fuehrer.

1940 – The new Civil Aeronautics Administration awarded honorary license #1 to Orville Wright.

1942 – About 6,000 Canadian and British soldiers launched a raid against the Germans at Dieppe, France. They suffered about 50 percent casualties.

1960 – Francis Gary Powers, an American U-2 pilot, was convicted of espionage in Moscow.

1960 – Two dogs were launched in a satellite into Earth’s orbit by the Soviet Union.

1962 – Homero Blancas shot a 55 at the Premier Invitational Golf Tournament held in Longview, TX. It was the lowest score in U.S. competitive golf history.

1974 – During an anti-American protest in Nicosia, Cyprus, U.S. Ambassador Rodger P. Davies was fatally wounded by a bullet while in the American embassy.

1981 – Two Libyan SU-22s were shot down by two U.S. Navy F-14 fighters in the Gulf of Sidra.

1991 – Soviet hard-liners announced that President Mikhail Gorbachev had been removed from power. Gorbachev returned to power two days later.

1998 – The first piece of the 351 foot bronze statue of Christopher Columbus arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1999 – In Belgrade, thousands of Serbs attended a rally to demand the resignation of Yugoslavia’s President Slobodan Milosevic.

2004 – Google Inc. stock began selling on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The initial price was set at $85 and ended the day at $100.34 with more than 22 million shares traded.

a message from Representative John Lewis ~ VRA ~ 8/19/2018


johnlewis1

As a young man, I marched to end Jim Crow segregation.

Spilled my blood on that bridge in Selma.

Spent months in jail.

All for my basic rights.

Our beloved John Lewis and Representative in Congress watched trump roll back the rights he shed blood for.

— Friends …

I’ve had enough of Republicans making it harder for Black people to vote.

Enough vilifying of Black athletes for peaceful protests.

Enough killing of unarmed Black Americans in our streets.

I’m asking for your urgent help. We desperately need to elect a Democratic Majority to stop this trump’s bigoted agenda.

I can’t do it alone — I know better than anyone it takes a movement of people taking a stand. That’s why I’m asking you to join the fight!

I was beaten by angry mobs, just because I was Black and wanted my basic rights.

I’m devastated to watch as my brothers and sisters face the same injustice I faced all those years ago — it’s heartbreaking to see us slide backward.

But hear me when I say this: We need to stand together against the rising tide of hatred and injustice — that’s directly promoted by trump

That’s why I’m asking you to join my fight to elect a Democratic Majority to put a check on this dangerous Administration.

So, I need you to take decisive action with me and donate $5 to elect a Democratic Majority. Every dollar we raise now will help us secure victory in November.

Thank you,

Congressman John Lewis

Is it illegal to lock a member of Congress in the Chambers?


~ Grok, answers

Locking a member of Congress in the chambers would likely be considered illegal under several U.S. laws, depending on the context and intent. While there’s no specific statute explicitly addressing “locking a member of Congress in the chambers,” such an act could fall under broader laws related to kidnapping, false imprisonment, or interfering with official duties. Here’s a breakdown of potential legal implications:

  1. False Imprisonment: This is the unlawful restraint of a person’s freedom of movement without their consent. Locking someone in a room against their will could meet this definition under state or federal law. For example, in the District of Columbia (where Congress is located), false imprisonment is a crime under common law and could lead to civil or criminal penalties.
  2. Kidnapping or Unlawful Detention: If the act involves force or intent to harm, it could escalate to kidnapping, a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1201. Kidnapping carries severe penalties, including up to seven years in prison or more if aggravating factors are present.
  3. Interference with Official Duties: Members of Congress are federal officials, and obstructing their ability to perform their duties could violate 18 U.S.C. § 351, which protects members of Congress from assault, kidnapping, or threats. Interfering with their legislative responsibilities might also be construed as a violation of federal law protecting government functions.
  4. Capitol Security Laws: The U.S. Capitol is a highly secure federal building governed by specific regulations. Actions disrupting the safety or movement of members within the Capitol could violate laws enforced by the U.S. Capitol Police, such as those under 2 U.S.C. § 1961, which governs Capitol security.
  5. Civil Rights Violations: If the act targets a member based on protected characteristics (e.g., race, gender, or political affiliation), it could trigger additional federal civil rights violations under laws like 42 U.S.C. § 1983 or 18 U.S.C. § 241.

Intent, context, and jurisdiction matter significantly. For example, a prank might be treated less severely than an act with malicious intent, but both could still be illegal. Penalties could range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity and applicable laws.If you’re referring to a specific incident or hypothetical scenario, please provide more details, and I can tailor the response further. Additionally, I can search for any recent legal cases or news related to Capitol security if needed.

Disclaimer: Grok is not a lawyer; please consult one. Don’t share information that can identify you.

Explain false imprisonment

Capitol security measures

Source: Grok

8/18 1920 – Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Amendment guaranteed the right of all American women to vote.