Volume 265 | No. 25

2008—Lehman Brothers execs say the firm has all the capital it needs, five days before it declares bankruptcy. 2001—Donald Rumsfeld admits the Defense Department can’t account for about $2.3 trillion dollars. One day later, no one remembers—or cares. 1980—“Approximately eighty percent of our air pollution stems from hydrocarbons released by vegetation,” says GOP candidate Ronald Reagan. 1977—One-legged Tunisian pimp Hamida Djandoubi is the last man to die by a French guillotine. 1969—The AEC fires off a nuke beneath Grand Valley, Colo., to “liberate large quantities of gas.” It worked, but no one wanted radioactive natural gas. 1945—In Fruita, Colo., Lloyd Wilson chops the head off …

Read moreFri, Sept. 10

2013—Two out of of three lanes to the George Washington Bridge are closed without warning in Fort Lee, N.J., delaying commuters and emergency personnel. 2009—As President Obama addresses Congress, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) yells at him, “You lie.” 2008—Lehman Bros., the nation’s fourth largest investment bank, loses 45 percent of its value. 2005—“You know,” says Glenn Beck, “it took me about a year to start hating the 9/11 victims families…When I see a 9/11 victim family on television…I’m just, like ‘Oh, shut up.’ ” 1999—Louis T. “Moondog” Hardin, American composer, street musician, and blind, Viking-helmet-wearing eccentric, dies at 83 in Germany. 1988—Dan Quayle, who got …

Read moreThurs, Sept. 9

2018—Secretary of the Army Mark Esper posts an anti-suicide message on Facebook. It features a photo of Army SSgt. Robert Bales, then doing life for murdering 16 Afghan civilians. 2002—The N.Y. Times publishes lies about tubes based on a White House leak; the White House cites that story as proof Iraq plans to build nukes. 1988—Dan Quayle says, “Republicans understand the importance of bondage between parent and child.” 1978—The Shah uses U.S.-made weapons to crush Tehran riots; 89 die. In six months the Ayatollah is boss. 1974—Ford pardons Nixon [see 9/7]. 1972—As the Federal Price Commission OKs a previously-denied price hike for MacDonalds’ quarter-pounders, the …

Read moreWed, Sept. 8

2003—Warren Zevon sleeps. 2000—[“When I am President, we] will not have our veterans standing in line waiting for benefits that they’ve been promised,” George W.[MD] Bush falsely asserts. 1996—Two women walk into the Norfolk (Va.) Naval Base with a banner reading “Love Your Enemies.” They’re promptly arrested. 1988—“Today is Pearl Harbor Day,” says George H.[H.]W. Bush. 1974—R. Nixon, irate that G. Ford is demanding a show of contrition, issues a threat: if Ford doesn’t pardon him, he’ll accuse Ford of promising a pardon in exchange for the Presidency. 1970—“Plant one, plant two [Secret Service agents] on [Ted Kennedy],” Richard Nixon says to aides. “We might …

Read moreTues, Sept 7

2010—Alabama prison officials ban the reading of a Pulitzer-winning history of Black forced labor. 2006—Entering her Portland, Ore. home, Susan Kuhnhausen is attacked by a man with a hammer. She chokes Ed Haffney—custodian at her husband’s porn shop—to death. Her husband is convicted and dies in prison. 2002—George W.[MD] Bush Chief of Staff Andy Card says, “From a marketing point of view, you don’t introduce new products [i.e., wars based on false premises] in August.” 1978—The U.S.House opens hearings on the assassinations of JFK & MLK. On Dec. 30th they conclude that conspiracies were likely. 1964—Thousands of white kids riot in Hampton Beach, N.H., causing …

Read moreMon, Sept. 6