This Day in History

Thu, 21 Oct 2021

The Valentich Disappearance (1978)

On October 21, 1978, 20-year-old Frederick Valentich disappeared while piloting a Cessna light aircraft over Australia. He was supposed to land at King Island, pick up a few friends, and return to Moorabbin Airport, but during his flight, he reported to air traffic control that a strange aircraft was flying close above him. No trace of Valentich or his aircraft was ever found, prompting some to speculate that he had been captured by a UFO. What was the last thing he told flight controllers? Discuss

Wed, 20 Oct 2021

The Anglo-American Convention (1818)

The Anglo-American Convention was a treaty signed in 1818 between the US and UK resolving their standing border issues and allowing for joint rights to the Oregon Country. Though it marked the beginning of improved relations between the two countries, tensions remained over the shared territory in Oregon. The British-chartered Hudson's Bay Company had already established a trading network there and sought to exclude US fur traders. What harsh policy did they implement to ward off competition?

Tue, 19 Oct 2021

Automaker John DeLorean Arrested in Cocaine Trafficking Sting (1982)

After years of designing cars for others, John DeLorean went into business for himself and designed the DeLorean DMC-12, a distinctive stainless steel sports car with gull-wing doors that was immortalized in 1985's Back to the Future. Prior to the film's release, however, DeLorean was better known for his arrest for cocaine trafficking than for his cars. At the time, DeLorean's car company was failing, and drug smuggling offered him much-needed cash. How did he manage to beat the rap?