Tacoma Bridge Collapse…….
November 7, 1940…….
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed. It had just opened four months earlier. It was located in the U.S. state of Washington and was the word’s third-longest suspension bridge at the time. Even while being constructed, winds caused the bridge to sway with the workers calling it “Galloping Gertie”. During 40 mph (64 km/h) winds, the bridge began oscillating in an alternating twisting motion that gradually increased in amplitude until the deck tore apart. The only fatality of the collapse was a dog named Tubby who was a passenger in the last car to drive onto the bridge. The driver of the car was unable to rescue the dog from the car due to the swaying and car sliding back and forth. He was barely able to make it off the bridge himself. During a lull in the winds, another attempt was made to save the dog, but failed when the frightened dog bit one of the would-be rescuers.
Flat Disc Record Player……
November 8, 1887………
The first flat disc record player is patented by Emile Berliner. Earlier recording devices by Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell used cylinders that were difficult to mass produce. His device was known as a “gramophone.”
U.S. Under Nuclear Attack…….
November 9, 1979……..
NORAD notified the national security adviser that the Soviet Union had launched 250 ballistic missiles towards the U.S., stating that a decision to retaliate would need to be made by the U.S. President within 3 to 7 minutes. NORAD computers then placed the number of incoming missiles at 2,200. Strategic Air Command was notified and nuclear bombers prepared for takeoff. However a few minutes later, Satellite and radar systems determined that the attack was a false alarm. A training scenario had accidentally been loaded into an operational computer.