.: The Red Brick – Dubai College's Student Newspaper :.

 February 1st 1974: Ted Bundy claims his second known victim

"...a sadistic sociopath." - Bundy's biographer

"… the very definition of heartless evil." - Bundy's defence lawyer

"...the most cold-hearted son of a bitch you'll ever meet." - Ted Bundy

Ted Bundy was an American rapist, kidnapper, serial killer and necrophiliac who targeted young women during the 1970s. He typically approached them in public places while feigning an injury or impersonating an authority figure, before overpowering them somewhere more secluded. The number of victims is estimated to be between 30 – 36 women, which Bundy confessed too before he was executed in the electric chair in Florida in 1989. His second confirmed victim was Lynda Ann Healy who was bludgeoned while asleep and then kidnapped from her home at Taylor Mountain, on February 1st 1974.

February 2nd: Groundhog Day!

According to American folklore, if it is cloudy when the groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter will continue for six more weeks. The earliest reference to this bizarre tradition can be dated back to 1841!

February 3rd 1959: The day that music died

A small plane crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa killed three rock n’ roll superstars; Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, as well as their pilot during a heavy snowstorm.  Despite an additional investigation in 2007, it seems that the crash was due to miscommunication and severe snowstorms that caused the pilot to lose his visual and fly the plane downwards instead of up. The severe weather conditions stopped the bodies from being recovered immediately, and the plane crash was followed by months of intense press coverage, during which all three artist's music sales soared. 
The plane crash has been called the greatest rock and roll tragedy ever and was immortalised in Don McLean's song 'American Pie', which you can watch here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr-BYVeCv6U&feature=related

February 4th 2004: Facebook was launched!

Regularly ranked as the most used social networking site, it was recently estimated that around 42% of the entire U.S population currently have a Facebook account! It has grown to over 800 million users since it was first launched by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, and he has gone on become one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the world.
Did you know? – The predominant colour on Facebook is blue because Zuckerberg suffers from red-green colour blindness and blue is the colour that he can see the best.

February 5th 1952: ‘Don’t Walk’

The first “Don’t Walk” sign was installed in New York City on this historic day, inspired by the growing number of deaths resulting from pedestrian accidents. The use of these pedestrian traffic signs are still used today in the U.S in order to make streets safer.

February 6th 1918: Women’s vote… to an extent

The campaign Britain for women’s suffrage gained momentum with the 1918 act that made it legal for British women over 30 to be able to vote, providing they were householders, married to a householder or if they held a university degree. Actual equality for voting for all adults above 21 was not achieved in Britain until 1928, but this was still a significant milestone.

February 7th 1812: Charles Dickens was born

Charles Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. He enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic novels and characters. This is true to such an extent that Dickens’ work has never gone out of print! Some of his best known works include; ‘The Adventures of Oliver Twist’, ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘Great Expectations’.

Dickens had a hard upbringing and had to lave school to work 10 hours a day at a blacking-warehouse, which harsh conditions deeply influenced his later works, as did the failure of his mother to look after him properly through his childhood. These themes are probably most evident in 'Oliver Twist', in which the character of Bob Fagin even got his name from someone Dickens knew at the warehouse.

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8^th December 1980: The murder of John Lennon

John Lennon, the famous and revered English musician and peace activist, was shot dead outside of an apartment building in New York City by a mentally unstable fan, later identified as Mark Chapman. Lennon will always be remembered for the immensely successful music of The Beatles as well as his later iconic songs such as ‘Imagine’. Since his tragic death, Lennon has been posthumously recognised into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is consistently voted into ‘The Greatest Britons Of All Time’ lists.

9^th December 1579: The Saint Martin de Porres was born

Martin de Porres is the Peruvian patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony. He was noted for work on behalf of the poor, establishing an orphanage and a children’s hospital, as well as his austere lifestyle, which included fasting and abstaining from meat. Among the many miracles attributed to Martin de Porrres were those of levitation, bilocation, miraculous knowledge, instantaneous cures, and an ability to communicate with animals.

 10^th December 2009: Obama receives Nobel Peace Prize

 In a controversial move President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009,   for his ‘extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.’  He stated that the U.S. must uphold moral standards when waging wars, in his speech in Oslo, also defending the U.S. role in Afghanistan by arguing that the use of force could bring lasting peace. Controversy was heightened since ceremony in the Norwegian capital came days after Obama announced he was sending thirty thousand additional soldiers to the war in Afghanistan.

11^th December 1946: UNICEF established

The United Nations General Assembly establishes (UNICEF) United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund was established to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II. In 1953, the organisation became a permanent fixture in the UN system. It is now present in 190 countries worldwide and has been awarded various peace prizes for the noteworthy help it has provided for children.

12^th December 1913: The Mona Lisa is recovered

The Mona Lisa was recovered in France after its dramatic theft right off the walls of the Louvre just two years earlier.  Its recovery was started when well-known antique dealer placed an ad in several Italian newspapers for art pieces and received an anonymous letter from someone claiming to have the stolen Mona Lisa; it was signed simply as “Leonardo”. The dealer arranged a meeting and alerted the police, eventually leading to the arrest of Vincenzo Peruggia, who had simply grabbed the Mona Lisa and walked out of the Louvre with it hidden under his smock.

13^th December 1939: Premiere of ‘Gone with the Wind’

‘Gone with the Wind’ is an American historical epic film set in the deep south that tells a story of the Civil War and its aftermath from a white Southern viewpoint. It became the highest-grossing film of all-time shortly after its release, holding the position until 1966, and after adjusting for inflation, it has still earned more than any other film in theatre rentals. It regularly comes near top in Greatest Films of All Time lists and was selected to be preserved by the United State National Films registry.  It also gave us one of the most famous cinema quotes ever – “Frankly , my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

14^th December 1503: Nostradamus is born

Nostradamus was a French apothecary and seer whose prophecies are now incredibly well known and publicised, often being accredited with predicting major modern word events, including the Great Fire of London, Napoleon, Hitler and even 9/11. However most modern historians dispute these similarities as the text being altered or misinterpretations, and disagree with the popular reputation Nostradamus has gained.

 1^st December 1955: The Montgomery Bus Boycott

 The Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama begins when seamstress Rosa Parks refuses to give  up her seat in the “coloured” section of a bus to make room for a white passenger. Led by  Martin Luther King, the boycott lasted for over a year and resulted in the desegregation of the  buses in the US. This is often thought of as the event that started the Civil Rights Movement  nationwide as well as bringing Martin Luther King to prominence.

2^nd December 1971: The UAE is formed 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is formed as a federation from the seven emirates of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain. As a federation of seven monarchies, whose rulers retain absolute power within their emirates, but with a UAE president, it is neither a constitutional monarchy nor a republic. It is now is classified as a high-income developing economy and this day is celebrated annually as National Day, with shows of patriotism across the Emirates.

3^rd December 1967: First Human Heart Transplant

Louis Washkanky received the transplant in Cape Town, South Africa during a nine hour operation that was the first successful operation like it in the world. The heart came from a 24 year old man who had been fatally injured in a car accident and, even though Washkanky died 18 days later as a result of a weakened immune system, it is regarded as a success because his body kept the heart pumping instead of a machine.

4^th December 1930: Ronnie Corbett is born

Scottish actor and comedian Ronnie Corbett is perhaps most famous for his work in the TV show The Two Ronnies, with his long-term comedy partner Ronnie Barker, as well as the highly satirical program The Frost Report. Instantly recognisable, Corbett stands at only 5 foot 1 – a fact often drawn upon in comedy sketches such as the famous ‘Class Sketch’ with John Cleese and Ronnie Barker (pictured below). He is now regarded as a classic British comic who can occasionally still be seen and heard performing on radio and TV comedy programs, still bringing the same lovable sense of humour.

5^th December 1952: Deadly London Smog

A terrible deathly fog ( “The Great Smog” or “The Big Smoke” ) descended on the city and caused the death of thousands of Londoners, starting on December 5th and lasting nearly 4 days.  Commonly called ‘pea soupers’, dense smog were not a new occurrence for London, however statistics show that over 10,000 inhabitants died as a result of this particular crisis and it is commonly called the worst air pollution disaster in the history of the UK.

6^th December 1865: Slavery is officially abolished in the US

 On this historic day, the thirteenth amendment to the US constitution was ratified which  officially prohibited slavery and involuntary servitude. This bill had been helped pass  through the house by the unswerving work of President Lincoln and was voted through 38  – 6.

7^th December 1869: Jesse James commits his first bank robbery

The famous American outlaw, gang leader, bank robber, train robber and murderer committed his first ever confirmed bank robbery in Gallatin, Missouri. James’ life of crime would survive another 13 years before he was shot dead by Robert Ford, who was hoping to collect the state reward on James’ head. Already a celebrity while he was alive, Jesse James became a legendary figure of the Wild West and gained the disputed reputation of an American Robin Hood.

 December 15^th 1966: The Death of Walt Disney

 Disney was  a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme  park design, his most famous achievement was the founding of Walt Disney productions, which is now arguably the best known movie production company in the world.  He also created some of the world’s most well-known fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, for whom Disney himself provided the original voice. During his lifetime Walt Disney won twenty-two Academy Awards, giving him more awards and nominations than any other person in history. On December 15th 1966, Disney died from lung cancer in California, creating the well-known urban legend that his body has been cryogenically frozen and is still stored underneath the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disneyland.

December 16^th 1653: Oliver Cromwell takes control

Oliver Cromwell led the New Model Army to victory against the Royalists in the English Civil War 1642-51, resulting in the execution of King Charles I in 1649. Oliver Cromwell became the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, including Scotland and Ireland, where his extreme measures against Catholics are strongly remembered. Cromwell ruled until his death in 1658 and is now considered to be one of the most controversial historical figures due to the reported massacres in Ireland, which some say verge on genocide.

December 17^th 1973: Homosexuality no longer classified as a mental disease

The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental diseases, which it had been included on since 1952. The removal was instigated after research gathered by the National Institute of Mental Health failed to produce and empirical of scientific evidence to support the classification.

December 18^th 1989: The Simpsons debuts!

After initially appearing as a series of shorts on The Tracey Ulman Show, The Simpsons debuted its first half hour episode to surprise success. Since then the satirical parody of the American lifestyle has become the longest running American sitcom and cartoon series, as well as being made into a high-grossing movie. Did you know – there are several websites on the internet purely dedicated to finding out which state the Simpsons family live in! Here’s one: http://www.simpsonsstate.com/index.php

December 19^th 1984: Hong Kong is returned to China

A historic Sino-British Joint declaration was signed by British and Chinese governments, stating that Hong Kong would be returned to Communist China in 1997. This was after Britain reclassified Hong Kong from a British Crown Colony to an Independent Territory in 1983, effectively ending 156 years of British Sovereignty. China agreed to a principle of “one country, two systems” which allowed Hong Kong to have a capitalist economy and enjoy existing rights and freedoms.

December 20^th 1192: Richard the Lionheart is captured

Richard I of England, commonly known as Richard the Lionheart, was the Christian commander of the Third Crusade, who achieved notable victories but was ultimately unable to regain Jerusalem. On his journey back, Richard the Lionheart was captured and imprisoned by Leopald V, the Duke of Austria, for 3 months before being allowed to return to Britain. Richard and his men were disguised as lowly pilgrims at the time of his capture, and he was allegedly identified by his wearing of an expensive ring or his insistence on eating roast chicken, a delicacy at the time.

December 21^st 1913: The first crossword is published

Liverpool journalist, Arthur Wynne, created the first crossword in the world and christened it a ‘word-cross’. It was published in the New York World, and became a regular feature in many papers by 1917 – reaching a ‘crossword craze’ by 1921.

December 22^nd 1984: ‘Subway Vigilante’ shoots 4 men

Bernhard Goetz shot four black youths on a Manhattan subway, claiming they were about to rob him. He was convicted for the illegal possession of a firearm and was dubbed the “Subway Vigilante” by the New York press, strangely becoming a symbol of New Yorkers’ frustrations with a high crime rate. This incident sparked of national debate about vigilantism, legal limits of self-defense and the perceptions of race in crime.

 24^th November 1991: The Death of Freddie Mercury

  Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara, was the lead vocalist of Queen, famed for his  flamboyant stage personality and powerful voice with a four octave range. Mercury continues  to be voted the greatest rock singer and entertainer in history and was the composer of many  of Queen’s greatest hits, including ‘Killer Queen’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’.  His death occurred at age 45 from AIDS, just one day after Freddie Mercury publicly  acknowledged he had the disease.

25^th November 1984: Do They Know It’s Christmas?

36 well-known musicians gathered in Notting Hill studio to record Band Aid’s single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ in order to raise money for the famine in Ethiopia. It was organized by Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats) and Midge Ure and included the vocals of many names such as Bono, David Bowie, Boy George, George Michael and Paul McCartney. The single stayed at Number 1 in the UK for more than 5 weeks and sold over 3 million copies, with all the money going to charity.

26^th November 1902: Maurice McDonald is born

The elder of the two McDonald brothers, Maurice, was born on this day and would later go on to establish the first McDonalds Restaurant in 1940 in California with Richard McDonald. They would begin franchising their successful restaurant chain in 1953 before Ray Kroc purchased the brand off them in 1961, turning it into the global fast-food franchise that it is nowadays.

27^th November 1978: Harvey Milk is assassinated

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, portrayed by Sean Penn in ‘Milk’, and served 11 months in office, succeeding in passing a gay rights decree in 1978. On 27^th November, Milk and the Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White for political reasons, turning Milk into an icon seen as a martyr for gay rights. He has now been called the most significant LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) official ever elected in the US.

28^th November 1990: Margaret Thatcher Quits

The first female British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher formerly tendered her resignation to the Queen and left Downing Street for the last time after being in office from 1979. Her hard line against Trade Unions and the Soviet Union had earned Thatcher the nickname of the ‘Iron Lady’, but the worsening economic situation of 1989-90 saw her popularity decline rapidly and Thatcher saw her forced leaving as a betrayal.

29^th November 1898: Birth of C.S Lewis

C.S Lewis was a well known writer who amongst other books wrote “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Screwtape Letters”. Lewis was also a friend of J. R. R. Tolkien and both authors were leading figures in the English faculty at Oxford University and in the informal Oxford literary group known as the ‘Inklings’. When he died of renal failure shortly before his 65^th birthday, there was minimal press as it happened on the same day as the assassination of JFK, however his books continue to be extremely popular.

30^th November 1982: Michael Jackson releases ‘Thriller’

 In just over a year, ‘Thriller’ became, and currently remains, the bestselling album of all time with 110 million copies worldwide and is also tied for the best-selling album in the United States. The album won a record-breaking eight Grammy awards at the 1984 Grammys and was the 6^th studio album released by Michael Jackson. It also broke down racial barriers, with the music video being preserved by the US Library of Congress for being culturally significant. It is now looked upon as a defining point and highlight in Michael Jackson’s unfortunately ended career.

November 16^th 1965: Launch of Venera 3

Venera 3 was a spacecraft launched by the Soviet Union from Kazakhstan, with the aim of exploring the surface of Venus. The probe crash-landed on the 1^st March 1966, becoming the first spacecraft to ever land on another planet’s surface, however its communications system failed before being able to send any information.

November 17^th 1558: The Elizabethan Era begins

Elizabeth I of the Tudor family succeeds her half-sister Mary I after her death, and continued to rule until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the fifth and final Tudor monarch whose era is famous for William Shakespeare and the sea-faring achievements of adventurers such as Francis Drake.

November 18^th 1978: The mass suicide of the Peoples Temple

The Peoples Temple was a religious organization founded by Jim Jones in Indiana in 1955, its focus was a form of communism that promoted atheism and social equality. After moving to California, Jones and his church earned a reputation for aiding the cities’ poorest citizens, especially racial minorities, drug addicts, and the homeless. However, Jones implemented mind control and brain washing techniques, similar to those used in communist China, as well as a great deal of secrecy amongst the members to turn the association into a fiercely anti-American cult. Following an investigation by the US congress, leader Jim Jones decided on a tactic called ‘revolutionary suicide’, whereupon the mass suicide of its members would spread their message to the world as well as avoid the growing threat of an attack. 909 people died after drinking cyanide laced kool-aid, including 276 children, making this the second largest single loss of American lives in history. Jim Jones’ final 40 minute long speech is available on the internet, and makes for disturbing listening.

November 19^th 1969: Pelé scores his 1000^th goal

The Brazilian footballer Pelé, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever, scored his 1000^th professional goal in a match against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium.

November 20^th 1985: Windows 1.0 was released

It was Microsoft’s first attempt to implement a multi-tasking operating environment and was the first version of Windows launched. It achieved little popularity and Windows did not have notable success until the launch of Windows 3.0. Windows 1.0 was succeeded by Windows 2.0 in 1987 and support was discontinued on 31 December 2001. The most recent client version of Windows is Windows 7, with the 8^th currently in development.

November 21^st 1694: Birth of Voltaire

Voltaire was a famous French philosopher, writer and historian whose work influenced important thinkers of both the American and French revolutions. He was an avid advocate for freedom of religion, trade, civil liberties and the separation of state and church as well as being famed for his wit. Additionally, Voltaire had a huge influence on the development of historiography  through his fresh new way of looking at the past, focusing on the social aspects as opposed to diplomatic and military events.

“Si Dieu n’existait pas, il faudrait l’inventer” (“If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him”)

“Every man is guilty of the good that he did not do.”

 November 22^nd 1963: Assasination of John F. Kennedy

 John F. Kennedy, the 35^th president of the USA, was shot to death by a sniper in  Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald, in an act which is still surrounded by controversy. After the 10 month investigation, during which Oswald himself was murdered, polls conducted found that as many as 80 percent of Americans have suspected that there was a plot or conspiracy theory surrounding the president’s death.

November 23^rd 1963: First episode of Doctor Who

The British science fiction television programme Doctor Who from the BBC is shown on TV for the first time. “The Doctor” played by William Hartnell in the first series travels through time and space in the TARDIS ( A blue 1950s police box ) . Over 40 years featuring a number of doctors fighting a variety of aliens, including the Daleks, Doctor Who has gained a cult status in Britain and is the longest-running science fiction television show in the world.