Month: October 2017

October 20

1720 – Caribbean pirate Calico Jack is captured by the Royal Navy. 1803 – The United States Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase. 1827 – In the Battle of Navarino, a combined Turkish and Egyptian fleet is defeated by British, French, and Russian naval forces in the last significant battle fought with wooden sailing ships. 1910...
1968: Lady Jacqueline Kennedy marries Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.

Should Downtown Be the New Amazon Basin?

On Thursday afternoon, the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio submitted to Amazon.com its initial proposal for the giant online retailer and technology firm to locate its so-called HQ2 (a second corporate headquarters) in New York City. Working through the City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) — the agency that negotiates strategic partnerships designed to foster...

Calling All Survivors

The World Trade Center Health Program will host a forum on Saturday (October 21), where Lower Manhattan residents with questions about how their health may have been — or may yet be — impacted by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. (If you are unable to attend the Research to Care 9/11 Community Event...

October 18

320 – Pappus of Alexandria, Greek philosopher, observes an eclipse of the Sun and writes a commentary on The Great Astronomer (Almagest). 1009 – The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacks the Church’s foundations down to bedrock. 1081 –...
Regency TR-1 The first practical transistor radio.

How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?

The Chamber Orchestra of New York (CONY) will perform a program titled “Postcards from Italy” at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on Saturday, October 28th at 7:30 pm, in celebration of its tenth anniversary. Led by music director and composer Salvatore di Vittorio, the Orchestra is the City’s premier ensemble for young professionals, and showcases a...
The Chamber Orchestra of New York, will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a concert in Carnegie Hall on October 28.

October 17

1091 – London tornado of 1091: A tornado thought to be of strength T8/F4 strikes the heart of London. 1558 – Poczta Polska, the Polish postal service, is founded. 1604 – Kepler’s Supernova: German astronomer Johannes Kepler observes a supernova in the constellation Ophiuchus. 1610 – French King Louis XIII is crowned in Reims Cathedral....
Spectators at the Battery watch a barge carrying the Sinclair Dinosaurs to the Fairgrounds Photo courtesy: Greg Dawson Collection