Day Tripping: June 13

Special deliveries, space treks, and strong messages

Bulk Mail

The Assistant Postmaster General of the United States, John C. Koons, decided he’d finally had enough in 1920 when he rejected two attempts to mail children through the mail. Yes, children. Since the innovation of accepting large parcel delivery in the postal service, several successful attempts were made where parents sent children to visit grandparents miles away.

Though it was common practice in rural America at the time, Koons reasoned that children could not be classified as harmless live animals. Postal workers of the day earned their reputation for being trustworthy in many ways, but this one was becoming too much of a burden to bear.

Where No One Has Gone Before

When Pioneer 10 passed Pluto’s orbit in 1983 and then left the central solar system, it became the first object manufactured by humans to enter deep space. Perhaps the most successful space mission in history, Pioneer 10 was expected to complete a twenty-one-month mission, sending back information to earth along the way.

When it passed Pluto eleven years later, scientists were elated by the longevity of the craft. The last faint message received from Pioneer 10 occurred in January 2003, a little more than 25 years after it was launched. Only time will tell if the craft is ever heard from again.

Massive Penalty

Volkswagen accepted a €1 billion fine from prosecutors in Germany for its involvement in falsifying diesel emissions in 2018. The automaker decided against appealing the fine which comes on the heels of over $4 billion in payments to the US anti-pollution body a year earlier. The German fine helped executives avoid criminal proceedings, but civil action remained on the table.

Describing the indiscretion as “inadequate oversight” in the monitoring of power trains, Volkswagen and its luxury line, Audi by extension were rocked by the scandal. Stock shares plummeted after the news of the judicial bargain. It was estimated that more than 10 million cars sold in the US, Canada, and worldwide were delivered with software that was not sanctioned between 2007 and 2015.

Musical Milestones

While the Tibetan Freedom Concert was going on at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, a member of the audience was struck by lightning in 1988. The incident occurred while the Dave Matthews Band was on stage, and thanks to a paramedic who was attending the show, Lysa Selfon was revived and made a full recovery.

Narratives

Late, late-night talk show host Tom Snyder took ratings boosting to the extreme in 1981 when he interviewed Charles Manson on the Tomorrow show.

Remembrance

Benny Goodman was one of the most prominent bandleaders of the thirties. Fronting his band with his familiar clarinet, Goodman was also the first white bandleader to form and travel with a mixed-race lineup. The King of Swing was 76 when he passed away in 1986.

Notable Births

1953 — Tool time funnyman, Tim Allen

1972—Extraordinary fiddle player from Canadian Maritimes, Natalie MacMaster

K. Barrett Katie Wallace Maria Rattray Maryam Merchant Dr Mehmet Yildiz Tree Langdon Myriam Ben Salem Phil Truman Chelsea Mandler MAT Terry Mansfield Hollie Petit, PhD. Terry Trueman Dr Preeti Singh John Gruber Bill Abbate James G Brennan ScienceDuuude Marcus Liam Ireland Claire Kelly Noorain Hassan, BMS Amy Pierovich David Acaster Nora Thewriteyard David Perlmutter Joe Luca

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