Day Tripping: March 21

Bars Closed, Bars Opened, Barred Dangers

Welcome to my daily feature where each day on the calendar marks a part of our shared history.

Prison Break

Former involuntary home to some of the most notorious criminals, Alcatraz ceases to operate as a prison in 1963. The maximum-security Federal Penitentiary once housed the likes of Al Capone, ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly. first Public Enemy #1 Alvin Karpis, and Robert Stroud, the ‘Birdman of Alcatraz’. It is believed that no one has ever successfully escaped the island lockup in San Francisco Bay, but there five inmates still listed as missing or presumed dead.

Ten years later, after costs made the location too expensive to maintain as a prison, the site reopened as a tourist attraction and National Park.

Breaking Down Barriers

Three-time World Champion Paralympic athlete Rick Hansen sets off from Vancouver, Canada in 1985 to embark on a thirty-four country, two-year globe-crossing in his wheelchair. The Man In Motion tour was inspired by Rick’s friend, Terry Fox, and raised $26 million for spinal cord research.

Rick Hansen continues to be an outspoken advocate for barrier-free access to public places for people with disabilities and research for spinal cord injuries.

Break From Status Quo

In perhaps a sanest and measured response to one of her country’s most catastrophic events, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand announces a complete ban on military-style semiautomatic weapons. Her government’s order in 2019 comes in the wake of a terror driven killing spree that took 51 innocent lives in two local mosques.

Her decisive leadership skills saw Ms. Arden become re-elected in 2020.

Musical Milestones

While recording backing vocals for the song Getting Better for the Sgt. Pepper album in 1967, John Lennon flips out on his first acid trip, and unaware producer George Martin takes him to the roof of Abbey Road Studios to get some air. George and Paul rush to avert disaster and bring their stoned bandmate down; from the roof, anyway. The LSD would take a little longer.

Narratives

On the same day, Twitter is founded in 2006, Mark Zuckerberg publicly admits in 2018 that Facebook “made mistakes” in allowing the breach of 50 million users’ data in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Remembrance

Famous for his role as host of The Gong Show, Chuck Barris was also the focus of controversy when he claimed to have been a hitman for the CIA. Barris, who died in 2017, later admitted he made the entire story up.

Notable Births

1950 — The driving force behind British rock band Supertramp, Roger Hodgson

1958 — Academy award-winning British actor, Gary Oldman

1962 —Ferris Bueller himself, Matthew Broderick

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

The Story Of Day Tripping Through History What’s Past Is Often Present