But that didn’t stop Thomas Fitzgerald from making an ill-advised bet at the bar. This WWII veteran did the impossible not just once, but twice. Today, he’s a legend in New York City.

Thomas Fitzgerald, Veteran and Airplane Mechanic

Thomas Fitzgerald was born in New York City in the year 1930. In WWII, he served as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. After the war was concluded, he joined the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War.

One purple heart and many stories later, Fitzgerald returned to civilian life. He’d already had adventures on land and sea, so he decided to take to the air instead.

Thomas enrolled in the Teterboro School of Aeronautics in New Jersey. He gained his pilot’s license and began working at an airplane mechanic.

One Drunken Night at the Bar

At the age of 26, Thomas Fitzgerald was a veteran of two wars and a licensed pilot. He also liked to spend time at the bar with his friends.

On a September evening in Washington Heights, Fitzpatrick made a drunken bet with another patron at a local tavern. He claimed that he could drive to New Jersey from the Heights and be back in 15 minutes. Of course, no one believed him.

An Impossible Landing

Fitzpatrick went out to his car and drove to his old flying school. There, he commandeered a single-engine plane and flew it back to Washington Heights.

His plan was to land the plane on the football field of a local high school. Unfortunately, it was 3:00 am, and the field was too dark to see.

Not wanting to risk the safety of the aircraft, and with time running out on his bet, Fitzgerald made what seemed like a logical decision. He flew to the bar and landed his plane on the street.

Local Uproar

In the morning, Washington Heights woke to find a plane parked neatly on St. Nicholas Avenue. Most people who saw the plane thought it had to be a joke; no one could thread an aircraft of that size between the narrow buildings of Manhattan.

But it wasn’t a joke, and Fitzgerald had actually managed to land that plane. The owner of the aircraft didn’t press charges, to Fitzgerald walked away with nothing more than $100 fine and a suspension of his pilot’s license. There’s no word on whether the other guy at the bar paid up.

Doing It All Again

As a judge later noted, if Fitzgerald had been properly charged for his antics, he might not have tried to do it again. But two years later, he decided to recreate his feat.

This time, the bet was with a man from Connecticut. Thomas had been drinking again, and this fellow didn’t believe that he had actually landed the plane. Rather than pull out a newspaper clipping, Thomas decided to prove his piloting skills in person.

The two drove back to New Jersey, and Fitzgerald selected a fresh single-engine plane for his new exploit. Once again, he flew between Manhattan’s buildings and landed smoothly in the street.

This latest stunt had witnessed. Several New Yorkers were startled as a plane came swooping over their heads. One bus driver dove to the floor of his vehicle.

Fitzgerald fled the scene, leaving an aircraft in the middle of the road.

Legal Consequences

This time, local authorities were not nearly so lenient with Fitzgerald. In addition to pulling an aerial stunt, he’d also fled the scene and lied to authorities about his involvement. It was only when he was identified by witnesses that he admitted to piloting the craft.

Thomas Fitzgerald’s charges included grand larceny, reckless piloting, flying within city limits, and flying without a license. His reward was six months in jail and story in every major news publication.

Although he was obviously a talented pilot, Fitzgerald never got his license back. He got married, settled down, and had three children. Fitzgerald finally died in 2009, going down in history as the first and only man to successfully land a plane in New York City.

The Switchback Railway was inspired by the nation’s second permanent railway known as the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway. Built-in 1827 by Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co., the railway transported coal cars along a nine-mile descent through the hills of central eat Pennsylvania. The route featured rapid elevation changes (a 665 ft drop at its finale) and swoops that, operated by a single brakeman, would soon become a touchstone tourist attraction. The public quickly turned the coal-hauling railway into the functioning prototype for the roller coaster, some even considering it the world’s first roller coaster.

L.A. Marcus Edna Thompson was one such tourist on the Mauch Chunk Railway, finding the inspiration he would need to build his magnum opus as he traveled downwards up to 50 miles per hour through the wooded hills of east-central Pennsylvania.

L.A. Thompson’s Switchback Railway traveled up to six miles per hour and did not return course in an ovular complete-circuit like modern roller coasters. Instead, passengers would exit the roller coaster at the opposite end of a straight track. The fare to ride the Switchback Railway was just a nickel but would net $600 per day and pay itself off completely in just three weeks.

In the years to follow, Coney Island would be the home to three amusement parks–Dreamland, Luna Park, and Steeplechase–and by the 1920’s, summer crowds of up to one million flocked there every day to enjoy the thriving amusement scene. By just 1900, there would be hundreds of roller coasters around the country whose designers took inspiration from Thompson’s Switchback Railway and expounded on his work.

Thompson himself would go on to build more roller coasters across the United States as well. Such installments would come to feature entertaining additions like winding tunnels, artificial hill lights, replicas of temples, and an ovular complete-circuit remarked for its efficiency. The original closed-loop design was popularized by Charles Alcoke with his contribution, the Serpentine Railway.

The original Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway would close with the rise of the Great Depression in 1933. In 1937, the railway was sold for scrap. In its shadow remains the Switchback Railroad Trail, a hard-packed dirt trail that spans the entire length of the old railway and serves as a great location for bicycling and hiking. Shuttles to the Summit Hill trailhead are available in the town of Mauch Chunk — now known as the town of Jim Thorpe. Bikers descending from the summit can enjoy a 100% downhill trek while enjoying the historic scenery explored by enthusiasts over 150 years ago.

Although the word scum was not originally an insult, the word “scumbag” is clearly intended to be derogatory. This started in about 1586 when the term “scum of Africa” was used in a play called Tamburlaine by Christopher Marlowe. This was the first known incident of using scum to reference an actual person or thing negatively. Subsequently, the term was increasingly used for that purpose. After this happened, the definition of the word scum begin to evolve again.

The word scum later took on a slightly different definition and was referred to as worthless pieces that rise to the surface during the process in which metal is purified. This use of the word scum is referenced in a book titled Natural and Moral History of the Indies by José de Acosta. However, the term scumbag still had not been used. That didn’t happen until about 1812 when Rees’s Encyclopedia was developed.

Rees’s Encyclopedia was a project that involved combining dozens of encyclopedia volumes. Contained in the pages of this encyclopedia was the word scumbag and it referenced the process of refining sugar using a straining bag. The word was used to explain the froth or foam that was left behind when a bag was used during the straining process. The process also involved the use of a scum-board that was aptly named because it was used for the purpose of pressing down on the scum.

There are instances in which the word scumbag was also used to describe a condom. This likely first occurred around 1939 in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, but that has not been confirmed as other sources believe use of the word scumbag to describe a condom occurred decades later. One source that believes it was used at a later date for this purpose is the Oxford English Dictionary, which believes it didn’t happen until around 1967. It was at this time that the word scum was used to mean semen.

After the late 1960s, the word scumbag was used quite frequently when referring to semen in a condom. In fact, it was pushed into popular culture by musical artists. There was even a song produced called “Scumbag” in about 1971. This song was recorded by John Lennon, Frank Zappa and Yoko Ono. It may have very well been this song that solidified use of scumbag to mean a person who is despicable, which remains the way in which it’s used today.

A recent discovery in northern Israel illuminates another purpose of ancient inscriptions. In the northern town of et-Taiyiba, archaeologists Tzachi Lang and Kojan Haku, uncovered an inscription marking a 5th century CE Christian church. These two researchers were working with a group doing archeological salvage work ahead of a road-building construction crew. The inscribed stone had been repurposed as part of a wall of an elaborate Byzantine=era building. The inscription, dating from 1,500 years ago, reads, “Christ born of Mary. This work of the most God-fearing and pious bishop [Theodo]sius and the miserable Th[omas] was built from the foundation.”

The researchers say this stone was part of a 5th century CE church, used as a greeting to congregants. The phrase, “Christ born of Mary,” was a popular phrase in early Christianity used to ward off evil demons or the evil eye, as well. Originally, the stone possessed a carved crucifix on top of it. Either due to damage or destruction, the crucifix is no longer extant. After the building ceased to be used as a church, the inscribed stone was part of a doorway of a two-room building.

Concerning the two proper names mentioned in the inscription, scholars identify Theodosisus as a 5th century CE archbishop of Beit She’an. Theodosisus established the church, one of many he set up during his ministry. The location of the church in et-Taiyiba is near Mt. Tabor, the possible site of the transfiguration of Jesus in the New Testament. The other individual, “miserable Thomas,” is not known. Thomas was not really miserable. The term was used anciently to denote a person’s humility and piety before God. Beyond his humility, Thomas remains an unknown figure from the past. His mention on the inscription may indicate he was a financial patron in the construction of the church. The supposition is hypothetical, at best. The most important part of the discovery of the inscription is it is the earliest evidence of a Christian church in the Jezreel Valley. There is plenty of evidence of Christian churches in the area from the 6th century CE. This inscription, however, moves the existence of Christian churches in the area up by a hundred years.

Barbies

Barbie dolls have been one of the most instrumental objects in modeling our childhood lives. They are the famous and most significant dolls among adults and young kids. They are enhancing creativity, and role-playing is a considerable element for a child’s growth and development.

Lite Brightz

Introduced by Milton Bradley in the 70s, Lite bright happens to be one of the most used magic screens suitable for the kids-Its reusable templates and character shaped pegs is ideal for making the kids have fun in playing.

Polly pocket

The dolls were in the form of plastic cases, which opened to form a house form appearance. These dolls were made by bluebird toys around 1989, making them amongst the most extraordinary collection adored by most kids.

Furby

Tomy entertainments published the American robotic-like toys and released them around 1998. The game represented an owl-like creature. The games became a successful attempt to sell on the production of the first robot-like creature.

Garbage Pail kids’ cards

The game originated in the form of sticker trading cards around the 1980s. It became a popular game as a parody for most cabbage patch kids dolls. The collectible cards game was so popular that it led to its ban from different schools.

Monopoly board game

The game entails players rolling around dice and moving around a die, trolling and purchasing trading properties. The game consists of popular editions within the specified monopoly.

Hot wheels

The die-cost toy cars were introduced around 1987 by the American maker Mattel. Various varieties of the models are with different variations with high demands.

Teddy Ruxpin

Being released in the 1980s, the storytelling bear was among the work’s first animatronic toy. The smash-hit of the bears landed in the market, making them more popular. The old initially dolls can be on eBay for $ 400.

Birthday Mania

The birthday mania games have for the longest time set the best place for the little princess heart. The game commenced around 1995 with animated feature films. They make a suitable combination for both the girls and boys.

Happy meal toys

As one of their marketing strategies, McDonald’s made toys inclusive in their logos around 1979, causing them to draw more attention to the kids. Changeable have emerged with the toys going for $70 each.
First-generation iPod. The original iPod game brick was by the Apple co-founder with a portable player and a multipurpose pocket computer, of 2001. Their best connectivity sells at $10,000.

Conclusion

Grouping the items is the best strategy to maximize your profits and make the best out of them. Your childhood toys are worth lots of money today. It is essential to sort out the toys worth reselling.

They could not have done this without German artillery being able to raze Moscow for 72 days in a row, which led to food and water shortage. As a result, Russia was forced into surrendering because they were running out of provisions and needed help from America, or it would’ve been a massacre like World War I. Germany’s victory in Stalingrad may not be this obvious, but it was the turning point of WWII. If Germany didn’t win in Stalingrad, World War II would’ve lasted for much longer. When Russia surrendered, it saved lives and lets America supply them with food and armaments to fight Hitler’s plans against England and other countries.

In addition, if Germany had won the war at Stalingrad, they would have had bigger armies to conquer Palestine and then conquer Iran; without that strong base of power in Iran, they would have been unable to take over England. Without that defeat of Britain at Tehran, America wouldn’t even exist today, so history could’ve been totally different from ours today. Though the German army was defeated in Stalingrad, it made the US get involved with the war and eventually defeat Germany. The loss of Germany was by far a large price to pay, but it would’ve been worse if they had conquered Britain or vice versa.

If Germany hadn’t won at Stalingrad, opposition from other countries could’ve gone on for another several years, so Britain could’ve been destroyed or conquered before America entered WWII, and humanity may have lost against Nazism. However, that wasn’t meant to be because Hitler’s war machine failed at Stalingrad, and the battle turned into one of World War II’s most important turning points. The Battle of Stalingrad was a significant turning point in World War II and changed the course of the war. Without this battle, Germany would’ve controlled Russia and would have been able to take over more land in Britain. The Battle of Stalingrad was between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II, lasting from August 1942 to February 1943. In addition, it was one of the largest battles on the Eastern front in WWII. The Soviet Union led a counteroffensive against German forces surrounding them at Stalingrad. Hitler’s army was attacked to complete their objective, but they were trapped by winter weather and defeated in the city.

The Germans were surrounded at Stalingrad by the Soviet forces and their allies and had no other option but to retreat from the city. Hitler ordered a withdrawal from Stalingrad, and his army escaped, which was a major defeat for Germany. The Battle of Stalingrad, also known as Operation Winter Storm, was a battle between Nazi Germany’s Sixth Army, led by General Friedrich Paulus, and the Red Army’s Voronezh Front, led by General Vasily Chuikov. It is considered one of the turning points in World War II history because it stopped the Germans from completing their plan of taking over more land in Britain. It was a huge loss for Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union won honorably.

As a result of this battle, Germany was forced to surrender in 1945, and World War II ended. It is interesting that the Germans went through all this struggle to take over Russia, but they were defeated at Stalingrad. The battle was fought in and around the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd) on the southern banks of the Volga River in western Russia. The Battle of Stalingrad was part of a larger campaign known as Operation Blau, which included many other battles besides just Stalingrad. It was one of the largest land battles in history because it had so many troops involved.

The Battle of Stalingrad began on August 23, 1942, and lasted for six months until it was a complete crushing victory for the Soviet Union. The battle was over when the German army surrendered in early January 1943. General Friedrich Paulus led the German army into Stalingrad, but that proved to be fatal for him and his army. General Vasily Chuikov led the Red Army forces at Stalingrad and defeated most of Paulus’ army. The Battle of Stalingrad was very significant to World War II because it was this battle that changed the course of the war forever.

Some facts about Keanu Reeves:

• Did you know that Keanu Reeves‘ first name is pronounced “Kay-ah-noo,” not “Key-ah-Noo.” This isn’t the only misconception surrounding his name. His name’s meaning is the “coolness,” but it’s often incorrectly said that it meant “cool breeze over the mountains.”
• Keanu was named after his uncle Henry Keanu Reeves.
• In the early days of his movie career, his agent thought his name was too exotic, and in his early movies, he is often credited as K.C. Reeves ( (Keanu Charles Reeves).
• Keanu Reeves‘ father passed his General Educational Development (GED) tests while being in prison in Hawaii. His father was in jail for selling heroin at the Hawaii Airport. His father left him and his mother when he was just three years old.
• Keanu’s only sister, Kim Reeves, was born in Australia and had been suffering from leukemia since her first diagnosis back in the 1990s.
• In 1999, Keanu’s girlfriend, Jennifer Syme, gave birth to a stillborn daughter just a few weeks before the delivery due date. In 2001, Jennifer was killed in a car accident, when she smashed her car into three parked cars while driving back home from a party.
• In 1991, Reeves’s best friend, River Phoenix, who was also an actor died because of a drug overdose.
• Keanu’s mother was once a stripper and now is a designer. She has been married six times; her husband’s included Hollywood director Paul Aaron, Jack Bond (a hairdresser), Robert Miller (rock promoter), and two others.
• Throughout high school, he was one of the best hockey players but was academically poor because of dyslexia. He played as a goalkeeper in hockey. He was so good that he was named MVP and was given “The Wall nickname.” His dream during high school was to play hockey for Canada But his dream was shattered because of an injury. Though his hockey experience got him a role in his first movie Youngblood.
• Keanu was born in Beirut, Lebanon. His mother is English, and his father is an American with mixed heritage.
• Reeves has citizenship in the United States through his father. In Canada, because of naturalization and in Britain through his mother. Though he always considers himself Canadian, because he was raised there.
• Keanu Reeves had donated about 75 million dollars from his Matrix movie earning to the special effects and costume teams who were a part of the film.
• In the 1990s, Reeves was a part of grunge band Dog star; he played the bass guitar. The band was huge in Japan, not for their music but because Keanu Reeves was the member.

In the Netherlands 1672 is still described as the disaster year. It was a year when the country had to defend against invasions from the French, the English, and the Germans. It was a year that the country spent entirely at war. Many cities in the country were destroyed and any money that the country had, went towards its defense. Many cities were left with nothing and Utrecht is one city in particular that stands out as having nothing left. The next years were still as tough as the country slowly tried to recover from the financial devastation and the loss of life that had taken place.

Yet in 1674 misery found more misery as a natural disaster struck. For years this natural disaster has defied explanation. It was a summer’s day in the Netherlands. That means it was hot (but not incredibly hot) and it was humid. By the end of the day, thunderstorms were starting to occur and this makes sense in hot humid conditions, something that has been seen many times since and many times before in the country and surrounding areas. 

The strange disaster was that these thunderstorms continued to grow and become angrier. As the day went on they got worse and worse and by 6pm it was clear that something else was happening, something far greater. At around 6pm some devastating force ripped through the city of Utrecht and other surrounding areas. It was stronger than had ever been seen before and possibly since. It took the top of churches clean off, lifted boats out of the water, and left them four fields away. It lifted entire trees from the ground and sent them through the sky.

If this all sounds like a scene from the Wizard of Oz to you then you may be thinking it was a tornado that took place and for years historians agreed. Although the storm was localized a tornado is generally even more localized. While this occurrence devastated Utrecht it devastated a wider area as well. In addition, the destruction was not uniform. There were parts of Utrecht that appeared untouched while other parts were completely desecrated. 

Today scientists think that it was not just a tornado that occurred but something called a bow echo storm. This bow echo storm is so-called because when it forms in the sky it has the appearance of the circular shape of an archers bow. The middle front slightly leads the two sides as if it is charging through the sky. This echo storm moves quickly and can pass an entire area in a couple of hours, so it fits with the stories suggesting that it would pass through their location in just 15 minutes. They are also associated with localized winds called straight-line winds. In fact, these echo storms are known to produce a number of whirlwinds. So it is very likely that a tornado may have created the damage but it was not just a tornado, it was many, and it was part of a larger event.

While 2020 has been a tough year for many people, humanity has seen far worse. There are numerous years throughout history that we may simply want to strike from the record books but we can’t. If the Netherlands made it through the 1670s than we can make it through this year. Good times are on the horizon and luckily not an echo bow storm.

The first comic strip created by Richard Felton Outcault, The Yellow Kid, appeared in 1896 in the Hearst New York American. What followed were other comic strips like Little Orphan Annie, Mutt and Jeff, and the Gumps. Popeye the Sailorman made its entry into comics in 1929.

How Did Popeye The Sailorman Become a Worldwide Icon?
When Elzie Crisler Segar first created Popeye the Sailorman, it was during a Midwestern tornado. The comic strip was originally known as Thimble Theater.

The Great Depression brought the entire U.S. to its knees economically and farmers were hardest hit. In order to distract Americans from the ravages of the Great Depression, Popeye became a vehicle to increase the sale of food.

However, with the onset of World War II approaching, the character with the pipe in his mouth, sailor suit and cap, anchor tattoos and bulging arms also became a fighter for the good of others. His enemy, Bluto, towered over Popeye but the line, “strong to the finish” always ended each comic strip segment with Popeye besting the bad guys.

In 1919 the character, Olive Oyl, inspired by Dora Paskel, a real-life female from Chester, Illinois made her debut. It wasn’t until Popeye was viewed on TV and in films that Olive Oyl became Popeye’s mostly fickle-hearted girlfriend.

Popeye continually rescued Olive Oyl in TV and films when Bluto, also known as Brutus, kidnapped her. Thus, it is likely that Popeye the Sailorman appealed to everyone who admired his bravery and courage to fight for Olive Oyl’s freedom at a time when World War II highlighted the loss of freedom in Nazi-occupied Europe.

Popeye’s Love of Spinach
Spinach was believed to contain high iron content. However, the backstory about this is based on a misplaced decimal point. Instead of 3.5 milligrams, German chemist Erich von Wolf incorrectly misplaced the decimal point in his research notes on the value of spinach in 1870. So, 3.5 milligrams became 35 milligrams per 100-gram serving.

That was all parents needed to hear to begin serving their children spinach. Children seemed not to like the looks of the dark green leafy vegetable. In fact, in the movie, Poor Little Rich Girl, starring Shirley Temple in 1936, she sings about her dislike of spinach.

In order to get children to eat their spinach, the creators of Popeye adapted spinach as Popeye’s superfood.

In Popeye’s famous words, “Well, Blow Me Down,” the world began to recognize Popeye the Sailorman as an icon of good vs. evil in his never-ending battles with bullies or as Popeye frequently “I am what I am and that’s all that I am.”

The modern world knows Popeye the Sailorman as played by the late actor, Robin Williams in the 1980’s movie Popeye. Lesser known is that the fact that the character Popeye was based was the real-life boxer, Frank “Rocky” Fiegel, from Popeye creator, Elzie Crisler Segar’s hometown of Chester, Illinois.

Perhaps, Popeye the Sailorman’s battles against bullying may be a present-day reminder that goodness, strength, and bravery are the best armor against bullying.

George and Izzie
If you’ve seen “Grey’s Anatomy,” then you know that there are several best friends on the show who are of the opposite gender. Instead of venturing into a relationship, George and Izzie should have stayed friends. You could tell that the relationship seemed strained and that they didn’t seem to be paired well in a relationship aspect.

Ted and Robin
At the end of the day, Ted and Robin were a couple on “How I Met Your Mother.” However, the show tried to signal that the pair weren’t supposed to be together. Viewers were left confused as to whether they should have really been a couple on the show or not because of how strained the relationship was in the beginning.

Joey and Rachel
Most “Friends” viewers know that Joey and Rachel weren’t destined to be together. They gave it a go, but the friends just didn’t have the chemistry needed to be a couple. The relationship as friends seemed to have suffered a bit after they tried dating.

Jon and Dany
On “Game of Thrones,” this couple was beyond wrong as she is his aunt. This means that the couple dated while being related to each other, which is something that viewers just didn’t like.

Logan and Rory
Logan was never a character meant for love on “Gilmore Girls.” He didn’t seem to be interested in Rory, and the two didn’t seem to want to develop their relationship past friends. They often found ways to showcase the worst features that the other had, which didn’t play out well on the show.

Fitz and Olivia
On “Scandal,” this couple seemed to start out well together. However, they soon started to appear rough around the edges and weren’t able to pull off the life that they wanted to live.

Aleksandr and Carrie
This is only one of the men who Carrie seemed to get stuck with on “Sex and the City.” Viewers wanted her to be with someone who would truly love her. This relationship meant leaving her friends out of a lot of events in her life and eventually resulted in viewers not wanting to watch the two together on the show.

Andy and Erin
This relationship on “The Office” looks to be one that’s pushed together. The show appeared to need two people who were in a relationship, which ended in the two not having the chemistry that they needed to pull off being in love.

Dawson and Joey
“Dawson’s Creek” showed viewers a few couples who were meant to be friends. Although you could see that Dawson and Joey loved each other on the show, they weren’t meant to be together as a couple. However, Pacey was just who Joey needed.

Archie and Veronica
Although “Riverdale” might be complete with Archie and Veronica together, the show didn’t come together for them at all. Viewers saw them kissing and making out all the time, which isn’t always what a relationship is about.

Willow and Kennedy
Willow didn’t need another relationship on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” She should have stayed single in order to get over her girlfriend’s murder instead of being shoved into a relationship with someone who she didn’t love.

Tom and Ann
On “Parks and Recreation,” viewers wondered what Ann saw in Tom as she didn’t seem to really be that into him. The relationship was strained because they weren’t a good match with their personalities or overall qualities.

Fez and Jackie
This is an odd couple with two people who just seemed to start dating after Kelso left the show.