Interesting times

Last year was the fortieth anniversary of NCPR, among many other notable events, but it's hard to beat 1969 for portentous happenings. The moon landing on July 16 sticks in most minds. Less well-known is that on July 17, The New York Times publicly retracted its 1920 article ridiculing rocket pioneer Robert Goddard for asserting the possibility of spaceflight. Close behind Apollo 11 comes Woodstock, which beamed down onto Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel NY, forty years ago this week. Also in 1969, on January 30, the last public concert of The Beatles was held on the roof of Apple Records, until broken up by the police.

Nixon was inaugurated January 20; on March 13, the secret bombing of Cambodia began. On February 20, the Boeing 747 was test-flown, and on March 2, the Concorde. On June 2, John and Yoko began a "bed-in" for world peace in Montreal. On June 28, the Stonewall Riots launched the modern gay rights movement. On August 8 (a week before Woodstock), members of the Manson cult murdered Sharon Tate and friends.

The ATM machine was born September 2 and the last Looney Toon cartoon was released September 20. Monty Python first aired October 5, and on October 29, the first message was sent via ARPANET, the forerunner of the Internet. Sesame Street premiered on November 10; the first Wendy's opened November 15. On December 6, the disastrous Altamont Free Concert formed the other bookend to Woodstock. And sometime in 1969, AIDS is thought to have first come to the US via Haiti.

If you're too young to remember 1969, the benediction/curse "May you live in interesting times" may not be fully appreciated. But then again, 2009 is not without its "features of interest." Check back in 40 years.