Free the Chicago 7!

On February 18, 1970 the Chicago Seven (once the Chicago 8) were found Not Guilty of Conspiracy for the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968.  Notables in the Chicago Seven included Yippie leaders Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin as well as political activist Tom Hayden.  Black Panther Bobby Seale was removed from the trial and was tried separately. Hoffman committed suicide in 1989 staying true to his radical politics and living underground for many years.  Rubbin traded his Yippie credentials for Yuppie attire becoming a capitalist.  He died jaywalking Wilshire Blvd in LA in 1994.  Hayden was married briefly to actress Jane Fonda and had a brief career in politics and now teaches.  Bobby Seale once came in second in mayoral race for the city of Oakland in 1973 but has since retired from active politics.  He wrote "Barbequing with Bobby" in 1987 and now teaches occasionally while working for community organizations.

Brian Wilson begins recording Good Vibrations

February 17, 1966 Brian Wilson rolls tape for the first time on "Good Vibrations".  Over the next 8 months he will rewrite and rerecord  words and music searching to duplicate the sound he hears in his head.

The Begining of the End - February 16, 1971

 Like other Presidents before him, Richard Nixon wanted to record conversations he had in his Oval Office.  He said it was to ensure historical accuracy.  Others noted that it was to verify what was said in private if public statements later proved contradictory.  The system was installed by Presidential Aid Alexander Butterfield and in this first conversation he instructs the President and the President's Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman on how to use the system.  The existence of the system was largely unknown until revealed by Butterfield during the Watergate hearings.  This lead to a tenacious tug of war between the Congress and the President for possession of the tapes.  The conversation recorded June 23, 1972 would eventually be called "The Smoking Gun" that contributed to the Presidents resignation.

LEON! The Toothless Champion of the World!

On February 15, 1978 Leon Spinks stuns the world by defeating reining heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali in a 15 round decision.  This was only his eighth professional fight but he went on to a long, though interesting career.  He was known for his large entourage and his partying was the suff of legend.  Today he can be found working weekends in a YMCA in Columbus, Nebraska.

1962 JFK authorizes advisors to return fire

By February 1962, US involvement in Vietnam was still limited to several hundred military advisors under direction on the US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV).  On February 14, President Kennedy authorized military "advisors" to return fire if fired upon essentially acknowledging for the first time that the US was actively involved in combat.  Within a year, there would be more than 15,000 Us troops in Vietnam.