Hirschi Law Group PLLC

February 3 - 9

This Week in History
 
C-c-c-cold
 

February 3, 1947 - The tiny village of Snag in the Yukon Territory of Canada recorded the coldest temperature ever in North America when its thermometer dipped to -81 �F (-63 �C).Settled during the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1890's, Snag had a population of 8-10 natives and fur traders in 1947. It was also the site of an auxiliary military airfield that was staffed by 15-20 personnel. Snag is no stranger to cold temperatures. During the winter months the average low is -32.1 oF. But in the days leading up to the record-setting temperature Snag was suffering from a harsh cold-snap with lows routinely in the -70's. Once the sun came up however, Snag's high temperature for February 3 soared to a balmy -56 �F. A fascinating account of what life is like at 80 below can be found here.
 

The Price of Stride

 

February 3, 2010 - L'Homme qui marche I, a bronze sculpture by Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, was sold at Sotheby's auction house in London, for a record $103.7 million, the most ever paid for a sculpture at a public auction. The name of the sculpture means The Walking Man, and it was the second of six identical sculptures cast by the artist. The most expensive work of art ever sold was Jackson Pollock's No. 5, 1948, which was sold privately for $140 million in 2006.

 

Fiery Journalism


 

February 8, 1993 - General Motors filed a lawsuit for libel after NBC's Dateline program aired a feature on GM on November 17, 1992, entitled "Waiting to Explode." The Dateline story included video footage of a test demonstrating that fuel tanks on GM pickup trucks built from 1973-1987 were prone to catch fire in side impact collisions. In reality the tests were rigged as NBC had placed incendiary devices inside the truck to ensure that the fuel tank would explode. At a packed news conference inside General Motors' Product Exhibit Hall, GM's executive vice president Harry Pearce conducted a detailed rebuttal of NBC's story, including frame-by-frame photos from NBC's footage that clearly showed smoke from the incendiary devices going off just before the collision. The following evening, during a live broadcast, Dateline anchors Jane Pauley and Stone Phillips read a 3 minute 30 second, on-air apology and retraction. It was the first time any television network had ever issued such an apology on the air. GM dropped the lawsuit the next day. Highlights of GM's press conference can be seen here.

 

 

"At 80 below, the talking of the Indians and the barking of dogs in the village could be plainly heard at the airport four miles away. An aircraft that flew over Snag that day at 10,000 feet was first heard when it was over 20 miles away. Later, when overhead, still at 10,000 feet, the engine roar was deafening."

 

-- Wilf Blezard, meteorologist at Snag Airport in 1947.

Need a Tax Break?

 

 

Just a reminder that Hirschi Law Group is now offering income tax preparation for individuals and businesses. For more information visit www.HirschiTax.com.
 
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