I realize I am jumping the gun by a few hours, and maybe this is the wrong thread. But this is the 40th anniversary of November 10, 1975, a day full of momentous and, except for the Australian one mostly disastrous events. And many Aussies would beg to differ. Of the November 10, 1975 events that I know without Googling here are some highlights: Edmund Fitzgerald sunk (link); U.N. passes Zionism is Racism Resolution (link); and Australia's PM Gough Whitlam fired by Governor-General (link); The first event was memorialized by Gordon Lightfoot's immortal "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. A freighter full of iron ore and sailors sank in a wild, La Niña fueled storm on Lake Superior. The U.N. resolution, passed by a newly automatic majority of Muslim and Communist governments, declared Zionism to be a form of racism and racial discrimination. It was repealed in 1991 but the odious automatic majority remains. Finally, in Australia, the Governor-General, on his own, fired Gough Whitlam. Technically when a "money" or "supply" bill fails to pass the lower house in a Westminster-based system the government falls and the Queen or Governor General must allow the opposition to form a new government or call elections. In Australia it was the Senate, the equivalent of the House of Lords that blocked supply legislation. The PM urged that only the Senate be dissolved and subject to election. Instead the GG dissolved both houses and appointed the opposition leader as caretaker pending snap elections. Unheard of but in my opinion necessary. Overall a day to leave your head spinning.
