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Today in Tech History: June 14, 2008 Video

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Today in Tech History: June 14, 2008
Created: 06/12/2008
Video description: A little whiskey, a little computing, and a lot of Superman.

Today in Tech History: June 14, 2008 Video Transcript

Hi, I'm Tom Merritt. It's June 14, 2008, and here's what happened today in technology history. 1789 gives us a biggie. According to legend, the Baptist minister Elijah Craig first produced whiskey distilled from corn, on this date. That whiskey was named Bourbon, since the Reverend Craig lived in Bourbon County, Kentucky, although it wouldn't really come into its own until the late 19th century. But thanks for getting things started, Reverend Craig. On this date in 1822, British mathematician Charles Babbage conceived a Difference Engine for calculating mathematical tables, such as logarithmic and trigonometric functions. He never constructed the machine -- he just proposed it in a paper to the Royal Astronomical Society. Nevertheless, the concept could be considered the first "computer," at least, in the way we now use the term. Today in 1919, John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown left St. John's, Newfoundland on the first nonstop transatlantic flight. And finally, and this is big: on this date in 1938, Action Comics issue one was released. It introduced ... Superman. And that's it for today's list, but we'll be bringing you tech trivia of steel tomorrow.

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