Touring History 3-12-25

Hey there, welcome back to Touring History—the show where we flip through the old, dusty pages of the past and realize, "Oh wow, we've been doing this nonsense for centuries." I'm your host, Alain Touring, and today is March 12th—a day packed with revolution, ridiculousness, and just enough progress to make you say, "Alright, maybe we're not completely doomed."

Let's start with some famous birthdays. Jack Kerouac, born in 1922, basically invented the American road trip. You know, before it involved overpriced gas and podcasts about murder. Liza Minnelli, born in 1946, brought showbiz sparkle to everything she touched—an absolute icon. Mitt Romney, born in 1947—yes, the human embodiment of a LinkedIn headshot—who's made a career out of disagreeing with his own party just slightly less than his conscience says he should. And for the gamers out there, Twitch streamer Momo, known by her channel name "momo_okimoto," also celebrates a March 12th birthday. Momo's become a favorite in the gaming community for her high-energy streams of cozy life sims like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, mixed with occasional chaotic dives into competitive titles like Overwatch 2. Think of her as a wholesome tornado—equal parts chill vibes and caffeine-fueled strategy.

March 12, 1930—Mahatma Gandhi kicked off the Salt March to protest British salt taxes. He walked 240 miles to prove a point. These days, most of us won't even walk to the mailbox without checking if it's Amazon. Gandhi was out there protesting salt. Imagine that level of commitment to seasoning.

March 12, 1912—The Girl Scouts were founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Georgia. Over a century later, they're still going strong, teaching leadership and civic duty—and more importantly, proving that no one can resist Thin Mints. Seriously, Congress could solve the debt ceiling crisis if someone just walked in with a few boxes of Samoas.

March 12, 1993—North Korea announced it was leaving the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Because nothing says "trustworthy international partner" like dramatically storming out of a treaty and then building suspiciously rocket-shaped things in your backyard.

March 12, 1947—President Truman unveiled the Truman Doctrine, promising U.S. support to countries resisting communism. It was like the original "military aid package," except now we send drones and press releases instead of just money and moral support.

March 12, 1938—Germany annexed Austria in the Anschluss—one of those early warning signs for WWII that everyone just kind of… shrugged at. Like, "Well, sure, but maybe it's a one-time thing." Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

March 12, 2019—Burger King launched the "Whopper Detour" campaign, offering Whoppers for a penny if you ordered near a McDonald's. It was equal parts genius and petty—basically the fast-food version of subtweeting. But hey, it worked. Nothing motivates people like revenge burgers.

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And we're back! Let's keep this history train rolling.

March 12, 1999—Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic joined NATO. A huge moment for post-Cold War Europe, and also a reminder that diplomacy is basically just a really long group chat with way too many acronyms.

March 12, 1989—Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web. Yes, the same web that now delivers both heartwarming cat videos and conspiracy theories about lizard people controlling the weather. The internet: humanity's greatest invention and worst mistake—simultaneously.

March 12, 1987—The U.S. lifted its trade embargo against Vietnam. Because apparently, after a couple decades, we realized, "Hey, maybe we should try making money together instead of napalming each other."

March 12, 1994—The Church of England ordained its first female priests. A landmark moment, followed immediately by a lot of very old men clutching their pearls and quoting Bible verses selectively. Progress doesn't always come easy—but it comes.

March 12, 1985—The FDA approved the first blood test for AIDS—a crucial milestone in the fight against a global health crisis. It wasn't a cure, but it was a start. Which is more than we can say about most public health policies today, which tend to start with denial and end with finger-pointing.

So that's March 12th—revolutions, doctrines, Whopper detours, and actual steps toward progress. If you liked the show, hit subscribe, leave a review, and remember: history isn't just something that happened—it's something that's happening again. Right now. Possibly while eating a cookie.

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