(1970 Captured Syrians in the Golan Heights - A few appear to be smiling)

Sometimes the news just never changes. Take for example this June day, the 26th, forty years ago. The Israeli's were fighting the Syrians this time over the Golan Heights. It was reported the fighting was the worst since the 1967 war. Cambodia was our predicament, with Defense Secretary Melvin Laird introducing a new favorite word into the lexicon of WashingtonSpeak: Interdiction:

Melvin Laird: “After the Cambodian operations, which will end as far as Americans are concerned on the ground on June 30th, we will carry on an air interdiction campaign. And any air power that’s used in Cambodia will be based upon the interdiction of supplies, of personnel that threaten the Vietnamization program, that threaten the Americans that are engaged in military operations in Vietnam. The primary emphasis will be on the interdiction of supplies, material and personnel.”

Vaguely reminiscent of the truly annoying and overused "Gravitas" during the last two elections, Interdiction failed to become the "go-to word" around the Defense Department - though God knows, Melvin tried.

Bankruptcy reared its monetarily bereft head on June 26th, with the announcement that Penn Central was filing for protection in what would be the biggest bankruptcy filing on record (until Wall Street). Eventually enough railroads would follow suit that Amtrak would be born. Drunk drivers continued to be a problem in 1970 and Coal Miners went on strike over safety rules that went ignored.

You get the picture not much has changed. The players have, the technology has - but the situations and the outcomes stay pretty much the same.

At least this day in June, 1970.