Monday, May 31, 2010

What did you say?

National Macaroon Day – I will not be celebrating this holiday this year, or any year. Mom on the other hand, might!
Save Your Hearing Day-A day that really does not need to be explained, except maybe why…someone thought it might have been in honor of the May 31, 1976 concert by The Who who (huh?) became the loudest rock concert recorded at 76,000watts and 120 decibels and verified but officials at the Guinness Book of World Records.
World No Tobacco Day – Again, no explanation needed. DON’T SMOKE! IT WILL KILL YOU! IT COULD KILL YOUR SPOUSE, KIDS AND OR FRIENDS!!! DON’T CHEW! IT GROSSES PEOPLE OUT! AND, IT WILL KILL YOU (PROBABLY AFTER YOUR LOWER JAW IS REMOVED)!

In 1990, the sitcom Seinfeld premiered on NBC.
In 1977 The Trans-Alaska Pipeline was finished (and you can see Russia from it!).
In 1952, Dwight D Eisenhower retired from the US Army to open himself up for a higher position and his face on some coins. To see some available for sale click here.
In 1889, the South Fork Dam,14 miles from Johnstown, PA, broke and sent a wall of water downstream. 2200 people were killed.
In 1884, corn flakes was (were?) patented by John Harvey Kellogg.
In 1859, they put a wedge of cheese in front of a mouse on a wheel to get Big Ben running.
In 1775, North Carolina officially rejects the power of the British over them.
In 1759, The Province of Pennsylvania (later to be named the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) banned all theater productions. They just are NO FUN!
In 1669, the last entry is written in the diary of Samuel Pepys.


1965- Brooke Shields-actress: Blue Lagoon, Suddenly Susan.
1961- Lea Thompson-actress: Back to the Future, Red Dawn, Jane Doe.
1950- Tom Berenger-actor: Not really a very good actor, but I love Eddie and the Cruisers!
1943- Joe Namath-athlete: NFL quarterback and pantyhose wearer.
1938- Peter Yarrow, singer/songwriter-The Peter in Peter, Paul and Mary.
1938- Johnny Paycheck, singer/songwriter-“You Can Take This Job and Shovel It!” Sandra Bullock as Lenina Huxley in Demolition Man.
1930-Clint Eastwood, actor-“Go Ahead, Make My Day!”
1908-Don Ameche, actor-you know him from Cocoon, but did you see him in the 1939 version of The Three Musketeers?
1819-Walt Whitman, poet- I Sing the Body Electric, Song of Myself.
1048-Omar Khayyam, poet, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher and on the other three days of the week, he worked on mechanics, geography and music.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Flowers, Indy, The Voice!

Today is Water a Flower Day. Do you really need me to describe it? To tell you what this day is all about? What I feel I should say is…If you do not have at least one flower to water today, go out and get one! They sure do brighten up any setting…The Hendersonville Garden Jubilee is running thru 4PM tomorrow…Prices seem to be generally better than in past years…come on down and we can have lunch!

UNFOLDED EVENTS

BIRTH DAYS
1536
Lady Jane Seymour became Mrs. Henry VIII, III.
1964
Wynonna Judd, singer-
1593
Playwright Christopher Marlowe was killed over a bar tab at the age of 29.
1963
Lisa Kudrow, actress-Friends
1868
First Decoration Day held. After speech by General James Garfield at Arlington Cemetery, 5000 participants decorated the 20,000 graves of Union and Confederate soldiers killed “during the late rebellion”
1944
Meredith MacRae, actress-
1889
Happy Inventionday, Brassiere!
1943
Gayle Sayers, athlete-football
1911
First Indianapolis 500 held. Ray Harroun crossed the finish line in the yellow #32 Marmon Wasp.
1909
Benny Goodman, musician/bandleader
1922
Former President William Taft dedicated the Lincoln Memorial.
1908
Mel Blanc, vocal actor. Bugs, Elmer, oh heck, most of ‘em.
1971
Mariner I leaves Earth for Mars.
1846
Peter Carl Faberge, jeweler
2003
Air France Concorde flew its final flight.
1672
Peter I (Great), ruler, Emperor of Russia
1431
Joan of Arc is burned at the stake for heresy.








Saturday, May 29, 2010

Jazz, Kennedy & White Christmas

International Jazz Day- I don't particularly like jazz, I presume it is because it is too...everywhere. I like music that stays within a set of boundaries. Hmm, funny I never thought about that before...

  • 2004, The WWII Memorial was dedicated in Washington DC.
  • 1979, DEATH, Mary Pickford, actress/studio owner.
  • 1975, BIRTH, Melanie Janine Brown,Spice Girls-Scary Spice.
  • 1963, BIRTH, Lisa Welchel, actress from “Facts ofLife”.
  • 1956, BIRTH, LaToya Jackson, singer, sister of Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five.
  • 1950, St Roch arrived in Halifax, NovaScotia, to become the first ship to circumnavigate North America.
  • 1942, Sir Edmund Hillary waved to the world from the top of Mt. Everest, the first man to do so.
  • 1942, White Christmas by Bing Crosby became the biggest selling record (at that time).
  • 1939, BIRTH, Annette Benning, actress, Love Affair, An American President.
  • 1919, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity was confirmed by Arthur Eddington observing the shift of star positions during a solar eclipse.
  • 1917, BIRTH, John F Kennedy, 35th President of USA
  • 1903, BIRTH, Bob Hope, comedian/actor, “Road to…” movies.
  • 1849, Abraham Lincoln said: “You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”
  • 1848, Wisconsin became  the 30 US State.
  • 1790, Rhode Island was admitted as the 13th US State.
  • 1736, BIRTH, Patrick Henry, orator, “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death”. 

Friday, May 28, 2010

Amnesty

Today is Amnesty International Day. Amnesty International works to protect human rights around the world. AI was founded based on articles published on this day. Peter Benensons article was titled The Forgotten Prisoners.
  
1999, after 22 years of restorations, The Last Supper, by Leonardo di Vinci, was put back on display.
1971, the most decorated American WWII soldier (32 medals in 27 months of duty), Audie Murphy, died in a small plane crash near Catawba, VA (west of Roanoke). His grave is the second most visited grave at Arlington National Cemetery (JFK’s is first). Oh, he also appeared in 44 movies after his return from the war.
1945, John Fogerty, Centerfiled singer, was born
1944, Gladys Knight, lead singer for Gladys Knight and the Pips, was born.
Also in 1944,  Former NYC mayor, Rudy Giuliani was born.
1931, actress Carroll Baker was born. She can be found in films such as: Giant, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Kindergarten Cop and The Game.
1916, Walker Percy, was born. His first novel, The Moviegoer, won the 1962 National Book Award.
1908, Ian Fleming, creator and writer of James Bond novels and, one of my personal faves, Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang.
1892, The Sierra Club was organized by John Muir in San Francisco.
1888, Jim Thorpe, Olympic athlete, was born. He played basketball, football and baseball but was called the greatest athlete in the early 20th century including several Olympic participations wit pentathlon and decathlon.Although his medals were stripped because he was found to have been payed to play baseball, they were reinstated his Olympic name in 1983, 30 years after his death.
1843, Noah Webster, lexicographer died.  With his Dictionary of the English Language, Mr. Webster reformed spelling.
-585, Solar Eclipse occurred. This day is considered a cadinal date and can help find other dates in history.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Le Witch, Le Toaster, Le Superman

Sunscreen Day suggests we learn about the dangers of those UV ray. Are you wearing your Coppertone, Banana Boat or Bull Frog? You should be. No matter the cloud cover, those UVA/UVB rays will get you!

This Day In History:
1995, our beloved Man of Steel, Christopher Reeve, was thrown from his horse in Charlottesville, VA during a riding competition and was paralyzed from the neck down. The general public began to wonder about ‘The Superman Curse’.
1941 , the British navy sunk the German battleship, Bismark.
1939, DC Comics published Detective Comics #27, its featuring its second superhero, Batman (I wonder what happened to him).
1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to pedestrian traffic.
1936, Louis Gossett, Jr, actor seen in An Office and a Gentleman, was born.
And in 1936 this day marks the maiden voyage of RMS Queen Mary.
1930, the tallest man-made structure (in 1930), the Chrysler Building in NYC topped 1046 feet, opened to the public.
1927,  two days after Ford Motor Company retired the Model T, its manufacturing plants began being retooled to make Model As.
1923, Henry Kissinger, US Secretary of State, was born.
1922, Christopher Lee, known for Dracula roll, was born.
1919, the Pop-up Toaster was patented.
1919, the first transatlantic flight arrived in Lisbon. It was achieved by the Curtiss NC-4.
1915, writer of such novels as The Winds of War, Herman Wouk, was born.
1912, PGA Championship golfer, Sam Snead, was born.
1911, horror master actor, Vincent Price was born.
Also in 1911, Minnesota senator, Hubert H Humphrey was born.
1904, residents of San Francisco began coming down with Bubonic Plague.
1895, Oscar Wiled was sent to prison after being accused of sodomy.
1837, ‘wild’ west lawman, ‘Wild’ Bill Hickock was born.
1794, Cornelius Vanderbilt was born. Vanderbilt is was a railroad tycoon and financier.
1647, in Salem, Mass, Achsah Young was the first woman to be executed as a witch.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

May 26th

Sally Ride Day- Sally Ride was the first American woman to go into space. She left Earth’s atmosphere on June 18, 1993 aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-7). Sally Ride was born on this day in 1951.

On this day in:
1828, A mysterious teenage child (Kaspar Hauser) was found wandering the streets of Nuremberg and is quickly dubbed, The Feral Child.
1864, Montana became the 41st state in the union.
1886, Asa Yoelson, singer and actor better known as Al Jolson. He is best known for his roll in The Jazz Singer, the first full-length feature film that included dialogue, music and special effects.
1889, The Eiffel Tower opened its first elevator to the public.
1897, London booksellers begin selling a little story called Dracula by Bram Stoker. Although the book got nice reviews from critics, it was not an immediate bestseller.
1907, Marion Morrison was born. You don’t know who that is? I bet you do. His first screen credits him as Duke Morrison, but after careful consideration, opted to be known on screen as John Wayne.
1920-Peggy Lee was born Norma Deloris Egstrom (smart name change there). Known for singing with Benny Goodman’s band as well as being an actress.
1923- John Wayne wannabe, James Arness (Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke) was born.
1928-Jack Kevorkian, controversial doctor who backs physician-assisted suicide and a terminal patient’s right to die, was born.
1939-Brent Musberger was born. I recognize the name, but all I really know about the guy is that he is a sports commentator.
1948-Stevie Nicks, singer/songwriter for the group Fleetwood Mac, was born.
1949-Miami Vice Dude, Philip Michael Thomas was born.
Also in 1949- Hank Williams, Jr was born. Son to the great Hank Williams, may or may not have followed in his fathers footsteps, depending on who you ask and which footsteps you are asking about.
1977, George Willig went to the top of the South Tower of the World Trade Center…on the outside. He was arrested when he made it to the top and was fined $1.10 (a penny for each floor).
1978, Resorts International in Atlantic City, NJ opened the first legal casino in the eastern US.
1994,  Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley…got married. Wha’? We all wondered what the two of you were doing…I guess we never really found out did we?

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

National Missing Children's Day



Today is
National Missing Children’s Day – You may not know someone who is missing, You may not know someone who knows someone who is missing. But, you could be someone to help find a missing person. Page through this site, Maybe you will recognize someone… http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PublicHomeServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US
Tap Dance Day – If you can’t tap dance down the street (or stairs) pick up a Bill “Bojangles” Robinson movie. This day was originally created in honor of his Birthday.

What were you doing on this day in:
1925…Did you go to the dinner honoring the founding of the National Forensics League of the US.
1927…Ford’s Model T was put to rest. I say, let’s bring it back!!
1935…I saw Babe Ruth hit his 714th (and last) homerun at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, PA.
1968…I learned in school about the dedication of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO by Hubert Humphrey and Stewart Udall.
1978…Standing in line for the new movie Star Wars? I remember hearing…”What the heck is a Wookie?”
1979…I begged my mom to let me go see the new movie Alien with Sigorney Weaver.

Do you share your birthday with:
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803); Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (1803); Anne Bronte (1820); Claude Akins (1918); Robert Ludlum (1927); Beverly Sills (1936); John Gregory Dunne (1932); Tom T Hall (1936); Raymond Carver (1938); Dixie Carter (1939); Ian McKellen (1939); Jessi Colter (1943); Frank Oz (1944); Jamaica Kincaid (1949);  Mike Myers (1963); Anne Heche (1969); Jamie Kennedy (1970). Seems heavy on writers…

Monday, May 24, 2010

Ewww, Escargot

May doesn’t seem like a good fit for me to participate in unusual celebrations. Today is National Escargot Day. I will not be participating today. I do not believe I will ever participate in this event. If you would like to, be my guest…but do not expect me to be your guest.

Historical Markers:
Ø  1626-Manhattan was sold to Peter Minuit. It may not have been the last time it was sold, but it was the last legal one, of course, there are the stories that say he purchased the land from the wrong tribe!
Ø  1830- Mary Had a Little Lamb was written by Sarah Hale of Boston, Mass. She is often referred to as the “Mother of Thanksgiving”.
Ø  1844-Samuel Morse sent the first electric telegram. The message was “What hath God wrought?” It was sent between Baltimore Maryland and Washington DC.
Ø  1883-After just 14 (short?) years of construction, The Brooklyn Bridge opened for traffic.
Ø  1911-The New York Public Library opened to, you guessed it, the public.
Ø  1962-The Aurora 7 space capsule orbited Earth with astronaut Scott Carpenter aboard.
Ø  1976-British Airways begins Concorde service between Washington’s Dulles Airport and London, England. I loved to watch it take off (usually around 1PM) from the ‘service road’ runway when I worked at the airport.

Birthday Markers:
Ø  Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686) German Physicist and engineer. Yeah, he’s the thermometer guy.
Ø  Queen Victoria (1819 ) She began her British rule when she was 18 after her uncle (William IV) died, She remained queen for over 63 and a half years.
Ø  Gary Burghoff (1940 ), Actor most recognized as Radar in TV series M*A*S*H* and one of my favorite game shows, Match Game.
Ø  Robert Allen Zimmerman, (1941), Singer/Songwriter known as Bob Dylan. Began calling himself Bob Dylan when working the Dinkytown music circuit while attending the University of Minnesota (Minnesota hats off to you, to our colors, true we shall ever be….) probably in honor of poet Dylan Thomas.
Ø  Priscilla Presley (1946). After her marriage/divorce from Elvis Pressley, she became an actress.
Ø  Roseanne Cash (195 ), Singer and daughter of The Man in Black, Johnny Cash.
Ø  John C. Reilly (1965 ). Actor. You’ll recognize his face from Casualties of War, The River Wild, Never Been Kissed, and Step-Brothers.

Passing Markers:
Ø  Nicolas Copernicus (1543), Astronomer who formulated the heliocentric cosmology (Sun is the center of the Universe),
Ø  John Foster Dulles (1959), US Secretary of State and namesake of my favorite airport.
Ø  Duke Ellington, (1974) Jazz Great. Three Little Words and It Don’t Mean a Thing

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Pennies can be worth a fortune

Today is Lucky Penny Day.”Find a Penny, Pick it Up…”  They say the penny is not worth a penny any more. I say, don’t worry about how much it is worth, just know that 1000 are enough for lunch!!
Historically Remembered…
1533, Annulment papers were issued to King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.
1701, Captain Kidd was executed by hanging after being convicted or murder and piracy.
1865, Washington, DC hosts a parade along Pennsylvania Avenue to celebrate the end of The Civil War.
1911, NY Public Library opened.
1934, Bonnie and Clyde were shot (riddled by bullets) in a Louisiana ambush by police.
1969, Tommy, a rock opera, is released by The Who.

Birthdays Remembered…
1883, Douglas Fairbanks, actor. Predominately a silent screen star but also founded United Artists (along with Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and DW Griffith), The Motion Picture Academy and hosted the first Oscars Ceremony in 1929..
1919, Artie Shaw, musician. Popular bandleader of swing and big band and accompanied on the clarinet.
1928, Rosemary Clooney, singer. Can be seen in White Christmas for one, and heard in scores of songs, including Come On-a My House, Mambo Italiano, and Half As Much. And is also known as George Clooney’s Aunt.
1933, Joan Collins, actress/writer. Lady Godiva Rides Again, If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium and Dynasty, OR you can read her  Love and Desire and Hate or any of her other novels or non-fiction books.
1954, Marvin Hagler, athlete. 7 year, undisputed world middleweight boxing champion.
1958, Drew Carey, comedian. Series The Drew Carey Show was a fave, now you can see him on The Price is Right.
1974, Ken Jennings, know it all. Could be seen on 75 episodes of Jeopardy!. He won $2,522,700. He also participated in the Jeopardy! Ultimate Tournament of Champions, where he won and additional $500,000. 

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Music Music Music

Today is Buy a Musical Instrument Day. I never played a musical instrument when I was a kid. Well, not formally, I played a bit of electronic keyboard, but not for a band or orchestra, just for me. My sisters both were played, one flute the other cello. What is funnier than a 10 year old hauling a cello ¼ mile to school every day?

Today in History…
…1804, Former Vice President, Aaron Burr was indicted for treason. Something about leasing land from Spain in the Texas part of Mexico to claim lands for himself if there was a war…I don’t get it.
…1813, Richard Wagner was born. When he grew up, he became a composer.
…1819, The SS Savannah leaves SC port to be the first steamship to cross the Atlantic.
…1844, Mary Cassatt was born. She would become an artist mostly painting women and children in loving images.
…1859, (Sir) Arthur Conan Doyle was born. He famous for his Sherlock Holmes detective stories. But have you read, The Lost World; Micah Clarke; or The exploits of Brigadier Gerard (all non-Holmes books)
…1907, Lord Laurence Olivier was born. I believe that this actor and director wanted to work on every Shakespeare piece.
…1906, The Wright Brothers patent their aircraft. It would be two years before they ‘proved’ it would work.
…1941, Paul Winfield was born. This actor can be seen in The Terminator; Brother John; and scores of TV guest appearances. His voice is well known on City Confidential.
…1943, Tommy John was born. He would live every boy’s dream as a major league baseball pitcher
…1960, The most powerful earthquake ever recorded, 9.5R, hits southern Chile.
…1967, Debut of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. It ran for 895 episodes. Drat, now I can’t get that song out of my head…”It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. A beautiful day in the…ARGH!!
…1972, Ceylon adopted a new Constitution, joined the British Commonwealth and changed its name to Sri Lanka. (I kinda like Ceylon better.)
…1992, Johnny Carson host The Tonight Show for the last time. He was not the first host of the show and certainly was not the last, dare I say he was the best? Vote for your fave…Steve Allen (54-57); Jack Parr (57-62); Carson (62-92); Leno (92-09); O’Brien (09-10); Leno (10-…).
…2004, A tornado hit Hallam, NE. This F4 broke a width record at 2.5 miles wide.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Bikes and Eating Out.

National Bike to Work Day – Even if I had a job, at this point in my residency I would  not ride my bike to work today. If I did, I would need a shower and a nap on both ends of my journey. Too much altitude.
National Waiters and Waitresses Day – If it weren’t for waitstaff, you would have to get your own dressing, water and dinner. Tip well, just remember, would you want to wait on you?

Did You Study This in History Class?
…1881…The American Red Cross was formed by Clara Barton.
…1924…Leopold and Loeb murdered a 14-year old to see if they could perform the ‘perfect crime’. I guess since they were caught and convicted, they didn’t.
…1934…Oskaloosa, IA was the first municipality in the US to fingerprinting all of its residents…I wonder if they still do it.
…1936…Sada Abe was finally arrested. She had been spotted for several days wandering the streets of Tokyo with her dead lover’s genitals in her hand.
…1941…SS Robin Moor, while 950 miles off the coast of Brazil, was the first US ship sunk by a German U-boat.
…1945…Lauren Bacall married Humphrey Bogart.

Some of Today’s Birthdays (yeah, I said some)…
1898…Armand Hammer, industrialist and philanthropist. No, he is not responsible for baking soda, he was a medical doctor, but he was best know for his diplomacy.
1904…Thomas “Fats” Waller, jazz pianist. Ain’t Misbehavin’ Honeysuckle Rose, Squeeze Me.
1909…Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, teacher and artist. Yes, you know the name, she created the famous figurines.
1916…Harold Robbins, novelist. Have you read: The Carpetbaggers, Tycoon, The Deceivers.
1917…Raymond Burr, actor. Famous for his rolls in Ironsides and Perry Mason.
1921…Andrei Sakharov, physicist and activist.
1924…Peggy Cass, actress and panelist. You know her from What’s My Line and To Tell the Truth, Auntie Mame,
1948…Leo Sayer, singer/songwriter. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing; More Than I Can Say.
1951…Al Franken, comedian, actor, writer (and now) senator.
1952…Lawrence Tero, actor…never heard of him? That’s because his ‘stage name’ is Mr. T.
1956…Judge Reinhold, actor. Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Beverly Hills Cop.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Strawberries and Money

Be a Millionaire Day-My lifetime dream is to prove to all I know (and some who don’t) that I would be able to handle that kind of money. You hear all kinds of stories of people “coming into money” one way or another and then somehow losing it. I think I would be able to live the rest of my life on that money, easily.
Pick Strawberries Day-I have been informed by the powers that be (I don’t know, that is what they called themselves) that strawberries were going to be a rare find this year, so you better grab them while you can. Just for the record, if you could get a few for me, you can have my share!!! Enjoy.

On this Day in History...
1570 – Abraham Ortelius issued the first modern atlas.
1845 – HMS Erebus and HMS Terror began its ill fated trip to search for the Northwest Passage.
1862 – The Homestead Act is signed into law by President Lincoln.
1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patent blue jeans with copper rivets.
1883 – Krakatoa erupted, within three months, it would be destroyed,
1891 – During the convention of the National Federation of Women’s Clubs, Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope (prototype) is placed on public display.
1918 – Codell, KS was hit by a tornado. For the third year in a row on the same day.
1927 – Charles Lindbergh began his first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic, landing tomorrow. Flightplan: Roosevelt Field, Long Island, NY to Le Bourget Field, Paris, France.
1932 – Amelia Earhart began her first female solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic, landing tomorrow. Flightplan: NewFoundland, to Ireland.
1990 – Hubble Space Telescope transmits photos from space

Born on this Day:
Dolley Madison (1768), US first lady; Henri Rousseau (1844), Painter; James Stewart (1908),  Actor; George Gobel (1919), Comedian; Anthony Zerbe (1936), Actor;  Young Riders; Joe Cocker (1944), Singer; Cher (1946), Singer; David Paterson, (1954), Politician; Governor of New York;  Bronson Pinchot (1959), Actor-Perfect Strangers.  Mindy Cohn (1966), Actress-Facts of Life.  Tony Stewart (1971), Athlete-NASCAR driver.  Busta Rhymes (1972), Rapper.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Boys and Girls

Today is Boys and Girls Club Day. They used to provide a safe haven for kids to play, learn and stay out of trouble. I wonder if they are still the same or are they just glorified gangs now…I know I loved being part of the Girl Scouts!!! Wish there was something similar for adults to join now.

On This Day…
...The death of Anne Boleyn (May, 1501-May, 1536) Henry VIII’s second wife, after just 3 years of marriage, was beheaded.  Apparently she strayed…sexually…I wonder why???
...The death of Nathaniel Hawthorne (July, 1804-May, 1864) died. His birth name was Nathaniel Hathorne. He changed it to Hawthorne to distance himself from certain relatives (including a judge during the Salem Witch Trials). He is happily remembered for The Scarlet Letter, Twice Told Tales, The House of the Seven Gables and The Maypole of Merry Mount.
…The premiere of the Ringling Brothers’ Circus. Can you name the Iowa born, Wisconsin raised brothers? Albert, Augustus, Otto, Alfred, Charles, John, Henry. Sister Ida’s children were John and Henry Ringling North.
...Death of Ogden Nash (August, 1902-May, 1971). This poet, author and lyric-writer one of America’s best known poets.  Two of my faves are…Candy, Is Dandy, But liquor, Is quicker…The cow is of the bovine ilk; One end is moo, the other, milk. I need to get a few of his books, I love ‘em.
…The death of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (July, 1929-May, 1994). I met the classy lady a couple of time. I worked at Avis Rentals at Dulles Airport. She rented a car when she visited the area, I presume to go to Middleburg for their many ‘hunts’. She requested me the second time, and she removed her sunglasses, something she rarely did ‘in public’.

Born In…
…1795, Johns Hopkins was a philanthropist who posthumously founded (1) Johns Hopkins Colored Children Orphan Asylum (2) Johns Hopkins University (3) Johns Hopkins Press (4) Johns Hopkins Hospital (5) Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (6) Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (7) Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. These were opened in the order listed between 1875 and 1916.
…1870, Albert Fish. At the age of 54 he became a killer. He was convicted of kidnapping and murdering Grace Budd and was executed at Sing Sing Prison by electric chair. He confessed to two other murders, but, the ‘Brooklyn Vampire’ bragged about up to 100 other heinous activities.
…1925…Malcolm Little (aka Malcolm X), civil rights activist. Was assassinated by three men during a a speech in New York City. What would have happened if he had not been killed?
…1934…TV journalist, Jim Lehrer is known as a splendid debate moderator and host of PBS News Hour. He has written over 20 novels and a few screenplays and plays.
…1935...David Hartman, his bio describes him as an actor, but he will always be my Good Morning America host. Although he appeared in a couple of Broadway shows (Hello, Dolly!; The Yearling) he decided to focus on film and television including The Ballad of Josie (with Doris Day), Lucas Tanner, and a remake of Miracle on 34th Street (with Sebastian Cabot).
…1941, Nora Ehpron, screenwriter and director. Writing credits include Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, and Sleepless in Seattle (which she also directed). Most recently, she directed, wrote and produced Julie and Julia.
…1946, Andre Rene Roussimoff the French professional wrestler and actor, the 7’4” Andre the Giant was the first inductee into the WWF Hall of Fame, starred in The Princess Bride as Fezzik, Conan the Destroyer and as Bigfoot in a 1976 two episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man.
…1968…He made his father’s day…Kyle Eastwood. American Jazz Musician and son of actor Clint Eastwood.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Museums, Dishes and Kin

International Museum Day – Today, in tribute, I may haul myself to the Mineral & Lapidary Museum on  North Main Street in Hendersonville. OR, maybe the mask museum on 64…there is always the Heritage museum in the old courthouse…oh, oh, oh, the Western North Carolina Air Museum! So many for such a small town…
No Dirty Dishes Day – I suggest to honor this meal…Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner OUT… NO, I do not own a restaurant.
Visit Your Relatives Day – If you can’t visit in person, there is always skype, and the old fashioned telephone.

Historically...
1652… Law making slavery illegal is passed in Rhode Island. 1804…Napoleon Bonaparte was proclaimed Emperor of France by the Senate.
1926…Aimee Semple McPherson, an internationally known evangelist, disappeared while visiting a southern California beach. Presumed drowned, one month later, a ransom note was receive by her mother who threw it away. On June 23, she was stumbled out of a Mexican Desert claiming she was kidnapped, drugged and tortured. Rumors at the time told of an affair with a married man, publicity stunt, abortion and plastic surgery.
1933…The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is created by President FDR. Created to provide navigation, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, economic development and flood control for TN and parts of surrounding states.
1953…World Speed Record was set by an F-104 Starfighter with a speed of 1404.19 MPH. Currently the speed record is held by an X-43A scramjet at 7,000MPH, set on Nov 16th 2004.
1981...Author William Saroyan died from cancer at the age of 72. He will always be remembered for works such as, The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, The Human Comedy, The Time of Your Life, Come On-a My House (sung my Rosemary Clooney).
1995… Elizabeth Montgomery, Actress died of cancer on this day… Samantha Stevens twitched her nose and her wishes came true in Bewitched. But I will always remember her as Lizzie Borden in The Legend of Lizzie Borden. (PS…She was innocent.)

Birth Brings Us...
1897…Frank Capra, Director…It’s A Wonderful Life, It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Lost Horizon. At the age of 94, he died in his sleep in September, 1991.
1912…Perry Como, Singer…I’m Gonna Love That Gal, Surrender, Bali Ha’I, If, Don’t Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes, Pappa Loves Mambo. Also Hosted a Great Variety Show. He died May, 2001 a week before his 90th birthday.
1920…Karol Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II
1930…Pernell Roberts, Actor…Bonanza, Trapper John, MD, Donor, Night Train to Kathmandu. He died at the age of 81 of cancer in January, 2010.
1931…Robert Morse, Actor…Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama’s Hung You in The Closet and I’m Feeling So Sad (I am not kidding you!!!), City of Angels, Mad Men.
1937…Brooks Robinson, Athlete…3rd Baseman for the Baltimore Orioles his entire 18 year career! “The Human Vacuum Cleaner” was inducted into the Hall of Fame 1983, 8 years after retiring.
1946…Reggie Jackson, Athlete…Baseball right fielder who worked with Oakland & KC Athletics, California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, NY Yankees. “Mr. October” lives in Carmel, CA and is a special adviser to the Yankees.
1952…George Strait, Singer, KING of Country…If I start naming all of songs he has recorded, I will be here FOREVER. So, let’s just say…He currently holds the WORLD record for the most #1 hit singles than ANY OTHER ARTIST in the HISTORY OF MUSIC on ANY CHART or ANY GENRE!!!
1970…Tina Fey, Actress…You have seen her on SNL and 30 Rock, but, did you know that she wrote Mean Girls?