Thursday, April 1, 2010

April 1st

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY 
TODAY IS (also)
INTERNATIONAL FUN AT WORK DAY
&
INTERNATIONAL TATTING DAY!
Which came first?
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April Fool's Day, when did this 'holiday' start? No one really knows. 

Some believe that Britain started popularizing it during the 1700's including a Scottish tradition called "hunting the gowk" where people were sent on phony errands. (A gowk is a cukoo bird which is the symbol for a fool). If that were not enough, the next day, Tailie Day is celebrated by placing signs on people's 'tails' or derrieres including the never-gets-old "Kick Me" signs or even fake tails!!!

Maybe it started in France in 1582 when that country switched from the Julian to the Gregorian Calendar. In the Julian Calender, the first day of the new year was April 1st. So, when the switch to the new calendar happened (not everyone got the tweet), some people became the butt of jokes and hoaxes when they celebrated the new year on the wrong day. Some pranks included a poisson d'avril (April Fish), a paper fish placed on their backs symbolized young, easily caught fish or gullible person.
It could be an ancient Roman festival called Hilaria which honored Cybele, participants dressed in disguise or honoring "Mother Nature" on the vernal equinox, first day of spring, a time when she fools people with changing unpredictible weather.  Or Maybe...

April Fool's Day history goes back to an ancient Roman festival called Hilaria which honored Cybele on the vernal equinox (the first day of spring) when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather, in which people dressed in disguise.

I guess, until the time machine is invented and we can go back and research histories, we may never know. 


HISTORY CLASS
  • In 1778, the dollar sign ($) is invented by Oliver Pollack
  • Fredrich Augustus Conrad Muhlenburg is voted the first "Speaker of the House" on this day in 1789.
  • In 1800, Weeks Trial Ended. He was acquitted. His lawyers were Ecstatic (Aaron Burr & Alexander Hamilton).
  • Gardner, Ferry & Church Seed Company. They are now known as Ferry-Morse, the oldest seed company in the US.
  • In 1877, Edward Schieffelin began searching for silver (among jeers from peers including "you will only find your own Tombstone") in Arizona. 6 months later, he had his last laugh, found 'the mother lode', in now known,Tombstone, AZ.
  • The Royal Air Force (RAF) was founded in 1918.
  • TV history shows that General Hospital (ABC) and The Doctors (NBC) premiered.
  • President Richard Nixon, signed into law, a ban of cigarette ads on TV and radio.
  • In 1984, Marvin Gaye is shot and killed by his father.
  • In 1993, Alan Kulwicki (The Polish Prince), was killed in a plane crash while on his way to a NASCAR race in Bristol, TN.



BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS


  • 1578 - William Harvey - Physician (Correctly described the circulatory system)
  • 1815 - Otto Von Bismark - Statesman (Germany)
  • 1873 - Sergi Rachmaninoff - Composer/Pianist/Conductor
  • 1928 - Jane Powell - Actress (Stage & Screens; go to IMDB for a list of her credits
  • 1932 - Debbie Reynolds - Actress (Tammy films, etc; go to IMDB for a list of her credits)
  • 1932 - Gordon Jump - Actor (WKRP in Cincinnati)
  • 1938 - Ali McGraw - Actress (Love Story)
  • 1961 - Susan Boyle - Singer (Britan's Got Talent)
  • 1977 - Jon Gosselin - Guy (Jon & Kate Plus 8)


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I will do my best to review this comment and add it as soon as possible. Sorry, but if it is mean, crude, disgusting or irrelevant I can't post it. Remember we are supposed to be celebrating not dragging people down.