Rabbits Like Apples

International Rabbit Day – Have a picnic with your pet rabbit, I don’t recommend having your pet rabbit for your picnic, PETA would frown upon it.

Johnny Appleseed Day – John Chapman was born on this day in 1774. He planted apple trees throughout the west – Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.

HISTORICAL ANNIVERSARIES:

1914 - The Federal Trade Commission was established to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce.

2008 – Paul Newman, one of the best loved actors in Hollywood appearing in classics such as The Sting, The Verdict and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Gotta love those blue eyes.

1969 – They came into our homes on a lilting tune, “Here’s the story, of a lovely lady…” you know the rest. The Brady Bunch premiered  on ABC and showed 177 episodes before it was cancelled. It really has never left the airwaves.

1960 – Debates are virtually required for a presidential run, this is the anniversary of the first Kennedy/Nixon Debate.

1957 – West Side Story, composed by Leonard Bernstein, opened on Broadway. With the unfortunate coincidence of forced integration in the south happening at the same time, It received mixed reviews and only two Tony Awards (choreography and set design).

1928 – Galvin Manufacturing Corporation in Chicago officially began work. Using the basis of a previous venture, Paul Galvin began producing Motorola (motor meaning cars in motion and ola to make people think music, like in Victrola) Radios.

1820 – Daniel Boone, frontiersman, died in his sleep at home near Defiance MO at the age of 86.

1580 – Francis Drake, English seaman, became the first person to sail around the globe from Plymouth, England to, yep, Plymouth, England. The voyage took just over 9-1/2 months. I wonder how he proved it, cameras and video recorders hadn’t been invented yet. I guess they took his word for it.

HISTORICAL BIRTHS:

James Caviezel (1968) – His most controversial role of Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, but I really liked him in Frequency.

Linda Hamilton (1956) – Will be known as Sarah Conner from The Terminator series for the rest of her life. One of my favorite films she was in was Dante’s Peak or her role on the TV series, Beauty and the Beast.

Jane Smiley (1949) – Author most known for her fiction novels like Good Faith and A Thousand Acres but also writes non-fiction like Charles Dickens.

Olivia Newton-John (1947) – British singer who has had hits throughout the world with songs like I Honestly Love You, Have You Ever Been Mellow, Please, Mister, Please along with her movie career including Grease, Xanadu and A Mom for Christmas.

Lynn Anderson (1947) – Country music singe whose first #1 hit was (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden.

Jack LaLanne (1914) – Motivational speaker who has been called the “Godfather of Fitness” . He said, “I can’t afford to die, it will ruin my image.”

George Gershwin (1898) – Composer known for his work for with his brother Ira including Broadway musicals Strike Up the Band, Funny Face and Let ‘em Eat Cake and film scores of Shall We Dance, Delicious and The Goldwyn Follies.

T.S. Eliot (1888) – Poet of such works as The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land and Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, which is the basis of the long running Broadway musical Cats.

Johnny Chapman (1774) – Known as Johnny Appleseed. Was a nurseryman by trade who went on the road planting trees.