A Mutt is Great

Today is Mutt’s Day. A mutt is a dog. A mutt is sometimes the best kind of dog. He is the best of all of the breeds that he is a part of. Happy Mutt’s Day!

1990 – Texas Ranger pitcher, Nolan Ryan won his 300^th game. Throughout his 27 year career, he won 324 and lost only 292.

1975 – Labor leader, Jame “Jimmie” Hoffa disappeard in Detroit, MI. It is believed that the Mafia “hit” him. He has not been seen since and his body has yet to be recovered.

1966 – Dean Cain you know him from 1990’s TV series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was born.

1965- The birth of Joanne Rowling, a little known writer known for a character, Harry Potter,  who is learning magic at a school called Hogwarts. Her Harry Potter is a series of 7 book, she’s no Agatha Christie who wrote 12 Miss Marple Novels and 33 novels and 51 short stories featuring Hercule Poirot not to mention the other 50 plus stories.

1964 – Ranger 7 crashed on the surface of the moon but not before sending back 4,300 close-up images, man were they ever pretty. I wonder who bought the moon and why they haven’t subdivided yet.

1963- Wesley Snipes, actor seen in Blade series of movies, Major League and Demolition Man, among others was born.

1951- Evonne Goolagong was born. She is an Australian tennis player who won 14 Grand Slam title.

1929- Don Murray, actor who made his debut in Bus Stop and can also be seen in The Outcast, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Peggy Sue Got Married and The Hard Ride was born.

1919- Curt Gowdy, Sportscaster most often heard calling Boston Red Sox games was born.

1916- Louise Smith was born. She was the first woman inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame was born. In the late 40’s and early 50’s she WON 38 races and was dubbed the “Good Ol’Gal”.

1912- Milton Friedman, statistician and economist was born.

1875 – 16^th Vice President (under Abraham Lincoln) and 17^th US President Andrew Johnson died of a stroke while visiting his daughter.

1715 – Ten Spanish ships carrying 120 tons of gold and silver were sunk off the coast of Florida ina hurricane (I think they named it Felipe,after the king, who was thought to be mentally unstable, like the weather.)

1703 – Daniel Defoe, author of The Life and Strange Adventures of Robinson Crusoe in 1719, was sent to the pillory for the libelous publication fo a politically satirical pamphlet. 

Cheesecake for Father

Today is National Cheesecake Day and Father-in-Law Day. Today is going to be a vacation for me as I don’t have a father-in-law, I would very much like to have one, well, the right one anyway. As for cheesecake, I don’t like cheesecake. Well, I probably don’t like cheesecake.  When I was younger, just the idea of eating sweet cheese, turned my stomach, now the idea of how many calories is in cheesecake turns my stomach! Enjoy my piece, if you wish.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

Lisa Kudrow (1963) – actress who played Phoebe on Friends

Lawrence Fishburne (1961) – actor who has appeared in the films, Matrix, What’s Love Got to Do With It, and many more.

Delta Burke (1956) – actress who played Susanne Sugarbaker in Designing Women.

Arnold Schwarznegger (1947) – Austrian bodybuilder turned actor turned politician. Don’t worry, He’ll be Back!

Paul Anka (1941) –  This singer made Diana and Put Your Head on My Shoulder classics, but did you know he also wrote Tom Jones’ She’s a Ladyand the Theme to the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson???

Peter Bognanovich (1939) – Director of Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women, The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon, Mask and The Cat’s Meow.

Bud Selig (1934) – Commissioner of baseball, beginning in 1992.

Henry Moore (1898) – Sculptor known for his reclining figures.

Casey Stengel (1890) – Major League Baseball outfielder for Robins, Dodgers, Pirates, Phillies, Giants, Braves and as a manager for the Dodgers, Braves Yankees, and Mets.

Henry Ford (1863) – Industrialist and automaker who got his start at the Edison Illuminating Company.

Emily Bronte (1818) – While studying to become a school administrator, Emily’s secretly written poems were discovered by her sister Charlotte. The two girls, along with their sister, Anne, combined their efforts and had Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell printed in 1846. In 1847, Emily’s Wuthering Heights was published. She died in 1848 of tuberculosis.

1976 – Bruce  Jenner set a world record with 8,617 points in the Olympic decathlon event winning gold.

1971 – An All Nippon Airways flight was hit in mid-air by a Japanese F-86 Sabre piloted by a student with just a few flight hours.

1965 – Medicare bill was signed into law by President Johnson. Harry S Truman was the first beneficiary and first Medicare card holder.

1956 -  President Eisenhower officially declared the US’s motto to be “In God We Trust”. Just two years after he changed The Pledge of Allegiance to include the words “under God”.

1945 – The USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sank in shark infested waters. Her captain, Charles McVay was the only WWII Navy captain court-martialed for losing his ship. In 2000, his name was cleared by Congress.

1619 – The first elected legislative assembly in “The New World” convened in Jamestown, VA.

Wonder if Chuck and Di had Lasagna at the reception

As promised I would tell you how Italians would celebrate today…I believe most will be mixing flat pasta noodles, meat sauce and cheeses. I am sure that you all will be invited…Today is National Lasagna Day. Cut me a slice, will you?

Only a few (famous) people share today as a birthday including, Independence Day singer, Martina McBride (1966); Journalist, Peter Jennings (1938); Politician, Elizabetg Hanford Dole (1936); Italian leader, Benito Mussolini.

In…

1981, The wedding of the century took place in London, England, when Prince Charles wed, Lady Diana Spencer. Luckily, they didn’t have to feed the over one billion viewers from across the globe at the reception.

1976, The .44 Caliber Killer, later known as Son of Sam, shot his first victims. One was killed, the other seriously wounded.

1958, the United States government established a civilian agency to coordinate American space expeditions. On this day, NASA was born.

1909, GMC bought CAC. General Motors Corporation purchased Henry Ford’s second (failed) company, Cadillac Automobile Company.

1862, Confederate spy, Belle Boyd was arrested (for the first time) and held in the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, DC. 

C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E!!!

Today is National Milk Chocolate Day. Yes, you can drink chocolate milk today and pass it off as celebrating, but the best thing to do would be to just grab yourself a Hershey Bar (or Godiva, if you must) and savor every bite!

1996- Kennewick Man was discovered, you guessed it, new Kennewick (WA).

1990- After Maximo Menendez went into convulsions and slipping ito a coma, the FDA discovered the Colombian imported soft drink was laced with liquid cocaine. After a recall and inspection 45 more bottles were discovered. 3 years later, two men were charged.

1976- An Earthquake measuring approximately 8.0 mag, flattened Tangshan, China. More than 240,000 were killed and 164,000 injured.

1964 –Full House actress, Lori Loughlin.

1948- All in the Family actress, Sally Struthers.

1945- 14 people were killed when a B-25 bomber crashed into the 79^th floore of the Empire State Building after swerving to miss the Chrysler Building in thick fog.

1945- Garfield cartoonist, Jim Davis.

1929- Jacqueline Kennedy Onnasis.

1914- Austria-Hungray declared war on Serbia in response to the killing of Archduke Francis Ferdinand. “The War to End All Wars“ began (aka WWI).

1901- crooner/actor appearing in The Musical Doctor, Rudy Vallee

1868- The 14^th Amendment guaranteeing citizenship (and all its privleges) to blacks in America, was adopted.

1866- The Tale of Peter Rabbit author, Beatrix Potter

1866- The Metric Act of 1866 was passed. It allowed for the standardization of weights and measures in the US. Have they been trying for THAT long  to get us to use Metric?!?

1493- Great fire in Moscow began in the Church of Nicholas on the Sand.

Stop by tomorrow to find out how the Italians have gotten into this celebration thing…

Walking Pants, Long or Short

On Take Your Pants for a Walk Day will be celebrated by me today. Well, if it doesn’t rain anyway. With my job this week, I have gotten into a (I guess) nice habit of walking every evening.  Hope you enjoy walking your pants today, and everyday.

2003 – America’s favorite funnyman, Bob Hope died at the age of 100

1981 – Six year old Adam Walsh was abducted from a mall in FL. Three years later John Walsh founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 1988, America’s Most Wanted, hosted by John Walsh, debuted.

1980 – Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, The Shah of Iran, died in exile of cancer.

1970 – The first steps to impeachment of President Nixon were begun.

1949 – The British De Havilland Comet took its maiden flight in England. It was the world’s first jet-propelled airliner.

1943 – Premier and dictator Joseph Stalin outlawed cowards his “not one step backward” Order no. 227.

1940 – A Wild Hare aired (teehee) featuring the new ‘actor’ Mr. Bugs Bunny (voiced by Mr. Mel Blanc). What’s up, Doc?

1921 – Fredrick Banting and Charles Best the beginning of the prevention of diabetes happened. They isolated the hormone insulin.

1824- La Traviata writer, Alexandre Dumas, fils;  1905- baseball player/manager, Leo Durocher;  1922- All in the Family writer, producer, Norman Lear;  1931- Coach actor, Jerry Van Dyke;  1942- Ode to Billie Joe singer/songwriter, Bobbie Gentry;  1948- Champion Olympic figure skater, Peggy Fleming;  1948- Hill Street Blues actress, Betty Thomas;  1949- The Morning After, singer, Maureen McGovern;  1975- MLB baseball player known as "A-Rod", Alex Rodriguez.

All or Nothing

Today is Aunt and Uncle’s Day. If you do not have an Aunt or Uncle, please don’t feel bad, I am sure there is someone out there who does not have a niece or nephew that would love to celebrate with you. If you can’t think of someone, I am available for lunch and dinner as my niece and nephews left for home yesterday. Also, I believe, Mom is available as well.

As if that weren’t enough to celebrate, many celebrate All or Nothing Day today. I have heard of celebrations in Atlantic City, NJ, Las Vegas and Reno, NV and Indian Reservations across the country. Have fun today, but remember your limitations. Well, I guess that warning kind of negates the idea of All or Nothing Day…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

Speed Actress, Sandra Bullock(1964); K-Pax Actor, Kevin Spacey (1959); Ice Skater, Dorothy Hamill (1956); Rolling Stone, Mick Jagger (1943); 2001:A Space Odyssey Director, Stanley Kubrick (1928); Raise the Titanic! Actor, Jason Robards (1922); Breakfast at Tiffany’s Director, Blake Edwards (1922); I Love Lucy Actress, Vivian Vance (1912); Comedian and wife of George Burns, Gracie Allen (1906); Brave New World writer, Aldous Huxley (1894); Painter specializing in the west and Indian portraits, George Catlin (1796).

1984- Edward Theodore Gein died from complications from cancer. Ed Gein was arrested in 1957 after the body of a missing storekeeper was found at his farm. After a complete search, the remains of 10 women were discovered only 2 of which were murdered by Gein, the others, he had dug up after funerals. Gein was the  inspiration for Robert’s Bloch’s character Norman Bates in the novel Psycho; characters in Thomas Harris’ Silence of the Lambs and the movie(s) Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

1975- Disco hits #1 with the new song and dance craze, The Hustle. Do the Hustle! Bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp-bomp-bomp-bomp….Do the Hustle….

1942- Novelist, William Faulkner, contracted with Warner Brothers to work as a screenwriter. In the 5 months of the contract, he wrote To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep. He believed it would help sell his novels, The Sound and the Fury, Light in August and Absalom, Absalom!, which he had written between 1929 and 1936, and were not commercially accepted.

1931- Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota are dealt a second disaster on top of a devastating flood. An unknown number of grasshoppers swarmed and dessicated millions of acres of farmland  eating cornstalks down to the ground and leaving entire fields bare. There were so many ‘hoppers it was said they blocked out the sun and you could shovel them with a scoop. My sentiments: EWW. Of all insects, grasshoppers (all varieties and sizes) give me the willies the most.

1908- The Office of the Chief Examiner was founded. This newly hired group of federal investigators,the 10 men were former Secret Service agents,  would report to Stanley W Finch at the Department of Justice. Their charge was to investigate criminals who evaded arrest by crossing state lines. In 1909, this it was renamed the Bureau of Investigation, in 1935, it became the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

1775- The first Postmaster General of the United Colonies was named, and, hence, the US Postal System was established. While serving in this post, Benjamin Franklin set up more efficient routes (which cut delivery time in half), created a rate chart to standardize delivery fees based on distance and weight.When he left in 1776, to become a diplomat in France, Franklin left a postal system with regular routes from Florida to Maine.

Happy Parents Day (Mother's Day and Father's Day just aren't enough!)

Celebrate with gusto Culinarians Day, Parents Day and Threading the Needle Day. As a culinarian, I will be celebrating with canned soup, peanut butter sandwiches and toaster pastries. Sorry, that’s all I can accomplish while house sitting without my favorite supplies and ingredients. I will be visiting my mom today in honor of Parents Day and, to round things out, for Thread the Needle day, I will be watching the Brickyard 400 and watch my favorite sport. NASCAR ‘thread the needle’ during every race.

On the 25^th of July in:

2000, Air France’s Concorde jet crashed during a takeoff attempts in Paris. All 105 people on board were killed. After a short pause in service, SSTs returned to service until their ultimate retirement in October, 2003.

1985, One time heartthrob, Rock Hudson, announced he had contracted the newly discovered disease, AIDS.

1978, Louise Joy Brown was born. She is known as the first “test tube” baby.

1967, Friends (Joey) actor, Matt LeBlanc was born.

1954, NFL’er Walter Payton was born.

1935, Freaky Friday (1976) actress, Barbara Harris, was born.

1925, Golden Girl, Estelle Getty, was born.

1917, Mata Hari was sentenced to die for spying for Germany during WWI.

1894, The Real McCoys actor, Walter Brennan, was born.

1844, portrait painter and photographer, Thomas Eakins, was born.

1832, Quincy, MA is the location of the first recorded railroad accident in US history. A cable snapped on a Granite Railway car throwing 4 people from the car over a cliff, one was killed, the others were seriously injured.

1814, British forces were defeated by the home team, America, at the Battle of Niagara Falls.

Today is Cousin’s Day and Amelia Earhart Day. Amelia, where ever you are, women of the world appreciate what you did for our ‘cause’. To all my cousins, ones I know where they are and the ones who have been lost in time, HI and I miss you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1970, singer, Jennifer Lopez; 1964, baseball player, Barry Bonds; 1963, basketball player, Karl “The Mailman” Malone; 1951, Wonder Woman actress (the one and only, in my opinion), Lynda Carter; 1947, Airplane actor, Robert Hays; 1936, comedian/actress, Ruth Buzzi; 1933, soap opera actor and famous father, John Aniston; 1921, jazz pianist, Billy Taylor; 1920, American politician, Bella Abzug; 1897, aviatrix, Amelia Earhart; 1802, The Three Musketeers writer, Alexander Dumas (pere); 1783, liberator of South America, Simon Bolivar.

WHAT HAPPENED??

1956, after ten years together, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis divorce following their show at the Copacabana Club in NYC.

1911, Hiram Bingham discovered the ancient Inca settlement in Peru known as Machu Picchu.

1901, William Sydney Porter, was released from jail after serving 3 years for embezzlement. William Sydney Porter writes under the name, O Henry.

1866, Tennessee became the first state to be readmitted into the Union after the end of the Civil War.

1847, Brigham Young and his Mormon pioneer followers settled into Utah’s Valley of the Great Salt Lake.

1487, Citizens of Leeuwarden, Netherlands go on strike after the state declares foreign beer off limits.

Hot Dog ala Mode

Today is National Hot Dog Day and Vanilla Ice Cream Day. I hope that you are able to celebrate at least one of these yummy days. I know I plan on it.

Like History?  Today in:

2007- The 6,000,000^th Honda Civic was produced in North America. 

1996- The US Women’s Gymnastic team won its first gold in the Olympics.

1984- Miss America, Vanessa Williams, resigned her crown just 10 months after being the first black woman to win the title following a Penthouse Magazine spread featuring the model nude.

1982- Vic Morrow and two chidren were killed in a helicopter accident during filming of a stunt for the film, Twilight Zone: The Movie.

1976- The Legionnaire’s convened in Philadelphia for a four day convention. Within a month, 22 were dead and hundreds more were experiencing pneumonia-like symptoms.

1918- Della Sorenson killed her first victim, her sister-in-law’s infant. By the time she was arrested in 1925, she had killed 7 people including her own daughter, husband, and nieces. At least three others were poisoned but did not die. Her reason, she liked attending funerals. “I’m happy when someone is dying.”

1885- President Ulysses S. Grant died of throat cancer.

Born on this day in:

1989- Harry Potter actor, Daniel Radcliffe; 1973- famous Clinton intern, Monica Lewinsky; 1967- Capote actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman; 1961- Woody from Cheers, Woody Harrelson; Dodgers’ pitcher, 1936-Don Drysdale; 1933- Game show host, Burt Convy; 1925-Yes Sir, That’s My Baby actress,  Gloria DeHaven; 1918- Dodgers’ shortstop, Pee Wee Reese; 1894- The Little Princess actor, Arthur Treacher; 1888- Philip Marlow writer, Raymond Chandler.

Fresh Food

Today, I visited my garden. Well, a lot of people would argue that it is a garden. I have cherry tomatoes in pots on the railing of by back deck. I have ‘starter’ tomato plants in a pot in the corner of the deck. I have a pot that I planted 24 carrots, a pot of lettuce on the railing,  Off the deck, in a planter box, I planted nearly 20 corn seedlings. So, back to the visiting today…

The cherry tomatoes are almost finished producing. There are about a dozen green balls hanging from the minutely leaved branches. I had decimated lettuce plant last week and noticed this morning that the light green leaves are returning! Yea! I am wondering what I should do with the tomato plant seedlings, it seems too late to plant them into individual pots but I don’t want to see them die before their time.  The carrots. Well, only one carrot top is visible. Sadly, we will not be eating carrots this season.

My corn, the only plants that I planted into ‘Mother Earth’ have been abused not only by the weather, as the other plants have been, but also by animals. I have yet to discover if it is moles or brother, Chip and Dale, that took the seed out of the hole. After the first half of the seedlings were destroyed, I enclosed the the planter box with small-holed chicken wire. It seemed to do the trick for a while, but after some times three more plants all but vanished. The next day, two  more.  I had read an article on corn and discovered a possible ‘cure’, hot pepper, chili powder, paprika. I grabbed my Sam’s Club sized Spanish paprika and began scattering. Not sure if the leaves were to be sprinkled or just the ground. That seemed to do the trick. The remaining plants remained in tact, however, they did not seem to grow any taller. Except one. This one is now shoulder high with no signs of an actual ear of corn.  Yesterday, I told Mom that I did not expect to get any corn from my plants but I would be ecstatic for the corn plant to tassel. Today, I saw the beginning growth of a tassel. I jumped for joy! I can’t wait to see the full effect.

When I was a kid I never though t about wanting to have a garden. Even 10 years ago, growing my own food was not even an inkling of a thought. Now, it intrigues me. Too bad I don’t know what I am doing. 

A Rat in A Hammock

Today is Hammock Day…Grab a glass of Iced Tea (or Iced Water or other favorite beverage) and roll into that little hammock that has been sitting forlorn in the side yard. He’s (or she, if you think that way) been lonely during the long heat wave accompanied by the thunderstorms. Maybe you can contemplate how to celebrate Ratcatcher’s Day, which is celebrated in honor (honor, really?) the day The Pied Piper of Hamlin returned to town and took their children.

On this day in history,

2003- Army Private Jessica Lynch returned home to Palestine, WV after being injured and captured while serving a tour in Iraq. 1991- Jeffrey Dahmer, serial killer and cannibal, was caught. 1975- Civil War Confederate General Robert E Lee’s United States citizenship was restored by an act of Congress.

1934- John Dillinger was shot and killed in the alleybeside the Biograph Theater in Chicago’s Lincoln Park Neighborhood. He was on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for robbing two dozen banks, four police stations and for the deaths of several police officers.

1923- John Dillinger joined the Navy inorder to avoid prosecution of auto theft in Indiana.

1862- Abraham Lincoln addresses his cabinet and chief advisors that he will issue a proclamation to free slaves.

Born on this day in:

1965, Saturday Night Live actor, David Spade; 1955, Platoon actor Willem Dafoe; 1947, Eagles singer, Don Henley; 1947, Lethal Weapon actor, Danny Glover; 1947, Albert Lawrence Einstein (aka Albert Brooks), actor seen in Broadcast News; 1940, Jeopardy host, Alex Trebek; 1934, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest actress, Louise Fletcher; 1932, Fashion designer, Oscar De La Renta; 1923, politician, Robert Dole; 1890, presidential mom, Rose Kennedy.

JUNK FOOD!!

Today is National Junk Food Day. I thought that was everyday. Not like I need a special day to celebrate and eat junk food. What is your Fave?

On July 21^st,

1998, The death of everyone’s favorite 50’s dad, Father Knows Best actor, Robert Young died.

1973, Soul Makossa hit the top 40. Soul Makossa was a song recorded in 1972 by Emmanual “Manu” Dibango and would be the first Disco song to break into the Billboard chart.

1957, Actor (and whiner) Jon Lovitz was born.

1953- Comedian and actor, Robin Williams was born.

1938, Janet Reno, former US Attorney General (under Clinton, no pun in tended), was born.

1938, Owen Wister (b1860), died. The author is known as the “Father of Western Fiction” with titles such as The Virginian, Roosevelt: The Story of a Friendship; Spit Cat Creek and Little Big Horn Medicine.

1925, “The Trial of the Century”, aka the Scopes Monkey Trial, aka TN v John T Scopes, ended. Tennessee teacher, Scopes was found guilty of teaching evolution to his students in direct violation of state law. He was ordered to pay a $100 fine. The verdict and fine were overturned on ‘a technicality’. In the press, evolution won.

1924, Funnyman/Actor, Don Knotts was born.

1899, Great American Novelist, Ernest Hemingway was born.

1873, Jesse James robbed his first train along with his gang and the ‘rival’ Younger Gang by derailing it. They got away with $3,000 (that’s like about $50k in 2007).

1865, Wild Bill Hickok fought in his first western shootout in Springfield, MO. David Tutt was killed.

1861, The First Battle of Bull Run, (Manassas Junction, VA) was fought. I remember learning about this in school (we lived one town over from Manassas in elem/middle school times), and were able to go to the battlefield ‘museum’ on a field trip. I thought the idea that people from surrounding area would gather up on the hill with picnic lunches and watch the fighting fascinating. 

Ugly Trucks on the Moon

Today is Moon Day. Moon Day commemorates the day that Americans (and the first humans) walked and landed upon the moon. Sharing this day is Ugly Truck Day. I don’t understand this day. I don’t understand the ‘draw’ to having an ugly truck. I like trucks, but I like mine shiny and pretty.

• 1977- Johnstown, PA dams failed, causing a flash flood which killed 84 and cause millions in damage. A near repeat from an 1889 event, which killed more than 2000 people.
• 1973- Bruce Lee died of a brain edema at the age of 32.
• 1972- After a two year study, the USDOT ruled against advocate Ralph Nader’s accusations that the 1960-1963 Chevrolet Corvair was unsafe.
• 1976- Viking 1 landed on Mars. I wonder if Odyssey’s Phoenix got pictures of it…If not, I wonder if it is still there.
• 1969- Man walks on Moon. Neil Armstong became the first man to walk on the moon, that is after the eagle landed.
• 1881- Sitting Bull surrendered to the US Army.

Happy Birthday…

Musician known for his early career single, Black Magic Woman, Carlos Santana (1947); Miracle on 34^th St (1947) and Rebel Without a Cause actress, Natalie Wood (1938); The Avengers’  Emma Peel actress, Diana Rigg (1938); Little Big Man writer, Thomas Berger (1924); Explorer, Sir Edmund Hillary (1919).

Raspberry Martyr

Today is National Raspberry Cake Day. It is simple all you have to do is make (or cheat and buy) raspberry cake and eat it. No raspberry cake around? Go for an angel food, chocolate or yellow cake with fresh raspberries on top. Yummm. You can have mine, I feel like being a martyr.

1940- “V for Victory” was used by Winston Churchill for the first time.

1814- The Colt Revolver was invented by Samuel Colt.

1898- After being charged with libel agains the French army, Emile Zola fled France.

1799- While in Egypt, a soldier in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army discovered an engraved black basalt slab in the town of Rosetta (now Rashied). It is now known as the Rosetta Stone, the guide to ancient Egypt.

1553- Lady Jane Grey was deposed from the throne…Long Live Queen Mary. Rest in Peace Lady Jane.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

A nerd, a doctor and an actor, Anthony Edwards(1962); Tennis Player, Ilie Nastase (1946); “He’s a Rebel” singer, Vikki Carr (1941); Commisioner Gordon in the 80’s Batman movie series, Pat Hingle (1924); Presidential Candidate, George McGovern, (1922); Innocent accused ax murderer, Lizzie Bordon (1898).

No U Turn

Yellow Pig Day is one of the oddest days I have had the privlige (?) of meeting.  Yellow Pig Day is a mathematician’s day celebrating the number 17 and yes, yellow pigs. I think I will ask my sister, the math teacher, about it… Today you can also celebrate Peach Ice Cream Day if you have a thing against yellow pigs.

In...

1955- Walt Disney opened his first theme park, Disneyland in Anaheim CA.

1938- Douglas Corrigan crossed the Atlantic, no big deal?  It is when you realize that his flight, landing in Dublin,  earned him the nickname of “Wrong Way” Corrigan. He took off from NY after filing flight plans to California. Authorities did not believe his “I got lost” routine and suspended his license. By the time he got back to NY (on a ship) the suspension had been lifted.

1902- Willis Carrier invented the air conditioner.

1867- The first dental school was founded. The Harvard School of Dentistry is where it is housed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

Baywatch actor, David Hasselhoff, 1952; Lucille Ball’s daughter, Lucie Arnez, 1951; Prince Charles’ second wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, 1947; Actress/Singer, Diahann Carroll, 1935; Actor, Donald Sutherland, 1934; 3-point seatbelt inventor, Nils Bohlin, 1920; Comedian/Actress, Phyllis Diller, 1917; Actor, Art Linkletter, 1912; Yankee Doodle Dandy actor, James Cagney, 1899; Novelist Erle Stanley Gardner, 1889.

Nothing But History

I got nothin’ for you today. There is nothing to celebrate. Nothing to honor. Nothing to eat. Nothing to do.

Where were you on this day in:

1999- John F Kennedy, Jr’s plane crashes into Cape Cod off of the island of Martha’s Vineyard. He was killed along with his wife and her sister.

1969- Apollo 11 blasted off from its launching pad on its way to orbit the moon. Apollo 11’s lunar module, Eagle, would land on the moon 4 days later, placing man and America on the moon.

1951- Little, Brown published JD Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye.

1945- The Atom Bomb was successfully tested in New Mexico at 5:29:45am (7:29:45am eastern).

1935- In Oklahoma City, OK, on the corner of 1^st St and Robinson Ave, the first Park-O-Meter was planted.

1918- The Bolsheviks execute the royal family for Czar Nicholas II. The czar, his wife, their 5 children and 4 servants were killed. As of today, only three children and their parent’s bodies have been found. But where are Prince Alexei and Princess Anastasia?

1790- Washington, District of Columbia, was designated by Congress to become the capital of the United States of America. At the time it was a muddy swamp land. (The swamp monsters still work there)

1769- Father Junipero Serra christened San Diego de Alcala, the first Catholic mission in California. (YEAH, it was in what isnow known as San Diego!)

Happy Birthday!

1967- Will Ferrell, comedian/actor

1943- Jimmy Johnson, NFL football coach

1924- Bess Meyerson, I’ve Got a Secret

1911- Ginger Rogers, dancer/actress (

1907- Barbara Stanwyck, actress (The Big Valley)

1872- Roald Amundsen, polar explorer (and, boy, was that bear mad!) 

The Ides of July

Today, let’s celebrate Tapioca Pudding day and Cow Appreciation Day. If you can’t appreciate a real cow, go out and NOT eat Beef today. Instead, eat Tapioca Pudding, okay, you don’t have to substitute Tapioca for beef, but you can eat it just the same, if you like it, that is. Have a Great Day…Celebrate Life!

1903- Ernst Pfenning ordered the first Ford Motor Company Automobile, an $850 Model A. It was delivered a little over a week later.

1888- The volcano, Bandai, erupted in Honshu, Japan, killing hundreds and destroying villages in the area.

1869- Margarine, aka Oleo, was patented. Margarine ‘invented’ oleomargarine after Emperor Louis Napoleon III of France  offered a prize to anyone who could come up with a butter substitute to be used by the military and ‘the lower classes’. Margarine was named after the Greek word for pearl, after its appearance.

1844- Vulcanized Rubber was patented by a seemingly unknown fella, Goodyear. Some say it may have been a bit of, what Bob Ross says was a ‘happy accident’.

Happy Birthday:

                Forest Whitaker, 1961, Charles Jefferson in Fast Times at Rigdemont High and    

                   Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.

                Jesse Ventura, 1951, professional wrestler and former Governor of Minnesota.

                Linda Ronstadt, 1946, singer. Loved her as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance.

                Clive Cussler, 1931, author of the FANTABULOUS novels featuring Dirk Pitt.

                Clement C. Moore, 1779, author of A Visit from St. Nicholas.

                Rembrandt Van Rijn, 1606, painter. His favorite person to paint seemed to have 

                    been him.