Ernie's Blog

Life Day 24052: May Ray, May, Ray, May Ray

Good morning sun worshipers. Today is Sunday, May 19, 2013. The first holiday today is May Ray Day. May Ray Day is celebrated on this date annually. It celebrates the fact that summer is almost here, and the days are getting longer, and warmer, and sunnier. The object is to get out of your house today and soak up some ‘rays’. Take a hike. Go to your favorite beach, or lake, or river. Relax in your backyard. The possibilities are endless. What is your favorite summer outdoor activity?
CAUTION: With that said, don’t overdo it today. Be sure to use adequate sun block; (I need like SPF ∞).  Also, be aware of the signs of sunstroke. You don’t want to spoil your sun-day, fun-day with a trip to the Emergency Room.

The next holiday is Boy’s Club and Girl’s Club Day. This date marks the organization of the first Boy’s Clubs in 1906 (it wasn’t until 1990 that Girl’s Clubs were put under the same umbrella group). Boy’s Club and Girl’s Club Day celebrates the invaluable contributions of Boy’s Clubs and Girl’s Clubs to the community. There are clubs all over America providing safe recreational activities for our youth. They teach values and citizenship. They help to keep kids out of trouble and off of the street. In today’s society, there are more and more families in which both parents work, and more single-parent families. These groups ease the burden on these families. To celebrate this holiday, learn more about Boy’s and Girl’s clubs in your area. Volunteer at one, or make a donation.

Linked below are the remainder of today’s holidays. They are of no interest to me, but you can research them yourself if you are interested.
Mike, The Headless Chicken Day.
National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
Pentecost.
World Autoimmune Arthritis Day. (May 19th to May 21st)

The food-related holiday today is National Devil’s Food Cake Day. National Devil’s Food Cake Day, oddly enough, celebrates Devil’s food cake; which is considered the counterpart to the classic white angel food cake. Devil’s food cake has a unique light and moist texture, which sets it apart from other chocolate cakes. The recipe calls for quite a bit of baking soda, and boiling water instead of milk. Both of these ingredients contribute to the fluffiness of this classic dessert. Devil’s food cake first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s. It is quite similar to red velvet cake and the names are often interchangeable in some parts of the country. To celebrate this holiday, make a Devil’s food cake, and have some for dessert tonight.

On this date in 1962 – Marilyn Monroe performed a sultry rendition of “Happy Birthday” for U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The event was a fund-raiser at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Other events of significance which occurred on this date are:
1643 – Delegates from four New England colonies met in Boston to form a confederation.
1796 – The first U.S. game law was approved. The measure called for penalties for hunting or destroying game within Indian territory.
1847 – The first English-style railroad coach was placed in service on the Fall River Line in Massachusetts.
1856 – U.S. Senator Charles Sumner spoke out against slavery.
1911 – The first American criminal conviction that was based on fingerprint evidence occurred in New York City.
1921 – The U.S. Congress passed the Emergency Quota Act, which established national quotas for immigrants.  [Then, apparently began to ignore it whenever it was politically expedient].
1928 – The first frog-jumping jubilee held in Calaveras County, CA.
1935 – T.E. Lawrence “Lawrence of Arabia” died from injuries in a motorcycle crash in England.
1958 – Canada and the U.S. formally established the North American Air Defense Command.
1964 – The U.S. State Department reported that diplomats had found about 40 microphones planted in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
1967 – U.S. planes bombed Hanoi for the first time.
1988 – In Jacksonville, FL, Carlos Lehder Rivas was convicted of smuggling more than three tons of cocaine into the United States. Rivas was the co-founder of Colombia’s Medellin drug cartel.
1992 – U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle criticized the CBS sitcom “Murphy Brown” for having its title character decide to bear a child out of wedlock.
1992 – In Massapequa, NY, Mary Jo Buttafuoco was shot and seriously wounded by Amy Fisher. Fisher was her husband Joey’s teenage lover.
1992 – The 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect. The amendment prohibits Congress from giving itself midterm pay raises.
2000 – The bones of the most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton went on display in Chicago.
And, in 2003 – Hundreds of Albert Einstein’s scientific papers, personal letters and humanist essays were make available on the Internet. Einstein had given the papers to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in his will.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following luminaries:
Johns Hopkins 1795 – Entrepreneur.
Bruce Bennett 1906 – Athlete, actor.
Malcolm X 1925 – Civil rights activist.
Jim Lehrer 1934 – Journalist.
David Hartman 1935 – Actor.
Nancy Kwan 1939 – Actress.
Stephen Young 1939 – Actor.
Francis Scobee 1939 – Astronaut.
Peter Mayhew 1944 – Actor.
Pete Townsend 1945 – Musician.
Grace Jones 1952 – Singer.
Steven Ford 1956 – Actor.
And finally,Eric Lloyd 1986 – Actor.

Life Day 24051: O. Henry Pun-off Day

Good morning pundits. Today is Saturday, May 18, 2013. The first holiday today sounds like it would be a lot of pun. It is O. Henry Pun-off Day. Since 1977, O. Henry Pun-off Day has been held annually on the third Saturday of May in Austin, TX; the adopted home of author William Sydney Porter (aka O. Henry). A pun is the humorous use of a word or words in such a way as to suggest different meanings or applications OR words that have the same or nearly the same sound but different meanings. If you can’t make it to the event this year, you can still celebrate. You can research O. Henry, read some of his works, or just opun a book of puns and read a few of your favorites.

The next holiday is International Museum Day. International Museum Day serves as a platform to raise public awareness on the role museums play in society today. It was created in 1977 by the International Council of Museums. Museums serve as witnesses of the past and preservers of humanity’s treasures for future generations. Since it’s creation, this holiday has steadily grown. In 2012, about 32,000 museums in 129 countries on all continents participated in International Museum Day. Check for an event in your area and attend it if you can.  Museums are in constant need of funds for maintenance, upgrading displays, and sponsoring educational programs, so leave a donation in addition to any admittance fees you pay. You might also consider volunteering at your museum.

The third holiday today is Armed Forces Day. Armed Forces Day is simply a day to honor the selfless individuals currently serving in all branches of our Armed Forces. They train diligently both physically and mentally so they will be prepared for any mission they face. They can be called upon at a moment’s notice to put themselves in harms way to protect your freedom and way of life. Prior to 1950, each branch had their own different days of celebration. But, on August 31, 1949, then Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day. President Harry Truman also announced the holiday in a presidential proclamation on February 20, 1950. All branches of the military were asked to celebrate on this day and they complied on the first Armed Forces Day which was held the following year on May 20, 1950.

Today is also Visit Your Relatives Day. It’s easy to lose touch with your loved ones. We all lead busy lives so visits to relatives, even in the same town, are often relegated to Christmas and maybe a few other major holidays. Reach out to your relatives today. If you can’t stop by, call them on the phone. Even an email would be acceptable.

The fifth holiday today is No Dirty Dishes Day. No Dirty Dishes Day is meant to be a reprieve from the mundane daily task of doing dishes. This holiday does not mean that you just let them pile up in the sink or dishwasher. The objective is to not dirty any dishes today. One way to do this is to use disposable pans, plates, bowls, cups and silverware. Another way is to take your family out for all three meals. For a snack, take them out for ice cream.

The final holiday today is National Learn To Swim Day. National Learn To Swim Day is a new holiday (this is only the second annual observance), and is celebrated on Saturday of the week before Memorial Day Weekend. With summer nigh upon us, more and more people are planning activities centered in and around water. Swimming is fun, great exercise, and could possibly save your life. According to the American Red Cross, drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages one to 14. If you don’t know how to swim, I urge you to enroll in a class today.

The food-related holiday is National Cheese Soufflé Day. A soufflé is a baked egg dish made with egg yolks, beaten egg whites, and various other ingredients. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means “to blow up” or more loosely “puff up”. That is an apt description of what happens when this dish is baked. The traditional way to make a soufflé is in individual ramekins. Soufflés are light and fluffy, and can be enjoyed as any meal, but more often than not, they are served as breakfast or brunch. Take the time to make one today.

On this date in 1998 – The U.S. federal government and 20 states filed a sweeping antitrust case against Microsoft Corp., saying the computer software company had a “choke hold” on competitors which denied consumer choices by controlling 90% of the software market.
Other significant historical events which happened on this date are:
1652 – In Rhode Island, a law was passed that made slavery illegal in North America. It was the first law of its kind.
1896 – The U.S. Supreme court upheld the “separate but equal” policy in the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. The ruling was overturned 58 years later with Brown vs. Board of Education.
1917 – The U.S. Congress passed the Selective Service act, which called up soldiers to fight in World War I.
1931 – Japanese pilot Seiji Yoshihara crashed his plane in the Pacific Ocean while trying to be the first to cross the ocean non-stop. He was picked up seven hours later by a passing ship.
1933 – The Tennessee Valley Authority was created.
1934 – The U.S. Congress approved an act, known as the “Lindberg Act,” that called for the death penalty in interstate kidnapping cases.
1951 – The United Nations moved its headquarters to New York City.
1953 – The first woman to fly faster than the speed of sound, Jacqueline Cochran, piloted an F-86 Sabrejet over California at an average speed of 652.337 miles-per-hour.
1974 – India became the sixth nation to explode an atomic bomb.
1980 – Mt. Saint Helens erupted in Washington state. 57 people were killed and 3 billion in damage was done.
1983 – The U.S. Senate revised immigration laws and gave millions of illegal aliens legal status under an amnesty program.
And, in 1998 – U.S. federal officials arrested more than 130 people and seized $35 million. This was the end to an investigation of money laundering being done by a dozen Mexican banks and two drug-smuggling cartels.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following distinguished people:
Frank Capra 1897 – Film director.
Perry Como 1912 – Singer.
Bill Macy 1922 – Actor.
Kai Winding 1922 – Musician.
Marquita Rivera 1922 – Actress, singer, dancer.
Pernell Roberts 1930 – Actor.
Robert Morse 1931 – Actor.
Dwayne Hickman 1934 – Actor.
Brooks Robinson 1937 – Baseball player.
Reggie Jackson 1946 – Baseball player.
Candice Azzara 1949 – Actress.
James Stephens 1951 – Actor.
George Strait 1952 – Country musician.
Toyah Wilcox 1958 – Singer, actress.
And finally, Tina Fey 1970 – Actress, comedian.

Life Day 24050: Pack Rat Day

Good morning hoarders. Today is Friday, May 17, 2013. The first holiday today is Pack Rat Day. Pack Rat Day celebrates all of those people who have a hard time letting go (of things). Many, myself included, find it difficult to let go of things, especially things with sentimental value. For instance, I still have, but do not use, the cedar chest that I built in 8th grade wood shop, many of my dear departed mother’s nick knacks which were around the house as I was growing up, and a set of Jif peanut butter stemware glasses that we collected by eating copious amounts of Jif Peanut butter. (Do any of you remember those)? Well, today is the day to relish the fact that you had the foresight to hold on to items like these. Go through some of them today and let the memories flow. Remember, don’t throw away any of it today. This holiday is all about celebrating your “pack-rattiness”.

The next holiday today is World Hypertension Day. The purpose of World Hypertension Day is to make people aware of this disease, and to promote early detection, control, and prevention. For those of you who don’t know, Hypertension is the fancy way of saying High Blood Pressure. I suffer from it, along with millions of others. To celebrate this holiday, do some research into Hypertension; learn about its symptoms, and schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider today for a simple blood pressure check.

The third holiday today is National Bike to Work Day. National Bike to Work Day is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, and is held on the third Friday in May each year. It is timed to coincide with the arrival of warmer weather. The League was founded as the League of American Wheelmen in 1880. Bicyclists, known then as “wheelmen”, were challenged by rutted, poorly maintained roads, and faced antagonism from horsemen, wagon drivers, and pedestrians; not unlike the present day. Bicycling is a great form of exercise. It is also good for the environment, and it saves you money. What better reasons do you need to ride your bike to work today?

Today is also Endangered Species Day. Endangered Species Day was started by the Senate, and is celebrated on the third Friday in May. It is an opportunity for people to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions they can take to help protect our nation’s disappearing wildlife and last remaining open spaces. Celebrate this holiday by visiting a park, wildlife refuge, zoo, aquarium, or botanical garden today. Can you identify any endangered species?

I have provided links to the rest of today’s holidays below. They are not worthy of more than a casual mention, for all of the usual reasons.
World Information Society Day.
World Telecommunication Day.
NASCAR Day.
World Neurofibromatosis Day (NF Day).
International Virtual Assistants Day.
National Defense Transportation Day.
Syttende Mai.

The food-related holiday today is National Cherry Cobbler Day. About a month ago I outlined the history of cobblers on Peach Cobbler Day, so I won’t delve into that again. Cobblers are easy to make, so make a Cherry Cobbler for dessert tonight. I guess you could also just have a slice of cherry pie and smush it up a little. It’s basically the same thing.

On this date in 1999 – Eric Ford, a tabloid photographer, was sentenced to 6 months at a halfway house, 3 years probation and 150 hours of community service. The sentence stemmed from a charge that Ford had eavesdropped on a call between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman and then sold a recording of the conversation.
Also on this date in history:
1875 – The first Kentucky Derby was run at Louisville, KY.
1946 – President Truman seized control of the nation’s railroads, delaying a threatened strike by engineers and trainmen.
1954 – The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled for school integration in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. The ruling declared that racially segregated schools were inherently unequal.
1973 – The U.S. Senate Watergate Committee began its hearings.
1980 – Rioting erupted in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood after an all-white jury in Tampa acquitted four former Miami police officers of fatally beating black insurance executive Arthur McDuffie. Eight people were killed in the rioting.
1985 – Bobby Ewing died on the season finale of “Dallas” on CBS-TV. He returned the following season.
1987 – An Iraqi war plane attacked the U.S. Navy frigate Stark in the Persian Gulf, killing 37 American sailors. Iraq and the United States called the attack a mistake.
1996 – President Clinton signed a measure requiring neighborhood notification when sex offenders move in. Megan’s Law was named for 7-year-old Megan Kanka, who was raped and killed in 1994.
1998 – New York Yankees pitcher David Wells became the 13th player in modern major league baseball history to pitch a perfect game.
2000 – Thomas E. Blanton Jr. and David Luker surrendered to police in Birmingham, AL. The two former Ku Klux Klan members were arrested on charges from the bombing of a church in 1963 that killed four young black girls.
And, in 2006 – The U.S. aircraft carrier Oriskany was sunk about 24 miles off Pensacola Beach. It was the first vessel sunk under a Navy program to dispose of old warships by turning them into diving attractions. It was the largest man-made reef at the time of the sinking.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following luminaries:
Maureen O’Sullivan 1911 – Actress.
Brigit Nilsson 1918 – Opera singer.
Bob Merrill 1921 – Songwriter.
Dennis Hopper 1936 – Actor.
Taj Mahal 1942 – Singer.
Bill Paxton 1955 – Actor.
Bob Saget 1956 – Actor, comedian.
Sugar Ray Leonard 1956 – Boxer.
Enya 1961 – Musician.
Craig Ferguson 1962 – Television host.
Hill Harper 1966 – Actor.
Sendhil Ramamurthy 1974 – Actor.
And finally, Nikki Reed 1988 – Actress.

Life Day 24049: Love a Tree Day

Good morning tree-huggers. Today is Thursday, May 16, 2013. The first holiday today is Love a Tree Day. Love a Tree Day celebrates the symbiotic relationship between mankind and trees. What’s not to love about trees? They are majestic and beautiful. They benefit mankind by providing shade on those long hot summer days. And, through a process called photosynthesis, give off oxygen; which mankind needs to exist. Win! Win! Although some may disagree, when trees drop their leaves each fall as part of their natural life process, they also provide a form of light exercise as you rake the leaves and dispose of them. To celebrate this holiday, pamper your trees today. If they needs to be trimmed, do so. If  there are any competing plants or weeds nearby, remove them. Give your trees some fertilizer, and a good drink of water. Then relax and enjoy a nice cold beverage of your choice in the shade they provide.
Note: If your love of trees go much beyond appreciating their majesty and their benefits to mankind, you might have a problem. If your love of trees involves any sort of sexual fantasy, you definitely have a problem. Seek professional psychiatric help immediately.

The next holiday is Wear Purple for Peace Day. If you think that this holiday is just another one of those namby-pamby, stomach-turning holidays created by the United Nations or some “hippiesque” group wanting peace throughout the world, you would be WRONG. Wear Purple for Peace Day is much weirder than that. This holiday was created out of the fear that the only reason outer space aliens have not yet visited Earth is because we are too violent. The goal is to make Earth a peaceful place so that the aliens might someday deem us worthy of a visit. HOW SILLY. Everyone knows that the aliens are already here. They live among us now. They have taken over every level of our Government, and are slowly getting us accustomed to subjugation, tyranny and omnipotent power in the hands of a select few. With that accomplished, they will then announce their presence, and their intent; which can not be good for us. How else can you possibly explain what is going on in Washington D.C. these days?

The third holiday today is Biographer’s Day. Biographer’s Day commemorates the date when Samuel Johnson and James Boswell first met. Boswell’s work, The Life of Samuel Johnson, published in 1791, is widely considered to be the greatest biography ever written. Samuel Johnson was a famous author and lexicographer, who wrote, among other things, the ‘Dictionary of the English Language’ (published in 1755). The ‘Dictionary of the English Language’ was the book upon which most dictionaries were based until it was superseded by the publishing of the ‘Oxford English Dictionary’ in 1928.

The final holiday today barely rates a mention, but since there seems to be a dearth of holidays today, I will mention it nonetheless. Today is National Sea Monkey Day. This link will tell you all that you need to know about sea monkeys, and this holiday.

The food-related holiday today is National Coquilles St. Jacques Day.  Coquilles St. Jacques translates to  St. James’s Scallops. It is a dish made with made with scallops, heavy cream, butter, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese, baked in a scallop shell. My dislike of seafood will prevent me from celebrating this holiday. If you would like to try this classic French dish tonight, this recipe will be as good as any other you can find.

On this date in 2003 – Adam Rich, the child actor who played the youngest son on the television program “Eight is Enough”, was placed on three years probation after he pled no contest to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was also ordered to take part in a 60-day treatment program and pay about $1,200 in fines.
Other significant historical events which occurred on this date are:
1770 – Marie Antoinette, at age 14, married the future King Louis XVI of France, who was 15.
1868 – President Andrew Johnson was acquitted during the Senate impeachment hearing, by one vote.
1888 – The first demonstration of recording on a flat disc was demonstrated by Emile Berliner.
1888 – Austin became the official Capitol of Texas.
1910 – The U.S. Bureau of Mines was authorized by the U.S. Congress.
1914 – The American Horseshoe Pitchers Association (AHPA) was formed in Kansas City, Kansas.
1929 – The first Academy Awards were held in Hollywood.
1939 – The Philadelphia Athletics and the Cleveland Indians met at Shibe Park in Philadelphia for the first baseball game to be played under the lights in the American League.
1946 – Jack Mullin introduced the first magnetic tape recorder.
1960 – A Big Four summit in Paris collapsed due to the American U-2 spy plane incident.
1960 – Theodore Maiman, at Hughes Research Laboratory in California, demonstrated the first working laser.
1975 – Japanese climber Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
1977 – Five people were killed when a New York Airways helicopter, idling on top of the Pan Am Building in Manhattan, toppled over, sending a huge rotor blade flying.
1985 – Michael Jordan was named Rookie of the Year in the NBA.
1987 – The Bobro 400 set sail from New York Harbor with 3,200 tons of garbage. The barge travelled 6,000 miles in search of a place to dump its load. It returned to New York Harbor after 8 weeks with the same load.
1988 – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that police do not need a search warrant to search discarded garbage.
1991 – Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress.
1996 – Admiral Jeremy “Mike” Boorda, the nation’s top Navy officer, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after some of his military awards were called into question.
And, in 2000 – U.S. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was nominated to run for U.S. Senator in New York. She was the first U.S. first lady to run for public office.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following illustrious people:
William Seward 1801 – Politician.
Henry Fonda 1905 – Actor.
Studs Terkel 1912 – Author, actor, broadcaster.
Liberace 1919 – Entertainer.
Harry Carey Jr. 1921 – Actor.
Robert Pierpoint 1925 – Broadcast journalist.
Billy Martin 1928 – Baseball Manager.
Yvonne Craig 1937 – Actress.
Bill Smitrovich 1947 – Actor.
Pierce Brosnan 1953 – Actor.
Olga Korbut 1955 – Gymnast.
Debra Winger 1955 – Actress.
Mare Winningham 1959 – Actress.
Janet Jackson 1966 – Singer.
Tracey Gold 1969 – Actress.
Gabriela Sabatini 1970 – Tennis player.
David Boreanaz 1971 – Actor.
And finally, Tori Spelling 1973 – Actress.

Life Day 24048: Peace Officer’s Memorial Day

Good morning fellow fans of law enforcement. Today is Wednesday, May 15, 2013. The first holiday today is Peace Officer’s Memorial Day.  Peace Officer’s Memorial Day is a part of Police Week, which is an observance here in America that pays tribute to the local, state, and Federal peace officers. It was proposed in October, 1961, when congress asked the President to designate May 15 to honor peace officers. John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962. The law was amended in 1994 when President Clinton, through Public Law 103-322, directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on this date. Peace Officer’s Memorial Day honors Federal, state and local officers who were killed or disabled in the line of duty. According to statistics, about 150 officers are killed each year while performing their jobs. Although it is an observance, (not an “official” holiday), many municipalities give officers time off, such as extra time at lunch, to attend Memorial Services held in their community. If you know of a Memorial Service being held in your area today, attend it.

If you have been languishing over the quandary of exactly when it is socially acceptable to begin wearing your straw hat without committing a fashion faux pas, languish no longer. The second holiday today is Straw Hat Day. Straw Hat Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer and the official beginning of Straw Hat season. Just don’t get caught wearing your straw hat after Labor Day lest you be subjected to public ridicule by the ‘fashion police’.

The next holiday is Nylon Stockings Day. Nylon Stockings Day marks the date, in 1940, that Du Pont corporation put on sale for the first time, nylon stockings. In a public-relations and marketing coup d’etat,  Du Pont advertised well in advance of the release date, its new “stronger than steel and run-proof” stockings for women and declared May 15th as N-Day. As a result, women across America lined up for blocks to get these new stockings, and Du Pont sold 5 million pairs in this single day. During World War II Du Pont was forced to divert its nylon production toward war-related materials, such as parachutes and aircraft tires. This, naturally, soon caused a shortage. In America, the demand for nylon stockings was so high that people began paying $20 per pair on the black market (before the start of the war they had cost a little over a dollar). In Chicago, police ruled out robbery as a motive in a murder case because the perpetrator had left behind six pair of nylon stockings at the crime scene. Eight days after the end of WW II, Du Pont announced that it was resuming production of nylon stockings, however it took until March of 1946 for Du Pont to attain the pre-war production levels of about 30 million pairs per month. The results were  so called, “Nylon Wars”. As soon as word leaked out that a retailer had received a limited number of nylons, crowds would show up and demand that they be sold a pair. These crowds often became disorderly, and police sometimes had to be called to restore order.

The fourth holiday today is National Employee Health & Fitness Day. National Employee Health & Fitness Day is held on the third Wednesday in May each year. It recognizes the importance of  the physical welfare of workers, and how the physical well-being of workers can positively or negatively affect their productivity, state of mind, and self-esteem. This holiday was created in  1989 by the National Foundation for Health & Fitness. It focuses on encouraging employers to support such programs as “America on the Move” and activity programs like the “President’s Council Challenge”. It also encourages employees to take the right steps towards a healthy lifestyle by providing them with promotional health & fitness items.

Links to the remainder of today’s holidays are below. They are either disease-specific, or too namby-pamby to be deemed BLOGworthy.
Hyperemisis Gravidarum Awareness Day.
International MPS Awareness Day.
National Tuberous Sclerosis Day.
International Day of Families.
Turn Beauty Inside Out Day.

The food-related holiday today is National Chocolate Chip Day. National Chocolate Chip Day celebrates that sweet, tasty, and versatile necessity essential to every cook’s pantry. Chocolate chips aren’t just for cookies anymore. Chocolate chips are specially formulated to be used in a variety of baked goods. They provide a burst of rich chocolate flavor, yet retain the integrity of  their flavor, texture and shape. There are various kinds of chips available (semisweet, bittersweet, milk, mint and white chocolate, mini, standard, and large). The most popular among these are the semisweet variety because of their versatility. You can use them in virtually any recipe that calls for chocolate chips. Chocolate chips store well at room temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees, are easy to measure (a standard six ounce package equals one cup), and fold into almost any mixture with just a few strokes. They also add flavor, without overpowering the other ingredients. Heck, I’ve been known to eat them right out of the bag, along with a few raisins and nuts, as a snack. How are you going to enjoy your chocolate chips today?

On this date in 1970 – Phillip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green, two black students at Jackson State University in Mississippi, were killed when police opened fire during student protests.
Also on this date in history:
1602 – Cape Cod was discovered by Bartholomew Gosnold.
1618 – Johannes Kepler discovered his harmonics law.
1856 – Lyman Frank Baum, author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” was born.
1862 – The U.S. Congress created the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
1911 – The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of Standard Oil Company, ruling it was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
1918 – Regular airmail service between New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, began under the direction of the Post Office Department, which later became the U.S. Postal Service.
1926 – Roald Amundsen and Lincoln Ellsworth were forced down in Alaska after a four-day flight over an icecap. Ice had begun to form on the dirigible Norge.
1930 – Ellen Church became the first airline stewardess.
1941 – Joe DiMaggio began his historic major league baseball hitting streak of 56 games.
1942 – Gasoline rationing began in the U.S. The limit was 3 gallons a week for nonessential vehicles.
1948 – Israel was attacked by Transjordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon only hours after declaring its independence.
1951 – AT&T became the first corporation to have one million stockholders.
1958 – Sputnik III, the first space laboratory, was launched in the Soviet Union.
1970 – President Nixon appointed America’s first two female generals.
1972 – Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace was shot by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, MD while campaigning for the U.S. presidency. Wallace was paralyzed by the shot.
1980 – The first transcontinental balloon crossing of the United States took place.
1988 – The Soviet Union began their withdrawal of its 115,000 troops from Afghanistan. Soviet forces had been there for more than eight years.
And, in 1997 – The Space shuttle Atlantis blasted off on a mission to deliver urgently needed repair equipment and a fresh American astronaut to Russia’s orbiting Mir station.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following distinguished people:
Pierre Curie 1859 – Physicist.
Katherine Anne Porter 1890 – Journalist, author.
Joseph Cotten 1905 – Actor.
James Mason 1909 – Actor.
Constance Cummings 1910 – Actress.
Eddy Arnold 1918 – Country singer.
Anna Maria Alberghetti 1936 – Opera singer, actress.
Trini Lopez 1937 – Singer.
Madeleine Albright 1937 – Former Secretary of State.
Lenny Welch 1938 – Singer.
Paul Rudd 1940 – Actor.
Lainie Kazan 1940 – Actress, singer.
K.T. Oslin 1942 – Country singer.
Chazz Palminteri 1946 – Actor.
George Brett 1953 – Baseball player.
Mike Oldfield 1953 – Musician.
Lee Horsley 1955 – Actor.
Emmitt Smith 1969 – Football player.
David Charvet 1972 – Actor.
Ahmet Rodan Zappa 1974 – Musician.
And finally, Amy Chow 1978 – Gymnast.