Ernie's Blog

Life Day 24120: All or Nothing

Today is Friday, July 26, 2013.
Good morning everyone. The first holiday today is All or Nothing Day. All or Nothing Day urges you to quit testing the waters and playing the “what if” game. Whether it’s a job commitment, overcoming a fear, or even a relationship, now is the time to fully commit. Force yourself to make a decision; all or nothing.  In the end, you’ll feel better that you no longer have those questions lingering on your mind.

The next holiday is Aunt and Uncle Day. Aunt and Uncles Day honors your mom and dad’s brothers and sisters. Aunts and uncles are special relatives. They are the “backup babysitters” when your parents have to go out on the spur of the moment. They will lend an ear and give advice when you have a problem, but don’t want your parents to know about it. Often they are a bit quirky, but that is sometimes their most endearing quality. What would  family reunions be without them?
If you have aunts and/or uncles, try to visit them today. If that is not possible, give them a call.

The third holiday today is National Talk in An Elevator Day. National Talk in An Elevator Day is celebrated annually on the last Friday in July. How many tines have you ridden an elevator with a stranger and been reluctant to start a conversation? When did silence in an elevator become proper etiquette? Those uncomfortable silences during elevator rides with strangers can be a bit unnerving. Today, summon the courage to start a conversation with that stranger in the elevator. Who knows, you might just make a new friend.

Another holiday today is Lumberjack Day. Lumberjack Day, aka the Lumberjack World Championships® is an event held annually since 1960 on the last Friday of the last full weekend in July, in Hayward, Wisconsin. This holiday is a way to acknowledge the long history of the logging industry across the United States, and the rest of the world. Everyday work skills, soon became competitions, and have increased in popularity all across America. The Lumberjack World Championships® showcases over 21 unique competitions and world records in events ranging from men’s and women’s logrolling, to chopping and the exciting pole climb.

The final holiday today is System Administrator Appreciation Day. System Administrator Appreciation Day honors the geeky IT guys and gals who ensure that your network is secure, your computer is up and running, and your printer is jam-free.
Let’s face it, System Administrators get no respect every other day of the year, yet they are the ones who come to the rescue when your computer develops a mind of its own. Use today to acknowledge them and the important job they do.

The food-related holiday today is National Coffee Milkshake Day. Yet another ice cream related holiday this month, National Coffee Milkshake Day salutes this particular frozen treat. I’m not a coffee drinker, so I’ll celebrate with a different flavor of milkshake, if you don’t mind.

On this date in 1947 – U.S. President Truman signed The National Security Act. The act created the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Also on this date in history:
1775 – A postal system was established by the 2nd Continental Congress of the United States. The first Postmaster General was Benjamin Franklin.
1788 – New York became the 11th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1908 – Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte issued an order that created an investigative agency that was a forerunner of the FBI.
1945 – Winston Churchill resigned as Britain’s prime minister.
1948 – Babe Ruth was seen by the public for the last time, when he attended the New York City premiere of the motion picture, “The Babe Ruth Story.”
1948 – U.S. President Truman signed executive orders that prohibited discrimination in the U.S. armed forces and federal employment.
1952 – King Farouk I of Egypt abdicated in the wake of a coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser.
1953 – Fidel Castro began his revolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba. Castro eventually ousted Batista six years later.
1956 – Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal.
1971 – Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy, FL.
1998 – AT&T and British Telecommunications PLC announced they were forming a joint venture to combine international operations and develop a new Internet system.
And, in 1999 – 1,500 pieces of Marilyn Monroe’s personal items went on display at Christie’s in New York, NY. The items went on sale later in 1999.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following list of celebrated people.
George Bernard Shaw 1856 – Playwright.
Carl Jung 1875 – Psychiatrist.
Aldous Huxley 1894 – Writer.
Gracie Allen 1906 – Comedienne.
Vivian Vance 1912 – Actress.
Marjorie Lord 1921 – Actress.
Blake Edwards 1922 – Director, producer.
Jason Robards, Jr. 1922 – Actor.
Hoyt Wilhelm 1923 – Baseball player.
James Best 1926 – Actor.
Stanley Kubrick 1928 – Director, producer.
Bobby Hebb 1941 – Singer, songwriter.
Dobie Gray 1943 – Singer, songwriter.
Mick Jagger 1943 – Musician.
Keil Martin 1944 – Actor.
Helen Mirren 1946 – Actress.
Susan George 1950 – Actress.
Dorothy Hamill 1956 – Figure skater.
Kevin Spacey 1959 – Actor.
Sandra Bullock 1964 – Actress.
Jeremy Piven 1965 – Actor.
Kate Beckinsale 1973 – Actress.
And finally, Derek Jeter 1974 – Baseball player.

Life Day 24119: Thread the Needle

Today is Thursday, July 25, 2013.
Good morning sewing enthusiasts. The first holiday today is Thread the Needle Day. Thread the Needle Day could refer to any one of a variety of distinct activities. First, it could refer to the obvious meaning, sewing. It could also refer to “threading the needle” on an issue. For example, you have two friends whose friendship you value, but they take opposing sides on an issue. In order to maintain a relationship with both of them you might have to “thread the needle” on that issue. The third possible context for this holiday is the children’s’ game of  “thread the needle”. This is a game in which two of the players hold their arms up to form an arch, while the remaining players, in a line, run or creep under the arch. This is done repeatedly, the couples taking it in turn to form the “needles eye”. “Threading the needle” also means traversing a difficult course between two places; akin to today’s saying “between a rock and a hard place”. It is also a term used in pocket billiards to refer to a difficult shot between through a narrow pathway to the pocket. “Threading the needle” is also a term used in football and basketball. It  is also a yoga pose.
Since the creator of this holiday cannot be determined, it is up to you to determine which way to interpret this holiday. I guess it depends upon your particular circumstance, so I’m “threading the needle” by presenting you with so many options.

The other holiday today is Carousel Day (or Merry-Go-Round Day). Carousel Day (or Merry-Go-Round Day) salutes that dying breed of boardwalk rides, the carousel. Back in their heyday, from the late 1800’s to the 1940’s, carousels were one of the most popular attractions at many boardwalks, fairs, and carnivals. The intricate carvings of the wooden animals on these rides were works of art. In the late 1940’s to the 1960’s, many of the classic wooden animals were replaced with ones made of metal. These to were well crafted, but in my opinion, lacked the character of the classic wood-carved ones.
All types of animals, not just horses, are a popular theme for merry-go-rounds and carousels. More than simple child’s play, the carousel is part of our cultural history. Some carousels are considered National Historic Landmarks. National Merry-Go-Round Day is a day to celebrate the simple carousel, found on boardwalks, museums and fairs around the United States. William Schneider of Davenport, Iowa patented the modern carousel on July 25, 1871.
If you have the opportunity, ride one of these classic carousels today.

The first food-relayed holiday today is Culinarian’s Day. You don’t have to be a chef, or a graduate of a culinary institute to celebrate Culinarian’s Day. If you cook, you can enjoy this holiday. Prepare a special meal that highlight your best culinary techniques, then enjoy the results.

The next food-related holiday is National Chili Dog Day. A part of National Hot Dog Month, National Chili Dog Day is always celebrated on the last Thursday in July. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans are expected to eat 7 billion hot dogs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. And during the month of July, 10 % of the annual retail hot dogs sales occur.
So, enjoy a chili dog (or two) today.

The final food-related holiday today is National Hot Fudge Sundae Day. You don’t have to be a member of a “think tank” to figure out how to celebrate National Hot Fudge Sundae Day. A part of National Ice Cream Month, this holiday is one of several ice cream related holidays we have celebrated this month. There is little known about the origins of this holiday, but ice cream in general has been around since Colonial times. Both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington indulged in this cool dessert and offered it to guests. Colonists were, in fact, the ones to term the dish “ice cream,” and the very first ice cream parlor in the country opened its doors in 1776 in New York.

On this date in 1987 – The Salt Lake City Trappers set a professional baseball record as the team won 29 consecutive games to begin the season.
Also on this date in history:
1805 – Aaron Burr visited New Orleans with plans to establish a new country, with New Orleans as the capital city.
1850 – In Worcester, MA, Harvard and Yale University freshmen met in the first intercollegiate billiards match.
1850 – Gold was discovered in the Rogue River in Oregon.
1861 – The Crittenden Resolution, which called for the American Civil War to be fought to preserve the Union and not for slavery, was passed by the U.S. Congress.
1866 – Ulysses S. Grant was named General of the Army. He was the first officer to hold the rank.
1868 – Congress passed an act creating the Wyoming Territory.
1909 – French aviator Louis Bleriot flew across the English Channel in a monoplane. He traveled from Calais to Dover in 37 minutes. He was the first man to fly across the channel.
1946 – The U.S. detonated an atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific. It was the first underwater test of the device.
1952 – Puerto Rico became a self-governing commonwealth of the U.S.
1978 – Louise Joy Brown, the first test-tube baby, was born in Oldham, England. She had been conceived through in-vitro fertilization.
1978 – Pete Rose (Cincinnati Red) broke the National League record for consecutive base hits as he got a hit in 38 straight games.
1984 – Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to walk in space. She was aboard the orbiting space station Salyut 7.
And, in 2010 – WikiLeaks leaked to the public more than 90,000 internal reports involving the U.S.-led War in Afghanistan from 2004-2010.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following list of noteworthy people.
Walter Brennan 1894 – Actor.
Jack Gilford 1907 – Actor.
Estelle Getty 1924 – Actress.
Barbara Harris 1935 – Actress.
Janet Margolin 1943 – Actress.
Donna Theodore 1945 – Actress, singer.
Walter Payton 1954 – Football player.
Iman 1955 – Model.
Illeana Douglas 1965 – Actress.
Matt LeBlanc 1967 – Actor.
And finally,Brad Renfro 1982 – Actor.

Life Day 24118: This is the Place

Today is Wednesday, July 24, 2013.
Good morning Latter Day Saints. The first holiday today is Mormon Pioneer Day. Mormon Pioneer Day celebrates the date in 1847 that Brigham Young looked out over the Salt Lake Valley and proclaimed: “This is the place.” After their founder, Joseph Smith, was murdered in 1844, the Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, moved westward from their settlement in Nauvoo, Illinois, under the leadership of Brigham Young. Over the next two decades, thousands of mormons followed suit, some pushing their belongings in handcarts. The original 40-acre plot with log houses where the Mormons settled is the modern Salt Lake City, and the day on which Young chose the site is celebrated not only in Utah, but in surrounding states with significant Mormon populations, such as Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, and California.
Other States celebrate their own form of Pioneer Day on different dates throughout the year.

The next holiday is National Tell an Old Joke Day. On National Tell an Old Joke Day, use your  repertoire of old jokes to amuse your friends and family. Laughter is not only fun, but many studies have shown that it’s also healthy.
Let me get you started.
“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Orange.”
“Orange who?”
“Orange you glad I told you about this holiday?”

The third holiday today is Amelia Earhart Day. Amelia Earhart Day is celebrated annually on the anniversary of her birth in 1897.
Amelia Earhart was a famous aviation pioneer who broke many early aviation records. Legend and mystery surrounds the final flight and disappearance of Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan. They were on a record setting attempt to fly around the world, when they became lost in the Pacific Ocean. On July 2, 1937, they headed on a difficult leg of the journey towards Howell Island in the Pacific. Weather conditions were less than ideal. While still in radio communication, ships on the ground confirmed that Earhart was having difficulty finding the island. Ultimately, radio communications faded and died. The plane was never heard from again. The disappearance of Amelia Earhart’s plane resulted in the largest search and rescue operation to date. It also sparked rumors as to what caused the disappearance. To this day, theories and speculation still exists about the cause of the disappearance. Some theories involve conspiracies, and even alien abductions.

The final holiday today is Cousin’s Day. Cousin’s Day celebrates your aunt and uncle’s children; many of whom are probably close to your own age. Cousins are the ones who made family reunions tolerable.
But wait, if your aunts and uncles had children, then you are a cousin too. Organize a cousin’s reunion of your own and get together with as many of your cousins as possible today. Don’r forget to say, ” What’s buzzin cuzzin?”

The first food-related holiday today is National Drive-Thru Day. After WWII, sunshine and a love affair with automobiles spurred the growth of roadside businesses in California catering specifically to motorists. They made getting lunch “on the go” easy and sometimes fun. America’s first major drive-through hamburger chain, Jack in the Box® restaurants was founded in 1951 and helped pave the way for this delicious and convenient new dining experience.

The other food-related holiday today is National Tequila Day. Tequila is North America’s first indigenous distilled drink or spirit, a strong distilled alcoholic liquor. It’s made from the sweet juice of the blue agave plant, and is produced via double-distillation in the area around the city of Tequila, located in the western Mexico state of Jalisco. The agave plant grows exceptionally well in the volcanic soil of the region, and Mexican law dictates that tequila can only be produced in Jalisco. Mezcal, the precursor of tequila, is a less refined spirit that can be made from five different varieties of agave. It is single-distilled, and is made mostly in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. (The agave plant is a succulent in the Agavaceae family, related to the lily family, and not a cactus). Before there was tequila or mezcal, there was pulque. Pulque, also called octli (“nectar of the gods”) was made by the Nahuatl Aztec tribe that migrated into the region. The first recorded cultivation of the blue agave dates to 1224 C.E. It is also recorded that in 1239, a very strong beverage called pulque was fermented from it. It is still made today.
I hope you’re well stocked with salt and limes (or Margarita mix).

On this date in 1974 – The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that President Nixon had to turn over subpoenaed White House tape recordings to the Watergate special prosecutor.
Also on this date in history:
1847 – Richard M. Hoe patented the rotary-type printing press.
1849 – Georgetown University in Washington, DC, presented its first Doctor of Music Degree. It was given to Professor Henry Dielman.
1866 – Tennessee became the first state to be readmitted to the Union after the U.S. Civil War.
1929 – U.S. President Hoover proclaimed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which renounced war as an instrument of foreign policy.
1948 – Soviet occupation forces in Germany blockaded West Berlin. The U.S.-British airlift began the following day.
1956 – Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis ended their comedy partnership. They ended the partnership a decade after it began on July 25, 1946.
1969 – The Apollo 11 astronauts splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
1978 – Billy Martin was fired for the first of three times as the manager of the New York Yankees baseball team.
And, in 1987 – Hulda Crooks, at 91 years of age, climbed Mt. Fuji. Hulda became the oldest person to climb Japan’s highest peak.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following list of notables.
Alexander Dumas 1802 – Author.
Chief Dan George 1899 – Author, actor.
Frank Silvera 1914 – Character actor.
Bella Abzug 1920 – Lawyer.
Ruth Buzzi 1936 – Comedienne, actress.
Dan Hedaya 1940 – Actor.
Robert Hayes 1947 – Actor.
Michael Richards 1949 – Actor, comedian.
Lynda Carter 1951 – Actress, singer.
Pam Tillis 1957 – Country singer.
Kadeem Hardison 1965 – Actor.
Laura Leighton 1968 – Actress.
Jennifer Lopez 1969 – Singer, actress.
Anna Paquin 1982 – Actress.
And finally, Mara Wilson 1987 – Actress.

Life day 24117: Gorgeous Grandma Day

Today is Tuesday, July 23, 2013.
Good morning grannies. The first holiday today is Gorgeous Grandma Day. Gorgeous Grandma Day celebrates those gorgeous women who still live life to its fullest and don’t let things like grandchildren or their age slow them down. Whether they are the keeper of the ‘secret’ family recipes, ride a Harley, or run a 10k’s for breast cancer, they want to get the most out of every day of their life. They cherish themselves as much as they cherish their loved ones. They love life, and let everyone know it.
Most of you won’t have to look past your own family to find a gorgeous grandma, so today, let her know how much you appreciate her and all that she does; that is if you can catch her. Who knows, maybe you are one yourself.

The other holiday today is Hot Enough For Ya Day. Hot Enough For Ya Day is pretty much self-explanatory. In most parts of the United States summer is in full swing. Record high are being broken at an alarming rate, so the best thing you can do to avoid the oppressive heat is to stay inside. If you have to venture outside, wear light clothing and a hat. And, don’t forget to say to all of the other unfortunates you encounter, “Hot Enough For Ya Day”?

The food-related holiday today is National Vanilla Ice Cream Day. National Vanilla Ice Cream Day celebrates one of Americas favorite ice cream flavors. Vanilla ice cream may not be the favorite flavor of ice cream (chocolate has that distinction) but vanilla is a close second, and is more  refreshing and more versatile. Whether you prefer a cone, a dish, an ice cream soda, a shake, a sundae, or a float, have some vanilla ice cream today.

On this date in1954 – A law is passed that states that “The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to repair, equip, and restore the United States Ship Constitution, as far as may be practicable, to her original appearance, but not for active service, and thereafter to maintain the United States Ship Constitution at Boston, Massachusetts.”
Also on this date in history1715 – The first lighthouse in America was authorized for construction at Little Brewster Island, Massachusetts.
1829 – William Burt patented the typographer, which was the first typewriter.
1877 – The first municipal railroad passenger service began in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1938 – The first federal game preserve was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The area was 2,000 acres in Utah.
1945 – The first passenger train observation car was placed in service by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.
1958 – The submarine Nautilus departed from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, under orders to conduct “Operation Sunshine.” The mission was to be the first vessel to cross the north pole by ship. The Nautils achieved the goal on August 3, 1958.
1962 – The “Telstar” communications satellite sent the first live TV broadcast to Europe.
1972 – The U.S. launched Landsat 1 (ERTS-1). It was the first Earth-resources satellite.
1984 – Miss America, Vanessa Williams, turned in her crown after it had been discovered that nude photos of her had appeared in “Penthouse” magazine. She was the first to resign the title.
1986 – Britain’s Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey in London. They divorced in 1996.
And, in1998 – Scientists at the University of Hawaii turned out more than 50 “carbon-copy” mice, with a cloning technique.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following list of noteworthy individuals.
Arthur Treacher 1894 –Actor.
Karl Swenson 1908 – Actor.
Coral Browne 1913 – Actress.
Gloria De Haven 1925 – Actress.
Bert Convey 1933 – Entertainer.
Don Drysdale 1936 – Baseball player.
Ronny Cox 1938 – Actor, musician.
Don Imus 1940 – Radio personality.
Larry Manetti 1947 – Actor.
Belinda Montgomery 1950 – Actress.
Edie McClurg 1951 – Actress.
Woody Harrelson 1961 – Actor.
Eriq LaSalle 1962 – Actor.
Slash 1965 – Musician.
Stephanie Seymour 1968 –Model.
Charisma Carpenter 1970 – Actress.
Alison Krauss 1971 – Bluegrass singer.
Marlon Wayans 1972 – Actor, comedian.
Omar Epps 1973 – Actor.
And finally, Michelle Williams 1980 – Singer.

Life Day 24116: Doonerism Spay

Today is Monday, July 22, 2013.
Mood gorning  smordwiths. The first holiday today is Spoonerism Day. Spoonerism Day celebrates the anniversary of the birth of Reverend William Archibald Spooner; born on this date in 1844. Reverend Spooner was small in stature, and an albino, but that is not what earned him his place in history. Spooner has been immortalized in history by what we call today spoonerisms: slips of the tongue where the initial consonant sounds of words are reversed. One of his most famous ‘spoonerisms’ occurred when he was officiating at a wedding ceremony. Instead of saying, “Son, it is now customary to kiss the bride”, he said, “Son, it is now kisstomary to cuss the bride”.
To celebrate this holiday, fake up a mew spoonerisms of your own.

The next holiday is Rat Catcher’s Day. Rat Catcher’s Day commemorates the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the most infamous of Rat Catchers. One of the most well known German folktales is the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The town of Hamelin, Germany was infested by rats. The mayor promised to handsomely pay the Pied Piper, if he rid the town of rats. The Pied Piper played his flute. Lured by the magical music, all of the rats left town, and followed him. He played his music all the way down to the river. He waded into the river. The rats followed him and drowned. The mayor refused to pay him. So, one night when the townspeople were asleep, the Pied Piper played his music again. This time, the children of the town followed him all the way into a cave. Some versions for the legend vary here. In one version, th e Pied Piper kept them there until he was paid by the town for his services. In most versions, the children were never to be seen again.
No one know for sure why Rat Catcher’s Day is celebrated on this date. According to the legend, the Pied Piper rid the town of Hamelin, Germany of rats on or around June 26, 1284. After the town mayor refused to make payment as promised, the Pied Piper returned to lure the children to a cave. In some versions of the legend, this occurred the next night. In others, he returned several weeks later. Perhaps that “several weeks later” was July 22nd.

The Third holiday today is Casual Pi Day. To refresh your memory, Pi is the relationship of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. No matter how large or small a circle is, the proportion of the distance around the circle to the distance across its widest part is exactly the same. That exact number starts off 3.14……and goes on for bazillions of non-repeating digits.
Casual Pi Day (aka Pi Approximation Day) is celebrated today because today’s date, when written in the European style (22/7), in mathematics means 22 divided by 7. If you divide 22 by 7 the answer is 3.14……., the approximate value of Pi.

The final holiday today is Hammock Day. Hammock Day is appropriately celebrated right in the middle of the Dog Days of summer (July 3 though August 11th, historically the hottest days of the year. It’s time to slow down and to relax, and there is no better place to slow down and relax, than on a hammock. This holiday exists to enjoy summer as it should be enjoyed. People celebrate Hammock Day by spending as much time relaxing on it as possible. Getting out of your hammock to get a snack, or your favorite summer beverage is okay. But, it is not a day for work. Normally, right about now, I would give you the history of this holiday, but today, I’m too busy relaxing in my hammock.

The food-related holiday today is National Penuche Fudge Day. Penuche is a fudge-like candy made from brown sugar, butter, and milk, using no flavorings except for vanilla. Penuche often has a tannish color, and is lighter than regular fudge. It is formed by the caramelization of brown sugar, thus its flavor is said to be reminiscent of caramel. Nuts, especially pecans, are often added to penuche for texture, especially in the making of penuche candies. It is primarily a regional food, found in New England and some places in the Southern United States, although, I remember my mother making it on many occasions when I was young, and I was raised in southern California. No matter where you are from, treat yourself to some today; assuming you can pry yourself away from your hammock.

On this date in 2004 – The September 11 commission’s final report was released. The 575-page report concluded that hijackers exploited “deep institutional failings within our government.” The report was released to White House officials the day before.
Also on this date in history:
1587 – A second English colony was established on Roanoke Island off North Carolina. The first colony vanished under mysterious circumstances.
1796 – Cleveland was founded by Gen. Moses Cleaveland.
1798 – The USS Constitution was underway and out to sea for the first time since being launched on October 21, 1797.
1926 – Babe Ruth caught a baseball at Mitchell Field in New York. The ball had been dropped from an airplane flying at 250 feet.
1933 – Wiley Post ended his around-the-world flight. He had traveled 15,596 miles in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes.
1937 – The Senate rejected President Roosevelt’s proposal to add more justices to the Supreme Court.
1941 – Plans for the Pentagon were presented to the House Subcommittee on Appropriations.
1955 – U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon chaired a cabinet meeting in Washington, DC. It was the first time that a Vice-President had carried out the task.
1975 – Confederate General Robert E. Lee had his U.S. citizenship posthumously restored by the U.S. Congress.
2000 – Astronomers at the University of Arizona announced that they had found a 17th moon orbiting Jupiter.
003 – In northern Iraq, Saddam Hussein’s sons Odai and Qusai died after a gunfight with U.S. forces.
2003 – In Paris, France, a fire broke out near the top of the Eiffel Tower. About 4,000 visitors were evacuated and no injuries were reported.
And, in 2009 – The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting up to 6 minutes and 38.8 seconds, occurred over parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

If you were born on this date, you share a birthday with the following list of distinguished people.
Gregor Mendel 1822 – Scientist.
Steve Vincent Benet 1889 – Author.
Bob Dole 1923 – Politician.
Orson Bean 1928 – Actor.
Oscar De La Renta 1932 – Fashion designer.
Louise Fletcher 1934 – Actress.
Alex Trebek 1940 – Television personality.
Bobby Sherman 1944 – Singer.
Danny Glover 1947 – Actor.
Albert Brooks 1947 – Actor.
Don Henley 1947 – Musician.
Willem Dafoe 1955 – Actor.
Joanna Going 1963 – Actress.
Emily Saliers 1963 – Singer.
David Spade 1964 – Comedian, actor.
John Leguizamo 1965 – Actor.
And finally, Irene Bedard 1967 – Actress.