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Today is March 30 2014

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   I.
Today's Holidays and Historical Events (updated daily)
Today's Food Holiday

Turkey Neck Soup Day: More
I'll take mine with a drumstick, stuffing, cranberries and yams on the side.

Other celebrations/observances today:
  • Pencil Day: More
    Now, why didn't I think of that!
  • National Doctors' Day: More
    Thank your non-fiction equivalent of Dr.: Ggillespie, Kildare, Zorba, Casey, Christian or Welby today.
  • Take A Walk In The Park Day: More
    Just don't do it after dark.
Events in the past on: March 30
  • In 240 BC, The first recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Last was Feb. 9 1986. Next will be July 28 2061.
    From Wikipedia: 'Halley's Comet or Comet Halley, officially designated 1P/Halley, is a short-period comet visible from Earth every 75–76 years. Halley is the only known short-period comet that is clearly visible to the naked eye from Earth, and the only naked-eye comet that might appear twice in a human lifetime. Halley last appeared in the inner parts of the Solar System in 1986 and will next appear in mid-2061'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1842, Ether anesthesia is used for the first time, in an operation by the American surgeon Dr. Crawford Long.
    From Wikipedia: 'American physician Crawford W. Long noticed that his friends felt no pain when they injured themselves while staggering around under the influence of ether. He immediately thought of its potential in surgery. Conveniently, a participant in one of those "ether frolics", a student named James Venable, had two small tumors he wanted excised. But fearing the pain of surgery, Venable kept putting the operation off. Hence, Long suggested that he have his operation while under the influence of ether. Venable agreed, and on 30 March 1842 he underwent a painless operation. However, Long did not announce his discovery until 1849'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube (1846 public demo): More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1867, Russia sells Alaska to the United States. The 7.2 million dollar deal was championed by Secretary of State William H. Seward.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Alaska Purchase was the United States' acquisition of Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867 by a treaty ratified by the United States Senate.

    Russia wanted to sell its Alaskan territory, fearing that it might be seized if war broke out with Britain. Russia's primary activities in the territory had been fur trade and missionary work among the Native Alaskans. The land added 586,412 square miles (1,518,800 km2) of new territory to the United States.

    Reactions to the purchase in the United States were mostly positive, with some opponents calling it "Seward's Folly" (after Secretary of State William H. Seward), while many others praised the move for weakening both Britain and Russia as rivals to American commercial expansion in the Pacific region. The purchase threatened British control of its Pacific coast colony, giving added impetus to Canadian Confederation, which was realized just three months later, in July 1867. The Dominion of Canada would welcome British Columbia to confederation in 1871, ending US hopes of annexation and an uninterrupted connection of Alaska to the United States.

    Originally organized as the Department of Alaska, the area was renamed the District of Alaska and the Alaska Territory before becoming the modern state of Alaska upon being admitted to the Union as a state in 1959.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1870, The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, officially takes effect, giving African-Americans the right to vote.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It was ratified on February 3, 1870, as the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments'.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1870, The United States Congress readmitted Texas into the Union after Civil War reconstruction.
    From Wikipedia: 'During the American Civil War, Texas had joined the Confederate States. The Confederacy was defeated, and U.S. Army soldiers arrived in Texas on June 19, 1865 to take possession of the state, restore order, and enforce the emancipation of slaves. The date is now commemorated as the holiday Juneteenth. On June 25, troops raised the American flag in Austin, the state capital.

    U.S. President Andrew Johnson appointed Union General Andrew J. Hamilton, a prominent politician before the war, as the provisional governor on June 17. He granted amnesty to ex-Confederates if they promised to support the Union in the future, appointing some to office. Angry returning veterans seized state property and Texas went through a period of extensive violence and disorder. Most outrages took place in northern Texas and were committed by outlaws who had their headquarters in the Indian Territory and plundered and murdered without distinction of party.

    On March 30, 1870, the United States Congress readmitted Texas into the Union, although Texas did not meet all the formal requirements for readmission.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
    - On YouTube (1870 map): More
  • In 1939, 'Detective Comics' #27 is released, introducing Batman.
    From Wikipedia: 'Detective Comics is the title used for two American comic book series published by DC Comics. The first, published from 1937 to 2011, was best known for introducing the superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 (cover dated May 1939).'

    'Detective Comics #27 (May 1939) featured the first appearance of Batman. That superhero would eventually become the star of the title, the cover logo of which is often written as "Detective Comics featuring Batman". Because of its significance, issue #27 is widely considered one of the most valuable comic books in existence, with one copy selling for $1,075,000 in a February 2010 auction'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1955, At the 27th Academy Awards:
    From Wikipedia: More
    Best Picture is, On the Waterfront
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actor is Marlon Brando for 'On the Waterfront'
    Best Actress is Grace Kelly for 'The Country Girl'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Supporting Actor is Edmond O'Brien for 'The Barefoot Contessa'
    Best Supporting Actress is Eva Marie Saint for 'On the Waterfront'
    Best Song is Three Coins in the Fountain from 'Three Coins in the Fountain'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- On YouTube: More
  • In 1957, Buddy Knox became the first artist in the Rock and Roll era to write his own #1 hit single with 'Party Doll'.
    From Wikipedia: '"Party Doll" is a 1957 rock 'n' roll song written by Buddy Knox and Jimmy Bowen. It was performed by Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids and became a hit on the Roulette label.

    Buddy Knox was a teenager living near Happy, Texas, in 1948 when he wrote the original verses of "Party Doll" behind a haystack on his family farm. While attending college at West Texas State University, he and two college friends, Jimmy Bowen and Don Lanier, traveled to Clovis, New Mexico to record the song at the studio of Norman Petty.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1964, TV game show 'Jeopardy' premieres.
    From Wikipedia: 'Jeopardy! is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show features a quiz competition in which contestants are presented with general knowledge clues in the form of answers, and must phrase their responses in the form of questions. The original daytime version debuted on NBC on March 30, 1964, and aired until January 3, 1975. A weekly nighttime syndicated edition aired from September 1974 to September 1975, and a revival, The All-New Jeopardy!, ran on NBC from October 1978 to March 1979. A daily syndicated version premiered on September 10, 1984, and is still airing, making it by far the program's most successful incarnation'.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1971, Howard Schultz opens up the first ever Starbucks coffee shop in Seattle, Washington.
    From Wikipedia: 'Starbucks Corporation is an American coffee company and coffeehouse chain. The chain was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1971; it operates 23,768 locations worldwide, including 13,107 (+170) in the United States, 2,204 (+86) in China, 1,418 (-12) in Canada, 1,160 (+2) in Japan and 872 in South Korea (bumping United Kingdom from 5th place) (Differences reflect growth since Jan 8, 2016)'.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1981, President Reagan is shot and seriously wounded (but not killed) by lone gunman.
    From Wikipedia: 'The attempted assassination of United States President Ronald Reagan occurred on March 30, 1981, 69 days into his presidency. While leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr'.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1987, Vincent Van Gogh's painting 'Sunflowers' is purchased anonymously for almost $36.3 million.
    From Wikipedia: 'Sunflowers (original title, in French: Tournesols) are the subject of two series of still life paintings by the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. The earlier series executed in Paris in 1887, depicts the flowers lying on the ground, while the second set executed a year later in Arles shows bouquets of sunflowers in a vase.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1987, At the 59th Academy Awards:
    From Wikipedia: More
    Best Picture is, Platoon
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actor is Paul Newman for 'The Color of Money'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actress is Marlee Matlin for 'Children of a Lesser God'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Supporting Actor is Michael Caine for 'Hannah and Her Sisters'
    Best Supporting Actress is Dianne Wiest for 'Hannah and Her Sisters'
    Best Song is Take My Breath Away' from 'Top Gun'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- On YouTube: More
  • In 1992, At the 64th Academy Awards:
    From Wikipedia: More
    Best Picture is, The Silence of the Lambs'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actor is Anthony Hopkins for 'The Silence of the Lambs'
    -- At Wikipedia: More//
    Best Actress is Jodie Foster for 'The Silence of the Lambs'
    Best Supporting Actor is Jack Palance for 'City Slickers'
    Best Supporting Actress is Mercedes Ruehl for 'The Fisher King'
    Best Song is Beauty and the Beast' from 'Beauty and the Beast'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- On YouTube: More
  II.
Henry's Heads Up! - previous days social media post (updated daily)

Nothing. Looks like I was lazy on this day.

 III.
Top Song & Movie 50 years ago today

No. 1 song

  • She Loves You - The Beatles: More
    I Want To Hold Your Hand, has been displaced by another Beatles song. 'She Loves You', which will hold the no. 1 spot until April 4th, when another Beatles song, Twist And Shout, takes over.

Top movie

  • The Pink Panther More
    Having displaced 'Kissin' Cousins', it will be there until the weekend box office of April 12, 1964 when, 'The Carpetbaggers', takes over.
  IV.
Today in the Past (reference sites): March 30
   V.
This month March 2014 (updated once a month - last updated - )

National Celery Month, National Flour Month, National Nutrition Month, National Noodle Month, National Peanut Month, National Sauce Month


March is:

March origin (from Wikipedia):
'The name of March comes from Latin Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named for Mars, the Roman god of war who was also regarded as a guardian of agriculture and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. '

March 'is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is one of seven months that are 31 days long. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20th or 21st marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where September is the seasonal equivalent of the Northern Hemisphere's March. '

March at Wikipedia: More

  VI.
TV fifty years ago 1964 (updated yearly - last updated Jan. 1 2014)

If you couldn't afford 90 cents for a movie ticket, 50 years ago, or your 45 RPM record player was broke, you might watch one of these shows on TV.
From this Wikipedia article: More

 VII.
Best selling books fifty years ago (updated yearly - last updated Jan. 1 2014)

Best selling books of 1964 More

VIII.
Fun (Last link added October 1 2014, but content on each site may change daily)
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day: More
  • NOAA: - National Hurricane Center - Atlantic Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook: More
  • Listen to Old Radio Shows: (streaming mp3 with schedule) More
  • NASA TV: (video feed) More
    NASA TV schedule: More
  • Public Domain eBook Links

    Sites for downloading or reading free Public Domain eBooks. Available in various formats. More

  • Podcast: A Moment of Science. Approximately 1 minute general science facts.
    Home page: More
    RSS: More
  • Podcast: The Naked Scientists. Current science, medicine, space and other science
    Home page: More
    RSS: More
  • Podcast: Quirks & Quarks. Current science news.
    Home page: More
    RSS: More
  • Articles and videos: Universe Today. Current space and astronomy news.
    Home page: More
    RSS: More
  • Old Picture of the Day - "Each day we bring you one stunning little glimpse of history in the form of a historical photograph."
    Home page: More
    RSS: More
  IX.
Other Holiday Sites (Last link added October 1 2014. Link content changes yearly)

Below, are listed several holiday sites that I reference in addition to other holiday researches.


US Government Holidays

  • 2014 Postal Holidays More
  • 2014 Official Federal Holidays More

Holidays Worldwide

  • List of holidays by country More
  • Holidays and Observances around the World More
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