Text size Background

Today is May 16 2014

About     Other days


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

National Coquilles St. Jacques Day: More

Other celebrations/observances today:
  • National Bike to Work Day: More
    So, everyone find those air pumps and water bottles, strap on those saddle bags (I wonder if they still make them), make sure that generator for your front light, is riding against the wheel and for goodness sake straiten out that crumbled wire basket in front.
    Better start looking now for some old playing cards and clothes pins, for that just right sound. While you are at it, spray some WD40 into that bell. You know how those pedestrians just won't properly give up the right-of-way.
    When you get to work, better chain your bike to the door handle of your bosses car for safe keeping.
  • National Sea-Monkey Day: More
  • Love a Tree Day: More
  • O. Henry Pun-Off Day: More
  • Wear Purple for Peace Day: More
  • National Biographer's Day: More
  • Endangered Species Day: More
Events in the past on: May 16
  • In 1843, The first 'major' wagon train heading for the Pacific Northwest sets out on the Oregon Trail with one thousand pioneers from Elm Grove, Missouri.
    From Wikipedia: " ".In what was dubbed "The Great Migration of 1843" or the "Wagon Train of 1843", an estimated 700 to 1,000 emigrants left for Oregon. They were led initially by John Gantt, a former U.S. Army Captain and fur trader who was contracted to guide the train to Fort Hall for $1 per person. The winter before, Marcus Whitman had made a brutal mid-winter trip from Oregon to St. Louis to appeal a decision by his Mission backers to abandon several of the Oregon missions. He joined the wagon train at the Platte River for the return trip. When the pioneers were told at Fort Hall by agents from the Hudson's Bay Company that they should abandon their wagons there and use pack animals the rest of the way, Whitman disagreed and volunteered to lead the wagons to Oregon. He believed the wagon trains were large enough that they could build whatever road improvements they needed to make the trip with their wagons. The biggest obstacle they faced was in the Blue Mountains of Oregon where they had to cut and clear a trail through heavy timber. The wagons were stopped at The Dalles, Oregon by the lack of a road around Mount Hood. The wagons had to be disassembled and floated down the treacherous Columbia River and the animals herded arrived in the Willamette Valley by early October. A passable wagon trail now existed from the Missouri River to The Dalles. In 1846, the Barlow Road was completed around Mount Hood, providing a rough but completely passable wagon trail from the Missouri River to the Willamette Valley: about 2,000 miles (3,200 km)'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1866, The U.S. Congress eliminates the half-dime coin and authorizes the minting of a 5-cent coin, the nickel.
    From Wikipedia: 'The half dime, or half disme, was a silver coin, valued at five cents, formerly minted in the United States.

    Some numismatists consider the denomination to be the first coin minted by the United States Mint under the Coinage Act of 1792, with production beginning on or about July 1792. However, others consider the 1792 half dime to be nothing more than a pattern coin, or 'test piece', and this matter continues to be subject to debate.

    These coins were much smaller than dimes in diameter and thickness, appearing to be "half dimes". In the 1860s, powerful nickel interests successfully lobbied for the creation of new coins, which would be made of a copper-nickel alloy; production of such coins began in 1865, and were struck in two denominations — three and five cents (the latter introduced in 1866). The introduction of the copper-nickel five-cent pieces made the silver coins of the same denomination redundant, and they were discontinued in 1873.
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1888, Nikola Tesla delivers a lecture describing the equipment which will allow efficient generation and use of alternating currents to transmit electric power over long distances.
    From Wikipedia: 'In 1888, Electrical World magazine editor Thomas Commerford Martin (a friend and publicist) arranged for Tesla to demonstrate his alternating current system, including his induction motor, at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (now IEEE). Engineers working for the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company reported to George Westinghouse that Tesla had a viable AC motor and related power system — something for which Westinghouse had been trying to secure patents. Westinghouse looked into getting a patent on a similar commutator-less, rotating magnetic field-based induction motor presented in a paper in March 1888 by Italian physicist Galileo Ferraris, but decided that Tesla's patent would probably control the market'.

    In July 1888, Brown and Peck negotiated a licensing deal with George Westinghouse for Tesla's polyphase induction motor and transformer designs for $60,000 in cash and stock and a royalty of $2.50 per AC horsepower produced by each motor. Westinghouse also hired Tesla for one year for the large fee of $2,000 ($52,700 in today's dollars) per month to be a consultant at the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company's Pittsburgh labs'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1891, The International Electrotechnical Exhibition opens in Frankfurt, Germany, and will feature the world's first long distance transmission of high-power, three-phase electrical current (the most common form today).
    From Wikipedia: 'The 1891 International Electrotechnical Exhibition was held between 16 May and 19 October on the disused site of the three former “Westbahnhöfe” (Western Railway Stations) in Frankfurt am Main. The exhibition featured the first long distance transmission of high-power, three-phase electric current, which was generated 175 km away at Lauffen am Neckar. As a result of this successful field trial, three-phase current became established for electrical transmission networks throughout the world'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1929, The first Academy Awards show was held as a banquet at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
    From Wikipedia: 'The 1st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1927 and 1928 and took place on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. AMPAS president Douglas Fairbanks hosted the show. Tickets cost $5 (which would be $69 in 2016 considering inflation), 270 people attended the event and the presentation ceremony lasted fifteen minutes. Awards were created by Louis B. Mayer, founder of Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation (at present merged into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). It is the only Academy Awards ceremony not to be broadcast either on radio or television.

    During the ceremony, the AMPAS presented Academy Awards (now commonly referred to as Oscars) in twelve categories. Winners were announced three months before the live event. Some nominations were announced without reference to a specific film, such as for Ralph Hammeras and Nugent Slaughter, who received nominations in the now defunct category of Engineering Effects. Unlike later ceremonies, an actor or director could be awarded for multiple works within a calendar year. Emil Jannings, for example, was given the Best Actor award for his work in both The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command. Moreover, Charlie Chaplin and Warner Brothers each received an Honorary Award.

    Major winners at the ceremony included 7th Heaven and Sunrise, which each received three awards, and Wings, receiving two awards. Among its honors, Sunrise won the award for Unique and Artistic Picture and Wings won the award for Outstanding Picture (now known as Best Picture). These two categories at the time were seen as equally the top award of the night intended to honor different and equally important aspects of superior film making. The next year, the Academy dropped the Unique and Artistic Picture award, and decided retroactively that the award won by Wings was the highest honor that could be awarded'.
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1929, At the 1st Academy Awards (covering 1927 and 1928).
    - At Wikipedia (1st Academy Awards): More
    - Outstanding Picture was 'Wings' (1927)
      -- At Wikipedia: More
      -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
      -- On YouTube: More
    - Unique and Artistic Production was 'Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans' (1927)
      -- At Wikipedia: More
      -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
      -- On YouTube: More
    - Best Actor in a Leading Role was Emil Jannings for 'The Last Command' (1928) and 'The Way of All Flesh' (1927)
      -- At Wikipedia (The Way of All Flesh): More
      -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb (The Way of All Flesh): More
      -- On YouTube (The Way of All Flesh): More
      -- At Wikipedia (The Last Command): More
      -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb (The Last Command): More
      -- On YouTube (The Last Command): More
    - Best Actress in a Leading Role was anet Gaynor for 'Seventh Heaven'(1927), 'Street Angel' (1928) and 'Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans'
      -- At Wikipedia (Seventh Heaven): More
      -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb (Seventh Heaven): More
      -- On YouTube (Seventh Heaven): More
      -- At Wikipedia (Street Angel): More
      -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb (Street Angel): More
      -- On YouTube (Street Angel): More
  • In 1960, Theodore Maiman operates the first optical laser (a ruby laser), at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.
    From Wikipedia: 'Theodore Harold "Ted" Maiman (July 11, 1927 – May 5, 2007) was an American engineer and physicist credited with the invention of the first working laser. Maiman’s laser led to the subsequent development of many other types of lasers. The laser was successfully fired on May 16, 1960. In a July 7, 1960 press conference in Manhattan, Maiman and his employer, Hughes Aircraft Company, announced the laser to the world. Maiman was granted a patent for his invention, and he received many awards and honors for his work. Maiman's experiences in developing the first laser and subsequent related events are described in his book, The Laser Odyssey'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1965, Campbell Soup Company introduces Spaghetti-O's, under their Franco-American Brand..
    From Wikipedia: 'SpaghettiOs is an American brand of canned circular pasta shapes in a cheese and tomato sauce — and marketed to parents as "less messy" than spaghetti. More than 150 million cans of SpaghettiOs are sold each year.

    In addition to the original variety, variations have included SpaghettiOs Meatballs (with miniature meatballs), SpaghettiOs Sliced Franks (with pieces of processed meat resembling hot dog slices), SpaghettiOs RavioliOs (with round, beef-filled ravioli), SpaghettiOs with Calcium, and other theme-shaped varieties.

    Similar products are sold in the United Kingdom under names like "Spaghetti Rings", loops, hoops, etc.

    Introduced in 1965 by the Campbell Soup Company under the Franco-American brand, the pasta was created by Donald Goerke (1926–2010), "the Daddy-O of SpaghettiOs", after a year-long internal study of the appropriate shape for a pasta dish that people could eat without making a mess. Rejected shapes included cowboys, Native Americans, spacemen, stars, and sports shapes. During the development of SpaghettiOs, Goerke was a marketing manager with Franco-American, then a division of Campbell. During his 35 years with Campbell, Goerke created over 100 products including the Chunky line of soups.

    SpaghettiOs were introduced nationally without test marketing — with television advertising using the tag line "The neat round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon" and the jingle "Uh-Oh! SpaghettiOs", sung by pop singer Jimmie Rodgers (loosely based on his 1950s song "Oh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love Again").
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1981, 'Bette Davis Eyes' by Kim Carnes hits #1 for next
    From Wikipedia: '"Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, and made popular by American singer Kim Carnes. DeShannon recorded it in 1974; Carnes' 1981 version spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Billboard's biggest hit of the entire year for 1981. The 1981 recording won the 1982 Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year'.9 weeks.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1988, The Surgeon General declares nicotine as addictive as heroin and cocaine.
    From Wikipedia: 'Charles Everett Koop, MD (October 14, 1916 – February 25, 2013) was an American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator. He was a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and served as the 13th Surgeon General of the United States under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989. According to the Associated Press, "Koop was the only surgeon general to become a household name."

    Coop was known for his work to prevent tobacco use, AIDS, and abortion, and for his support of the rights of disable children.

    In his 1988 Report of the Surgeon General, it was reported that nicotine has an addictiveness similar to that of heroin or cocaine. Koop's report was somewhat unexpected, especially by those who expected him to maintain the status quo in regard to his office's position on tobacco products. During his tenure, in 1984, Congress passed legislation providing for new, rotated health warning labels on cigarette packs and required advertising to include the labels. Those labels remain unchanged today. New labels containing graphic depictions of smoking-caused illness and death have been announced by the FDA, but are on hold pending the outcome of tobacco industry legal challenges. Koop issued a challenge to Americans in 1984 to "create a smoke-free society in the United States by the year 2000." As Surgeon General, he released eight reports on the health consequences of tobacco use, including the first report on the health consequences of involuntary tobacco smoke exposure. During Koop's tenure as Surgeon General, smoking rates in the United States declined significantly from 38% to 27%'.
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - 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

  • Hello, Dolly! - Louis Armstrong': More
    'Can't Buy Me Love' has been displaced by 'Hello, Dolly!', which will hold the no. 1 spot until May 23th, when 'Love Me Do', takes over.

Top movie

  • The Carpetbaggers More
    Having displaced 'The Pink Panther', it will be there until the weekend box office of May 17 , 1964 when, 'Crack in the World', takes over.
  IV.
Today in the Past (reference sites): May 16
   V.
This month May 2014 (updated once a month - last updated - )

National Asparagus Month National Barbeque Month National Chocolate Custard Month National Egg Month National Gazpacho Aficionado Month National Hamburger Month National Salad Month National Strawberry Month


May is:

May origin (from Wikipedia):
The month May was named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for 'elders,' and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or 'young people'

May ' is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days.
May is a month of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere and spring in the Northern Hemisphere (Summer in Europe). Therefore May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. '

May 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
Contact: If you wish to make comment, please do so by writing to this: Email address