Today is July 12 2014

Pecan Pie Day: More

• Different Colored Eyes Day: More
  
• National Simplicity Day (Henry David Thoreau's birthday): More
• Wayne Chicken Day: More
  Second Saturday in July
• Eat Your Jello Day (Bill Cosby's birthday): More
  What Jack Benny did for the six original flavors of Jello gelatin, on his radio show, Bill did for Jello Pudding. I like his skit 'Chicken Heart', in which he uses Jello as a novel monster deterrent More
• Uncle Miltie's (Milton Berle) birthday : More
  On Texaco Star Theater: More
• Carver Day (George Washington Carver's Birthday): More
  George Washington Carver Recognition Day, and official act of Congress is celebrated on Jan. 5th (Public Law 290).

• In 1862, The Medal of Honor is authorized by the US Congress.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Medal of Honor is the United States of America's highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. The medal is awarded by the President of the United States in the name of the U.S. Congress to U.S. military personnel only. There are three versions of the medal, one for the Army, one for the Navy, and one for the Air Force. Personnel of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard receive the Navy version.
  
  The Medal of Honor was created as a Navy version in 1861 named the "Medal of Valor", and an Army version of the medal named the "Medal of Honor" was established in 1862 to give recognition to men who distinguished themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity" in combat with an enemy of the United States. Because the medal is presented "in the name of Congress", it is often referred to as the "Congressional Medal of Honor". However, the official name is the "Medal of Honor", which began with the U.S. Army's version. Within United States Code the medal is referred to as the "Medal of Honor", and less frequently as "Congressional Medal of Honor".
  
  The Medal of Honor is usually presented by the President in a formal ceremony at the White House, intended to represent the gratitude of the American people, with posthumous presentations made to the primary next of kin. According to the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, there have been 3,514 Medals of Honor awarded to the nation's soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen since the decoration's creation, with just less than half of them awarded for actions during the four years of the American Civil War.
  
  In 1990, Congress designated March 25 annually as "National Medal of Honor Day". Due to its prestige and status, the Medal of Honor is afforded special protection under U.S. law against any unauthorized adornment, sale, or manufacture, which includes any associated ribbon or badge'.
  - At FamousDaily:More
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• In 1912, First foreign film is shown in the United States. It was a French film 'Queen Elizabeth' starring Sarah Bernhardt and Lon Tellegen.
  - At FamousDaily: More
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• In 1933, Congress passes 1st minimum wage law at 25 cents per hour (between $4 and $5 currently). It was part of the National Industrial Recovery Act. It was later declared unconstitutional.
  From Wikipedia: The minimum wage in the United States is set by a network of federal, state, and local statutes. Workers generally must be paid no less than the statutory minimum wage as specified by either the federal, state, or local government. As of July 2015, the federal government mandates a nationwide minimum wage level of $7.25 per hour. Effective January 1, 2015 there were 29 states with a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. From 2014 to 2015, nine states increased their minimum wage levels through automatic adjustments, while increases in 11 other states occurred through legislative or ballot changes. The federal minimum wage peaked at about $10 in 1968, as measured in 2014 inflation-adjusted dollars.
  
  'The first attempt at establishing a national minimum wage came in 1933, when a $0.25 per hour standard was set as part of the National Industrial Recovery Act. However, in the 1935 court case Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States (295 U.S. 495), the United States Supreme Court declared the act unconstitutional, and the minimum wage was abolished. The minimum wage was re-established in the United States in 1938 (pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act), once again at $0.25 per hour ($4.23 in 2015 dollars). In United States v. Darby Lumber Co. (1941), the Supreme Court upheld the Fair Labor Standards Act, holding that Congress had the power under the Commerce Clause to regulate employment conditions'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1946, 'The Adventures of Sam Spade' was heard on ABC radio for the first time. Later moved to CBS.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective was a radio series based loosely on the private detective character Sam Spade, created by writer Dashiell Hammett for The Maltese Falcon. The show ran for 13 episodes on ABC in 1946, for 157 episodes on CBS in 1946-1949, and finally for 51 episodes on NBC in 1949-1951. The series starred Howard Duff (and later, Steve Dunne) as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as his secretary Effie, and took a considerably more tongue-in-cheek approach to the character than the novel or movie. The announcer was Dick Joy.
  
  The series was largely overseen by producer/director William Spier. In 1947, scriptwriters Jason James and Bob Tallman received an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama from the Mystery Writers of America.
  
  Before the series, Sam Spade had been played in radio adaptations of The Maltese Falcon by both Edward G. Robinson (in a 1943 Lux Radio Theater production) and by Humphrey Bogart (in a 1946 Academy Award Theater production), both on CBS.
  
  Dashiell Hammett's name was removed from the series in the late 1940s because he was being investigated for involvement with the Communist Party. Later, when Howard Duff's name appeared in the Red Channels book, he was not invited to play the role when the series made the switch to NBC in 1950'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1962, The Rolling Stones perform their first ever concert, at the Marquee Club in London, England.
  From Wikipedia: The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first settled line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued as occasional pianist until his death in 1985. Jones departed the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969, having been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1975. Since then, Ronnie Wood has been on guitar in tandem with Richards. Following Wyman's departure in 1993, Darryl Jones has been the main bassist. Other notable keyboardists for the band have included Nicky Hopkins, active from 1967 to 1982; Billy Preston through the mid-1970s; and Chuck Leavell, active since 1982. The band was first led by Jones but after teaming as the band's songwriters, Jagger and Richards assumed de facto leadership.
  
  'Jagger, Richards and Jones with Stewart and Dick Taylor on bass billed as "The Rollin' Stones" played their first gig on 12 July 1962, at the Marquee Club, 165 Oxford Street, London. Their material included the Chicago blues, as well as Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley songs. Bassist Bill Wyman joined in December 1962 and drummer Charlie Watts the following January 1963 to form the band's long-standing rhythm section. The Rolling Stones' then acting manager Giorgio Gomelsky secured a Sunday afternoon residency at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, which, Gomelsky said, triggered an "international renaissance for the blues" and was a seminal facet of Swinging London's advent'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
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Had enough berries for a while? Got you covered. Tomorrow is 'Pecan Pie Day'. I will salute the state tree of Texas (the Pecan) by consuming the fruits of it's, and others, labors. As in the past, I will have mine with a big scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream on top and a hot cup of coffee.

A new movie hit the box office top fifty years ago on July 12 1964, 'The Killers', based on Hemingway's novel.

The theater will be dark and there will be no quick way to take a Selfie back in '64 so you would have to wait until you get outside to celebrate 'Different Colored Eyes Day'.

Ah, but let's just take it easy. It will be 'National Simplicity Day' to honor (Henry David Thoreau 's Birthday.

After all the calories you consumed in the huge piece of Pecan Pie you had for dinner, you may want a lighter dessert for a midnight snack. No problem, it will also be 'Eat Your Jello Day' to celebrate Bill Cosby's Birthday and all those Jello Pudding Pops he helped sell.

If your, Back-in-the-day machine is working well you might have your dinner on a TV tray and watch Uncle Miltie (Milton Berle's Birthday ) on the 'Texaco Star Theater'.

And we peanut lover's cannot forget to honor 'Carver Day', (George Washington Carver's birthday).

No. 1 song

• Get Around - The Beach Boys: More
  'A World Without Love' has been displaced by 'Get Around', which will hold the no. 1 spot until July 18 2014, when 'Rag Doll', takes over.
• Became No. 1 on this day in 1962.
  The Stripper (Instrumental) More

Top movie

• The Killers More
  Having displaced 'Circus World', it will be there until the weekend box office of July 19 1964 when, 'The Moon-Spinners', takes over.

• FamousBirthdays.com: July 12 Birthdays More
• FamousDaily.com: July 12 History More
• History.com: Historical Events on 12th July More
• HistoryOrb.com: Famous Deaths on 12th July More
• On-This-day.com history 12th July More
• On-This-day.com music history 12th July More
• Wikipedia.com: History July 12 More

National Baked Bean Month, National Culinary Arts Month, National Grilling Month, National Hot Dog Month, National Ice Cream Month, National July Belongs to Blueberries Month, National Vacation Rental Month,

July is:

July origin (from Wikipedia): Named by the Roman Senate in honor of Julius Caesar.
"is the seventh month of the year (between June and August) in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honor of the Roman general, Julius Caesar, it being the month of his birth. Prior to that, it was called Quintilis. It is, on average, the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer) and the coldest month in much of the Southern hemisphere (where it is the second month of winter). The second half of the year commences in July. In the Southern hemisphere, July is the seasonal equivalent of January in the Northern hemisphere."

July at Wikipedia: More

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

Best selling books of 1964 More

• 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

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