Today is October 20 2014

National Brandied Fruit Day: More

• National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day: More
  Third Monday in October
• Lung Health Day: More Monday of the Respiratory Care Week (Oct. 19-25 in 2014)
• Miss American Rose Day: More
• Suspenders Day: More
• World Osteoporosis Day: More

• In 1803, The United States Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Louisiana Purchase (French: Vente de la Louisiane "Sale of Louisiana") was the acquisition of the Louisiana territory (828,000 square miles) by the United States from France in 1803. The U.S. paid fifty million francs ($11,250,000 USD) and a cancellation of debts worth eighteen million francs ($3,750,000 USD) for a total of sixty-eight million francs ($15,000,000 USD, or around a quarter of a billion in 2016 dollars). The Louisiana territory included land from fifteen present U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. The territory contained land that forms Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska; the portion of Minnesota west of the Mississippi River; a large portion of North Dakota; a large portion of South Dakota; the northeastern section of New Mexico; the northern portion of Texas; the area of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide; Louisiana west of the Mississippi River (plus New Orleans); and small portions of land within the present Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Its population was around 60,000 inhabitants, of whom half were African slaves.
  
  The Kingdom of France controlled the Louisiana territory from 1699 until it was ceded to Spain in 1762. Napoleon in 1800, hoping to re-establish an empire in North America, regained ownership of Louisiana. However, France's failure to put down the revolt in Saint-Domingue, coupled with the prospect of renewed warfare with the United Kingdom, prompted Napoleon to sell Louisiana to the United States. The Americans originally sought to purchase only the port city of New Orleans and its adjacent coastal lands, but quickly accepted the bargain. The Louisiana Purchase occurred during the term of the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. Before the purchase was finalized, the decision faced Federalist Party opposition; they argued that it was unconstitutional to acquire any territory. Jefferson agreed that the U.S. Constitution did not contain explicit provisions for acquiring territory, but he asserted that his constitutional power to negotiate treaties was sufficient'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1818, The Convention of 1818 is signed between the United States and the United Kingdom, which among other things, settles the Canada–United States border on the 49th parallel for most of its length.
  From Wikipedia: 'Westward expansion of both British North America and the United States saw the boundary extended west along the 49th parallel from the Northwest Angle at Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains under the Treaty of 1818. This treaty extinguished British claims south of that latitude to the Red River Valley, which was part of Rupert's Land. The treaty also extinguished U.S. claims to land north of that line in the watershed of the Missouri River, which was part of the Louisiana Purchase; this amounted to three small areas, consisting of the northern part of the drainages of the Milk River (today in southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan), the Poplar River (Saskatchewan), and Big Muddy Creek (Saskatchewan)'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1873, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Rutgers universities draft the first code of American football rules.
  From Wikipedia: 'American football evolved from the sports of association football (soccer) and rugby football. Rugby football, like American football, is a sport where two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points.
  
  What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams. The game was played between two teams of 25 players each and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head or sides, with the ultimate goal being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6 goals to 4. Collegiate play continued for several years in which matches were played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873 to create a standard set of rules for all schools to adhere to. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball.
  
  An 1875 Harvard-Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two impressed Princeton athletes. These players introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos." Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp, now regarded as the "Father of American Football," secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1906, Dr Lee DeForest demonstrated his electrical vacuum tube (radio tube).
  From Wikipedia: 'In electronics, a vacuum tube, an electron tube, or just a tube (North America), or valve (Britain and some other regions), is a device that controls electric current between electrodes in an evacuated container. Vacuum tubes mostly rely on thermionic emission of electrons from a hot filament or a cathode heated by the filament. This type is called a thermionic tube or thermionic valve. A phototube, however, achieves electron emission through the photoelectric effect. Not all electronic circuit valves/electron tubes are vacuum tubes (evacuated); gas-filled tubes are similar devices containing a gas, typically at low pressure, which exploit phenomena related to electric discharge in gases, usually without a heater.
  
  The simplest vacuum tube, the diode, contains only a heater, a heated electron-emitting cathode (the filament itself acts as the cathode in some diodes), and a plate (anode). Current can only flow in one direction through the device between the two electrodes, as electrons emitted by the cathode travel through the tube and are collected by the anode. Adding one or more control grids within the tube allows the current between the cathode and anode to be controlled by the voltage on the grid or grids. Tubes with grids can be used for many purposes, including amplification, rectification, switching, oscillation, and display.
  
  Invented in 1904 by John Ambrose Fleming, vacuum tubes were a basic component for electronics throughout the first half of the twentieth century, which saw the diffusion of radio, television, radar, sound reinforcement, sound recording and reproduction, large telephone networks, analog and digital computers, and industrial process control. Although some applications had counterparts using earlier technologies such as the spark gap transmitter or mechanical computers, it was the invention of the vacuum tube that made these technologies widespread and practical. In the 1940s the invention of semiconductor devices made it possible to produce solid-state devices, which are smaller, more efficient, more reliable, more durable, and cheaper than tubes. Hence, from the mid-1950s solid-state devices such as transistors gradually replaced tubes. The cathode-ray tube (CRT) remained the basis for televisions and video monitors until superseded in the 21st century. However, there are still a few applications for which tubes are preferred to semiconductors; for example, the magnetron used in microwave ovens, and certain high-frequency amplifiers'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1930, The radio show, 'Adventures of Sherlock Holmes', premieres on NBC radio, From Wikipedia: 'In the 1930s, writer, actress, and producer Edith Meiser was largely responsible for first bringing Holmes to American radio listeners. Meiser, loved the Holmes stories, helped sell the show to the NBC radio network and found a sponsor. She wrote the show by herself for 12 years, 1930–1942, both adapting Doyle's classic tales as well as writing new adventures in the Holmesian style.
  The first show she adapted was 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band'. It was broadcast on October 20, 1930 and featured William Gillette in the lead role.
  Various actors played the Holmes and Watson parts in the series until October 2, 1939 when Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce were cast after appearing in the 1939 film “The Hound of the Baskervilles'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - At Wikipedia (1939 - The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes): More
  - On YouTube (William Gillette): More
  - On YouTube (Rathbone and Bruce Radio): More
  - On YouTube (Rathbone and Bruce Movie): More
• In 1939, 'All the Things You Are' was recorded by Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.
  From Wikipedia: '"All the Things You Are" is a song composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II.
  
  The song was written for the musical Very Warm for May (1939), introduced by Hiram Sherman, Frances Mercer, Hollace Shaw, and Ralph Stuart. It later appeared in the film Broadway Rhythm (1944), and was performed during the opening credits and as a recurring theme for the romantic comedy A Letter for Evie (1945). It also appeared in the 2005 film Mrs. Henderson Presents starring Judi Dench.
  
  The song ranked in the top five of the Record Buying Guide of Billboard, a pre-retail listing which surveyed primarily the jukebox industry. Recordings by Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, and Frankie Masters propelled the song during its initial popularity'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1955, The song originally named 'Day-O' was recorded by Harry Belafonte. The name was changed to 'The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)'.
  From Wikipedia: '"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" is a traditional Jamaican folk song; the best-known version was released by American singer Harry Belafonte in 1956 and later became one of his signature songs. That same year The Tarriers released an alternative version that incorporated the chorus of another Jamaican folk song, "Hill and Gully Rider". The Tarriers version was later recorded by Shirley Bassey. Other recordings were made of the song in 1956-1957, as well as later.
  
  The song has mento influences, but "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" was commonly classified as an example of the better known calypso music. It is a work song, from the point of view of dock workers working the night shift loading bananas onto ships. Daylight has come, the shift is over, and they want their work to be counted up so that they can go home'.
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• In 1957, Walter Cronkite began hosting 'The 20th Century'. The show aired until January 4, 1970.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Twentieth Century was a documentary television program sponsored by the Prudential Insurance Company that ran on the CBS network from 20 October 1957 until 4 January 1970. It was hosted by Walter Cronkite. The opening and closing theme music was written by composer George Antheil. The program presented filmed reports on news and cultural events that were important for the development of the 20th century. The show did not just present the events but also interpreted them. Such subjects as World War I and major assassinations were presented in context.
  
  On 20 January 1967 the show, sponsored by Union Carbide ("The Discovery Company"), was renamed The 21st Century. The show's focus changed to the future and to what mankind could look forward to. The 21st Century was cancelled after three seasons (its final broadcast was on 4 January 1970). The reason given was that the writers had run out of things to talk about. However, it is possible that CBS may have wished to replace it with a more commercially successful program'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
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• In 1962, The Four Seasons released, Big Girls Don't Cry.
  From Wikipedia: '"Big Girls Don't Cry" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio and originally recorded by The Four Seasons. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 17, 1962, and, like its predecessor "Sherry", spent five weeks in the top position. The song also made it to number one, for three weeks, on Billboard's Rhythm and Blues survey.
  
  According to Gaudio, he was dozing off while watching the John Payne/Rhonda Fleming/Ronald Reagan movie Tennessee's Partner (1955) when he heard Payne's character slap Fleming in the face. After the slap, Fleming's character replied, "Big girls don't cry." Gaudio wrote the line on a scrap of paper, fell asleep, and wrote the song the next morning.
  
  However, the now-famous line does not appear in the Ronald Reagan film. According to Bob Crewe, he himself was dozing off in his Manhattan home with the television on when he awoke to see John Payne manhandling Rhonda Fleming in Slightly Scarlet, a 1956 film noir based on a James M. Cain story. The line is heard in that film.
  
  Like "Sherry", the lead in "Big Girls Don't Cry" is sung mostly in falsetto. With this song, the Four Seasons became the first rock-era act to hit the top spot on the Hot 100 with their first two chart entries (their first single, "Bermuda"/"Spanish Lace", did not appear on any Billboard chart in 1961).
  
  Various episodes of Happy Days features this song, most notably when it is played in the jukebox at Arnold's diner. It was also used, with customized lyrics sung by the Four Seasons themselves, as the theme song to Joey Reynolds's various radio programs throughout the United States.
  
  It has also appeared in the soundtrack to the 1987 film Dirty Dancing'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1973, OAPEC oil embargo begins, leading to the U.S. automotive market switching to smaller, more fuel efficient cars.
  From Wikipedia: 'The 1973 oil crisis began in October 1973 when the members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries proclaimed an oil embargo. By the end of the embargo in March 1974, the price of oil had risen from US$3 per barrel to nearly $12 globally; US prices were significantly higher. The embargo caused an oil crisis, or "shock", with many short- and long-term effects on global politics and the global economy. It was later called the "first oil shock", followed by the 1979 oil crisis, termed the "second oil shock."'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
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Tomorrow's food holiday will be 'National Brandied Fruit Day'.

You have been accumulating junk on your PC since you got it for Christmas last year. Tomorrow is a good time to clean it up and speed it up. Tomorrow will be 'National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day'.

Tomorrow will be 'Miss American Rose Day'. Settle down guys. This is not, yet another day on which you need to run out and pay a big price for those long stem beauties. This day is for the ladies. "Miss American Rose recognizes and rewards girls and women of all ages for their accomplishments through an online and online/mail-in format competition. It is based primarily on achievements. There are optional competitions in: achievement, academics, talent, community service, career, and beauty (photo or essay). Miss American Rose is a 100% online/mail-in pageant so there are NO travel or clothing expenses, no worrying about hair and make-up, and no stage fright!".

For you super careful guys out there. Tomorrow will be 'Suspenders Day'. If a belt isn't enough, try some 'stylish braces' (which I think the day is really about) also. As for the caution thing, I am a belt suspenders and elastic waistband kind of a guy.

Tomorrow we have two awareness days. 'Lung Health Day' during this week of Respiratory Care Week (Oct. 19-25 in 2014) and 'World Osteoporosis Day'.

Robert Brault, HAS SAID 'Some day man will travel at the speed of light, of small interest to those of us still trying to catch up to the speed of time.' If we can't slow down the now, then lets look into the past, which has conveniently agreed to stand still for us, so we can look at October 20 in the past.

In 1803, The US Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase.

In 1818, The Convention of 1818 signed between the US and the UK which, among other things, settles the Canada–US border on the 49th parallel for most of its length.

In 1873, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Rutgers universities draft the first code of American football rules.

In 1906, Dr Lee DeForest demonstrated his electrical vacuum tube. This really kicked off the electronics revolution in the last century.

In 1965, The last Volvo PV series rolls off the assembly line.

In 1973, OAPEC oil embargo begins, leading to the U.S. automotive market switching to smaller, more fuel efficient cars.

No. 1 song

• Do Wah Diddy Diddy - Manfred Mann: More
  'Oh, Pretty Woman' has been displaced by 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy', which will hold the no. 1 spot until October 31 2014, when 'We'll Sing in the Sunshine', takes over.

Top movie

• Send Me No Flowers More
  Having displaced 'Fail-Safe', it will be there until the weekend box office of October 25 1964 when, 'Mary Poppins (regains the box office)', takes over.

• FamousBirthdays.com: October 20 Birthdays More
• FamousDaily.com: October 20 History More
• History.com: Historical Events on 20th October More
• HistoryOrb.com: Famous Deaths on 20th October More
• On-This-day.com history 20th October More
• On-This-day.com music history 20th October More
• Wikipedia.com: History October 20 More

Food: Apple Month, Rhubarb Month, Sausage Month, Spinach Lovers Month, National Chili Month, National Popcorn Poppin' Month, National Seafood Month Pear and Pineapple Month, , Vegetarian Month
Other
AIDS Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bullying Prevention Month, Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Class Reunion Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Dyslexia Awareness Month, National Book Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, National Down Syndrome Month, National Spina Bifida Awareness Month, National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month

October is:

October origin (from Wikipedia): October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old Roman calendar, October retained its name (from the Greek meaning 'eight') after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans. "
October is commonly associated with the season of autumn in the Northern hemisphere and spring in the Southern hemisphere, where it is the seasonal equivalent to April in the Northern hemisphere and vice versa.

October 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