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Today is January 18 2015

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

Peking Duck Day: More

Other celebrations/observances today:
  • Thesaurus Day: More
  • National Winnie The Pooh Day: More
  • National Sanctity of Human Life Day: More
    Third Sunday in January. 1984 Presidential proclamation.
  • World Religion Day: More
  • World Snow Day: More
  • Bald Eagle Appreciation Days: More
    Third weekend in January
Events in the past on: January 18
  • In 1778, James Cook is the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands".
    From Wikipedia: 'Captain James Cook (7 November 1728- 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy. Cook made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1896, An X-ray generating machine is exhibited for the first time by H.L. Smith. From Wikipedia: 'The discovery of X-rays came from experimenting with Crookes tubes, an early experimental electrical discharge tube invented by English physicist William Crookes around 1869-1875. In 1895, Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays emanating from Crookes tubes and the many uses for X-rays were immediately apparent. One of the first X-ray photographs was made of the hand of Röntgen's wife. The image displayed both her wedding ring and bones. On January 18, 1896 an X-ray machine was formally displayed by H.L. Smith'. More
    - On YouTube: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1911, The first landing of an aircraft on a ship.
    From Wikipedia: Eugene Burton Ely (October 21, 1886– October 19, 1911) was an aviation pioneer, credited with the first shipboard aircraft take off and landing.'

    'Two months later, on January 18, 1911, Ely landed his Curtiss pusher airplane on a platform on the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania anchored in San Francisco Bay. Ely flew from the Tanforan Racetrack in San Bruno, California and landed on the Pennsylvania, which was the first successful shipboard landing of an aircraft. This flight was also the first ever using a tailhook system, designed and built by circus performer and aviator Hugh Robinson. Ely told a reporter: "It was easy enough. I think the trick could be successfully turned nine times out of ten".'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1919, Walter Owen Bentley launches Bentley Motors Limited - the business would later be purchased by Rolls-Royce. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1948, Ted Mack's, Original Amateur Hour, begins.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Original Amateur Hour is an American radio and television program. The show was a continuation of Major Bowes Amateur Hour which had been a radio staple from 1934 to 1945. Major Edward Bowes, the originator of the program and its master of ceremonies, left the show in 1945 and died the following year. He was ultimately succeeded by Ted Mack, when the show was brought into television in 1948.

    The show is a progenitor of later, similar programs such as Star Search, American Idol and America's Got Talent'. More
    - On YouTube (TV): More
    - On YouTube (Major Bowes on radio: More
  • In 1974 - The TV show, The Six Million Dollar Man, starring Lee Majors premieres.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for a fictional government office known as OSI. The series is based on the Martin Caidin novel Cyborg, which was the proposed title of the series during pre-production. Following three television movies aired in 1973, The Six Million Dollar Man aired on the ABC network as a regular series for five seasons from 1974 to 1978. The title role of Steve Austin was played by Lee Majors, who subsequently became a pop culture icon of the 1970s.

    A spin-off series, The Bionic Woman, ran from 1976 to 1978 (and, in turn, was the subject of a remake in 2007). Three television movies featuring both eponymous characters were also produced between 1987 and 1994'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1975, The TV show 'The Jeffersons, a spinoff from 'All in the Family' premieres, and runs for 11 seasons.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975 to 1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982 to 1985. The Jeffersons is one of the longest-running sitcoms in the history of American television'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1980, Pink Floyd's, The Wall, hits #1.
    From Wikipedia: 'As with Pink Floyd's previous three albums, The Wall is a concept album and explores themes of abandonment and personal isolation'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1981, Phil Smith and Phil Mayfield parachute off a Houston skyscraper, becoming the first two people to BASE jump from objects in all four categories: buildings, antennae, spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs). More
  • In 1983, IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals 70 years after they were taken from him for being paid $25 in semipro baseball.
    From Wikipedia: 'In 1912, strict rules regarding amateurism were in effect for athletes participating in the Olympics. Athletes who received money prizes for competitions, were sports teachers or had competed previously against professionals were not considered amateurs and were barred from competition'.
    In late January 1913, the Worcester Telegram published a story announcing that Thorpe had played professional baseball, and other U.S. newspapers followed up the story. Thorpe had indeed played professional baseball in the Eastern Carolina League for Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in 1909 and 1910, receiving meager pay; reportedly as little as US$2 ($51 today) per game and as much as US$35 ($889 today) per week. College players, in fact, regularly spent summers playing professionally but most used aliases, unlike Thorpe'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1991, Eastern Airlines shut down after 62 years in business due to financial problems. More
  II.
Henry's Heads Up! - previous days social media post (updated daily)

Tomorrow's food holiday will be ' Peking Duck Day'. Baked in a brick oven, to obtain a crispy skin, the official 'Imperial Peking' duck breed is served with pancakes, spring onions and sauce.
[The Hankster says] I've never had a Chinese duck to dinner. I did invite an American one, named Donald, but it was not an enjoyable meal. I couldn't understand a thing he said.

Tomorrow is 'Thesaurus Day'. Thesaurus is Latin for treasure. This day was chosen to honor it's first author, Peter Mark Roget on his birthday in 1779. It has remained in publication since it was written in 1852.
[The Hankster says] The other such long lived publication is my check book, and it will remain so, until I can finally get it balanced.

Another birthday celebration tomorrow will be 'National Winnie The Pooh Day'. It celebrates the birthday of it's author, A A Milne. The stories first appeared in 1926 and were based on his son's toys. His son was of course the Christopher Robin character.
[The Hankster says] I was going to name a book after my childhood toys. It was to be called 'Oh, Pooh, Broke Again', but my publisher said it wouldn't sell, since people would think it was about my unbalanced checkbook. He deemed it too increadable to be believed.

We have two awareness / observance days tomorrow., both occurring on the third Sunday in January each year. First is 'National Sanctity of Human Life Day'. A 1984 Presidential proclamation. The second is 'World Religion Day'.

And there is a day for the kids tomorrow. It is 'World Snow Day'. One in a series of days to get the kids out to enjoy the snow.
[The Hankster says] In Texas, except for two or three times, the only snow I ever saw was on the old TV set with the rabbit-ear antenna., no matter how much aluminum foil I put on them.

An animal awareness day tomorrow. It will be 'Bald Eagle Appreciation Days'. It is a weekend event.

Sophocles once said 'Hide nothing, for time, which sees all and hears all, exposes all.'
[The Hankster says] Indeed, the purpose of this post is to reveal, not all, but some of what time has wrought. Let us lift the covers on January 18 in the past , and by doing so expose that day to our critical hindsight, knowing we can do nothing to change the past, but can and should learn from it.

In 1896, An X-ray generating machine is exhibited for the first time by H.L. Smith.

In 1919, Walter Owen Bentley launches Bentley Motors Limited - the business would later be purchased by Rolls-Royce.

In 1948, The TV show Ted Mack's 'Original Amateur Hour' begins. It came from the radio show 'Major Bowes Amateur Hour'. It was a talent show, sort of the 'Idol' and 'Got Talent' and dancing shows of the time. The contestants were chosen to appear by spinning a numbered wheel. The spin was accompanied by the words "Round and round she goes, and where she stops nobody knows"

In 1974 - The TV show '$6 Million Man' starring Lee Majors premieres.

In 1975, The TV show 'Jeffersons, a spinoff from 'All in the Family' premieres, and runs for 11 seasons.

In 2005, The Airbus A380, the world's largest commercial jet, is unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse, France.

 III.
Top Song & Movie 50 years ago today

No. 1 song

  • I Feel Fine - The Beatles: More
    'Come See About Me' has been displaced by 'I Feel Fine', which will hold the no. 1 spot until January 23 1965, when 'Downtown (Petula Clark)', takes over.

Top movie

  • My Fair Lady More
    Having displaced 'Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlott', it will be there until the weekend box office of January 31 1965 when, '36 Hours', takes over.
  IV.
Today in the Past (reference sites): January 18
   V.
This month January 2015 (updated once a month - last updated - January 1 2015)

Food holidays
Apple and Apricots Month Artichoke and Asparagus Month California Dried Plum Digestive Month Natiionl Candy Month National Egg Month National Hot Tea Month National Soup Month Oatmeal Month
Other holidays and awareness days
Adopt A Rescued Bird Month Bath Safety Month Be Kind to Food Servers Month Birth Defects Month Book Blitz Month Celebration of Life Month Cervical Health Awareness Month Financial Wellness Month Get Organized Month International Brain Teaser Month International Creativity Month National Braille Literacy Month National Clean Up Your Computer Month National Glaucoma Awareness Month National Polka Music Month National Poverty in America Awareness Month National Skating Month National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month National Stalking Awareness Month National Volunteer Blood Donor Month Self-help Group Awareness Month Teen Driving Awareness Month Train Your Dog Month Thyroid Awareness Month Walk Your Dog Month


January is:

January origin (from Wikipedia): 'January is named after Janus, the God of beginnings and transitions; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door since January is the door to the year.'

'January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. The first day of the month is known as New Year's Day. It is, on average, the coldest month of the year within most of the Northern Hemisphere (where it is the second month of winter) and the warmest month of the year within most of the Southern Hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer). In the Southern hemisphere, January is the seasonal equivalent of July in the Northern hemisphere and vice versa.'

January at Wikipedia: More

  VI.
TV fifty years ago 1965 (updated yearly - last updated Jan. 1 2015)

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 2015)

Best selling books of 1965 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

  • 2015 Postal Holidays More
  • 2015 Official Federal Holidays More

Holidays Worldwide

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