Text size Background

Today is January 20 2015

About     Other days


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

National Cheese Lover's Day: More
National Buttercrunch Day: More

Other celebrations/observances today:
  • National Disc Jockey Day: More
  • Penguin Awareness Day: More
  • Camcorder Day: More
  • Rid The World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day: More
    Second day (Tue. of 3rd full wk in Jan.) of week long 'Healthy Weight Week'.
Events in the past on: January 20
  • In 1887, The U.S. Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base. From Wikipedia: 'The United States and the Hawaiian Kingdom signed the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 as supplemented by Convention on December 6, 1884, the Reciprocity Treaty was made by James Carter and ratified it in 1887. On January 20, 1887, the United States Senate allowed the Navy to exclusive right to maintain a coaling and repair station at Pearl Harbor. (The US took possession on November 9 that year). The Spanish–American War of 1898 and the desire for the United States to have a permanent presence in the Pacific both contributed to the decision'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1892, The first known official basketball game is played at the YMCA gymnasium in Springfield, Massachusetts.
    From Wikipedia: 'Basketball is a sport played by two teams of five players on a rectangular court. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter and 10 feet (3.048 m) high mounted to a backboard at each end.' 'n early December 1891, Canadian Dr. James Naismith, a physical education professor and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (YMCA) (today, Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot (3.05 m) elevated track. In contrast with modern basketball nets, this peach basket retained its bottom, and balls had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored; this proved inefficient, however, so the bottom of the basket was removed, allowing the balls to be poked out with a long dowel each time.'

    'Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball.

    'Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a major part of the game around the 1950s, as manufacturing improved the ball shape'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1909, GM takes an interest in Oakland Motor Car Corp,. It later becomes the Pontiac Division.
    From Wikipedia: 'Pontiac was a brand of automobiles manufactured and sold by General Motors (GM); though production ended in 2009, Pontiac remains a registered and active trademark of GM. The Pontiac automobile brand was established in 1926 as a companion make for GM's more expensive line of Oakland automobiles'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1929, The movie 'In Old Arizona', the first full-length talking motion picture filmed outdoors, is released.
    From Wikipedia: 'In Old Arizona is a 1929 American Pre-Code Western film directed by Irving Cummings and Raoul Walsh, nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film, which was based on the character of the Cisco Kid in the story The Caballero's Way by O. Henry, was a major innovation in Hollywood'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1981, Twenty minutes after Ronald Reagan is inaugurated, Iran releases 52 American hostages.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States. More than sixty American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days (November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981) after a group of Iranian students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran'. More
    - On YouTube: More
  II.
Henry's Heads Up! - previous days social media post (updated daily)

We have two food holidays tomorrow.

First is 'National Cheese Lover's Day'.
[The Hankster says] I like to think of it in it's many varieties and flavors and not that it is just coagulated milk protein (casein). I can remember my uncle Richard talking of taking Limburger cheese to work for lunch. It is made with a bacteria (Brevibacterium linens), which is also partially responsible for body odor and particularly smelly feet. He enjoyed taking it out of his lunchbox, after it being closed up for several hours, and teasing his fellow workers.

Second is 'National Buttercrunch Day'.
[The Hankster says] We celebrated English Toffee a few days ago. Buttercrunch is more like an American Toffee. And if this is one of those times that you 'feel like a nut' you need to wait until June 29 for Almond Buttercrunch Day.

Spin 'um. Tomorrow will be 'National Disc Jockey Day'.
[The Hankster says] this marks the death of Alan Freed (1965), the disc jockey who created the term 'Rock and Roll' and was known as Moondog.

An awareness day tomorrow. It will be 'Penguin Awareness Day'.
[The Hankster says] I am very proud of the fact that every time I go out for a walk, that I am always conscious of the fact that I might encounter one on her 'express' trip back. Don't laugh. I don't want to become fowl of the law. It is now permissible to laugh.

Tomorrow is 'Camcorder Day'.
[The Hankster says] In a few years, I'm sure this will be 'Cellphone Camera Day'. Nevertheless, keep those bloopers and embarrassing videos coming.

We continue with the second day of Healthy Weight Week'. It will be 'Rid The World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day'.
[The Hankster says] The emphasis is still on good eating habits, moderation on the bad habits and foods and exercise /physical activity. All this is no good if it is not a consistent life style. And, yes, I know it is easier written than done.

John Turner once said ' My time is now.'
[The Hankster says] Everyone who has ever lived has had 'their time'. Millions of such times, were never recorded and are lost. Those events that remain in the memory and are passed down or written down are here for us to look at. Let us look at January 20 from the past.

In 1887, The U.S. Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base.

In 1892, The first known official basketball game is played at the YMCA gymnasium in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In 1909, GM takes an interest in Oakland Motor Car Corp,. It later becomes the Pontiac Division of GM.

In 1929, The movie 'In Old Arizona', the first full-length talking motion picture filmed outdoors, is released.

 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 20
   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
Contact: If you wish to make comment, please do so by writing to this: Email address