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Today is February 18 2015

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

National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day: More

Other celebrations/observances today:
  • National Battery Day: More
    Birthday of the inventor Allesandro Volta, an Italian physicis.
    At Wikipedia: More
  • Elm Farm Ollie Day / Cow Milked While Flying In An Airplane Day: More
  • University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day (GB): More
    In Great Britain
Events in the past on: February 18
  • In 1911, Airmail is delivered for the first time by Henri Pequet in Allahabad, British India.
    From Wikipedia: 'Henri Pequet (1 February 1888 – 13 March 1974) was a pilot in the first official airmail flight on February 18, 1911. The 23-year-old Frenchman, in India for an airshow, delivered about 6,500 letters when he flew from Allahabad Airport to Naini, about 10 kilometers away. He flew a Humber-Sommer biplane with about fifty horsepower (37 kW), and made the journey in thirteen minutes.

    The letters were marked "First Aerial Post, U.P. Exhibition Allahabad 1911"'.
    More
    - On YouTube (1924): More
  • In 1930, Pluto is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh. Pluto has been reclassified, losing its 'planetary' status.
    From Wikipedia:' 'Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of bodies beyond Neptune. It was the first Kuiper belt object to be discovered. It is the largest and second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object directly orbiting the Sun.'

    'Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930, and was originally considered the ninth planet from the Sun. After 1992, its status as a planet fell into question following the discovery of several objects of similar size in the Kuiper belt. In 2005, Eris, which is 27% more massive than Pluto, was discovered, which led the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to define the term "planet" formally for the first time the following year. This definition excluded Pluto and reclassified it as a member of the new "dwarf planet" category (and specifically as a plutoid)'.
    More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1930, Elm Farm Ollie becomes the first cow to fly in a fixed- wing aircraft and also the first cow to be milked in an aircraft.
    From Wikipedia:' 'Elm Farm Ollie (known as "Nellie Jay" and post-flight as "Sky Queen") was the first cow to fly in an airplane, doing so on 18 February 1930, as part of the International Air Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. On the same trip, which covered 72 miles in a Ford Trimotor airplane from Bismarck, Missouri, to St. Louis, she also became the first cow milked in flight. This was done ostensibly to allow scientists to observe midair effects on animals, as well as for publicity purposes. A St. Louis newspaper trumpeted her mission as being "to blaze a trail for the transportationof livestock by air."'.
    More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1949, The radio show, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, debuted on CBS radio.
    From Wikipedia: 'Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama of "the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account — America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." The show aired on CBS Radio from February 18, 1949 to September 30, 1962. There were 809 episodes (plus two not-for-broadcast auditions) in the 12-year run, and more than 720 still exist today.'

    'With the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar — radio actor Russell and movie tough-guy actors Edmond O'Brien and John Lund — there was little to distinguish Johnny Dollar from other detective series at the time (Richard Diamond, Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade). While always a friend of the police, Johnny wasn't necessarily a stickler for the strictest interpretation of the law. He was willing to let some things slide to satisfy his own sense of justice, as long as the interests of his employer were also protected. The series ended in September 1954.'

    CBS Radio revived Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in October 1955 with a new leading man, a new director, and a new format. The program changed from a 30-minute, one-episode-per-week affair to a 15-minute, five-nights-a-week serial (Monday through Friday, 8-8:15pm EST) produced and directed by radio veteran Jack Johnstone. The new Johnny Dollar was Bob Bailey, who had just come off another network detective series, Let George Do It.'

    'The final episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense, airing on CBS, are often cited as the end of the golden age of radio. The last episode of Johnny Dollar, "The Tip-Off Matter", ended at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time on September 30, 1962, followed immediately by the final broadcast of Suspense.'
    More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1959, Ray Charles records, What'd I Say, at Atlantic Records.
    From Wikipedia: '"What'd I Say" (or "What I Say") is an American Rhythm and blues song, by Ray Charles released in 1959. As single divided into two parts, it was one of the first soul songs. The composition was improvised one evening late in 1958 when Charles, his orchestra, and backup singers had played their entire set list at a show and still had time left; the response from many audiences was so enthusiastic that Charles announced to his producer that he was going to record it.'
    More
    On YouTube: More
  • In 1979, Snow falls in the Sahara Desert. It lasted for about one half hour and is the only recorded such event, there.
    More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1953, 'Bwana Devil', the first 3-D movie, opened in New York.
    From Wikipedia: 'Bwana Devil is a 1952 U.S. adventure film based on the true story of the Tsavo maneaters and filmed with the Natural Vision 3-D system. The film is notable for sparking the first 3-D film craze in the motion picture industry, as well as for being the first 3-D film in color and the first 3-D sound feature in English. Bwana Devil was written, directed and produced by Arch Oboler and stars Robert Stack, Barbara Britton and Nigel Bruce.

    The advertising tagline was: The Miracle of the Age!!! A LION in your lap! A LOVER in your arms!'.
    More
    - On YouTube: More
  II.
Henry's Heads Up! - previous days social media post (updated daily)

Tomorrow's food holiday will be 'National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day'.
[The Hankster says] I wonder if these are the losers of the National Champion Crab Races, held today, Feb 17? I don't know about the Flounders. I think they might be better hat hiding than racing.

Get all charged up for tomorrow's 'National Battery Day'. The birthday of the inventor of the battery as we know it, Allesandro Volta, an Italian physicist. Ben Franklin used the word battery first in 1748 to describe a device of two charged plates.

Tomorrow is 'Elm Farm Ollie Day / Cow Milked While Flying In An Airplane Day'.
[The Hankster says] In 1930, a Guernsey cow named Nellie Jay or Elm Farm Ollie was flown to the St. Louis International Air Exposition. On the way she was milked and the milked put in cartons and parachuted from the plane. As well as the publicity, some investigation was done on how animals would react during air flight.

An awareness day tomorrow, in Great Britain. It will be University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day'.

Ron White once said 'The next time you have a thought... let it go.
[The Hankster says] What good is a thought if you do not act on it. Let us see who might have let their thoughts go, maybe on February 18, and thus made a difference.

In 1911, Airmail is delivered for the first time by Henri Pequet in Allahabad, British India.

In 1929, The first Academy Awards are announced. They were for the 1927 and 1928 movies. Best picture 'Winds', Best actor 'Emil Jannings' for 'The Last Command' and 'The Way of All Flesh', Best actress 'Janet Gaynor' for 'Seventh Heaven', 'Street Angel' and 'Sunrise'.

In 1930, Pluto, the ninth planet of our solar system, is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh. Pluto has been reclassified, losing its 'planetary' status.

In 1959, Ray Charles records, What'd I Say, at Atlantic Records.

In 1979, Snow falls in the Sahara Desert.

In 1953,- 'Bwana Devil', the first 3-D movie, opened in New York.

 III.
Top Song & Movie 50 years ago today

No. 1 song

  • You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers: More
    'Downtown' has been displaced by 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'', which will hold the no. 1 spot until February 27 1965, when 'This Diamond Ring', takes over.

Top movie

  • My Fair Lady, (returns) More
    Having displaced '36 Hours', it will be there until the weekend box office of February 27, 1965 when, 'The Greatest Story Ever Told', takes over.
  IV.
Today in the Past (reference sites): February 18
   V.
This month February 2015 (updated once a month - last updated - February 1 2015)

Food Holiday:
Berry Fresh Month Canned Food Month Celebration of Chocolate Month Great American Pie Month National Cherry Month National Grapefruit Month National Fiber Focus Month National Fondue Month National Hot Breakfast Month National Snack Food Month Potato Lover’s Month Sweet Potato Month Other:
American Heart Month An Affair to Remember Month Black History Month Creative Romance Month National Children’s Dental Health Month National Heart Healthy Month National Weddings Month


February is:

February origin (from Wikipedia):
'The Roman month Februarius was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar Roman calendar. January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period. They were added by Numa Pompilius about 713 BC. February remained the last month of the calendar year until the time of the decemvirs (c. 450 BC), when it became the second month. At certain intervals February was truncated to 23 or 24 days, and a 27-day intercalary month, Intercalaris, was inserted immediately after February to realign the year with the seasons. Under the reforms that instituted the Julian calendar, Intercalaris was abolished, leap years occurred regularly every fourth year, and in leap years February gained a 29th day. Thereafter, it remained the second month of the calendar year, meaning the order that months are displayed (January, February, March, ..., December) within a year-at-a-glance calendar. Even during the Middle Ages, when the numbered Anno Domini year began on March 25 or December 25, the second month was February whenever all twelve months were displayed in order. The Gregorian calendar reforms made slight changes to the system for determining which years were leap years and thus contained a 29-day February.'

February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the shortest month and the only month with fewer than 30 days. The month has 28 days in common years or 29 days in leap years.
February is the third month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, February is the third month of summer (the seasonal equivalent of August in the Northern Hemisphere, in meteorological reckoning).

February 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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