Today is April 12 2015

National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day: More
National Licorice Day More
  Founded by Licorice International in 2004.

• National Big Wind Day: More
  Day of the highest recorded wind gust (non tornado/hurricane, in 1934 at the Mount Washington Observatory recorded winds at 231 mph.
• Look Up at the Sky Day: More
• Walk On Your Wild Side Day: More
• D.E.A.R. Day (aka Drop Everything And Read):: More
  From the website: 'D.E.A.R. programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of Beverly Cleary’s birthday, since she first wrote about D.E.A.R. in Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (pages 40-41).'
• International Day of Human Space Flight:: More
  A U.N. resolution on the day of Yuri Gagarin's flight. From the website: 'I am confident that the International Day of Human Space Flight will remind us of our common humanity and our need to work together to conquer shared challenges. I hope it will also inspire young people in particular to pursue their dreams and move the world towards new frontiers of knowledge and understanding.'
• International Day for Street Children: More
  From the website: 'The International Day for Street Children is a platform for the millions of street children around the world – and their champions – to speak out so that their rights cannot be ignored.'
• Pan American Day and Pan American Week 2015: More
  Presidential proclamation: 'NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 14, 2015, as Pan American Day and April 12 through April 18, 2015, as Pan American Week.'
• National Prosthodontics Awareness Week: More
  Start of event 12-18. From the website: ' 'The American College of Prosthodontists advocats for the valuable role that prosthodontists play on the dental team. National Prosthodontics Awareness Week focuses on raising public awareness about the critical importance of a healthy mouth.

• In 1606, England adopts the Union Jack, combining the flag designs of England and Scotland as its new flag.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. The flag also has an official or semi-official status in some other Commonwealth realms; for example, it is, by law, an official flag in Canada and known there as the Royal Union Flag. Further, it is used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas territories. The Union Jack also appears in the canton (upper left-hand quarter) of the flags of several nations and territories that are former British possessions or dominions.
  
  'In 1603, James VI of Scotland inherited the English and Irish thrones (as James I), thereby uniting the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland (which remained separate states) in a personal union. On 12 April 1606, a new flag to represent this regal union between England and Scotland was specified in a royal decree, according to which the flag of England (a red cross on a white background, known as St George's Cross), and the flag of Scotland (a white saltire on a blue background, known as the saltire or St Andrew's Cross), would be joined together, forming the flag of Great Britain and first union flag'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1861, The American Civil War begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
  From Wikipedia: 'The American Civil War, widely known in the United States as simply the Civil War as well as other names, was a civil war fought from 1861 to 1865 to determine the survival of the Union or independence for the Confederacy. Among the 34 states in January 1861, seven Southern slave states individually declared their secession from the United States of America and formed the Confederate States of America.
  
  The Confederacy, often simply called the South, grew to include eleven states, and although they claimed thirteen states and additional western territories, the Confederacy was never diplomatically recognized by any foreign country.'
  
  'Hostilities began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter.'
  
  'Fort Sumter was located in the middle of the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, where the U.S. fort's garrison had withdrawn to avoid incidents with local militias in the streets of the city. Unlike Buchanan, who allowed commanders to relinquish possession to avoid bloodshed, Lincoln required Maj. Anderson to hold on until fired upon. Jefferson Davis ordered the surrender of the fort. Anderson gave a conditional reply that the Confederate government rejected, and Davis ordered P. G. T. Beauregard to attack the fort before a relief expedition could arrive. Troops under Beauregard bombarded Fort Sumter on April 12–13, forcing its capitulation.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1934, The highest wind gust, not related to a tornado or hurricane was registered.
  From Wikipedia: 'The fastest wind speed not related to tornados ever recorded was during the passage of Tropical Cyclone Olivia on 10 April 1996: an automatic weather station on Barrow Island, Australia, registered a maximum wind gust of 408 km/h (220 kn; 253 mph; 113 m/s).
  
  The wind gust was evaluated by the WMO Evaluation Panel who found that the anemometer was mechanically sound and the gust was within statistical probability and ratified the measurement in 2010. The anemometer was mounted 10 m above ground level (and thus 64 m above sea level). During the cyclone, several extreme gusts of greater than 300 km/h (160 kn; 83 m/s) were recorded, with a maximum 5-minute mean speed of 176 km/h (95 kn; 49 m/s), the extreme gust factor was in the order of 2.27–2.75 times the mean wind speed. The pattern and scales of the gusts suggests that a mesovortex was embedded in the already strong eyewall of the cyclone. recorded, with a maximum 5-minute mean speed of 176 km/h (95 kn; 49 m/s), the extreme gust factor was in the order of 2.27–2.75 times the mean wind speed. The pattern and scales of the gusts suggests that a mesovortex was embedded in the already strong eyewall of the cyclone.'
  
  'The now second highest surface wind speed ever officially recorded is 372 km/h (231 mph; 103 m/s) at the Mount Washington (New Hampshire) Observatory : 6,288 ft -1917 metres above sea - level in the US on 12 April 1934, using a heated anemometer. The anemometer, specifically designed for use on Mount Washington was later tested by the US National Weather Bureau and confirmed to be accurate'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1937, The first jet engine designed to power an aircraft is ground tested by Sir Frank Whittle in England.
  From Wikipedia: 'A jet engine is a reaction engine discharging a fast moving jet that generates thrust by jet propulsion in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, and pulse jets. In general, jet engines are combustion engines but non-combusting forms also exist.'
  
  'In 1928, RAF College Cranwell cadet Frank Whittle formally submitted his ideas for a turbojet to his superiors. In October 1929 he developed his ideas further. On 16 January 1930 in England, Whittle submitted his first patent (granted in 1932).' The patent showed a two-stage axial compressor feeding a single-sided centrifugal compressor'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1939, Woody Herman’s orchestra recorded 'Woodchopper’s Ball'.
  From Wikipedia: '"Woodchopper's Ball", also known as "At the Woodchopper's Ball" is a 1939 jazz composition by Joe Bishop and Woody Herman. The up-tempo blues tune was the Woody Herman Orchestra's biggest hit, as well as the most popular composition of either composer, selling a million records.
  
  The tune has been performed by numerous artists and is considered a jazz standard. It is included in the first volume of Hal Leonard's Real Book. The original recording by Woody Herman and His Orchestra received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2002.
  
  Twistin' at the Woodchopper's Ball written by Ronn Metcalfe was a 1962 hit based on Herman's song which attained a Gold Album status.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1954, The song 'Rock Around the Clock' is released. It hits #1 after being featured in the movie 'Blackboard Jungle'.
  From Wikipedia: '"Rock Around the Clock" is a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter under the pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight") in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954 for American Decca. It was a number one single on both the US and UK charts and also re-entered the UK Singles Chart in the 1960s and 1970s'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1954, Big Joe Turner's 'Shake, Rattle and Roll' was released.
  From Wikipedia: '"Shake, Rattle and Roll" is a twelve bar blues-form rock and roll song, written in 1954 by Jesse Stone under his assumed songwriting name Charles E. Calhoun. It was originally recorded by Big Joe Turner, and most successfully by Bill Haley and His Comets. The song as sung by Big Joe Turner is ranked #127 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time/.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1955, The polio vaccine (for poliomyelitis), developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is announced and declared safe and effective.
  From Wikipedia: 'Polio vaccines, are vaccines used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). One type uses inactivated poliovirus and is given by injection (IPV), while the other type uses weakened poliovirus and is given by mouth (OPV). The World Health Organization recommends all children be vaccinated against polio. The two vaccines have eliminated polio from most of the world, and reduced the number of cases each year from an estimated 350,000 in 1988 to 359 in 2014.'
  
  'The first effective polio vaccine was developed in 1952 by Jonas Salk and a team at the University of Pittsburgh that included Julius Youngner, Byron Bennett, L. James Lewis, and Lorraine Friedman, but it required years of subsequent testing. To encourage patience, Salk went on CBS radio to report a successful test on a small group of adults and children on 26 March 1953; two days later the results were published in JAMA. Beginning 23 February 1954, the vaccine was tested at Arsenal Elementary School and the Watson Home for Children in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Salk's vaccine was then used in a test called the Francis Field Trial, led by Thomas Francis; the largest medical experiment in history. The test began with some 4,000 children at Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean, Virginia, and would eventually involve 1.8 million children, in 44 states from Maine to California. By the conclusion of the study, roughly 440,000 received one or more injections of the vaccine, about 210,000 children received a placebo, consisting of harmless culture media, and 1.2 million children received no vaccination and served as a control group, who would then be observed to see if any contracted polio. The results of the field trial were announced 12 April 1955 (the tenth anniversary of the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose paralysis was generally believed to have been caused by polio). The Salk vaccine had been 60–70% effective against PV1 (poliovirus type 1), over 90% effective against PV2 and PV3, and 94% effective against the development of bulbar polio. Soon after Salk's vaccine was licensed in 1955, children's vaccination campaigns were launched. In the U.S, following a mass immunization campaign promoted by the March of Dimes, the annual number of polio cases fell from 35,000 in 1953 to 5,600 by 1957. By 1961 only 161 cases were recorded in the United States.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes first human to travel into space; first earth orbit completed on this date.
  From Wikipedia: 'Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, 9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Russian Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on 12 April 1961.
  
  'On 12 April 1961, the Vostok 3KA-3 (Vostok 1) spacecraft with Gagarin aboard was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome. Gagarin thus became both the first human to travel into space, and the first to orbit the earth. His call sign was Kedr (Russian: ????, Siberian pine or Cedar)'.
  - At FamousDaily: More
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1975, Linda Ronstadt releases 'When Will I Be Loved'.
  From Wikipedia: '"When Will I Be Loved" is a classic popular song written by Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, who had a US top ten hit with it in 1960. Linda Ronstadt covered the song in 1975 and her version was an even bigger hit in the US peaking at number two'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1981, The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) takes place - the STS-1 mission.
  From Wikipedia: 'STS-1 (Space Transportation System-1) was the first orbital spaceflight of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The first orbiter, Columbia, launched on 12 April 1981 and returned on 14 April, 54.5 hours later, having orbited the Earth 37 times. Columbia carried a crew of two – mission commander John W. Young and pilot Robert L. Crippen. It was the first American manned space flight since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. STS-1 was also the only maiden test flight of a new US spacecraft to carry a crew, though it was preceded by atmospheric testing of the orbiter and ground testing of the space shuttle system'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More

We have two food holidays tomorrow. - 'National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day'.
[The Hankster says] With a cup of tomato soup. I'm glad you asked. Yes, I will be posting my annual rhyme: 'Ode to a Grilled Cheese Sandwich', tomorrow. There was an overwhelming response last year, but I'm going to do it again, anyway.
- 'National Licorice Day'. Founded by Licorice International in 2004.
[The Hankster says] Let's get this right. Licorice is the black candy. The red stuff, although made by the same company, is Red Chary. There is no such thing as Red Licorice.

Tomorrow we remember 'National Big Wind Day'. Day of the highest recorded wind gust (non tornado/hurricane, in 1934, at the Mount Washington Observatory recorded winds at 231 mph.
[The Hankster says] Once again I will pause for you to make all the big wind associative jokes to my post. You may proceed when ready.

I have made it easy for you tomorrow. It will be 'Look Up at the Sky Day'.
[The Hankster says] That's it, just look up and ignore the things down here for a while. I recommend that you stand still while doing this.

Now that you have finished contemplating the wonders of life, it's time for a change of pace. Tomorrow is also 'Walk On Your Wild Side Day'.

Awareness days tomorrow:
- 'D.E.A.R. Day (aka Drop Everything And Read)'. From the website: 'D.E.A.R. programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of Beverly Cleary’s birthday, since she first wrote about D.E.A.R. in Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (pages 40-41).'
- 'International Day of Human Space Flight:'. A U.N. resolution on the day of Yuri Gagarin's flight. From the website: 'I am confident that the International Day of Human Space Flight will remind us of our common humanity and our need to work together to conquer shared challenges. I hope it will also inspire young people in particular to pursue their dreams and move the world towards new frontiers of knowledge and understanding.'
- 'International Day for Street Children'. From the website: 'The International Day for Street Children is a platform for the millions of street children around the world – and their champions – to speak out so that their rights cannot be ignored.'
- 'Pan American Day and Pan American Week 2015'. Presidential proclamation: 'NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 14, 2015, as Pan American Day and April 12 through April 18, 2015, as Pan American Week'
- 'National Prosthodontics Awareness Week'. Start of event 12-18. From the website: ' 'The American College of Prosthodontists advocates for the valuable role that prosthodontists play on the dental team. National Prosthodontics Awareness Week focuses on raising public awareness about the critical importance of a healthy mouth.

Dan Millman once said 'I learned that we can do anything, but we can't do everything... at least not at the same time. So think of your priorities not in terms of what activities you do, but when you do them. Timing is everything.'
[The Hankster says] I wonder if histories multi-taskers would like a do-over on some things. We can however, set our priorities straight, since we can just thumb through the pages of times past, stop and learn. Let see what is written in the chapter of April, page 12 (any yearly volume), in the book of long ago.

In 1606, England adopts the Union Jack, combining the flag designs of England and Scotland as its new flag.

In 1861, The American Civil War begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.

In 1937, The first jet engine designed to power an aircraft is ground tested by Sir Frank Whittle in England.

In 1939, Woody Herman’s orchestra recorded 'Woodchopper’s Ball'.

In 1954, The song 'Rock Around the Clock' is released. It hits #1 after being featured in the movie 'Blackboard Jungle'.

In 1954, Big Joe Turner's 'Shake, Rattle and Roll' was released.

In 1955, The polio vaccine (for poliomyelitis), developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is announced and declared safe and effective.

In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into space; first earth orbit completed on this date.

In 1975, Linda Ronstadt releases 'When Will I Be Loved'.

In 1981, The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) takes place - the STS-1 mission.

No. 1 song

• I'm Telling You Now - Freddie & The Dreamers: More
  'Can't You Hear My Heartbeat' has been displaced by 'I'm Telling You Now', which will hold the no. 1 spot until Apr 24 1965, when 'Game of Love - Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders', takes over.

Top movie

• Girl Happy More
  Having displaced 'The Sound of Music', it will be there until the weekend box office of April 18 1965 when, 'In Harm's Way', takes over.

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

Food Holiday:
Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage Month
Cranberries and Gooseberries Month
Fresh Florida Tomato Month
National BLT Sandwich Month
National Florida Tomato Month
National Food Month
National Garlic Month
National Grilled Cheese Month
National Pecan Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Soy Foods Month

Other:
Alcohol Awareness Month
Arab American Heritage Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Community Spirit Days
Counseling Awareness Month
Defeat Diabetes Month
Emotional Overeating Awareness Month
Fair Housing Month
Genocide and Human Rights Awareness Month
Global Child Nutrition Month
Informed Woman Month
International Amateur Radio Month
International Customer Loyalty Month
International Guitar Month
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful Month
Library Snapshot Month
Listening Awareness Month
Mathematics Education Month
Month of the Military Child
Month of the Young Child
Multicultural Communication Month
National African American Women's Fitness Month
National Anxiety Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Cancer Control Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Decorating Month
National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
National Donate Life Month
National Facial Protection Month
National Frog Month
National Garden Month
National Greyhound Adoption Month
National Heartworm Awareness Month
National Humor Month
National Knuckles Down Month
National Landscape Architecture Month
National Minority Health Month
National Multiple Birth Awareness Month
National Occupational Therapy Month
National Parkinson's Awareness Month
National Pest Management Month
National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
National Poetry Month
National Rebuilding Month
National Safe Digging Month
National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
National Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)'s Education and Awareness Month
National Sjogren's Syndrome Awareness Month
National Welding Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Occupational Therapy Month
Parliamentary Law Month
Pharmacists War on Diabetes Month
Physical Wellness Month
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
Rosacea Awareness Month
School Library Media Month
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month of Action
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
Stress Awareness Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Tomatillo and Asian Pear Month
Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
Workplace Conflict Awareness Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
Worldwide Bereaved Spouses Awareness Month

April is:

April origin (from Wikipedia):
'The Romans gave this month the Latin name Aprilis but the derivation of this name is uncertain. The traditional etymology is from the verb aperire, 'to open', in allusion to its being the season when trees and flowers begin to 'open', which is supported by comparison with the modern Greek use of (anoixis) (opening) for spring. Since some of the Roman months were named in honor of divinities, and as April was sacred to the goddess Venus, her Veneralia being held on the first day, it has been suggested that April was the second month of the earliest Roman calendar, before Ianuarius and Februarius were added by King Numa Pompilius about 700 BC. It became the fourth month of the calendar year (the year when twelve months are displayed in order) during the time of the decemvirs about 450 BC, when it also was given 29 days. The 30th day was added during the reform of the calendar undertaken by Julius Caesar in the mid-40s BC, which produced the Julian calendar.'

April 'is commonly associated with the season of spring in parts of the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the seasonal equivalent to October in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa.'

April 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 1965 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

• 2015 Postal Holidays More
• 2015 Official Federal Holidays More

Holidays Worldwide

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