Today is July 20 2015

National Lollipop Day: More

• International Chess Day: More
  Since 1966 by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), their birthday.
• National Get Out of the Dog House Day: More
  Third Monday in July
• Ugly Truck Day: More
• Global Hug Your Kids Day : More
  Third Monday in July.
• International Cake Day: More
  Cakes created along musical themes. The 2015 theme is: 'Into a Fairytale'.
• Moon day: More
  Celebrates the July 20 1969 moon landing.

• Other
  • National Farm Safety Week: More
    July 20-25 in Australia.

• In 1807, Nicéphore Niépce is awarded a patent by Napoleon for the Pyréolophore, the world's first internal combustion engine, after it successfully powered a boat upstream on the river Saône in France.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Pyréolophore was probably the world's first internal combustion engine. It was invented in the early 19th century in Chalon-sur-Saône, France, by the Niépce brothers: Nicéphore Niépce (who went on to invent photography) and his brother Claude.
  
  In 1807 the brothers ran a prototype internal combustion engine, and on 20 July 1807 a patent was granted by Napoleon Bonaparte after it had successfully powered a boat upstream on the river Saône.
  
  The Pyréolophore ran on what were believed to be "controlled dust explosions" of various experimental fuels, although technically they were deflagrations (rapid burns). The fuels included mixtures of Lycopodium powder (the spores of Lycopodium, or clubmoss), finely crushed coal dust, and resin.
  
  Operating independently, in 1807 the Swiss engineer François Isaac de Rivaz built the De Rivaz engine, a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine. These practical engineering projects may have followed the 1680 theoretical design of an internal combustion engine by the Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens. The separate, virtually contemporaneous implementations of this design in different modes of transport means that the de Rivaz engine may be correctly described as the first use of an internal combustion engine in an automobile (1808), whilst the Pyréolophore was the first use of an internal combustion engine in a boat (1807)'.
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• In 1903, The Ford Motor Company ships its first car.
  From Wikipedia: 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Model_A_%281903%E2%80%9304%29
  
  The car came as a two-seater runabout for $800 or the $900 four-seater tonneau model with an option to add a top. The horizontal-mounted flat-2, situated amidships of the car, produced 8 hp (6 kW). A planetary transmission was fitted with two forward speeds and reverse, a Ford signature later seen on the Ford Model T. The car weighed 1,240 lb (562 kg) and could reach a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). It had a 72 inch (1.8 m) wheelbase and sold for a base price of US$750. Options included a rear tonneau with two seats and a rear door for $100, a rubber roof for $30 or a leather roof for $50. Band brakes were used on the rear wheels. However, it was $150 more than its most direct competitor, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, and so did not sell as well.
  
  The company had spent almost its entire $28,000 initial investment funds with only $223.65 left in its bank account when the first Model A was sold. The success of this car model generated a profit for the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford's first successful business.
  
  Although Ford advertised the Model A as the "most reliable machine in the world", it suffered from many problems common to vehicles of the era, including overheating and slipping transmission bands. The Model A was sold only in red by the factory, though some were later repainted in other colors'.
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• In 1935, The radio police drama 'Gang Busters' premiers on NBC-radio
  From Wikipedia: 'Gang Busters was an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered as G-Men, sponsored by Chevrolet, on July 20, 1935. After the title was changed to Gang Busters on January 15, 1936, the show had a 21-year run through November 20, 1957.
  
  So-called "true crime" magazines were highly popular in the 1930s and the movie G Men starring James Cagney, released in the spring of 1935, had proven to be a big hit. Producer-director Phillips H. Lord thought there was a place on radio for a show of the same type. To emphasize the authenticity of his dramatizations, Lord produced the initial radio show, G-Men, in close association with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover was not particularly favorable to the notion of such a program, but U. S. Attorney General Homer Stille Cummings gave it his full support.
  
  That first series dramatized FBI cases, but Hoover insisted that only closed cases would be used. Hoover also demanded that he or a top-level aide review and approve every script. Hoover preferred that scripts downplay gunfights and car chases, and spend more time on systematic investigation and legwork. Agents should be shown as intelligent, hard-working and essentially faceless cogs in his technically savvy crime-fighting organization. Those restrictions hampered Lord, who saw his creation as a public service, but one that had to entertain as well as inform.
  
  The first program dramatized the story of the notorious gangster John Dillinger, who was tracked down by FBI agents and shot to death outside the Biograph Theater on July 24, 1934. The second covered Lester Joseph Gillis, aka Baby Face Nelson. Although the shows were a hit with the general public, there were naysayers, some of whom deplored this sensational new style of radio show. Hyper-sensitive to any criticism, Hoover almost squelched the project and made life more and more difficult for Lord.
  
  The last episode of G-Men ran in mid-November 1935. It was just that first series that used only FBI cases and was subject to Hoover's whims and restrictions. After that, the show began featuring interesting and dramatic crimes from the files of law enforcement organizations all over the country. The "sequel," renamed Gang Busters, debuted in mid-January, 1936. If anything, the opening sound effects became even more elaborate and aggressive. The show opened with a barrage of blaring sound effects – a shrill police whistle, convicts marching in formation, police siren wailing, machine guns firing, and tires squealing. Then an authoritative voice would announce the title of that night's program: "Tonight, Gang Busters presents the Case of the —." Finally, the opening would end with more blasts from a police whistle. This intrusive introduction led to the popular catchphrase "came on like Gangbusters."
  
  To lend an extra air of authenticity to the presentation, Lord had Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr., former head of the New Jersey State Police give a short talk to lead into the actual dramatization. (Schwarzkopf was the father of General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., leader of the coalition forces in the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War.) That authentic voice became even more important after Lord ended his connection with the FBI. After about 1945, Lewis Joseph Valentine, crime-busting New York City Police Commissioner replaced Schwarzkopf as the authoritative opening speaker.
  
  The initial series was on NBC Radio from July 20 to October 12, 1935, sponsored by Chevrolet. It then aired on CBS from January 15, 1936 to June 15, 1940, sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive and Cue magazine. From October 11, 1940 to December 25, 1948, it was heard on the Blue Network, with various sponsors that included Sloan's Liniment, Waterman pens and Tide. Returning to CBS on January 8, 1949, it ran until June 25, 1955, sponsored by Grape-Nuts and Wrigley's chewing gum. The final series was on the Mutual Broadcasting System from October 5, 1955 to November 27, 1957.
  
  Gang Busters often featured prominent names in radio broadcasting, many of whom also starred in movies and television. Two of the most famous were Richard Widmark and Art Carney. Widmark was typecast as a villain for many, many years, but finally managed to break that mold. Carney became especially famous for his role with Jackie Gleason on The Honeymooners, but he had a much broader career than that. Joan Banks, who later played many TV roles, was a regular cast member. Her husband, Frank Lovejoy, also appeared often, and later went on to star in many movies and an ABC crime drama. Larry Haines was another regular on the show. He went on to an extensive career in TV soap operas. A lesser known actor on the show was Leon Janney, who apparently played both juvenile roles and ones requiring an unusual accent'.
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• In 1940, Billboard publishes its 1st singles record chart (#1 was I'll Never Smile Again, by Tommy Dorsey)
  From Wikipedia: 'Billboard, then titled The Billboard, published its first music hit parade on January 4, 1936; its first record chart was calculated on July 20, 1940. The Billboard Hot 100, which documents individual singles, was introduced on August 4, 1958; the Billboard 200, which ranks full music albums, was premiered on August 17, 1963.'
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• In 1942, Legion of Merit Medal authorized by US congress.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the seven uniformed services of the United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign governments.
  
  The Legion of Merit (Commander degree) is one of only two United States military decorations to be issued as a neck order (the other being the Medal of Honor) and the only United States military decoration which may be issued in award degrees (much like an order of chivalry or certain Orders of Merit).
  
  The Legion of Merit is sixth in the order of precedence of U.S. military awards and is worn after the Defense Superior Service Medal and before the Distinguished Flying Cross. In contemporary use in the U.S. Armed Forces, the Legion of Merit is typically awarded to Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force general officers and colonels, and Navy and Coast Guard flag officers and captains occupying senior command or very senior staff positions in their respective services. It may also be awarded to officers of lesser rank and to very senior enlisted personnel, but these instances are less frequent and circumstances vary by branch of service. As such, the medal can be considered as "points" in some enlisted promotion systems, such as the Air Force, where it is counted as seven points (out of a possible 25 points for decorations). However, since the rare enlisted recipients are typically at the pinnacle of the enlisted pay grades (i.e., E-9), the utility of such points is marginal to nil.
  
  Authority to award the Legion of Merit is reserved for general officers and flag officers in pay grade O-9 (e.g., Lieutenant General and Vice Admiral) and above, civilian Department of Defense personnel at assistant service secretary or Assistant Secretary of Defense level and above, or equivalent civilian personnel with the Department of Homeland Security with direct oversight of the U.S. Coast Guard'.
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• In 1960, The Polaris missile is successfully launched from a submarine, the USS George Washington, for the first time.
  From Wikipedia: 'The UGM-27 Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fueled nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation for the United States Navy.
  
  It was designed to be used for second strike countervalue (CEP not good enough for first strike counterforce) as part of the Navy's contribution to the United States arsenal of nuclear weapons, replacing the Regulus cruise missile. Known as a Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM), the Polaris was first launched from the Cape Canaveral, Florida, missile test base on January 7, 1960.
  
  The Polaris missile was gradually replaced on 31 of the 41 original SSBNs in the US Navy by the MIRV-capable Poseidon missile beginning in 1972. During the 1980s, these missiles were replaced on twelve of these submarines by the Trident I missile. The ten George Washington- and Ethan Allen-class SSBNs retained Polaris A-3 until 1980 because their missile tubes were not large enough to accommodate Poseidon. With USS Ohio commencing sea trials in 1980, these submarines were disarmed and redesignated as attack submarines to avoid exceeding the SALT II strategic arms treaty limits.
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• In 1968, The first Special Olympics is held.
  From Wikipedia: 'Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 4.5 million athletes in 170 countries. Special Olympics competitions are held every day, all around the world—including local, national and regional competitions, adding up to more than 94,000 events a year. Like the International Paralympic Committee, the Special Olympics organization is recognized by the International Olympic Committee; however, unlike the same Paralympic Games, Special Olympics World Games are not held in conjunction with the Olympic Games.
  
  These competitions include the Special Olympics World Games, which alternate between summer and winter games. Special Olympics World Games are held every two years. The most recent World Summer Games were the Special Olympics World Summer Games, held in Los Angeles, California (The largest event in LA since the 1984 Olympic Games), from July 25, 2015 to August 2, 2015 and for the first time were part of ESPN daily coverage.
  
  The most recent Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea from January 29 to February 5, 2013. At the same time, the first Special Olympics Global Development Summit was held on "Ending the Cycle of Poverty and Exclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities," gathering government officials, activists and business leaders from around the world
  
  Graz and Schladming, Austria will host the next Special Olympics World Winter Games from March 14–25, 2017'.
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• In 1969, Apollo 11's crew successfully makes the first landing on the Moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon later that day (Eastern Time Zone).
  From Wikipedia: 'On July 20, 1969, the Lunar Module Eagle separated from the Command Module Columbia. Collins, alone aboard Columbia, inspected Eagle as it pirouetted before him to ensure the craft was not damaged.
  
  As the descent began, Armstrong and Aldrin found that they were passing landmarks on the surface four seconds early and reported that they were "long"; they would land miles west of their target point.
  
  Five minutes into the descent burn, and 6,000 feet (1,800 m) above the surface of the Moon, the LM navigation and guidance computer distracted the crew with the first of several unexpected "1202" and "1201" program alarms. Inside Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas, computer engineer Jack Garman told guidance officer Steve Bales it was safe to continue the descent, and this was relayed to the crew. The program alarms indicated "executive overflows", meaning the guidance computer could not complete all of its tasks in real time and had to postpone some of them.
  
  When Armstrong again looked outside, he saw that the computer's landing target was in a boulder-strewn area just north and east of a 300-meter (980 ft) diameter crater (later determined to be West crater, named for its location in the western part of the originally planned landing ellipse). Armstrong took semi-automatic control and, with Aldrin calling out altitude and velocity data, landed at 20:17:40 UTC on Sunday July 20 with about 25 seconds of fuel left.
  
  Apollo 11 landed with less fuel than other missions, and the astronauts encountered a premature low fuel warning. This was later found to be the result of greater propellant 'slosh' than expected, uncovering a fuel sensor. On subsequent missions, extra anti-slosh baffles were added to the tanks to prevent this.
  
  Throughout the descent, Aldrin had called out navigation data to Armstrong, who was busy piloting the LM. A few moments before the landing, a light informed Aldrin that at least one of the 67-inch (170 cm) probes hanging from Eagle's footpads had touched the surface, and he said: "Contact light!" Three seconds later, Eagle landed and Armstrong said "Shutdown." Aldrin immediately said "Okay, engine stop. ACA – out of detent." Armstrong acknowledged "Out of detent. Auto" and Aldrin continued "Mode control – both auto. Descent engine command override off. Engine arm – off. 413 is in."
  
  Charles Duke, CAPCOM during the landing phase, acknowledged their landing by saying "We copy you down, Eagle."
  
  Armstrong acknowledged Aldrin's completion of the post landing checklist with "Engine arm is off", before responding to Duke with the words, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Armstrong's unrehearsed change of call sign from "Eagle" to "Tranquility Base" emphasized to listeners that landing was complete and successful. Duke mispronounced his reply as he expressed the relief at Mission Control: "Roger, Twan— Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot."
  
  He then took communion privately. At this time NASA was still fighting a lawsuit brought by atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair (who had objected to the Apollo 8 crew reading from the Book of Genesis) demanding that their astronauts refrain from broadcasting religious activities while in space. As such, Aldrin chose to refrain from directly mentioning taking communion on the Moon. Aldrin was an elder at the Webster Presbyterian Church, and his communion kit was prepared by the pastor of the church, the Rev. Dean Woodruff. Aldrin described communion on the Moon and the involvement of his church and pastor in the October 1970 edition of Guideposts magazine and in his book Return to Earth. Webster Presbyterian possesses the chalice used on the Moon and commemorates the event each year on the Sunday closest to July 20.
  
  The schedule for the mission called for the astronauts to follow the landing with a five-hour sleep period as they had been awake since early morning. However, they elected to forgo the sleep period and begin the preparations for the EVA early, thinking that they would be unable to sleep'.
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• In 1976, Viking 1 successfully lands on Mars.
  From Wikipedia: 'Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft (along with Viking 2) sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program. It was the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars and perform its mission, and held the record for the longest Mars surface mission of 2307 days or 2245 sols (from landing until surface mission termination, Earth time) until that record was broken by the Opportunity Rover on May 19, 2010.
  
  Following launch using a Titan/Centaur launch vehicle on August 20, 1975 and a 10-month cruise to Mars, the orbiter began returning global images of Mars about 5 days before orbit insertion. The Viking 1 Orbiter was inserted into Mars orbit on June 19, 1976 and trimmed to a 1513 x 33,000 km, 24.66 h site certification orbit on June 21. Landing on Mars was planned for July 4, 1976, the United States Bicentennial, but imaging of the primary landing site showed it was too rough for a safe landing. The landing was delayed until a safer site was found. The lander separated from the orbiter on July 20 08:51 UTC and landed at 11:53:06 UTC. It was the first attempt by the United States at landing on Mars.
  
  Viking carried a biology experiment whose purpose was to look for evidence of life. The Viking spacecraft biological experiments weighed 15.5 kg (34 lbs) and consisted of three subsystems: the Pyrolytic Release experiment (PR), the Labeled Release experiment (LR), and the Gas Exchange experiment (GEX). In addition, independent of the biology experiments, Viking carried a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) that could measure the composition and abundance of organic compounds in the martian soil. The results were surprising and interesting: the GCMS gave a negative result; the PR gave a negative result, the GEX gave a negative result, and the LR gave a positive result. Viking scientist Patricia Straat stated in 2009, "Our (LR) experiment was a definite positive response for life, but a lot of people have claimed that it was a false positive for a variety of reasons." Most scientists now believe that the data were due to inorganic chemical reactions of the soil; however, this view may be changing after the recent discovery of near-surface ice near the Viking landing zone. Some scientists still believe the results were due to living reactions. No organic chemicals were found in the soil. However, dry areas of Antarctica do not have detectable organic compounds either, but they have organisms living in the rocks. Mars has almost no ozone layer, unlike the Earth, so UV light sterilizes the surface and produces highly reactive chemicals such as peroxides that would oxidize any organic chemicals. The Phoenix Lander discovered the chemical perchlorate in the Martian soil. Perchlorate is a strong oxidant so it may have destroyed any organic matter on the surface. If it is widespread on Mars, carbon-based life would be difficult at the soil surface'.
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• In 1976, Hank Aaron hits the final home run of his career when he hits number 755 at Milwaukee Stadium.
  From Wikipedia: Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron (born February 5, 1934), nicknamed "Hammer", or "Hammerin' Hank", is a retired American Major League Baseball (MLB) right fielder. He played 21 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and 2 seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL), from 1954 through 1976. Aaron held the MLB record for career home runs for 33 years, and he still holds several MLB offensive records. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and is one of only two players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on its "100 Greatest Baseball Players" list.
  
  'Aaron hit his 755th and final home run on July 20, 1976, at Milwaukee County Stadium off Dick Drago of the California Angels, which stood as the MLB career home run record until it was broken in 2007 by Barry Bonds. Over the course of his record-breaking 23-year career, Aaron had a batting average of .305 with 163 hits a season, while hitting an average of just over 32 home runs a year and knocking home 99 runs batted in (RBIs) a year. He had 100+ RBIs in a season 15 times, including a record 13 in a row'.
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• In 1977,- CIA releases docs under Freedom of Information, revealing mind control experiments.
  From Wikipedia: 'Project MKUltra—sometimes referred to as the CIA's mind control program—was the code name given to an illegal program of experiments on human subjects, designed and undertaken by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Experiments on humans were intended to identify and develop drugs and procedures to be used in interrogations and torture, in order to weaken the individual to force confessions through mind control. Organized through the Scientific Intelligence Division of the CIA, the project coordinated with the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Army's Chemical Corps. The program began in the early 1950s, was officially sanctioned in 1953, was reduced in scope in 1964, further curtailed in 1967 and officially halted in 1973. The program engaged in many illegal activities, including the use of unwitting U.S. and Canadian citizens as its test subjects, which led to controversy regarding its legitimacy.(p74) MKUltra used numerous methodologies to manipulate people's mental states and alter brain functions, including the surreptitious administration of drugs (especially LSD) and other chemicals, hypnosis, sensory deprivation, isolation, verbal and sexual abuse, as well as various forms of torture.
  
  The scope of Project MKUltra was broad, with research undertaken at 80 institutions, including 44 colleges and universities, as well as hospitals, prisons, and pharmaceutical companies. The CIA operated through these institutions using front organizations, although sometimes top officials at these institutions were aware of the CIA's involvement. As the US Supreme Court later noted, MKULTRA was:
  
  concerned with "the research and development of chemical, biological, and radiological materials capable of employment in clandestine operations to control human behavior." The program consisted of some 149 subprojects which the Agency contracted out to various universities, research foundations, and similar institutions. At least 80 institutions and 185 private researchers participated. Because the Agency funded MKUltra indirectly, many of the participating individuals were unaware that they were dealing with the Agency.
  
  Project MKUltra was first brought to public attention in 1975 by the Church Committee of the U.S. Congress, and a Gerald Ford commission to investigate CIA activities within the United States. Investigative efforts were hampered by the fact that CIA Director Richard Helms ordered all MKUltra files destroyed in 1973; the Church Committee and Rockefeller Commission investigations relied on the sworn testimony of direct participants and on the relatively small number of documents that survived Helms' destruction order.
  
  In 1977, a Freedom of Information Act request uncovered a cache of 20,000 documents relating to project MKUltra, which led to Senate hearings later that same year. In July 2001, some surviving information regarding MKUltra was declassified'.
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• In 1985, Treasure hunters discover $400 million from the sunken Spanish galleon 'Atocha'.
  From Wikipedia: 'Nuestra Señora de Atocha ("Our Lady of Atocha") was the most famous of a fleet of Spanish ships that sank in 1622 off the Florida Keys while carrying copper, silver, gold, tobacco, gems, jewels and indigo from Spanish ports at Cartagena and Porto Bello in New Granada (current Colombia and Panama, respectively) and Havana, bound for Spain. The ship was named for the parish of Atocha in Madrid.
  
  The Spaniards undertook salvage operations for several years, with the use of Indian slaves, and they recovered nearly half of the registered part of the vast treasure from the holds of the Margarita. The principal method used by the Spanish for the recovery of this cargo was a large brass diving bell with a glass window on one side: a slave would ride to the bottom, recover an item, and return to the surface by being hauled up by the men on deck. It was often lethal, but more or less effective. Dead slaves were recorded as a business expense by the captains of salvage ships.
  
  The loss of the 1622 fleet had an immediate impact on Spain, forcing it to borrow more to finance its role in the Thirty Years' War and to sell several galleons to raise funds. While their efforts over the next ten years to salvage the Margarita were successful, the Spanish never located the Atocha.
  
  Bartolomé García de Nodal, explorer of the Straits of Magellan surrounding Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, died on 5 September 1622 in the wreck of the Atocha, thirty leagues from Havana, Cuba.
  
  American treasure hunter Mel Fisher and a team of sub-contractors, funded by investors and others in a joint venture, searched the sea bed for the Atocha for sixteen and a half years. Fisher had earlier, in 1980, recovered portions of the wrecked cargo of the sister ship Santa Margarita. He also proposed the idea to several other potential helpers, who were discouraged by the fact that this dangerous professional diving job was at minimum wage unless the ship could be found. The Atocha wreck and its mother lode of silver, gold and emeralds, was finally discovered in July 1985. It was Mel's son, Kane, who radioed the news to Treasure Salvors headquarters on the Florida coast, from the salvage boat Dauntless. It is understood by experts that the sterncastle, the part of the ship that would hold most of the gold and rare Muzo emeralds, is still missing from the shipwreck. These and other valuable items would have been stored in the Captain's cabin for safekeeping in the rear part of the Atocha.
  
  After the discovery, the State of Florida claimed title to the wreck and forced Fisher into a contract giving 25% of the found treasure to the state. Fisher fought the State of Florida, claiming the find should be his, exclusively. After eight years of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fisher, on 1 July 1992 and he was awarded rights to all found treasure from the vessel. Fisher died on 19 December 1998.
  
  In June 2011, treasure divers from Mel Fisher's Treasure found an antique emerald ring believed to be from the wreck of the Spanish ship. It is said that the ring is worth an estimated $500,000. The ring was found 35 miles from Key West, along with two silver spoons and other artifacts'.
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• In 1997, The fully restored USS Constitution (a.k.a. Old Ironsides) celebrates its 200th birthday by setting sail for the first time in 116 years.
  From Wikipedia: 'Lieutenant John A. Lord was selected to oversee the reconstruction project, and work began while efforts to raise funds were still underway. Materials were difficult to find, especially the live oak needed; Lord uncovered a long-forgotten stash of live oak (some 1,500 short tons ) at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida that had been cut sometime in the 1850s for a ship building program that never began. By the mid-1920s even the tools needed for the restoration were difficult to find, and some came from as far away as Maine. Constitution entered dry dock with a crowd of 10,000 observers on 16 June 1927. Meanwhile, Charles Francis Adams had been appointed as the Secretary of the Navy, and he proposed that Constitution make a tour of the United States upon her completion as a gift to the nation for its efforts to help restore her. She emerged from dry dock on 15 March 1930, and many amenities were installed to prepare her for the three-year tour of the country, including water piping throughout, modern toilet and shower facilities, electric lighting to make the interior visible for visitors, and several peloruses for ease of navigation.
  
  No stranger to controversy, Constitution experienced another episode when Assistant Secretary of the Navy Ernest Jahncke made comments doubting the ability of the modern US Navy to still sail a vessel of her type. Veterans groups from around the country had proposed that she should make the tour under sail, but due to the schedule of visits on her itinerary she was towed by the minesweeper Grebe. Nevertheless, she was recommissioned on 1 July 1931 under the command of Louis J. Gulliver with a crew of sixty officers and sailors, fifteen Marines, and their mascot, a pet monkey named Rosie. Setting out with much celebration and a 21-gun salute, the tour of 90 port cities along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts began at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She went as far north as Bar Harbor, Maine, on the Atlantic coast, south through the Panama Canal Zone, and north again to Bellingham, Washington, on the Pacific Coast. Constitution returned to her home port of Boston in May 1934 after more than 4.6 million people visited her during the three-year tour'.
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• In 2006, World Jump Day was celebrated.
  A one time event in 2006. It was a hoax that claimed to have over 6 million participants. These persons would jump at a specified time on that July 20. The united movement was supposed to shift the Earth's orbit and thus end global warming.
  From Wikipedia: 'The World Jump Day was an event scheduled for July 20, 2006 at 11:39.13 UTC, at which time the organization claimed to have 600 million people from the western hemisphere jump simultaneously. They claimed this would move the Earth out of its orbit, and into a new one, one that would not cause global warming. The site was a hoax, an art installation by Torsten Lauschmann (claiming to be a Professor Hans Peter Niesward from the Institute for Gravitational Physics in Munich), and in no way serious. The German student association Lambda Omega Lambda provided hosting and programming services'.
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Tomorrow's food holiday will be 'National Lollipop Day'. [The Hankster says] Anything red, please.

Another food oriented day tomorrow will be 'International Cake Day'. Cakes created along musical themes. The 2015 theme is: 'Into a Fairytale'.


Put on those thinking caps and tank up on some fish for brain food. Tomorrow is 'International Chess Day'. Since 1966 by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), their birthday. [The Hankster says] I like chess. My boyhood friend Allen Williams taught me to play it. However, I did get excited when i misread it and thought it was International Cheese Day.

Tomorrow is 'National Get Out of the Dog House Day'. Third Monday in July [The Hankster says] The best I can figure out, is that it is a day to put the past behind you and start anew. We just had a day about dumping all the 'should haves' and 'would haves'. Live in the past and die in the future.

Gentleman (and ladies) start your engines. Tomorrow is 'Ugly Truck Day'. [The Hankster says] You owners of such, have never cared what others thought, now you can be proud.

Another one of those days that should be practiced all the time. Tomorrow is 'Global Hug Your Kids Day '. Third Monday in July.

Where were you on July 20 1969. Tomorrow is 'Moon day'. Celebrates the July 20 1969 moon landing.


We have an awareness day tomorrow. It will be 'National Farm Safety Week'. July 20-25 in Australia.

Historical events in the past on: July 20

In 1807,– Nicéphore Niépce is awarded a patent by Napoleon for the Pyréolophore, the world's first internal combustion engine, after it successfully powered a boat upstream on the river Saône in France.

In 1903, The Ford Motor Company ships its first car.

In 1935, The radio police drama ''Gang Busters' premiers on NBC-radio.

In 1940, Billboard publishes its 1st singles record chart (#1 was I'll Never Smile Again, by Tommy Dorsey).

In 1942, The Legion of Merit Medal authorized by US congress.

In 1960, The Polaris missile is successfully launched from a submarine, the USS George Washington, for the first time.

In 1968, The first Special Olympics is held.

In 1969, Apollo 11's crew successfully makes the first landing on the Moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon later that day (Eastern Time Zone).

In 1976, Viking 1 successfully lands on Mars.

In 1976, Hank Aaron hits the final home run of his career when he hits number 755 at Milwaukee Stadium.

In 1977,- CIA releases docs under Freedom of Information, revealing mind control experiments.

In 1985, Treasure hunters discover $400 million from the sunken Spanish galleon 'Atocha'.

In 1997, The fully restored USS Constitution (a.k.a. Old Ironsides) celebrates its 200th birthday by setting sail for the first time in 116 years.

In 2006, World Jump Day was celebrated. A one time event in 2006. It was a hoax that claimed to have over 6 million participants. These persons would jump at a specified time on that July 20. The united movement was supposed to shift the Earth's orbit and thus end global warming.

No. 1 song

• Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds: More
  'I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)' has been displaced by 'Mr. Tambourine Man', which will hold the no. 1 spot until July 31 1965, when '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones', takes over.

Top movie

• The Sound of Music More
  Having displaced 'Cat Ballou', it will be there until the weekend box office of Aug. 1 1965 when, 'Ship of Fools', takes over.

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

Monthly holiday / awareness days in

Food
Eggplant Month
Garlic Month
Lettuce Month
Melon Month
National Baked Bean Month
National Blueberries Month
National Bison Month
National Culinary Arts Month
National Grilling Month
National Hot Dog Month
National Ice Cream Month
National Horseradish Month
National Hot Dog Month
National July Belongs to Blueberries
Nectarine Month
Sandwich Generation Month
Wheat Month

Health and Well-being
Alopecia Month for WomebnHealth and Well-Being
Bereaved Parents Awareness Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month Link
Fragile X Awareness Month
Hemochromatosis Screening Awareness Month
Herbal / Prescription Interaction Awareness Month
International Group B Strep Awareness Month
International Women with Alopecia Month
Juvenille Arthritis Awareness Month
National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month
National Cord Blood Awareness Month
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
National Outdoor Month
National Picnic Month
National Recreation and Parks Month
National Share a Sunset with Your Lover Month
Social Wellness Month
Worldwide Bereaved Parents Month

Animal and Pets
Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
National 'Doghouse Repairs Month

Other
Air-Conditioning Appreciation
Anti Boredom Month
Bioterrorism/Disaster Education and Awareness Month
Cell Phone Courtesy Month
Dog Days
Family Golf Month
Family Reunion Month
Fireworks Safety Month
Independent Retailer Month
International Blondie and Deborah Harry Month
International Zine Month
National Black Family Month
National Child-Centered Divorce Month
National Make A Difference to Children Month
National Parks and Recreation Month
National Vacation Rental Month
National Wheelchair Beautification Month
Smart Irrigation Month
Tennis Month
Tour de France Month
UV Safety Month
Women's Motorcycle Month

July is:

July origin (from Wikipedia): Named by the Roman Senate in honor of Julius Caesar.
"is the seventh month of the year (between June and August) in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honor of the Roman general, Julius Caesar, it being the month of his birth. Prior to that, it was called Quintilis. It is, on average, the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer) and the coldest month in much of the Southern hemisphere (where it is the second month of winter). The second half of the year commences in July. In the Southern hemisphere, July is the seasonal equivalent of January in the Northern hemisphere."

July 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