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Today is December 29 2015

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

Pepper Pot Day: More
From Wikipedia: 'Pepper Pot is a thick stew of beef tripe, vegetables, pepper and other seasonings. The origins of the stew are steeped in legend, with one story attributing the dish to Christopher Ludwick, baker general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.' 'According to this story, during the harsh winter of 1777 - 1778 farmers near Valley Forge sold food to the British rather than accepting the weak continental currency. The Continental Army survived on soup made of tripe, vegetables, and whatever else they could find'. BTW: tripe: 'the first or second stomach of a cow or other ruminant used as food.'.

Other celebrations/observances today:
  • National Get on the Scales Day: More
    After Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, not far away, there is no need to explain this one.
Events in the past on: December 29
  • In 1845, Texas becomes a state of the U.S.A. In accordance with International Boundary delimitation, the U.S. annexes the Republic of Texas, following the manifest destiny doctrine. The Republic of Texas, which had been independent since the Texas Revolution of 1836, is thereupon admitted as the 28th U.S. state.
    From Wikipedia: 'Texas is the second largest state in the United States by both area and population. Geographically located in the south central part of the country, Texas shares borders with the other U.S. states of Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the southwest, while the Gulf of Mexico is to the southeast.

    Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S., while San Antonio is the second most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas–Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country, respectively. Other major cities include Austin, the second most populous state capital in the U.S., and El Paso. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State to signify its former status as an independent republic, and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico. The "Lone Star" can be found on the Texan state flag and on the Texan state seal. The origin of the state name, Texas, is from the word, "Tejas", which means 'friends' in the Caddo language.

    Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault, Texas contains diverse landscapes that resemble both the U.S. southern and southwestern regions. Although Texas is popularly associated with the U.S. southwestern deserts, less than 10 percent of Texas' land area is desert. Most of the population centers are located in areas of former prairies, grasslands, forests, and the coastline. Traveling from east to west, one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and rugged hills, and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend.

    The term "six flags over Texas" refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory. Spain was the first European country to claim the area of Texas. France held a short-lived colony. Mexico controlled the territory until 1836 when Texas won its independence, becoming an independent Republic. In 1845, Texas joined the United States as the 28th state. The state's annexation set off a chain of events that caused the Mexican–American War in 1846. A slave state before the American Civil War, Texas declared its secession from the U.S. in early 1861, and officially joined the Confederate States of America on March 2 of the same year. After the Civil War and the restoration of its representation in the federal government, Texas entered a long period of economic stagnation.

    One Texan industry that thrived after the Civil War was cattle. Due to its long history as a center of the industry, Texas is associated with the image of the cowboy. The state's economic fortunes changed in the early 20th century, when oil discoveries initiated an economic boom in the state. With strong investments in universities, Texas developed a diversified economy and high tech industry in the mid-20th century. As of 2010 it shares the top of the list of the most Fortune 500 companies with California at 57. With a growing base of industry, the state leads in many industries, including agriculture, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronics, aerospace, and biomedical sciences. Texas has led the nation in export revenue since 2002 and has the second-highest gross state product'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1851, The U.S. first YMCA opens in Boston, Massachusetts.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Young Men's Christian Association (commonly known as YMCA or simply the Y) is a worldwide organization based in Geneva, Switzerland with more than 57 million beneficiaries from 125 national associations. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London ...' 'The first YMCA in North America opened in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on 9 December 1851.' The first YMCA in the United States opened on 29 December 1851, in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1851 by Captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan (1800–59), an American seaman and missionary. He was influenced by the London YMCA and saw the association as an opportunity to provide a 'home away from home' for young sailors on shore leave'.
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1852, Emma Snodgrass was arrested in Boston for wearing pants.
    - At CountryHistorian: More
  • In 1913, The first 'cliff hanger' movie serial 'Adventures of Kathlyn', a silent movie, premieres.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Adventures of Kathlyn was only the second serial ever made by an American film studio and considered the first of the cliffhanger serials that became enormously popular during the next decade.'
    Cliff Hanger from Wikipedia: 'A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction. A cliffhanger is hoped to ensure the audience will return to see how the characters resolve the dilemma'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1939, The first flight of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator.
    From Wikipedia: 'The B-24 was used extensively in World War II. It served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies, and saw use in every theater of operations. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1957, Pat Boone earns his second #1 hit with 'April Love'.
    From Wikipedia: 'According to Billboard, Boone was the second biggest charting artist of the late 1950s, behind only Elvis Presley but ahead of Ricky Nelson and the Platters, and was ranked at No. 9—behind the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney but ahead of artists such as Aretha Franklin and the Beach Boys—in its listing of the Top 100 Top 40 Artists 1955–1995. Boone still holds the Billboard record for spending 220 consecutive weeks on the charts with one or more songs each week..
    - At Wikipedia: More
    On YouTube: More
  • In 1967, Star Trek's, 'The Trouble With Tribbles', airs.
    From Wikipedia: '"The Trouble with Tribbles" is the 44th episode of the American science fiction television series, Star Trek, the 15th episode of the second season. It was first broadcast in the United States on December 29, 1967, on NBC. The episode was the first professional work of writer David Gerrold, and went through a variety of drafts before it reached the screen. Because of an error in the size of typeface, an approved version needed to be reduced by twenty pages before filming. Nichelle Nichols remarked that she had "never seen a script go through so many changes—and stay so much the same". "The Trouble with Tribbles" was directed by Joseph Pevney, who was one of the most prolific directors of the series.

    In this episode, the starship Enterprise arrives at Deep Space Station K7 to guard a consignment of grain bound for Sherman's Planet. On arrival, a trader named Cyrano Jones (Stanley Adams) gives Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) a tribble, with dramatic consequences. Captain James T. Kirk and the crew also have to deal with the arrival of Captain Koloth (William Campbell) and his Klingon battlecruiser, but the tribbles unexpectedly reveal a plot to poison the grain.

    Around 500 tribbles were created for the episode, with special tribbles created for certain purposes with beanbags or surgical balloons inserted in them. Three additional sets were created for the episode, although there were problems with finding enough matching chairs for the trading post area. The chairs had to be pulled out of showrooms around Los Angeles County, and Pevney was warned to make sure they were not damaged during the episode's brawl scene. William Campbell had previously appeared as Trelane in "The Squire of Gothos" and was intended to be a recurring villain as Koloth. Because of his other work commitments, these plans were not followed up on until he returned as Koloth in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Blood Oath" in 1994. William Schallert appeared as Nilz Baris, and later appeared as a Bajoran in the DS9 episode "Sanctuary".

    While initial fan reaction to the episode was mixed, it was more popular with the general public. Critical response to the episode was positive, and it was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation which instead went to fellow Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever". It has since been included in several "best of" episode lists and features, including as part of the Best of DVD collection alongside three other episodes. It has also been released as part of the season two DVD box set.

    "The Trouble with Tribbles" was intended to have a third-season follow-up episode, but it was not completed. The follow-up episode was developed for Star Trek: The Animated Series as "More Tribbles, More Troubles". Gerrold explained that the episode was almost uncut from the original premise. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Trek in 1996, the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations" used digital techniques to insert the Deep Space Nine actors into the events of "The Trouble with Tribbles". Gerrold appeared on-screen as an extra, and the episode was nominated for three Emmy Awards and also for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation'.
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
    - On YouTube: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1972, Life magazine ceases publication.
    From Wikipedia: 'Life magazine, stylized LIFE, was an American magazine that ran weekly from 1883 to 1972, published initially as a humor and general interest magazine. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936, solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name, and shifted it to a role as a weekly news magazine with a strong emphasis on photojournalism. Life was published weekly until 1972, as an intermittent 'special' until 1978, and as a monthly from 1978 to 2002.' 'Life was reportedly not losing money, but its costs were rising faster than its profits. '.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  II.
Henry's Heads Up! - previous days social media post (updated daily)

Tomorrow's food holiday will be 'Pepper Pot Day'. From Wikipedia: 'Pepper Pot is a thick stew of beef tripe, vegetables, pepper and other seasonings. The origins of the stew are steeped in legend, with one story attributing the dish to Christopher Ludwick, baker general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.' 'According to this story, during the harsh winter of 1777 - 1778 farmers near Valley Forge sold food to the British rather than accepting the weak continental currency. The Continental Army survived on soup made of tripe, vegetables, and whatever else they could find'. BTW: tripe: 'the first or second stomach of a cow or other ruminant used as food.'.
[The Hankster says] Water, veggies, cow stomach and pepper corns. I put this under the concept of 'don't tell', 'will eat'. Of course, I haven't spent a harsh winter at Valley Forge, lately.


Tomorrow is 'National Get on the Scales Day'. After Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, not far away, there is no need to explain this one.
[The Hankster says] Good idea to check the accuracy of those scales. I know that mine have degraded to an inaccuracy of at least plus 3 pounds since Thanksgiving. Must be the cold weather. I wonder haw many calories are in Pepper Pot Soup?


Historical events in the past on: December 29

In 1845, Texas becomes a state of the U.S.A. In accordance with International Boundary delimitation, the U.S. annexes the Republic of Texas, following the manifest destiny doctrine. The Republic of Texas, which had been independent since the Texas Revolution of 1836, is thereupon admitted as the 28th U.S. state.

In 1851, The U.S. first YMCA opens in Boston, Massachusetts. From Wikipedia: 'The Young Men's Christian Association (commonly known as YMCA or simply the Y) is a worldwide organization based in Geneva, Switzerland with more than 57 million beneficiaries from 125 national associations. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London ...' 'The first YMCA in North America opened in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on 9 December 1851.' The first YMCA in the United States opened on 29 December 1851, in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1851 by Captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan (1800–59), an American seaman and missionary. He was influenced by the London YMCA and saw the association as an opportunity to provide a 'home away from home' for young sailors on shore leave'.

In 1852, Emma Snodgrass was arrested in Boston for wearing pants.

In 1913, The first 'clif hanger' movie serial 'Adventures of Kathlyn', a silent movie, premieres. From Wikipedia: 'The Adventures of Kathlyn was only the second serial ever made by an American film studio and considered the first of the cliffhanger serials that became enormously popular during the next decade.' Clif Hanger from Wikipedia: 'A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction. A cliffhanger is hoped to ensure the audience will return to see how the characters resolve the dilemma'.

In 1939, The first flight of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. From Wikipedia: 'The B-24 was used extensively in World War II. It served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies, and saw use in every theater of operations. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater'.

In 1957, Pat Boone earns his second #1 hit with 'April Love'. From Wikipedia: 'According to Billboard, Boone was the second biggest charting artist of the late 1950s, behind only Elvis Presley but ahead of Ricky Nelson and the Platters, and was ranked at No. 9—behind the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney but ahead of artists such as Aretha Franklin and the Beach Boys—in its listing of the Top 100 Top 40 Artists 1955–1995. Boone still holds the Billboard record for spending 220 consecutive weeks on the charts with one or more songs each week..

In 1967, Star Trek's, 'The Trouble With Tribbles', airs.

In 1972, Life magazine ceases publication. From Wikipedia: 'Life magazine, stylized LIFE, was an American magazine that ran weekly from 1883 to 1972, published initially as a humor and general interest magazine. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936, solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name, and shifted it to a role as a weekly news magazine with a strong emphasis on photojournalism. Life was published weekly until 1972, as an intermittent 'special' until 1978, and as a monthly from 1978 to 2002.' 'Life was reportedly not losing money, but its costs were rising faster than its profits. '.

 III.
Top Song & Movie 50 years ago today (last updated Dec 26 2015 next Jan 1 2016

No. 1 song

  • Over and Over - The Dave Clark Five: More
    'Taste of Honey' has been displaced by 'Over and Over', which will hold the no. 1 spot until January 1 1965, when 'We Can Work It Out - The Beatles', takes over.

Top movie

  • Thunderball More
    Having displaced 'A Patch of Blue', it will be there until the weekend box office of January 2 1965 when, 'Doctor Zhivago', takes over.
  IV.
Today in the Past (reference sites): December 29
   V.
This month December 2015 (updated once a month - last updated - December 1 2015)

Monthly holiday / awareness days in December

Food
Buckwheat Month
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month

Health
Aids Awareness Month
Take a New Year's Resolution to Stop Smoking (TANYRSS) (12/17 - 2/7)

Other
Bingo's Birthday Month
National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
National Tie Month
National Write A Business Plan Month
Operation Santa Paws (1-19)
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Universal Human Rights Month


December is:

December origin (from Wikipedia): ' December gets its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month. Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name. '

' December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, December is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Northern hemisphere, which is the first month of summer. D ecember is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. '

December 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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