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Today is March 23 2016

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   I.
Today's Holidays and Historical Events (updated daily)
Today's Food Holiday
  • National Chip and Dip Day: More
  • National Melba Toast Day: More
    From Wikipedia: 'Melba toast is a dry, crisp and thinly sliced toast, often served with soup and salad or topped with either melted cheese or pโt้. It is named after Dame Nellie Melba, the stage name of Australian opera singer Helen Porter Mitchell. Its name is thought to date from 1897, when the singer was very ill and it became a staple of her diet. The toast was created for her by chef and fan Auguste Escoffier, who also created the Peach Melba dessert for her. The hotel proprietor C้sar Ritz supposedly named it in a conversation with Escoffier'.
  • National Tamale Day: More
    First on March 23 2016, by the Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region, and the First National Tamale Day will be celebrated on March 23, 2016.
    From Wikipedia: 'A tamale (tamal in Spanish) is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa (a starchy dough, usually corn-based), which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping is discarded before eating. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chilies or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned'.
Other celebrations/observances today:
  • National Near Miss Day: More
    Anniversary of the asteroid (4581 Asclepius) nearly missed hitting the earth in 1989. The asteroid came within 500,000 miles of Earth. See more in the history section for 1989.
  • OK, Day: More
    First use in print meaning whimsical [oll korrect] (all correct). See more in the history section.
Awareness / Observance Days on: March 23
  • Animal and Pets
    • National Puppy Day: More
      Mar. 23 or nearest Friday or Monday.
  • Other
    • World Meteorological Day: More
      Since 1961 by the World Meteorological Organization..
Events in the past on: March 23
  • In 1775, Patrick Henry delivers his famous address.
    From Wikipedia: 'Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter and politician who became known as an orator during the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia, from 1776 to 1779 and from 1784 to 1786.

    'Henry led the opposition to the Stamp Act 1765 and is remembered for his "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech. Along with Samuel Adams and Thomas Paine, he is regarded as one of the most influential champions of Republicanism and an invested promoter of the American Revolution and its fight for independence.

    '"Give me liberty, or give me death!" is a quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Virginia Convention in 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia.

    He is credited with having swung the balance in convincing the convention to pass a resolution delivering Virginian troops for the Revolutionary War. Among the delegates to the convention were future U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1923, Frank Silver and Irving Conn release 'Yes, We Have No Bananas'.
    From Wikipedia: '"Yes! We Have No Bananas" is a novelty song by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn from the 1922 Broadway revue Make It Snappy. Sung by Eddie Cantor in the revue, the song became a major hit in 1923 (placing No. 1 for five weeks) when it was recorded by Billy Jones, Arthur Hall, Irving Kaufman, and others. It was covered later by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Spike Jones AND His City Slickers, and many more. It also inspired a follow-up song, "I've Got the Yes! We Have No Bananas Blues", recorded by Billy Jones and others in 1923'.
    - At Wikipediau: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1839, First published use of the term 'OK', a whimsical [oll korrect] (all correct).
    From Wikipedia: '"OK" (/o?ke?/; also spelled "okay", "ok", or "O.K.") is a word denoting approval, acceptance, agreement, assent, or acknowledgment. "OK", as an adjective, can also express acknowledgment without approval. "OK" has frequently turned up as a loanword in many other languages.]

    'Allen Walker Read identifies the earliest known use of O.K. in print as 1839, in the March 23 edition of the Boston Morning Post (an American newspaper). The announcement of a trip by the Anti-Bell-Ringing Society (a "frolicsome group" according to Read) received attention from the Boston papers. Charles Gordon Greene wrote about the event using the line that is widely regarded as the first instance of this strain of OK, ...'.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1912, The 'Dixie Cup' was marketed.
    From Wikipedia: 'Dixie Cup is the brand name for a line of disposable paper cups that were first developed in the United States in 1907 by Lawrence Luellen, a lawyer in Boston, Massachusetts, who was concerned about germs being spread by people sharing glasses or dippers at public supplies of drinking water. Luellen developed an ice-cooled water-vending machine with disposable cups, and with another Bostonian, Hugh Moore, embarked on an advertising campaign to educate the public and to market his machine, principally to railroad companies. Professor Davison's study was instrumental in abolishing the public glass and opening the door for the paper cup. Soon, the devices, which would dispense cool water for one cent, became standard equipment on trains.

    The Dixie Cup was first called "Health Kup", but from 1919 it was named after a line of dolls made by Alfred Schindler's Dixie Doll Company in New York. Success led the company, which had existed under a variety of names, to call itself the Dixie Cup Corporation and move to a factory in Wilson, Pennsylvania. Atop the factory was a large water tank in the shape of a cup'.
    - At IdeaFinder.com: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1940, The first radio broadcast of 'Truth or Consequences' on CBS.
    From Wikipedia: 'Truth or Consequences is an American television show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940–1957) and later on television by Edwards (1950–1954), Jack Bailey (1954–1955), Bob Barker (1956–1975), Bob Hilton (1977–1978) and Larry Anderson (1987–1988). The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication. The premise of the show was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts.

    'Ralph Edwards stated he got the idea for a new radio program after playing the parlor game Forfeits. The show premiered on NBC Radio in March 23, 1940, and was an instant hit with listeners'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube (radio): More
    - On YouTube (TV): More
  • In 1950, At the 22nd Academy Awards:
    From Wikipedia: More
    Best Picture is, All the King's Men
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actor is Broderick Crawford for 'All the King's Men'
    Best Actress is Olivia de Havilland for 'The Heiress'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Supporting Actor is Dean Jagger for 'Twelve O'Clock High'
    Best Supporting Actress is Mercedes McCambridge for 'All the King's Men'
    Best Song is Baby, It's Cold Outside' from 'Neptune's Daughter'
    -- at Wikipedia: More
    -- On YouTube: More
  • In 1950, First TV broadcast of 'Beat the Clock'on CBS-TV.
    From Wikipedia: 'Beat the Clock is a Goodson-Todman game show that aired on American television in several versions from 1950 to 2003.

    The original show, hosted by Bud Collyer, ran on CBS from 1950 to 1958 and ran on ABC from 1958 to 1961. The show was revived in syndication as The New Beat the Clock from 1969 to 1974, with Jack Narz as host until 1972, when he was replaced by the show's announcer, Gene Wood. Another version ran on CBS from 1979 to 1980 (as The All-New Beat the Clock, and later as All-New All-Star Beat the Clock), with former Let's Make a Deal host Monty Hall as host and Narz as announcer. The most recent version aired from 2002 to 2003 on PAX (now ION) with Gary Kroeger and Julielinh Parker as co-hosts. The series was also featured as the third episode of Gameshow Marathon in 2006. Ricki Lake hosted while Rich Fields announced.

    In 2013, the show appeared in TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest game shows ever'.'

    'Contestants were required to perform tasks (called "problems") within a certain time limit which was counted down on a large 60-second clock. If they succeeded, they were said to have "beaten the Clock"; otherwise, "the Clock beat them". The show had several sponsors over its run, with the most longstanding being the electronics company Sylvania.'.
    - At Wikipediau: More
    - On YouTube (TV): More
  • In 1965, NASA launches 'Gemini 3', the United State's first two-man space flight (crew: Gus Grissom and John Young).
    From Wikipedia: 'Gemini 3 was the first manned mission in NASA's Gemini program, the second American manned space program. On March 23, 1965, astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young flew three low Earth orbits in their spacecraft, which they nicknamed Molly Brown. This was the ninth manned US spaceflight (including two X-15 flights over 100 kilometers), and the 17th world human spaceflight including eight Soviet flights. It was also the final manned flight controlled from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station in Florida, before mission control functions were shifted to a new control center located at the newly opened Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1983, President Reagan announces the 'Star Wars' project.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect the United States from attack by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons (Intercontinental ballistic missiles and Submarine-launched ballistic missiles). The system, which was to combine ground-based units and orbital deployment platforms, was first publicly announced by President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of mutual assured destruction (MAD). The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) was set up in 1984 within the United States Department of Defense to oversee the Strategic Defense Initiative.

    'The ambitious initiative was criticized for allegedly threatening to destabilize the MAD -approach and to possibly re-ignite "an offensive arms race". SDI was nicknamed, largely in the mainstream media, as "Star Wars", after the popular 1977 film by George Lucas. In 1987, the American Physical Society concluded that a global shield such as "Star Wars" was extremely ambitious and with existing technology not directly feasible for operational status, and that about ten more years of research was needed to learn about such a comprehensive and complex system to set up and make it fully operational.'

    'It was never truly developed or deployed, though certain aspects of SDI research and technologies paved the way for some anti-ballistic missile systems of today.'.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In Asteroid 4581 Asclepius passes within 425,000 miles of Earth.
    From Wikipedia: '4581 Asclepius (/?'skli?pi?s/ ?-SKLEE-pee-?s) is a small asteroid of the Apollo group that makes close orbital passes with Earth. Discovered in 1989 by American astronomers Henry E. Holt (1929-) and Norman G. Thomas (1930-), Asclepius is named after the Greek demigod of medicine and healing.

    Asclepius passed by Earth on March 22, 1989, at a distance of 0.00457 AU (684,000 km; 425,000 mi). Although this exceeds the Moon's orbital radius, the close pass received attention at that time, especially since the asteroid passed through the exact position of Earth only six hours earlier. "On the cosmic scale of things, that was a close call," said Dr. Henry Holt. Geophysicists estimate that collision with Asclepius would release energy comparable to the explosion of a 600 megaton atomic bomb. The asteroid was discovered March 31, 1989, nine days after its closest approach to the Earth.

    Subsequent discoveries revealed that a whole class of such objects exists. Close approaches by objects the size of Asclepius pass by every two or three years, undetected until the start of computerized near-Earth object searches.

    On 2051-Mar-24 the asteroid will pass 0.0123 AU (1,840,000 km; 1,140,000 mi) from the Earth. It will be the eighth pass of less than 30 Gm in this century. JPL shows that the uncertainty region of the asteroid will cause it to mostly likely pass from 0.02 AU to 0.17 AU from the Earth in 2135'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1998, At the 70th Academy Awards:
    From Wikipedia: More
    Best Picture is, Titanic
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actor is Jack Nicholson for 'As Good as It Gets'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actress is Helen Hunt for 'As Good as It Gets'
    Best Supporting Actor is Robin Williams for 'Good Will Hunting'
    Best Supporting Actress is Kim Basinger for 'L.A. Confidential'
    Best Song is My Heart Will Go On from 'Titanic'
    -- at Wikipedia: More
    -- On YouTube: More
  • In 2001, Space station 'Mir' crashes (planned deorbit) into the southern Pacific Ocean near Fiji.
    From Wikipedia: 'Mir, (Peace) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, owned by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. Mir was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996. It had a greater mass than any previous spacecraft. Until 21 March 2001 it was the largest artificial satellite in orbit, succeeded by the International Space Station after Mir's orbit decayed. The station served as a microgravity research laboratory in which crews conducted experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology and spacecraft systems with a goal of developing technologies required for permanent occupation of space.

    The station was launched as part of the Soviet Union's manned spaceflight programme effort to maintain a long-term research outpost in space, and following the collapse of the USSR, was operated by the new Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA). As a result, most of the station' occupants were Soviet; however, through international collaborations such as the Intercosmos, Euromir and Shuttle-Mir programmes, the station was made accessible to space travelers from several Asian, European and North American nations. Mir was deorbited in March 2001 after funding was cut off. The cost of the Mir programme was estimated by former RKA General Director Yuri Koptev in 2001 as $4.2 billion over its lifetime (including development, assembly and orbital operation)'.
    - At FamousDaily.com: More
    - On YouTube: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 2003, At the 75th Academy Awards:
    From Wikipedia: More
    Best Picture is, Chicago
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actor is Adrien Brody for 'The Pianist'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Actress is Nicole Kidman for 'The Hours'
    -- At Wikipedia: More
    -- At Internet Movie Database IMDb: More
    -- On YouTube: More
    Best Supporting Actor is Chris Cooper for 'Adaptation'
    Best Supporting Actress is Catherine Zeta-Jones for 'Chicago'
    Best Song is Lose Yourself' from '8 Mile'
    -- at Wikipedia: More
    -- On YouTube: More
  II.
Henry's Heads Up! - previous days social media post (updated daily)

Tomorrow's food holidays are:
- 'National Chip and Dip Day'.
[The Hankster says] Any chip will do as log as they can hold a lot of Velveeta and Ro-Tel Tomato cheese dip.

- 'National Melba Toast Day'. From Wikipedia: 'Melba toast is a dry, crisp and thinly sliced toast, often served with soup and salad or topped with either melted cheese or pโt้. It is named after Dame Nellie Melba, the stage name of Australian opera singer Helen Porter Mitchell. Its name is thought to date from 1897, when the singer was very ill and it became a staple of her diet. The toast was created for her by chef and fan Auguste Escoffier, who also created the Peach Melba dessert for her. The hotel proprietor C้sar Ritz supposedlynamed it in a conversation with Escoffier.
[The Hankster says] An Aussie chip of sorts. I'll have mine with some Velveeta and Ro-Tel Tomato cheese dip on it.

- 'National Tamale Day'. First on March 23 2016, by the Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region, and the First National Tamale Day will be celebrated on March 23, 2016. From Wikipedia: 'A tamale (tamal in Spanish) is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa (a starchy dough, usually corn-based), which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping is discarded before eating. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chilies or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned'.
[The Hankster says] Topped with melted Velveeta and Ro-Tel Tomato cheese dip.


Other celebrations/observances tomorrow:

- 'National Near Miss Day'. Anniversary of the asteroid (4581 Asclepius) that nearly missed hitting the earth in 1989. The asteroid came within 500,000 miles of Earth. See more in the history section for 1989.
[The Hankster says] Well, That's twice the distance of the moon. I didn't feel the breeze, so I'm not worried. It's due back in 2051. If the moon is made of green cheese, I wonder if the asteroid could be made of Velveeta and Ro-Tel Tomato cheese dip. If so, that was not close enough.

- 'OK, Day'. First use in print meaning whimsical [oll korrect] (all correct). See more in the history section.
[The Hankster says] OK, but I bet you didn't think I could use the term, Velveeta and Ro-Tel Tomato cheese dip for everything.


Awareness / Observance Days on: March 23
o Animal and Pets
- 'National Puppy Day'. Mar. 23 or nearest Friday or Monday.

o Other - 'World Meteorological Day'. Since 1961 by the World Meteorological Organization..


Historical events in the past on: March 23

- In 1775, Patrick Henry delivers his famous address. From Wikipedia: 'Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter and politician who became known as an orator during the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia, from 1776 to 1779 and from 1784 to 1786.

'Henry led the opposition to the Stamp Act 1765 and is remembered for his "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech. Along with Samuel Adams and Thomas Paine, he is regarded as one of the most influential champions of Republicanism and an invested promoter of the American Revolution and its fight for independence.

'"Give me liberty, or give me death!" is a quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Virginia Convention in 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia.

He is credited with having swung the balance in convincing the convention to pass a resolution delivering Virginian troops for the Revolutionary War. Among the delegates to the convention were future U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

- In 1923, Frank Silver and Irving Conn release 'Yes, We Have No Bananas'. From Wikipedia: '"Yes! We Have No Bananas" is a novelty song by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn from the 1922 Broadway revue Make It Snappy. Sung by Eddie Cantor in the revue, the song became a major hit in 1923 (placing No. 1 for five weeks) when it was recorded by Billy Jones, Arthur Hall, Irving Kaufman, and others. It was covered later by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Spike Jones AND His City Slickers, and many more. It also inspired a follow-up song, "I've Got the Yes! We Have No Bananas Blues", recorded by Billy Jones and others in 1923'.

- In 1839, First published use of the term 'OK'. From Wikipedia: '"OK" (/o?ke?/; also spelled "okay", "ok", or "O.K.") is a word denoting approval, acceptance, agreement, assent, or acknowledgment. "OK", as an adjective, can also express acknowledgment without approval. "OK" has frequently turned up as a loanword in many other languages.]

'Allen Walker Read identifies the earliest known use of O.K. in print as 1839, in the March 23 edition of the Boston Morning Post (an American newspaper). The announcement of a trip by the Anti-Bell-Ringing Society (a "frolicsome group" according to Read) received attention from the Boston papers. Charles Gordon Greene wrote about the event using the line that is widely regarded as the first instance of this strain of OK, ...'.

- In 1912, The 'Dixie Cup' was marketed. From Wikipedia: 'Dixie Cup is the brand name for a line of disposable paper cups that were first developed in the United States in 1907 by Lawrence Luellen, a lawyer in Boston, Massachusetts, who was concerned about germs being spread by people sharing glasses or dippers at public supplies of drinking water. Luellen developed an ice-cooled water-vending machine with disposable cups, and with another Bostonian, Hugh Moore, embarked on an advertising campaign to educate the public and to market his machine, principally to railroad companies. Professor Davison's study was instrumental in abolishing the public glass and opening the door for the paper cup. Soon, the devices, which would dispense cool water for one cent, became standard equipment on trains.

The Dixie Cup was first called "Health Kup", but from 1919 it was named after a line of dolls made by Alfred Schindler's Dixie Doll Company in New York. Success led the company, which had existed under a variety of names, to call itself the Dixie Cup Corporation and move to a factory in Wilson, Pennsylvania. Atop the factory was a large water tank in the shape of a cup'.

- In 1940, The first radio broadcast of 'Truth or Consequences' on CBS. From Wikipedia: 'Truth or Consequences is an American television show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940–1957) and later on television by Edwards (1950–1954), Jack Bailey (1954–1955), Bob Barker (1956–1975), Bob Hilton (1977–1978) and Larry Anderson (1987–1988). The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication. The premise of the show was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts.

'Ralph Edwards stated he got the idea for a new radio program after playing the parlor game Forfeits. The show premiered on NBC Radio in March 23, 1940, and was an instant hit with listeners'.

- In 1950, At the 22nd Academy Awards: -- Best Picture is, All the King's Men -- Best Actor is Broderick Crawford for 'All the King's Men' -- Best Actress is Olivia de Havilland for 'The Heiress' -- Best Supporting Actor is Dean Jagger for 'Twelve O'Clock High' -- Best Supporting Actress is Mercedes McCambridge for 'All the King's Men' -- Best Song is Baby, It's Cold Outside' from 'Neptune's Daughter'

- In 1950, First TV broadcast of 'Beat the Clock'on CBS-TV. From Wikipedia: 'Beat the Clock is a Goodson-Todman game show that aired on American television in several versions from 1950 to 2003.

The original show, hosted by Bud Collyer, ran on CBS from 1950 to 1958 and ran on ABC from 1958 to 1961. The show was revived in syndication as The New Beat the Clock from 1969 to 1974, with Jack Narz as host until 1972, when he was replaced by the show's announcer, Gene Wood. Another version ran on CBS from 1979 to 1980 (as The All-New Beat the Clock, and later as All-New All-Star Beat the Clock), with former Let's Make a Deal host Monty Hall as host and Narz as announcer. The most recent version aired from 2002 to 2003 on PAX (now ION) with Gary Kroeger and Julielinh Parker as co-hosts. The series was also featured as the third episode of Gameshow Marathon in 2006. Ricki Lake hosted while Rich Fields announced.

- In 2013, the show appeared in TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest game shows ever'.

'Contestants were required to perform tasks (called "problems") within a certain time limit which was counted down on a large 60-second clock. If they succeeded, they were said to have "beaten the Clock"; otherwise, "the Clock beat them". The show had several sponsors over its run, with the most longstanding being the electronics company Sylvania.'.

- In 1965, NASA launches 'Gemini 3', the United State's first two-man space flight (crew: Gus Grissom and John Young). From Wikipedia: 'Gemini 3 was the first manned mission in NASA's Gemini program, the second American manned space program. On March 23, 1965, astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young flew three low Earth orbits in their spacecraft, which they nicknamed Molly Brown. This was the ninth manned US spaceflight (including two X-15 flights over 100 kilometers), and the 17th world human spaceflight including eight Soviet flights. It was also the final manned flight controlled from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station in Florida, before mission control functions were shifted to a new control center located at the newly opened Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas'.

- In 1983, President Reagan announces the 'Star Wars' project. From Wikipedia: 'The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect the United States from attack by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons (Intercontinental ballistic missiles and Submarine-launched ballistic missiles). The system, which was to combine ground-based units and orbital deployment platforms, was first publicly announced by President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of mutual assured destruction (MAD). The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) was set up in 1984 within the United States Department of Defense to oversee the Strategic Defense Initiative.

'The ambitious initiative was criticized for allegedly threatening to destabilize the MAD -approach and to possibly re-ignite "an offensive arms race". SDI was nicknamed, largely in the mainstream media, as "Star Wars", after the popular 1977 film by George Lucas. In 1987, the American Physical Society concluded that a global shield such as "Star Wars" was extremely ambitious and with existing technology not directly feasible for operational status, and that about ten more years of research was needed to learn about such a comprehensive and complex system to set up and make it fully operational.'

'It was never truly developed or deployed, though certain aspects of SDI research and technologies paved the way for some anti-ballistic missile systems of today.'.

- In Asteroid 4581 Asclepius passes within 425,000 miles of Earth. From Wikipedia: '4581 Asclepius (/?'skli?pi?s/ ?-SKLEE-pee-?s) is a small asteroid of the Apollo group that makes close orbital passes with Earth. Discovered in 1989 by American astronomers Henry E. Holt (1929-) and Norman G. Thomas (1930-), Asclepius is named after the Greek demigod of medicine and healing.

Asclepius passed by Earth on March 22, 1989, at a distance of 0.00457 AU (684,000 km; 425,000 mi). Although this exceeds the Moon's orbital radius, the close pass received attention at that time, especially since the asteroid passed through the exact position of Earth only six hours earlier. "On the cosmic scale of things, that was a close call," said Dr. Henry Holt. Geophysicists estimate that collision with Asclepius would release energy comparable to the explosion of a 600 megaton atomic bomb. The asteroid was discovered March 31, 1989, nine days after its closest approach to the Earth.

Subsequent discoveries revealed that a whole class of such objects exists. Close approaches by objects the size of Asclepius pass by every two or three years, undetected until the start of computerized near-Earth object searches.

On 2051-Mar-24 the asteroid will pass 0.0123 AU (1,840,000 km; 1,140,000 mi) from the Earth. It will be the eighth pass of less than 30 Gm in this century. JPL shows that the uncertainty region of the asteroid will cause it to mostly likely pass from 0.02 AU to 0.17 AU from the Earth in 2135'.

- In 1998, At the 70th Academy Awards: -- Best Picture is, Titanic -- Best Actor is Jack Nicholson for 'As Good as It Gets' -- Best Actress is Helen Hunt for 'As Good as It Gets' -- Best Supporting Actor is Robin Williams for 'Good Will Hunting' -- Best Supporting Actress is Kim Basinger for 'L.A. Confidential' -- Best Song is My Heart Will Go On from 'Titanic'

- In 2001, Space station 'Mir' crashes (planned deorbit) into the southern Pacific Ocean near Fiji. From Wikipedia: 'Mir, (Peace) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, owned by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. Mir was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996. It had a greater mass than any previous spacecraft. Until 21 March 2001 it was the largest artificial satellite in orbit, succeeded by the International Space Station after Mir's orbit decayed. The station served as a microgravity research laboratory in which crews conducted experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology and spacecraft systems with a goal of developing technologies required for permanent occupation of space.

The station was launched as part of the Soviet Union's manned spaceflight programme effort to maintain a long-term research outpost in space, and following the collapse of the USSR, was operated by the new Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA). As a result, most of the station' occupants were Soviet; however, through international collaborations such as the Intercosmos, Euromir and Shuttle-Mir programmes, the station was made accessible to space travelers from several Asian, European and North American nations. Mir was deorbited in March 2001 after funding was cut off. The cost of the Mir programme was estimated by former RKA General Director Yuri Koptev in 2001 as $4.2 billion over its lifetime (including development, assembly and orbital operation)'.

- In 2003, At the 75th Academy Awards: -- Best Picture is, Chicago -- Best Actor is Adrien Brody for 'The Pianist' -- Best Actress is Nicole Kidman for 'The Hours' -- Best Supporting Actor is Chris Cooper for 'Adaptation' -- Best Supporting Actress is Catherine Zeta-Jones for 'Chicago' -- Best Song is Lose Yourself' from '8 Mile'

 III.
Top Song & Movie 50 years ago today (last updated Mar 20 2016 next Apr 2 2016

No. 1 song

  • Ballad of the Green Beretsr - SSgt. Barry Sadle'
    On YouTube: More
    At Wikipedia: More
    'These Boots Are Made for Walkin' has been displaced by 'Ballad of the Green Beretsr', which will hold the no. 1 spot until Apr 2 1966, when '19th Nervous Breakdown - The Rolling Stones', takes over.
    From Wikipedia: '"The Ballad of the Green Berets" is a patriotic song in the ballad style about the Green Berets, an elite special force in the U.S. Army. It is one of the very few songs of the 1960s to cast the military in a positive light and in 1966 it became a major hit, reaching No. 1 for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and four weeks on Cashbox. It was also a crossover smash, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart and No. 2 on Billboard's Country survey'.

Top movie

  • Doctor Zhivago (again)
    At Wikipedia:  More
    On IMDb: More
    On YouTube (trailer): More
    Having displaced 'Johnny Reno', it will be there until the weekend box office of Apr 3 20 1966 when, 'Frankie and Johnny', takes over.
    From Wikipedia: 'Doctor Zhivago is a 1965 British-Russian-American epic romantic drama film directed by David Lean and starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie. It is set in Russia between the years prior to World War I and the Russian Civil War of 1917–1922, and is based on the Boris Pasternak novel of the same name. While immensely popular in the West, the book was banned in the Soviet Union for decades. For this reason, the film could not be made in the Soviet Union and was instead filmed mostly in Spain'.
  IV.
Today in the Past (reference sites): March 23
   V.
This month March 2016 (updated once a month - last updated - March 1 2016)

Monthly holiday / awareness days in March

Food
National Frozen Food Month
National Noodle Month
National Nutrition Month
National Peanut Month

Health
Alport Syndrome Awareness Month
American Red Cross Month
Brain Injury Awareness Month
Colic Awareness Month
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Month
Endometriosis Month
Malignant Hypertension Awareness and Training Month
National Caffeine Awareness Month
National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Month
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
National Essential Tremor Awareness Month
National Eye Donor Month
National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
National Kidney Month
Poison Prevention Awareness Month
Save Your Vision Month
Vascular Abnormalities Awareness Month
Workplace Eye Wellness Month

Animal / Pet
Adopt A Rescued Guinea Pig Month

Other
Credit Education Month
Employee Spirit Month
Expanding Girls' Horizons in Science and Engineering Month
Honor Society Awareness Month
Humorists Are Artists Month
International Expect Success Month
International Ideas Month
International Mirth Month
Irish-American Heritage Month
Mad for Plaid Month
Music In Our Schools Month
National Cheerleading Safety Month
National Craft Month
National Ethics Awareness Month
National Kite Month (3/28-5/3)
National March Into Literacy Month
National Social Work Month
National Umbrella Month
National Women's History Month
Optimism Month
Play The Recorder Month
Women's History Month
Youth Art Month


March is:

March origin (from Wikipedia):
'The name of March comes from Latin Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named for Mars, the Roman god of war who was also regarded as a guardian of agriculture and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. '

March 'is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is one of seven months that are 31 days long. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20th or 21st marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where September is the seasonal equivalent of the Northern Hemisphere's March. '

March at Wikipedia: More

  VI.
TV fifty years ago 1966 (updated yearly - last updated Jan. 1 2016)

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 2016)

Best selling books of 1966 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

  • 2016 Postal Holidays More
  • 2016 Official Federal Holidays More

Holidays Worldwide

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