Tomorrow 's food holiday is 'National Caramel Popcorn Day'.
From Wikipedia: 'Caramel corn is an American confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup. This hot candy is then mixed with popped popcorn, and allowed to cool. Sometimes a candy thermometer is used, as making caramel is time-consuming and requires skill to make well without burning the sugar. The process creates a sweet flavored,
crunchy snack food or treat. Some varieties, after coating with the candy syrup, are baked in an oven to crisp the mixture. Mixes of caramel corn sometimes contain nuts, such as peanuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews.'
'The combination of caramel and corn dates back at least as far as the 1890s with the strong molasses flavor of Cracker Jack, an early version of which was introduced at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The lighter, sweet but un-caramelized kettle corn, may be a North American Colonial predecessor to caramel corn. There are many commercial brands and forms of caramel corn available, such as Cracker Jack, Fiddle Faddle, Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs, and Crunch 'n Munch. In grocery stores, at cinemas,
and convenience stores, pre-bagged caramel corn made locally may also be sold. The Maryland-based Fisher's Popcorn and Chicago-based Nuts on Clark are examples of specialty caramel corn and popcorn companies'.
[The Hankster says] We continue our love of caramel by pouring it on popcorn. Good stuff in moderation. I wonder how many weight watcher's points a bag would be.
Other celebrations/observances tomorrow:
- 'Tartan Day'. It is a 'celebration of Scottish heritage on April 6, the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath (declaration of Scottish independence) was signed in 1320.
From Wikipedia: 'Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish heritage on April 6, the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. An ad hoc event was held in New York City in 1982, but the current format originated in Canada in the mid-1980s. It spread to other communities of the Scottish diaspora in the 1990s. In Australasia the similar International Tartan Day is held on July 1, the anniversary of the repeal of the 1747 Act of Proscription that banned the wearing of tartan.
Tartan Days typically have parades of pipe bands, Highland dancing and other Scottish-themed events.'.
- 'National Teflon Day'. It honors the accidental invention in 1938 by Dr. Roy Plunkett. See more for 1938 history section.
- 'National Sorry Charlie Day'. Been rejected, turned down or no one shows you any sympathy? The phrase existed before the Charlie the Tuna commercials. This appears to be another one of those 'pick yourself up and get on with it' days.
- 'Hostess Twinkie Day'. Invented this day in 1930.
From Wikipedia: 'Twinkies were invented in Schiller Park, Illinois on April 6, 1930, by James Alexander Dewar, a baker for the Continental Baking Company. Realizing that several machines used to make cream-filled strawberry shortcake sat idle when strawberries were out of season, Dewar conceived a snack cake filled with banana cream, which he dubbed the Twinkie. Ritchy Koph said he came up with the name when he saw a billboard in St. Louis for "Twinkle Toe Shoes". During World War II, bananas were
rationedand the company was forced to switch to vanilla cream. This change proved popular, and banana-cream Twinkies were not widely re-introduced. The original flavor was occasionally found in limited-time promotions, but the company used strawberry cream for most Twinkies. In 1988, Fruit and Cream Twinkies were introduced with a strawberry filling swirled into the cream. The product was soon dropped. Vanilla's dominance over banana flavoring would be challenged in 2005, following a month-long
promotionof the movie King Kong. Hostess saw its Twinkie sales rise 20 percent during the promotion, and in 2007 restored the banana-cream Twinkie to its snack lineup'.
[The Hankster says] I ate a lot of them as a kid. Dessert in my elementary school lunch was either a Hostess Twinkie, Hostess Cup Cake or Hostess Snow Ball.
- Plan Your Epitaph Day'. Don't let someone do it for you.
[The Hankster says] I am writing mine. It is a poem. However, I need to shorten it or be buried with I-10 as my headstone.
Awareness / Observance Days on: April 6
o Health
- 'National Walking Day'. First Wednesday in April by the American Heart Association. A focus on physical activity to promote health.
- 'ChildHelp: National Day of Hope'. Since 1999 as part of the National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
- 'Drowsy Driver Awareness Day'. In California.
o Other
- 'International Day of Sport for Development and Peace'. A U.N. day since 2014. Emphasizes the uniting ability of sports
- 'National Student Athlete Day'. Since 1987. Emphasis on outstanding achievements of high school and college student-athletes.
- 'California Poppy Day'. Date of the adoption of the California's Esteemed Golden Poppy as the state flower, in 1903. A state resolution in 1973 established the day.
Historical events in the past on: April 6
- In 1320, Declaration of Arbroath signed, affirming Scottish independence.
From Wikipedia: The Declaration of Arbroath is a declaration of Scottish independence, made in 1320. It is in the form of a letter in Latin submitted to Pope John XXII, dated 6 April 1320, intended to confirm Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state and defending Scotland's right to use military action when unjustly attacked.
Generally believed to have been written in the Arbroath Abbey by Bernard of Kilwinning, then Chancellor of Scotland and Abbot of Arbroath, and sealed by fifty-one magnates and nobles, the letter is the sole survivor of three created at the time. The others were a letter from the King of Scots, Robert I, and a letter from four Scottish bishops which all presumably made similar points'.
- In 1896, First modern Olympic Games opens in Athens, Greece, after a 1500 year ban.
From Wikipedia: 'The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (French: Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting event featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered to be the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating. The Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four
years but two years apart.
Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority.
The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Olympic Games for ice and winter sports, the Paralympic Games for athletes with a disability, and the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. The IOC has had to adapt to a variety of economic, political, and technological advancements. As a result, the Olympics has shifted away from pure amateurism, as envisioned
by Coubertin, to allowing participation of professional athletes. The growing importance of mass media created the issue of corporate sponsorship and commercialization of the Games. World wars led to the cancellation of the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Games. Large boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in the 1980 and 1984 Game'.
- In 1869, Celluloid is patented.
From Wikipedia: 'Celluloids are a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, with added dyes and other agents. Generally considered the first thermoplastic, it was first created as Parkesine in 1856 and as Xylonite in 1869, before being registered as Celluloid in 1870. Celluloid is easily molded and shaped, and it was first widely used as an ivory replacement.
The main use was in movie and photography film industries, which used only celluloid films prior to acetate films that were introduced in the 1950s. Celluloid is highl=y flammable, difficult and expensive to produce and no longer widely used, although its most common uses today are in table tennis balls, musical instruments and guitar picks.'
'The first celluloid as a bulk material for forming objects was made in 1855 in Birmingham, England, by Alexander Parkes, who was never able to see his invention reach full fruition, after his firm went bankrupt due to scale-up costs. Parkes patented his discovery after realising a solid residue remained after evaporation of the solvent from photographic collodion.'
In the 1860s, an American, John Wesley Hyatt, acquired Parkes's patent and began experimenting with cellulose nitrate with the intention of manufacturing billiard balls, which until that time were made from ivory. He used cloth, ivory dust, and shellac, and on April 6, 1869, patented a method of covering billiard balls with the addition of collodion. With assistance from Peter Kinnear and other investors, Hyatt formed the Albany Billiard Ball Company (1868–1986) in Albany, New York, to manufacture
the product. In 1870, John and his brother Isaiah patented a process of
making a "horn-like material" with the inclusion of cellulose nitrate and
camphor. Alexander Parkes and Daniel Spill listed camphor
during their earlier experiments, calling the resultant mix "xylonite",
but it was the Hyatt brothers who recognized the value of camphor and
its use as a plasticizer for cellulose nitrate. Isaiah Hyatt dubbed his
material "celluloid" in 1872'.
- In 1916, Charlie Chaplin became the highest-paid film star in the world when he signed a contract with Mutual Film Corporation for $675,000 a year. He was 26 years old.
From Wikipedia: 'Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the silent era. Chaplin became a worldwide icon through his screen persona "the Tramp" and is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry. His career spanned more than 75 years, from childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977, and encompassed both adulation and controversy.'
'A contract was negotiated with Mutual that amounted to $670,000 a year, which Robinson says made Chaplin – at 26 years old – one of the highest paid people in the world. The high salary shocked the public and was widely reported in the press. John R. Freuler, the studio president, explained: "We can afford to pay Mr. Chaplin this large sum annually because the public wants Chaplin and will pay for him."'.
- In 1917, US declares war on Germany, enters World War I.
From Wikipedia: 'On April 6, 1917, Congress declared war. In the Senate, the resolution passed 82 to 6, with Senators Harry Lane, William J. Stone, James Vardaman, Asle Gronna, Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and George W. Norris voting against it. In the House, the declaration passed 373 to 50, with Claude Kitchin, a senior Democrat, notably opposing it. Another opponent was Jeannette Rankin, who alone voted against entry into both World War I and World War II. Nearly all of the opposition came from the
West and the Midwest'.
- In 1925, The first film is shown on an airplane.
From Wikipedia: 'The film The Lost World was shown to passengers of an Imperial Airways flight on April 1925 between London (Croydon Airport) and Paris'.
- In 1925, Eddie Cantor recorded 'If You Knew Susie'.
From Wikipedia: '"If You Knew Susie" is the title of a popular song from the 1920s written by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer. In the largely comic song, a man sings that he knows a certain woman named Susie to be much wilder and more passionate than most people realize.
The song, which was originally written for Al Jolson became banjo-eyed Eddie Cantor's best-known success of the 1920s, recorded on April 6, 1925 and the bestseller for five weeks during the year'.
- In 1926, Varney Airlines makes its first commercial flight carrying the mail. It was the predecessor of United Airline.
From Wikipedia: 'Varney Air Lines was an airline company that started service on April 6, 1926, as an air-mail carrier. Formed by Walter Varney, the airline was based in Boise, Idaho, United States. The airline is the predecessor of United Airlines.
- In 1931, First children's radio show, 'Little Orphan Annie,' begins transmitting.
From Wikipedia: 'Little Orphan Annie was an American radio drama series based on the popularity of the comic strip Little Orphan Annie. It debuted on Chicago's WGN in 1930, then moved to the NBC radio network Blue Network on April 6, 1931. It aired until April 26, 1942.'
Together with Skippy (1932-1935) it is seen as the oldest US children's radio program. Radio historian Jim Harmon attributes the show's popularity in The Great Radio Heroes to the fact that it was the only radio show to deal with and appeal to young children'.
- In 1938, Teflon was accidently discovered.
From Wikipedia: 'Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetraf luoroethylene that has numerous applications. The best known brand name of PTFE-based formulas is Teflon by Chemours. Chemours is a spin-off of DuPont Co., which discovered the compound in 1938.
PTFE is a fluorocarbon solid, as it is a high-molecular-weight compound consisting wholly of carbon and fluorine. PTFE is hydrophobic: neither water nor water-containing substances wet PTFE, as fluorocarbons demonstrate mitigated London dispersion forces due to the high electronegativity of fluorine. PTFE has one of the lowest coefficients of friction of any solid.
PTFE is used as a non-stick coating for pans and other cookware. It is very non-reactive, partly because of the strength of carbon–fluorine bonds, and so it is often used in containers and pipework for reactive and corrosive chemicals. Where used as a lubricant, PTFE reduces friction, wear and energy consumption of machinery. It is commonly used as a graft material in surgical interventions. Also, it is frequently employed as coating on catheters; this interferes with the ability of bacteria and other
infectious agents to adhere to catheters and cause hospital-acquired infection'
'PTFE was accidentally discovered in 1938 by Roy Plunkett while he was working in New Jersey for DuPont. As Plunkett attempted to make a new chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant, the tetrafluoroethylene gas in its pressure bottle stopped flowing before the bottle's weight had dropped to the point signaling "empty." Since Plunkett was measuring the amount of gas used by weighing the bottle, he became curious as to the source of the weight, and finally resorted to sawing the bottle apart. He found the bottle's
interior coated with a waxy white material that was oddly slippery. Analysis showed that it was polymerized perf luoroethylene, with the iron from the inside of the container having acted as a catalyst at high pressure. Kinetic Chemicals patented the new fluorinated plastic (analogous to the already known polyethylene) in 1941, and registered the Teflon trademark in 194.
- In 1945, 'This is Your FBI' debuted on ABC radio.
From Wikipedia: 'This Is Your FBI was a radio crime drama which aired in the United States on ABC from April 6, 1945 to January 30, 1953 for a total of 409 shows. FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover gave it his endorsement, calling it "the finest dramatic program on the air".
Producer-director Jerry Devine was given access to FBI files by Hoover, and the resulting dramatizations of FBI cases were narrated by Frank Lovejoy (1945), Dean Carleton (1946–1947) and William Woodson (1948–1953). Stacy Harris played the lead role of fictional Special Agent Jim Taylor. Others in the cast were William Conrad, Bea Benaderet and Jay C. Flippen.
This Is Your FBI was sponsored during its entire run by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (now AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company)'.
- In 1947, The first Tony Awards are presented for theatrical achievement.
From Wikipedia: 'The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known informally as the Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York sCity. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances, and an award is given for regional theatre. '
'The award was founded in 1947 by a committee of the American Theatre Wing headed by Brock Pemberton. The award is named after Antoinette Perry, nicknamed Tony, an actress, director, producer and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, who died in 1946. As her official biography at the Tony Awards website states,("At (Warner Bros. story editor) Jacob Wilk's suggestion, (Pemberton) proposed an award in her honor for distinguished stage acting and technical achievement. At the initial event in 1947, as
he handed out an award, he called it a Tony. The name stuck'.
- In 1959, At the 31st Academy Awards:
-- Best Picture is, Gigi
-- Best Actor is David Niven for 'Separate Tables'
-- Best Actress is Susan Hayward for 'I Want to Live!'
-- Best Supporting Actor is Burl Ives for 'The Big Country'
-- Best Supporting Actress is Wendy Hiller for 'Separate Tables'
-- Best Song is Gigi from 'Gigi'
- In 1965, Early Bird communications satellite launched into geosynchronous orbit.
From Wikipedia: 'Intelsat I (nicknamed Early Bird for the proverb "The early bird catches the worm") was the first commercial communications satellite to be placed in geosynchronous orbit, on April 6, 1965. It was built by the Space and Communications Group of Hughes Aircraft Company (later Hughes Space and Communications Company, and now Boeing Satellite Systems) for COMSAT, which activated it on June 28. It was based on the satellite that Hughes had built for NASA to demonstrate that communications
via synchronous-orbit satellite were feasible. Its booster was a Thrust Augmented Delta (Delta D). After a series of maneuvers, it reached its geosynchronous orbital position over the Atlantic Ocean at 28° west longitude, where it was put into service'.
- In 1974, The Swedish pop band ABBA wins the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Waterloo', launching their international career.
From Wikipedia: 'ABBA (stylised ????) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972. With members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, they became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1982.'
From Wikipedia: "Waterloo" is the first single from Swedish pop group ABBA's second album, Waterloo, their first for Epic and Atlantic. This was also the first single to be credited as "ABBA".
The song won ABBA the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest on 6 April and began their path to worldwide fame. The Swedish version single was coupled with "Honey, Honey" (Swedish version), while the English version usually featured "Watch Out" as the B-side'.
- In 1980, Post It Notes, introduced, They were originally call 'Press 'n Peel'.
From Wikipedia: 'In 1968, a scientist at 3M in the United States, Dr. Spencer Silver, was attempting to develop a super-strong adhesive. Instead he accidentally created a "low-tack", reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive. For five years, Silver promoted his "solution without a problem" within 3M both informally and through seminar but failed to gain acceptance. In 1974 a colleague who had attended one of his seminars, Art Fry, came up with the idea of using the adhesive to anchor his bookmark in his
hymnbook. Fry then utilized 3M's officially sanctioned "permitted bootlegging" policy to develop the idea. The original notes' yellow color was chosen by accident, as the lab next-door to the Post-It team had only yellow scrap paper to use.'
'3M launched the product as "Press 'n Peel" in stores in four cities in 1977, but results were disappointing. A year later 3M instead issued free samples directly to consumers in Boise, Idaho, with 94 percent of those who tried them indicating they would buy the product. The product was sold as 'Post-Its' in 1979 when the rollout introduction began, and was sold across the United States from April 6, 1980. The following year they were launched in Canada and Europe'.
No. 1 song
Top movie
Monthly holiday / awareness days in April
Food
Fresh Florida Tomatoes Month
National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month
National Licorice Month
National Pecan Month
Soy Foods Month
Health
Alcohol Awareness Month
Autism Awareness Month
Cancer Control Month
Child Abuse Prevention Month
Cesarean Awareness Month
Defeat Diabetes Month
Emotional Overeating Awareness Month
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Cancer Control Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Multiple Birth Awareness Month
National Parkinson's Awareness Month
National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month Note: Sarcoidosis Day is August 29
Nationally Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Month
Stress Awareness Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
Women Helping Women Heal Month
Animal / Pet
Adopt A Greyhound Month
ASPCA Month
Frog Month
National Heartworm Awareness Month
National Pet Month
Pet First Aid Awareness Month
Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month
Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
Other
Arab American Heritage Month
Amateur Radio Month
Car Care Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Community Spirit Days (1-30)
Couple Appreciation Month
Fair Housing Month
Financial Literacy Month
Global Astronomy Month
Informed Women Month
International Customer Loyalty Month
International Guitar Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful
Math Awareness Month
National African American Women's Fitness Month
National Garden Month
National Humor Month
National Kite Month
National Landscape Architecture Month
National Poetry Month
National Safe Digging Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
April is:
April origin (from Wikipedia):
'The Romans gave this month the Latin name Aprilis but the derivation of
this name is uncertain. The traditional etymology is from the verb aperire,
'to open', in allusion to its being the season when trees and flowers begin
to 'open', which is supported by comparison with the modern Greek use of
(anoixis) (opening) for spring. Since some of the Roman months were named
in honor of divinities, and as April was sacred to the goddess Venus, her
Veneralia being held on the first day, it has been suggested that
April was the second month of the earliest Roman calendar, before
Ianuarius and Februarius were added by King Numa Pompilius about 700 BC.
It became the fourth month of the calendar year (the year when twelve
months are displayed in order) during the time of the decemvirs about
450 BC, when it also was given 29 days. The 30th day was added during
the reform of the calendar undertaken by Julius Caesar in the mid-40s BC,
which produced the Julian calendar.'
April
'is commonly associated with the season of spring in parts of the
Northern Hemisphere and autumn in parts of the Southern Hemisphere,
where it is the seasonal equivalent to October in the
Northern Hemisphere and vice versa.'
April at Wikipedia: More
If you couldn't afford 90 cents for a movie ticket, 50 years ago,
or your 45 RPM record player was broke, you might watch one of these shows on TV.
From this Wikipedia article: More
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Sites for downloading or reading free Public Domain eBooks. Available in various formats. More