Tomorrow's food holiday is
'National Cheese Fondue Day'.
From Wikipedia: 'Fondue is a Swiss, Italian, and French dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot (caquelon or fondue pot) over a chafing stand (réchaud) heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. It was promoted as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) in the 1930s, and was popularized in North America in the 1960s.
Since the 1950s, the name "fondue" has been generalized to other dishes in which a food is dipped into a communal pot of liquid kept hot in a fondue pot: chocolate fondue, in which pieces of fruit or pastry are dipped into a melted chocolate mixture,
and fondue bourguignonne, in which pieces of meat are cooked in hot oil or broth'.
[The Hankster says] Even after all we went through last year at this time, I bet you put that fondue pot back somewhere where you would remember, but have forgotten. Well, this is one of the reasons that I post the Heads Up!. You have one days warning.
Other celebrations/observances tomorrow:
- 'National Submarine Day'. The United States Navy's first 'modern' submarine commissioned on April 11, 1900, the USS Holland. See 1900 in the history section for more.
[I almost put this in the food section, but alas, wrong kind of submarine.]
- 'National Barber Shop Quartet Day'. By The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing. Started in 1938.
[The Hankster says] Joined one once, but gave it up. we all could not fit in my shower.
- National Teach Children to Save Day'. By the American Bankers Association. Bankers volunteers talk to children about developing savings habits.
[The Hankster says] As a kid, my bank was named Porky.
- 'National Eight Track Tape Day'.
From Wikipedia: '8-track tape (formally Stereo 8: commonly known as the eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, or simply eight-track) is a magnetic tape sound recording technology popular in the United States from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s when the Compact Cassette format took over. The format is regarded as an obsolete technology, and was relatively unknown outside the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia'.
[The Hankster says] I was a cassette man, myself.
- 'International TableTop Day'. Promotes the playing of tabletop games to get people having fun together.
[The Hankster says] My favorite tabletop game is eating.
- 'International 'Louie Louie Day'. Birthday of Richard Berry, the songs creator. ('April 6, 1963 – The Kingsmen recorded the version that made 'Louie Louie' famous/infamous.')
Awareness / Observance Days on: April 11
o Health
- 'World Parkinson’s Day'. Pause 4 Parkinson’s research fund raiser.
From Wikipedia: 'Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system mainly affecting the motor system. Early in the course of the disease, the most obvious symptoms are movement-related; these include shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with walking and gait. Later, thinking and behavioral problems may arise, with dementia commonly occurring in the advanced stages of the disease, and depression being the most common psychiatric symptom. Other
symptomse sensory, sleep, and emotional problems. The main motor symptoms are collectively called "parkinsonism", or a "parkinsonian syndrome".
The disease can be either primary or secondary. Primary Parkinson's disease has no known cause, although some atypical cases have a genetic origin. Secondary parkinsonism is due to known causes like toxins.
Treatments, typically the antiparkinson medications L-DOPA and dopamine agonists, improve the early symptoms of the disease. As the disease progresses and neurons continue to be lost, these medications become ineffective while at the same time produce a complication marked by involuntary writhing movements. Diet and some forms of rehabilitation have shown some effectiveness at improving symptoms. Surgery to place deep brain stimulation have been used to reduce motor symptoms in severe cases where
drugs areineffective. Research directions include investigations into new animal models of the disease and of the potential usefulness of gene therapy, stem cell transplants, and neuroprotective agents. Medications to treat non-movement-related symptoms of PD, such as sleep disturbances and emotional problems, also exist'.
- 'Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness Week'. April 11-15 by the Homeland Security and Emergency Management, A Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. There are state wide tornado drils on April 14th.
- 'Cystic Fibrosis National Awareness Week'. April 11-16 in Ireland, by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.
From Wikipedia: 'Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine. Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus as a result of frequent lung infections. Other signs and symptoms include sinus infections, poor growth, fatty stool, clubbing of the fingers and toes, and infertility in males, among others. Different people may have different degrees of symptoms.
CF is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. It is caused by the presence of mutations in both copies of the gene for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. Those with a single working copy are carriers and otherwise mostly normal.'
While there are no cures for cystic fibrosis, there are several treatment methods. The management of cystic fibrosis has improved significantly over the past 70 years. While infants born with cystic fibrosis 70 years ago would have been unlikely to live beyond their first year, infants today are likely to live well into adulthood'. More
April 11-16 in Ireland, by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.
o Animal and Pets
- 'National Pet Day'. Since 2005 by Colleen Paige.
Historical events in the past on: April 11
- In. 1900, The U.S. Navy aquired it's first 'modern' submarine.
From Wikipedia: 'USS Holland (SS-1) was the United States Navy's first modern commissioned submarine, although not the first military submarine of the United States, which was the 1775 submersible Turtle. The boat was originally laid down as Holland VI, and launched on 17 May 1897.'
'The work was done at (Ret.) Navy Lieutenant Lewis Nixon's Crescent Shipyard of Elizabeth, New Jersey for John Holland's Holland Torpedo Boat Company, which became the Electric Boat company in 1899. The craft was built under the supervision of John Philip Holland, who designed the vessel and her details.
Holland VI included many features that submarines of the early 20th century would exhibit, albeit in later, more advanced forms. She had both an internal combustion engine (specifically, a 4-stroke Otto gasoline engine) for running on the surface and an electric motor for submerged operation. She had a reloadable 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tube and an 8.4 inch (210 mm) pneumatic dynamite gun in the bow (the dynamite gun's projectiles were called "aerial torpedoes"). A second dynamite gun in the stern
was removed in 1900, prior to delivery to the Navy. There was a conning tower from which the boat and her weapons could be directed. Finally, she had all the necessary ballast and trim tanks to make precise changes in depth and attitude underwater.'
'Holland VI eventually proved her validity and worthiness as a warship and was ultimately purchased by the U.S. government for the sum of $150,000 on 11 April 1900. She was considered to be the first truly successful craft of her type. The United States Government soon ordered more submarines from Holland's company, which were to be known as the Plunger class. These became America's first fleet of underwater naval vessels'.
- In. 1927, The world's first ever sports broadcast is made on KDKA by Florent Gibson of the Pittsburgh Star newspaper. The commentary is of a fight between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee at Motor Square Garden in Pittsburgh.
From Wikipedia: 'The world's first ever sports broadcast is made on KDKA by Florent Gibson of the Pittsburgh Star newspaper. The commentary is of a fight between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee at Motor Square Garden in Pittsburgh'.
- In. 1966, Frank Sinatra records 'Strangers in the Night' single for his album of the same name. Later reaches #1 Billboard charts
From Wikipedia: '#Strangers in the Night# is a popular song credited to Bert Kaempfert with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder. Kaempfert originally used it under the title #Beddy Bye# as part of the instrumental score for the movie A Man Could Get Killed. The song was made famous in 1966 by Frank Sinatra'.
- In. 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1968, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.
From Wikipedia: 'The Civil Rights Act of 1968, (Pub.L. 90–284, 82 Stat. 73, enacted April 11, 1968) is a landmark part of legislation in the United States that provided for equal housing opportunities regardless of race, creed, or national origin and made it a federal crime to “by force or by threat of force, injure, intimidate, or interfere with anyone …
- In. 1970, Beatles 'Let It Be' single goes #1 for 2 weeks.
From Wikipedia: '"Let It Be" is a song by the Beatles, released in March 1970 as a single, and (in an alternate mix) as the title track of their album Let It Be. At the time, it had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 6. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney. It was their final single before McCartney announced his departure from the band. Both the Let It Be album and the US single "The Long and Winding Road" were released after McCartney's announced departure from and
subsequent break-up of the group'.
- In. 1976, Apple creates the Apple I, Apple's first product.
From Wikipedia: 'Apple Computer 1, also known later as the Apple I, or Apple-1, was released by the Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.) in 1976. It was designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak. Wozniak's friend Steve Jobs had the idea of selling the computer. The Apple I was Apple's first product, and to finance its creation, Jobs sold his only means of transportation, a VW Microbus, and Wozniak sold his HP-65 calculator for $500. It was demonstrated in July 1976 at the Homebrew Computer Club
in PaloAlto, California'.
- In. 1970, Launch of Apollo 13.
From Wikipedia: 'Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the Service Module (SM) upon which the Command Module (CM) depended. Despite great hardship caused by limited power, loss of cabin heat, shortage of potable water, and the critical
needto jury-rig the carbon dioxide removal system, the crew returned safely to Earth on April 17'.
- In. 1983, At the 55th Academy Awards,
-- Best Picture is 'Gandhi'.
-- Best Actor is Ben Kingsley for 'Gandhi'.
-- Best Actress is Meryl Streep for 'Sophie's Choice'.
-- Best Supporting Actor is Louis Gossett, Jr. for 'An Officer and a Gentleman'.
-- Best Supporting Actress is Jessica Lange for 'Tootsie'.
-- Best Original Song is 'Up Where We Belong' from 'An Officer and a Gentleman'.
- In. 1988, 60th Academy Awards,
-- Best Picture is 'The Last Emperor'.
-- Best Actor is Michael Douglas for 'Wall Street'.
-- Best Actress is Cher for 'Moonstruck'.
-- Best Supporting Actor is Sean Connery for 'The Untouchables'.
-- Best Supporting Actress is Olympia Dukakis for 'Moonstruck'.
-- Best Original Song is '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' from 'Dirty Dancing'.
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
Best selling books of 1966 More
Sites for downloading or reading free Public Domain eBooks. Available in various formats. More