Two food holidays for tomorrow:
- 'National Licorice Day'. Founded by Licorice International in 2004.
From Wikipedia: 'Liquorice, or licorice, is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra from which a sweet flavour can be extracted. The liquorice plant is a herbaceous perennial legume native to southern Europe and parts of Asia, such as India. It is not botanically related to anise, star anise, or fennel, which are sources of similar flavouring compounds.
Most liquorice is used as a flavouring agent for tobacco, particularly US blend cigarettes, to which liquorice lends a natural sweetness and a distinctive flavour and makes it easier to inhale the smoke by creating bronchodilators, which open up the lungs. Liquorice flavours are also used as candies or sweeteners, particularly in some European and Middle Eastern countries. Liquorice extracts have a number of medical uses, and they are also used in herbal and folk medications. Excessive consumption of
liquorice (more than 2 mg/kg/day of pure glycyrrhizinic acid, a liquorice component) may result in adverse effects, and overconsumption should be suspected clinically in patients presenting with otherwise unexplained hypokalemia and muscle weakness'.
'Liquorice flavour is found in a wide variety of candies or sweets. In most of these candies, the taste is reinforced by aniseed oil so the actual content of liquorice is very low. Liquorice confections are primarily purchased by consumers in the European Union'.
[The Hankster says] My favorite candy (with Snickers and any form of dark chocolate coming next, or a frequent swap).
- 'National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day'.
Wikipedia let me down. They have an article on Cheese Sandwich, but nothing for it's finest incarnation, the Grilled Cheese Sandwich. It goes like this: Sliced cheese between two slices of bread, and pan fried/toasted in butter.
[The Hankster says] A childhoods delight. Yes, by unpopular demand, I will be posting my annual rhyme 'Ode to a Grilled Cheese Sandwich' tomorrow. Consider this is your heads up!
Other celebrations/observances tomorrow:
- 'National Big Wind Day'. Day of the highest recorded wind gust (non tornado/hurricane, in 1934 at the Mount Washington Observatory recorded winds at 231 mph. See more in the history section for 1934.
- 'Look Up at the Sky Day'.
The Hankster says[] A day to do just that. Look up and enjoy. See how many elephants, ships and other fluffy white shapes you can see. Keep your head in the air, but both feet on the ground. The elephants and ships will disperse and the other fluffy white shapes may turn to rain clouds.
- 'Walk On Your Wild Side Day'. Show everyone your other side. caution advised.
[The Hankster says] You run with this one. I ain't-a-gonna touch it.
- 'Be Kind to Lawyers Day'. Second Tuesday in April.
[The Hankster says] The ones on your side, of course.
- 'Equal Pay Day'. Wear red to focus on equal pay for women and minorities.
- 'National Library Workers Day'. April 12 2016 of National Library Week.
Awareness / Observance Days on: April 12
o Other
- 'International Day of Human Space Flight'. A U.N. resolution on the day of Yuri Gagarin's flight.
From the website: 'I am confident that the International Day of Human Space Flight will remind us of our common humanity and our need to work together to conquer shared challenges. I hope it will also inspire young people in particular to pursue their dreams and move the world towards new frontiers of knowledge and understanding.
- 'International Day for Street Children'. From the website: 'The International Day for Street Children is a platform for the millions of street children around the world – and their champions – to speak out so that their rights cannot be ignored.
Historical events in the past on: April 12
- In 1606, England adopts the Union Jack, combining the flag designs of England and Scotland as its new flag.
From Wikipedia: 'The Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. The flag also has an official or semi-official status in some other Commonwealth realms; for example, it is, by law, an official flag in Canada and known there as the Royal Union Flag. Further, it is used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas territories. The Union Jack also appears in the canton (upper left-hand quarter) of the flags of several nations and territories that are former British possessions
or dominions.
'In 1603, James VI of Scotland inherited the English and Irish thrones (as James I), thereby uniting the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland (which remained separate states) in a personal union. On 12 April 1606, a new flag to represent this regal union between England and Scotland was specified in a royal decree, according to which the flag of England (a red cross on a white background, known as St George's Cross), and the flag of Scotland (a white saltire on a blue background, known as the
ssaltire orSt Andrew's Cross), would be joined together, forming the flag of Great Britain and first union flag'.
- In 1861, The American Civil War begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
From Wikipedia: 'The American Civil War, widely known in the United States as simply the Civil War as well as other names, was a civil war fought from 1861 to 1865 to determine the survival of the Union or independence for the Confederacy. Among the 34 states in January 1861, seven Southern slave states individually declared their secession from the United States of America and formed the Confederate States of America.
The Confederacy, often simply called the South, grew to include eleven states, and although they claimed thirteen states and additional western territories, the Confederacy was never diplomatically recognized by any foreign country.'
'Hostilities began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter.'
\
'Fort Sumter was located in the middle of the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, where the U.S. fort's garrison had withdrawn to avoid incidents with local militias in the streets of the city. Unlike Buchanan, who allowed commanders to relinquish possession to avoid bloodshed, Lincoln required Maj. Anderson to hold on until fired upon. Jefferson Davis ordered the surrender of the fort. Anderson gave a conditional reply that the Confederate government rejected, and Davis ordered P. G. T. Beauregard
to attack the fort before a relief expedition could arrive. Troops under Beauregard bombarded Fort Sumter on April 12–13, forcing its capitulation.
'In 1928, RAF College Cranwell cadet Frank Whittle formally submitted his ideas for a turbojet to his superiors. In October 1929 he developed his ideas further. On 16 January 1930 in England, Whittle submitted his first patent (granted in 1932).' The patent showed a two-stage axial compressor feeding a single-sided centrifugal compressor'.
- In 1934, The highest wind gust, not related to a tornado or hurricane was registered.
From Wikipedia: 'The fastest wind speed not related to tornadoes ever recorded was during the passage of Tropical Cyclone Olivia on 10 April 1996: an automatic weather station on Barrow Island, Australia, registered a maximum wind gust of 408 km/h (220 kn; 253 mph; 113 m/s). The wind gust was evaluated by the WMO Evaluation Panel who found that the anemometer was mechanically sound and the gust was within statistical probability and ratified the measurement in 2010. The anemometer was mounted
10 m above gro
'The now second highest surface wind speed ever officially recorded is 372 km/h (231 mph; 103 m/s) at the Mount Washington (New Hampshire) Observatory : 6,288 ft -1917 metres above sea - level in the US on 12 April 1934, using a heated anemometer. The anemometer, specifically designed for use on Mount Washington was later tested by the US National Weather Bureau and confirmed to be accurate'.
- In 1937, The first jet engine designed to power an aircraft is ground tested by Sir Frank Whittle in England.
From Wikipedia: 'A jet engine is a reaction engine discharging a fast moving jet that generates thrust by jet propulsion in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, and pulse jets. In general, jet engines are combustion engines but non-combusting forms also exist.'
- In 1939, Woody Herman’s orchestra recorded 'Woodchopper’s Ball'.
From Wikipedia: '"Woodchopper's Ball", also known as "At the Woodchopper's Ball" is a 1939 jazz composition by Joe Bishop and Woody Herman. The up-tempo blues tune was the Woody Herman Orchestra's biggest hit, as well as the most popular composition of either composer, selling a million records.
The tune has been performed by numerous artists and is considered a jazz standard. It is included in the first volume of Hal Leonard's Real Book. The original recording by Woody Herman and His Orchestra received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2002.
Twistin' at the Woodchopper's Ball written by Ronn Metcalfe was a 1962 hit based on Herman's song which attained a Gold Album status.
- In 1954, The song 'Rock Around the Clock' is released. It hits #1 after being featured in the movie 'Blackboard Jungle'.
From Wikipedia: '"Rock Around the Clock" is a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max
C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter under the pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight") in 1952. The best-known and
most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954 for American Decca. It was a number
one single on both the US and UK charts and also re-entered the UK Singles Chart in the 1960s and 1970s'.
- In 1954, Big Joe Turner's 'Shake, Rattle and Roll' was released.
From Wikipedia: '"Shake, Rattle and Roll" is a twelve bar blues-form rock
and roll song, written in 1954 by Jesse Stone under his assumed songwriting
name Charles E. Calhoun. It was originally recorded by Big Joe Turner, and
most successfully by Bill Haley and His Comets. The song as sung by Big Joe
Turner is ranked #127 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500
Greatest Songs of All Time/.
- In 1955, The polio vaccine (for poliomyelitis), developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is announced and declared safe and effective.
From Wikipedia: 'Polio vaccines, are vaccines used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). One type uses inactivated poliovirus and is given by injection (IPV), while the other type uses weakened poliovirus and is given by mouth (OPV). The World Health Organization recommends all children be vaccinated against polio. The two vaccines have eliminated polio from most of the world, and reduced the number of cases each year from an estimated 350,000 in 1988 to 359 in 2014.'
'The first effective polio vaccine was developed in 1952 by Jonas Salk and a team at the University of Pittsburgh that included Julius Youngner, Byron Bennett, L. James Lewis, and Lorraine Friedman, but it required years of subsequent testing. To encourage patience, Salk went on CBS radio to report a successful test on a small group of adults and children on 26 March 1953; two days later the results were published in JAMA. Beginning 23 February 1954, the vaccine was tested at Arsenal Elementary School
and the Watson Home for Children in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Salk's vaccine was then used in a test called the Francis Field Trial, led by Thomas Francis; the largest medical experiment in history. The test began with some 4,000 children at Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean, Virginia, and would eventually involve 1.8 million children, in 44 states from Maine to California. By the conclusion of the study, roughly 440,000 received one or more injections of the vaccine,
about 210,000 children received a placebo, consisting of harmless culture media, and 1.2 million children received no vaccination and served as a control group, who would then be observed to see if any contracted polio. The results of the field trial were announced 12 April 1955 (the tenth anniversary of the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose paralysis was generally believed to have been caused by polio). The Salk vaccine had been 60–70% effective against PV1 (poliovirus type 1), over 90%
effective against PV2 and PV3, and 94%
effective against the development of bulbar polio. Soon after Salk's vaccine was licensed in 1955, children's vaccination campaigns were launched. In the U.S, following a mass immunization campaign promoted by the March of Dimes, the annual number of polio cases fell from 35,000 in 1953 to 5,600 by 1957. By 1961 only 161 cases were recorded in the United States.
- In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes first human to travel into space; first earth orbit completed on this date.
From Wikipedia: 'Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, 9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Russian Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on 12 April 1961.
'On 12 April 1961, the Vostok 3KA-3 (Vostok 1) spacecraft with Gagarin aboard was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome. Gagarin thus became both the first human to travel into space, and the first to orbit the earth. His call sign was Kedr (Russian: ????, Siberian pine or Cedar)'.
- In 1975, Linda Ronstadt releases 'When Will I Be Loved'.
From Wikipedia: '"When Will I Be Loved" is a classic popular song written by Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, who had a US top ten hit with it in 1960. Linda Ronstadt covered the song in 1975 and her version was an even bigger hit in the US peaking at number two'.
- In 1981, The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) takes place - the STS-1 mission.
From Wikipedia: 'STS-1 (Space Transportation System-1) was the first orbital spaceflight of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The first orbiter, Columbia, launched on 12 April 1981 and returned on 14 April, 54.5 hours later, having orbited the Earth 37 times. Columbia carried a crew of two – mission commander John W. Young and pilot Robert L. Crippen. It was the first American manned space flight since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. STS-1 was also the only maiden test flight of a new US spacecraft
to carry a crew, though it was preceded by atmospheric testing of the orbiter and ground testing of the space shuttle system'.
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