<> Tomorrow's food holidays(s):
* 'National French Fries Day'.
- From Wikipedia (French fries):
'French fries (American English), chips (British English), fries, finger
chips (Indian English), or French-fried potatoes are batonnet or allumette
cut potato that are normally deep-fried but could also be cooked in an
oven. In the United States and most of Canada, the term fries refers to any
fried elongated pieces of potatoes, while in the United Kingdom, Australia,
South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand, allumette cut fried potatoes are
sometimes called shoestring fries to distinguish them from the batonnet cut
chips.
French fries are typically served hot, either soft or crispy, and they are
generally eaten as part of lunch or dinner, or by themselves as a snack,
and they commonly appear on the menus of fast food restaurants. French
fries are generally salted and are often served with ketchup in many
countries they are topped instead with other condiments or toppings,
including vinegar, mayonnaise, or other local specialties. Fries can also
be topped more elaborately, as in the dishes of poutine and chili cheese
fries. Sometimes, fries are made from sweet potatoes instead of potatoes,
are baked instead of fried, or are cut into a variety of shapes.
Thomas Jefferson had potatoes served in the French manner at a White House
dinner in 1802.
The expression French Fried Potatoes first occured in print in English in
the 1856 work Cookery for Maids of All Work by E Warren:
In the early 20th century, the term French fried was being used in the
sense of deep-fried, for other foods such as onion rings or chicken.
It is unlikely that French fried refers to frenching in the sense of
julienning, which is not attested until after French fried potatoes.
Previously, frenching referred only to trimming meat off the shanks of
chops'.
[The Hankster says] I still call them American Fries. I love 'um all. I like the seasoned ones best, but yearn for the original, after a while.
* 'National Beans ‘N’ Franks Day'.
- From Wikipedia (Beanie Weenies):
'Beanie Weenies, also called Frank 'n Beans, is a dish that can be a main
item or a side. Often served in informal settings, it is similar to pork
and beans, but substitutes hot dog for pork. July 13 is National Bean 'n
Franks Day in The United States.
Baked beans were among the first canned convenience foods to emerge in the
United States, dating back to the civil war. The exact originator of the
concept of combining hot dogs and baked beans is unknown. Van Camp's owns
the name Beanee Weenee. Other brands are sold under alternative names such
as Franks and Beans.
Standard ingredients include baked beans, skinless hot dogs, brown sugar,
onion, mustard, BBQ sauce, various herbs and spices. Recipes vary from
regions and countries around the world.
Based on one serving size of one can of the Van Camp's Beanee Weenee:
Calories:240 Total Fat:8g Saturated Fat: 3.0g Cholesterol:40mg Sodium:990mg
Total Carbohydrates:29.0g Dietary Fiber:8.0g Sugars:8.0g Protein:18.0g'.
[The Hankster says] And what better main course (I think entrée is French) to go with those fries. Throw in some Mac 'n Cheese and you have the kids three basic food groups (excluding dessert).
<> Other holidays / celebrations
* 'Embrace Your Geekness Day'.
- From Wikipedia (Geek):
'The word geek is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or
non-mainstream people in current use, the word typically connotes an expert
or enthusiast or a person obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit,
with a general pejorative meaning of a peculiar person, especially one who
is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, or socially awkward
Although often considered as a pejorative, the term is also used
self-referentially without malice or as a source of pride. Its meaning has
evolved to refer to someone who is interested in a subject (usually
intellectual or complex) for its own sake
This word comes from English dialect geek or geck (meaning a fool or freak
from Middle Low German Geck). Geck is a standard term in modern German and
means fool or fop The root also survives in the Dutch and Afrikaans
adjective gek (crazy), as well as some German dialects, and in the Alsatian
word Gickeleshut (jester's hat used during carnival). In 18th century
Austria-Hungary, Gecken were freaks on display in some circuses. In 19th
century North America, the term geek referred to a performer in a geek show
in a circus, traveling carnival or travelling funfair sideshows, The 1976
edition of the American Heritage Dictionary included only the definition
regarding geek shows. This variation of the term was used to comic effect
in an episode of popular 1970s TV show Sanford and Son. Professional
wrestling manager Classy Freddie Blassie recorded a song in the 1970s
called Pencil-Necked Geek
The definition of geek has changed considerably over time, and there is no
longer a definitive meaning. The term nerd has a similar, practically
synonymous meaning as geek, but many choose to identify different
connotations among these two terms, although the differences are disputed.
In a 2007 interview on The Colbert Report, Richard Clarke said the
difference between nerds and geeks is geeks get it done or ggid Julie Smith
defined a geek as a bright young man turned inward, poorly socialized, who
felt so little kinship with his own planet that he routinely traveled to
the ones invented by his favorite authors, who thought of that secret,
dreamy place his computer took him to as cyberspace—somewhere exciting, a
place more real than his own life, a land he could conquer, not a drab
teenager's room in his parents' house
There are many categories of geeks, such as: science geeks, math geeks
(maths geeks, in British English), computer geeks, history geeks, gaming
geeks, etc. In Silicon Valley parlance, a geek is a software or hardware
engineer'.
[The Hankster says] Hello. My name is Henry and I am a Geek.
* 'Barbershop Music Appreciation Day'.
Birth date of the 'Sweet Adelines' in 1945.
- From Wikipedia (Sweet Adelines International):
'Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers,
established in 1945, committed to advancing the musical art form of
barbershop harmony through education and performances. This independent,
nonprofit music education association is one of the world's largest singing
organizations for women. Harmonize the World is the organization's motto.
It has a current membership of 24,000 and holds a yearly international
singing competition'.
[The Hankster says] I would sing for my fries, beans 'n franks and mac and cheese, but I would go hungry.
* 'Fool’s Paradise Day'.
Feel intellectually free on this day and there is no need to explain why.
[The Hankster says] It's where us Geeks go.
<> Awareness / Observances:
<> Historical events on July 13
* 'In 1832, The source of the Mississippi River is discovered by Henry R
Schoolcraft. It is the small glacial 'Lake Itasca' in north central
Minnesota, at southeastern Clearwater County within what is now Itasca
State Park.
- From Wikipedia: 'Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately 1.8
square miles (4.7 km2) in area, notable for being the headwaters of the
Mississippi River. The lake is located in southeastern Clearwater County,
in the Headwaters area of north central Minnesota. The lake is within
Itasca State Park and it has an average depth of 20–35 feet (6–11 m), and
is 1,475 ft (450 m) above sea level.
The Ojibwe name for Lake Itasca is Omashkoozo-zaaga'igan (Elk Lake) this
was changed by Henry Schoolcraft to Itasca, coined from a combination of
the Latin words veritas (truth) and caput (head), though it is sometimes
misinterpreted as true head. It is one of several examples of pseudo-Indian
place names created by Schoolcraft'.
* 'In 1836, The US patent #1, under the new numbering system, was for a cog
mechanism for locomotive wheels. There were 9,957 prior patents
(X-Patents), from 1790 to 1836, lost to fire. Only some, a little of 2,000,
were reissued by their inventor.
- From Wikipedia: 'The X-Patents are all the patents issued by the United
States Patent and Trademark Office from July 1790 (when the first U.S.
patent was issued), to July 1836. The actual number is unknown, but the
best estimate is 9,957. The records were burned in a fire, in December
1836, while in temporary storage. No copies or rosters were maintained by
the government at the time, leaving only the inventors’ copies to
reconstruct the collection'.
* 'In 1865, Horace Greeley reputedly advises his readers to 'Go west young
man', but the source and date cited does not contain that phrase. Greeley
himself, said that he never initiated it.
- From Wikipedia: 'Go West, young man is a phrase often credited to the
American author Horace Greeley concerning America's expansion westward,
related to the then-popular concept of Manifest Destiny. It was first
stated by John Babsone Lane Soule in an 1851 editorial in the Terre Haute
Express, Go west young man, and grow up with the country. Greeley later
used the quote in his own editorial in 1865.
Greeley favored westward expansion. He saw the fertile farmland of the west
as an ideal place for people willing to work hard for the opportunity to
succeed. The phrase came to symbolize the idea that agriculture could solve
many of the nation's problems of poverty and unemployment characteristic of
the big cities of the East. It is one of the most commonly quoted sayings
from the nineteenth century and may have had some influence on the course
of American history.
Some sources have claimed the phrase is derived from the following advice
in Greeley's July 13, 1865 editorial in the New York Tribune, but this text
does not appear in that issue of the newspaper. The actual editorial
instead encourages Civil War veterans to take advantage of the Homestead
Act and colonize the public lands'.
* 'In 1923 - The Hollywood Sign is officially dedicated in the hills above
Hollywood. .
- From Wikipedia: 'The Hollywood Sign (formerly the Hollywoodland Sign) is
a landmark and American cultural icon located in Los Angeles, California.
It is situated on Mount Lee, in the Hollywood Hills area of the Santa
Monica Mountains. The sign overlooks Hollywood, Los Angeles.
HOLLYWOOD is spelled out in 45-foot-tall (14 m) white capital letters and
is 350 feet (110 m) long. It was originally created in 1923 as an
advertisement for a local real estate development, but it garnered
increasing recognition after the sign was left up. The sign was a frequent
target of pranks and vandalism, but it has since undergone restoration,
including the installation of a security system to deter vandalism. The
sign is protected and promoted by The Trust For Public Land, a nonprofit
organization, while its site and the surrounding land are part of Griffith
Park.
From the ground, the contours of the hills give the sign a wavy appearance,
as reflected in the Hollywood Video logo, for example. When observed at a
comparable altitude, the letters appear nearly level.
The sign makes frequent appearances in popular culture, particularly in
establishing shots for films and television programs set in or around
Hollywood. Signs of similar style, but spelling different words, are
frequently seen as parodies. The sign inspired Los Angeles artist Ed Ruscha
who rendered it in different media.
The sign was the location of the 1932 death of Hollywood starlet Peg
Entwistle.
The sign was first erected in 1923 and originally read HOLLYWOODLAND. Its
purpose was to advertise the name of a new housing development in the hills
above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. H.J. Whitley had already used
a sign to advertise his development Whitley Heights, which was located
between Highland Avenue and Vine Street. He suggested to his friend Harry
Chandler, the owner of the Los Angeles Times newspaper, that the land
syndicate in which he was involved make a similar sign to advertise their
land. Real estate developers Woodruff and Shoults called their development
Hollywoodland and advertised it as a superb environment without excessive
cost on the Hollywood side of the hills.
They contracted the Crescent Sign Company to erect 13 letters on the
hillside, each facing south. The sign company owner, Thomas Fisk Goff
(1890–1984), designed the sign. Each letter was 30 feet (9.1 m) wide and 50
feet (15 m) high, and the whole sign was studded with some 4,000 light
bulbs. The sign would flash in segments HOLLY, WOOD, and LAND would light
up individually, before lighting up entirely. Below the Hollywoodland sign
was a searchlight to attract more attention. The poles that supported the
sign were hauled to the site by mules. Cost of the project was $21,000
(about $300,000 in 2014 dollars).
The sign was officially dedicated in 1923. It was intended only to last a
year and a half, but after the rise of American cinema in Los Angeles
during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the sign became an internationally
recognized symbol and was left there'.
* 'In 1939, Frank Sinatra made his recording debut with the Harry James
band with the songs Melancholy Mood and From the Bottom of My Heart .
- From Wikipedia: 'Sinatra began singing professionally as a teenager, but
he learned music by ear and never learned to read music. He got his first
break in 1935 when his mother persuaded a local singing group, the 3
Flashes, to let him join. Fred Tamburro, the group's baritone, stated that
Frank hung around us like we were gods or something, admitting that they
only took him on board because he owned a car and could chauffeur the group
around. Sinatra soon learned they were auditioning for the Major Bowes
Amateur Hour show, and begged the group to let him in on the act. With
Sinatra, the group became known as the Hoboken Four, and passed an audition
from Edward Bowes to appear on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour show. They each
earned $12.50 for the appearance, and ended up attracting 40,000 votes and
won first prize—a six-month contract to perform on stage and radio across
the United States. Sinatra quickly became the group's lead singer, and,
much to the jealousy of his fellow group members, garnered most of the
attention from girls. Due to the success of the group, Bowes kept asking
for them to return, disguised under different names, varying from The
Seacaucus Cockamamies to The Bayonne Bacalas
In 1938, Sinatra found employment as a singing waiter at a roadhouse called
The Rustic Cabin in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, for which he was paid $15
a week. The roadhouse was connected to the WNEW radio station in New York
City, and he began performing with a group live during the Dance Parade
show. Despite the low salary, Sinatra felt that this was the break he was
looking for, and boasted to friends that he was going to become so big that
no one could ever touch him In March 1939, saxophone player Frank Mane, who
knew Sinatra from Jersey City radio station WAAT where both performed on
live broadcasts, arranged for him to audition and record Our Love, his
first solo studio recording. In June, bandleader Harry James, who had heard
Sinatra sing on Dance Parade, signed a two-year contract of $75 a week one
evening after a show at the Paramount Theatre in New York. It was with the
James band that Sinatra released his first commercial record From the
Bottom of My Heart in July. No more than 8,000 copies of the record were
sold, and further records released with James through 1939, such as All or
Nothing At All, also had weak sales on their initial release. Thanks to his
vocal training, Sinatra could now sing two tones higher, and developed a
repertoire which included songs such as My Buddy, Willow Weep for Me, It's
Funny to Everyone But Me, Here Comes the Night, On a Little Street in
Singapore, Ciribiribin and Every Day of My Life'.
* 'In 1959, The Shirelles' Dedicated To The One I Love was released. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Dedicated to the One I Love is a song written by Lowman
Pauling and Ralph Bass which was a hit for the 5 Royales, the Shirelles and
the Mamas and the Papas. Pauling was the guitarist of the 5 Royales, the
group that recorded the original version of this song, produced by Bass, in
1957. Their version was re-released in 1961 and charted at number 81 on the
Billboard Hot 100.
A cover version recorded by American girl group the Shirelles reached
number 83 in 1959. In 1961, they re-released their version and it reached
number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 2 on the R and B charts.
The song was subsequently included on their 1961 album Tonight's the
Night'.
* 'In 1964, The Supremes made the studio recording of Come See About Me .
- From Wikipedia: 'Come See About Me is a 1964 song recorded by The
Supremes for the Motown label.
The song became third of five consecutively released Supremes songs to top
the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States (the others are Where
Did Our Love Go, Baby Love, Stop! In the Name of Love, and Back in My Arms
Again). It topped the chart twice, non-consecutively toppled by and later
replacing The Beatles' I Feel Fine in December 1964 and January 1965'.
* 'In 1977, NYC experiences a 25 hour blackout. .
- From Wikipedia: 'The New York City blackout of 1977 was an electricity
blackout that affected most of New York City on July 13–14, 1977. The only
neighborhoods in the city that were not affected were in southern Queens,
neighborhoods of the Rockaways, which were part of the Long Island Lighting
Company system and the Pratt Institute campus in Brooklyn which operated
its own historic power generator.
Unlike other blackouts that affected the region, namely the Northeast
blackouts of 1965 and 2003, the 1977 blackout was localized to New York
City and the immediate surroundings. Also in contrast to the 1965 and 2003
blackouts, the 1977 blackout resulted in city-wide looting and other
disorders, including arson'.
No. 1 song
Top movie
Monthly holiday / awareness days in July
Food
National Blueberries Month
National Grilling Month
National Honey Month
National Ice Cream Month
National Horseradish Month
National Hot Dog Month
Wheat Month
Health
Alopecia Month for Women
Bereaved Parents Awareness Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Hemochromatosis Screening Awareness Month
International Group B Strep Awareness Month
International Women with Alopecia Month
International Zine Month
Juvenille Arthritis Awareness Month
National Black Family Month
National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month
National Cord Blood Awareness Month
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Social Wellness Month
Animal / Pets
National 'Doghouse Repairs' Month
Other
Bioterrorism/Disaster Education and Awareness Month
Cell Phone Courtesy Month
Family Golf Month
Independent Retailer Month
National Child-Centered Divorce Month
National Make A Difference to Children Month
National Parks and Recreation Month
National Vacation Rental Month
Smart Irrigation Month
Tour de France Month
Women's Motorcycle Month
July is:
July origin (from Wikipedia): Named by the Roman Senate in honor of Julius Caesar.
"is the seventh month of the year (between June
and August) in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months
with the length of 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honor of
the Roman general, Julius Caesar, it being the month of his birth. Prior
to that, it was called Quintilis. It is, on average, the warmest month in
most of the Northern hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer)
and the coldest month in much of the Southern hemisphere (where it
is the second month of winter). The second half of the year commences in
July. In the Southern hemisphere, July is the seasonal equivalent of
January in the Northern hemisphere."
July 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