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Today is July 18 2016

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   I.
Today's Holidays and Historical Events (updated daily)
Today's Food Holiday
  • National Caviar Day: More
    - From Wikipedia (Caviar): 'Caviar is a delicacy consisting of salt-cured fish-eggs of the Acipenseridae family. The roe can be "fresh" (non-pasteurized) or pasteurized, with pasteurization reducing its culinary and economic value.

    Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspian and Black Sea (Beluga, Ossetra and Sevruga caviars). Depending on the country, caviar may also be used to describe the roe of other fish such as salmon, steelhead, trout, lumpfish, whitefish, carp, and other species of sturgeon.

    Caviar is considered a delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or a spread.

    Preparation follows a sequence that has not significantly changed over the last century. First, the ovaries are removed from a sedated female sturgeon and passed through a sieve to remove the membrane. Freed roes are rinsed to wash away impurities. Roes are now ready to become caviar by adding a precise amount of salt for taste and preservation. The fresh product is tasted and graded according to quality. Finally, the golden eggs are packed into lacquer-lined tins that will be further processed or sold directly to customers'.
  • National Sour Candy Day: More
    Sponsored by American Licorice Company .
Other celebrations/observances today:
  • National Hamiltons Day: More
    TGI Fridays has special for $10..
  • National Get Out of the Dog House Day: More
    Third Monday in July.
  • Global Hug Your Kids Day: More
    Third Monday in July. Created by Michelle Nichol in 2008.
Awareness / Observance Days on: July 18
  • Other
    • World Listening Day: More
      By World Listening Project (WLP), which focuses on understanding the world and its natural environment, cultures and societies through listening and field recording.
    • Nelson Mandela International Day: More
      - From Wikipedia (Mandela Day): 'Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day) is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela's birthday. The day was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first UN Mandela Day held on 18 July 2010. However, other groups began celebrating Mandela Day on 18 July 2009.

      On 27 April 2009, the 46664 concerts and the Nelson Mandela Foundation invited the global community to join them in support of an official Mandela Day. Mandela Day is not meant as a public holiday, but as a day to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's former President, and his values, through volunteering and community service'.
Events in the past on: July 18
  • In 1768, The Boston Gazette publishes the 'Liberty Song',
    America's 1st patriotic song.
    From Wikipedia: '"The Liberty Song" is a pre-American Revolutionary War song with lyrics by Founding Father John Dickinson and not by Mrs. Mercy Otis Warren, wife of General James Warren, of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The song is set to the tunes of "Heart of Oak", the anthem of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, and "Here's a Health", an Irish song of emigration. The song itself was first published in the Boston Gazette in July 1768.

    The song is notable as one of the earliest patriotic songs in the thirteen colonies. Dickinson's sixth verse offers the earliest known publication of the phrase that parallels the motto "united we stand, divided we fall", a patriotic slogan that has prominently appeared several times throughout American history.

    The song is also likely to be a variant of the Irish traditional song from which it often takes its tune, "Here's a Health". The lyrics of "The Liberty Song" also hold the same structure.

    The lyrics of the song were updated in 1770 to reflect the growing tensions between England and the Colonies. This new version was published in Bickerstaff's almanac, and the title was changed to "The Massachusetts Song of Liberty"'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1942, The German Me-262, the first jet-propelled aircraft to fly in combat, made its first flight.
    From Wikipedia: 'The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed Schwalbe (German: "Swallow") in fighter versions, or Sturmvogel (German: "Storm Bird") in attack versions, was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems and top-level interference kept the aircraft from operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944. The Me 262 was faster, and more heavily-armed than any Allied fighter, including the British jet-powered Gloster Meteor. One of the most advanced aviation designs in operational use during World War II, the Me 262 was used in a variety of roles, including light bomber, reconnaissance, and even experimental night fighter versions.

    Me 262 pilots claimed a total of 542 Allied kills, although higher claims are sometimes made. The Allies countered its potential effectiveness in the air by attacking the aircraft on the ground and during takeoff and landing. Engine reliability problems, from the pioneering nature of its Junkers Jumo 004 axial-flow turbojet engines—the first ever placed in mass production—and attacks by Allied forces on fuel supplies during the deteriorating late-war situation also reduced the effectiveness of the aircraft as a fighting force. In the end, the Me 262 had a negligible impact on the course of the war as a result of its late introduction and the consequently small numbers put in operational service.

    While German use of the aircraft ended with the close of the Second World War, a small number were operated by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1951. Captured Me 262s were studied and flight tested by the major powers, and ultimately influenced the designs of a number of post-war aircraft such as the North American F-86 Sabre and Boeing B-47 Stratojet. A number of aircraft have survived on static display in museums, and there have also been several privately built flying reproductions'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1953, Elvis Presley recorded 'My Happiness' as a gift for his mother. It was one of the songs he first recorded with SUn.
    From Wikipedia: '"My Happiness" is a pop music standard which was initially made famous in the mid-twentieth century.

    An unpublished version of the melody with different lyrics was written by Borney Bergantine in 1933.

    The most famous version of the song, with lyrics by Betty Peterson Blasco, was published for the first time in 1948. The first known recording of this version was in December 1947 by the Marlin Sisters but the song first became a hit in May 1948 as recorded by Jon and Sondra Steele (Damon 11133) (#3) with rival versions by The Pied Pipers (Capitol 1628/15094)1 and Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 24446) entering the charts that June reaching respectively #4 and #8 with the Marlin Sisters version (Columbia 38217) finally charting with a #24 peak that July. A version by John Laurenz (Mercury catalog number 5144, with the flip side "Someone Cares"), entered the Billboard magazine charts on August 7, 1948 where it stayed for 2 weeks, peaking at #26.

    Connie Francis — whose favorite song at the age of eight had been the Jon and Sondra Steele version of "My Happiness" — remade the song in a 6 November 1958 session at the Radio Recorders studio in Hollywood, CA produced by Morton Craft and Jesse Kaye; David Rose conducted the orchestra. The song almost became Francis's first #1 hit in the first months of 1959 but was kept at #2 by another remake of a standard: the Platters' version of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".

    "My Happiness" is reportedly one of two songs — the other being "That’s When Your Heartaches Begin" — Elvis Presley recorded in his first recording session at the Memphis Recording Service (Sun Studios)'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1960, Elvis Presley's, It's Now Or Never, was released.
    From Wikipedia: '"It's Now or Never" is a ballad recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company, in 1960. It is one of two popular songs based on the Italian song "'O Sole mio" (music by Eduardo di Capua), the other being "There's No Tomorrow", recorded by U.S. singer Tony Martin in 1949, which inspired Presley's version. The lyrics were written by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold. The single is the second best-selling single by Presley, and one of the best-selling singles of all time.

    In the late 1950s, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, Presley heard Martin's recording. According to The New York Times, quoting from the 1986 book Behind The Hits, "he told the idea to his music publisher, Freddy Bienstock, who was visiting him in Germany... Mr. Bienstock, who many times found songwriters for Presley, returned to his New York office, where he found songwriters, Mr. Schroeder and Wally Gold, the only people in that day. The two wrote lyrics in half an hour. Selling more than 20 million records, the song became number one in countries all around and was Presley's best selling single ever... a song finished in 20 minutes to a half hour was the biggest song of career."

    In 1960, "It's Now or Never" was a number-one record in the U.S., spending five weeks at number one and the UK, where it spent eight weeks at the top in 1960 and an additional week at number one in 2005 as a re-issue, and numerous other countries, selling in excess of 25 million copies worldwide, Elvis Presley's biggest international single ever. Its British release was delayed for some time because of rights issues, allowing the song to build up massive advance orders and to enter the UK Singles Chart at number one, a very rare occurrence at the time. "It's Now or Never" peaked at number seven on the R and B charts.

    A live version featuring "'O Sole mio" is available on the 1977 live album Elvis in Concert. "'O Sole mio" is sung by tenor Sherrill Nielson.

    In early 2005, the song was re-released along with the other Presley singles in the UK, and again reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for the week of 5 February 2005. The song also appears in the TV mini-series Elvis'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1966, Australian children's television series Play School airs for the first time, going on to become the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running children's show in the world.
    From Wikipedia: 'Play School is an Australian Logie Hall of Fame-winning educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second-longest-running children's show worldwide. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the programme at least once a week. It is screened four times each weekday on ABC Kids, at 6.00 am, 9.30 am, 12.30 pm and 3.30 pm (from 7 July 2014) and twice daily each weekend at 9.30 am and 3.30 pm'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1968, The Intel Corporation is founded and incorporated in Santa Clara, California.
    From Wikipedia: 'Intel Corporation (better known as Intel, stylized as intel) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Intel is one of the world's largest and highest valued semiconductor chip makers, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers. Intel supplies processors for computer system manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, HP and Dell. Intel also makes motherboard chipsets, network interface controllers and integrated circuits, flash memory, graphics chips, embedded processors and other devices related to communications and computing. Intel Corporation was founded on July 18, 1968, by semiconductor pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore and widely associated with the executive leadership and vision of Andrew Grove, Intel combines advanced chip design capability with a leading-edge manufacturing capability'.
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1976 Nadia Comaneci is first person in Olympic Games to score perfect 10 in gymnastics at the Summer Olympics of 1976.
    From Wikipedia: 'Nadia Elena Comaneci (born November 12, 1961) is a former Romanian gymnast, winner of three gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastics event. She also won two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. She is one of the best-known gymnasts in the world and is credited with popularizing the sport around the world. In 2000, Comaneci was named as one of the Athletes of the Century by the Laureus World Sports Academy'.
    - At FamousDaily: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  • In 1995, 'Dreaming of You' by Selena, released posthumously, became the best-selling Latin album in the United States. It was noted by Billboard magazine as a 'historic event' for Latin music.
    From Wikipedia: 'Dreaming of You is the fifth and final studio album by American singer Selena. Released posthumously on July 18, 1995 by EMI Latin and EMI Records, it was an immediate commercial and critical success, debuting atop the United States Billboard 200—the first predominately Spanish-language album to do so. It sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release in the U.S.—a then-record for a female vocalist. With first week sales of 331,000 units, it became the second-highest first-week sales for a female musician since Nielsen Soundscan began monitoring album sales in 1991. Billboard magazine declared it a "historic" event, while Time said the recording elevated Selena's music to a wider audience. It won Album of the Year at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards and Female Pop Album of the Year at the 2nd annual Billboard Latin Music Awards'.
    - At Wikipedia: More
    - On YouTube: More
  II.
Henry's Heads Up! - previous days social media post (updated daily)

<> Tomorrow's food holidays(s):


* 'National Caviar Day'. - From Wikipedia (Caviar): 'Caviar is a delicacy consisting of salt-cured fish-eggs of the Acipenseridae family. The roe can be fresh (non-pasteurized) or pasteurized, with pasteurization reducing its culinary and economic value.

Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspian and Black Sea (Beluga, Ossetra and Sevruga caviars). Depending on the country, caviar may also be used to describe the roe of other fish such as salmon, steelhead, trout, lumpfish, whitefish, carp, and other species of sturgeon.

Caviar is considered a delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or a spread.

Preparation follows a sequence that has not significantly changed over the last century. First, the ovaries are removed from a sedated female sturgeon and passed through a sieve to remove the membrane. Freed roes are rinsed to wash away impurities. Roes are now ready to become caviar by adding a precise amount of salt for taste and preservation. The fresh product is tasted and graded according to quality. Finally, the golden eggs are packed into lacquer-lined tins that will be further processed or sold directly to customers'.
[The Hankster says] Never tried it.


* 'National Sour Candy Day'. Sponsored by American Licorice Company .
[The Hankster says] No, I'm not going to say the more sour, the more better. I have tasted some that are just too sour to enjoy.


* 'National Hamiltons Day'. TGI Fridays has special for $10..


<> Other holidays / celebrations


* 'National Get Out of the Dog House Day'. Third Monday in July.
[The Hankster says] Think of this as your 'Get out of the dog house free' card.


* 'Global Hug Your Kids Day'. Third Monday in July. Created by Michelle Nichol in 2008.
[The Hankster says] There is also a national version in Jan., but why should you need a special day?


<> Awareness / Observances:

o Other:
* 'World Listening Day'. By World Listening Project (WLP), which focuses on understanding the world and its natural environment, cultures and societies through listening and field recording.


* 'Nelson Mandela International Day'. - From Wikipedia (Mandela Day): 'Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day) is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela's birthday. The day was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first UN Mandela Day held on 18 July 2010. However, other groups began celebrating Mandela Day on 18 July 2009.

On 27 April 2009, the 46664 concerts and the Nelson Mandela Foundation invited the global community to join them in support of an official Mandela Day. Mandela Day is not meant as a public holiday, but as a day to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's former President, and his values, through volunteering and community service'.


<> Historical events on July 18


* 'In 1768, The Boston Gazette publishes the 'Liberty Song', America's 1st patriotic song. . - From Wikipedia: 'The Liberty Song is a pre-American Revolutionary War song with lyrics by Founding Father John Dickinson and not by Mrs. Mercy Otis Warren, wife of General James Warren, of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The song is set to the tunes of Heart of Oak, the anthem of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, and Here's a Health, an Irish song of emigration. The song itself was first published in the Boston Gazette in July 1768.

The song is notable as one of the earliest patriotic songs in the thirteen colonies. Dickinson's sixth verse offers the earliest known publication of the phrase that parallels the motto united we stand, divided we fall, a patriotic slogan that has prominently appeared several times throughout American history.

The song is also likely to be a variant of the Irish traditional song from which it often takes its tune, Here's a Health The lyrics of The Liberty Song also hold the same structure.

The lyrics of the song were updated in 1770 to reflect the growing tensions between England and the Colonies. This new version was published in Bickerstaff's almanac, and the title was changed to The Massachusetts Song of Liberty'.


* 'In 1942, The German Me-262, the first jet-propelled aircraft to fly in combat, made its first flight. . - From Wikipedia: 'The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed Schwalbe (German: Swallow) in fighter versions, or Sturmvogel (German: Storm Bird) in attack versions, was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems and top-level interference kept the aircraft from operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944. The Me 262 was faster, and more heavily-armed than any Allied fighter, including the British jet-powered Gloster Meteor. One of the most advanced aviation designs in operational use during World War II, the Me 262 was used in a variety of roles, including light bomber, reconnaissance, and even experimental night fighter versions.

Me 262 pilots claimed a total of 542 Allied kills, although higher claims are sometimes made. The Allies countered its potential effectiveness in the air by attacking the aircraft on the ground and during takeoff and landing. Engine reliability problems, from the pioneering nature of its Junkers Jumo 004 axial-flow turbojet engines—the first ever placed in mass production—and attacks by Allied forces on fuel supplies during the deteriorating late-war situation also reduced the effectiveness of the aircraft as a fighting force. In the end, the Me 262 had a negligible impact on the course of the war as a result of its late introduction and the consequently small numbers put in operational service.

While German use of the aircraft ended with the close of the Second World War, a small number were operated by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1951. Captured Me 262s were studied and flight tested by the major powers, and ultimately influenced the designs of a number of post-war aircraft such as the North American F-86 Sabre and Boeing B-47 Stratojet. A number of aircraft have survived on static display in museums, and there have also been several privately built flying reproductions'.


* 'In 1953, Elvis Presley recorded 'My Happiness' as a gift for his mother. It was one of the songs he first recorded with SUn. . - From Wikipedia: 'My Happiness is a pop music standard which was initially made famous in the mid-twentieth century.

An unpublished version of the melody with different lyrics was written by Borney Bergantine in 1933.

The most famous version of the song, with lyrics by Betty Peterson Blasco, was published for the first time in 1948. The first known recording of this version was in December 1947 by the Marlin Sisters but the song first became a hit in May 1948 as recorded by Jon and Sondra Steele (Damon 11133) (#3) with rival versions by The Pied Pipers (Capitol 1628/15094)1 and Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 24446) entering the charts that June reaching respectively #4 and #8 with the Marlin Sisters version (Columbia 38217) finally charting with a #24 peak that July. A version by John Laurenz (Mercury catalog number 5144, with the flip side Someone Cares), entered the Billboard magazine charts on August 7, 1948 where it stayed for 2 weeks, peaking at #26.

Connie Francis — whose favorite song at the age of eight had been the Jon and Sondra Steele version of My Happiness — remade the song in a 6 November 1958 session at the Radio Recorders studio in Hollywood, CA produced by Morton Craft and Jesse Kaye David Rose conducted the orchestra. The song almost became Francis's first #1 hit in the first months of 1959 but was kept at #2 by another remake of a standard: the Platters' version of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

My Happiness is reportedly one of two songs — the other being That’s When Your Heartaches Begin — Elvis Presley recorded in his first recording session at the Memphis Recording Service (Sun Studios)'.


* 'In 1960, Elvis Presley's, It's Now Or Never, was released. . - From Wikipedia: 'It's Now or Never is a ballad recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company, in 1960. It is one of two popular songs based on the Italian song 'O Sole mio (music by Eduardo di Capua), the other being There's No Tomorrow, recorded by U.S. singer Tony Martin in 1949, which inspired Presley's version. The lyrics were written by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold. The single is the second best-selling single by Presley, and one of the best-selling singles of all time.

In the late 1950s, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, Presley heard Martin's recording. According to The New York Times, quoting from the 1986 book Behind The Hits, he told the idea to his music publisher, Freddy Bienstock, who was visiting him in Germany... Mr. Bienstock, who many times found songwriters for Presley, returned to his New York office, where he found songwriters, Mr. Schroeder and Wally Gold, the only people in that day. The two wrote lyrics in half an hour. Selling more than 20 million records, the song became number one in countries all around and was Presley's best selling single ever... a song finished in 20 minutes to a half hour was the biggest song of career.

In 1960, It's Now or Never was a number-one record in the U.S., spending five weeks at number one and the UK, where it spent eight weeks at the top in 1960 and an additional week at number one in 2005 as a re-issue, and numerous other countries, selling in excess of 25 million copies worldwide, Elvis Presley's biggest international single ever. Its British release was delayed for some time because of rights issues, allowing the song to build up massive advance orders and to enter the UK Singles Chart at number one, a very rare occurrence at the time. It's Now or Never peaked at number seven on the R and B charts.

A live version featuring 'O Sole mio is available on the 1977 live album Elvis in Concert. 'O Sole mio is sung by tenor Sherrill Nielson.
In early 2005, the song was re-released along with the other Presley singles in the UK, and again reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for the week of 5 February 2005. The song also appears in the TV mini-series Elvis'.


* 'In 1966, Australian children's television series Play School airs for the first time, going on to become the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running children's show in the world. . - From Wikipedia: 'Play School is an Australian Logie Hall of Fame-winning educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second-longest-running children's show worldwide. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the programme at least once a week. It is screened four times each weekday on ABC Kids, at 6.00 am, 9.30 am, 12.30 pm and 3.30 pm (from 7 July 2014) and twice daily each weekend at 9.30 am and 3.30 pm'.


* 'In 1968, The Intel Corporation is founded and incorporated in Santa Clara, California. . - From Wikipedia: 'Intel Corporation (better known as Intel, stylized as intel) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Intel is one of the world's largest and highest valued semiconductor chip makers, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers. Intel supplies processors for computer system manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, HP and Dell. Intel also makes motherboard chipsets, network interface controllers and integrated circuits, flash memory, graphics chips, embedded processors and other devices related to communications and computing. Intel Corporation was founded on July 18, 1968, by semiconductor pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore and widely associated with the executive leadership and vision of Andrew Grove, Intel combines advanced chip design capability with a leading-edge manufacturing capability'.,


* 'In 1976 Nadia Comaneci is first person in Olympic Games to score perfect 10 in gymnastics at the Summer Olympics of 1976. . - From Wikipedia: 'Nadia Elena Comaneci (born November 12, 1961) is a former Romanian gymnast, winner of three gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastics event. She also won two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. She is one of the best-known gymnasts in the world and is credited with popularizing the sport around the world. In 2000, Comaneci was named as one of the Athletes of the Century by the Laureus World Sports Academy'.


* 'In 1995, 'Dreaming of You' by Selena, released posthumously, became the best-selling Latin album in the United States. It was noted by Billboard magazine as a 'historic event' for Latin music. . - From Wikipedia: 'Dreaming of You is the fifth and final studio album by American singer Selena. Released posthumously on July 18, 1995 by EMI Latin and EMI Records, it was an immediate commercial and critical success, debuting atop the United States Billboard 200—the first predominately Spanish-language album to do so. It sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release in the U.S.—a then-record for a female vocalist. With first week sales of 331,000 units, it became the second-highest first-week sales for a female musician since Nielsen Soundscan began monitoring album sales in 1991. Billboard magazine declared it a historic event, while Time said the recording elevated Selena's music to a wider audience. It won Album of the Year at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards and Female Pop Album of the Year at the 2nd annual Billboard Latin Music Awards'.

 III.
Top Song & Movie 50 years ago today (last updated July 17 2016 next July 23 2016

No. 1 song

  • Hanky Panky - Tommy James and the Shonde
    - On YouTube: More
    - At Wikipedia: More
    'Strangers in the Night' has been displaced by 'Hanky Panky', which will hold the no. 1 spot until July 23 1966, when 'Wild Thing - The Troggs', takes over.
    - From Wikipedia: '"Hanky Panky" is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich for their group, The Raindrops. It was famously remade by rock group Tommy James and the Shondells, who took it to No. 1 in the United States in 1966.

    James' version was recorded at a local radio station, WNIL in Niles, Michigan, and released on local Snap Records, selling well in the tri-state area of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. However, lacking national distribution, the single quickly disappeared. James moved on, breaking up The Shondells, and finishing high school.

    In 1965, an unemployed James was contacted by Pittsburgh disc jockey "Mad Mike" Metro. Metro had begun playing The Shondells' version of "Hanky Panky", and the single had become popular in that area. James then decided to re-release the song, traveling to Pittsburgh where he hired the first decent local band he ran into, The Raconteurs, to be the new Shondells (the original members having declined to re-form).

    After appearances on TV and in clubs in the city, James took a master of "Hanky Panky" to New York, where he sold it to Roulette Records. "The amazing thing is we did not re-record the song," James told Bronson, "I don't think anybody can record a song that bad and make it sound good. It had to sound amateurish like that. I think if we'd fooled with it too much we'd have fouled it up." It was released promptly and took the top position of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in July 1966.

    Bob Rivers parodied the song as "Newt Gingrich Does the Hanky Panky"'.

Top movie

  • Torn Curtain
    - At Wikipedia:  More
    - On IMDb: More
    - On YouTube (trailer): More
    Having displaced 'Three on a Couch', it will be there until the weekend box office of July 24 1966 when, 'Batman', takes over.- From Wikipedia: 'Torn Curtain is a 1966 American political thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews. Written by Brian Moore, the film is set in the Cold War. It is about an American scientist who pretends to defect behind the Iron Curtain to East Germany as part of a clandestine mission to obtain the solution of a formula and escape back to the United States'.
  IV.
Today in the Past (reference sites): July 18
   V.
This month July 2016 (updated once a month - last updated - Jul 18 2016)

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

  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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