<> Tomorrow's food holidays(s):
* 'National Lollipop Day'.
- From Wikipedia (Lollipop):
'A lollipop is a type of confectionery now consisting of a sweetmeat of
hard candy or water-ice mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or
licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including
lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are available in many flavors and
shapes.
The idea of an edible candy on a stick is very simple, and it is probable
that the lollipop has been invented and reinvented numerous times. The
history of the first lollipops in America appears to have been distorted
over time. There is some speculation that lollipops were invented during
the American Civil War (1861–1865). Others believe some version of the
lollipop has been around since the early 1800s. George Smith claimed to be
the first to invent the modern style lollipop in 1908 and trademarked the
lollipop name in 1931. He used the idea of putting candy on a stick to make
it easier to eat and reportedly named the treats after a popular racing
horse, Lolly Pop. It initially referred to soft, rather than hard candy.
The term may have derived from the term lolly (tongue) and pop (slap). The
first references to the lollipop in its modern context date to the 1920s.
Alternatively, it may be a word of Romany origin being related to the Roma
tradition of selling toffee apples sold on a stick. Red apple in the Romany
language is loli phaba.
The first confectioneries that closely resemble what we call lollipops date
to the Middle Ages, when the nobility would often eat boiled sugar with the
aid of sticks or handles. The invention of the modern lollipop is still
something of a mystery but a number of American companies in the early 20th
century have laid claim to it. According to the book Food For Thought:
Extraordinary Little Chronicles of the World, they were invented by George
Smith of New Haven, Connecticut, who started making large boiled sweets
mounted on sticks in 1908. He named them after a racehorse of the time,
Lolly Pop.
The term 'lollipop' was recorded by English lexicographer Francis Grose in
1796'.
[The Hankster says] The free lollipop was the only thing that made a doctor's visit tolerable when I was a kid.
<> Other holidays / celebrations
* 'Moon day'.
Celebrates the July 20 1969 moon landing. See more in the history section.
[The Hankster says] No, don't reach for your belt. This has to do with the first moon landing.
* 'Ugly Truck Day'.
[]The Hankster says You have one or know someone who has one. Why not enter it into a contest for bragging rights.
<> Awareness / Observances:
o Other:
* 'International Chess Day'. Since 1966 by the World Chess Federation
(FIDE), their birthday.
- From Wikipedia (International Chess Day):
'The International chess day is celebrated annually on July 20, the day the
International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924.
The idea to celebrate this day as the international chess day was proposed
by UNESCO, and it has been celebrated as such since 1966, after it was
established by FIDE. FIDE, which has 181 chess federations as its members,
organizes chess events and competitions around the world on this day. As
recently as 2013, the international chess day was celebrated in 178
countries, according to FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
The day is celebrated by many of the 605 million regular chess players
around the world. A 2012 Yougov poll showed that “a surprisingly stable 70%
of the adult population has played chess at some point during their lives”.
This number holds at approximately the same level in countries as diverse
as the US, UK, Germany, Russia, India'.
<> Historical events on July 20
* 'In 1807, Nicéphore Niépce is awarded a patent by Napoleon for the
Pyréolophore, the world's first internal combustion engine, after it
successfully powered a boat upstream on the river Saône in France. .
- From Wikipedia: 'The Pyréolophore was probably the world's first internal
combustion engine. It was invented in the early 19th century in
Chalon-sur-Saône, France, by the Niépce brothers: Nicéphore Niépce (who
went on to invent photography) and his brother Claude.
In 1807 the brothers ran a prototype internal combustion engine, and on 20
July 1807 a patent was granted by Napoleon Bonaparte after it had
successfully powered a boat upstream on the river Saône.
The Pyréolophore ran on what were believed to be controlled dust explosions
of various experimental fuels, although technically they were deflagrations
(rapid burns). The fuels included mixtures of Lycopodium powder (the spores
of Lycopodium, or clubmoss), finely crushed coal dust, and resin.
Operating independently, in 1807 the Swiss engineer François Isaac de Rivaz
built the De Rivaz engine, a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine.
These practical engineering projects may have followed the 1680 theoretical
design of an internal combustion engine by the Dutch scientist Christiaan
Huygens. The separate, virtually contemporaneous implementations of this
design in different modes of transport means that the de Rivaz engine may
be correctly described as the first use of an internal combustion engine in
an automobile (1808), whilst the Pyréolophore was the first use of an
internal combustion engine in a boat (1807)'.
* 'In 1903, The Ford Motor Company ships its first car. .
- From Wikipedia:
The car came as a two-seater runabout for $800 or the $900 four-seater
tonneau model with an option to add a top. The horizontal-mounted flat-2,
situated amidships of the car, produced 8 hp (6 kW). A planetary
transmission was fitted with two forward speeds and reverse, a Ford
signature later seen on the Ford Model T. The car weighed 1,240 lb (562 kg)
and could reach a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). It had a 72 inch (1.8 m)
wheelbase and sold for a base price of US$750. Options included a rear
tonneau with two seats and a rear door for $100, a rubber roof for $30 or a
leather roof for $50. Band brakes were used on the rear wheels. However, it
was $150 more than its most direct competitor, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash,
and so did not sell as well.
The company had spent almost its entire $28,000 initial investment funds
with only $223.65 left in its bank account when the first Model A was sold.
The success of this car model generated a profit for the Ford Motor
Company, Henry Ford's first successful business.
Although Ford advertised the Model A as the most reliable machine in the
world, it suffered from many problems common to vehicles of the era,
including overheating and slipping transmission bands. The Model A was sold
only in red by the factory, though some were later repainted in other
colors'.
* 'In 1935, The radio police drama 'Gang Busters' premiers on NBC-radio .
- From Wikipedia: 'Gang Busters was an American dramatic radio program
heralded as the only national program that brings you authentic police case
histories. It premiered as G-Men, sponsored by Chevrolet, on July 20, 1935.
After the title was changed to Gang Busters on January 15, 1936, the show
had a 21-year run through November 20, 1957.
So-called true crime magazines were highly popular in the 1930s and the
movie G Men starring James Cagney, released in the spring of 1935, had
proven to be a big hit. Producer-director Phillips H. Lord thought there
was a place on radio for a show of the same type. To emphasize the
authenticity of his dramatizations, Lord produced the initial radio show,
G-Men, in close association with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover was
not particularly favorable to the notion of such a program, but U. S.
Attorney General Homer Stille Cummings gave it his full support.
That first series dramatized FBI cases, but Hoover insisted that only
closed cases would be used. Hoover also demanded that he or a top-level
aide review and approve every script. Hoover preferred that scripts
downplay gunfights and car chases, and spend more time on systematic
investigation and legwork. Agents should be shown as intelligent,
hard-working and essentially faceless cogs in his technically savvy
crime-fighting organization. Those restrictions hampered Lord, who saw his
creation as a public service, but one that had to entertain as well as
inform.
The first program dramatized the story of the notorious gangster John
Dillinger, who was tracked down by FBI agents and shot to death outside the
Biograph Theater on July 24, 1934. The second covered Lester Joseph Gillis,
aka Baby Face Nelson. Although the shows were a hit with the general
public, there were naysayers, some of whom deplored this sensational new
style of radio show. Hyper-sensitive to any criticism, Hoover almost
squelched the project and made life more and more difficult for Lord.
The last episode of G-Men ran in mid-November 1935. It was just that first
series that used only FBI cases and was subject to Hoover's whims and
restrictions. After that, the show began featuring interesting and dramatic
crimes from the files of law enforcement organizations all over the
country. The sequel, renamed Gang Busters, debuted in mid-January, 1936. If
anything, the opening sound effects became even more elaborate and
aggressive. The show opened with a barrage of blaring sound effects – a
shrill police whistle, convicts marching in formation, police siren
wailing, machine guns firing, and tires squealing. Then an authoritative
voice would announce the title of that night's program: Tonight, Gang
Busters presents the Case of the —. Finally, the opening would end with
more blasts from a police whistle. This intrusive introduction led to the
popular catchphrase came on like Gangbusters.
To lend an extra air of authenticity to the presentation, Lord had Norman
Schwarzkopf, Sr., former head of the New Jersey State Police give a short
talk to lead into the actual dramatization. (Schwarzkopf was the father of
General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., leader of the coalition forces in the
1990-1991 Persian Gulf War.) That authentic voice became even more
important after Lord ended his connection with the FBI. After about 1945,
Lewis Joseph Valentine, crime-busting New York City Police Commissioner
replaced Schwarzkopf as the authoritative opening speaker.
The initial series was on NBC Radio from July 20 to October 12, 1935,
sponsored by Chevrolet. It then aired on CBS from January 15, 1936 to June
15, 1940, sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive and Cue magazine. From October 11,
1940 to December 25, 1948, it was heard on the Blue Network, with various
sponsors that included Sloan's Liniment, Waterman pens and Tide. Returning
to CBS on January 8, 1949, it ran until June 25, 1955, sponsored by
Grape-Nuts and Wrigley's chewing gum. The final series was on the Mutual
Broadcasting System from October 5, 1955 to November 27, 1957.
Gang Busters often featured prominent names in radio broadcasting, many of
whom also starred in movies and television. Two of the most famous were
Richard Widmark and Art Carney. Widmark was typecast as a villain for many,
many years, but finally managed to break that mold. Carney became
especially famous for his role with Jackie Gleason on The Honeymooners, but
he had a much broader career than that. Joan Banks, who later played many
TV roles, was a regular cast member. Her husband, Frank Lovejoy, also
appeared often, and later went on to star in many movies and an ABC crime
drama. Larry Haines was another regular on the show. He went on to an
extensive career in TV soap operas. A lesser known actor on the show was
Leon Janney, who apparently played both juvenile roles and ones requiring
an unusual accent'.
* 'In 1940, Billboard publishes its 1st singles record chart (#1 was I'll
Never Smile Again, by Tommy Dorsey) .
- From Wikipedia: 'Billboard, then titled The Billboard, published its
first music hit parade on January 4, 1936 its first record chart was
calculated on July 20, 1940. The Billboard Hot 100, which documents
individual singles, was introduced on August 4, 1958 the Billboard 200,
which ranks full music albums, was premiered on August 17, 1963.'
* 'In 1942, Legion of Merit Medal authorized by US congress. .
- From Wikipedia: 'The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the
United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious
conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The
decoration is issued to members of the seven uniformed services of the
United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign
governments.
The Legion of Merit (Commander degree) is one of only two United States
military decorations to be issued as a neck order (the other being the
Medal of Honor) and the only United States military decoration which may be
issued in award degrees (much like an order of chivalry or certain Orders
of Merit).
The Legion of Merit is sixth in the order of precedence of U.S. military
awards and is worn after the Defense Superior Service Medal and before the
Distinguished Flying Cross. In contemporary use in the U.S. Armed Forces,
the Legion of Merit is typically awarded to Army, Marine Corps, and Air
Force general officers and colonels, and Navy and Coast Guard flag officers
and captains occupying senior command or very senior staff positions in
their respective services. It may also be awarded to officers of lesser
rank and to very senior enlisted personnel, but these instances are less
frequent and circumstances vary by branch of service. As such, the medal
can be considered as points in some enlisted promotion systems, such as the
Air Force, where it is counted as seven points (out of a possible 25 points
for decorations). However, since the rare enlisted recipients are typically
at the pinnacle of the enlisted pay grades (i.e., E-9), the utility of such
points is marginal to nil.
Authority to award the Legion of Merit is reserved for general officers and
flag officers in pay grade O-9 (e.g., Lieutenant General and Vice Admiral)
and above, civilian Department of Defense personnel at assistant service
secretary or Assistant Secretary of Defense level and above, or equivalent
civilian personnel with the Department of Homeland Security with direct
oversight of the U.S. Coast Guard'.
* 'In 1960, The Polaris missile is successfully launched from a submarine,
the USS George Washington, for the first time. .
- From Wikipedia: 'The UGM-27 Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fueled
nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) built during the
Cold War by Lockheed Corporation for the United States Navy.
It was designed to be used for second strike countervalue (CEP not good
enough for first strike counterforce) as part of the Navy's contribution to
the United States arsenal of nuclear weapons, replacing the Regulus cruise
missile. Known as a Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM), the Polaris was first
launched from the Cape Canaveral, Florida, missile test base on January 7,
1960.
The Polaris missile was gradually replaced on 31 of the 41 original SSBNs
in the US Navy by the MIRV-capable Poseidon missile beginning in 1972.
During the 1980s, these missiles were replaced on twelve of these
submarines by the Trident I missile. The ten George Washington- and Ethan
Allen-class SSBNs retained Polaris A-3 until 1980 because their missile
tubes were not large enough to accommodate Poseidon. With USS Ohio
commencing sea trials in 1980, these submarines were disarmed and
redesignated as attack submarines to avoid exceeding the SALT II strategic
arms treaty limits.
* 'In 1968, The first Special Olympics is held. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Special Olympics is the world's largest sports
organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities,
providing year-round training and competitions to more than 4.5 million
athletes in 170 countries. Special Olympics competitions are held every
day, all around the world—including local, national and regional
competitions, adding up to more than 94,000 events a year. Like the
International Paralympic Committee, the Special Olympics organization is
recognized by the International Olympic Committee however, unlike the same
Paralympic Games, Special Olympics World Games are not held in conjunction
with the Olympic Games.
These competitions include the Special Olympics World Games, which
alternate between summer and winter games. Special Olympics World Games are
held every two years. The most recent World Summer Games were the Special
Olympics World Summer Games, held in Los Angeles, California (The largest
event in LA since the 1984 Olympic Games), from July 25, 2015 to August 2,
2015 and for the first time were part of ESPN daily coverage.
The most recent Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in
Pyeongchang, South Korea from January 29 to February 5, 2013. At the same
time, the first Special Olympics Global Development Summit was held on
Ending the Cycle of Poverty and Exclusion for People with Intellectual
Disabilities, gathering government officials, activists and business
leaders from around the world
Graz and Schladming, Austria will host the next Special Olympics World
Winter Games from March 14–25, 2017'.
* 'In 1969, Apollo 11's crew successfully makes the first landing on the
Moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
became the first humans to walk on the Moon later that day (Eastern Time
Zone). .
- From Wikipedia: 'On July 20, 1969, the Lunar Module Eagle separated from
the Command Module Columbia. Collins, alone aboard Columbia, inspected
Eagle as it pirouetted before him to ensure the craft was not damaged.
As the descent began, Armstrong and Aldrin found that they were passing
landmarks on the surface four seconds early and reported that they were
long they would land miles west of their target point.
Five minutes into the descent burn, and 6,000 feet (1,800 m) above the
surface of the Moon, the LM navigation and guidance computer distracted the
crew with the first of several unexpected 1202 and 1201 program alarms.
Inside Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas, computer engineer Jack
Garman told guidance officer Steve Bales it was safe to continue the
descent, and this was relayed to the crew. The program alarms indicated
executive overflows, meaning the guidance computer could not complete all
of its tasks in real time and had to postpone some of them.
When Armstrong again looked outside, he saw that the computer's landing
target was in a boulder-strewn area just north and east of a 300-meter (980
ft) diameter crater (later determined to be West crater, named for its
location in the western part of the originally planned landing ellipse).
Armstrong took semi-automatic control and, with Aldrin calling out altitude
and velocity data, landed at 20:17:40 UTC on Sunday July 20 with about 25
seconds of fuel left.
Apollo 11 landed with less fuel than other missions, and the astronauts
encountered a premature low fuel warning. This was later found to be the
result of greater propellant 'slosh' than expected, uncovering a fuel
sensor. On subsequent missions, extra anti-slosh baffles were added to the
tanks to prevent this.
Throughout the descent, Aldrin had called out navigation data to Armstrong,
who was busy piloting the LM. A few moments before the landing, a light
informed Aldrin that at least one of the 67-inch (170 cm) probes hanging
from Eagle's footpads had touched the surface, and he said: Contact light!
Three seconds later, Eagle landed and Armstrong said Shutdown. Aldrin
immediately said Okay, engine stop. ACA – out of detent. Armstrong
acknowledged Out of detent. Auto and Aldrin continued Mode control – both
auto. Descent engine command override off. Engine arm – off. 413 is in.
Charles Duke, CAPCOM during the landing phase, acknowledged their landing
by saying We copy you down, Eagle.
Armstrong acknowledged Aldrin's completion of the post landing checklist
with Engine arm is off, before responding to Duke with the words, Houston,
Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed. Armstrong's unrehearsed change
of call sign from Eagle to Tranquility Base emphasized to listeners that
landing was complete and successful. Duke mispronounced his reply as he
expressed the relief at Mission Control: Roger, Twan— Tranquility, we copy
you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're
breathing again. Thanks a lot.
He then took communion privately. At this time NASA was still fighting a
lawsuit brought by atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair (who had objected to the
Apollo 8 crew reading from the Book of Genesis) demanding that their
astronauts refrain from broadcasting religious activities while in space.
As such, Aldrin chose to refrain from directly mentioning taking communion
on the Moon. Aldrin was an elder at the Webster Presbyterian Church, and
his communion kit was prepared by the pastor of the church, the Rev. Dean
Woodruff. Aldrin described communion on the Moon and the involvement of his
church and pastor in the October 1970 edition of Guideposts magazine and in
his book Return to Earth. Webster Presbyterian possesses the chalice used
on the Moon and commemorates the event each year on the Sunday closest to
July 20.
The schedule for the mission called for the astronauts to follow the
landing with a five-hour sleep period as they had been awake since early
morning. However, they elected to forgo the sleep period and begin the
preparations for the EVA early, thinking that they would be unable to
sleep'.
* 'In 1976, Viking 1 successfully lands on Mars. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft (along with
Viking 2) sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program. It was the first
spacecraft to successfully land on Mars and perform its mission, and held
the record for the longest Mars surface mission of 2307 days or 2245 sols
(from landing until surface mission termination, Earth time) until that
record was broken by the Opportunity Rover on May 19, 2010.
Following launch using a Titan/Centaur launch vehicle on August 20, 1975
and a 10-month cruise to Mars, the orbiter began returning global images of
Mars about 5 days before orbit insertion. The Viking 1 Orbiter was inserted
into Mars orbit on June 19, 1976 and trimmed to a 1513 x 33,000 km, 24.66 h
site certification orbit on June 21. Landing on Mars was planned for July
4, 1976, the United States Bicentennial, but imaging of the primary landing
site showed it was too rough for a safe landing. The landing was delayed
until a safer site was found. The lander separated from the orbiter on July
20 08:51 UTC and landed at 11:53:06 UTC. It was the first attempt by the
United States at landing on Mars.
Viking carried a biology experiment whose purpose was to look for evidence
of life. The Viking spacecraft biological experiments weighed 15.5 kg (34
lbs) and consisted of three subsystems: the Pyrolytic Release experiment
(PR), the Labeled Release experiment (LR), and the Gas Exchange experiment
(GEX). In addition, independent of the biology experiments, Viking carried
a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) that could measure the
composition and abundance of organic compounds in the martian soil. The
results were surprising and interesting: the GCMS gave a negative result
the PR gave a negative result, the GEX gave a negative result, and the LR
gave a positive result. Viking scientist Patricia Straat stated in 2009,
Our (LR) experiment was a definite positive response for life, but a lot of
people have claimed that it was a false positive for a variety of reasons.
Most scientists now believe that the data were due to inorganic chemical
reactions of the soil however, this view may be changing after the recent
discovery of near-surface ice near the Viking landing zone. Some scientists
still believe the results were due to living reactions. No organic
chemicals were found in the soil. However, dry areas of Antarctica do not
have detectable organic compounds either, but they have organisms living in
the rocks. Mars has almost no ozone layer, unlike the Earth, so UV light
sterilizes the surface and produces highly reactive chemicals such as
peroxides that would oxidize any organic chemicals. The Phoenix Lander
discovered the chemical perchlorate in the Martian soil. Perchlorate is a
strong oxidant so it may have destroyed any organic matter on the surface.
If it is widespread on Mars, carbon-based life would be difficult at the
soil surface'.
* 'In 1976, Hank Aaron hits the final home run of his career when he hits
number 755 at Milwaukee Stadium. .
- From Wikipedia: Henry Louis Hank Aaron (born February 5, 1934), nicknamed
Hammer, or Hammerin' Hank, is a retired American Major League Baseball
(MLB) right fielder. He played 21 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves
in the National League (NL) and 2 seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers in the
American League (AL), from 1954 through 1976. Aaron held the MLB record for
career home runs for 33 years, and he still holds several MLB offensive
records. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and
is one of only two players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least
fifteen times. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on its 100
Greatest Baseball Players list.
'Aaron hit his 755th and final home run on July 20, 1976, at Milwaukee
County Stadium off Dick Drago of the California Angels, which stood as the
MLB career home run record until it was broken in 2007 by Barry Bonds. Over
the course of his record-breaking 23-year career, Aaron had a batting
average of .305 with 163 hits a season, while hitting an average of just
over 32 home runs a year and knocking home 99 runs batted in (RBIs) a year.
He had 100+ RBIs in a season 15 times, including a record 13 in a row'.
* 'In 1977,- CIA releases docs under Freedom of Information, revealing mind
control experiments. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Project MKUltra—sometimes referred to as the CIA's mind
control program—was the code name given to an illegal program of
experiments on human subjects, designed and undertaken by the United States
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Experiments on humans were intended to
identify and develop drugs and procedures to be used in interrogations and
torture, in order to weaken the individual to force confessions through
mind control. Organized through the Scientific Intelligence Division of the
CIA, the project coordinated with the Special Operations Division of the
U.S. Army's Chemical Corps. The program began in the early 1950s, was
officially sanctioned in 1953, was reduced in scope in 1964, further
curtailed in 1967 and officially halted in 1973. The program engaged in
many illegal activities, including the use of unwitting U.S. and Canadian
citizens as its test subjects, which led to controversy regarding its
legitimacy.(p74) MKUltra used numerous methodologies to manipulate people's
mental states and alter brain functions, including the surreptitious
administration of drugs (especially LSD) and other chemicals, hypnosis,
sensory deprivation, isolation, verbal and sexual abuse, as well as various
forms of torture.
The scope of Project MKUltra was broad, with research undertaken at 80
institutions, including 44 colleges and universities, as well as hospitals,
prisons, and pharmaceutical companies. The CIA operated through these
institutions using front organizations, although sometimes top officials at
these institutions were aware of the CIA's involvement. As the US Supreme
Court later noted, MKULTRA was:
concerned with the research and development of chemical, biological, and
radiological materials capable of employment in clandestine operations to
control human behavior. The program consisted of some 149 subprojects which
the Agency contracted out to various universities, research foundations,
and similar institutions. At least 80 institutions and 185 private
researchers participated. Because the Agency funded MKUltra indirectly,
many of the participating individuals were unaware that they were dealing
with the Agency.
Project MKUltra was first brought to public attention in 1975 by the Church
Committee of the U.S. Congress, and a Gerald Ford commission to investigate
CIA activities within the United States. Investigative efforts were
hampered by the fact that CIA Director Richard Helms ordered all MKUltra
files destroyed in 1973 the Church Committee and Rockefeller Commission
investigations relied on the sworn testimony of direct participants and on
the relatively small number of documents that survived Helms' destruction
order.
In 1977, a Freedom of Information Act request uncovered a cache of 20,000
documents relating to project MKUltra, which led to Senate hearings later
that same year. In July 2001, some surviving information regarding MKUltra
was declassified'.
* 'In 1985, Treasure hunters discover $400 million from the sunken Spanish
galleon 'Atocha'. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Nuestra Señora de Atocha (Our Lady of Atocha) was the
most famous of a fleet of Spanish ships that sank in 1622 off the Florida
Keys while carrying copper, silver, gold, tobacco, gems, jewels and indigo
from Spanish ports at Cartagena and Porto Bello in New Granada (current
Colombia and Panama, respectively) and Havana, bound for Spain. The ship
was named for the parish of Atocha in Madrid.
The Spaniards undertook salvage operations for several years, with the use
of Indian slaves, and they recovered nearly half of the registered part of
the vast treasure from the holds of the Margarita. The principal method
used by the Spanish for the recovery of this cargo was a large brass diving
bell with a glass window on one side: a slave would ride to the bottom,
recover an item, and return to the surface by being hauled up by the men on
deck. It was often lethal, but more or less effective. Dead slaves were
recorded as a business expense by the captains of salvage ships.
The loss of the 1622 fleet had an immediate impact on Spain, forcing it to
borrow more to finance its role in the Thirty Years' War and to sell
several galleons to raise funds. While their efforts over the next ten
years to salvage the Margarita were successful, the Spanish never located
the Atocha.
Bartolomé García de Nodal, explorer of the Straits of Magellan surrounding
Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, died on 5 September 1622 in
the wreck of the Atocha, thirty leagues from Havana, Cuba.
American treasure hunter Mel Fisher and a team of sub-contractors, funded
by investors and others in a joint venture, searched the sea bed for the
Atocha for sixteen and a half years. Fisher had earlier, in 1980, recovered
portions of the wrecked cargo of the sister ship Santa Margarita. He also
proposed the idea to several other potential helpers, who were discouraged
by the fact that this dangerous professional diving job was at minimum wage
unless the ship could be found. The Atocha wreck and its mother lode of
silver, gold and emeralds, was finally discovered in July 1985. It was
Mel's son, Kane, who radioed the news to Treasure Salvors headquarters on
the Florida coast, from the salvage boat Dauntless. It is understood by
experts that the sterncastle, the part of the ship that would hold most of
the gold and rare Muzo emeralds, is still missing from the shipwreck. These
and other valuable items would have been stored in the Captain's cabin for
safekeeping in the rear part of the Atocha.
After the discovery, the State of Florida claimed title to the wreck and
forced Fisher into a contract giving 25% of the found treasure to the
state. Fisher fought the State of Florida, claiming the find should be his,
exclusively. After eight years of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled
in favor of Fisher, on 1 July 1992 and he was awarded rights to all found
treasure from the vessel. Fisher died on 19 December 1998.
In June 2011, treasure divers from Mel Fisher's Treasure found an antique
emerald ring believed to be from the wreck of the Spanish ship. It is said
that the ring is worth an estimated $500,000. The ring was found 35 miles
from Key West, along with two silver spoons and other artifacts'.
* 'In 1997, The fully restored USS Constitution (a.k.a. Old Ironsides)
celebrates its 200th birthday by setting sail for the first time in 116
years. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Lieutenant John A. Lord was selected to oversee the
reconstruction project, and work began while efforts to raise funds were
still underway. Materials were difficult to find, especially the live oak
needed Lord uncovered a long-forgotten stash of live oak (some 1,500 short
tons ) at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida that had been cut sometime
in the 1850s for a ship building program that never began. By the mid-1920s
even the tools needed for the restoration were difficult to find, and some
came from as far away as Maine. Constitution entered dry dock with a crowd
of 10,000 observers on 16 June 1927. Meanwhile, Charles Francis Adams had
been appointed as the Secretary of the Navy, and he proposed that
Constitution make a tour of the United States upon her completion as a gift
to the nation for its efforts to help restore her. She emerged from dry
dock on 15 March 1930, and many amenities were installed to prepare her for
the three-year tour of the country, including water piping throughout,
modern toilet and shower facilities, electric lighting to make the interior
visible for visitors, and several peloruses for ease of navigation.
No stranger to controversy, Constitution experienced another episode when
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Ernest Jahncke made comments doubting the
ability of the modern US Navy to still sail a vessel of her type. Veterans
groups from around the country had proposed that she should make the tour
under sail, but due to the schedule of visits on her itinerary she was
towed by the minesweeper Grebe. Nevertheless, she was recommissioned on 1
July 1931 under the command of Louis J. Gulliver with a crew of sixty
officers and sailors, fifteen Marines, and their mascot, a pet monkey named
Rosie. Setting out with much celebration and a 21-gun salute, the tour of
90 port cities along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts began at
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She went as far north as Bar Harbor, Maine, on
the Atlantic coast, south through the Panama Canal Zone, and north again to
Bellingham, Washington, on the Pacific Coast. Constitution returned to her
home port of Boston in May 1934 after more than 4.6 million people visited
her during the three-year tour'.
* 'In 2006, World Jump Day was celebrated. . A one time event in 2006. It
was a hoax that claimed to have over 6 million participants. These persons
would jump at a specified time on that July 20. The united movement was
supposed to shift the Earth's orbit and thus end global warming.
- From Wikipedia: 'The World Jump Day was an event scheduled for July 20,
2006 at 11:39.13 UTC, at which time the organization claimed to have 600
million people from the western hemisphere jump simultaneously. They
claimed this would move the Earth out of its orbit, and into a new one, one
that would not cause global warming. The site was a hoax, an art
installation by Torsten Lauschmann (claiming to be a Professor Hans Peter
Niesward from the Institute for Gravitational Physics in Munich), and in no
way serious. The German student association Lambda Omega Lambda provided
hosting and programming services'.
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