<> Tomorrow's food holidays(s):
* 'National Fritters Day'.
- From Wikipedia (Fritter):
'Fritter is a name applied to a wide variety of fried foods, usually
consisting of a portion of batter or breading which has been filled with
bits of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables or other ingredients. Fritters are
prepared in both sweet and savory varieties.
Anglo-American fritters
In British fish and chip shops, the fish and chips can be accompanied by
fritters, which means a food item, such as a slice of potato, a pineapple
ring, an apple ring or chunks, or mushy peas, fried in batter. Hence:
potato fritter, pineapple fritter, apple fritter, pea fritter, etc. At home
and at school, fritters are also sometimes made with meat, especially Spam
and corned beef.
In the United States, fritters are small cakes made with a primary
ingredient that is mixed with an egg and milk batter and either pan-fried
or deep-fried wheat flour, cornmeal, or a mix of the two may be used to
bind the batter. Corn fritters are often made with whole canned corn and
are generally deep-fried. Apple fritters are well known, although the
contemporary American apple fritter is unlike the British one. Older
versions of the apple fritter in the United States were prepared in the
style of British ones, by slicing apples, dipping them in batter and frying
them. Clam cakes and crab cakes are varieties of fritter. Another regional
favourite is the zucchini fritter
Corn fritters are a very popular menu item in cafes across Melbourne,
Australia. Whitebait fritters are popular in New Zealand. Asian fritters
File:Fritters in Hainan - 03.ogvPlay media A couple making fritters in
Hainan, China. Each contains some fermented beans, chopped spring onion,
and a small cube of pork meat. These sell for 5 mao (jiao), equivalent to
around 8 US cents.
In Burmese cuisine, fritters are called a-kyaw, while assorted fritters are
called a-kyaw-sone. The most popular a-kyaw is the gourd fritter. Diced
onions, chickpea, potatoes, a variety of leafy vegetables, brown bean
paste, Burmese tofu, chayote, banana and crackling are other popular
fritter ingredients. Black beans are made into a paste with curry leaves to
make bayagyaw—small fritters similar to falafel. Unlike pisang goreng,
Burmese banana fritters are made only with overripe bananas with no sugar
or honey added.
The savory fritters are eaten mainly at breakfast or as a snack at tea.
Gourd, chickpea and onion fritters are cut into small parts and eaten with
Mohinga, Myanmar's national dish. These fritters are also eaten with Kao
hnyin baung rice and with Burmese salsa verde—called chin-saw-kar or
a-chin-yay. Depending on the fritter hawker, the sauce is made from chili
sauce diluted with vinegar, water, cilantro, finely diced tomatoes, garlic
and onions. Gorengan, Indonesian assorted fritter street vendor
In Indonesia fritters come under the category of gorengan (Indonesian:
fritters, from goreng to fry), and many varieties are sold on travelling
carts or by street vendors. Various kinds of ingredients are battered and
deep fried such as pisang goreng (banana fritter), tempeh, tahu goreng
(fried tofu), oncom, sweet potato, cassava chunk, cassava flour, and
breadfruit, and these are often eaten accompanied by fresh bird's eye
chili. The variety known as bakwan commonly contains flour with chopped
vegetables such as carrot and cabbage, whereas the fried patties called
perkedel typically consist of mashed potatoes or ground corn (perkedel
jagung).
In Malaysia and Brunei, it is common for a type of fritter called cucur
(such as yam, sweet potato and banana) to be fried by the roadside in a
large wok and sold as snacks. In the Philippines, egg fritters are called
kwek-kwek (quail) or tokneneng (chicken), and squid fritters are called
kalamares. These, along with shrimp fritters called okoy, and banana
fritters called maruya are also sold in travelling cart or street side
vendors.
Throughout China, fritters are sold at roadsides. They may contain pork,
but are commonly vegetarian.
In Japanese cuisine, tempura is vegetable or seafood dipped and fried in a
light crispy batter and served as a common accompaniment to meals.
Fritters are extremely popular roadside snacks all over South Asia and are
commonly referred to as pakora (pakoda) or bhajji (bhajia) in local
parlance—the onion bhaji also enjoys a high popularity abroad and at home'.
[The Hankster says] My mom made the best corn fritters in an old iron skillet. I wonder if the fritters with meat inside are called a critter fritter? Oops, I think some of the korn in my fritter, fell out.
<> Other holidays / celebrations
* 'International Sweater Vestival'.
A parody day on the second Friday after Thanksgiving. The day insists that
you wear a sweater vest to work.
[The Hankster says] And a pocket protector in the vest pocket.
* 'Special Kids Day'.
Since 1990 as a holiday event for children with special needs and their
families to visit Santa Claus without obstacles.
<> Awareness / Observances:
o Health
* 'Special Education Day'. Celebrates the Dec. 1975 U.S. official
recognition day of ' Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)'.
- From Wikipedia (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act):
'The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a four-part
(A-D) piece of American legislation that ensures students with a disability
are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that is tailored
to their individual needs. IDEA was previously known as the Education for
All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) from 1975 to 1990. In 1990, the United
States Congress reauthorized EHA and changed the title to IDEA (Public Law
No. 94-142). Overall, the goal of IDEA is to provide children with
disabilities the same opportunity for education as those students who do
not have a disability.
IDEA is composed of four parts, the main two being part A and part B. Part
A covers the general provisions of the law, Part B covers assistance for
education of all children with disabilities, Part C covers infants and
toddlers with disabilities which includes children from birth to age three,
and Part D is the national support programs administered at the federal
level. Each part of the law has remained largely the same since the
original enactment in 1975.
In practice, IDEA is composed of six main elements that illuminate its main
points. These six elements are: Individualized Education Program (IEP),
Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), Least Restrictive Environment
(LRE), Appropriate Evaluation, Parent and Teacher Participation, and
Procedural Safeguards. To go along with those six main elements there are
also a few other important components that tie into IDEA: Confidentiality
of Information, Transition Services, and Discipline. Throughout the years
of IDEA being reauthorized these components have become key concepts when
learning about IDEA'.
o Animal and Pet:
* 'National Mutt Day'. December 2 and July 31. Created by animal welfare
activist Colleen Paige. Promotes animal adoption.
* 'Faux Fur Friday'. Promotes the use of in imitation fur.
o Other:
* 'International Day for the Abolition of Slavery'. A U.N. observance day.
- From Wikipedia (International Day for the Abolition of Slavery):
'The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is a yearly event on
December 2, organized by the United Nations General Assembly. The Day was
first celebrated in 1986.
The Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the
Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others was approved by the United
Nations General Assembly on December 2, 1949. Besides, by resolution 57/195
of 18 December 2002, the Assembly proclaimed 2004 the International Year to
Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition'.
<> Historical events on December 2
* 'In 1901, Gillette patents the first disposable razor. It took 6 years to
develop and help from M.I.T. for the right blade.
- From Wikipedia: 'A safety razor is a shaving implement with a protective
device positioned between the edge of the blade and the skin. The initial
purpose of these protective devices was to reduce the level of skill needed
for injury-free shaving, thereby reducing the reliance on professional
barbers and raising grooming standards. The term was first used in a patent
issued in 1880, for a razor in the basic contemporary configuration with a
handle attached at right angles to a head in which a removable blade is
placed (although this form predated the patent).
Plastic disposable razors and razors with replaceable blade attachments are
in common use today. Razors commonly include one to five cutting edges, but
sometimes up to seven edges.
The basic form of a razor, the cutting blade of which is at right angles
with the handle, and resembles somewhat the form of a common hoe, was first
described in a patent application in 1847 by William S. Henson. This also
covered a comb tooth guard or protector which could be attached both to the
hoe form and to a conventional straight razor.
The first attested use of the term safety razor is in a patent application
for new and useful improvements in Safety-Razors, filed in May 1880 by
Fredrik and Otto Kampfe of Brooklyn, New York, and issued the following
month. This differed from the Henson design in distancing the blade from
the handle by interposing, a hollow metallic blade-holder having a
preferably removable handle and a flat plate in front, to which the blade
is attached by clips and a pivoted catch, said plate having bars or teeth
at its lower edge, and the lower plate having an opening, for the purpose
set forth, which is, to insure a smooth bearing for the plate upon the
skin, while the teeth or bars will yield sufficiently to allow the razor to
sever the hair without danger of cutting the skin. The Kampfe Brothers
produced razors under their own name following the 1880 patent and improved
the design in a series of subsequent patents. These models were
manufactured under the Star Safety Razor brand.
A third pivotal innovation was a safety razor using a disposable
double-edge blade that King Camp Gillette submitted a patent application
for in 1901 and was granted in 1904. The success of Gillette's invention
was largely a result of his having been awarded a contract to supply the
American troops in World War I with double-edge safety razors as part of
their standard field kits (delivering a total of 3.5 million razors and 32
million blades for them). The returning soldiers were permitted to keep
that part of their equipment and therefore easily retained their new
shaving habits. The subsequent consumer demand for replacement blades put
the shaving industry on course toward its present form with Gillette as a
dominant force. Prior to the introduction of the disposable blade, safety
razor users still needed to strop and hone the edges of their blades. These
are not trivial skills (honing frequently being left to a professional) and
remained a barrier to the ubiquitous adopting of the be your own barber
ideal'.
* 'In 1927, Following 19 years of Ford Model T production, the Ford Motor
Company unveils the Ford Model A as its new automobile.
- From Wikipedia: 'it replaced the venerable Model T, which had been
produced for 18 years. This new Model A (a previous model had used the name
in 1903–04) was designated a 1928 model and was available in four standard
colors.'. 'Model A production ended in March, 1932, after 4,858,644 had
been made in all body styles'. .
- From Wikipedia: 'The Ford Model A (also colloquially called the A-Model
Ford or the A, and A-bone among rodders and customizers), was the second
huge success for the Ford Motor Company, after its predecessor, the Model
T. First produced on October 20, 1927, but not sold until December 2, it
replaced the venerable Model T, which had been produced for 18 years. This
new Model A (a previous model had used the name in 1903–04) was designated
a 1928 model and was available in four standard colors.
By 4 February 1929, one million Model As had been sold, and by 24 July, two
million. The range of body styles ran from the Tudor at US$500 (in grey,
green, or black) to the Town Car with a dual cowl at US$1200. In March
1930, Model A sales hit three million, and there were nine body styles
available.
Model A production ended in March, 1932, after 4,858,644 had been made in
all body styles. Its successor was the Model B, which featured an updated
4-cylinder engine, as well as the Model 18, which introduced Ford's new
flathead (sidevalve) V8 engine'.
* 'In 1932, The Adventures of Charlie Chan debuts on the NBC Blue radio
network.
- From Wikipedia: 'Charlie Chan is a fictional character created by Earl
Derr Biggers. Biggers loosely based Chan on Honolulu, Hawaii detective
Chang Apana, and conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an
alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes and villains like Fu Manchu. Chan
is a detective for the Honolulu police, though many stories feature Chan
traveling the world as he investigates mysteries and solves crimes.
Chan first appeared in Biggers' novels, then was featured in a number of
media. Over four dozen films featuring Charlie Chan were made, beginning in
1926. The character was first portrayed by East Asian actors, and the films
met with little success. In 1931, the Fox Film Corporation cast Swedish
actor Warner Oland as Chan in Charlie Chan Carries On the film became
popular, and Fox went on to produce fifteen more Chan films with Oland in
the title role. After Oland's death, American actor Sidney Toler was cast
as Chan Toler made twenty-two Chan films, first for Fox and then for
Monogram Studios. After Toler's death, six films were made, starring Roland
Winters.
Readers and movie-goers of white America greeted Chan warmly, seeing him as
an attractive character who is portrayed as intelligent, heroic, benevolent
and honorable in contrast to the racist depictions of evil or conniving
Asians which dominated Hollywood and national media. However, in later
decades critics took contending views, finding that Chan, despite his good
qualities, reinforces condescending Asian stereotypes such as an alleged
incapacity to speak idiomatic English and a tradition-bound and subservient
nature. Many found it objectionable that he was played on screen by
Caucasian actors in yellowface.
Film adaptations in the 1990s have been poorly received. The character has
been featured in several radio programs, two television shows, and comics.
On radio, Charlie Chan was heard in several different series on three
networks (the NBC Blue Network, Mutual, and ABC) between 1932 and 1948.
Walter Connolly initially portrayed Chan on Esso Oil's Five Star Theater,
which serialized adaptations of Biggers novels. Ed Begley, Sr. had the
title role in N.B.C.'s The Adventures of Charlie Chan (1944–45), followed
by Santos Ortega (1947–48). Leon Janney and Rodney Jacobs were heard as Lee
Chan, Number One Son, and Dorian St. George was the announcer. Radio Life
magazine described Begley's Chan as a good radio match for Sidney Toler's
beloved film enactment
* 'In 1933, Fred Astaire's first film, 'Dancing Lady', is released.
- From Wikipedia: 'Dancing Lady is a 1933 American Pre-Code musical film,
starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, and featuring Franchot Tone, Fred
Astaire, Robert Benchley and the Three Stooges. '. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Dancing Lady is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film
starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, and featuring Franchot Tone, Fred
Astaire, Robert Benchley, and Ted Healy and His Stooges. The picture was
directed by Robert Z. Leonard, produced by John W. Considine Jr. and David
O. Selznick, and was based on the novel of the same name by James Warner
Bellah, published the previous year. The movie had a hit song in Everything
I Have Is Yours by Burton Lane and Harold Adamson.
The film features the screen debut of dancer Fred Astaire, who appears as
himself, as well as the first credited film appearance of Nelson Eddy, and
an early feature film appearance of the Three Stooges – Moe Howard, Curly
Howard, and Larry Fine – in support of the leader of their act at the time,
Ted Healy, whose role in the films is considerably larger than theirs. The
Algonquin Round Table humorist Robert Benchley plays a supporting role'.
* 'In 1942, During the Manhattan Project, a team led by Enrico Fermi
initiates the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Chicago Pile-1 (CP-1), when it achieved criticality,
became the world's first artificial nuclear reactor. Its construction was
part of the Manhattan Project, the Allied effort to create atomic bombs
during World War II. It was built by the Manhattan Project's Metallurgical
Laboratory at the University of Chicago, under the west viewing stands of
the original Stagg Field. The first human-made self-sustaining nuclear
chain reaction was initiated in CP-1 on 2 December 1942, under the
supervision of Enrico Fermi, who described the apparatus as a crude pile of
black bricks and wooden timbers
The reactor was assembled in November 1942, by a team that included Fermi,
Leo Szilard, discoverer of the chain reaction, and Herbert L. Anderson,
Walter Zinn, Martin D. Whitaker, and George Weil. It contained 45,000
graphite blocks weighing 400 short tons (360 t) used as neutron moderators,
and was fueled by 6 short tons (5.4 t) of uranium metal and 50 short tons
(45 t) of uranium oxide. In the pile, some of the free neutrons produced by
the natural decay of uranium were absorbed by other uranium atoms, causing
nuclear fission of those atoms, and the release of additional free
neutrons. Unlike most subsequent nuclear reactors, it had no radiation
shielding or cooling system as it only operated at very low power. The
shape of the pile was intended to be roughly spherical, but as work
proceeded Fermi calculated that critical mass could be achieved without
finishing the entire pile as planned.
In 1943, CP-1 was moved to Red Gate Woods, and reconfigured to become
Chicago Pile-2 (CP-2). There, it was operated until 1954, when it was
dismantled and buried. The stands at Stagg Field were demolished in August
1957, but the site is now a National Historic Landmark and a Chicago
Landmark'.
* 'In 1949, Gene Autry's song 'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer', hit the
record charts.
- From Wikipedia: 'Autry's recording sold 1.75 million copies its first
Christmas season, eventually selling a total of 12.5 million. Cover
versions included, sales exceed 150 million copies, second only to Bing
Crosby's 'White Christmas'. .
- From Wikipedia: 'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a song written by
Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
published by the Montgomery Ward Company.
In 1939 Marks' brother-in-law, Robert L. May, created the character Rudolph
as an assignment for Montgomery Ward, and Marks decided to adapt the story
of Rudolph into a song. Marks (1909–1985) was a radio producer who also
wrote several other popular Christmas songs.
The song had an added introduction, stating the names of the eight reindeer
which went:
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and
Donner and Blitzen, But do you recall The most famous reindeer of all?
The song was sung commercially by crooner Harry Brannon on New York City
radio in early November 1949, before Gene Autry's recording hit No. 1 in
the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949. Autry's version of the song
also holds the distinction of being the only chart-topping hit to fall
completely off the chart after reaching No. 1. The official date of its No.
1 status was for the week ending January 7, 1950, making it the first No. 1
song of the 1950s.
The song was also performed on the December 6, 1949, Fibber McGee and Molly
radio broadcast by Teeny (Marion Jordan's little girl character) and The
Kingsmen vocal group. The lyrics varied greatly from the Autry version.
Autry's recording sold 1.75 million copies its first Christmas season,
eventually selling a total of 12.5 million. Cover versions included, sales
exceed 150 million copies, second only to Bing Crosby's White Christmas
Current owner of copyrights is Kobalt Music Group.
* 'In 1970, The United States Environmental Protection Agency begins
operations.
- From Wikipedia 'he United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or
sometimes USEPA) is an agency of the U.S. federal government which was
created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by
writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress'. .
* 'In 1978, Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand's hit song 'You Don't Bring
Me Flowers' reaches #1. .
- From Wikipedia: 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers is a song that hit the top of
the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978. It is a song about two lovers who have
drifted apart while they go through the motions and heartache of life
together.
The song was written by Neil Diamond with Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
for the ill-fated TV show All That Glitters. The song was intended to be
the theme song, but Norman Lear changed the concept of the show and the
song was no longer appropriate. Diamond then expanded the track from 45
seconds to 3:17, adding instrumental sections and an additional verse. The
Bergmans contributed to the song's lyrics.
In 1977, Diamond released the album I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight,
which included the track You Don't Bring Me Flowers as a solo performance.
Early in 1978, Barbra Streisand covered the song on her album Songbird.
The roots of the duet version, as chronicled in myriad Streisand and
Diamond biographies as well as Streisand's Just for the Record box set,
revolve around WAKY-AM/Louisville KY program director, Gary Guthrie, who
spliced the two solo tracks together as a going away present to his wife,
whom he had just divorced. As the real life fairytale behind the song
unfolded, it triggered a media buzz worldwide from Good Morning America and
People magazine to the BBC. Interest in the duet caused such a clamor on
the retail level that Columbia Records was compelled to bring Streisand and
Diamond into the studio to record an official version in October 1978. The
song reached number one on the Hot 100 chart for two non-consecutive weeks
in December 1978, producing the third number-one hit for both singers.
Acknowledgment and gratitude for Guthrie came from CBS with a Gold record
plaque, flowers from Diamond and a telegram from Streisand. The duo
performed the song at the 1980 Grammy Awards show, a performance released
on the 1994 album Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume I. The song peaked #17
in the Spain Top 40 Radio.
Chicago’s WGN radio personality Roy Leonard and producer Peter Marino are
also credited for coming up with the idea to create this duet. Leonard and
Marino had put the separately recorded versions together and played them on
the air.
Radio personalities Jack Hood and Gene Kruszewski of WJR-AM/Detroit also
cut a duet version of the song which was a local and regional hit and
helped escalate the song’s novelty. Columbia Records granted gold records
to Hood and Kruszewski in recognition of their efforts.
Diamond and Streisand had planned to star in a motion picture based on the
song, but such plans were canceled when Diamond starred in a remake of The
Jazz Singer'.
* 'In 1982, The first permanent artificial heart (Jarvik 7) is successfully
implanted in Barney Clark. He lived for over 100 days with the heart. .
- From Wikipedia: 'An artificial heart is a device that replaces the heart.
Artificial hearts are typically used to bridge the time to heart
transplantation, or to permanently replace the heart in case heart
transplantation is impossible. Although other similar inventions preceded
it going back to the late 1940s, the first artificial heart to be
successfully implanted in a human was the Jarvik-7 in 1982, designed by a
team including Willem Johan Kolff and Robert Jarvik.
An artificial heart is distinct from a ventricular assist device designed
to support a failing heart. It is also distinct from a cardiopulmonary
bypass machine, which is an external device used to provide the functions
of both the heart and lungs and are used only for a few hours at a time,
most commonly during cardiac surgery.
The first artificial heart was made by the Soviet scientist Vladimir
Demikhov in 1937. It was transplanted to a dog.
On July 3, 1952, 41-year-old Henry Opitek, suffering from shortness of
breath, made medical history at Harper University Hospital at Wayne State
University in Michigan. The Dodrill-GMR heart machine, considered to be the
first operational mechanical heart, was successfully used while performing
heart surgery.
Forest Dewey Dodrill, working closely with Matthew Dudley, used the machine
in 1952 to bypass Henry Opitek's left ventricle for 50 minutes while he
opened the patient's left atrium and worked to repair the mitral valve. In
Dodrill's post-operative report, he notes, To our knowledge, this is the
first instance of survival of a patient when a mechanical heart mechanism
was used to take over the complete body function of maintaining the blood
supply of the body while the heart was open and operated on.
A heart–lung machine was first used in 1953 during a successful open heart
surgery. John Heysham Gibbon, the inventor of the machine, performed the
operation and developed the heart–lung substitute himself.
Following these advances, scientific interest for the development of a
solution for heart disease developed in numerous research groups worldwide.
In 1949, a precursor to the modern artificial heart pump was built by
doctors William Sewell and William Glenn of the Yale School of Medicine
using an Erector Set, assorted odds and ends, and dime-store toys. The
external pump successfully bypassed the heart of a dog for more than an
hour.
Paul Winchell invented an artificial heart with the assistance of Henry
Heimlich (the inventor of the Heimlich Maneuver) and held the first patent
for such a device. The University of Utah developed a similar apparatus
around the same time, but when they tried to patent it, Winchell's heart
was cited as prior art. The university requested that Winchell donate the
heart to the University of Utah, which he did. There is some debate as to
how much of Winchell's design Robert Jarvik used in creating Jarvik's
artificial heart. Heimlich states, I saw the heart, I saw the patent and I
saw the letters. The basic principle used in Winchell's heart and Jarvik's
heart is exactly the same. Jarvik denies that any of Winchell's design
elements were incorporated into the device he fabricated for humans which
was successfully implanted into Barney Clark in 1982'.
No. 1 song
Top movie
Monthly holiday / awareness days in December
Food
Buckwheat Month
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month
Health
Aids Awareness Month
National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Animal and Pet
Operation Santa Paws
Other
National Tie Month
National Write A Business Plan Month
Universal Human Rights Month
Youngsters on The Air Month
December is:
December origin (from Wikipedia): '
December gets its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month. Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name.
'
'
December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern
Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, December is the seasonal equivalent
to June in the Northern hemisphere, which is the first month of summer. D
ecember is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the
Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the
Southern Hemisphere.
'
December 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