Today in History.....

[gorgik9]

In 1873, San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis are given a patent to create work pants reinforced with metal rivets, marking the birth of one of the world’s most famous garments: blue jeans.

What man would want to live in a world without blue jeans?

Well I would like a world with Rudy in the Nudy....:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[haiducii]

On this day: 21st May

In 1881 in Washington, D.C., Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross, an organization established to provide humanitarian aid to victims of wars and natural disasters in congruence with the International Red Cross.

Barton first heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882.

 

[gorgik9]

In 1881 in Washington, D.C., Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross, an organization established to provide humanitarian aid to victims of wars and natural disasters in congruence with the International Red Cross.

Barton first heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882.

And the person behind the global Red Cross movement was of course Swiss Henri Dunant; the organization was founded in 1862 (three years after the very bloody battle of Solferino, Italy) and Dunant became the first Nobel Peace Laureate in 1901.

 

[topdog]

Happy birthday, Star Wars! 40 years old today.

(Photo by Annie Leibowitz.)

The Hollywood Reporter has an article with memories of the crew that made the legendary film.

CNET has a whole section of Star Wars articles.

 

[haiducii]

On this day: 29th May

In 1942, Bing Crosby went into the studio to record “White Christmas” for radio airplay and distribution. Here’s the ironic part, the reason he had to re-record the song was the original recording from Christmas of 1941 was lost or perhaps taped over.

“White Christmas,” written by the formidable composer and lyricist Irving Berlin receives its world premiere on Christmas Day in 1941 on Bing Crosby’s weekly NBC radio program, The Kraft Music Hall. It was a very difficult Christmas for these United States since the Japanese had just attacked Pearl Harbor only 18 days prior.

The song became so popular that the 1942 master recording was used so much that it too eventually wore out. Crosby returned to the studio in 1947 and recorded the version that most of us know today. It went on to become one of the most commercially successful singles of all time, and the top-selling single ever until being surpassed by Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997.”

Here is some more irony. The song’s composer Irving Berlin didn’t even celebrate Christmas. Berlin was a Jewish immigrant from Russia who actually never thought the song would be anything more than a passing fad. Berlin wrote the song for a musical revue that eventually was made into the movie Holiday Inn. He thought another song from that review Be Careful It’s My Heart would be a bigger hit for Valentines Day.

 

[haiducii]

On this day: 6th June

In 1984, the video game Tetris was published. Russian computer engineer, Alexey Pajitnov, created the puzzle game. With over 100 million copies sold, it is one of the most successful video games in history.

 

[topdog]

On this day: 6th June

D-Day 1944

The Normandy landings (codenamed Operation Neptune) were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The largest seaborne invasion in history, the operation began the liberation of German-occupied northwestern Europe from Nazi control, and contributed to the Allied victory on the Western Front. - Wikipedia

On June 6 1944 a massive invasion force crossed the English Channel for the first time since William the Conqueror 900 years earlier.

You can find all sorts of interesting information at the D-Day Overlord website: Veteran's stories, details of what happened at each of the beaches, what was happening in behind the scenes in Allied preparations, French Resistance, German strategy as well as what the beaches look like today.

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[buffpaul]

On this day, in 1886, my grandfather was born in poland. he came to America in 1915. I am second generation from immigration, on fathers' side.

 

[haiducii]

On this day: 25th June

In 1991, Slovenia officially declares its independence.

After the first democratic elections in Slovenia on 8 April 1990, in July of the same year the new Slovenian government, together with members of parliament, began drafting legislation aimed at achieving independence. The result was the Declaration of the Sovereignty of the Republic of Slovenia, which set a deadline of one year for adopting a constitution. The Slovenian parliament published a declaration of adherence to the fundamental conventions of the Council of Europe, and on 6 December 1990 it also adopted a Statement of Good Intent. The referendum on Slovenian independence was held on 23 December 1990, with 93.2% of eligible voters participating. In response to the question “Should the Republic of Slovenia become an independent and sovereign state?”, 88.5% of eligible voters supported independence. The official result of the referendum was announced on 26 December 1990.

The first half of 1991 was devoted to the preparations for independence. Slovenia became an independent sovereign state on 25 June 1991 with the adoption of the Basic Constitutional Charter on the Sovereignty and Independence of the Republic of Slovenia. The Slovenian parliament also adopted the Constitutional Law and the Declaration of Independence. The negative response of the Yugoslav federal military authorities and certain politicians in Belgrade meant that Slovenia’s declaration of independence was followed by a ten-day armed conflict between the Yugoslav army and Slovenian defence forces. The conflict resulted in military and civilian casualties. It was ended with the ceasefire of 7 July 1991, and the signing of the Brioni Agreement.

 

[gorgik9]

Happy BDay Slovenia!!!

I'm so glad Ljubljana and Maribor weren't destroyed by Serb artillery the way Sarajevo was in the 1990s. Sometimes the best things are what DIDN'T happen...

 

[haiducii]

On this day: 1st July

In 1867, the British North America Act was passed, uniting the three distinct colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Originally called Dominion Day, Canada Day was not officially celebrated until its 50th anniversary in 1917.

The diversity of those three distinct colonies was not lost or diminished. Canadians take great pride in their country’s multicultural, integrated, and inclusive citizenship. In recognition of these fundamental beliefs, Canada enacted the Multiculturalism Policy of Canada in 1971. The first of its kind in the world, this policy confirmed the rights of Aboriginal peoples and the status of Canada’s two official languages.

Today’s Doodle depicts celebratory desserts that reflect the country’s vast regional and ethnic diversity by highlighting the 13 provinces and territories. Bonne Fête Canada! Indulge your sweet tooth with the delights depicted in the Doodle:

* German krapfen
* Chinese mooncake
* Portuguese pasteis
* Italian tiramisu
* English jelly
* French chocolate eclairs
* Turkish delight
* Spanish churros
* Inuit bannock
* Punjab jalebi
* American doughnuts

 

[camyoo]

On this day: 6th July

1957 – At a concert by the Quarrymen at the St. Peter's Church Woolton Garden fete, band member John Lennon met Paul McCartney, triggering a series of events that led to the forming of the Beatles.

 

[haiducii]

On this day: 9th July

In 1877, first ever Wimbledon tennis championship begins - first offical lawn tennis tournament - men's singles only.

The Championships, Wimbledon, or just Wimbledon as it is more commonly referred to, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and arguably the most famous. Since the first tournament in 1877, The Championships have been hosted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London and take place over two weeks in late June – early July.

Of the four major annual tennis tournaments known as the ‘Grand Slams’, Wimbledon is the only one to still be played on grass, which is where the name lawn tennis originated. Grass is also the surface which provides the fastest game of tennis. Of the other three, the Australian Open and the US Open are both played on hard courts and the French Open is played on clay.

Although much has changed since the Wimbledon Championships were first introduced in 1877, today when we think of Wimbledon fortnight there are a number of traditional images that still spring to mind. The obligatory strawberries and cream (of which it is estimated that 28,000 kilos of English strawberries and 7000 litres of cream are consumed each year!), the white or almost all white dress code which is still a requirement, or the strong ties with the Royal family to name but a few. All of which combined continue to preserve Wimbledon’s place both in British heritage and at the forefront of the tennis world.

 

[waistingmytime]

On July 13, 1985, at Wembley Stadium in London, Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially open Live Aid, a worldwide rock concert organized to raise money for the relief of famine-stricken Africans. Continued at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia and at other arenas around the world, the 16-hour “superconcert” was globally linked by satellite to more than a billion viewers in 110 nations. In a triumph of technology and good will, the event raised more than $125 million in famine relief for Africa.

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[haiducii]

On this day: 15th July

In 1997, spree killer Andrew Cunanan murdered world-renowned Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace on the steps outside his Miami mansion.

But even 20 years later, after investigators sifted through reams of records and countless interviews, there is an unresolved mystery at the dark heart of the crime: Why Versace? What drove Cunanan to murder an Italian designer who was South Beach’s brightest star — and what, if any, relationship they had — remains as baffling today as it did on July 23, 1997, when Cunanan ended his own drama by shooting himself in the head inside a houseboat moored off Collins Avenue.

No interrogation. No trial. Nothing left but theories.

 

[waistingmytime]

On this day — July 20, 1969, the first moon landing

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Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin into an initial Earth-orbit of 114 by 116 miles. An estimated 530 million people watched Armstrong’s televised image and heard his voice describe the event as he took “…one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” on July 20, 1969.​

 

[topdog]

In 1981 Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer while millions watched on TV around the world.

 

[riojackblue]

Arnold Schwarzenegger - 70th Birthday



30.July 1947 - 30.July 2017

 

[haiducii]

On this day: 30th July

In 1964, Jürgen Klinsmann was born in Göppingen in southern Germany. He is one of the most well-known German soccer personalities.

Klinsmann is best known for being a member of the West German national team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and for managing the German national team to a third place finish in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Germany.

 

[riojackblue]

Dustin Hoffmann - 80th Birthday



08. August 1937 - 08. August 2017