April 30 History National Honesty Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—April 30, 2015 Trust your Thursday is off to a great start and you are rattled by the difficulties inherent in waiting to the last moment in picking out the appropriate Mothers’ Day gift which see below is easy to solve. As always, I  hope you enjoy the holidays and observances, factoids of interest, music videos of Kiss on My List and Hair and a relevant quote by Voltaire, having enjoyed a large plate of shrimp scampi followed by an evening of dancing, blessed  with a positive attitude even though you know you will have to wade through tons of spam in your inbox, and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. International Jazz Day—celebrated on this day since 2011 and created by UNESCO to create appreciation for this genre of music that originated in African American communities in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries and is still going strong today.
       2. National Honesty Day— created by M. Hirsh Goldberg, former press secretary to a governor of Maryland and author of five books in the early 1990s after spending four years researching and writing The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer due to the fact since April began with a big day of lying and hit truly mind boggling levels of the 15^th he felt should end on an ethical and moral note. This is another observance that should be followed on every day especially by politicians.
       3. 1982 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1982 on a seven week run I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts was a rock and roll band of the 80’s and 90’s still going strong led by singer Joan Jett whom many call the “Queen of Rock and Roll” and who was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Here is a link to a music video of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts performing I Love Rock and Roll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL5spALs-eA
       4. National Oatmeal Cookie Day—celebrating another one of this omnivore’s favorite cookies which in addition to the taste is probably good for you. Here is a news flash—if you want a great oatmeal raisin cookie better than your mother used to make, go to       http://www.kelliscookies.com/     
       5. Alaskan Nights—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1925 and bemoaning the death of on November 5, 1960 due to a drunk driver of, Johnny Horton, one of the Alaskanpoet’s favorite singers, especially given my Alaskan roots, since he sang North to Alaska, music and stills are in this link for you to enjoy:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSt0NEESrUA
On this day in
       a. 311 the Diacletianic or Great Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire ended; given what is happening with ISIS in Syria and Iraq and in parts of Africa involving radical Islam, that persecution almost looks benign.
       b. 1803 the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France there by doubling the size of our young nation.   
       c. 1927 in a blow for equality for women the Federal Industrial Institute for Women, the first federal prison for women, was opened in Alderson, West Virginia.
       d. 1956 former Vice President and current Senator Alben Barkley, in a perhaps poor chosen word utterance at the Washington and Lee Mock Convention, stated, “I'm glad to sit on the back row, for I would rather be a servant in the House of the Lord than to sit in the seats of the mighty,” He collapsed seconds later from a heart attack and died.
       e. 1983 CERN announced that the World Wide Web protocols would be free.
Reflections on honesty on this National Honesty Day: “Honesty doesn't always pay, but dishonesty always costs.” Michael Josephson, noted ethicist who founded the Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute for Ethics. Honesty is the foundation of ethics and character which is why this day should be observed not once a year in April but daily.
Please enjoy the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and join 155 growing followers and please follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day In History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance. Go to Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times for comments on important and breaking news events that should be of interest. www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com Ridley's Believe It Or Not  Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times
© April 30, 2015 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
The Perfect gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting lift  

April 29 History International Day of the Dance

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—April 29, 2015 Trust your Hump Day is off to a great start and you are rattled by the difficulties inherent in waiting to the last moment in picking out the appropriate Mothers’ Day gift. As always, I  hope you enjoy the holidays and observances, factoids of interest, music videos of Kiss on My List and Hair and a relevant quote by Voltaire, having enjoyed a large plate of shrimp scampi followed by a night of dancing, blessed  with a positive attitude even though you know you will have to wade through tons of spam in your inbox, and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. International Dance Day—celebrated on this day since 1982 and created by the International Council for Dance to educate the general public to this unique human form of art.
       2. Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare (International)—commemorating the victims of chemical weapons from the horror of liquid fire in antiquity to mustard and chlorine gas in World War I to the possible use of chemical weapons today by ISIS; April 29 was chosen as that was the day that Chemical Weapons Convention was signed which today has be signed by all but five nations one of which should not surprise you--North Korea.
       3. 1981 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1981 on a three week run Kiss on My List by Daryl Hall and John Oates, following in the footsteps of another hit by Blondie—Rapture. Hall and Oates were a dynamic duo that achieved great fame in the 70’s and 80’s with the fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues. Here is a link to a music video of Hall and Oats singing Kiss on My List: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHXvosmjaOI
       4. National Shrimp Scampi Day—celebrating another one of this omnivore’s favorite dishes. In honor the day Red Lobster is offering ten shrimp scampi at $2.99 to be added to any entrée.
       5. You Don’t Need a Horse to Be a Duke—commemorating the birthday on this day in 1899 of one of the most influential jazz musicians of all times with over 1,000 compositions which he called not jazz but American Music—Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington.  
On this day in
       a. 1882 the Electromote, the forerunner to the trolleybus, was tested in Berlin by Ernst Werner von Siemens.
       b. 1910 the British Parliament passed the People’s Budget, the first budget in British history with the goal of redistributing the wealth of the creators of jobs to those less fortunate—coincidence that since that time the sun set more and more on the English Empire.
       c. 1953 ABC affiliate KECA in Los Angeles broadcasted the first 3D television Space Patrol.
       d. 1967 after refusing induction into the Army on religious grounds, Mohamed Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay was stripped of his heavy weight championship title.
       e. 1968 the controversial musical Hair with nudity, drugs and an antiwar message  opened at the Biltmore Theatre in New York City. Here is a link to the song Hair from the musical Hair:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dyl0j3WU6Y
Reflections on dance on this International Dance Day: “Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.” Voltaire, noted 18^th Century French Enlightment author, philosopher and historian noted for his attacks on the Catholic Church, advocacy of freedom of religion and expression and separation of Church and State. I agree with him on dance but to some it extent reading depends on what you are reading, i.e. Al Qaeda tracts on how to make IEDs.
Please enjoy the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and join 155 growing followers and please follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day In History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance. Go to Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times for comments on important and breaking news events that should be of interest. www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com Ridley's Believe It Or Not  Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times
© April 29 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Time
A Unique Gift to the Spirits Lift

April 28 History Great Poetry Reading Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—April 28, 2015 Trust your weekend was a great one and your Taco Tuesday is also is off to a great start. As always, I  hope you enjoy the holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video of Call Me and a relevant quote by John F. Kennedy, having enjoyed a large slice of blueberry pie ala mode, blessed  with a positive attitude even though you know you will have to wade through tons of spam in your inbox, and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. Workers’ Memorial Day—can international observance to promote awareness of the need for work safety in the workplace.
       2. Great Poetry Reading Day—celebrating the joys of reading poetry to a group or to a prospective boy or girl friend (It is also Kiss Your Mate Day and nothing warms a mate's heart more than a great romantic poem). I of course am partial to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com.  
       3. 1980 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1980 on a six week run Call Me  by Blondie, a very popular pioneer band in new wave and punk rock that has sold over 50 million records, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and is still performing today. Here is a link to a music video of Blondie singing Call Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StKVS0eI85I (Debbie Harvey has a great voice).
       4. National Blueberry Pie Day—celebrating this omnivore’s favorite desert especially when served ala mode.    
       5. Lists Can Be Your Friend Day—commemorating the birthday on this day in 1908 of German industrialist who saved over 1,200 Jews from the Holocaust and is buried in Jerusalem, the only member of the Nazi Party to be accorded that honor.
On this day in
       a. 1253, Nicheren, a Japanese Buddhist monk, propounds Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō for the very first time and declares it to be the essence of Buddhism, in effect founding Nicheren Buddhism.        
       b. 1503 in a preview of the destructive capabilities of rifles, the Battle of Cerignola in Southern Italy between Spanish and French forces with the Spanish armed with arquebusiers defeating a larger French army. It was the first battle won by small arms fire.
       c. 1869 Chinese and Irish laborers working for the Central Pacific set an unmatched record for laying track—10 miles.
       d. 1996 in one of many scandals that have embraced the Clintons over the years, President Clinton gave a 4 ½ hour deposition for the defense in the Whitewater Scandal.
       e. 2001 Dennis Tito became the first space tourist paying for a ride on a Soviet spacecraft to visit the International Space Station. Wonder what 20 million would buy in terms of fine wine and cuisine.  
Reflections on great poetry from the eyes and ears of a great president: “When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.” John F. Kennedy—I can hardly wait to find some time today to craft a poem or two and read them out loud
Please enjoy the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and join 155 growing followers and please follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day In History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance. Go to Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times for comments on important and breaking news events that should be of interest. www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com Ridley's Believe It Or Not  Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times © April 28 Michael P. Ridley aka the AlaskanpoetAlaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Time
A Unique Gift to the Spirits Lift

April 27 History Freedom Day (South Africa)

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—April 27, 2015 Trust your weekend was a great one and Monday is also is off to a great start. As always, I  hope you enjoy the holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video of Heart of Gold and  relevant quotes by Thomas Jefferson and AG Alberto Gonzales, having enjoyed a large slice of prime rib covered in mushrooms, blessed  with a positive attitude even though you know you will have to wade through tons of spam in your inbox, and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. Freedom Day (South Africa)—commemorating the first post apartheid election in South Africa in which all citizens regardless of race could vote.
       2. Matanzas Mule Day—commemorating on this day in 1898 in one of the first naval actions of the Spanish-American, U.S. ships bombarded the Cuban village of Matanzas causing only one casualty, a mule; an interesting footnote to the war and the concept of collateral damage.  
       3. 1979 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1979 on a brief one week run Heart of Glass  by Blondie, a very popular pioneer band in new wave and punk rock that has sold over 50 million records, was in ducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and is still performing today. Here is a link to a music video of Blondie singing Heart of Glass:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU (Debbie Harvey has a great voice).
       4. National Prime Rib Day—celebrating this omnivore’s favorite cut of meat and if you go to Steven’s Steak and Seafood House in Commerce, California you can enjoy its famous Big Jim Special Prime Rib, weighing in at 32 ounces for only $33.95 and cooked exactly the way you like it.    
       5. Dots and Dashes Day—commemorating the birthday on this day in 1791 of Samuel Morse who created the Morse Code enabling communication by telegraph and radio.
On this day in
       a. 711 Moorish troops led by Tarig ibn Ziyad landed at Gibraltar to begin the conquest and Islamization of Iberian Peninsula; fortunately for Christianity in Europe the spread of Islam out of the Iberian Peninsula was crushed on October 10, 732 the Franks led by Charles Martel near Tours, France (also famous for housing the Stanford en France program).
       b. 1667 a blind and impoverished John Milton sold the copyright to Paradise Lost for £10, dooming future generations of English majors to the agony of having to read it.
       c. 1861 Abraham Lincoln suspended the rights of criminal defendants to obtain relief by filing a writ of habeas corpus.
       d. 1974 10,000 people marched in Washington, D.C. calling for the impeachment of Richard Nixon (he resigned on August 9, 1974).
       e. 1981 Xerox PARC introduced the computer mouse.
Reflections on the writ of habeas corpus from two perspectives: “The Constitution doesn’t say every individual in the United States or every citizen is hereby granted or assured the right of habeas,” Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Jan. 18, 2007  “Freedom of the person under the protection of the habeas corpus I deem [one of the] essential principles of our government.” –Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural Address, 1801.  I vote for Jefferson’s view.
Please enjoy the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and join 155 growing followers and please follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day In History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance. Go to Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times for comments on important and breaking news events that should be of interest. www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com Ridley's Believe It Or Not  Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times © April 27 Michael P. Ridley aka the AlaskanpoetAlaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Time
A Unique Gift to the Spirits Lift

April 26 History World Inellectual Property Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—April 26, 2015 Trust your Sunday is off to a great start. As always, I  hope you enjoy the holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video of Disco Fever and a relevant quote by CrimethInc, having enjoyed a bowl of pretzels with friends, blessed  with a positive attitude even though you know you will have to wade through tons of spam in your inbox, and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. World Intellectual Property Day—commemorating awareness of the contribution of intellectual property to our well being and encouraging its protection to incentivize inventors and creative people to develop intellectual property.
       2. Audubon Day—commemorating on this day in 1785 the birthday of America’s foremost ornithologist illustrator, John James Audubon—imagine how difficult it would be to sketch a drawing of a bird before it flew away.
       3. 1978 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1978 on an eight week run Night Fever by the Bee Gees, a very popular rock and disco band of three brothers, Maurice, Barry and Robin, performing in the 60’s and 70’s with over 220 million records sold and a 1997 induction to the Rock n Rock Hall of Fame to their credit. Here is a link to a music video of the Bee Gees singing Night Fever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ihs-vT9T3Q
       4. National Pretzel Day—celebrating those tasty, salty snacks which are a perfect complement to a cold beer while watching a sporting event.   
       5. Tale of the Tape Day—bemoaning the birthday on this day in 1926 of Donald Sterling who was caught on tape by his mistress making numerous racist remarks and ultimately forced to sell the L.A. Clippers to Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO, for $2 billion.
On this day in
       a. 1865 Union Cavalry cornered and killed John Wilkes Booth in Virginia.
       b. 1956 the SS Ideal X, the world’s first successful container ship left New Jersey on its first voyage bound for Houston. The design revolutionized world commercial shipping and markedly reduced the numbers of longshoremen needed to unload vessels.

       c. 1970 The Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization went into force.

       d. 1981 Dr. Michael Harrison of the University of California San Francisco Medical Center performed the world’s first open fetal surgery.

       e. 1986 at Chernobyl, Ukraine, the world’s worst nuclear disaster occurred at the nuclear power plant located there. 
Reflections on accidents like Chernobyl: “Accident - A statistical inevitability. Some nuclear power plants are built on fault lines, but ever mine, dam, oil rig, and waste dump is founded upon a tacit acceptance of the worst-case scenario. On a long enough timeline, everything that can go wrong will, however small the likelihood is from one day to the next. The responsible parties may wring their hands about the Fukushima meltdown - and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and the Exxon Valdez, and Hurricane Katrina, and Chernobyl, and Haiti - but accident is no accident.” CrimethInc, an anarchist collective of autonomous cells engaging in publications, music and direct action promoting anarchy.
Please enjoy the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and join 155 growing followers and please follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day In History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance. Go to Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times for comments on important and breaking news events that should be of interest. www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com Ridley's Believe It Or Not  Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times © April 26 Michael P. Ridley aka the AlaskanpoetAlaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
A Unique Gift to the Spirits Lift

April 25 History Parental Alienation Awareness Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—April 25, 2015 Trust your weekend is off to a great start. As always, I  hope you enjoy the holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video of Southern Nights and a relevant quote by Jacqueline Novogratz, having enjoyed a slice of zucchini bread in a blanket, blessed  with a positive attitude even though you know you will have to wade through tons of spam in your inbox, and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. Parental Alienation Awareness Day—commemorating since 2005 the need for parents going through a divorce and engaged in a custody dispute with respect to their children to do everything in their power not to deprecate the other parent so as not to alienate that parent from his or her children. Sadly with divorce rates near 50% this is a day that should be observed daily as the victims who cannot defend themselves are the children.
       2. DNA Day—commemorating on this day in 1953 the publication in Nature by James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin and colleagues of papers outlining the structure of DNA; fifty years later on this day in 2003 the Human Genome Project was substantially completed.
       3. 1977 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1977 on a one week run Southern Nights by Glen Campbell, a very popular country and western singer of the 60’s and 70’s who made Grammy history by winning 4 Grammies in 1977 and has sold over 45 million records. Sadly, in 2011 he was diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease and is now unable to speak and resides in a long term Alzheimer’s treatment facility. Here is a link to a music video of Glen singing Southern Nights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zJBVdQd8iA
       4. National Zucchini Bread Day—celebrating a unique way to utilize squash. 
       5. It Is Not What You Know But Who You Know Day—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1946 of Talia Shire, Rocky Balboa’s on screen girlfriend and Connie Corelone in The Godfather, and the sister of director of The Godfather Francis Ford Coppola.
       6. Red Hat Society Day—commemorating the founding by artist Sue Ellen Cooper of Fullerton on this day in 1998 of the Red Hat Society, a women’s social organization with over 40,000 chapters, originally for women over 50 but now open to women of all ages who love having tea parties while wearing their red hats (pink if under 50).
                                                             

                      
       7. International Malaria Awareness Day—commemorating the efforts to control and eradicate malaria, a disease spread by mosquitoes which kills over a million people each year. 
On this day in
       a. 1792 La Marseillaise (the French national anthem) was composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lilse—as national anthems go it is pretty moving-- Allons enfants de la patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
       b. 1859 British and French engineers broke ground for the construction of the Suez Canal (completed in November of 1869).
       c. 1901 New York became the first state to require automobile license plates confirming the old adage “if it moves, tax it.”
       d. 1938 the U.S. Supreme Court in Erie Railroad v. Tompkins ruled that the federal courts did not have the power to create common law when hearing cases brought on the basis of diversity jurisdiction. 
       e. 1959 the Saint Lawrence Seaway connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean was opened to shipping.
Reflections on malaria and a simple but effective way of preventing it: “Malaria is a disease that kills one to three million people a year. 300 to 500 million cases are reported. It's estimated that Africa loses about 13 billion dollars a year to the disease. Five dollars can save a life. We can send people to the moon; we can see if there's life on Mars - why can't we get five-dollar nets to 500 million people?”  Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen, a nonprofit global venture capital fund investing in entrepreneurial approaches to address global poverty.
Please enjoy the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and join 155 growing followers and please follow me) and follow my blogs. Always good, incisive and entertaining poems on my blogs—click on the links below. Go to www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com for Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—This Day In History, poems to inspire, touch, emote, elate and enjoy and poems on breaking news items of importance. Go to Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times for comments on important and breaking news events that should be of interest. www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com Ridley's Believe It Or Not  Rhymes On The Newsworthy Times © April 25 Michael P. Ridley aka the AlaskanpoetAlaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Time
A Unique Gift to the Spirits Lift