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.
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© April 30, 2015 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
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