June 18 History Autism Pride Day (International)

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—June 18, 2015 Trust your Thursday is proving to be a great one.  As always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a  music video by the Beatles, a relevant quote by Elliot Abrams, looking forward to enjoying a selection of sushi, blessed with a positive attitude and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like Fathers’ 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. If you want to give another unique gift that has this omnivore seal of approval order some Kelli’s Cookies: http://www.kelliscookies.com/index.php/shop-by-product/fathers-day-specials.html
       1. Autistic Pride Day (International)—celebrating since 2005 the neurodiversity of those individuals on the autism spectrum.

       2. Go Fishing Day— celebrating a great way to spend time on a lake, ocean or along a river; June 18  may have been chosen as the first fly casting tournament occurred in Utica, New York on this day in 1861.        

        3. 1970 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1970 on a two week run, The Long and Winding Road by the Beatles. With an apology for audio only but at least with no ad to endure, here is a link to the soundtrack of the Beatles performing The Long and Winding Road:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUO7N-zSMYc

        4.  National Sushi Day—celebrating a great way to enjoy seafood, especially with some ginger and wasabi.

        5.  Thumbs Up Day—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1942 of Roger Ebert, noted film critic who became the first film critic to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and famous with his partner Gene Sistert for their trademarked comment “two thumbs up.”

On this day in:                                           

        a. 1812 due in part to the Royal Navy’s seizure of American seamen on the high seas, the Congress declared war on England, Canada and Ireland.

     b. 1873 Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 for attempting to vote in the 1872 Presidential Elections.     

      c. 1979 in another historic moment reducing the threat of extinction of the human species due to nuclear war the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed the SALT II Treaty; unfortunately Putin with his announcement yesterday that he is adding 40 nuclear armed missiles to his arsenal seems to have forgotten the wisdom of that treaty.

        d. 1983 Astronaut and Stanford Grad Sally Ride became the first American female to be launched into space on the Shuttle Challenger and who became fodder for the newspaper headlines borrowing from the chorus of Mustang Sally performed by Wilson Pickett almost 20 years before the flight—“Ride, Sally Ride.” .

       e. 1983 in a chilling example of what a real War on Women looks like and why under no circumstances must Iran be allowed to possess any nuclear weapons, Mona Mahmudnizhud and nine other women of the  Baha’i Faith were sentenced to death because of their religion and hanged in Shiraz, Iran.

Reflections on the nature of the evil that personifies Iran: “In Iran, there is no freedom of the press, no freedom of speech, no independent judiciary, no free elections. There is no freedom of religion - not even for Shiites, who are forced by Iran's theocracy to adhere to one narrow set of official rules.” Elliot Abrams, noted American diplomat, lawyer and adviser to Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush  

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© June 18, 2015 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
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