Ridley's Believe It Or Not For March 17, 2016 St. Patrick's Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not For March 17, 2016. Unfortunately still 309 days to go in President Obama’s pathetic lame duck term but fortunately today marks the beginning or March Madness to distract us from the ongoing drama of the presidential campaign. Although the Iditarod has been won, once again by Dallas Seavey for the fourth time in five years, there are still some 30 mushers on the course spread out over 300 miles so I will continue to post updates and photos on www.alaskanpoet.blogspot.com until the Red Lantern winner crosses the finish line in Nome. Great political theater as the Republican Party is on the verge of imploding as talk of a brokered convention and a third party is running rampant and Hillary still faces a possible FBI referral to the DOJ for criminal prosecution.  I trust your Thursday is proving to be a great one; and as always, I hope  you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, a music link to Harry James, factoids of interest, a  relevant Irish proverb while looking forward to enjoying a serving of corned beef and cabbage, blessed with a positive attitude and  secure in  the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable events 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. St. Patrick’s Day—celebrated in more countries than any other festival to honor the patron saint of Ireland and marked by the wearing of the green, bagpipes, parades, long lines outside Irish pubs and sadly consumption of vast quantities of alcohol. Erin go Bragh but today might be a good day to use Uber or Lyft.   

2. Submarine Day—honoring the maiden test voyage demonstration of the first submarine designed by Phillip Holland using an internal combustion engine for propulsion on the surface and an electric motor while submerged.

 3. 1943 Number One Song—heading back in time to flee from rap music to celebrate the number one song in 1943 on a long run of thirteen weeks in that position I Have Heard That Song Before by Harry James. Here is a link to Harry James performing I Have Heard That Song Before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX5S9iXmMek

4. National Corned Beef And Cabbage Day—celebrating the traditional meal to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day.

5. You May Sing But You Cannot Hide—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1919 of Nat King Cole, noted baritone singer who was the first African-American to have his own show on TV but sadly was a heavy smoker who died way too early in 1965 from lung cancer shortly after the completion of the movie Cat Ballou in which he appeared.  

On this day in:

a. 1780 George Washington granted the Continental Army a holiday as an act of solidarity with the Irish also struggling for their independence.  

b. 1941 the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. was opened by President Roosevelt.   

c. 1958 Vanguard 1 satellite, the oldest manmade object still in orbit and the first satellite to be solar powered was launched, joining Sputnik 1 and 2 and Explorer 1 in orbit.     

d. 1968 as a result of the testing of nerve gas in Skull Valley, Utah, 6,000 sheep were killed; the event was later memorialized in the movie Rage, starring George C. Scott. 

e. 1992 a referendum to end apartheid in South Africa was passed by a vote of 61.7% to 32.2%.                                                                          

Reflections on being Irish: “If you’re lucky to be Irish, you are lucky enough.” Irish proverb. Today everybody is Irish so enjoy the status of being lucky enough.

Please enjoy the poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and 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 or go to Ridley's Believe It Or Not for just This Day In History.

© March 17, 2016 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet 
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift