Ridley's Believe It Or Not--This Day In History

Friday, July 24, 2015

July 24 History National Tequila Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 24, 2015 Trust your Friday is proving to be a great one despite the high temperatures and humidity and your weekend plans are set and as always, I hope you enjoy Friday’s holidays and observances which are meager today, factoids of interest, a music video by Brenda Lee, a relevant quote by John Paul DeJoria, looking forward to enjoying a shot of Patron, blessed with a positive attitude 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. Mormon Pioneer Day—celebrating in Utah the arrival of Brigham Young and the first Mormons into the Salt Lake Valley on this day in 1847 after a march of 1,300.

2. National Drive Thru Day—celebrating the convenience of not having to park your car and walk to the retail establishment and thereby putting more carbon into the atmosphere while in line and foregoing a few calories burned by the short walk.

3. 1960 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1960 on a three week run in that position I’m Sorry by Brenda Lee. Here is a link with a lot of nice photos of leaves to Brenda Lee performing I’m Sorry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kI0dBvg-qw

4. National Tequila Day—celebrating the magic of converting cacti into an alcoholic beverage although this poet is clueless as to why this observance is not celebrated on May 5 of each year.

5. My Bat Is My Bond Day—celebrating the birthday on this day in 1964 of Barry Bonds who hit a record 73 home runs in 2001 and holds the record for career home runs at 762 but due to steroid use allegations has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

On this day in:

a. 1829 in the U.S. William Austin Burt patented the typographer, the precursor to the typewriter.

b. 1901 O. Henry was released from federal prison after serving three years for embezzlement.

c. 1934 the highest temperatures during the Dust Bowl were recorded across the Midwest including a 109 at Chicago.

d. 1974 the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that President Nixon did not have executive privilege to withhold the Watergate Tapes and ordered him to release the tapes to the independent prosecutor investigating the Watergate Scandal.

e. 1998 Russell Watson, Jr. burst into the Capitol and shot and killed two police officers, but was adjudged to be mentally incompetent to stand trial.

A quote chosen by this poet to combine his love of rail travel with the observance for today:

“I wanted to do my part to help preserve that golden age of travel... I step aboard The Patron Tequila Express railcar, and I go back in time to the days when a long journey was something fun and very special. John Paul DeJoria, founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair care products line and Patron Spirits Company

Please enjoy the 140 character poems on events of interest on my twitter account below (if you like them, retweet and join 161 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

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times

The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

Thursday, July 23, 2015

July 23 History Monica Lewinsky's Birthday

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 23, 2015 Trust your Thursday is proving to be a great one despite the high temperatures and humidity and as always, I hope you enjoy Wednesday’s holidays and observances which are meager today, factoids of interest, a music video by Paul Anka, a relevant quote by Monica Lewinsky, looking forward to enjoying a bowl of vanilla ice cream or to celebrate the invention of the cone at the St. Louis Fair an ice cream cone, blessed with a positive attitude 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. Hot Enough For Ya Day—sadly if Gore and the proponents of global warming this is an observance that may be claiming a lot more days on the calendar—certainly way too hot and humid in large parts of the U.S. today.

2. Gorgeous Grandma Day—celebrating what is rare in our youth oriented American culture with nuclear families our female elderly; if you are lucky enough to have a grandmother, today like all other days would be a good day to call and tell her how much you love her.

3. 1959 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1959 on a four week run in that position Lonely Boy by Paul Anka. Here is a link to Paul Anka Lonely Boy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPw5WiABUOA

4. National Vanilla Ice Cream Day—celebrating a highly caloric summer treat and easy way to avoid caloric guilt by topping it with fresh fruits or berries.

5. Blue Dress Trumps A Black Dress Day—celebrating not that classic black cocktail dress but rather the birthday on this day in 1973 of Monica Lewinsky who should become the poster child of the Blue’s real War on Women and another reason of why we do not need a sexual predator in the White House as the First Man.

On this day in:

a. 1829 in the U.S. William Austin Burt patents the typographer, the precursor to the typewriter.

b. 1903 Ford sold its first car; since that day it has sold over 360 million cars and trucks and is still growing strong today.

c. 1929 in a futile closed mind gesture similar to today’s dictatorial regimes blocking internet search engines like Google, the fascist government of Italy banned the use of foreign words.

d. 1962 Telstar transmitted the first live television broadcast across the Atlantic Ocean with a program featuring Walter Cronkite.

e. 1997 in a dollars to allies matter more moment the U.S. State Department ruled that a purchase by Turkey from Iran of 27 billion dollars of natural gas did not violate existing sanctions.

A quote chosen by a poet father with two daughters who to this day is outraged over Clinton’s conduct and believes it will be repeated if he becomes the First Man: “He could have made it right with the book. But he hasn't. He is a revisionist of history. He has lied.” Monica Lewinsky Bill and Hillary two birds of a dishonesty pair--I believe this victim of a predator in the White House turns 42 today. Shame on you Bill Clinton—count your lucky stars she was over 18 and Hillary double shame on you for attacking this woman again and again.

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

July 22 History Ratcatcher's Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 22, 2015 Trust your Hump Day is proving to be a great one despite the high temperatures and humidity and as always, I hope you enjoy Wednesday’s holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video by the Coasters, a relevant quote by Bob Dole, looking forward to enjoying some penuche fudge after some time in a hammock, blessed with a positive attitude 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. Ratcatcher’s Day—commemorating the myth of the story the Pied Piper of Hamelin who was stiffed by the town fathers after he piped the rats out of the town so in revenge he changed the settings on his pipe and piped the children out of the town. Given the prevalence of rats in the slums of cities like New York City perhaps should be celebrated there as opposed to only Hamelin.

2. Hammock Day—celebrating during the hot dog days of summer, the perfect way to relax—on a hammock supported by two leafy, shady trees.

3. 1958 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1958 on a brief one week run in that position Yakety Yak by the Coasters. Here is a link to the Coasters performing Yakety Yak: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cHB3Rbz1OI

4. National Penuche Fudge Day—celebrating a highly caloric fudge especially appropriate if one has been burning up no calories by resting in a hammock for most of the day.

5. Bless A Soul Not On The Dole Date—celebrating not the achievement of anyone on welfare managing to get off with a job, but the birthday on this day in 1923 of Bob Dole, long time former senator from Kansas who lost to Bill Clinton in 1996 but later won the hearts of all seniors for becoming the pitchman for Viagra and who is still alive today.

On this day in:

a. 1894 the first race in France from Paris to Rouen, complete with a half hour for lunch to enjoy vin et fromage, was held with the winner averaging 12 mph over the 78 mile distance.

b. 1916 in a chilling reminder that terror in many forms has been with us for many years, the San Francisco Preparedness Day Parade Bombing occurred, the worst terrorist attack in San Francisco’s history. A pipe bomb loaded with nails and small pieces of metal detonated along the parade route killing ten and wounding forty others.

c. 1937 in a huge push back of FDR’s attempt to enlarge the Supreme Court and thereby add judges who would be more favorable to his New Deal, the Senate rejected his proposed legislation to increase the size of the court.

d. 1991 Jeffrey Dahmer, a serial sex offender and killer of 18 men and boys was arrested in Milwaukie after police discovered body parts of some of his victims in his apartment. Convicted and sentenced to life in prison, he was killed by a fellow convict.

e. 1992 in a precursor to the escape of El Chapo from a Mexican prison, Pablo Escobar, also known as the “King of Cocaine” escaped from his luxury prison accommodations due to his fear of being extradited. Fortunately, unlike El Chapo who has not as of yet been found, Pablo was tracked down and shot to death.

A reflection on the Senate by someone who was there for 30 years: "If you're hanging around with nothing to do and the zoo is closed, come over to the Senate. You'll get the same kind of feeling and you won't have to pay." Bob Dole Watching the Senate under Harry Reid gave most people confirmation that on this one Dole was right on point.

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

July 21 History Take A Monkey To Lunch Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 21, 2015 Trust your Taco Tuesday is proving to be a great one and as always, I hope you enjoy Tuesday’s holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video by Elvis Presley, a relevant quote by Ernest Hemmingway, looking forward to enjoying some of your favorite junk food, blessed with a positive attitude 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. Take a Monkey to Lunch Day—celebrated on this day bemoaning the conviction on this day in 1925 of John Scopes in Tennessee for teaching evolution and immortalized in the movie Inherit the Wind with Spencer Tracy.

2. Invite an Alien to Live with You Day—celebrating the birthday on this day of Robin Williams who took the entertainment world by storm as the alien Mork in the TV sitcom Mork and Mindy and who so tragically took his own life.

3. 1957 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1957 on a seven week run in that position (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear by Elvis Presley. Here is a link to Elvis Presley performing (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CnTS39cL50

4. National Junk Food Day—celebrating an observance that should definitely be celebrated only one day and then back to a healthy diet.

5. The Sun No Longer Rises Day--observing the birthday on this day in 1899 of author Ernest Hemmingway who before killing himself wrote such great novels as The Sun Also Rises, The Old Man and the Sea, and A Farewell to Arms.

On this day in:

a. 1865 Wild Bill Hickok shot and killed Davis Tufts in the streets of Springfield, Missouri in a shoot out regarded as the first gunfight in the West.

b. 1873 Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang at Adair, Iowa pulled off the first successful train robbery in the American West.

c. 1904 Frenchman Louis Rigoly at Ostend, Belgium became the first person to break the 100 mph barrier on land in a car; 21 years later Sir Malcolm Campbell became the first person to break the 150 mph barrier on land in a car.

d. 1961 Gus Grisson became the second American to be launched into space to suborbit the earth and sadly the first American to have his Mercury 7 spacecraft sink on landing in the ocean.

e. 2011 the U.S. Space Shuttle Program ended with the return of the Shuttle Atlantis.

An understatement on the art of writing by one of the best: “There is nothing to writing. All you have to do is sit at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemmingway

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

Monday, July 20, 2015

July 20 History Moon

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 20, 2015 Trust your weekend was a great one and as always, I hope you enjoy Monday’s holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video by Gogi Grant, a relevant quote by Natalie Wood, looking forward to enjoying some fortune cookies, blessed with a positive attitude 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. Moon Day—celebrating not that tradition that occurs in Laguna Niguel as Pacific Surfliners go by on the second Saturday in July but rather commemorating the first landing on the Moon by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on this day in 1969. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMoZfP7TINQ

2. International Chess Day—celebrating since 1966 the game of chess which originated in India and has been played for many centuries.

3. 1956 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1956 on a six week run in that position The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant. Here is a link to Gogi Grant performing The Wayward Wind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SaeWh3h8Fg

4. National Fortune Cookie Day—celebrating another reason to go to a Chinese restaurant for lunch or dinner.

5. To Win the Name Game Day--observing the birthday on this day in 1938 of Natalie Zacharenko noted actress who was child star who became an adult actress starring in such films as Splendor in the Grass and West Side Story. She drowned while boating with her ex-husband after a night of drinking. Natalie Wood was her screen name.

On this day in:

a. 1807 Niecphore Niecpe was awarded a patent by Napoleon for the world’s first internal combustion engine after it propelled a boat up a river in France.

b. 1903 the Ford Motor Company shipped its first automobile.

c. 1938 the Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit against the motion picture industry which led to the break up of the studio system that bound actors and actresses to contracts limiting their ability to perform for any other studios.

d. 1940 California opened its first freeway the Arroyo Seco Parkway (Pasadena Freeway).

e. 2012 James Holmes entered a theater in Aurora, Colorado during the showing the Dark Knight Rises and opened fired, killing 12 and wounding 70. The wheels of justice sometimes move slowly but they move and Holmes was found guilty three days ago and now awaits a jury decision of whether he should die or receive life without possibility of parole.

A better way to learn how to act instead of going to acting school from the reflections of Natalie Wood: “My mother used to tell me that the cameraman who pointed his lens out at the audience at the end of the Paramount newsreel was taking my picture. I'd pose and smile like he was going to make me famous or something. I believed everything my mother told me.” Natalie’s mother took her to the movies as much as she could for Natalie to observe acting on screen.

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Liftday

Sunday, July 19, 2015

July 19 History National Flitch Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 19, 2015 Trust your weekend is proving to be a great one and as always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video by Bill Haley and His Comets, a relevant quote by Julian Roosevelt, looking forward to enjoying a bowl of ice cream, blessed with a positive attitude 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. National Flitch Day—celebrating since 1104 the custom of giving a married couple a flitch of bacon who for a year and a day have not repented their marriage; fyi a flitch is half of a pig.

2. National Flight Attendant Safety Professionals’ Day—celebrating since 1990 by Presidential Proclamation the role of flight attendants in insuring the safety of passengers.

3. 1955 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1955 on an eight week run in that position Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and His Comets. Here is a link to Bill Haley and His Comets performing Rock Around The Clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgdufzXvjqw

4. National Ice Cream Day—celebrating another great way to cool down during these hot summer days.

5. Smell The Coffee Day--observing the birthday on this day in 1953 of Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks and former owner of the Seattle Sonics.

On this day in:

a. 1553 Lady Jane Grey was replaced by Mary I as the Queen of England after a reign of only nine days.

b. 1843 the SS Britannia, the first ocean going ship with an iron hull and screw propeller, was launched.

c. 1963 Joe Walker piloted an X-15 to a height of almost 66 miles, becoming the first human being flying, albeit briefly, into outer space.

d. 1980 in Moscow the Summer Olympics opened without the participation of the U.S. which boycotted the Games due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

e. 1983 the first three dimensional model of the human head created by a CAT scan was published.

A reflection on the American boycott of the Moscow Summer Olympics: “Any boycott isn’t going to change the Soviets’ mind and isn’t going to get troops out of Afghanistan. I’m as patriotic as the next guy, but the patriotic thing to do is for us to send a team over there and whip their ass.” Julian Roosevelt, an American member of the International Olympic Committee. Carter was wrong; Roosevelt was right; and thanks to Reagan’s arming the Afghans with Stingers, the Soviets left but returned the favor by boycotting the 1984 L.A. Olympics.

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift

Thursday, July 16, 2015

July 16 History Know Your Customer Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—July 16, 2015 Trust your Thursday is proving to be a great one and as always, I hope you enjoy today’s holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video by Kitty Killen, a relevant quote from the 9/30/1920 issue of the Chicago Herald and Examiner, looking forward to enjoying some corn fritters, blessed with a positive attitude 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. Get to Know Your Customer Day—celebrating another observance that for a business to survive in today’s highly competitive business world should be celebrated daily.

2. National Personal Chef Day—celebrating the achievements of those culinary magicians who are saviors to those individuals who find boiling water a challenge or who have no time in their busy calendars to prepare meals.

3. 1954 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1954 on a nine week run in that position Little Things Mean A Lot by Kitty Killen. Here is a link to Kitty Killen performing Little Things Mean A Lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C7SzKv2uLU

4. National Corn Fritters Day—celebrating another way to enjoy corn especially for those with dentures.

5. Say It Ain’t So Joe Day--observing the birthday on this day in 1887 of Shoeless Joe Jackson, a member of the Chicago White Sox team that won the 1917 World Series, with seven other teammates was banned from baseball for life in 1920 for fixing on behalf of professional gamblers the 1919 World Series in what became known as the Black Sox Scandal.

On this day in:

a. 1790 the District of Columbia was established as the capital of the United States.

b. 1862 David Farragut was promoted to the rank of rear admiral, becoming the first admiral in the U.S. Navy.

c. 1935 the world’s first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

d. 1960 the nuclear submarine USS George Washington fired the first ballistic missile while submerged.

e. 1969 Apollo 11 the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center—46 years later our space program must hitch rides with the Russians to get into space.

A reflection on the Black Sox Scandal: “As Jackson departed from the Grand Jury room, a small boy clutched at his sleeve and tagged along after him.
     "Say it ain't so, Joe," he pleaded. "Say it ain't so."
     "Yes kid, I'm afraid it is," Jackson replied.
     "Well, I never would've thought it," the boy said. Chicago Herald and Examiner 9/30/1920

Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive a Lasting Lift