Happy Wednesday, wonderful bomb-basts! Happy? Well, I know that Wednesday, or the offspring thereof, is said to be full of woe (or is that whoa!?) but we can't sit around moping all the time.
Wednesday is also Hump Day (and I have a whole album of humping photos that would make Miss Mayta faint) which means that the week is almost over. Or will be, when the day is almost over. In order to pass the time, we need distractions. That is what this post is all about.
LOOK! OVER THERE!! >>>>>>>>>>
Ha! Fooled you.
Now for the Tweetfest:
The Scot Who Stood up to Trump
Ooh, maybe I can have a tree after all!
And now, time for your history lesson:
On This Day
In 1776, Phi Beta Kappa was founded at the College of William and Mary, making it the oldest honor society for the liberal arts and sciences. I have my mother’s Phi Beta Kappa key.
In 1831 , former President John Quincy Adams took his seat in the House of Representatives, the only former President to do so. His term as a congressman appears to have been better received than his single term as President, but one has to wonder how much of a comedown in might be going from Head Honcho to congresscritter.
In 1848, in a message before the U.S. Congress, President James K. Polk announced that large amounts of gold had been discovered in California. “There’s gold in them thar hills!” This, of course, helped fuel the gold rush.
In 1932, German-born Swiss physicist Albert Einstein was granted an American visa. This was a very good move.
In 1933, the State of Utah ratified the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. As the 36th state to do so, it hit the required 75% number needed to enact the amendment, thus overturning the 18th Amendment, which had made the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcohol illegal.
In 1945, Flight 19 (a group of five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers) disappeared over the “Bermuda Triangle.”
In 1952, cold fog descended upon London, combining with air pollution, and resulting in at least 12,000 deaths in the weeks and months that followed.
In 1955, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL-CIO.
In 1979, Sonia Johnson was formally excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for her outspoken criticism of the church concerning the proposed Equal Rights Amendment.
In 2005, the Civil Partnership Act went into effect in the United Kingdom.
Born on This Day
1661 – Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, English statesman and reputed ancestor of mine (family tradition, unproven). (d. 1724)
1782 – Martin Van Buren, President of the United States (d. 1862)
1830 – Christina Rossetti, English poet, who was the model for this painting by her brother, Dante. (d. 1894)
1839 – George Armstrong Custer, creepy American general (d. 1876)
1879 – Clyde Cessna, American airplane manufacturer (d. 1954)
1881 – René Cresté, French actor (d. 1922)
1890 – David Bomberg, English painter (d. 1957)
1890 – Fritz Lang, Austrian-born film director of many classic films. (d. 1976)
1898 – Grace Moore, American soprano and attempted movie star. (d. 1947)
1901 – Walt Disney, American animated film producer (d. 1966)
1902 – Strom Thurmond, American politician (d. 2003)
1906 – Otto Preminger, Austrian-born film director, producer, and actor (d. 1986)
1932 – Little Richard, very influential African-American singer and pianist
1934 – Joan Didion, American writer
1935 – Calvin Trillin, American writer
1936 – James Lee Burke, American mystery writer
1938 – J. J. Cale, American songwriter
1947 – Jim Messina, American musician (Buffalo Springfield, Loggins and Messina)
1956 - Moi
1963 – Doctor Dre, American radio personality and v-jay
1965 – Johnny Rzeznik, American musician and songwriter (Goo Goo Dolls)
1968 – Margaret Cho, American comedian and actress
Died on This Day
1791 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer (b. 1756)
1870 – Alexandre Dumas, père, French writer, immensely successful despite the discrimination he faced due to his African ancestry (he was the grandson of a nobleman and a slave). (b. 1802)
1926 – Claude Monet, French impressionist painter (b. 1840)
1946 – Louis Dewis, Belgian post-impressionist painter (b. 1872)
1951 – Shoeless Joe Jackson, American baseball player (b. 1889)
1969 – Princess Alice of Battenberg, Prince Philip's mum and quite a character. (b. 1885)
1993 – Doug Hopkins, American guitarist and songwriter, and a sad tale (their hits were all with his songs after his death). (Gin Blossoms) (b. 1961)
1994 – Harry Horner, American art director (b. 1910)
Today is
National Sacher Torte Day
Repeal Day
Bathtub Party Day
Day of the Ninja
National Comfort Food Day