Interrogatories
It's International Picnic Day. What's in your picnic basket (besides bear repellent)?
It's also apparently International Panic Day. What makes you want to panic?
George Lucas is predicting eventual $150 movie tickets(!). Do you still go see movies in theaters? What's the best theater and why? What is the most annoying thing about movie patrons these days?
The Twitter Emitter
On This Day
In 1812, Congress declared war on Great Britain.
In 1815, Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo.
In 1831, the French invaded Algeria after their ruler allegedly struck the French consul with his fan.
In 1948, the first long playing (hence the term "LP") 33 1/2 rpm microgroove record was introduced by Columbia Records.
In 1983, astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.
Born on This Day
1269 – Eleanor of England, Countess of Bar (d. 1298)
1318 – Eleanor of Woodstock (d. 1355)
1621 - Allart van Everdingen, Dutch painter (d. 1675)
1673 – Antonio de Literes, Spanish composer (d. 1747)
1677 – Antonio Maria Bononcini, Italian cellist and composer (d. 1726)
1716 – Joseph-Marie Vien, French painter (d. 1809)
1812 – Ivan Goncharov, Russian author (d. 1891)
1816 - Léon Victor Dupré, French landscape painter (d. 1879)
1866 - Marceliano Santa María Sedano, Spanish painter (d. 1952)
1869 - Leo Putz, German painter (d. 1940)
1877 – James Montgomery Flagg, American illustrator (d. 1960)
1888 - Margarita Xirgu, Spanish stage actress (d. 1969)
1889 - Paul Joostens, Belgian painter (d. 1960)
1891 – Mae Busch, Australian actress (d. 1946)
1895 – Blanche Sweet, American actress (d. 1986)
1903 – Jeanette MacDonald, American actress and singer (d. 1965)
1913 – Sammy Cahn, American lyricist (d. 1993)
1913 – Robert Mondavi, American winemaker (d. 2008)
1914 – E.G. Marshall, American actor (d. 1998)
1936 – Barack Obama, Sr., Kenyan economist (d. 1982)
1937 – Jay Rockefeller, American politician
1942 – Roger Ebert, American journalist, critic, and screenwriter (d. 2013)
1942 – Paul McCartney, English singer-songwriter, musician, and producer (The Beatles)
1942 – Carl Radle, American musician and producer (Delaney & Bonnie and Derek and the Dominos) (d. 1980)
1947 – Linda Thorson, Canadian actress
1952 – Carol Kane, American actress
1952 – Isabella Rossellini, Italian actress
1961 – Alison Moyet, English singer-songwriter (Yazoo and The Vandals)
1965 – Kim Dickens, American actress and model
1971 – Nathan Morris, American singer (Boyz II Men)
Died on This Day
1464 – Rogier van der Weyden, Flemish painter (b. 1400)
1681 - Cornelis Kick, Dutch still life painter (b. 1635)
1704 – Tom Brown, English writer (b. 1662)
1815 – Guillaume Philibert Duhesme, French general (b. 1766)
1815 – Thomas Picton, English general (b. 1758)
1865 - Antoine Joseph Wiertz, Belgian painter (b. 1806)
1866 - Jacobus Abels, Dutch painter specializing in moonlight (b. 1803)
1897 - Carl Herpfer, German genre painter (b. 1836)
1920 - Mario Puccini, Italian painter, (b. 1869)
1936 – Maxim Gorky, Russian author (b. 1868)
1959 – Ethel Barrymore, American actress (b. 1879)
1964 - Giorgio Morandi, Italian still life painter (b. 1890)
1985 – Paul Colin, French artist (b. 1892)
2011 – Clarence Clemons, American saxophonist and actor (E Street Band) (b. 1942)
2012 – Victor Spinetti, Welsh actor (b. 1929)
Today is
International Picnic Day
International Sushi Day
Autistic Pride Day
International Panic Day
National Splurge Day
National Go Fishing Day