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Friday 25 Nov 2016



Parfait Day



In French, the word parfait means “perfect”, and in American English, the term almost exclusively refers to a sort of delicious, frozen dessert.

If your idea of perfection involves ice cream, then you’ll have little trouble understanding the connection with the name. And why not have a day devoted to creamy, delicious indulgence? Shouldn’t there be at least one day of the year where you can indulge in something so rich and celebrate rather than feeling guilty about it?

History of Parfait Day

The parfait itself dates back to 1894, but it would be a huge stretch of the imagination to think that the holiday celebrating these delicious frozen concoctions would go back all the way to their origins.

In fact, the origins of Parfait Day are quite obscure, and we suggest that rather than breaking your head over the origins of parfait day, you should just go enjoy a parfait.

After all, if we couldn’t dig up the history, you think you would be able to?



And



Systems Engineer Day



With the world becoming more and more digitized every day, there is a group of people that has rather suddenly become one of the most important groups of people in the world: systems engineers.

Systems engineers make enormous contributions to the world as we know it every single day, allowing us to live the increasingly comfortable lives we are accustomed to, and neither our personal nor our professional lives would be the same without them.

Systems engineers work on numerous complex projects: spacecraft design, computer chip design, robotics, software integration, and bridge building. The computer you’re using right now to read this article would not exist if it weren’t for systems engineers, nor would the plane you’re taking to go to your exotic holiday destination, and nor would the bridge you need to cross to get to work every day.

And let’s not forget the International Space Station, one of the most impressive examples of what systems engineering can accomplish.

Though systems engineer is a very young profession, there is no disputing that it is one of the most important ones in today’s world. So let’s celebrate them and all their hard work, shall we?

The History of Systems Engineer Day

The term systems engineering first appeared in Bell Telephone Laboratories in the 1940s. Today, 75 years later, systems engineering has been divided into many fields and sub-fields including cognitive systems engineering, industrial engineering, mechatronic engineering, reliability engineering, security engineering and software engineering, to name but a few.

Systems Engineer Day was created just recently by the folks at systemsengineerday.com as a way of saying thank you to the men and women who sit in front of computers for hours every day to make our lives better and easier.

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November 25 Birthdays


Christina Applegate - 45



John F. Kennedy Jr. - (1960-1999)



Joe DiMaggio - (1914-1999)



Amy Grant - 56



Andrew Carnegie - (1835-1919)



Jenna Bush - 35



Karl Benz - (1844-1929)



Donovan McNabb - 40








November 25th

2000: A burglar broke into Alice Cooper’s home in Paradise Valley, CA and stole $6,000 worth of clothes and electronics belonging to his daughter along with four of Alice’s Gold records.

1989: Alice Cooper peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Poison” which was Alice Cooper’s final top ten single in the U.S.

1988: Ringo Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach, checked out of a rehabilitation clinic in Tucson, AZ after finishing their treatment for alcoholism.

1984: Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Sting and U2 were among some of the artists who participated in the recording of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” for Band Aid at S.A.R.M. studios in London, a project spearheaded by Bob Geldof after viewing a documentary on the famine in Ethiopia.

1976: The Band filmed The Last Waltz which was their final concert with their original lineup. The Last Waltz featured guest appearances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters and Neil Young.

1972: London’s Rainbow Theater cancelled the premiere of Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii at the last minute.

1971: Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore announced that The Doors would carry on after Jim Morrison’s death earlier in the year. They would later split up in October of 1973.

1969: John Lennon returned his MBE to Buckingham Palace as a protest of the U.K.’s involvement in foreign military conflicts in the Nigeria Biafra war, the Vietnam War and his single “Cold Turkey” slipping down the charts.

1967: The Who peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “I Can See for Miles” which was their first and only top ten single in the U.S.

Saturday 26 Nov 2016



Small Business Saturday (US)



Small businesses often are overlooked by customers who are enticed by larger companies, and this can adversely affect the local economy in more negative ways than might appear on the surface level.

The rise of shopping malls and large chain stores such as Walmart and other retailers has caused irreversible damage to Main Street in the last half-century or so, and it’s paramount to remember the importance of supporting local small businesses. After all, why should we not celebrate the spirit of enterprise and entrepreneurship, as exemplified by small business owners who take the risk of following their dreams?

After all, it’s a common thing for politicians to talk about supporting Main Street over big business, and how small business owners often face greater hardships than larger companies.

Since Small Business Saturday is held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day, it falls right during the peak shopping periods of the year.

History of Small Business Saturday

The 1960s saw the rise of the American shopping mall, and the decades since have seen large chain retailers further cementing their position in terms of taking over the retail sphere and displacing smaller, family-run businesses.

This model has spread further throughout the world, and chain retailers have been usurping small businesses’ market share worldwide in the last few decades.

That being said, the difference is most stark in countries like the US, where small businesses have often been obliterated within a year or two of some large chain retailer coming to town and opening up shop – in India and much of Southeast Asia, shopping malls coexist with small shops largely because they serve different markets – as has been noted in the past, the corner shop is not going anywhere anytime soon in India because customers can purchase items on credit, and that’s just something that you’ll never be able to do in a Walmart or BigBazaar.

In the United States, the context is different, though. Different economic realities combined with different cultural ideas about how small businesses operate has ultimately been more harmful to those businesses in developed countries than in developing economies. And with all of the odds stacked against them, small businesses in the US need a day in their honor.

Small Business Saturday is a relatively recent phenomenon – the first one was in Roslindale Village, Massachusetts in 2010 as a counterpart to Black Friday (which features big box retailers, and its anti-consumerist counterpart, Buy Nothing Day targets big business).

Small Business Saturday was originally sponsored by American Express and the non-profit National Trust for Historic Preservation. From the very start, the day has been promoted through advertising on both social media and more traditional means such as television and radio advertisement.

Since 2013, Small Business Saturday has also existed in the UK following the success of its American counterpart.



And



Cake Day



“Qu’ils mangent de la brioche!” or, “Let them eat cake!” Perhaps the most famous quote about cake ever, these were the words of a great French princess, often likely Marie Antoinette herself, upon being informed that the peasants were so poor that they had no bread to eat during one of the famines that occurred in France during the reign of her husband, Louis XVI. Needless to say, the ignorance and arrogance of that disdainful statement did not win either Marie Antoinette or her husband any respect or sympathy from their people, who then proceeded to behead both of them during the French Revolution.

However, none of this changes the fact that cake is arguably one of the most delicious things humans have ever made to eat, and its numerous varieties continue to astound every cake fan. For that reason, it is obvious that cake is more than deserving of its own little holiday.

The History of Cake Day

The history of cake dates back to ancient times, and the first cakes are thought to have been made in Ancient Greece and Egypt.

These first cakes were rather heavy and flat and were eaten at the end of a meal with nuts and honey.

Nowadays, this type of cake has evolved into baklava, a traditional Greek dessert and a must-try for any fan of sweet stickiness. In later years the ancient Romans also created their own version of this sweet treat, which was rather creamy and rich.

However, like in many cultures around the world, this cake was often reserved for the gods and was offered to them at their temples as a sign of respect, love, and reverence.

The Oxford English Dictionary traces the English word cake back to the 13th century. During the Great Depression, it was necessary to provide easy, relatively cheap food to millions of Americans who were living in poverty, and the boxed cake mix was born.

The idea turned out to be pure gold, as millions of housewives all over the United States took advantage of this way to make their lives easier.

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November 26 Birthdays


Tina Turner - 77



Charles Schulz - (1922-2000)








November 26th

1994: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with their live album No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded which went on to go Platinum in the U.S.

1989: The Rolling Stones donated the proceeds from their concert at Death Valley Stadium in Clemson, SC to victims of Hurricane Hugo which struck nearby.

1988: U2 peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Desire” which was their third top ten single in the U.S.

1983: Asia peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” which would be their last top 40 single.

1979: Fleetwood Mac kicked off their tour in support of Tusk at the Mini Dome at Idaho State University in Pocatello.

1976: The Sex Pistols released their debut single “Anarchy in the U.K.” which would peak at number 38 on the U.K. singles chart.

1973: The New York Dolls performed their first concert at Biba’s Rainbow Room in London.

1968: Cream performed the final concert of their farewell tour at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the same venue where they reunited for four concerts in May 2005.

1967: The Beatles’ music video for “Hello Goodbye” premiered on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was banned in the U.K. at the time due to a musician’s union ban on miming.



Birthdays:

John McVie - Bassist for Fleetwood Mac born in 1945

.

Great Thread, IceWizard

Sunday 27 Nov 2016



Pins And Needles Day



Pins and Needles Day might not have its origins in what you think! Though when we say ‘pins and needles’ today, you’ll think of that tingly feeling you get when your leg goes to sleep, the original Pins and Needles Day started up in 1937 to commemorate the opening of the pro-Labor musical play of the same name on Broadway.

The production would eventually have a massive 1108 performance run, but its namesake day has grown to mean something else entirely.

History of Pins and Needles Day

The Broadway Play was produced by the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union, and told the story of a group of workers holding down a job during the American Labor movement.

It first graced the stage from 1937 to 1940, but did appear again in 1978 and appeared on London stages as recently as 2010.

The cast of the original production was made up of sewing machine workers, cutters and basters who simply wanted to do something a little creative in their free time – the play would end up to be so successful that the cast members, who up until then were only able to rehearse at weekends – were able to quit their day jobs and take part in a full 8-weekly show performance schedule.

Pins and Needles was written by Harold Rome, a true Renaissance man who played piano in local dance bands while writing music, studying architecture, and pursuing a law degree at the prestigious Yale University.

He brought all of those skills together when he produced Pins and Needles, and created a legend that would live on through the ages while pursuing a form of social justice little heard of its time.



And



International Aura Awareness Day



For centuries it has been known that each person gives off an aura of his or her own.

This aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person that changes in colour, size and shape relation to our mood. Auras can be compared the halos above the head of saints in various religions. It is thought that the greater the aura, the greater, stronger or more powerful the human being; however, everyone is though to have one, regardless of age or gender.

A certain aura can also be the first indication that we are suffering from certain illnesses.

Although some people find it easier to see auras than others, with special training and discipline, most people are eventually able to tune into their own aura and the auras of other people.

Many people speak of happy pregnant women or people who have just fallen deeply in love”glowing”, or an especially talented and passionate stage performer being simply “radiant”–all of these situations are when we are able to somewhat see the aura the person we speak of is emitting, though we perhaps do not know the right way to explain what we see.

The History of International Aura Awareness Day

The concept of the aura has been present in Indian religions for ages.

Similarly, the Buddhist flag’s colors are those of Buddha’s enlightenment. In fact, both Hindu and Buddhist scholars link the colors that symbolize our auras to Kundalini energy and chakras.

In the Christian and Islamic faiths, we often encounter halos around the heads of the holy, or the concept of a “body of light”.

British occultist W.E. Butler connected auras with clairvoyance, and he too believed that auras serve as a visual measure of the state of the health of the physical body.

International Aura Day was established in 2002 to help create awareness for the important role that auras play in health and well-being.

On this day, a number of special seminars are held around the world to help people to tune into their auras, contemplate and understand them. In addition to seeing auras, these auras can also be felt using special techniques, which are revealed during the seminars and workshops that are held on International Aura Awareness Day.

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November 27 Birthdays


Bruce Lee - (1940-1973)



Bill Nye - 61



Jimi Hendrix - (1942-1970)



Caroline Kennedy - 59



Robin Givens - 52



William Fichtner - 60






November 27th

2005: Defense contractor David H. Brooks spent $10 million on his daughter Elizabeth’s bat mitzvah which featured performances by Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the Eagles’ Don Henley and Joe Walsh, Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks. Two years later Brooks was arrested for embezzling millions from his company DHB Industries.

1981: The British Phonographic Industry placed advertisements commenting that home taping was wiping out music. Elton John, Cliff Richard, and 10CC backed this campaign.

1981: The Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers Band canceled a scheduled concert at the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando due to only 10,000 tickets being sold for a stadium that held 60,000.

1970: George Harrison released his third solo album All Things Must Pass the first solo album he recorded after The Beatles broke up. This album would later go on to be regarded as one of the best albums made by a Beatle as a solo artist.

1970: Black Sabbath performed at The Sunshine In in Asbury Park, NJ. Opening for Black Sabbath was Steel Mill, which featured Bruce Springsteen.

1969: The Rolling Stones performed the first of four sold out concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City and they were supported by The Ike and Tina Turner Revue. Janis Joplin joined them onstage for a duet with Tina Turner.

1968: Steppenwolf received their first gold record for their debut album which featured “Born to Be Wild”.

1967: The Beatles released Magical Mystery Tour in the U.S. which went on to reach number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart the following January and sell six million copies in the U.S. alone.

1964: Mick Jagger was fined $18 for reckless driving in Totenhall, U.K.



Birthdays:

Jimi Hendrix born in 1942

Monday 28 Nov 2016



French Toast Day



There’s a blend that just makes our morning fantastic, and it’s a blending of eggs, milk, and cinnamon with bread dipped in.

There’s something about the savory sweet smell of it, and the anticipation of having it painted with butter and drizzled with syrup, with a side of breakfast sausage and a tall glass of orange juice that’ll get us out of bed on even the worst of days.

French Toast Day is honors this amazing breakfast delight, and encourages you to enjoy it for breakfast with a few friends.

History of French Toast Day

The breakfast favorite French toast goes by many names depending on where it’s being served up – eggy bread, German toast, poor knights’ pudding, Bombay toast – but it’s always made of the same key ingredients. Egg, milk – or cream – and bread.

This delicious sweet snack is often served with sugar or syrup and fruit, and consists of bread slices fried in a mixture of milk and egg.

In France, its name is ‘pain perdu’, which literally means ‘lost bread’, because it would often be made with stale or old bread.

Although we tend to call it French Bread, the dish isn’t known to have come from France.

Some ancient Latin recipes from the 4th century mention soaking bread in milk before frying, and in fourteenth Century Germany the term ‘poor knights’ pudding’ was coined for the sweet treat because it was seen as an affordable meal for those without too much money to spend.

Today, it’s eaten across the world as a breakfast meal or a sweet snack. In Italy, there’s a savory version, called ‘mozzarella en carrozza’, which sees the egg-soaked bread sandwiching slices of mozzarella cheese before it is fried.

Its name literally means ‘mozzarella in a carriage’. So you can have eggy bread for your main meal, and your pudding!



November 28 Birthdays




Anna Nicole Smith - (1967-2007)



Jon Stewart - 54



Ed Harris - 66








November 28th

2005: Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell sued ex-wife and former manager Susan Silver claiming she diverted money owed to Cornell to other Soundgarden band members and that Silver was also holding Cornell’s library of music, lyrics and Grammys hostage.

2005: During Pearl Jam’s concert at the Gigantinho Gymnasium in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Ramones drummer Marky Ramone joined them onstage for a rendition of The Ramones’ “I Believe in Miracles”.

1993: Former Steppenwolf drummer Jerry Edmonton was killed in a car accident in Santa Barbara, CA. He was 47 years old.

1991: During Nirvana’s appearance on Top of the Pops in the U.K., Kurt Cobain sang in a low- pitched voice in protest of lip-synching “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

1990: Charges of assault against Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose were dropped after Los Angeles prosecutors couldn’t find enough evidence after he allegedly hit his neighbor over the head with an empty wine bottle.

1979: Iron Maiden signed with EMI Records. Earlier in the month they recorded two songs for the compilation Metal For Muthas released by the same label.

1979: Ringo Starr’s home in Los Angeles, which he rented from Harry Nilsson caught fire. Nobody was injured, but many of Starr’s Beatles momentos were lost in the fire.

1974: John Lennon made his final concert appearance at Madison Square Garden in New York City to perform three songs with Elton John, making good on his promise after “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” hit number one on the singles chart.

1964: The Kinks peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “You Really Got Me” which was their first top ten single in the U.S.



Birthdays:

Randy Newman born in 1943

Matt Cameron - Drummer for Soundgarden and Pearl Jam born in 1962

Tuesday 29 Nov 2016



Square Dancing Day



Square Dancing Day exists to celebrate the square dance form of folk dancing, and is a great excuse to get out and “Dosey Do”.

This fun, healthy and simple form of dance with a long history definitely deserves a holiday all of its own, and it has one!

The History of Square Dancing Day

Square Dancing has its roots in traditional English, Irish and Scottish folk dance. Square dances were first documented in 17th-century England .

They came to North America right along with the European settlers, where they were modified and improved over the years.

The Western American square dance is perhaps the most famous type of square dance worldwide; in fact, the suware dance is the official dance of 19 American states.

Square dancing is mainly associated with a romanticized image of the Old West, and cowboys wooing Southern belles during dances organized at saloons to celebrate various occasions.

The dance is accompanied by jolly, lively music on guitars, fiddles, accordions and bagpipes.

The dances normally form patterns of lines, circles and, as the name suggests, squares, with couples – male/female, female/female or male/male – taking a turn in every role.

In most American forms of square dance, the dancers are prompted through the square dance choreography to the beat of the music. Sometimes, this so-called “caller” is one of the dancers, but more commonly the “caller” is found on the stage with the band. Interest in square dancing, which had waned during the World Wars, experienced a revival in New York City in the 1950s, during the American folk music revival.



And



Electronic Greetings Day



You remember all of those sometimes cute, sometimes funny, and sometimes downright obnoxious electronic greeting cards that used to appear in your email inbox?

Well, if you hadn’t guessed it, there’s actually a day devoted to electronic greetings.

Fittingly, that day is known as Electronic Greetings Day. Origin of Electronic Greetings Day With technology growing to be an ever more important component of our day to day lives over the last few decades and the fact that it’s continuing to do so (no arguing – in all likelihood you’re reading this article on a computer, a smartphone, or a tablet), the advent of electronic greetings became inevitable.

You might remember all of those e-cards back in the late 1990s when everyone in the US was just starting to have a personal computer at home – those may seem so dated now, with their low-resolution graphics and all, but in their day it was quite an exciting thing to get an animated greeting card in your email.

These days, things like Facebook stickers and other electronic greetings dominate the field, but the concept remains more or less unchanged.

Electronic greetings are here to stay, and why not celebrate them with their own day?

Since any mention of exactly when Electronic Greetings Day first occurred seems to be unavailable, we’re going to venture a guess and posit that the occasion was created by those websites which sell e-cards – most likely sometime between the late 1990s and mid-2000s.

Good Morning Ice!  I'm jumping back to yesterday!!  LOL  Just checked the frig and have all I need for some yummy French toast!  And after a sleepless night - sounds like just the remedy!! 
Thanks!
Slick 

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November 29 Birthdays




Howie Mandel - 61



Emma Morano - 117



CS Lewis - (1898-1963)



Louisa May Alcott - (1832-1888)






November 29th

2001: George Harrison died of brain cancer in a Hollywood Hills mansion that was once leased by Paul McCartney. He was 58 years old.

1995: Sammy Hagar married model Kari Karte at Mt. Tamalpais right outside of San Francisco. It was Hagar’s second marriage and they remain married to this day.

1992: U2’s first TV special U2 Zoo TV aired on FOX, directed by famed music video director Kevin Godley.

1986: Bon Jovi reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for the first time as “You Give Love a Bad Name” began a one week run on top of the chart.

1982: Metallica performed their first headlining concert in San Francisco where they would relocate to the following February. The opening act was Exodus, which featured guitarist Kirk Hammett who joined Metallica the following April after firing Dave Mustaine, who later went on to form Megadeth.

1977: Kansas received their second platinum album for Point of Know Return which contained “Dust in the Wind” and went on to sell four million copies in the U.S.

1975: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen began a nine week run at number one on the U.K. Singles Chart. At the time of its release it received mixed reviews, but it later went on to become one of the most revered singles in popular music history.

1969: The Beatles reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Come Together” which spent one week on top. It would later be covered by the likes of Aerosmith, Elton John, Michael Jackson, and Soundgarden.

1965: Colorado Governor John A. Love declared this day as Rolling Stones Day to celebrate the band’s sold out concert at the Denver Coliseum.



Birthdays:

John Mayall born in 1933

Ronnie Montrose - Guitarist for Montrose born in 1947

Barry Goudreau - Guitarist for Boston born in 1951