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[IceWizard]

17 Jan 2017

Kid Inventors’ Day

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.
— Pablo Picasso

Just because children possess less knowledge of how the world works, that doesn’t mean they can’t have ideas for practical and useful inventions. In fact, many people believe that children are capable of being particularly creative for the simple reason that they don’t yet know how difficult many things are, and are therefore able to imagine much more than adults. In fact, there are plenty of things we enjoy on an everyday basis that were invented by children or teenagers. And if their creativity doesn’t deserve recognition, what does? Kid Inventors’ Day is the day we celebrate all the kids who dared to defy the world and come up with better solutions than all of the adults before them.

The History of Kid Inventors’ Day
Kid Inventors’ day was created several years ago by people who wanted to celebrate the achievements of the youngest inventors as well as encourage more children to be creative. The date chosen to celebrate this day, January 17th, was no accident—it is the anniversary of renowned polymath, politician and child inventor Benjamin Franklin’s birthday. Due to his countless other achievements, many people don’t know that when Franklin was just 12 years old, he invented the world’s first swim flippers, making him a great role model for every child who dreams of making something nobody has ever seen before. Over the centuries, other children have invented many other things we continue to use today, such as popsicles (a very tasty accident!), the trampoline and ear muffs. Perhaps one of the most impressive things invented by a child is the language of the blind now used the world over, Braille. Louis Braille, its inventor, lost his vision in a tragic accident at age 3 and spent his early teen years developing his new language while studying at The National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. Almost 200 years later, American teen Ryan Patterson also improved the lives of the disabled when he invented a glove with special sensors that translates the hand motions of American Sign Language into written words on a digital display.




And



Cable Car Day



In early 1871 British-born, US resident Andrew Smith Hallidie received the first patent in relation to the cable car, an occasion which is marked by Cable Car Day.

Hallidie’s design for cable-propelled transit emerged when he witnessed horses falling, and even dying, while attempting to pull cars up San Fransisco’s steep Jackson Street. Fortunately for San Fransiscan equines, Hallidie had the talent to turn his sympathy into action, having previously invented a type of aerial tramway and designed improvements to mining ropes which resulted in their economic life extending by more than 873%…

Two years after receiving his cable car patent, Hallidie set up the world’s first cable car rail road on Clay Street. None of the original line survives but grip car 8 is preserved in Mason Street’s Cable Car Museum (which, obviously, sits on two of San Fransisco’s three cable car routes).

Those who find themselves outside San Francisco on Cable Car Day can still get in on the fun. Other cities operating cable car railways include Venice, Tampa, Las Vegas and Milan but, if you’re nowhere near a rail road, you can still honor the origins of the cable car by patting a horse on the head!

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January 17 Birthdays


Michelle Obama - 53



Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) - (1942 - 2016)



Betty White - 95



Jim Carrey - 55



Steve Harvey - 60



Benjamin Franklin - (1706 - 1790)



Lil Jon - 46

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Kid Rock - 46



James Earl Jones - 86



Maury Povich - 78



Eartha Kitt - (1927 - 2008)



Mick Taylor - 67




January 17th


2003: A lost song recorded by Mick Jagger & John Lennon recorded in 1974 sold for over $2,200 at a London auction. The song, a cover of Willie Dixon’s “Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)” was recorded in Los Angeles in 1973.

1989: “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer was certified Gold by the RIAA, making it Palmer’s only Gold certified single.

1981: The Police peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” which was their second top ten single in the U.S.

1981: Cheap Trick made their first and only appearance on Saturday Night Live where they performed “Baby Loves to Rock” & “Can’t Stop it But I’m Gonna Try”.

1976: Sweet peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Fox on the Run” which was their third top ten single in the U.S.

1975: Bob Dylan released Blood on the Tracks, an album which has gone on to be recognized as one of Dylan’s best albums.

1970: The Doors began a two night stand a New York City’s Felt Forum which was recorded for their live album Absolutely Live, later released that July.

1969: Led Zeppelin released their self-titled debut album in the U.S. which later reached number ten on the Billboard 200 Album Chart & sell eight million copies in the U.S.

1969: Elton John released his second single “Lady Samantha” which was his first single in the U.S.



Birthdays:

Mick Taylor - Guitarist for The Rolling Stones born in 1948