Today is...

[IceWizard]

01 Apr 2017


April Fools' Day



April Fools' Day (sometimes called All Fools' Day) is celebrated every year on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People playing April Fool jokes expose their prank by shouting April Fool. Some newspapers, magazines, and other published media report fake stories, which are usually explained the next day or below the news section in small letters. Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country.

Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (1392) contains the first recorded association between April 1 and foolishness.

Origins

An 1857 ticket to "Washing the Lions" at the Tower of London in London. (No such event ever took place.)
The custom of setting aside a day for the playing of harmless pranks upon one's neighbor is recognized everywhere.[1][dubious – discuss] Some precursors of April Fools' Day include the Roman festival of Hilaria.

Bertha R. McDonald, in Harper's Weekly explicated an origin of April Fools' Day, stating that some "authorities gravely back with it to the time of Noah and the ark, and the London Public Advertiser of March 13, 1769, prints the following paragraph concerning this theory: 'The mistake of Noah sending the dove out of the ark before the water had abated, on the first day of April, and to perpetuate the memory of this deliverance it was thought proper, whoever forgot so remarkable a circumstance, to punish them by sending them upon some sleeveless errand similar to that ineffectual message upon which the bird was sent by the patriarch'."[1]

In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392), the "Nun's Priest's Tale" is set Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two.[2] Modern scholars believe that there is a copying error in the extant manuscripts and that Chaucer actually wrote, Syn March was gon.[3] Thus the passage originally meant 32 days after March, i.e. 2 May,[4] the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia, which took place in 1381. Readers apparently misunderstood this line to mean "32 March", i.e. April 1.[citation needed][5] In Chaucer's tale, the vain cock Chauntecleer is tricked by a fox.

In 1508, French poet Eloy d'Amerval referred to a poisson d’avril (April fool, literally "Fish of April"), a possible reference to the holiday.[6] In 1539, Flemish poet Eduard de Dene wrote of a nobleman who sent his servants on foolish errands on April 1.[4] In 1686, John Aubrey referred to the holiday as "Fooles holy day", the first British reference.[4] On April 1, 1698, several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to "see the Lions washed".[4]

In the Middle Ages, New Year's Day was celebrated on March 25 in most European towns.[7] In some areas of France, New Year's was a week-long holiday ending on April 1.[8][9] Some writers suggest that April Fools' originated because those who celebrated on January 1 made fun of those who celebrated on other dates.[8] The use of January 1 as New Year's Day was common in France by the mid-16th century,[4] and this date was adopted officially in 1564 by the Edict of Roussillon.

In the Netherlands, the origin of April Fools' Day is often attributed to the Dutch victory at Brielle in 1572, where the Spanish Duke Álvarez de Toledo was defeated. "Op 1 april verloor Alva zijn bril." is a Dutch proverb, which can be translated to: "On the first of April, Alva lost his glasses." In this case, the glasses ("bril" in Dutch) serve as a metaphor for Brielle. This theory, however, provides no explanation for the international celebration of April Fools' Day.


And



Fun Day



Everyone needs a little unstructured fun in their day, and Fun Day is perfect for having time dedicated to exactly that. In today’s high speed world with its constant pressure to go farther, get more done, be more productive, and climb in our career, having a little fun often goes by the wayside. The stress of this lifestyle has been shown to have a constant and growing negative effect on the overall health of people. Fun Day is a reminder to break the stressful line of day to day living, and to go out and have some Fun!

Having Fun is a proven way to make sure you have the opportunity to have more fun later, more often. Stress has negative effects on your immune system, making it easier to get sick, and making you stay sick longer. By going out and having Fun, you can reduce your stress level, and help bolster your immune system. For you workaholics out there, this means by slowing down and having fun, you’ll also have more days to work in by making sure you have less sick days, and who couldn’t use that?

Knowing that first impressions can’t be redone, Fun Day also reminds us that stress has a dramatic effect on our appearance. Skin becomes more sallow, acne outbreaks more frequent, and it becomes harder and harder to get rid of those bags under your eyes if you’re stressed all the time. After all, high stress levels lead to not sleeping as deeply or as long, with insomnia being a major side-effect of having stress, and nothing makes someone look and feel better than a good night’s rest!

Fun also gives you a major boost to your mood, every time you smile or laugh you get a boost of endorphins. Endorphins are one of those chemicals the body releases that makes you feel confident and satisfied with life in general. While you can get a similar effect by eating chocolate, just getting out and having a good time will boost your emotional state without increasing your waistline with it!

Fun also helps create bonds between people in a social environment, nothing brings people and loved ones together like having a good time. There is little in our lives that isn’t improved by having fun with a group, whether as part of a BBQ, a night out at the movies, or just getting together and kicking around a ball. If you find your life lacking in Fun, make it a priority to go out and participate things you enjoy that aren’t all centered on work.

We all want to live longer, and who can blame us? Well, if you’re looking for a great way to extend your life and improve your health, guess what’s a proven way to do that? Get out and have some fun, and try to keep your mind in a positive attitude. Doing so can add an additional 8 years to your life, just by making sure you keep your mind off of stressful things and getting out to have a little Fun now and then!

A life without Fun is one hardly worth living, so use Fun Day to get out and have a fantastic time. Get together with friends, get yourself to the movies or out on the Golf Course. All of these will lead to a longer, happier life for you and those you bring with you. Fun Day may only come once a year, but don’t let it be the only day of the year you have fun on!

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April 1 Birthdays



Debbie Reynolds - (1932 - 2016) (84)




Susan Boyle - 56




Jon Gosselin - 40






April 1st

1961, The Beatles began a three-month residency at The Top Ten Club, Hamburg, playing 92 straight nights. The group played for seven hours a night on weekdays and eight hours at weekends with a fifteen-minute break every hour. It was during this visit that Astrid Kirchherr cut Stuart Sutcliffe's hair into the style destined to become known as the "Beatle haircut" which The Beatles later adopted themselves.

1965, The Who recorded an appearance for Top Of The Pops at the Manchester television studio. The band then played a gig supporting Donovan at The Town Hall, Wembley, with Rod Stewart & the Soul Agents appearing at the bottom of the bill.

1966, Pye Records released David Bowie's first solo single, 'Do Anything You Say'. Despite featuring Bowie’s backing band at the time, The Buzz, the single was to be the first simply credited to David Bowie, (which failed to chart). Bowie had previously recorded as David Jones and The Lower Third.

1966, The Troggs recorded 'Wild Thing' at Regent Sound Studio in London. The song went on to be a No.1 US and No.2 UK hit in June the following year. The track was recorded in one complete take (take two).

1966, John Lennon bought a copy of Timothy Leary's The Psychedelic Experience and The Tibetan Book Of The Dead, where he read near the beginning of the book's introduction; "When in doubt, relax, turn off your mind, float downstream," which captured Lennon's imagination and became the first line of 'Tomorrow Never Knows', (which he recorded 5 days later).

1969, The Beach Boys announced they were suing their record label Capitol for $2m in unpaid royalties.

1970, 50 musicians recorded the orchestral scores for The Beatles tracks 'The Long And Winding Road' and 'Across The Universe' for the Phil Spector produced sessions. The bill for the 50 musicians was £1,126 and 5 shillings, ($1.914).

1970, Earls Court in London received over one million postal ticket applications for The Rolling Stones forthcoming six concerts as part of the group's European tour.

1970, As an April Fool's joke, John Lennon and Yoko Ono issued a statement to the press that they were having dual sex change operations.

1972: The three day Mar y Sol Festival kicked off in Manati, Puerto Rico. Performers on the festival included Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Allman Brothers Band, Rod Stewart, Alice Cooper, The J. Geils Band & a then-unknown Billy Joel.

1975, The Bay City Rollers TV series Shang-A- Lang premiered on ITV in the UK. It featured the band in comedy sketches and performing their songs to a live studio audience made up of their teenage fans. This resulted in chaotic scenes at times as some members of the audience attempted to run onto the studio floor to meet their heroes. It ran for one 20-week series in 75.

1976, Making their live debut in the UK, AC/DC played at The Red Cow in Hammersmith, London.

1976, The Buzzcocks played their debut live gig when the appeared at Bolton Institute Of Technology. The power was turned off after three numbers.

1978: The Philadelphia Fury, the soccer team co-owned by Mick Jagger, Peter Frampton, Paul Simon & Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman played their first game against the Washington Diplomats at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Fury lost 3-0.

1984, Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his father at his parent's home in Los Angeles, California. The argument started after his parents squabbled over misplaced business documents, Gaye attempted to intervene, and was killed by his father using a gun he had given him four months before. Marvin Sr. was sentenced to six years of probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Charges of first-degree murder were dropped after doctors discovered Marvin Sr. had a brain tumour.

1985, David Lee Roth quit Van Halen shortly after releasing his version of The Beach Boys 'California Girls', (which featured Carl Wilson on background vocals). He was replaced by Sammy Hagar later in the year.

1989, Madonna scored her third UK No.1 album with 'Like A Prayer.' Also a US No.1 the album spent 70 weeks on the UK chart.

1989, The Bangles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Eternal Flame', also a No.1 in the UK and the biggest selling single of 1989 in Australia.

1992: Billy Idol received a $2,000 fine after pleading no contest to hitting a woman in the face after leaving a restaurant in California the previous October. Idol was also ordered to make public service announcements against drug & alcohol abuse.

2001, It was reported that Spice Girl Mel B had been advised to sell her £3.5m Buckinghamshire mansion because she couldn't afford to run it. The singer told friends she had to take out a £500.000 bank loan.

2003: Pearl Jam kicked off their first North American tour in three years in Denver. During the concert, singer Eddie Vedder impaled a mask of George W. Bush on a microphone stand during the song “Bu$hleaguer” which caused some fans to walk out.

2004, Paul Atkinson guitarist with The Zombies died aged 58 due to liver and kidney disease. They scored the 1964 US No.2 & UK No.12 single 'She's Not There'. He later became an artists and repertoire executive, working for Columbia and RCA discovering and signing such bands as ABBA, Bruce Hornsby, Mr. Mister, Judas Priest, and Michael Penn.

2005, During the first leg of their Vertigo World tour, U2 appeared at the Arrowhead Sports Arena in Anaheim, Southern California, with Kings Of Leon as the opening act. By the end of the 131 date tour, 4,619,021 tickets had been sold with a total gross of $389 million.

2007, Alanis Morissette released a tongue-in-cheek cover of The Black Eyed Peas's 'My Humps', which she recorded in a slow, mournful voice, accompanied only by a piano. The accompanying YouTube video, in which she danced provocatively with a group of men received over 15m views.

2008: This was the first Cheap Trick Day in the State of Illinois. It was declared in June the previous year that April 1st of every year would be Cheap Trick Day

2013, A signed copy of The Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band sold at Dallas-based Heritage Auctions for $290,500 (£191,000). The selling price far exceeded the $30,000 (£19,700) originally estimated for the rare LP record. The UK Parlophone copy of the album included a high gloss cover and vinyl gatefold sleeve.

2015, Cynthia Lennon, first wife of The Beatles' John Lennon died at her home in Spain following a short battle with cancer. At the height of The Beatles' early success she was, at the insistence of the band's management, kept in the background so their legions of female fans were not aware of her existence. The couple divorced in 1968 after Cynthia discovered her husband's affair with Yoko Ono.

[IceWizard]

02 Apr 2017


World Autism Day



World Autism Awareness Day was established on December 18, 2007 by the United Nations. The General Assembly put together resolution 62/139, which consisted of four major elements. The participation of all UN organization and its member states, a dedication to raising awareness of Autism in the general community, and a standing request to the UN Secretary-General to move forth this message to all it the UN member states.

Autism affects approximately 1 out of every 150 children around the world. It is a neural development disorder that affects their ability to socialize normally by impacting their abilities to utilize verbal and non-verbal communication. Since 2012, there has been a 30% increase in the amount of children being affected with autism, and World Autism Awareness Day helps to bring awareness to this growing health concern.

Autism first appears very early on, sometimes manifesting as early as infancy, in other times waiting until later in childhood. The disease progresses steadily without remission, its first symptoms generally appearing around six-months, and being firmly in place by age two or three. Rather than having one distinguishing characteristic, Autism is indicated by the coming together of three separate symptoms. The triad includes difficulty socializing, problems in communication, and a limited number of interests combined with repetitive behavior such as can-stacking.

Autism is no longer classified as a single disorder, but rather an entire spectrum ranging in severity. Autism is the core of all of these syndromes, with its features being prevalent to varying degrees throughout, and includes such disorders such as Rett Syndrome and Childhood disintegrative disorder. One of the most commonly known disorders on the list, outside of Autism itself, is Asperger’s. Asperger Syndrome is signified by the presence of Autism symptoms with no impairment of language development.

Asperger Syndrome often leads to problems with social interaction with their peers. Common body language queues that are picked up on by those not on the Autistic Spectrum are often lost on those who suffer from AS. It is not uncommon among the Asperger community to hear them speak of their frustrations with non-Asperger people, as huge chunks of the conversation just seem utterly lost on them. Things such as tone, context, and sarcasm have to be considered very carefully, as they are not often native to those with AS, and their frustration with communication often stems from this and other social queues.

However, much like anyone on the Autistic spectrum, they will present with areas of intelligence that are much stronger than that of others. These areas tend to be in the reading, language, music, or spatial skills, occasionally manifesting to such a degree that they may fall into the “gifted” range in those areas. This seems to be counterbalanced by significant delays in other areas of development.

On WAAD, you can help raise awareness by hosting an event with local families with Autistic family members, bringing them all together to be among others sharing their difficulties, challenges, and joys. You could contact local businesses and encourage them to light up their building blue to signal their support for those suffering from Autism, or you could even light up your own home. Spend WAAD reading about Autism and discussing it with others, and perhaps trying to gain a little understanding about this special group of people and the syndrome they live with.



And




International Children's Book Day



See Dick. See Dick Run. Run Dick Run. See Jane. See Jane Run After Jack. Run Jane Run. These words comprise some of the first words we ever learned to read on our own, and are recognizable to many people of many different cultures. Along with these tales are stories of the hungry caterpillar and the stories of the strange and wonderful creatures of the world of Serendipity. Children’s Book Day celebrates these and the thousands of other books that parents have read and shared with their children to encourage literacy, and stimulate the growth of their imagination.

History of Children’s Book Day

We all have our favorite books from childhood, ones that set the tone for our imaginations and that bring back memories of home when we remember them, and some small comfort when we run our fingers over the well-worn and loved spines of the stories of our youth. The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) founded Children’s Book Day in 1967. As an international non-profit organization promoting the importance of literacy and reading to our children, IBBY works tirelessly to promote Children’s Book and Authors, and organize events in schools and libraries all over the world to get children reading.

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April 2 Birthdays



Marvin Gaye - (1939 - 1984) (44)




Christopher Meloni - 56




Clark Gregg - 55




Adam Rodriguez - 42




Hans Christian Andersen - (1805 - 1875) (70)




Leon Russell - (1942 - 2016) (74)




Alec Guinness - (1914 - 2000) (86)




Emmylou Harris - 70




Linda Hunt - 72




Charlemagne - (742 - 814) (71)




Rodney King - (1965 - 2012) (47)





April 2nd

1997: Joni Mitchell publicly announced that she found her daughter, Kilauren Gibb. Mitchell had given her up for adoption in 1965.

1990: Nirvana entered Smart Studios in Madison, WI where they recorded a demo produced by Butch Vig which they shopped around to major labels. The demo included “Lithium”, “In Bloom” & “Polly” which later appeared on their first major label album Nevermind released the following year.

1990: Eric Clapton was fined over $400 by Walton-on-Thames Magistrates court, after being booked for speeding at 105 mph. Clapton was banned from driving for three months.

1987: U2 kicked off their tour in support of The Joshua Tree in Tempe, AZ at the Arizona State University Activity Center.

1977: Rumours by Fleetwood Mac began the first of 31 non-consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard 200 Album Chart. As of 2003, Rumours had been certified Platinum 19 times & it’s the ninth biggest selling album of all time in the U.S.

1977: Kansas reached the top five of the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first time as Leftoverture peaked at number five where it stayed for four weeks.

1977: Wings peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with a live rendition of Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” which was their eleventh top ten single in the U.S.

1967: Steve Winwood left The Spencer Davis Group to form his own band, which would later become Traffic.

1964: The Beach Boys recorded the instrumental track for “I Get Around” at United Western Recorders in Hollywood. The song went to number one that same July.



Birthdays:

Leon Russell born in 1942

Kurt Winter - Guitarist for The Guess Who born in 1942

Leon Wilkeson - Bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd born in 1952

David Robinson - Drummer for The Cars born in 1953

[IceWizard]

03 Apr 2017


World Party Day



World Party Day is based on the idea that peace is not the opposite of war, merely its absence. The real opposite of war is party, and World Party Day aims to synchronise a massive, world-wide party to celebrate everything that’s good and optimistic.

Vanna Bonta almost certainly had no idea when she wrote Flight: A Quantum Fiction Novel that the idea in the book of a global human celebration would really take off. It has though, and people celebrate in all sorts of ways.

“Pass the food and turn up the music” is a common slogan on World Party Day, but it doesn’t really matter how you celebrate, or even whether you celebrate alone or in company. The premise is that everyone in the world is joined in party, so you can really do anything you like as long as it involves celebrating the joy of existence.



And




Find A Rainbow Day



Perhaps one of the more interesting and yet lesser-known holidays is an event that is known as Find a Rainbow Day. As you may have already guessed, this celebration occurs during the month of April each year (after all, the early spring is known for its fair share of these beautifully stunning phenomena).

Of course, finding a rainbow is not as easy as it sounds and if you are lucky enough to find yourself outside just after a rainstorm in early April, you may just be able to catch a quick glimpse and even take a snapshot of one of these wonderful natural events.

While the exact origins of this day remain rather obscure, there are many who enjoy cooking colourful foods on this day; treats such as jello and cookies being some of the most common items. So, it appears that there are indeed times when a bit of rain is not necessarily a bad thing!

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April 3 Birthdays



Eddie Murphy - 56




Alec Baldwin - 59




Jane Goodall - 83




Marlon Brando - (1924 - 2004) (80)




Doris Day - 95




Washington Irving - (1783 - 1859) (76)




Sebastian Bach - 49





April 3rd

2007: Keith Richards admitted in an interview with a British music magazine that he snorted his father’s ashes mixed with cocaine. Richards’ manager later claimed that the comment was a joke.

2000: The Black Crowes were sued by Ohio fan Joshua Harmon for $385,000 claiming that Harmon suffered hearing damage after sitting in the second row at a Black Crowes concert the previous April in Knoxville, TN.

1993: Coverdale/Page, a one-off album featuring Whitesnake/Deep Purple singer David Coverdale & Jimmy Page debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. The album went on to sell a million copies in the U.S.

1976: Aerosmith’s self-titled debut album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart, two and a half years after its initial release when it peaked at number 166.

1976: David Bowie peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Golden Years” which was Bowie’s second top ten single in the U.S.

1975: Steve Miller was arrested and charged with setting fire to the clothes of his friend Benita DiOrio & resisting arrest. When police arrived at Miller’s house, DiOrio was putting out the fire. Charges were dropped the next day.

1973: Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded “Free Bird” at Studio One in Doraville, GA during sessions for their debut album.

1969: The FBI arrested Doors frontman Jim Morrison on charges of obscenity and flight to avoid prosecution after the Miami concert the previous month. Since Morrison had crossed the Florida state line, he was an inadvertent fugitive.

1956: Elvis Presley made his debut on the Milton Berle Show from the deck of the USS Hancock aircraft carrier. Presley performed Blue Suede Shoes with Berle playing Presley’s twin brother Melvin.



Birthdays:

Richard Manuel-pianist for The Band born in 1943

Richard Thompson-guitarist for Fairport Convention born in 1949

Mick Mars-guitarist for Motley Crue born in 1951

Sebastian Bach-singer for Skid Row born in 1968

[IceWizard]

04 Apr 2017



D.A.R.E. Day



D.A.R.E. Day is the day when local law enforcement officers will traditionally visit schools all over the United States spreading the word about drugs, how to avoid them, why they’re bad for you, and the penalties if you choose to become involved with them. Most Americans will remember the special and particularly snazzy car that would arrive at the school, often times with a K-9 unit in tow, and a variety of items to do a show and tell with.

This is a great day to sit down and talk with your kids about drug use, and what the inherent dangers are in using them. You can talk to them about how to deal with peer pressure, areas to avoid, how to say no, and how to identify drugs if they come across them. All of these can be very useful in the high pressure filled environment of the public school system combined with youth.

D.A.R.E. means ‘Drug Abuse Resistance Education’, and that is the core of this day’s experience. The education that takes place includes how to identify students that are high risk, and how to identify the secret language of the drug underground. Some of the great ways to celebrate this day is to help organize a method of educating the parents and kids in the school how to identify where there might be a drug problem.

Taking the lessons of the education offered by law enforcement, you can help put some of them into action. It takes an entire community working together to keep the terrible scourge that is the narcotics underground from taking hold in your neighborhood. Once these are identified you can help facilitate the drug prevention programs in your community.

D.A.R.E. is a program that was established in 1984, to help facilitate the education of communities in drug abuse resistance education. The level of education that police officers require is a complete 80 hours of training in areas such as classroom management, child development, and techniques for educating, complete with communication skills. Those who are going to be educating High School Students require an additional 40 hours.

They are invited by school districts to work with the students there. They are brought into the classroom and are not required to have licenses to teach. The program has different approaches for different age groups. The purpose of this education system is to permit officers and sheriffs to interact with students in a controlled environment, where safety is a major factor. One of the unintended side effects of this program is that police officers are viewed more favorably by those who have gone through this.

D.A.R.E. day is a great day for a reconnection with your kids and community, helping to prevent the introduction of drugs into their lives. This program has moved beyond the initial intent of covering just narcotics and street drugs. Education has since been expanded to cover tobacco smoking, inhalants from things like whippets, and how to handle peer pressure in their social network.

In this year, if you’re part of the 24% of schools in the United States that doesn’t have a D.A.R.E. program implemented, you can use this day to try to help organize a visit from your law enforcement agents to help present the dangers of drugs to the community. There’s nothing more important than keeping your kids safe from the dangers in the world, and implementing a D.A.R.E. program in your community is one fantastic and time proven method of helping them.



And




World Rat Day



Get two things straight right away – rats aren’t dirty, and James Cagney never said it anyway! These are just two of the myths and misconceptions that World Rat Day hopes to dispel as it celebrates the joys of fancy rats.

Anyone who keeps rats as pets or companions is already in on the secret: these animals are friendly, loyal, intelligent, and very endearing. Unfortunately they’ve had a bit of bad press over the years, what with the Black Death, Bubonic Plague and a thousand Pacific islands which have had their native wildlife chewed down to ground level and beyond. But what’s a few environmental and social catastrophes between friends?

Once you get to know rats on a one-to-one basis, then all of their finer qualities will come to the fore. Why not drop in to your local World Rat Day event and discover just how adorably lovable they really are?

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April 4 Birthdays




David Blaine - 44




Hugo (agent Smith - Matrix) Weaving - 57




Anthony Perkins - (1932 - 1992) (60)





Pick Withers - 69




Gary Moore - (1952 – 2011) (59)




Muddy Waters - (1913 – 1983) (70)




Eric Andre - 33





April 4th

2009: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in Cleveland for the first time since 1997 at Public Hall. The inductees included Metallica, Jeff Beck & Run-DMC.

2008: Procol Harum singer Gary Brooker won back full royalty rights to their biggest hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale” at The Court of Appeal in London due to organist Matthew Fisher had taken 38 years to bring his claim of contributing the organ theme and being entitled to co-authorship to litigation. Fisher would appeal the case & regain the rights to future royalties the following year.

2007: A Swedish couple ran into trouble with authorities after trying to name their baby daughter Metallica due to tax officials deeming their daughter’s name inappropriate since under Swedish law, authorities have to approve both first names and last names.

2003: The Rolling Stones performed their first concert in India at the Palace Grounds in Bangalore.

1998: Van Halen debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Van Halen III, which was their last album until 2012’s A Different Kind of Truth.

1996: Grateful Dead singer & guitarist Bob Weir & Jerry Garcia’s widow Deborah scattered a portion of Garcia’s ashes into the Ganges River in India. Eleven days later, the other portion of Garcia’s ashes was strewn on waters near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

1987: U2 entered the Billboard 200 Album Chart at number seven with The Joshua Tree, which was the highest chart debut in the U.S. in seven years.

1981: Styx reached number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first and only time with their concept album Paradise Theater which began the first of three non-consecutive weeks on top.

1968: Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Joni Mitchell, Al Kooper and Ted Nugent met up for an all-night tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at the New Generation Club in New York City after receiving news of King’s assassination.



Birthdays:

Muddy Waters born in 1913

Dave Hill - Guitarist for Slade born in 1946

Berry Oakley - Bassist for The Allman Brothers Band born in 1948

Pick Withers - Drummer for Dire Straits born in 1948

Gary Moore - Guitarist for Thin Lizzy born in 1952

[reilli]

Thanks

[IceWizard]

05 Apr 2017


Star Trek First Contact Day

Vulcan: Live long and prosper.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane: Thanks.
~ Star Trek: First Contact

Do you consider yourself a real Trekkie? Did you spend your youth trying to Vulcan Nerve Pinch your problems away? Do you have a regulation Star Fleet uniform in your closet and speak Klingon as a second language? Then get your uniform on and prepare to celebrate First Contact! Star Trek First Contact Day is celebrated by fans everywhere, and even if you don’t know Zefram Cochrane from Zac Efron, you’re welcome to join in!

History of Star Trek First Contact Day

There is one day in the history of mankind in the Star Trek universe that stands out above all others, even though it’s only celebrated as a relatively minor holiday. On that day in 2063, the Zefram Cochrane first took a flight at speeds in excess of Warp 1, alerting the Vulcan race to their entrance into the interstellar community and initiating first contact. Some 300 years later it was commemorated as First Contact Day, and the celebration went on from there. Star Trek: First Contact Day commemorates that day in real life, and fans everywhere get together to celebrate the most pivotal moment in Star Trek human history!

First Contact is an important part of a species introduction into the galactic community and is handled very carefully by the extant species of Star Fleet. Generally speaking, they find it beneficial to privately approach the scientists and other intellectuals of the target species with the belief that they’ll be ready to accept the existence of off-world species. The approach is generally timed for when the species is about to enter the galactic community by engaging in their first faster-than-light travel. From that point, they receive an explanation about what the universe outside their solar system is like and are welcomed in.



And




Day of Hope



Every year millions of children around the world are victims of abuse and neglect, and millions more receive preventative assistance to help avoid continuing abuse. Child Help is an organization dedicated to helping provide help to children who are in situations where they are suffering from neglect and abuse. The Day Of Hope is a day to remember these hidden statistics, and to do your part to help those in your community and throughout the world. Abuse comes in many forms, from physical violence, to sexual abuse, to sheer neglect where necessary medical care and food are withheld.

Yvonne Fedderson helped to establish Childhelp as the co-founder and president, and continues to serve in this capacity to this day. She focuses on helping to establish new chapters, auxiliaries, and to help them with their fundraising in their neighborhoods and abroad. She is active in a number of non-profits dedicated to humanitarian aid. She has received awards numbering over 100 from groups such as the National Children’s Alliance’s Champions of Children Award, and the Living Legacy award. She has been nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize Award.

Sara O’Meara serves with her as the co-founder of the organization, CEO, and Chairman. Along with Yvonne she spends her time developing the organization as the main spokesperson, helping to develop funds and maintaining oversight for the entire organization. Like her partner Yvonne she has received well over 100 awards for the work she does for abused children around the world.

The organization Childhelp has a long history covering over 50 years around the world, using its efforts and programs to help millions of children around the world. It was first established as International Orphans, focusing on assisting the children of American Soldiers and Japanese women in the 60’s. The organization was renamed Children’s Village USA, eventually becoming Childhelp USA before its final transition to just ‘Childhelp’ which it continues to be known as to this day. Childhelp stands today as among the largest of child abuse prevention organizations.

The organization has created the hotline “Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline” which is staffed year round at all hours by professional crisis counselors. The hotline services children at risk by answering cals from them, parents and guardians, and those individuals who believe they may have observed abuse situations in their neighborhood. By networking with thousands of emergency services, social and support resources they are able to provide the appropriate contact information in an air of complete anonymity. All of this is accomplished without any form of government funding.

They combine this by offering treatment to those who have suffered through child abuse through multiple methods. One of their most common are treatment centers located in residential areas, the source of their name ‘Children’s Village’, they provide treatment programs for at-risk children who have been referred to them by the court system. They serve some of the most severely abused and neglected children at these centers by providing therapists, social workers, therapists, and medical professionals.

Celebrate this Day Of Hope by volunteering at your local chapters, finding ways that you can work to help raise awareness of child abuse and how to approach those situations where you suspect it may be occurring. You can also light a five-wicked candle in a prominent place, serving as a symbol of hope to those who are dealing with the trauma of child abuse. Child Abuse is a worldwide problem, and only the efforts of an international village can serve to help protect these most innocent victims.

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April 5 Birthdays




Bette Davis - (1908 - 1989) (81)




Booker T. Washington  - (1856 - 1915) (59)




Gregory Peck - (1916 - 2003) (87)




Krista Allen - 46




Greg Mathis - 57




Allan Clarke - 75




Mike McCready - 51



Colin Powell - 80




Mary Costa - 87




Spencer Tracy - (1900 - 1967) (67)





April 5th

2007: Former Kiss guitarist Mark St. John died of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 51 years old.

2002: R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck was found not guilty of attacking British Airways staff in an alleged air rage incident which took place on a flight from Seattle to London in April of 2001. U2 frontman Bono was among those who testified in Buck’s defense.

1998: Cozy Powell, drummer for Jeff Beck, Rainbow, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath died in a car accident in Bristol, U.K. He was 50 years old.

1997: Aerosmith debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Nine Lives which was their second and final album to reach number one in the U.S. where it went on to sell two million copies.

1997: Kiss performed without Peter Criss in Columbus, GA due to severe pains in his arms. Peter’s drum tech Eddie Kanon performed in the Criss cat makeup, “Beth” was removed from the set list and Paul Stanley sang lead on “Black Diamond”.

1992: Kansas recorded their second live album at the Whisky A-Go-Go in Los Angeles, which was released the following July as Live at the Whiskey.

1986: Ozzy Osbourne peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with The Ultimate Sin which was Osbourne’s first top ten album as a solo artist in the U.S.

1980: R.E.M. performed live for the first time at a friend’s birthday party held in a converted Episcopal church in Athens, GA.

1980: Genesis went to number one of the U.K. Album Chart for the first time with Duke, which began a two reek run on top.



Birthdays:

Peter Grant - Manager for Led Zeppelin born in 1935

Allan Clarke - Singer for The Hollies born in 1942

Mike McCready - Guitarist for Pearl Jam born in 1966

[IceWizard]

06 Apr 2017



Army Day



They’re there at the front line, holding positions in the most dangerous territory in any military theater. They march hundreds of miles with packs that easily way more than they do, carrying needed supplies and equipment into locations that are often under heavy enemy fire. For many of them, the constant sound of mortar fire is their lullaby, and a silent night is one to dread where the enemy can come at any time, and their plans remain largely a mystery to these noble men and women. Army Day celebrates these most fundamental of the armed forces, and reminds us of the sacrifices they make to protect home and country.

History of Army Day

World War II was in full swing when Franklin D. Roosevelt sat the American Presidency. He held an unenviable position at the time, leading the American nation into a war that followed on the heels of what had been called “The War to End All Wars”. Little did they know the war to follow would be the most devastating and destructive war in history, and more lives would be lost during it than could they possibly could have imagined in their worst horror-driven nightmares. Vital to the efforts of every member of the Allies was their military, and most importantly those men and women who crossed foreign ground on foot to defend, recover, and take enemy positions that would alter the flow of the war.

Army Day was established to commemorate all members of all armed forces and the civilians that support them. It was clear he truly understood the function of our military men and women when he cited them as “A Mighty Arm of the Tree of Liberty”, knowing that they were all that stood between the safety, security, and peace of those who fought against tyranny and the cruel and dominating forces of the Axis of Evil that sought to destroy it all. Army Day serves as a reminder that everything that we hold dear is thanks to the efforts of these men and women, and the blood they spill in the name of our freedoms.



And




Tartan Day



Tartan is one of the most recognizable patterns ever, and has a strong history for the people of Scotland. Tartan Day was created to celebrate Scottish history and the achievements of people of Scottish descent around the world. While some areas hold marches and parades, other people simply celebrate it amongst themselves. If you’ve ever been interested in Scottish history, Tartan Day is a great opportunity to research and learn.

Although Tartan Day was originally created to celebrate Scottish history, there is no reason people of non-Scottish heritage cannot join in the fun. Whether it be a scarf, skirt or even a kilt, show your love for the fabric that never goes out of fashion this Tartan Day by incorporating it into your outfit. If you don’t fancy wearing tartan, you could always celebrate by digging out an old Bay City Rollers classic and singing along to Bye Bye Baby!




And




Plan Your Epitaph Day



There comes a day in every person’s life when they have to face the inevitable, one day, they will be little more than food for worms. But this need not be a time for sorrow and somber reflection, but rather an opportunity to plan your last words to the world. This day, Plan Your Own Epitaph Day, is the perfect day to set aside some time to figure out what you’re going to have to say about yourself before you’re gone.

Your Epitaph is going to be that one thing that is remembered forever about you, even by those who never knew you. There have been some great epitaphs written, forever engraved on the stones that stand in graveyards, ancient and recent alike. Some of them are tongue in cheek, like the last words of one Johnny Yeast. “Here lies Johnny Yeast, pardon me for not rising”, while others are representative of the achievements of those who now lie resting. One Ludolph van Ceulen had the first 35 digits of Pi inscribed on his tombstone, as he was the first to calculate this delicious sounding number out to that many decimals.

The nature of one’s Epitaph, and its content, bears careful consideration. It will stay with you for as much of eternity as your headstone survives, and can serve as a warning to those coming down the path to deaths door behind you. Consider such epitaphs as “Consider, friend, as you pass by: As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, you too shall be. Prepare, therefore, to follow me.” Which is found on an old Scottish tombstone.

Some of the activities you can do to celebrate this day, is go to graveyards and look for inspiration in the stones of those who have already passed. Grave rubbings are a pasttime that has been enjoyed for a long time, and this is one more way to collect Epitaphs that have already been written to help inspire you to write yours! One particularly nifty part of this is that grave-rubbings can reveal epitaphs that are otherwise nearly illegible. To participate, you need nothing more than a piece of paper and a piece of charcoal. You place the paper against the surface of the gravestone, and rub the charcoal over it. It will produce a copy of whatever is engraved on the stone that you can take away!

Another thing you can do to celebrate this pasttime is to have picnics in the graveyard with likeminded friends. Together you can sit and brainstorm on what you’d like your final words to the world to be. If you’re one of the lucky ones who lives in the vicinity of a graveyard where the world’s great poets and authors were laid to rest, you could seek inspiration in their final verse.

Plan your own Epitaph day is a day for reflection on our own mortality, and thinking forward to what kind of legacy we want to leave behind for those who come after us. While we will live on in the minds of our family and friends, the story of who we are will only be told to strangers in our final message to the world, left engraved in the marble tablet of our headstone. So take some time to think about where you’ve been, what you’ve done, and what you’d like to say to those who come after, and start taking strides to make sure your Epitaph is worth reading!

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April 6 Birthdays




Merle Haggard - (1937 - 2016) (79)




Billy Dee Williams - 80




John Ratzenberger - 70




Marilu Henner - 65





April 6th

2008: Triumph was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards of 2008 in Calgary. Shortly after this Triumph announced plans for a reunion tour in 2009, which didn’t take place.

1999: During a fundraiser for Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign, Gore’s wife Tipper sat in on conga drums with Grateful Dead members Bob Weir & Mickey Hart. They performed Queen Jane.

1996: The Beatles debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Anthology 2 which spent one week on top of the chart & went on to be certified four times Platinum.

1993: Kiss drummer Peter Criss reached an out of court settlement with The Star hours before their trial was set to begin. Criss had filed a libel lawsuit against them for publishing a story that he was a homeless alcoholic.

1991: Over a year after its release, The Black Crowes peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with their debut album Shake Your Money Maker which went on to sell five million copies in the U.S.

1991: Tesla peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their cover of Five Man Electrical Band’s “Signs” which was their second and final top ten single in the U.S.

1984: Steven Van Zandt announced he was leaving Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Van Zandt left amicably & shortly for Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. Van Zandt re-joined the E Street Band in 1999 when they reunited with Springsteen.

1974: The first California Jam was held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, CA which featured Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, The Eagles and Black Oak Arkansas.

1971: The Rolling Stones launched Rolling Stones Records which was initially distributed in the U.S. via Atlantic Records. The label was discontinued in 1992.

1968: Pink Floyd announced via press release that singer/guitarist Syd Barrett was no longer in the group.

[Rattzo]

I love how love letters have a dare ad on the back

[IceWizard]

Just what does that have to do with anything in this thread ...

Ice

[IceWizard]

07 Apr 2017


World Health Day



World Health Day is celebrated every year on the founding day of the World Health Organization. Established in 1950 this event has a theme each year to draw attention to a current world health issue. The WHO puts together regional, local, and international events on this day related to that theme. Local governments also tend to jump on this band-wagon, after all, global health means everyone! On this day you may take some extra steps to care for your health, consider getting a gym membership (and going!), starting a diet, or starting multi-vitamins!

Even better, get involved with the local events or organize one yourself! Spreading the news of health and threats to the same can be an excellent way to celebrate this holiday, and inform others of the important issue of global health. Themes throughout the years have varied, but always covered important issues of the day, covering everything from the Global Polio Eradication, staying active while aging, even road safety. All of these issues were deemed to be important enough to global health that they merited an occasion of their very own on this date.

The World Health Organization is an agency of the United Nations that focuses on the public health of the world at large. The WHO has a constitution that countries involved in the United Nations had an opportunity to sign, and unanimously did, agreeing to the tenets laid out within to promote the general health of the globe. Through its efforts we have seen the eradication of small pox, and its focus then turned to communicable diseases, with a particular focus on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

Everyone needs to be concerned about the health of themselves and their community, and as such it’s a good time to turn your attention to this year’s theme. By checking in at their website at http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/ you can find out what the current theme is, and find all sorts of plans and activities that will help you raise awareness about this important issue. You can keep up with it every year, and play a big part in helping to promote global health all around.

The World Health Organization has been involved in mobilizing many health efforts the world over. Describing what medicines are essential for public health, and which diseases to give a particular focus to. The movement to eradicate smallpox started in 1958, initiated by pressure from Viktor Zhdanov, the Deputy Minister of Health for the then USSR. In 1979, the WHO declared that smallpox had in fact been eradicated, making it the first disease in history to be eliminated by the dedicated efforts of humans.

As you can see, celebrating World Health Day is very important, and you can use it to organize fund-raisers to support local free clinics and other public health sources. Everyone can take a hand in improving the overall health of the world, just by starting with yourself, your family, and your community. Blood banks are often taking volunteers to help out with their efforts, and the ability to have healthy, fresh blood on hand is central to saving many lives.

You can also take the task at home, by getting to know your environment and property, and eliminate all possible sources of standing water. Standing water is a breeding ground for insects such as mosquitos, who spread disease by consuming the blood of its hosts, and moving from victim to victim, spreading it as it goes. So this year, take some time to spread the word about how you and your neighbors can improve the world’s health, on World Health Day!



And




International Beer Day



If you look around your city, one of the staples of any city is a good bar, a friendly pub or a busy club. So no matter if your in rural Ireland, busy Hong Kong, the back woods of Canada or even in the United Arab Emirates, there is always someplace to have a brewski. And this day is for those that do enjoy those drinks, and to appreciate those that make them – International Beer Day!

History of International Beer Day

Originally started in Santa Cruz, California, International Beer Day began to celebrate the craft of brewing, and to show appreciation for those involved in the making of deer. This quickly expanded to included bartenders and other beer technicians. Not only did it expand in scope, but in size as well, quickly gaining an international recognition and following within only a short years. In between 2007 when it was started in Santa Cruz, and currently where it is now celebrated in 207 cities, 50 countries and on 6 continents. Diverse and new experiences are the hallmark of International Beer Day, encouraged the sharing of techniques on how to make beer, along with how to enoy it. Various foods and activities that go along with it, to celebrate this enjoyable day of brewing skill.

How to celebrate International Beer Day

The founders of the International Beer Day had three declared reasons for the day, and are as follows:

** Gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer.
** Celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer.
** Unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day.

However, many folks agree, just raise your glass, tankard, bottle or can and toast those that make the amazing brew possible. Whether it as at a bar, club, pub, or even just a cook-out, it is easy enough to find a place to get a brew or two. Most places that hold events do so by tapping new, or in some cases rare, beers, hosting a happy hour that lasts all day, trivia events, and many games with prizes involving beer gear. Enjoy yourself, responsibly, and share the wonders of beer with those around you.

Maybe hoist up a different type of beer than your usual fare, to expand your horizons. Even if it is just something you have never tried before, give it that much at least. Sometime, somewhere, a brewer spent time to get that beer right, and to market it to the public. So hoist your tankard, tap the kegs, tip the staff and enjoy the refreshment of International Beer Day!

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April 7 Birthdays



Jackie Chan - 63




Russell Crowe - 53




Janis Ian - 66




Spencer Dryden (1938 – 2005) (66)




Billie Holiday - (1915 - 1959) (44)




James Garner - (1928 - 2014) (86)




Jennifer Schwalbach Smith - 46




Bill Bellamy - 52







April 7th

1990: During a Motley Crue concert at the New Haven Coliseum in New Haven, CT, Tommy Lee suffered a mild concussion after he fell 20 feet off the scaffolding above his elevated drum kit.

1990: Farm Aid IV took place at Indianapolis’ Hoosier Dome which featured Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Elton John, Lou Reed, Don Henley, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, & Guns N’ Roses, who performed their last concert with the Appetite For Destruction-era lineup.

1988: Alice Cooper nearly died of asphyxiation after a safety rope broke during a concert stunt where Cooper hangs himself during a concert at the Wembley Arena in London. He was cut free by a roadie & continued the concert.

1987: After Oral Roberts informed his television congregation that God will kill him if he doesn’t raise $1 million in donations, Ozzy Osbourne sent him a dollar to be put toward psychiatric treatment.

1981: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off their first tour of Europe since 1975 in Hamburg, Germany.

1979: Dire Straits peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their debut single “Sultans of Swing”.

1979: The Doobie Brothers reached number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first time with Minute by Minute which spent five non-consecutive weeks on top of the chart.

1979: The California World Music Festival kicked off at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The festival lasted two days & featured the likes of Aerosmith, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent, Toto, REO Speedwagon, Eddie Money, April Wine, UFO & The Boomtown Rats.

1975: Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple to form Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio. Blackmore was replaced by Tommy Bolin. Blackmore would re-join Deep Purple in 1984 before leaving for good in 1993.



Birthdays:

Spencer Dryden - Drummer for Jefferson Airplane born in 1938

Janis Ian born in 1951