Today is...

[IceWizard]

Monday 20 June 2016

World Refugee Day



On 4 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day. In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

Each year on June 20th the United Nations, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and countless civic groups around the world host World Refugee Day events in order to draw the public's attention to the millions of refugees and Internally displaced persons worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and persecution.

The annual commemoration is marked by a variety of events in more than 100 countries, involving government officials, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civilians and the forcibly displaced themselves.

And

National Ice Cream Soda Day



An ice cream float or soda (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and East Asia), coke float (United Kingdom), root beer float (United States, Canada) or spider (Australia and New Zealand), is a beverage that consists of ice cream in either a soft drink or in a mixture of flavored syrup and carbonated water.

The ice cream float was invented by Robert McCay Green in Philadelphia, PA, in 1874 during the sesquicentennial celebration.

The traditional story is that, on a particularly hot day, Mr. Green ran out of cold ice for the flavored drinks he was selling and used vanilla ice cream from a neighboring vendor, thus inventing a new drink.

And

National American Eagle Day



In 1995, at the request of the American Eagle Foundation, President Bill Clinton and Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist each proclaimed the first American Eagle Day.

Since then, Governors from a combined total of 47 states have signed Proclamations or Letters of Recognition giving our National Bird, the Bald Eagle, its own “official day” in their state!

Until American Eagle Day was established, there had never been a “national day” set aside to annually recognize our country’s inspirational national bird and the role that it has played in our lives, past and present.

Together, we can make June 20th an annual day to remember and commemorate this majestic and important American symbol.

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Fun Facts and Daily Trivia for Monday, June 20, 2016

The 172 day of the year 194 days left to go

ON THIS DATE...

1782: -- The U.S. Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States.

1793: -- Eli Whitney applied for a cotton gin patent.

1837: Queen Victoria succeeds to the British throne.

1840: Samuel Morse receives the patent for the telegraph

1863: --West Virginia became the 35th state.

1877: -- Canadian inventor Alexander Graham Bell installed the world's first commercial telephone service in Hamilton, Ontario.

1887: -- On Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, Buffalo Bill Cody staged a Royal Command Performance of his famous Wild West Show and four European kings boarded the original Deadwood stagecoach driven by Cody.

1893 -- A jury in New Bedford, Massachusetts, found Lizzie Borden innocent of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.

1924: -- The most decorated soldier in World War II was born in Kingston, Texas. Audie Murphy also became a successful actor. He died in a plane crash at age 46.

1948 -- The variety series "Toast of the Town," hosted by Ed Sullivan, debuted on TV; it became "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1955.

1949: -- American tennis player Gussie Moran incited a scandal at Wimbledon when the crowd caught glimpses of lace- trimmed panties under her knee-length skirt.

1963 -- The United States and the Soviet Union agreed to establish a hot line between Washington and Moscow.

1967: Boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted. Later, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction.

1969: Newport ‘69 drew 150,000 music fans. Rocker Jimi Hendrix got $120,000 to appear.

1972: The old Tallahatchie Bridge, made famous in Bobbie Gentry’s 1967 blockbuster "Ode to Billy Joe," collapsed in Mississippi.

1973: "American Bandstand" celebrated its 20th anniversary with a 90-minute television special featuring Little Richard, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Cheech and Chong, Three Dog Night and, of course, Dick Clark.

1975: A guerrilla group in Buenos Aires was paid a $60-million ransom to release the kidnapped brothers Jorge and Juan Born.

1977: Charlie, history’s oldest caged budgerigar, died in London at age 29 years 2 months. A budgie is an Australian parakeet.

1986: In Rochester, New York, eating champ Peter Dowdeswell ate 144 prunes in 32 seconds.

1988: Price Is Right model Janice Pennington was knocked out cold by a TV camera.

1993: The Chicago Bulls won their third straight NBA championship, the first team to "three-peat" since the 1966 Boston Celtics.

1994: A downcast O.J. Simpson pleaded not guilty to the slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and waiter Ronald Goldman.

1996: Police seized 10-thousand ice cream bars and pad-locked the factory in Xuzhou, China, after children reported the sticks in their ice cream bars turned out to be plastic models of naked women.

2001: A woman in Panama City, Florida, got so angry with her husband over what was termed "a minor matter," she took one of his shirts from a closet and set it on fire. The blaze spread and burned down their house. The wife was charged with arson. Investigators said insurance would not pay the $65,000 damage because the fire was started by one of the owners.

2002: The U.S. Supreme Court declared unconstitutionally cruel the execution of mentally retarded murderers.

2004: Retief Goosen won his second U.S. Open Golf championship in four years at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York.

[Dancing Wolf]

Great Day!  

I love National Ice Cream Soda Day - yum yum!
Of course, I LOVE National American Eagle Day!
(btw  ICE  Thanks - the facts very interesting!)

Isn't today also


THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF SUMMER
 
  ?


Happy June 20 to everyone!

[IceWizard]

Tuesday 21 June 2016

World Music Day



Around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 700 cities in 120 countries.

Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — pours onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches to share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public.

It all started 34 years ago in France. In 1982, Jack Lang and his staff at the Ministry of Culture dreamed up an idea for a new kind of musical holiday.

They imagined a day where free, live music would be everywhere: street corners and parks, rooftops and gardens, store fronts and mountaintops. And, unlike a typical music festival, anyone and everyone would be invited to join and play music, or host performances.

The event would take place on the summer solstice, June 21, and would be called Fête De La Musique. (In French, the name means both “festival of music” and “make music!”)

Amazingly enough, this dream has come true. The Fête has turned into a true national holiday: France shuts down on the summer solstice and musicians take over. Almost 8% of the country (5 million people) have played an instrument or sung in public for the Fête de la Musique.

Three decades later, the holiday has spread throughout the world and is now celebrated in more than 120 countries. In the U.S., the presenting sponsor is the NAMM Foundation.

And

National Cherry Tart Day



It is thought that the origins of Cherry Tart Day date back to the annual National Cherry Festival held in Michigan, USA. Cherries were plentiful in supply but their uses were limited.

Although cherries are grown on several continents, they have a relatively short growing season.

In a cherry tart, the fruit is presented in an appealing open-faced crusty pastry shell with superior ingredients. Enjoy a scrumptious slice with custard or ice cream, as the pastry crumbles with the tangy cherry taste – rich in antioxidants and even thought to help inflammation.

The Powerful Cherry

Antioxidant Protection. Cherries contain powerful antioxidants like anthocyanins and cyanidin. …

Cancer-Preventive Compounds. …

Reduce Inflammation and Your Risk of Gout. …

Support Healthy Sleep (Melatonin) …

Arthritis Pain Relief. …

Reduce Belly Fat. …

Reduce Post-Exercise Muscle Pain. …

Lower Risk of Stroke.

[IceWizard]

On this day in history....

1788 -- U.S. Constitution ratified

American Revolution

1779 -- Spain declares war against Great Britain

Automotive

1947 -- Mille Miglia race is reborn after World War II

Civil War

1864 -- Grant extends the Petersburg line

Cold War

1963 --French withdraw navy from NATO

Crime

1964 -- The KKK kills three civil rights activists

Disaster

1990 -- Earthquake devastates Iran

General Interest

1813 French defeated in Spain

1916 -- Pershing attacked by Mexican troops

1964 -- Civil rights workers disappear

1982 -- Hinckley not guilty by reason of insanity

Hollywood

1920 -- Pickford and Fairbanks mobbed by crowds

Literary

1956 -- Arthur Miller refuses to name communists

Music

1965 -- Mr. Tambourine Man is released, and the folk-rock revolution is on

Old West

1892 -- Lot Smith, Mormon soldier, is killed by Indians

Presidential

1810 -- Zachary Taylor and Richard Nixon marry their future first ladies

Sports

1970 -- Pele leads Brazil over Italy

Vietnam War

1966 -- Rolling Thunder raids continue

1969 -- Communists storm U.S. base near Tay Ninh

World War I

1916 -- U.S. soldiers attacked by Mexican government troops

World War II

1942 -- Allies surrender at Tobruk, Libya

Today's Birthdays

Errol Flynn 1909 - Actor

Chet Atkins (Chester Burton Atkins) 1924 - Guitarist

Audie Murphy 1924 - Actor, most decorated American soldier of World War II

James Tolkan 1931 - Actor

Martin Landau 1931 - Actor

Olympia Dukakis 1931 - Actress

Danny Aiello (Daniel Louis "Danny" Aiello, Jr.) 1933 - Actor

Brett Halsey 1933 - Actor

Len Dawson (Leonard Ray "Len" Dawson) 1935 - Football player

Billy Guy 1936 - Singer (The Coasters)

Jerry Keller (Jerry Paul Keller) 1937 - Singer, songwriter

John Mahoney 1940 - Actor ("Frasier")

Stephen Frears 1941 - Film director

Brian Wilson 1942 - Musician (Beach Boys)

Anne Murray (Morna Anne Murray) 1945 - Singer

Bob Vila (Robert J. "Bob" Vila) 1946 - Television host ("This Old House")

Candy Clark (Candace June "Candy" Clark) 1947 - Actress

Tina Sinatra 1948 - Producer, actress, second daughter of Frank Sinatra

Lionel Richie 1949 - Singer, musician

John Goodman 1952 - Actor

Michael Anthony 1954 - Musician (Van Halen) - Van Halen Merchandise

John Taylor 1960 - Musician (Duran Duran, Neurotic Outsiders)

Mark De Gli Antoni 1962 - Musician (Soul Coughing)

Michael Landon, Jr. 1964 - Actor, writer, producer

Nicole Kidman 1967 - Actress

Christopher Mintz-Plass 1989 - Actor ("Superbad")



Music

1966 - The Beatles album, "Yesterday and Today" was released by Capitol Records.

Steve Winwood's first solo album was released.

1978 - Foreigner's album "Double Vision" was released.

1989 - The "Batman:Motion Picture Soundtrack" was released by Prince.

1995 - George Jones and Tammy Wynette released their reunion album "One."

[IceWizard]

Well I dated a little "tart" named Cherry... Does that count?

Ice

[IceWizard]

Wednesday 22 June 2016

National Chocolate Eclair Day



It’s National Chocolate Eclair Day! Did you know that “éclair” is the French word for lightning?

It may have gotten its name from the "flash" of frosting that glistens across its top, though the direct connection between lightning and this delicious French pastry is unclear.

The eclair has been a favorite treat since its creation in the 1860s, and it will undoubtedly continue to be a bakery shop staple for a long time.

The French call the dough of these treats “choux,” which is carefully baked to allow for a hollow interior. Then cream, custard, or purée is piped into its center and it is topped off with fondant icing. With its flaky dough and sweet, creamy filling, this dessert has become a global favorite.

To celebrate National Chocolate Eclair Day, head over to your nearest bakery!

And

National Onion Rings Day



They’re rich and crisp and delicious, surprisingly sweet for a flavor so often related to being spicy and the source of tears. But something about the process of breading them in a flavorful coating and deep frying them in a vat of oil brings out the delicious flavors hidden inside.

They come in towers and flowers, giant sized and tiny, and they’re a favorite at burger joints all over the world. That’s right, we’re talking about the onion rings, and Onion Rings Day celebrates this delicious treat and its long history.

History of Onion Rings Day

The origin of the Onion Rings is actually somewhat mysterious, but we do know that in 1802 a recipe was published in ”The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined”.

This recipe describes a process of dipping ½” Onion Rings dipped into a rather flavorful mixture of flour with creams and cheeses and then boiling them in a vat of lard.

Following on the heels of this was a suggestion to serve it with a sauce made of a mixture of mustard and butter.

Since then there have been many refinements of the Onion Rings recipe, with a great debate existing on the proper method and what brings out the best flavor.

There are hundreds of recipes involving different mixtures of batter to coat them in, different sauces to dip them in, and even the type of onions you use to prepare them.

As if that wasn’t complicated enough, there’s even a variety of Onion Rings that’s made from an onion past formed into a ring instead of an actual slice of onion.

If you’ve ever enjoyed these delicious treats, then Onion Rings Day provides you with an excuse to go to your favorite source and consume Onion Rings until you burst.

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[IceWizard]

Also On This Day in History



1558 - The French took the French town of Thioville from the English.

1611 - English explorer Henry Hudson, his son and several other people were set adrift in present-day Hudson Bay by mutineers.

1772 - Slavery was outlawed in England.

1807 - British seamen board the USS Chesapeake, a provocation leading to the War of 1812.

1815 - Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated a second time.

1832 - J.I. Howe patented the pin machine.

1868 - Arkansas was re-admitted to the Union.

1870 - The U.S. Congress created the Department of Justice.

1874 - Dr. Andrew Taylor Still began the first known practice of osteopathy.

1909 - The first transcontinental auto race ended in Seattle, WA.

1911 - King George V of England was crowned.

1915 - Austro-German forces occupied Lemberg on the Eastern Front as the Russians retreat.

1925 - France and Spain agreed to join forces against Abd el Krim in Morocco.

1933 - Germany became a one political party country when Hitler banned parties other than the Nazis.

1939 - The first U.S. water-ski tournament was held at Jones Beach, on Long Island, New York.

1940 - France and Germany signed an armistice at Compiegne, on terms dictated by the Nazis.

1941 - Under the codename Barbarossa, Germany invaded the Soviet Union.

1942 - A Japanese submarine shelled Fort Stevens at the mouth of the Columbia River.

1942 - In France, Pierre Laval declared "I wish for a German victory".

1942 - V-Mail, or Victory-Mail, was sent for the first time.

1944 - U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the "GI Bill of Rights" to provide broad benefits for veterans of the war.

1945 - During World War II, the battle for Okinawa officially ended after 81 days.

1946 - Jet airplanes were used to transport mail for the first time.

1956 - The battle for Algiers began as three buildings in Casbah were blown up.

1959 - Eddie Lubanski rolled 24 consecutive strikes in a bowling tournament in Miami, FL.

1964 - The U.S. Supreme Court voted that Henry Miller's book, "Tropic of Cancer", could not be banned.

1970 - U.S. President Richard Nixon signed an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It required that the voting age in the United States to be 18.

1973 - Skylab astronauts splashed down safely in the Pacific after a record 28 days in space.

1974 - In Chicago, the Sears Tower Skydeck opened. (Willis Tower)

1978 - James W. Christy and Robert S. Harrington discovered the only known moon of Pluto. The moon is named Charon.

1980 - The Soviet Union announced a partial withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan.

1989 - The government of Angola and the anti-Communist rebels of the UNITA movement agreed to a formal truce in their 14-year-old civil war.

1990 - Checkpoint Charlie was dismantled in Berlin.

1992 - The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that hate-crime laws that ban cross-burning and similar expressions of racial bias violated free-speech rights.

1998 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that evidence illegally obtained by authorities could be used at revocation hearings for a convicted criminal's parole.

1998 - The 75th National Marbles Tournament began in Wildwood, NJ.

1999 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that persons with remediable handicaps cannot claim discrimination in employment under the Americans with Disability Act.

2009 - Eastman Kodak Company announced that it would discontinue sales of the Kodachrome Color Film.



Birthdays

John Dillinger 1902 - Gangster

Carl Hubbell 1903

Billy Wilder 1906

Michael Todd 1907

Ann Morrow Lindbergh 1907

Mary Livingstone 1909

Joseph Papp 1921

Gower Champion 1921

Bill Blass 1922

Ralph Waite 1928

Roy Drusky 1930

Kris Kristofferson 1936 - Singer

Ed Bradley 1941

Barry Serafin 1941

Michael Lerner 1941

Brit Hume 1943 - Broadcast journalist

Klaus Maria Brandauer 1944

Peter Asher 1944 - Singer (Peter and Gordon)

Andrew Rubin 1946

David L. Lander 1947 - Actor ("Lavern and Shirley")

Howard Kaylan 1947 - Musician (The Turtles)

Todd Rungren 1948 - Musician

Meryl Streep 1949 - Actress

Alan Osmond 1949 - Singer ("The Osmonds")

Lindsay Wagner 1949 - Actress ("The Bionic Woman")

Larry Junstrom 1949 - Musician (.38 Special)

Graham Greene 1952

Cyndi Lauper 1953 - Singer

Chris Lemmon 1954

Freddie Prinze 1954

Green Gartside (Scritti Politti) 1956

Garry Gary Beers 1957 - Musician (INXS, Absent Friends)

Bruce Campbell 1958

Alan Anton (Cowboy Junkies) 1959

Tracy Pollan 1960 - Actress

Jimmy Somerville 1961 - Singer(Bronski Beat, Communards)

Clyde (The Glyde) Drexler 1962 - Basketball player

Dan Brown 1964 - Actor ("The Da Vinci Code")

Amy Brenneman 1964

Mike Edwards 1964 - Singer, guitar player (Jesus Jones)

Tom Cunningham (Wet Wet Wet) 1965

Paula Irvine 1968

Stephen Page (Barenaked Ladies) 1970

Mary Lynn Rajskub 1971 - Actress ("24")

Carson Dayl 1973 - TV personality

Donald Faison 1974 - Actor ("Scrubs")

Lindsay Ridgeway 1985

[IceWizard]

Thursday 23 June 2016

United Nations Public Service Day



The United Nation Public Service Day is celebrated on June 23 of every year. The prestigious UN Public Service Awards are given away on this day.

The UN Public Service Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly's resolution A/ RES/57/277 of 2003, to “celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community”.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council established that the United Nations Public Service Awards be bestowed on Public Service Day for contributions made to the cause of enhancing the role, prestige, and visibility of public service.

"On this Public Service Day, I thank all public servants for their daily efforts to make a difference. I also call upon young people everywhere to consider dedicating themselves to the noble cause of public service as we strive to build a future of dignity of all."

And

National Pink Day



Date When Celebrated :
Always June 23


It's National Pink Day, a day where everything should be basking in pink splendor! It's especially a day for the ladies, as pink is a girl's favorite color.

Guys, you can participate in National Pink Day, too. Just get in touch with your feminine side, and display a dash of pink.

Note: the girls will love you for it!

It's easy to enjoy and to participate in National Pink Day. Bring your pink elephant out of hiding. Wear pink, and show off everything you have that's pink, from clothing and shoes to other possessions.

Be creative. Use food coloring to make pink meals. Pink frosting on a cake or cookies will be a big hit today.

The Origin of Pink:

Research did not find the creator, or the origin of this day. I did not find any documentation confirming this to be a "National" day.

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[IceWizard]

Also on this Date:

1683 - William Penn signed a friendship treaty with Lenni Lenape Indians in Pennsylvania.

1700 - Russia gave up its Black Sea fleet as part of a truce with the Ottoman Empire.

1758 - British and Hanoverian armies defeated the French at Krefeld in Germany.

1760 - The Austrians defeated the Prussians at Landshut, Germany.

1757 - Robert Clive defeated the Indians at Plassey and won control of Bengal.

1836 - The U.S. Congress approved the Deposit Act, which contained a provision for turning over surplus federal revenue to the states.

1848 - A bloody insurrection of workers in Paris erupted.

1865 - Confederate General Stand Watie, who was also a Cherokee chief, surrendered the last sizable Confederate army at Fort Towson, in the Oklahoma Territory.

1868 - Christopher Latham Sholes received a patent for an invention that he called a "Type-Writer."

1884 - A Chinese Army defeated the French at Bacle, Indochina.

1902 - Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy renewed the Triple Alliance for a 12 year duration.

1904 - The first American motorboat race got underway on the Hudson River in New York.

1926 - The first lip reading tournament in America was held in Philadelphia, PA.

1931 - Wiley Post and Harold Gatty took off from New York on the first round-the-world flight in a single-engine plane.

1934 - Italy gained the right to colonize Albania after defeating the country.

1938 - The Civil Aeronautics Authority was established.

1938 - Marineland opened near St. Augustine, Florida.

1947 - The U.S. Senate joined the House in overriding President Truman's veto of the Taft- Hartley Act.

1951 - Soviet U.N. delegate Jacob Malik proposed cease-fire discussions in the Korean War.

1952 - The U.S. Air Force bombed power plants on Yalu River, Korea.

1956 - Gamal Abdel Nasser was elected president of Egypt.

1964 - Henry Cabot Lodge resigned as the U.S. envoy to Vietnam and was succeeded by Maxwell Taylor.

1966 - Civil Rights marchers in Mississippi were dispersed by tear gas.

1972 - U.S. President Nixon and White House chief of staff H.R. Haldeman discussed a plan to use the CIA to obstruct the FBI's Watergate investigation.

2003 - Apple Computer Inc. unveiled the new Power Mac desktop computer.

2004 - The U.S. proposed that North Korea agree to a series of nuclear disarmament measures over a three-month period in exchange for economic benefits.

2005 - Roger Ebert received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2013 - In Arizona, aerialist Nik Wallenda completed a quarter mile tightrope walk over the Little Colorado River Gorge.

2015 - NASA's Mars Odyssey completed its 60,000th orbit around Mars. The spacecraft entered orbit on October 23, 2001.

2015 - Verizon announced it had completed its $4.4 billion purchase of AOL, Inc.

Today's Birthday's

Edward Patrick David 1894

Edward P. Morgan 1910

Jean Marie Anouilh 1910

David Ogilvy 1911

Alan Turing 1912

Irene Worth 1916

Larry Blyden 1925

Bob Fosse 1927

June Carter Cash 1929

Adam Faith 1940

Diana Trask 1940

Wilma Rudolph 1940

James Levine 1943

Rosetta Hightower (The Orlons) 1944

Ted Shackelford 1946

Bryan Brown 1947

Clarence Thomas 1948 - U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Jim Metzler 1954

Randy Jackson (Randall Darius Jackson) 1956 - Musician, judge on "American Idol"

Frances McDormand 1957 - Actress

Karin Gustafson 1959

Paul La Greca 1962

Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) 1962

Joss Whedon 1964 - Writer, director

Chico DeBarge 1970

Selma Blair 1972 - Actress

Virgo Williams (Ghostowns DJs) 1975

KT Tunstall 1975 - Singer

Melissa Rauch 1980 - Actress ("Big Bang Theory")

Duffy 1984 - Singer

Today's: Misc. history

1941 - Lena Horne recorded "St. Louis Blues."

1965 - The Supremes made the studio recording of "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart."

1965 - The Miracles released "Tracks Of My Tears."

1970 - Chubby Checker and 3 others were arrested in Niagra Falls after marijuana and unidentified drug capsules were found in Checker's car.

1987 - Madonna was on the cover of "Cosmopolitan" magazine.

1998 - Aqua released the home video "The Diary."

2003 - In London, Eminem gave a $450,000 necklace to a fan in the front row of a concert. He had announced while from the stage that "I'm going to give this to the sexiest woman I see."

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[IceWizard]

Friday 24 June 2016

Swim a Lap Day



According to some, June 24 is Swim-a-Lap Day. A made-up holiday? Perhaps. But it’s a good excuse to enjoy the water—as long as you do it safely.

Pool Safety Learning to swim is one of the best steps you can take to be safe around water. Almost two million people of all ages learn to swim each year through Red Cross programs.

You can contact your local aquatic facility to find out when Red Cross Water Safety programs are offered.

And

International Fairy Day



It’s International Fairy Day! Today is a day for fairy believers young and old to celebrate the stories, magic, and history of the Fair Folk. For centuries, fairies have been an important part of Celtic culture. In all of the ancient legends, these mythological creatures are described as intelligent, mischievous, and magical.

They have the ability to fly and cast spells, and they live in “Tír na nóg,” the land of eternal youth.

Some say that humans don’t often see fairies because of the division between the two worlds, but sightings can occur at twilight or during Beltane, Mid-Summer’s Eve, or All Hallow’s Eve.

In his 1904 play Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie wrote that when the first baby laughed, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and that was the beginning of fairies.

International Fairy Day is the perfect opportunity to relive your childhood fantasies and celebrate the joy and magic of the fairy world. Read a classic fairy tale, build a fairy house, or take a stroll through the woods. You never know when you might stumble across something magical!



And

National Pralines Day



Pralines were originally created in France by coating almonds in caramelized sugar.

The praline got its name from French soldier and sugar industrialist, Marshal du Plessis-Praslin, as it was his cook who invented it.

The recipe evolved when French settlers brought the recipe to Louisiana where chefs in New Orleans eventually substituted pecans for almonds and added cream.

Pralines now come in many flavors and include several different types of nuts. It's no wonder they have their own day.

Happy National Pralines Day!

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Also on This Day in History

1314 - Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce won over Edward II of England at the Battle of Bannockburn in Scotland.

1340 - The English fleet defeated the French fleet at Sluys, off the Flemish coast.

1497 - Italian explorer John Cabot, sailing in the service of England, landed in North America on what is now Newfoundland.

1509 - Henry VIII was crowned King of England.

1664 - New Jersey, named after the Isle of Jersey, was founded.

1675 - King Philip's War began when Indians massacre colonists at Swansee, Plymouth colony.

1717 - The Freemasons were founded in London.

1793 - The first republican constitution in France was adopted.

1812 - Napoleon crossed the Nieman River and invaded Russia.

1844 - Charles Goodyear was granted U.S. patent #3,633 for vulcanized rubber.

1859 - At the Battle of Solferino, also known as the Battle of the Three Sovereigns, the French army led by Napoleon III defeated the Austrian army under Franz Joseph I in northern Italy.

1861 - Federal gunboats attacked Confederate batteries at Mathias Point, Virginia.

1862 - U.S. intervention saved the British and French at the Dagu forts in China.

1869 - Mary Ellen "Mammy" Pleasant officially became the Vodoo Queen in San Francisco, CA.

1896 - Booker T. Washington became the first African American to receive an honorary MA degree from Howard University.

1910 - The Japanese army invaded Korea.

1913 - Greece and Serbia annulled their alliance with Bulgaria following border disputes over Macedonia and Thrace.

1922 - The American Professional Football Association took the name of The National Football League.

1931 - The Soviet Union and Afghanistan signed a treaty of neutrality.

1940 - France signed an armistice with Italy.

1940 - TV cameras were used for the first time in a political convention as the Republicans convened in Philadelphia, PA.

1941 - U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt pledged all possible support to the Soviet Union.

1947 - Kenneth Arnold reported seeing flying saucers over Mt. Rainier, Washington.

1948 - The Soviet Union began the Berlin Blockade.

1953 - John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier announced their engagement.

1955 - Soviet MIG's down a U.S. Navy patrol plane over the Bering Strait.

1962 - The New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers, 9-7, after 22 innings.

1964 - The Federal Trade Commission announced that starting in 1965, cigarette manufactures would be required to include warnings on their packaging about the harmful effects of smoking.

1968 - "Resurrection City," a shantytown constructed as part of the Poor People's March on Washington D.C., was closed down by authorities.

1970 - The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to repeal the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

1970 - The movie "Myra Breckinridge" premiered.

1971 - The National Basketball Association modified its four-year eligibility rule to allow for collegiate hardship cases.

1982 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that no president could be sued for damages connected with actions taken while serving as President of the United States.

1985 - Natalia Solzhenitsyn the wife of exiled, Soviet author Alexander Solzhenitsyn, became a U.S. citizen.

1986 - The Empire State Building was designated a National Historic Landmark.

1997 - The U.S. Air Force released a report titled "The Roswell Report, Case Closed" that dismissed the claims that an alien spacecraft had crashed in Roswell, NM, in 1947.

1998 - ATandT Corp. struck a deal to buy cable TV giant Tele-Communications Inc. for $31.7 billion.

1998 - Walt Disney World Resort admitted its 600-millionth guest. Disney movies, music and books

2002 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that juries, not judges, must make the decision to give a convicted killer the death penalty.

2002 - A painting from Monet's Waterlilies series sold for $20.2 million.

2003 - In Paris, France, manuscripts by novelist Georges Simenon brought in $325,579. The original manuscript of "La Mort de Belle" raised $81,705.

2010 - Apple released the iPhone 4.