Today is...

[IceWizard]

Today's Birthday


Kevin Hart, 37



50 Cent, 41



Sylvester Stallone, 70



George W. Bush, 70



Nancy Reagan (1921-2016)



Dalai Lama, 81



John Paul Jones (1747-1792)

[IceWizard]

Thursday 07 July 2016

Chocolate Day



There are a number of dates throughout the year promoting variations of local, national or international Chocolate Day – our research leads us to believe that this is the true, definitive, purist ‘Chocolate Day‘, so celebrate with some of the high cocoa, rich, dark chocolate that makes you go tingly inside… Or failing that, stock up on chocolate biscuits, ice-cream and enjoy a day of secret treats and indulgence…

And

Tell The Truth Day



Imagine a world where nobody lies, says anything misleading, or does anything dishonest. Tell The Truth Day aims to achieve this for just one day – presumably to allow people the rest of the year to get over insult, hurt and the result of truths which perhaps should have remained un-said!

And

National Strawberry Sundae Day



We all love cooling down with a cold, fruity treat on a hot day and Strawberry Sundae Day honours a dessert loved by millions around the world.

Created with sweet toothed people in mind, Strawberry Sundae Day is the perfect excuse to sit in the garden and cool down with a delicious delicacy. Strawberries are loved by children and adults alike and are a refreshing, sweet fruit. Coupled with ice cream and whipped cream to form a sundae, they taste divine.

Global Forgiveness Day



A day to forgive and be forgiven, Forgiveness Day is a chance to set things right.

Put aside old differences, move beyond grievances and hurts and start afresh.

There is already a Forgiveness Day in August, founded by the Worldwide Forgiveness Alliance, but the Forgiveness Day on 7th July was founded by CECA (Christian Embassy of Christ’s Ambassadors), though really both days have essentially the same message; to forgive!

[IceWizard]

Ringo Starr - 76



Jim Gaffigan - 50



Satchel Paige (July 7, 1906 - June 8, 1982)

[IceWizard]

Friday 08 July 2016

Scud Day





SCUD Day stands for Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama Day, and encourages those of us whose lives might have a touch too much drama to step back, relax, and enjoy the funnier side of life.

Relaxation and humor are good for your physical and mental well being, so turn the drama down a notch and enjoy a good laugh instead.

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Today's Birthdays


John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937)



Nelson Rockefeller (1908-1979)



Kevin Bacon - 58



Toby Keith - 55



Michael Weatherly - 48



Beck - 46



Anjelica Huston - 65



Wolfgang Puck - 67

[IceWizard]

Saturday 09 July 2016

National Sugar Cookie Day



Sugar Cookie Day is about unleashing your inner child and celebrating the simple sugary- goodness of this traditional treat.

In the 1700s a group of German settlers arrived in Pennsylvania, and by combining sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and baking soda they created a simple yet delicious food, now known as the Sugar Cookie.

Of course, the original recipe never fails to please, but these days it’s easy to give it a modern twist – adding sprinkles, chocolate chips and frosting is the easiest way to jazz it up.

Sugar cookies are a great way to keep the kids entertained too; just give them the dough, cookie cutters, an assortment of toppings, and let their imaginations run wild!

For the ultimate Sugar Cookie Day experience, you can organize a Cookie Exchange party with your friends and neighbours – just don’t forget to bring your sweet tooth!



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July 09 Birthdays


Tom Hanks - 60



OJ Simpson - 69



Courtney Love - 52



Fred Savage - 40



Jack White - 41 (White Stripes)



Bon Scott (1946-1980) (AC/DC)

[IceWizard]

Sunday 10 July 2016

Teddy Bear Picnic Day



It’s a wonderful day for a stroll in the woods! Grab your favourite stuffed toy, a hamper of goodies, and set off for Teddy Bear Picnic Day!

Why not arrange an outing with friends and family, and to enjoy the summer sun, fun and games, and creativity with your favourite toys?

National Piña Colada Day

“If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain

If you’re not into yoga, if you have half a brain”

– Escape (The Pina Colada Song)”, by Rupert Holmes

The Pina Colada has a long and noble history, both as a mixological standard, and as the heart of a song about not giving up on love, just because you think it’s gotten stale. The name for the drink comes from the basis of its creation, Piña meaning “Pineapple” and Colada meaning “Strained.”

This drink is a delicious mix of all the things that speak to the Caribbean and tropical locales, with the pineapple juice mixed together with a rich coconut cream, spiked up with just a bit of white rum into the mix. Is there anything that speaks more of warm white sand beaches and beautiful azure skies than a drink that was born on those same shores?

“Yes, I like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain

I’m not much into health food, I am into champagne”

– Escape (The Pina Colada Song)”, by Rupert Holmes

As befits a drink born of tropic fruits from tropical shores, stirred with a drink distilled from the rich sugar born drink favored by merchants and pirates alike, the history of the Pina Colada is steeped is mystery, folklore, and conflict.

The first and oldest story of the drink is born in the Caribbean waters around Peurto Rico, upon the ship of one Roberto Cofresi, Captain of a crew of the foulest batch of pirates to sail the seas in the early 19th century.

While this is the earliest known origin of the drink, used to boost the morale of the crew, the recipe was lost for a time after his death in 1825.

It wasn’t until 1954 that the drink was to find itself rediscovered by one Ricardo Garcia, a mixologist born in Barcelona and working at a Hilton.

This story tells that it was discovered as a series of fortunately unfortunate events, starting with a strike of the coconut cutters union that led to a shortage of the favored cup of the resorts favored drink, the Coco-Loco.

Without a freshly macheted coconut shell to serve it in, Ricardo adapted to the circumstances in front of him by presenting the drink in a hollowed out pineapple instead.

Thus, according to this bit of lore, the Pina Colada was reborn.

Enjoy one today!!

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Today's Birthdays


Jessica Simpson - 36



Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)



Ronnie James Dio (1942-2010)



Urban Meyer - 52



Arthur Ashe (1943-1993)

[IceWizard]

Monday 11 July 2016

International Town Criers Day



In olden times, when few people were literate, and there was little access to printed media, town criers were a central part of urban living. Town criers were responsible for keeping the populace up to date with the latest news and events, and for disseminating news from the ruling classes to the wider populace.

Now, the general literacy of the populace, and the ease of access to printed (and digital) media has rendered the town crier somewhat redundant – Town Crier Day celebrates the historical role of the town crier by encouraging people to take up the role of the town crier in their town or city.



And



World Population Day



Population Day aims to raise awareness of global population issues. Hunger, disease, warfare, welfare and human rights are key themes, and 2012 focuses specifically on ensuring universal access to reproductive health services.

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Today's Birthdays


Lil Kim - 42



Justin Chambers - 46



John Quincy Adams (1767-1848)



Richie Sambora - 57



Yul Brynner (1920-1985)



Giorgio Armani - 82

[IceWizard]

Tuesday 12 July 2016

Etch A Sketch Day



Do you remember Etch a Sketch? If you spent many happy hours drawing pictures on the screen then magically removing them using the plastic slider, you’ll relish the opportunity to relive your childhood on Etch a Sketch Day.

The Etch a Sketch toys are still readily available, so it’s a chance to invest in one and get sketching. If you prefer, taking time to do any sort of drawing or painting will be a good way of marking Etch a Sketch Day. This day is all about creativity, so undertaking anything which involves a pencil, pen or brush is appropriate.

Why not have an Etch a Sketch competition with friends or colleagues, or give everyone a thirty-second limit to produce a work of art? With so many choices for having fun whilst also creating something original and wonderful, it’s no wonder that Etch a Sketch Day is so widely celebrated.

And



Pecan Pie Day



Your grandmother’s house in mid-fall. The air outside is crisp, eve though the sun is shining. Leaves swirl all around you in streaks of yellow, red and brown. And then a delightfully sweet, buttery scent reaches your nostrils and you hear your grandmother’s voice, “Pie’s ready! Come and get it!”

Aaah, pecan pie. A favorite not only in the United States but the world over, pecan pie is considered a staple of traditional Southern U.S. cuisine. So why not celebrate this delicious dessert on its very own day by making a pecan pie of your own? You’ve got to admit that sounds pretty delicious.

The History of Pecan Pie Day

There are various ideas about the origins of pecan pie. There are those who state that the French first made it soon after settling in New Orleans in the 1700s and being introduced to the pecan by the Native Americans of the area.

Other claim pecan pie was first made in the early 1800s in Alabama; however, no recipes or other culinary literature has been found that would support either of those claims. The first actual pecan pie recipe was written in 1886.

Originally, pecans were mized with custard, boiled, and then poured into a crust and baked. The makers of Karo syrup also contributed significantly to the popularization of pecan pie, as their product was often used instead of the more expensive honey or maple syrup.

Pecan pie has been mentioned numerous times in American literature and television and has even become a literary symbol of the Southern States, as can be observed in the Zac Brown Band’s lyric:

“Beneath the shade of a Georgia pine
And that’s home you know
Sweet tea, pecan pie and homemade wine Where the peaches grow.”

Today, pecan pie is most often eaten on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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July 12 Birthdays


Brock Lesnar - 39



Bill Cosby - 79



Renee Graziano - 47



Loni Love - 45



George Washington Carver (1864-1943)



Richard Simmons - 68



Charlie Murphy - 57

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Eric Carr - (1950 - 1991) (the Fox - Peter Chris' replacement for Kiss)

[IceWizard]

Today in Rock History

2007: Rod Stewart was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace for his services to music.

1992: Axl Rose was arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport on riot charges dating back to a July 2, 1991 Guns N’ Roses concert in St. Louis.

1983: Traffic’s saxophone player Chris Wood died of pneumonia at Birmingham, England’s Queen Elizabeth hospital. He was 39 years old.

1980: Electric Light Orchestra went to number one on the U.K. Singles Chart with “Xanadu” a duet with Olivia Newton-John from the movie of the same name which spent two week on top the chart. It would be ELO’s only number one single.

1969: Blind Faith kicked off their U.S. tour with a sold out concert at Madison Square Garden. At the end of the tour the band split up.

1969: The Beatles peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with “The Ballad of John and Yoko” despite being banned by many radio stations in the U.S. for containing the word “Christ”. It reached number one in the U.K. the previous month and was their last number one in their home country.

1964: George Harrison crashed his Jaguar while en route to a Beatles concert in Brighton and suffered minor injuries.

1962: The Rolling Stones made their live debut at London’s Marquee Club.

1954: Elvis Presley signed his first record contract with Sam Phillips’ Sun Records.

[IceWizard]

Wednesday 13 July 2016

National French Fries Day



Whether you call them ‘French Fries’, ‘Chips’, Finger Chips, or French-Fried Potatoes, this delicious treat is loved around the world, and French Fries day celebrates them.

Not to be confused with the American ‘Chips’, which are thinly sliced pieces of potato fried until crisp, French Fries are the delicious result of ‘batons’ of potato cut to various thicknesses and then fried in oil.The outside of this staple companion food to hamburgers and other grease-ball favorites generally have a golden texture, varying from soft to crispy, and most often served with little more than a dusting of salt.

History of the French Fry French Fries are one of many foods whose name is most misleading, as the origins of this fat fried food seem to be in Belgium.

The story of their creation can be found in a family manuscript dated 1781, which reveals that potatoes were originally cut into the shape of fish and served in lieu of the fish normally caught in a series of small villages in Belgium.

It seems the river had frozen over and the fish they normally caught and fried were unable to be caught. Why they’re called French is often attributed to troops coming over during World War I who got their hands on Belgian Fries.

The official language of the Belgian army at that time was French, and as a result the men thought they were in France rather than Belgium.Interestingly, in that region of the world, they are still called “Flemish Fries” to further complicate matters.

Now these treats are loved the world round, even becoming the ‘national snack’ of the Netherlands.

And

Embrace Your Geekness Day



Pokemon fans to Final Fantasy nerds, LARP’ers to Medieval Reenactors, rise up and be proud! Don your Lyre Pipe hats and your rattan swords, polish up your gunblades and bundle up your pokeballs, Embrace Your Geekness Day is for you!

No matter what your fandom or what impassions you to creativity and brings a skip to your step, cry it loud and proud! The Geek and fan community is truly one of the most amazing and creative groups out there, and every year more geeks are crying their fandoms loud and proud.

History of Embrace Your Geekness Day

What exactly does it mean to be a geek?

Well, definitions differ (and believe us, you don’t want to look up the Victorian age definition of a geek) but in today’s world it just means one thing. A geek is completely obsessed with one or more subjects, and can speak fluently on it for hours, sounding like a walking encyclopedia of geeky facts.

Wellcat Holidays organized the holiday stating that we all should be proud of the things that define us, and little defines us as much as those things we’re passionate about. “Dungeon games, comic books, vampire dress-up” we should have no shame about anything we’re into.

In fact, you should shout it loud and proud.

Geekdom brings people together, whether they’re sharing their love of a mutual fandom, or talking about their individual fandoms to inspire others to check it out, they love community.

Some of the most amazing costuming and tech gadgets have been put together by people inspired by the shows, stories, and games that they love. That’s the power of being in touch with your imagination, and that’s what Embrace Your Geekness Day is all about.

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Today's Birthdays


Harrison Ford - 74



Patrick Stewart - 76



Ken Jeong - 47



Cheech Marin - 70



Francis Drakeh(1540-1596)


Rockers

Stephen Jo Bladd-drummer for The J. Geils Band born in 1942

Roger McGuinn-singer and guitarist for The Byrds born in 1942

Mark Mendoza-bassist for Twisted Sister born in 1955

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Also Today in Rock

2004: Arthur “Killer” Kane, bassist for the New York Dolls died of leukemia in London, 22 days after their reunion concert at the Meltdown Festival. He was 55 years old.

1994: Kiss performed with Garth Brooks on The Tonight Show for a rendition of “Hard Luck Woman”.

1993: Rush singer and bassist Geddy Lee sang “O Canada” at the 64th Major League Baseball All Star Game in Baltimore, MD.

1991: Bryan Adams went to number one for a record 16 weeks on the U.K. singles chart with “(Eveything I Do) I Do It for You” a record that still stands to this day.

1985: Live Aid, spearheaded by Bob Geldof to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia was held in London’s Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia’s JFK Stadium. Performers included Sting, U2, Dire Straits, Queen, David Bowie, The Who, Elton John, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Bryan Adams, Neil Young and Led Zeppelin.

1985: Robert Plant peaked at number twenty on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Shaken ‘n’ Stirred which would go Gold in the U.S.

1984: During The Jacksons’ concert at Texas Stadium in Dallas, Eddie Van Halen came onstage to perform “Beat It” with the group. (This would be the only time Eddie performed the song in concert with Michael Jackson.)

1968: Black Sabbath performed their first concert at a blues club in Birmingham, U.K. At the time of this performance they were known as Earth.

1965: Paul McCartney accepted five Ivor Novello awards on behalf of himself and John Lennon at the Savoy Hotel in London. Lennon refused to attend and McCartney was 40 minutes late after he had forgotten about the ceremony.