14 February: Did you know?

Did you know that it was on this day in 1778 the United States Flag is formally recognized by a foreign naval vessel for the first time, when French Admiral Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte rendered a nine gun salute to USS Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones? Or that it was on this day in 1779 naval explorer James Cook is killed by Native Hawaiians near Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii?

And on this day in 1852 Great Ormond St Hospital for Sick Children, the first hospital providing in-patient beds specifically for children in the English-speaking world, is founded in London, in 1876 Alexander Graham Bell applies for a patent for the telephone, as does Elisha Gray, in 1929, in what has become known as the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre, seven people, six of them gangster rivals of Al Capone‘s gang, are murdered in Chicago, Illinois, in 1945, during  World War II, on the first day of the bombing of Dresden, the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces begin fire-bombing Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony and in 1949 the Knesset (Israeli parliament) convenes for the first time.

It was also on this day in 1989 Union Carbide agrees to pay $470 million to the Indian government for damages it caused in the 1984 Bhopal disaster and in 2011 As a part of Arab spring, the 2011–2012 Bahraini uprising, a series of demonstrations, amounting to a sustained campaign of civil resistance, in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain begins.

Some birthdays to remember on this day are Jimmy Hoffa, American labor union leader (1913-presumed d. 1975), Ronnie Peterson, Swedish racing driver (1944-1978), Gregory Hines, American dancer and actor (1946-2003), Teller, American magician (Penn and Teller) (1948) and Simon Pegg, British comedian and actor (1970).

Need a reason to raise a glass of bubbly on this Valentine’s Day? Perhaps you should look into the celebration of the second day of Lupercalia (Ancient Rome) or Statehood Day (Arizona and Oregon?

For more information about historic events on this day, please go here.

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28 December: Did you know?

Did you know that it was on this day in 1065  Westminster Abbey is consecrated? Or that it was on this day in 1836 Spain recognizes the independence of Mexico?

And on this day in 1885 Indian National Congress a political party of India is founded in Bombay, British India, in 1895 Wilhelm Röntgen publishes a paper detailing his discovery of a new type of radiation, which later will be known as x-rays, in 1908 a magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocks Messina, Sicily killing over 75,000, in 1945 (only 66 years ago) the United States Congress officially recognizes the Pledge of Allegiance and in 2010, during what has become known as the Arab Spring: Popular protests begin in Algeria against the government.

Some birthdays you may want to remember on this day are Earl Hines, American musician (1903-1983), Stan Lee, American comic book writer (1922), Keith Floyd, British chef (1943-2009), Gayle King, American magazine editor and Denzel Washington, American actor (both born in 1954),  Linus Torvalds, Finnish computer programmer (1969), Noomi Rapace, Swedish actress (1979) and Sienna Miller, British actress (1981).

Need a reason to raise a glass of bubbly on this day? Perhaps you should look into the celebration of King Taksin Memorial Day (Thailand) or Proclamation Day, celebration started on the day following Christmas. (South Australia)?

For more information about historic events on this day, please go here.

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