1 June: Did you know?

Did you know that on this day in 1250 Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Zhongdu? Or that it was on this day in 1495 Friar John Cor records the first known batch of scotch whisky?

And on this day in 1812 during the aptly named War of 1812, U.S. President James Madison asks the Congress to declare war on the United Kingdom, in 1831 James Clark Ross discovers the North Magnetic Pole, in 1857 Charles Baudelaire‘s Les Fleurs du mal is published, in 1974 the Heimlich maneuver for rescuing choking victims is published in the journal Emergency Medicine, in 2003 the People’s Republic of China begins filling the reservoir behind the Three Gorges Dam and in 2009 General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.

Some birthdays you may want to remember on this day are Povel Ramel, Swedish entertainer (1922-2007), Marilyn Monroe, American actress (1926-1962), Pat Boone, American singer (1934), Morgan Freeman, American actor (1934), Ronnie Wood, English guitarist (Rolling Stones) (1947), Jason Donovan, Australian actor and singer (1968), Heidi Klum, German model (1973) and Alanis Morissette, Canadian singer-songwriter (1974).

Need a reason to raise a glass of bubbly on this day? Why not look into the celebration of International Children’s Day (International), National Day Against Homophobia (Canada) or National Tree Planting Day (Cambodia)?

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

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The Dead Never Age

The dead don’t age
have you ever thought of that?
The living sure do,
and I’m getting old and fat.

If he were alive this year
Elvis would have been 76…
I don’t think he would have looked
much like he did in his early flicks.

Marilyn would have been 85!
Not a spring chicken anymore!
I don’t think she would have looked at all
like in her films of yore.

Jimmy Dean, Humphrey Bogart,
Jayne Mansfield and Doris Day!
You don’t want to know, sweetheart,
what they would have looked like today!

So focus on those who are breathing,
those who died hot are worm food now!
Time is never that forgiving,
though we always forget that somehow.

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5 August: Did you know?

Did you know that it was on this day in 910 AD that the last major Danish army to raid England is defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward the Elder and Earl Aethelred of Mercia? Or that it was on this day in 1620 the Mayflower departs from Southampton, England on its first attempt to reach North America? And it was on this day in 1861 that the United States Army abolishes flogging and in 1914, in Cleveland, Ohio, the first electric traffic light is installed. Also on this day in 1925 the Plaid Cymru is formed with the aim of disseminating knowledge of the Welsh language that is at the time in danger of dying out, whereas in 1962 on this day Nelson Mandela is jailed. He would not be released until 1990. It is also today one year ago since the 2010 Copiapó mining accident occurs, trapping 33 Chilean miners approximately 2,300 ft below the ground.

Some birthdays to commemorate on this day are Guy de Maupassant, French writer (1850-1893), Neil Armstrong, American astronaut (1930) and  “Evil” Jared Hasselhoff, American bassist (The Bloodhound Gang) (1971). Since birthday pickings were so slim today, let’s look at some famous (or infamous) names of people who died on this day in history: Friedrich Engels, German philosopher (1820-1895), Carmen Miranda, Portuguese actress and singer (1909-1955), Marilyn Monroe, American actress (1926-1962) and Richard Burton, Welsh actor (1925-1984).

If you need a reason to raise a glass of bubbly on this day, perhaps doing so in memory of my great idol Marilyn Monroe could be reason enough? Otherwise the obvious choice would be to partake in International Beer Day, The beginning of Bogotá’s Carnival (Bogotá) or perhaps Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian defenders (Croatia)?

For more information on historic events, please go here.

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