Saturday 16 May 2009

16 May - Historical Events and Special Celebrations



Flower of the Month

Lily of the Valley



Gemstone of the Month: Emerald



First of all Nomanda would like to thank all our new readers! We have been getting more and more of you every day and we really appreciate you! If you are enjoying Nomanda’s blog please pass it on to your friends. And if you would like to make a comment or get your own special mention on your own special day just send us the details through the comments section and we’ll make sure we don’t forget you!

Nomanda’s Happy Special Day blog is a celebration of events and anniversaries that have touched our lives. If today is your special day join us in looking at a few other events that have occurred on your day. Enjoy!



We are always happy when food is on the agenda and today we have two food and drink celebrations! The first goes to Charles Elmer Hires, a pharmacist, who on this day in 1866 invented root beer. In fact he copied the idea from the landlady of the place where he spent his honeymoon, but who cares! He was going to call it root tea, but correctly calculated that the word beer would make it more marketable. Sadly it doesn’t make it more drinkable!



The next food invention on this day in 1891 by George A Hormel & Co was none other than our favourite dish of the day, the one and only SPAM! This pink coloured luncheon meat blob is just the thing for the working lunchbox and has been hungrily devoured by millions of poor sods who couldn’t be bothered to make a proper sandwich! Nevertheless it still appears every day on billions of computer screens! Thanks, George!




In a typical Vatican gesture of too little too late it was on this day in 1920 that they decided to canonize Joan of Arc and make her a Saint. Well done!






Despite the fact that aeroplanes had been flying around for some time by now remarkably it was on this day in 1936 that the first air hostess appeared on the scene. Her name was Daphne Kearley and she worked on the Air Dispatch’s “Dawn Express” from Croydon, London to Le Bourget, France. During the two and a half hour flight she had to mix drinks and cook and serve the food. As if that was not enough she also had to be able to speak French, be able to take dictation and be able to use a typewriter. The businessmen on board expected their letters all nicely typed up at the end of the journey. None the wonder the flight took so long. I bet that half of the time of the flight was spent in a “holding” position so that Daphne could finish her typing! Thank God it wasn’t a jumbo jet; they’d be up there all day!



There was no holding back Jim Laker on this day in 1956 when playing for Surrey he took all 10 of the Australians wickets for just 88 runs. His final match figures were 19 for 90. Not at all bad, Jim! Well bowled!



The Beach Boys released their album “Pets Sounds” on this day in 1966 and “Wouldn’t it be Nice” to hear one of their songs! Brilliant!





Now here’s a one for the Vatican to consider because it was on this day in 1986 that “Bobby Ewing” came back from the dead. Will he be up for a canonization in a few hundred years time, I think not!






In a remarkable double act on this day in 1988 the US Supreme Court ruled that trash could be searched without a warrant, but with rubber gloves, I suppose! And on the same day in a report from the Surgeon General, C Everett Koop, he revealed that nicotine was as addictive as heroin. All I can say is that he obviously had never tried the stuff himself as if he had he would have known already!



Having recovered from the baseball game and her host George Bush, it was on this day in 1991 that HRH Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address the US Congress. I bet she didn’t tell them how much she’d enjoyed the previous day’s game!



Birthday celebrities today start with an Italian lady, Maria G Agnesi (1718 – 1799) who was a mathematician and who is renowned for her formula for the curve. To all our mathematicians we believe it is: xy=a,a-y.





Next up for birthday wishes is Henry Fonda (1906 – 1982). Amongst his many films Nomanda likes his westerns best.





Another great performer, this time on the piano, Liberace (1919 – 1987) was born on this day. As time went on his performances got more and more extravagant and Nomanda likes his “candelabra era” best! (you choose a clip, please, x)




Another celebrated actor, Pierce Brosnan (1952) was born on this day and has played several “James Bond” roles including “Golden Eye”.




Our final birthday wishes go to Janet Jackson (1966) and Michael’s sister who seems to go from hot to blob at the gulp of a MacDonald. Eat more spam, ma’am!



Happy Special Day to one and all!!


If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary or a special day today or sometime soon why not send them a nice e-card so they get it as soon as they log on! Even better, why not send this page to your friend!
Don’t know what to get for a present? Think about what your special person enjoys doing and the things they like.


For Girls, I know that flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché but nevertheless they always seem to work! Of course, if your budget stretches that far, jewellery, watches, perfume and fashion items are always appreciated!

For Boys, all boys like toys! It’s just as they get older the toys get more expensive. So gadgets and gimmicky things work. Again, if you have the budget then car accessories, sporting equipment and clothes, and man type jewellery like watches and gold chains will go down very well!

And, if all else fails, you could always send them a gift voucher and they can choose whatever they want!

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event today I hope you got lots of cards and presents and that there is someone special in your life who will make this day a very happy and special day for you.



Happy celebrations to you from the Happy Special Day Blog!!

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