The Thing About Today – October 12

October 12, 2020October 9, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 12, 2020
Day 286 of 366

October 12th is the 286th day of the year. It is Freethought Day, an annual observance by freethinkers and secularists of the anniversary of the effective end of the Salem Witch Trials.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Savings Day, National Vermont Day, National Farmer’s Day, National Gumbo Day, National Online Bank Day (typically observed on the second Monday in October), and National Kick Butt Day (typically observed on the second Monday in October).

Historical items of note:

In 1692, the Salem witch trials were ended by a letter from Province of Massachusetts Bay Governor William Phips.
In 1773, Eastern State Hospital opened in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was the first psychiatric hospital in what would become the United States.
In 1799, Jeanne Geneviève Labrosse became the first woman to jump from a balloon with a parachute.
In 1810, the citizens of Munich held the first Oktoberfest.
In 1847, Werner von Siemens founded Siemens & Halske, which later became Siemens AG.
In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt officially renamed the “Executive Mansion” to the White House.
In 1928, an iron lung respirator was used for the first time at Boston Children’s Hospital.
In 1933, the military Alcatraz Citadel became the civilian Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.
In 1945, Desmond Doss became the first conscientious objector to receive the United States Medal of Honor.
In 1964, the Soviet Union launched the Voskhod 1 spacecraft into Earth orbit. It was the first spacecraft with a multi-person crew, and the first flight without pressure suits.
In 1968, Australian actor, singer, and producer Hugh Jackman was born.
In 1971, the 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire began.
In 1984, the Provisional Irish Republican Army attempted and failed to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet. The bomb killed five people and wounded 31.
In 1992, actor Josh Hutcherson was born.
In 1994, the Magellan spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere of Venus.
In 2000, the USS Cole (DDG-67), a United States Navy destroyer, was badly damaged by two suicide bombers. Seventeen crew members were killed and thirty-nine were wounded.
In 2005, the second Chinese human spaceflight, Shenzhou 6, was launched. It carried two cosmonauts in orbit for five days.

The second Monday in October is observed as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures.

An official city and state holiday in various localities, it began as a counter-celebration held on the same day as the United States federal holiday of Columbus Day, which honors Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Many reject celebrating him, saying that he represents “the violent history of the colonization in the Western Hemisphere”, and that Columbus Day is a sanitation or covering-up of Christopher Columbus’ actions such as enslaving Native Americans.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day began in 1989 in South Dakota, where Lynn Hart and then Governor Mr. George S. Mickelson backed a resolution to celebrate Native American day on the second Monday of October, marking the beginning of the year of reconciliation in 1990. It was instituted in Berkeley, California, in 1992, to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas. Two years later, Santa Cruz, California, instituted the holiday, and in the 2010s, various other cities and states took it up as well.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 11

October 11, 2020October 9, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 11, 2020
Day 285 of 366

October 11th is the 285th day of the year. It is National Coming Out Day, an LGBT awareness day to support members of the LGBT community if they choose to “come out of the closet”.

It’s a personal choice with a lot of factors involved, but if you choose today, know that you are seen, loved, and supported.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Sausage Pizza Day, General Pulaski Memorial Day, and Clergy Appreciation Day (also known as Pastor Appreciation Day or Ministry Appreciation Day, and typically observed on the second Sunday in October).

Historical items of note:

In 1767, surveying for the Mason–Dixon line separating Maryland from Pennsylvania was completed. It forms part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia (which was part of Virginia until 1863). It later became informally known as the border between the free (Northern) states and the slave (Southern) states during the American Civil War since the Virginia portion was the northern border of the Confederacy.
In 1852, the University of Sydney, Australia’s oldest university, was inaugurated in Sydney.
In 1865, hundreds of black men and women marched in Jamaica, starting the Morant Bay rebellion.
In 1950, CBS’s field-sequential color system for television became the first to be licensed for broadcast by the United States Federal Communications Commission.
In 1958, NASA launched Pioneer 1. It was NASA’s first space probe, but it failed to achieve a stable orbit.
In 1960, actress Nicola Bryant was born. She is known for her role as Perpugilliam “Peri” Brown, a companion to both the Fifth and Sixth Doctors in Doctor Who.
In 1966, actor and producer Luke Perry was born.
In 1968, NASA launched Apollo 7, the first successful manned Apollo mission, with astronauts Walter M. Schirra, Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham aboard.
In 1972, a race riot occurred on the United States Navy aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk (CV-63) off the coast of Vietnam. At the time, under the Navy’s tradition of Southern white leadership coupled with low test scores, black sailors spent more time assigned to the least desirable, most difficult and least dignified jobs, while whites were routinely promoted to the most desirable and more respected jobs, and accounted for 99% of the Navy’s officers.
Also in 1972, actress Claudia Black was born.
In 1975, Saturday Night Live debuted. The show’s first host was George Carlin.
In 1976, actress and producer Emily Deschanel was born.
In 1977, actor and producer Matt Bomer was born.
In 1984, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger during mission STS-41-G, astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to perform a space walk.
In 1985, actress Michelle Trachtenberg was born.
In 1987, the AIDS Memorial Quilt was first displayed during the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
In 1991, Professor Anita Hill delivered her televised testimony concerning sexual harassment during the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination.
In 2000, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-92, marking the 100th Space Shuttle mission.
In 2001, the Polaroid Corporation filed for federal bankruptcy protection.

October 11th is International Day of the Girl Child.

Also known as the Day of the Girls and the International Day of the Girl, it is an international observance declared by the United Nations that supports more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender. This inequality includes areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination, violence against women and forced child marriage.

The Day of Girls helps raise awareness not only of the issues that girls face, but also of what is likely to happen when those problems are solved. For example, educating girls helps reduce the rate of child marriage, disease and helps strengthen the economy by helping girls have access to higher paying jobs.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 10

October 10, 2020October 8, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 10, 2020
Day 284 of 366

October 10th is the 284th day of the year. It is Independence Day in Cuba, commemorating the proclamation of their independence from Spain and the beginning of the Ten Years’ War in 1868.

It is also World Against the Death Penalty Day, a day to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty and to raise awareness of the conditions and the circumstances which affect prisoners with death sentences.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Angel Food Cake Day, National Cake Decorating Day, National Handbag Day, National Chess Day, National Costume Swap Day, National Motorcycle Ride Day, and I Love Yarn Day. The last four events are typically observed on the second Saturday in October.

Historical items of note:

In 1731, French-English chemist, physicist, and philosopher Henry Cavendish was born. He is noted for his discovery of hydrogen, which he termed “inflammable air”.
In 1813, Italian composer and philanthropist Giuseppe Verdi was born.
In 1845, the Naval School (later the United States Naval Academy) opened in Annapolis, Maryland with 50 students.
In 1846, Triton, the largest moon of the planet Neptune, was discovered by English astronomer William Lassell.
In 1903, the Women’s Social and Political Union was founded in support of the enfranchisement of British women.
In 1917, pianist and composer Thelonious Monk was born.
In 1927, actor and director Dana Elcar was born.
In 1941, actor, director, and screenwriter Peter Coyote was born.
In 1946, actor, singer, and dancer Ben Vereen was born.
In 1957, the Windscale fire resulted in Britain’s worst nuclear accident.
In 1959, actor and producer Bradley Whitford was born.
In 1961, voice actress Jodi Benson was born.
In 1963, From Russia With Love premiered.
In 1964, the Tokyo Summer Olympics opening ceremony became the first to be relayed live by satellites.
In 1966, The Beach Boys released one of their biggest singles, “Good Vibrations”. It is ranked as the 6th greatest song by Rolling Stone.
In 1967, the Outer Space Treaty – formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies – came into force.
Also in 1967, composer Michael Giacchino was born.
In 1973, United States Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after being charged with evasion of federal income tax.
In 1978, model and actress Jodi Lyn O’Keefe was born.
In 1988, actress Rose McIver was born.
In 2017, Thor: Ragnarok premiered.

October 10th is observed as World Mental Health Day.

This international day exists to promote global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against social stigma. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.

On this day, each October, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on peoples’ lives worldwide.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 9

October 9, 2020October 8, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 9, 2020
Day 283 of 366

October 9th is the 283rd day of the year. It is Fire Prevention Day in the United States and Canada.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Leif Erikson Day and National Moldy Cheese Day.

Historical items of note:

Today in 1410 marks the first known mention of the Prague astronomical clock.
In 1446, the hangul alphabet was published in Korea.
In 1604, Supernova 1604 was sighted. It was the most recent supernova to be observed within the Milky Way.
In 1701, The Collegiate School of Connecticut, later renamed as Yale University, was chartered in Old Saybrook.
In 1824, slavery was abolished in Costa Rica.
In 1825, Restauration arrived in New York Harbor from Norway. It was the first organized immigration from Norway to the United States.
In 1834, The Dublin and Kingstown Railway opened. It was the first public railway on the island of Ireland.
In 1847, slavery was abolished in Saint Barthélemy.
In 1926, the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) was formed.
In 1936, Boulder Dam (later Hoover Dam) began generating and transmitting electricity for Los Angeles, California.
Also in 1936, actor Brian Blessed was born.
In 1951, actor Robert Wuhl was born.
In 1954, actor Scott Bakula was born.
In 1964, director Guillermo del Toro was born.
In 1979, actor Brandon Routh was born.
In 1986, The Phantom of the Opera, eventually the second longest running musical in London, opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
In 2006, North Korea conducted its first nuclear test.
In 2017, producer Harvey Weinstein was fired from The Weinstein Company after allegations of sexual abuse. This gave birth to the #MeToo Movement against sexual abuse and sexual harassment where people publicized allegations of sex crimes committed by powerful and/or prominent men.

In 1874, the Universal Postal Union was created by the Treaty of Bern. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system.

The Universal Postal Union was the start of the global communications revolution, introducing the ability to write letter to others all over the world. Postal systems have been in operation for many centuries, operating on foot or on horseback by special messengers. From the 1600s, the first national postage systems began springing up in many countries. International mail exchange followed, giving birth to a global postal service, but it was slow and complicated. The Universal Postal Union opened the way for the efficient postal service.

To celebrate the anniversary, World Post Day started in 1969. To celebrate, post offices in some countries hold special stamp collection exhibitions, hold workshops on postal history, and organize international letter writing competitions for young people.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 8

October 8, 2020October 6, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 8, 2020
Day 282 of 366

October 8th is the 282nd day of the year. It is Arbor Day in Namibia.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Fluffernutter Day, National Pierogi Day, and American Touch Tag Day.

Historical items of note:

In 1645, Jeanne Mance opened the first lay hospital in North America.
In 1871, Slash-and-burn land management, months of drought, and the passage of a strong cold front caused the Peshtigo Fire, the Great Chicago Fire, and the Great Michigan Fires to break out.
In 1940, Australian actor, producer, and screenwriter Paul Hogan was born.
In 1941, minister and activist Jesse Jackson was born.
In 1942, comedy duo Abbott and Costello launched their weekly radio show.
In 1943, comedian, actor, and screenwriter Chevy Chase was born.
Also in 1943, author, screenwriter, and producer R. L. Stine was born.
In 1949, actress and producer Sigourney Weaver was born.
In 1956, the New York Yankees’s Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in a World Series.
Also in 1956, actress Stephanie Zimbalist was born.
In 1970, actor Matt Damon was born.
In 1979, actress Kristanna Loken was born.
In 1982, after its London premiere, Cats opened on Broadway and ran for nearly 18 years before closing on September 10, 2000.

October 8th is National Fluffernutter Day.

In 1917, Archibald Query of Somerville, Massachusetts invented one of the components in the sandwich, a sweet marshmallow-like spread called Marshmallow Creme that he sold door-to-door. After he sold the recipe, it was marketed as Toot Sweet Marshmallow Fluff.

A year later, the fluffernutter was born. The classic New England comfort food consists of marshmallow creme (fluff) mixed with peanut butter between two slices of white bread.

Marshmallow creme is also a traditional confection in Arabic cuisine, where it is commonly referred to as soapwort meringue (natef). The original recipe is based on either soapwort or roots of the marshmallow plant, but modern varieties are nearly identical to the commercial product. It was first mentioned in a tenth-century Arabic cookbook, Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ (‘The Book of Dishes’) by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 7

October 7, 2020October 6, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 7, 2020
Day 281 of 366

October 7th is the 281st day of the year. It is Teachers’ Day in Laos.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Chocolate Covered Pretzel Day, National LED Light Day, National Frappe Day, National Inner Beauty Day, National Walk to School Day, National Pumpkin Seed Day, and National Coffee with a Cop Day. The last three are typically observed on the first Wednesday in October.

Historical items of note:

Today in 3761 BC marks the epoch reference date, or origin, of the modern Hebrew calendar.
In 1826, the Granite Railway began operations as the first chartered railway in the United States.
In 1868, Cornell University held opening day ceremonies. Initial student enrollment was 412, the highest at any American university to that date.
In 1885, Danish physicist and philosopher Niels Bohr was born. He made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922.
In 1912, the Helsinki Stock Exchange saw its first transaction.
In 1919, KLM was founded. It is the flag carrier of the Netherlands, and is the oldest airline still operating under its original name.
In 1931, South African archbishop and activist Desmond Tutu was born.
In 1933, Air France was inaugurated after being formed by a merger of five French airlines.
In 1944, during an uprising at the Birkenau concentration camp, Jewish prisoners burned down Crematorium IV.
In 1949, the communist German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was formed.
In 1951, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor John Mellencamp was born.
In 1955, French-American cellist and educator Yo-Yo Ma was born.
In 1958, the United States manned space-flight project was renamed Project Mercury.
In 1959, the Soviet probe Luna 3 transmitted the first-ever photographs of the far side of the Moon.
In 1966, Italian-American composer and conductor Marco Beltrami was born.
In 1967, singer-songwriter, producer, and actress Toni Braxton was born.
In 1971, The French Connection premiered.
In 1979, twin actors Aaron and Shawn Ashmore were born.
In 1998, Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was found tied to a fence after being savagely beaten by two young adults in Laramie, Wyoming. He died five days later. Both of his murderers were convicted and each of them received two consecutive life sentences.
In 2002, the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on STS-112 to continue assembly of the International Space Station.
In 2008, the music, podcast, and video streaming service Spotify was launched.
In 2018, Jodie Whittaker debuted in her first full episode as the Thirteenth and first female Doctor on Doctor Who.

October 7th is National Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day.

The observance promotes research to help find a cure for trigeminal neuralgia, as well as support for improved diagnoses and treatment procedures. The observance encourages supporters to wear teal.

The trigeminal nerve is the largest of cranial nerves and consists of 12 pairs that control many functions of the face. Pressure on the nerve, aging, or deterioration of the myelin due to conditions like cerebal palsy induce severe pain in the face and jaw. The pain may be localized or spread, and it may worsen over time.

While treatments such as surgery or medications may provide relief, the condition is progressive over time.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 6

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 6, 2020
Day 280 of 366

October 6th is the 280th day of the year. It is German-American Day in the United States, celebrating German-American heritage and commemorating the founding of Germantown in Northwest Philadelphia in 1683.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Coaches Day, National Orange Wine Day, National Plus Size Appreciation Day, National Mad Hatter Day, National Noodle Day, and National Eat Fruit At Work Day (typically observed on the first Tuesday in October).

Historical items of note:

In 1600, Euridice received its première performance, beginning the Baroque period. It is the earliest surviving opera.
In 1729, English preacher Sarah Crosby was born. She was the first female Methodist preacher.
In 1903, the High Court of Australia convened for the first time.
Also in 1903, Irish physicist and academic Ernest Walton was born. He was a Nobel Prize laureate for his work on “atom-smashing” experiments done at Cambridge University with John Cockcroft in the early 1930s. He was the first person in history to split the atom.
In 1927, The Jazz Singer premiered. It was the first prominent “talkie” movie.
In 1942, Swedish actress and singer Britt Ekland was born.
In 1960, Spartacus premiered in theaters.
In 1963, actress Elisabeth Shue was born.
In 1970, actress Amy Jo Johnson was born.
In 1973, Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd was born.
In 1995, the first planet orbiting another sun, 51 Pegasi b, was discovered.
In 2007, Jason Lewis completed the first human-powered circumnavigation of the Earth.
In 2010, Instagram, a mainstream photo-sharing application, was founded.

In 1973, the Yom Kippur War – also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the Arab-Israeli War, מלחמת יום הכיפורים or מלחמת יום כיפור in Hebrew, and حرب أكتوبر or حرب تشرين in Arabic – started, fought by a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria against Israel.

The war began when the Arab coalition launched a joint surprise attack on Israeli positions, on Yom Kippur, a widely observed day of rest, fasting, and prayer in Judaism, which also occurred that year during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Egyptian and Syrian forces crossed ceasefire lines to enter the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights, respectively. Both the United States and the Soviet Union initiated massive resupply efforts to their respective allies during the war, and these efforts led to a near-confrontation between the two nuclear superpowers.

The conflict lasted for two weeks and five days, coming to an end on October 25th. The war had far-reaching implications for both sides. The Arab world had experienced humiliation in the lopsided rout of the Egyptian–Syrian–Jordanian alliance in the Six-Day War but felt psychologically vindicated by early successes in this conflict. The war led Israel to recognize that, despite impressive operational and tactical achievements on the battlefield, there was no guarantee that they would always dominate the Arab states militarily, as they had consistently through the earlier 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Suez Crisis, and the Six-Day War.

These changes paved the way for a subsequent peace process, including the 1978 Camp David Accords.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 5

October 5, 2020October 4, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 5, 2020
Day 279 of 366

October 5th is the 279th day of the year. It is Teachers’ Day in both Pakistan and Russia.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Get Funky Day, National Rhode Island Day, National Do Something Nice Day, National Apple Betty Day, National Consignment Day, and National Child Health Day. The last two are typically observed on the first Monday in October.

Historical items of note:

In 1550, the city of Concepción was founded in present-day Chile.
In 1857, the city of Anaheim, California was founded.
In 1882, physicist, engineer, and academic Robert H. Goddard was born. He is the inventor who was credited with creating and building the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket.
In 1911, the Kowloon–Canton Railway commenced service in Hong Kong.
In 1914, an aircraft successfully destroyed another aircraft with gunfire, the first event of its kind. This occurred during World War I.
In 1919, actor Donald Pleasance was born.
In 1922, American soldier and cartoonist Bil Keane was born.
In 1945, a six-month strike by Hollywood set decorators turned into a bloody riot at the gates of the Warner Brothers studio.
In 1947, United States President Truman made the first televised Oval Office address.
In 1951, actress Karen Allen was born.
In 1952, author, director, producer, and screenwriter Clive Barker was born.
Also in 1952, keyboard player, composer, and producer Harold Faltermeyer was born.
In 1958, astrophysicist, cosmologist, and author Neil deGrasse Tyson was born.
In 1962, the first James Bond film, Dr. No, premiered in London.
In 1966, a reactor at the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station near Detroit suffered a partial meltdown.
In 1967, English-Australian actor Guy Pearce was born.
In 1970, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) was founded.
In 1975, actress Kate Winslet was born.
In 1984, Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space.
In 2000, mass demonstrations in Serbia forced the resignation of Slobodan Milošević. He was arrested six months later on suspicion of corruption, abuse of power, and embezzlement. He died in his prison cell from a heart attack five years later.

October 5th is World Teachers’ Day, also known as International Teachers Day.

Established in 1994, the observance it commemorates the signing of the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, which addressed the status and situations of teachers around the world.

World Teachers’ Day aims to focus on “appreciating, assessing and improving the educators of the world” and to provide an opportunity to consider issues related to teachers and teaching.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 4

October 4, 2020October 4, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 4, 2020
Day 278 of 366

October 4th is the 278th day of the year. It is Independence Day in Lesotho, formerly Basutoland, as they celebrate leaving the United Kingdom in 1966.

It is also the beginning of World Space Week, “an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition.”

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Cinnamon Bun Day, National Taco Day, National Golf Lover’s Day, National Vodka Day, World Smile Day, and National GOE Day (which is typically observed on the Sunday of the first full weekend in October).

What is GOE? It stands for “Growth. Overcome. Empower.” It encourages us to support safe spaces of healing and connection for those who have been victimized by abuse and trauma, and focuses on healing, recovery and providing resources that support overcoming these overwhelming obstacles in life.

Historical items of note:

In 1582, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII.
In 1824, Mexico adopted a new constitution and became a federal republic.
In 1883, the first run of the Orient Express occurred.
In 1895, film actor, director, and producer Buster Keaton was born.
In 1924, American soldier and author Donald J. Sobol was born. He created the Encyclopedia Brown children’s book series.
In 1927, Gutzon Borglum began sculpting Mount Rushmore. He is also known for Stone Mountain in Georgia, the statue of Union General Phillip Sheridan in Washington, D.C., a bust of Abraham Lincoln which was exhibited in the White House by Theodore Roosevelt, and being deeply involved with the Ku Klux Klan. Mount Rushmore, of course, was carved into Six Grandfathers, a mountain taken from the Lakota Sioux by the United States government.
In 1941, Norman Rockwell’s Willie Gillis character debuted on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post.
Also in 1941, author Anne Rice was born.
In 1946, actress and activist Susan Sarandon was born.
In 1956, Austrian-German actor Christoph Waltz was born.
In 1957, Sputnik 1 became the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.
In 1967, actor and director Liev Schreiber was born.
In 1976, actress, producer, and author Alicia Silverstone was born.
In 1980, Thundarr the Barbarian premiered on television.
In 1985, the Free Software Foundation was founded.
In 1988, actress and singer Melissa Benoist was born.
In 2004, SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X Prize for private spaceflight.

October 4th is World Animal Day, an international day of action for animal rights and welfare celebrated on the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

World Animal Day was originated by cynologist Heinrich Zimmermann. He organized the first World Animal Day on March 24, 1925, at the Sport Palace in Berlin, Germany. Over 5,000 people attended the first event, and it was only celebrated on that day because the venue was not available on October 4th. It finally made it to October 4th in 1929.

The mission of World Animal Day is “to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe. Building the celebration of World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilizing it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals. It is celebrated in different ways in every country, irrespective of nationality, religion, faith or political ideology. Through increased awareness and education we can create a world where animals are always recognized as sentient beings and full regard is always paid to their welfare.”

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – October 3

October 3, 2020October 4, 2020 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

October 3, 2020
Day 277 of 366

October 3rd is the 277th day of the year. It is National Day in Iraq as they celebrate their 1932 independence from the United Kingdom.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Techies Day and National Boyfriend Day.

Historical items of note:

In 2457 BC, Hwanung (환웅) purportedly descended from heaven. This event is observed today as Gaecheonjeol, or South Korea’s National Foundation Day.
In 42 BC, Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fought a decisive battle with Caesar’s assassins Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi.
In 1283, Dafydd ap Gruffydd, prince of Gwynedd in Wales, became the first nobleman to be executed by hanging and drawing and quartering.
In 1789, George Washington proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day for that year.
In 1863, the last Thursday in November was declared as Thanksgiving Day by United States President Abraham Lincoln.
In 1941, singer-songwriter Chubby Checker was born.
In 1949, WERD, the first black-owned radio station in the United States, opened in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 1952, the United Kingdom successfully tested a nuclear weapon and became the world’s third nuclear power.
In 1955, Captain Kangaroo premiered on television.
In 1961, Mr. Ed premiered on television.
In 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra launched from Cape Canaveral in Sigma 7 for a six-orbit flight.
In 1964, actor Clive Owen was born.
In 1969, singer-songwriter, actress, and fashion designer Gwen Stefani was born.
In 1973, Canadian actress and producer Neve Campbell was born.
Also in 1973, actress Lena Headey was born.
In 1983, actress Tessa Thompson was born.
In 1984, actress Jessica Parker Kennedy was born.
In 1985, the Space Shuttle Atlantis made its maiden flight on mission STS-51-J.
In 1988, actress Alicia Vikander was born.
In 1994, Gary Larson announced his retirement from producing his Far Side comic.
In 1995, the O. J. Simpson murder case ended with a verdict of not guilty.

In 1990, the German Democratic Republic was abolished and became part of the Federal Republic of Germany. The day is celebrated as German Unity Day. The reunification marked the first time since 1945 that there existed a single German state.

An alternative choice would have been November 9, 1989, the day that the Berlin Wall came down – the date coincided with the anniversary of the proclamation of the German Republic in 1918, and the defeat of Hitler’s first coup in 1923 – however, it was also the anniversary of the first large-scale Nazi-led pogroms against Jews in 1938 (also known as Kristallnacht), so the day was considered inappropriate as a national holiday.

Therefore, October 3, 1990, the day of the formal reunification, was chosen instead and replaced the “Day of German Unity” on June 17th, the national holiday of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1954.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

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