Random Fact 12-8-11

"A Day Which Will Live in Infamy"

Image from http://www.facsfacsd.navy.mil/

Today, in 1941, the day after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, President FDR adressed the nation and noted that December 7th will be a day which will live in infamy. This event specifically, sent the United States to war with Japan. Congress declared war on Japan, sending the US to WWII, aproximatly an hour from the speech.

Hope you enjoy your Thursday!

Random Fact 12-6-11

Saint Nicholas Day!

Image from http://lindyloumac.blogspot.com/

St. Nicholas Day is today, December 6th. With Santa Claus coming from this Saint, he is celebrated today.

Also, today is Constitution Day in Spain. This is the day where the Spanish Constitution was ratified in 1978.

There isn't many cool, interesting, unique facts about either holiday, so this is all you get for now. Sorry!

Random Fact 12-3-11

Welcome to December!

 

Image from enjoyableteaching.wordpress.com



It's now the Twelfth Month here on Planet Earth. The month is famously known for its holiday season from the 21st until the 31st. However, there are numerous December 'holidays' that are also celebrated outside of this range.

Decem is Latin for "ten" because it was the tenth month in the Roman Calendar.

If You Were Born In December:

The birthstone is blue turquoise, the flower is the poinsettia, and  Sagittarius or Capricorn is your Zodiac sign.

Always, December starts on the same day of the week as September, and ends on the same day of the week as April.

Random Fact 11-25-11: Black Friday

Back in Black!

Image from keetria.com

It's the consumers favorite day of the year, Black Friday. The day when the Christmas Shopping begins, and  popular items go on sale.  It was known as the beginning of the Christmas Shopping season for many years and Christmas specials couldn't start until after the Thanksgiving Day Parades had finished. In 1966, the Philadelphia Police Department called the day after Thanksgiving Black Friday due to the streets being packed with cars and people. The more accepted version of the story goes back to math class. In business accounting, black is the color for positives and profit. As the shopping season begins today, the stores start making profit and go from red (debt) to black (profit).

Hopefully now you know more about Black Friday!

Random Fact 11-24-11: Thanksgiving Day



Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!

Image from juniorfriends.wordpress.com


Happy Turkey Day! Thanksgiving, also known as Turkey Day, is a favorite holiday by many.  It falls on the 4th Thursday of November in the United States and on the 2nd Monday of October in Canada. Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrating the good harvest of the Pilgrims shared by the Native Americans. Half wouldn't survived if the Wampanoag Indians hadn't taught the Pilgrims to plant and to fish.



Image from wikipedia.org, The First Thanksgiving by Brownscombe

The traditions are very similar in Canada and the United States. Canadians celebrate earlier most likely due to their winter beginning earlier there.

Perhaps you learned something new on Turkey Day 2011!

Random Fact 11-21-11

Up, Up, and Away!

Image from wikipedia.org



On November 21st in 1783, the hot air balloon made history becoming the first successful way of air travel for humans. There is a lot of science behind it, but basically, the hot air balloon is caused by rising and sinking air and the heating of it by fire in the capsule beneath the actual balloon. Originally, King Louis XVI decreed that the first pilots to go up untethered should be condemned criminals, but after petitioning, Pilatre de Rozier and Marquis François d'Arlandes were the first to go into the air without a rope to hold them down.

Hopefully, you have a better Monday now knowing how the hot air balloon started.

(Random Information from wikipedia.org)

Random Fact 11-17-11

Image from wikipedia.org

It's the 37th United States President, Richard Nixon. You might be asking yourself, why would we pick Richard Nixon to talk about? 

Well, on November 17th, 1973, he insisted that he wasn't a crook.

In addition to holding office of United States President, he was also the 36th Vice President of the United States, a senator, and representative.

Hopefully you are enjoying your day, now knowing that Richard Nixon was Dwight D. Eisenhower's VP.