Anniversary of the Founding of Detroit

Detroit skyline, seen from Windsor Ontario, by Shawn Wilson, via Wikimedia Commons

Just learned recently that today is the 312th anniversary of the founding of Detroit, by French explorer  Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac. The city has a rich and long history, made all the more poignant considering the economic and social travails it is currently enduring. It is difficult to know if Detroit can solve its problems and once again become at least a bit of the vibrant hub it once was. Let us hope and pray so - Detroit's residents deserve no less.

30th Anniversary of the Lowest Recorded Temperature in the World

Location of Lake Vostok in Antarctica. Original a composite satellite photo by NASA (public domain via Wikipedia)

This was recorded at the Vostok Station in the  Antarctic on July 21, 1983 when it was winter in the southern hemisphere. According to NOAA's National Climate Data Center, this is the most reliably documented occurrence of the lowest temperature in the world. Kind of refreshing to think about during the current summer heat wave in the northern hemisphere!

Arthur Ashe 70th Birth Anniversary

Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." - Arthur Ashe

Remembering a remarkable man who achieved remarkable things in a sadly short span of time.

Happy Birthday to Happy Birthday to You!

Birthday Cake

The world's most popular song, sung somewhere in the world every minute of the day, according to Chase's Calendar of Events, has an interesting history. While it was composed innocently enough by a pair of sisters, it was later copyrighted and then the rights purchased by Warner/Chappell, who have collected royalties every year by those using the song commercially. This company believes it owns the copyright until 2030, but the entire convoluted history is worth reading on Wikipedia. As long as you aren't charging anyone to hear you sing it, you should be safe!

George Orwell's 110th Birth Anniversary

“The best books... are those that tell you what you know already.”
~ George Orwell, 1984

George Orwell's farsighted and frightening novel Nineteen Eighty-Four has widely influenced modern language by his neologistic creations such as Big Brother, Cold War, Thought Police, among others. The Guardian has an interesting article on what it took for Orwell to write his opus magnum, including an analysis of the process of creating the futuristic language and society. It's a novel that first time readers always find timely and contemporary. As to why he chose 1984 as his title, the author of the article states, "Orwell's title remains a mystery. Some say he was alluding to the centenary of the Fabian Society, founded in 1884. Others suggest a nod to Jack London's novel The Iron Heel (in which a political movement comes to power in 1984), or perhaps to one of his favourite writer GK Chesterton's story, "The Napoleon of Notting Hill", which is set in 1984." He also states that upon publication, it was considered an instant classic, "even by Winston Churchill, who told his doctor that he had read it twice." GoodReads has a comprehensive page of Orwell's quotes, many of which are heavy and ponderous, but always seemingly relevant to almost any historic era. Cautionary tales are not always easy to read, but they are often the most compelling and enlightening ones.

Happy Birthday, Donald Duck!

  

Donald Duck made his debut in Walt Disney's, "The Wise Little Hen," one of the "Silly Symphony" series in 1934. The curmudgeonly little duck has been competing with Mickey Mouse for decades, but seems to enjoy the greatest fame in Germany. Wikipedia says his outsize popularity in Germany is akin to Jerry Lewis' fame in France. He is also popular in other Nordic countries as is apparent in the number of videos on YouTube uploaded from those areas. Regardless of his renown, the Disney family wouldn't be the same without Donald Duck and his family!   

Superman - Looking Good at 75!

Promotional art for Superman (vol. 2) #204 (April 2004)
by Jim Lee and Scott Williams copyright DC Comics
Wikimedia Commons

New Superman Logo
 

Man of Steel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The LA Times has a nice article on the 75th anniversary of Superman which includes a quiz, the new logo, plus information on the upcoming movie, "Man of Steel." Wikipedia, of course, has a comprehensive history of Superman and his creators, as well as the impact this superhero has had as the quintessential American icon. He's getting a lot of coverage in the news and there will be more as the summer progresses. And coincidentally, June also happens to be Skyscraper Month, which is very fitting considering one of Superman's powers is the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound!

Irving Berlin's 125th Birth Anniversary

The incomparable Irving Berlin, America's favorite composer, was a Russian Jewish immigrant who gave us a wonderful repertoire of popular standards. He is the author of the world's favorite Christmas carol, "White Christmas." He also wrote patriotic songs such as, "God Bless America" and "This is the Army." He has been described as a, "great American Minstrel" and lauded by other great composers themselves, such as George Gershwin, who called him "the greatest songwriter that has ever lived."

 

Irving Berlin singing aboard the USS Arkansas July 25, 1944 - PD-USGOV

 

153th Birth Anniversary of James M. Barrie

Bronze statue of Peter Pan
Kensington Gardens, London
Wikimedia Commons, public domain

James M. Barrie (1860-1937)
Wikimedia Commons, public domain

J.M. Barrie is best known as the author of the play, "Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up." There has been a bit of speculation about Barrie, whose personal life was marked by a great deal of tumult. Peter Pan has been described as more than the story of a simple boy who wouldn't grow up, but has also been a metaphor for unresolved childhood issues. Despite the deeper meaning behind this character, the story has delighted countless children ever since its publication. 

180th Birth Anniversary of Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms - C. Brasch, Berlin

"It is not hard to compose, but what is fabulously hard is to leave the superfluous notes under the table."  ~Johannes Brahms

One of the Three Bs - Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms - Johannes Brahms gave the world a magnificent repertoire of traditionally classical as well as innovative music.  His work, "Wiegenlied: Guten Abend, gute Nacht" ("Good evening, good night"), Op. 49, No. 4. became widely known as "Brahms's Lullaby." Another of his familiar works is Hungarian Dance No. 5. But his works ranged beyond these highly popular works and included compositions in various genres, such as orchestral, vocal, and chamber among others. He also had a very interesting personality, living simply and according to his own standards, but was known to be difficult and curmudgeonly at times. However he was also known for his great loyalty and generosity to those nearest him, which was reciprocated by them. He was born a Lutheran, but he tended toward humanistic beliefs. He never married, but held a close, lifelong friendship with Clara Schumann, wife of Robert Schumann.
 

       

 

James Brown's 80th Birth Anniversary

James Brown on the Ed Sullivan Show 1966

The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, was born May 3, 1933 and died on Christmas Day 2006. He left a lasting legacy which influenced a long line of R&B performers such has Jerry Lee Lewis, Michael Jackson, Prince, and many others. An energetic dancer, his moves were widely imitated, providing for the greatest display of flattery and admiration. He lived a remarkable life, on his own terms and believed in self-reliance and encouraged it in others, despite his own battles with addiction and legal problems. He was definitely a unique person with unique talents.

Eh, What's Up, Doc? It's Bugs Bunny's 75th Birthday!

Bugs Bunny unfazed by Marvin the Martian - Warner Bros.

A rabbit resembling Bugs Bunny, in character and appearance, made his debut on April 30, 1938 in the cartoon Porky's Hare Hunt (video at left below). Although he wasn't identified by name as Bugs Bunny at the time, he certainly looked, talked, and behaved a lot like him! This prototype Bugs is generally regarded as the nascent Bugs Bunny, but he made his official appearance on July 27, 1940 in A Wild Hare (video at right below). And the rest is lagomorphic history. Mel Blanc brought Bugs to life ever since his prototypical debut, and the character simply wouldn't have been the same without that inimitable voice! Of course, pretty much most of the Looney Tunes characters were branded with Blanc's unique voice, but Bugs Bunny somehow stands out because of his everyman character. In all of his cartoons, there's never a time you're not rooting for Bugs, in spite of the frustrations of his hapless foes. I think we all want to be like Bugs - indomitable, cool under fire, and always the winner :) 

                        

100th Anniversary of the Zipper!

Animation of zipper created by Dominique Toussaint,
Wikimedia Commons

What would we do without that clever invention, the zipper? We lose buttons, but zippers don't go anywhere, though they can get stuck :(  But we rely on this device everyday to keep our clothes fastened on us, not to mention keep our luggage closed and our lips sealed (zip your lip!).  So, who thought of this first? A hundred years ago, Gideon Sundback received the first patent for a "Separable Fastener" by the US Patent Office, which was the first working zipper. The name "zipper" was coined, however, at the B.F. Goodrich Co. in 1923 when they started using zippers for boots. It wasn't until another twenty years that zippers were used for other products such as clothing. Apparently, it took awhile for the public to get used to this novel invention and it had to be tweaked several times before it became widely accepted. Having perfected it, Sundback gave us a uniquely useful tool that helps us keep it all together.

Walter Lantz's 114th Birth Anniversary



Walter Lantz photo by D. Ramey Logan, 1990
contributed by WPPilot, Wikimedia Commons

                                                                                        Woody Woodpecker - The Screwball

The birthday of another birdman of sorts follows on the heels of  Audubon's birthday. Walter Lantz, creator of Woody Woodpecker, was born 114 years ago today. Probably the wildest, wackiest woodpecker ever conceived! An interesting story about the voice of WW is related in the Wikipedia article: "In 1950, Lantz held anonymous auditions. Grace, Lantz's wife, had offered to do Woody's voice; however, Lantz turned her down because Woody was a male character. Not discouraged in the least, Grace went about secretly making her own anonymous audition tape, and submitted it with the others for the studio to listen to. Not knowing whose voice was being heard, Lantz picked Grace's voice to do Woody Woodpecker. Grace supplied Woody's voice until the end of production in 1972, and also appeared in other non-Woody cartoons. At first, Grace voiced Woody without screen credit, because she thought that it would disappoint the children to know Woody Woodpecker was voiced by a woman. However, she soon came to enjoy being known as the voice of Woody Woodpecker, and allowed her name to be credited on the screen. Her version of Woody was cuter and friendlier than the manic Woody of the 1940s, and Lantz's artists redesigned the character to suit the new voice personality." I remember as a child, along with my friends, trying to imitate this unusual voice! Another interesting chapter in the annals of animation history. 

228th Birth Anniversary of John James Audubon

John James Audubon by John Syme - portrait
located at the White House (public domain)

One of the world's greatest ornithologists, Audubon was also a leading naturalist and artist. He painted over 400 true to life works of art depicting the birds he encountered. His body of work forms a significant contribution to the field of ornithology, which was made possible by shooting the birds first and then painting them. It seems harsh today, since we shoot birds with cameras now, but in earlier times, when cameras couldn't zoom or display color, it was the only way to create an accurate portrait. Many naturalists of his time adhered to the maxim, “What's hit's history: what's missed's mystery.” The University of Pittsburgh is one of the few institutions to own a rare and complete set of Audubon's Birds of America plates. The entire collection has been digitized and can be viewed online; the images are of very high resolution and quality. Wikimedia Commons also displays Audubon images, and they are also very hi-res. Audubon painted his birds not only in great detail, but also with some feeling for the character of each breed. He did observe how dedicated birds were to their offspring and portrayed them beautifully in their natural setting.

 

Audubon's Ivory-billed Woodpecker

Google doodle for Audubon's 226th anniversary

Audubon's Goosander

213th Anniversary of the Library of Congress

Main Reading Room, Library of Congress - loc.gov

An Act of Congress, passed on April 24, 1800 and signed by President John Adams, enabled the establishment of one of the greatest libraries in the world. The legislation originally provided $5,000 "for the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress ..., and for fitting up a suitable apartment for containing them...." The LOC is the largest library in the world with holdings of over 150 million items located on about 838 miles of bookshelves. Its services benefit more people than just members of Congress: it runs the Talking Book program helps the blind and physically handicapped. More interesting facts about this magnificent library can be found on LOC's website, where its history and collections are detailed. The LOC page also lists the 25 most frequently asked questions, such as "Where are the books?" Well-worth checking out.



Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer - Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints & Photo. Div.

Wikipedia's list of external links on further reading about the LOC:

The Library of Congress website

American Memory

History of the Library of Congress

Library of Congress National Book Festival authors roster

poets.org (About the 2012 National Book Festival from The Academy of American Poets)

Search the Library of Congress catalog

thomas.loc.gov, legislative information

Library Of Congress Meeting Notices and Rule Changes from The Federal Register RSS Feed

Library of Congress photos on Flickr

Outdoor sculpture at the Library of Congress

Standards, The Library of Congress

Works by the Library of Congress at Project Gutenberg

Library of Congress at FamilySearch Research Wiki for genealogists

 "Congress, Library of". Encyclopedia Americana. 1920. 

C-SPAN's Library of Congress documentary and resources

449th Birth Anniversary of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare - copper engraving
by Martin Droeshout, 1623 - public domain

One of the greatest observers of human nature, who put his finger on just the right pulse of emotion and motivation, the Bard remains a tremendous literary force centuries after his own era. His works, naturally, abound in libraries everywhere and continue to provide librarians' livelihoods. Even those who have never read his works are still familiar with phrases and passages from them. He is eminently quotable and the internet is replete with pages of his most famous aphorisms. For all his eminence, so little is actually known about him personally; although many feel they have a good sense of who he was since so much has been written about him. Not long ago, Bill Bryson published a very nice encapsulation of what is known about Shakespeare and what still remains a mystery. In Bryson's Shakespeare: The World as Stage, we learn that a lot remains a mystery, including even his physical appearance. He states, “Even Scientific American entered the fray with an article proposing that the person portrayed in the famous Martin Droeshout engraving might actually be--I weep to say it--Elizabeth I.” We may not know the man, but we can enjoy and appreciate his wondrous literary legacy. Thank you, Will!

175th Birth Anniversary of John Muir

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike."  ~ John Muir writing in The Yosemite (1912)

As the foremost American naturalist, John Muir helped preserve our natural wilderness enabling the growth of the U.S. parks system. In particular, Yosemite Valley and other California wilderness areas have remained in relatively pristine condition due to his activism. He also founded the Sierra Club, which has labored hard to protect American wilderness. This important figure is responsible for raising awareness of the need to protect and appreciate the environment for its myriad aesthetic and essential qualities. The Sierra Club website contains a wealth of information on Muir and his tireless work, including his writings. He led by example and his life and works are well worth examining since our own world is sorely in need of his prescription.

Left:  John Muir, American conservationist, by Francis M. Fritz 1907 - public domain

Tito Puente's 90th Birth Anniversary

Best known for his "Oye Como Va" number which was greatly popularized by Santana, Tito Puente was known as, "The Musical Pope." He had no equal in his particular style of Latin Jazz and was bestowed with many superlatives, such as "The King of Latin Music" and "The King of the Timbales" among others. Watching the video of his live performance, you can hear and feel his charisma and the infectious quality of his musical talent. He was a great musical ambassador, combining different styles of music and bringing it to a wider audience. Viva El Rey del Mambo!

Thomas Jefferson's 270th Birth Anniversary

Portrait of Thomas Jefferson
by Rembrandt Peale in 1800 - public domain

Our third President described his achievements best by writing his own epitaph: "Here was buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of American Independence Of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom & Father of the University of Virginia." No mention of being President, although that position couldn't have been achieved without his writing the Declaration of Independence to begin with. So, his emphasis on his authorship is well-placed! Every student of U.S. History is already aware of Jefferson's great intellect and wide-ranging interests, from science to religion, politics to philosophy, and much more. The following are some resources that highlight some particularly interesting bits of information about Jefferson, some not so well-known:

• Smithsonian Magazine's articles about Jefferson's interests and works.
• WP's 10 Things about Jefferson written for children.
• Monticello's Wiki of quotes by Jefferson, "famous and spurious." 

Aerial view of Monticello (www.monticello.org)