Interrogatories
How much of a germ/bacteria-phobe are you?
Accordions - love them or hate them?
How much of a skeptic are you? Do you have any "out there" things that you believe in?
Who was your famous person childhood crush?
The Twitter Emitter
On This Day
In 1854, Anthony Faas of Philadelphia, patented the accordion.
In 1966, Robert C. Weaver became the first black Cabinet member when he was appointed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
In 1968, Johnny Cash recorded his famous live concert at Folsom Prison.
In 1968, after extensive testing, Dr. K.C. Pollack of the University of Florida audio lab announced that the noise levels at rock concerts were harmful to teenage ears.
In 1990, Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the country's first elected black governor.
In 2002 , President George W. Bush fainted after choking on a pretzel.
In 2012, the passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia sank off the coast of Italy, killing 32.
Born on This Day
1596 – Jan van Goyen, Dutch painter (d. 1656)
1749 – Friedrich Müller, painter and dramatist (d. 1825)
1806 - Willem Bodeman, Dutch artist (d. 1880)
1808 – Salmon P. Chase, 6th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1873)
1818 - Adrianus Eversen, Dutch cityscape painter (d. 1897)
1832 – Horatio Alger, Jr., American minister and author (d. 1899)
1836 - Giuseppe Abbati, Italian painter (d. 1868)
1858 - Edmond Aman-Jean, French painter (d. 1936)
1859 - Henry Meynell Rheam, British painter (d. 1920)
1881 - Cesare Maggi, Italian landscape painter (d. 1961)
1884 – Sophie Tucker, Russian-born singer and performer (d. 1966)
1885 – Alfred Fuller, Canadian businessman, The "Fuller Brush Man" (d. 1973)
1887 – Gabriel Gabrio, French actor (d. 1946)
1905 – Kay Francis, American actress (d. 1968) See Tipple Jar
1914 - Osa Massen, Danish actress (d. 2006)
1919 – Robert Stack, American actor (d. 2003)
1929 – Joe Pass, American jazz guitarist (d. 1994)
1931 – Ian Hendry, English actor (d. 1984)
1931 – Charles Nelson Reilly, American actor (d. 2007)
1935 – Elsa Martinelli, Italian actress
1947 – John Lees, English Musician (Barclay James Harvest)
1954 – Trevor Rabin, South African guitarist (Yes)
1961 – Wayne Coyne, American singer (The Flaming Lips)
1961 – Suggs, English singer (Madness)
1977 – Orlando Bloom, English actor
1978 – Nate Silver, American journalist and statistician
Died on This Day
1599 – Edmund Spenser, English poet (b. 1552)
1625 – Jan Brueghel the Elder, Flemish painter (b. 1568)
1761 - Franz-Christoph Janneck, Austrian painter (b. 1703)
1864 – Stephen Foster, American composer (b. 1826)
1929 – Wyatt Earp, American Western lawman (b. 1848)
1930 - George Gardner Symons, U.S. landscape painter (b. 1863)
1941 – James Joyce, Irish writer (b. 1882)
1978 – Hubert H. Humphrey, 38th Vice President of the United States (b. 1911)
1979 – Donny Hathaway, American musician (b. 1945)
2009 – Patrick McGoohan, American actor (b. 1928) (The original Number 6)
2010 – Teddy Pendergrass, American R&B singer (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes) (b. 1950)
Today is
National Rubber Ducky Day
Make Your Dreams Come True Day
International Skeptics Day
Poetry Break Day
Blame Someone Else Day (there seem to be a few of these)
National Peach Melba Day
National Clean Off Your Desk Day (2nd Monday)
This Week is
National Pizza Week