AUGUST 31 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1895 – German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin patented his Navigable Balloon on the 31st August 1895.

1897 – Thomas Edison patented the Kinetoscope, the 1st movie projector, on the 31st August 1897.

1913 – Helen Levitt the American photographer was born on the 31st August 1913 (died 2009).

1920 – The 1st radio news program was broadcasted on the 31st August 1920, by 8MK in Detroit, Michigan.

1936 – Radio Prague, now known as the official international broadcasting station of the Czech Republic, went on the air on the 31st August 1936.

1939 – Nazi Germany mounted a staged attack on the Gleiwitz radio station on the 31st August 1939, creating an excuse to attack Poland the following day, which started World War II in Europe.

1940 – Jack Thompson the Australian actor was born on the 31st August 1940.

1944 – Roger Dean the English illustrator and publisher was born on the 31st August 1944.

1945 – Van Morrison the Irish singer-songwriter was born on the 31st August 1945.

1945 – The Liberal Party of Australia was founded by Robert Menzies on the 31st August 1945.

1947 – Yumiko Ōshima the Japanese author and illustrator was born on the 31st August 1947.

1948 – Rudolf Schenker the German guitarist and songwriter from the Scorpions was born on the 31st August 1948.

1949 – Richard Gere the American actor was born on the 31st August 1949.

1953 – Pavel Vinogradov the Russian astronaut and engineer was born on the 31st August 1953.

1955 ~ Anthony “Anto” Thistlethwaite the English saxophonist from The Waterboys was born on the 31st August 1955. YouTube video: The Whole of The Moon (1985) by The Waterboys

1956 – Mária Balážová the Slovak painter was born on the 31st August 1956.

1957 – Gina Schock the American drummer from The Go-Go’s was born on the 31st August 1957.

1957 – Glenn Tilbrook the English singer-songwriter and guitarist and from Squeeze was born on the 31st August 1957.

1962 – Trinidad and Tobago became independent on the 31st August 1962.

1965 – The Aero Spacelines Super Guppy aircraft made its 1st flight on the 31st August 1965.

1969 – Jonathan LaPaglia the Australian actor was born on the 31st August 1969.

1970 – Debbie Gibson the American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress was born on the 31st August 1970.

1977 – Craig Nicholls the Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from The Vines was born on the 31st August 1977.

1997 – Diana, Princess of Wales and her companion Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul all died in a car crash in Paris on the 31st August 1997..

1998 – North Korea reportedly launched Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1, its 1st satellite on the 31st August 1998.

2006 – Edvard Munch‘s famous painting The Scream that was stolen on the 22nd August 2004, was recovered on the 31st August 2006, in a raid by Norwegian police.The Scream by Edvard Munch ~ 1895 pastel on board ~ sold for $US119.9 million

The Scream by Edvard Munch ~ 1895 pastel on board 

2013 ~ David Frost the English journalist and game show host died on the 31st August 2013 aged 74 (born 7th April 1939).

Today in History for August 31st ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 30 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1705 – David Hartley the English philosopher and founder of the Associationist school of psychology was born on the 30th August 1705 (died 1757).

1835 – MELBOURNE in Australia was founded on on the 30th August 1835.

Melbourne city yarra river buildings Flinders Street Station foot bridge Rialto Towers Moon Sunday morning 2nd August 2012
Melbourne city on the Yarra River featuring Flinders Street Station & the Rialto Tower as the Moon set on Sunday morning at 6:30am ~ 2nd August 2012 (Photo by Anton K. Kressnig)

1836 – The city of Houston was founded on the 30th August 1836, by Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen.

1873 – Austrian explorers Julius von Payer and Karl Weyprecht discovered the archipelago of Franz Joseph Land in the Arctic Sea on the 30th August 1873.

1909 – Burgess Shale fossils were discovered by Charles Doolittle Walcott on the 30th August 1909.

1919 – Wolfgang Wagner the German director was born on the 30th August 1919 (died 2010).

1930 – Warren Buffett the American businessman and philanthropist was born on the 30th August 1930.

1943 ~ ROBERT CRUMB the American artist and illustrator was born on the 30th August 1943.

1945 – Hong Kong was liberated from Japan on the 30th August 1945, by British Armed Forces.

1948Lewis Black the American comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor was born in Silver Spring, Maryland on the 30th August 1948. Official website: www.LewisBlack.com | verified: Twitter.com/theLewisBlack

1950 – Antony Gormley the English sculptor was born on the 30th August 1950.

1956 – The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opened on the 30th August 1956.

1959 – Mark “Jacko” Jackson the Australian footballer and actor was born on the 30th August 1959.

1963 – The Hotline between the leaders of the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union went into operation on the 30th August 1963.

1972 – Cameron Diaz the American model and actress was born on the 30th August 1972.

1984 – STS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery took off on its maiden voyage on the 30th August 1984.

1985 – Leisel Jones the Australian swimmer was born on the 30th August 1985.

1993The Late Show with David Letterman hosted by David Letterman was first broadcast on the 30th August 1993. Official website: www.CBS.com/shows/Late_Show | www.FACEBOOK.com/Letterman verified

Today in History for August 30th ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 29 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

32 – JOHN LOCKE the English philosopher was born on the 29th day of August in 1632 (d. 1704).

1758 – The first American iNDiAN RESERVATiON was established, at Indian Mills, New Jersey, on the 29th day of August in 1758.

1780 – JEAN AUGUSTE DOMiNiQUE iNGRES the French painter was born on the 29th day of August in 1780 (d. 1867).

La Grande Odalisque Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres 1814 Orientalism oil painting canvas Louvre nude model woman couch Die große Odaliske
La Grande Odalisque by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1814) Orientalism oil painting on canvas, size: 91 x 162 cm, at the Louvre, Paris.
The Envoys of Agammemnon 1801 oil painting canvas Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres naked Greek mythology music nude men art
The Envoys of Agammemnon, 1801 oil painting on canvas by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, École des Beaux Arts, Paris

1831 – MiCHAEL FARADAY the English scientist discovered electromagnetic induction on the 29th day of August in 1831.

1833 – ABOLiTiON of SLAVERY was legislated by the United Kingdom in its empire on the 29th day of August in 1833.

1862 – ANDREW FiSHER the 5th Prime Minister of Australia was born on the 29th day of August in 1862 (d. 1928).

1885 – GOTTLiEB DAiMLER patented the world’s first internal combustion motorcycle, known as the Reitwagen (riding wagon) on the 29th day of August in 1885. Daimler is also known as “the father of the motorcycle” for this invention.

Daimler Reitwagen riding wagon patent 29th August 1885 Gottlieb Daimler first motorcycle design internal combustion invention
The Daimler Reitwagen aka “riding wagon” patented on the 29th August 1885 by Gottlieb Daimler, and widely recognized as the first motorcycle in the World
Daimler Reitwagen riding wagon patent 29th August 1885 Gottlieb Daimler first motorcycle designs internal combustion invention
Views of the Daimler Reitwagen aka “riding wagon” patented on the 29th August 1885 by Gottlieb Daimler, and widely recognized as the first motorcycle in the World

1898 – The GOODYEAR tyre company was founded on the 29th day of August in 1898.

1920 ~ CHARLiE PARKER aka Yardbird the American jazz saxophonist was born on the 29th day of August in 1920 (died 1955 aged 34).

1922 – The first RADiO ADVERTiSEMENT was broadcast on WEAF-AM in New York City on the 29th day of August in 1922.

1923 – RiCHARD ATTENBOROUGH the English film director was born on the 29th day of August in 1923.

1924 – DiNAH WASHiNGTON the American singer was born on the 29th day of August in 1924 (d. 1963).

1958 – LENNY HENRY the British comedian was born on the 29th day of August in 1958.

1958 – MiCHAEL JACKSON the American pop singer was born on the 29th day of August in 1958 (d. 2009). The video below features Michael Jackson performing Billie Jean at the Motown 25th Anniversary of Motown in 1983…

Michael Jackson waving hand glove White House 1984 80s sunglasses eighties blue gold costume jacket pop music singer super star
Michael Jackson waving his iconic one glove at the White House in 1984 (Photo from the Wikimedia Commons)

1959CHRiS HADFiELD (OOnt|MSC|CD) the Canadian astronaut and 1st Canadian to walk in space was born in Sarnia, Ontario on the 29th August 1959. Chris Hadfield received great media exposure during his time on the Soyuz TMA-07M International Space Station where he was described as the most social media savvy astronaut ever to leave Earth by Forbes, after building a considerable audience on social media, including over 1 million Twitter followers, over 4 million on one of the top Reddit AmA threads of all time with I Am Astronaut Chris Hadfield, currently orbiting planet Earth, and his popular Tumblr blog. Chris Hadfield is known for recording the 1st song in space, Jewel in the Night was released via YouTube on Christmas Eve 2012. Chris Hadfield ended his 2 months commanding Expedition 35 on the international space station by paying tribute to David Bowie with a rendition of Space Oddity (1969) as seen by over 19 million people on YouTube. Chris Hadfield’s official website: www.ChrisHadfield.ca| Col. Chris Hadfield’s verified Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AstronautChrisHadfield | Twitter (verified): www.Twitter.com/Cmdr_Hadfield | Chris Hadfield YouTube official account | Google Plus: www.plus.Google.com/+ChrisHadfield | Tumblr: www.ColChrisHadfield.tumblr.com | Reddit: www.reddit.com/user/ColChrisHadfield | NASA Hadfield Bio | YouTube video: Space Oddity by Chris Hadfield (original video on the Chris Hadfield’s official YouTube Channel…

1966 – The BEATLES performed their final commercial concert, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, on the 29th day of August in 1966.

1977 – CHARLiE PiCKERiNG the Australian comedian and television presenter from The Project television show, was born on the 29th day of August in 1977.

Charlie Pickering project TV birthday card  cartoon artwork by Anton K. Kressnig 29th August 2010 Carrie Bickmore Dave Hughes Michael Jackson  Australia
The Charlie Pickering (7PM Project TV) birthday card artwork by Anton K. Kressnig ~ 29th August 2010 (Also featured in the cartoon art: Carrie Bickmore, Dave Hughes, Michael Jackson & Tony Abbott)

1993Liam Payne the English singer from One Direction was born on the 29th August 1993.

2001 – GRAEME “SHiRLEY” STRACHAN the Australian singer from SKYHOOKS died on the 29th day of August in 2001, aged 49 (born 1952).

2005 – HURRiCANE KATRiNA devastated much of the U.S. Gulf Coast on the 29th day of August in 2005. Hurricane Katrina killed more than 1,836 people, and caused $108 billion in damage, with winds reaching 175 mph (280 km/h). Most of eastern North America was affected by the hurricane, including Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana, Greater New Orleans, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida Panhandle.

Hurricane Katrina Spectroradiometer MODIS Category 5 storm Atlantic 2005 USA America Gulf of mexico Florida Louisiana New Orleans Mississippi Alabama air pressure satellite weather map clouds
2 hours after the National Hurricane Center issued their warning, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) captured this image from NASA’s Terra satellite at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time. The massive storm covers much of the Gulf of Mexico, spanning from the U.S. coast to the Yucatan Peninsula. (Image source: Author Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC 28 August 2005)
Hurricane Katrina damage Jeff Davis Avenue Long Beach Mississippi wrecked buildings School Public Library City Hall streets aerial photo
Aerial photo of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in Jeff Davis Avenue in Long Beach, Mississippi. Also seen in this photo is Harper McCaughan Elementary School (long blue building), Long Beach Public Library & City Hall, East-West streets (5th Street, 4th St. & 3rd St.) & the railroad tracks. The water-line debris piles created by the storm surge were 10 to 15 feet high. (Photographed on the 6th September 2005 by Mark Wolfe courtesy at FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency)
Hurricane Katrina category 5 storm Atlantic 2005 USA America Gulf of mexico Florida Louisiana New Orleans air pressure satellite weather map clouds noaa GOES12
Hurricane Katrina image from NOAA: Environmental Visualization Laboratory ~ National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

2012 ~ HURRiCANE iSAAC battered New Orleans on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Isaac hit eastern North America, making landfall in southeast Louisiana, with top winds of more than 120km/h, on the 29th day of August, the exact day of the 7th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Estimated damage of $2 billion.

Hurricane Isaac NASA Terra satellite image 28th August 2012 tropical storm Gulf Coast Louisiana Mississippi New Orleans United States
Hurricane Isaac as a Category 1 hurricane on the 28th August 2012 (Image source: LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response)

Today in History for August 29th ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 28 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1845 – Scientific American magazine was first published on the 28th day of August in 1845..

1859 – Vittorio Sella the Italian photographer was born on the 28th day of August in 1859 (d. 1943).

1898 – Caleb Bradham invented the carbonated soft drink that later was named Pepsi-Cola,on the 28th day of August in 1898.

1917 – Jack Kirby the American writer and illustrator was born on the 28th day of August in 1917 (d. 1994).

1937 – Toyota Motors became an independent company on the 28th day of August in 1937.

1943 – David Soul the American-English actor and singer was born on the 28th day of August in 1943.

1953 – Nippon Television broadcasted Japan’s first television show, and first TV advertisement on the 28th day of August in 1953.

1961 – Kim Appleby the English singer and songwriter from Mel and Kim was born on the 28th day of August in 1961.

1963 ~ I Have a Dream speech was given by Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 28th August 1963, for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. YouTube video: Martin Luther King – I Have A Dream Speech: Martin Luther King’s Address at March in Washington, D.C. “When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Martin Luther King Jr. waving supporters big crowd steps Lincoln Memorial Washington D.C. 28 August 1963 I have a dream speech
Martin Luther King Jr. waving to the hundreds of thousands of supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on the 28th August 1963, delivering the ‘I have a dream’ speech.

1965 – Shania Twain the Canadian singer and songwriter was born on the 28th August 1965.

1965Sonia Kruger the Australian television presenter was born on the 28th August 1965. Sonia Kruger is best known as the host of Big Brother Australia and Channel 9’s Mornings,  10 Years Younger in 10 DaysDancing with the Stars and the role of Tina Sparkle in the Strictly Ballroom film.

1969 – Jack Black the American actor, singer and guitarist from Tenacious D was born on the 28th day of August in 1969.

1969Jason Priestley the Canadian actor and director was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on the 28th August 1969. Jason Priestly’s official website: www.officialJasonPriestley.com | YouTube video: Jason Priestley interview on The ProjectCall Me Fitz (2012)

1981Jake Owen the American country music artist was born Joshua Owen on the 28th August 1981.

1982 – LeAnn Rimes the American singer and songwriter was born on the 28th day of August in 1982.

1996 – Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales divorced on the 28th day of August in 1996.

Today in History for August 28th ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 26 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1498 – Michelangelo was commissioned to carve the Pietà on the 26th August 1498.

1740 – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier the French inventor of the hot air balloon was born on the 26th August 1740 (died 1810).

1768 ~ The 1st voyage of Captain James Cook began on the 26th August 1768. The Royal Society engaged Captain James Cook to travel to the Pacific Ocean to observe and record the transit of Venus across the Sun. The expedition sailed from England around Cape Horn and westward across the Pacific to Tahiti on the 13th April 1769, where the observations of the Venus Transit were made. Once the observations were completed, Cook opened the sealed orders which instructed him to search the South Pacific for signs of the postulated rich southern continent of Terra Australis, so he then sailed to New Zealand and mapped the complete coastline. Cook then voyaged west, reaching the south-eastern coast of Australia on the 19th April 1770, becoming the 1st recorded European to have encountered its eastern coastline.

Official portrait of Captain James Cook by Nathaniel Dance  ~ 1775 (National Maritime Museum, Greenwich)
Official portrait of Captain James Cook by Nathaniel Dance  ~ 1775 (National Maritime Museum, Greenwich)

1778 – The 1st recorded ascent of Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia was on the 26th August 1778.

1791 – John Fitch was granted a United States patent for the steamboat on the 26th August 1791.

1821 – The University of Buenos Aires in Argentina was officially opened on the 26th August 1821.

1865 – Arthur James Arnot the Australian engineer and inventor was born on the 26th August 1865 (died 1946). Arthur James Arnot is best known for patenting the world’s first electric drill, and designing the Spencer Street Power Station, Victoria.

1873 – Lee De Forest the American inventor of the Audion tube was born on the 26th August 1873 (died 1961).

1898 – Peggy Guggenheim the American art collector was born on the 26th August 1898 (died 1979).

1899 – Rufino Tamayo the Mexican painter was born on the 26th August 1898 (died 1991).

1883 – The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa began its final paroxysmal stage on the 26th August 1883.

1906 – Albert Sabin the Polish-American medical researcher and developer of the polio vaccine was born on the 26th August 1906 (died 1993).

1909 – Jim Davis the American actor was born on the 26th August 1909 (died 1981 aged 71).

1910 – Mother Teresa the Macedonian-Indian missionary and Nobel Prize laureate was born on the 26th August 1910 (died 1997).

1920 – Brant Parker the American cartoonist was born on the 26th August 1920 (died 2007).

1927 – B. V. Doshi the Indian architect was born on the 26th August 1927.

1933 – Oscar Marzaroli the Scots-Italian photographer was born on the 26th August 1933 (died 1988).

1938 – Jet Black the English drummer from The Stranglers was born on the 26th August 1938.

1940 – Nik Turner the British singer-songwriter and saxophonist from Hawkwind was born on the 26th August 1940.

1941 – Chris Curtis the English singer and drummer from The Searchers was born on the 26th August 1941 (died 2005).

1944 – Charles de Gaulle entered Paris on the 26th August 1944 during World War II.

1944 – Maureen Tucker the American singer-songwriter and drummer from The Velvet Underground was born on the 26th August 1944.

1946 – Valerie Simpson the American singer from Ashford & Simpson was born on the 26th August 1946.

1946 – Priit Pärn the Estonian cartoonist and animation director was born on the 26th August 1946.

1950 – Jüri Okas the Estonian architect was born on the 26th August 1950.

1952 – Will Shortz the American puzzle creator and editor was born on the 26th August 1952.

1966 – Shirley Manson the Scottish singer-songwriter from Garbage was born on the 26th August 1966.

1966 – Avner Ben-Gal the Israeli painter was born on the 26th August 1966.

1969Kirk Fox the American actor, screenwriter, and stand-up comedian was born on the 26th August 1969.

1971 – Thalía the Mexican singer-songwriter and actress was born on the 26th August 1971.

1981 – Jesse Martin the Australian sailor was born on the 26th August 1981.

2002 – Earth Summit 2002 began in Johannesburg, South Africa on the 26th August 2002.

2011 – The Boeing 787 Dreamliner received certification from the EASA and the FAA on the 26th August 2011.

Today in History for August 26th ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 25 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1530 ~ Ivan the Terrible the Russian Tsar was born on the 25th August 1530 (died 1584).

1609 ~ Galileo Galilei demonstrated his 1st telescope on the 25th August 1609, to Venetian lawmakers.

1786 ~ Ludwig I of Bavaria was born on the 25th August 1786 (died 1868). Ludwig I was King of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.

1845 ~ LUDWiG II of BAVARiA was born Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm on the 25th August 1845 (died 1886 aged 40). Ludwig II was the eccentric King of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death, and is sometimes called the Swan King, Der Märchenkönig, the Fairy Tale King, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria (Franconia & Swabia), and Mad King Ludwig. Ludwig’s younger brother and successor Otto of Bavaria was considered insane, thus the claim of hereditary madness when Ludwig was deposed on grounds of mental incapacity without any medical examination. His death remains controversial due to the mysterious circumstances under which he died. King Ludwig and the doctor assigned to him in captivity at Berg Castle on Lake Starnberg were both found dead in the lake in waist-high water, the doctor with unexplained injuries to the head and shoulders, on the morning after the day Ludwig was deposed.

Ludwig II of Bavaria Otto Friedrich Wilhelm eccentric Swan King  Der Märchenkönig Mad King Ludwig 2nd royal uniform costume
Ludwig II of Bavaria

“I wish to remain an eternal enigma to myself and to others.” ~ Ludwig II

Ludwig commissioned the construction of 2 extravagant palaces and a castle, the most famous being Neuschwanstein. King Ludwig left a great legacy of architecture, art and tourist income that has helped to make Bavaria the richest state in Germany.

Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle Bavaria King Ludwig II Bayern Germany old 1890s photochrom print mountains forest
King Ludwig II’s castle ~ Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany (1890s photochrom print)

1835 ~ The Great Moon Hoax was perpetrated by the New York Sun on the 25th August 1835.

1875 – Captain Matthew Webb became the 1st person to swim across the English Channel on the 25th August 1875, traveling from Dover, England, to Calais, France, in 22 hours.

1894 – Kitasato Shibasaburō discovered the infectious agent of the bubonic plague and published his findings in The Lancet on the 25th August 1894.

1914 – World War I: The library of the Catholic University of Leuven was deliberately destroyed by the German Army on the 25th August 1914. Hundreds of thousands of irreplaceable Gothic and Renaissance book volumes and manuscripts were lost.

1916 – The United States National Park Service was created on the 25th August 1916.

1944 – World War II: Paris was liberated by the Allies on the 25th August 1944.

1949 – John Savage the American actor was born on the 25th August 1949.

1949GENE SiMMONS the Israeli-American singer-songwriter and bass player from KiSS was born on the 25th August 1949. YouTube video: CNN interview: KISS’ Gene Simmons “I can’t sing!”: Kiss co-founder and Family Jewels star Gene Simmons talks about why he’s never done drugs and how he can’t sing..

1951 ~ ROB HALFORD the English singer-songwriter from JUDAS PRiEST was born on the 25th August 1951. YouTube video: Judas Priest ~ You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (1982).. 

1952GEOFF DOWNES the English keyboard player and songwriter from The BUGGLES was born on the 25th August 1952. YouTube video: The Buggles ~ Video Killed the Radio Star (1979).. 

1954 ~ ELViS COSTELLO the English singer-songwriter and producer was born on the 25th August 1954. YouTube video: Elvis Costello ~ Oliver’s Army Promo Video (1979)..YouTube video below: ELViS COSTELLO ~ MTV UNPLUGGED (1991): Elvis Costello & The Rude 5 perform on MTV Unplugged in 1991. Only 5 of the songs made it to the broadcast version, because MTV apparently didn’t want to air a bunch of songs from his then-unreleased “covers” album, Kojak Variety. He begins with a fragment of “Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head” and then performs “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror”, “So Like Candy / I Want You”, “The Other Side Of Summer”, “Must You Throw Dirt In My Face”, “Hidden Charms”, “Everybody’s Crying Mercy”, “Hurry Down Doomsday (The Bugs Are Taking Over)”, “Couldn’t Call It Unexpected No. 4” and “Bama Lama Bama Loo.”

1958 – Tim Burton the American director, producer, and screenwriter was born on the 25th August 1958.

1961 – Billy Ray Cyrus the American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor was born on the 25th August 1961.

1962 – Vivian Campbell the Irish guitarist and songwriter  from Def Leppard was born on the 25th August 1962.

1964 – Joanne Whalley the British actress was born on the 25th August 1964.

1970 – Claudia Schiffer the German model and fashion designer was born on the 25th August 1970.

1972 ~ Joe Wright the English film director was born on the 25th August 1972. Joe Wright is best known for the movies Pride & PrejudiceAtonementHanna, and Anna Karenina.

1980 – Zimbabwe joined the United Nations on the 25th August 1980.

1981 – Voyager 2 spacecraft made its closest approach to Saturn on the 25th August 1981.

1981 – Clare Oliver Australian activist was born on the 25th August 1981. Clare died on the 13th September 2007, aged 26. Clare’s own health crisis prompted her to become an activist, gaining wide media coverage for her campaign to raise awareness about the risks of using solariums excessively. Please visit www.ClareOliverMelanomaFund.org 

Clare Oliver Melanoma Fund.org yellow banner girl Australian activist died health campaign solariums
Please visit www.ClareOliverMelanomaFund.org

1989 – Tadeusz Mazowiecki was chosen as the 1st non-communist Prime Minister in Central and Eastern Europe on the 25th August 1989.

1989 – Voyager 2 spacecraft made its closest approach to Neptune on the 25th August 1989.

1989 – Mayumi Moriyama became Japan’s 1st female cabinet secretary on the 25th August 1989.

1991 – The Airbus A340 aircraft made its 1st flight on the 25th August 1991.

1991 – Belarus gained its independence from the Soviet Union on the 25th August 1991.

1991 – Linus Torvalds announced the 1st version of what would later become Linux on the 25th August 1991.

1997 – Egon Krenz the former East German leader, was convicted of a shoot-to-kill policy at the Berlin Wall on the 25th August 1997.

2012 ~ Neil Armstrong the American astronaut and first man on the Moon, died on the 25th day of August in 2012, aged 82.

Today in History for August 25th ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 24 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

0079 – Mount Vesuvius erupted on the 24th August in the year 79. The cities of PompeiiHerculaneum, and Stabiae were buried in volcanic ash (note: this traditional date has been challenged, with many scholars believing that the event occurred 2 months later on the 24th October).

Vesuvius volcanic eruption Portici Naples Italy erupting volcano night painting Joseph Wright Derby 18th century 1700s red fire Art
Vesuvius volcanic eruption seen from Portici & painted by Joseph Wright of Derby in the 18th century (1734 – 1797) ~ from the Art collection of the Huntington Library in Pasadena, CA

1456 – The printing of the Gutenberg Bible was completed on the 24th August 1456.

1891 – Thomas Edison patented the motion picture camera on the 24th August 1891.

1909 – Workers start pouring concrete for the Panama Canal on the 24th August 1909.

1912 – Alaska became a United States territory on the 24th August 1912.

1929 – Yasser Arafat the Palestinian engineer and politician was born on the 24th August 1929 (died 2004).

1929 – Betty Dodson the American sex educator and author was born on the 24th August 1929.

1932 – Amelia Earhart became the 1st woman to fly across the United States non-stop on the 24th August 1932, from Los Angeles to NewarkNew Jersey.

1936 – The Australian Antarctic Territory was created on the 24th August 1936.

1941 – Adolf Hitler ordered the cessation of Nazi Germany’s systematic T4 euthanasia program of the mentally ill and the handicapped on the 24th August 1941, due to protests, although killings continued for the remainder of the war.

1947 – Paulo Coelho the Brazilian author was born on the 24th August 1947.

1949 – The treaty creating NATO went into effect on the 24th August 1949.

1950 – Edith Sampson became the 1st black U.S. delegate to the United Nations on the 24th August 1950.

1957 – Stephen Fry the British comedian, actor, journalist, and author was born on the 24th August 1957.

1958 – Steve Guttenberg the American actor was born on the 24th August 1958.

1973 – Dave Chappelle the American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer was born on the 24th August 1973.

1981 – Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison on the 24th August 1981, for murdering John Lennon.

1989 – Colombian drug barons declared “total war” on the Colombian government on the 24th August 1989.

1992 – Hurricane Andrew made landfall on the 24th August 1992, just south of Miami as a Category 5 hurricane.

Today in History for August 24th ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 22 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

0564 – Columba reported seeing a monster in Loch Ness, Scotland on the 22nd August 564.

1770 – James Cook named and landed on Possession IslandQueensland on the 22nd August 1770, and claimed the east coast of Australia as New South Wales in the name of King George III.

1780 – James Cook’s ship HMS Resolution returned to England on the 22nd August 1780, after he was killed in Hawaii during the voyage.

1849 – The 1st air raid in history was on the 22nd August 1849, when Austria launched pilotless balloons against the city of Venice.

1851 – The 1st America’s Cup was won by the yacht America on the 22nd August 1851.

1862 – Claude Debussy the French composer was born on the 22nd August 1862 (died 1918).

1864 – 12 nations sign the 1st Geneva Convention on the 22nd August 1864, when the Red Cross was formed.

1902 – Cadillac Motor Company was founded on the 22nd August 1902.

1902 – Theodore Roosevelt become the 1st President of the United States to ride in an automobile on the 22nd August 1902.

1904 – Deng Xiaoping the Chinese politician and diplomat was born on the 22nd August 1904 (died 1997).

1908 – Henri Cartier-Bresson the French photographer was born on the 22nd August 1908 (died 2004).

1917 – John Lee Hooker the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 22nd August 1917 (died 2001).

1932 – The BBC first experiments with television broadcasting on the 22nd August 1932. See the full Timeline of the BBC.

1934 – Bill Woodfull of Australia became the only cricket captain to twice regain The Ashes on the 22nd August 1934.

1936 – Chuck Brown the American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer was born on the 22nd August 1936 (died 2012).

1943 – Masatoshi Shima the Japanese computer scientist and co-designer of the Intel 4004 was born on the 22nd August 1943.

1947 – Donna Jean Godchaux the American singer from Grateful Dead was born on the 22nd August 1947.

1947 ~ Cindy Williams the American actress, producer, television and director was born Cynthia Williams in Van Nuys, California on the 22nd August 1947. Cindy Williams is best known for her role as Shirley Feeney on the Laverne & Shirley sitcom. YouTube video: Laverne & Shirley Season 1 Opening (1976)…

1950 – Althea Gibson became the 1st black competitor in international tennis on the 22nd August 1950.

1952 – The penal colony on Devil’s Island was permanently closed on the 22nd August 1952.

1961 – Ida Siekmann died on the 22nd August 1961, attempting to cross the Berlin Wall.

1963 – Tori Amos the American singer-songwriter and producer was born on the 22nd August 1963.

1967 – Layne Staley the American singer-songwriter from Alice in Chains was born on the 22nd August 1967.

1968 – Pope Paul VI arrived in BogotáColombia on the 22nd August 1968, becoming the 1st visit of a pope to Latin America.

1978James Corden the English actor, comedian, television comedy writer, producer and presenter was born on the 22nd August 1978.

1996 – Bill Clinton signed welfare reform into law on the 22nd August 1996, representing a major shift in US welfare policy.

2004 – The Scream (version) and Madonna paintings by Edvard Munch were stolen on the 22nd August 2004, at gunpoint from a museum in OsloNorway.

Today in History for August 22nd ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 21 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1770 – James Cook formally claimed eastern Australia for Great Britain on the 21st day of August in 1770, naming it New South Wales.

1791 ~ The Haitian Revolution began on the 21st August 1791.

1821 – Jarvis Island was discovered on the 21st August 1821, by the crew of the ship, Eliza Frances.

1858Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria the Archduke of Austria and Crown Prince of AustriaHungary was born at Schloss Laxenburg, a castle near Vienna, on the 21st August 1858 (died 30 January 1889 aged 30). Rudolf’s suicide death with his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, at his Mayerling hunting lodge in 1889 made international headlines.

1888 – The 1st successful adding machine in the United States was patented on the 21st August 1888, by William Seward Burroughs.

1897 – Oldsmobile, a brand of American automobiles was founded on the 21st August 1897..

1944 – Dumbarton Oaks Conference, the prelude to the United Nations, began on the 21st August 1944.

1904 – William “Count” Basie the American bandleader was born on the 21st August 1904 (died 1984).

1905 – Friz Freleng the American animator, director, and producer was born on the 21st August 1905 (died 1995)

1911 – The Mona Lisa was stolen by a Louvre employee on the 21st August 1911.

1920 – Christopher Robin Milne the British soldier and bookseller was born on the 21st August 1920 (died 1996).

1928 – Art Farmer the American trumpet player was born on the 21st August 1928 (died 1999)

1930 – Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was born on the 21st August 1930 (died 2002).

1944 – Jackie DeShannon the American singer-songwriter was born on the 21st August 1944.

1944 – Peter Weir the Australian director was born on the 21st August 1944.

1938 – Kenny Rogers the American singer and actor was born on the 21st August 1938.

1940 – Leon Trotsky the Russian politician and theorist died on the 21st August 1940 (born 1879).

1952 – Joe Strummer the British musician and singer from The Clash was born on the 21st August in 1952 (d. 2002).

1956 – Kim Cattrall the British-born Canadian actress was born on the 21st August 1956.

1961 – Motown released what would be its first No.1 hit, “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes on the 21st August 1961.

1973 – Sergey Brin the Russian-American computer scientist, businessman and co-founder of Google was born on the 21st August 1973.

1986 – Carbon dioxide gas erupted from volcanic Lake Nyos in Cameroon on the 21st August 1986, killing approximately 1,800 people within a 20 kilometer range.

1991 – Latvia declared renewal of its full independence on the 21st August 1991, after the occupation of Soviet Union.

1993 – NASA lost contact with the Mars Observer spacecraft on the 21st August 1993.

2013 ~ The Ghouta alleged chemical attacks on the 21st August 2013, with approximately 1300 people killed, when a series of alleged chemical attacks in the Ghouta region of the Rif Dimashq Governorate of Syria occurred, although the Syrian government and Army deny that chemical attacks occurred. The Syrian government prevented United Nations investigators from reaching the sites of the attacks, despite their accommodations being only a few kilometers away.

Today in History for August 21st ~ video presented by the Associated Press… 

AUGUST 20 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1858 – Charles Darwin first published his theory of evolution on the 20th August 1858, through natural selection in The Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London.

1866 – President Andrew Johnson formally declared the American Civil War over on the 20th August 1866.

1882 – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky‘s 1812 Overture debuted in Moscow, Russia on the 20th August 1882.

1910 – The Great Fire of 1910 (aka the Big Blowup or the Big Burn) occurred on the 20th August 1910, in northeast Washington, northern Idaho (the panhandle), and western Montana, burning approximately 3 million acres (12,000 km2).

1920 – The 1st commercial radio station, 8MK (now WWJ), began on the 20th August 1920, in Detroit, Michigan.

1923 – Jim Reeves, American singer-songwriter was born on the 20th August 1923 (died 1964).

1926 – Japan‘s public broadcasting company, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) was established on the 20th August 1926.

1927 – Peter Oakley the English video blogger was born on the 20th August 1927. Peter Oakley’s website: www.askGeriatric.com. Peter Oakley aka Geriatric1927 had over 2 million views of his 1st YouTube video..

1938 – Lou Gehrig hit his 23rd career grand slam on the 20th August 1938, a record that still stands in 2013.

1940 – In Mexico City, exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was fatally wounded on the 20th August 1940, with an ice axe by Ramón Mercader. He died the next day.

1940 – British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made the 4th of his famous wartime speeches on the 20th August 1940, containing the line “Never was so much owed by so many to so few“.

1941 – Dave Brock the English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Hawkwind was born on the 20th August 1941.

1942 – Isaac Hayes the American singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, and actor was born on the 20th August 1942 (died 2008).

1947 – Alan Lee the English illustrator was born on the 20th August 1947.

1947 – James Pankow the American trombone player and songwriter from the band Chicago was born on the 20th August 1947.

1948 – Robert Plant the English singer-songwriter from Led Zeppelin was born on the 20th August 1948.

1948 – John Noble the Australian actor was born on the 20th August 1948.

1949 – Phil Lynott the Irish singer-songwriter from Thin Lizzy was born on the 20th August 1949 (died 1986).

1952 – Doug Fieger the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from The Knack and Sky was born on the 20th August 1952 (died 2010).

1962 – The NS Savannah, the world’s 1st nuclear-powered civilian ship embarked on its maiden voyage on the 20th August 1962.

1970 – Fred Durst the American singer-songwriter from Limp Bizkit was born on the 20th August 1970.

1974 – Amy Adams the American actress and singer was born on the 20th August 1974.

1975 – NASA launched the Viking 1 planetary probe toward Mars on the 20th August 1975.

1977 – NASA launched the Voyager 2 spacecraft on the 20th August 1977.

1978 ~ Kris Smith the English model, ex-professional rugby league player and television presenter on The Daily Edition was born on the 20th August 1978. The Daily Edition Facebook

1988 – “Black Saturday” of the Yellowstone fire in Yellowstone National Park was on the 20th August 1988.

1989 – The O-Bahn Busway in Adelaide, the world’s longest guided busway, opened on the 20th August 1989.

Today in History for August 20th ~ video presented by the Associated Press…