FRIDAY APRIL 12TH, 2013

IT'S BLOG TIME AGAIN on a TGIF day....that does not stand for Thank Goodness it's Freezing although it is raining and freezing this morning at Orr Lake.  30 years ago we had a nice day with a high of +9 and lots of sunshine.  Our spring has been so bad this year that I am going to Lobby the weather Gods to drop Spring from the Forecast and make it a three-cast. To Make the weather more positive I guess its a good day for the Blue Jays if they have skates.

MAGICAL HISTORY TOUR FOR TODAY.

In 1606 England agreed on the Union Jack as their official Flag and in 1654 Ireland and Scotland were united with England. The flag was based on the England and Scotland Flags superimposed. 

In 1887 the baseball catcher's  mask was first used in a baseball game (can your imagine the injuries suffered before that happened).

John Moody of HAMILTON imported the first Gas engine Auto on this date in 1898.  I guess it was harder to smell the exhaust fumes THERE.. It was a Winton model and was made to go up the hill to local churches on Sundays.  It was a Winton Church-Hill Model :)

In 1917, women in Ontario were allowed to vote for the first time. (in Ontario)

FDR died on this date in 1945 at the age of 63 and Harry Truman took over as President of the U.S.

1954 on this date saw Buddy Holly record "Rock Around the Clock".  It took a while to catch on in fact it was only on the charts for a week. He recorded a cover version of  Big Joe Turner's "Shake Rattle and Roll" he changed some of the lyrics and kept the Rock around the Clock "sound" and it did catch on and sold over a million copies  When "Rock Around the Clock appeared behind the opening credits of the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle Starring Canadian Glen Ford it soared to the top of Billboard chart for 8 weeks.  The single is commonly used as a convenient line of demarcation between the rock era and the music industry that preceded it. Here is the Joe Turner version of "Shake Rattle and Roll".

Success came at a price as the new music horrified most people over the age of 30 leading to suspicion that  R & R was a Cold war plot to Corrupt American teens.  In fact J.Edgar Hoover tried to dig up dirt on Haley (although he kept tripping over his own dress). Bill was not as sexy as the new guy Elvis and started touring in Europe in the 70's and died of a brain tumour February 6th 1981. He had some great tunes though didn't he!  I especially loved "See Ya Later Alligator". 

In 1967, The music to OH CANADA became the official national Anthem (not the words just the Tune)

The words remained the same in the French version but the "politically correct" English version has been changed of course).

In 1961 Yuri Gagarin went into space for 89 minutes, made on revolution (they liked revolutions) and returned to be the first man in space.

In 1980, Terry Fox dipped his artificial leg in the water in Newfoundland and started his incredible  "Marathon of Hope" to raise money for cancer.  It ended on Sept. 1st In Thunder Bay when cancer was discovered in his lungs. He died on June 28th 1981.  To quote Shakespeare " WE WILL NOT LOOK UPON HIS LIKENESS AGAIN."

BIRTHDAY PEEPS ON THIS DATE  

HERBERT KHAURY Better known as Tiny Tim "Tip-Toed" into the world in 1933 on this date. Also David Letterman is 66, David Cassidy is 63, John Kaye of Toronto's The Sparrows and later Steppenwolfe is 69.

Ed O'Neill (Al Bundy and he's on "Modern Family now) is 67, Andy Garcia 57, Herbie Hancock 73, Writer Tom Clancy 66. Hockey's Roman Hamrlik 39, and 4 beautiful young women ; Shannon Doherty 42, Clare Danes 34, Brooklin Decker 26, Jennifer Morrison 34 and Billy Vaughn (Sail Along Silvery Moon) was born in 1931.

and finally.....Getting old is a fascination thing...the older you get, the older you want to be.

mornin' everybody...mornin'








Jonathon Winters died last night.(april 11th)