Random Fact
Herman Melville had written five novels before the one which was published on this day in 1851. Moby Dick begins with the words, “Call me Ishmael” and goes on to say, “I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts” before relating the story of Captain Ahab’s grim pursuit of the great white whale Moby Dick.
Random Fact
On this day in 1927, the Holland Tunnel was officially opened. This major throughway between New York City and New Jersey runs under the Hudson River. Before it was built, the only way to get across in an automobile was by ferry. There was an earlier railroad tunnel, but the Lincoln Tunnel and modern-day George Washington Bridge were yet to come.
Random Fact
Beetles make up the largest order in the animal kingdom — about 250,000 species of the insect. One of every three animals is a beetle. Many can fly and they range in size from very small to six inches long. They have hard, armor-like cases that protect the wings when they are not flying. Though some types of beetle recycle dead plant and animal material, there are quite a few that are a pest to humans and that destroy plants. Beetles lay eggs which hatch into larvae (grubs) and usually mature within a year. They are the longest-lived of all insects. Beetles dislike light and only a few, like ladybugs, don’t mind being seen.
Random Fact - God Bless America
Today “God Bless America” is well known as a semi-official national anthem, but it was 22 years old before it was first heard in public. Irving Berlin wrote it during World War I, but it was not publicly sung until November 11, 1938, when Kate Smith introduced it on a radio broadcast.
Random Fact - Bamboo
The Bamboo plant is a member of the grass family, which has been used for years to make houses, furniture, boats, piping, baskets, and musical instruments. The plant looks like a tree and its most striking feature is that most produce seeds only once in their lifetime — but a bamboo plant can live for more than 100 years. In 1990, scientists announced that they are developing a way of producing bamboo flowers more rapidly, which may be very important to its cultivation. The woody, hollow aerial stems (culms) of bamboo grow in branching clusters from a thick underground stem (rhizome). The culms often form a dense undergrowth that excludes other plants. Bamboo culms can attain heights ranging from about 4 to 6 inches in the smallest species to more than 130 feet in the largest.
Random Fact - Livingstone
A momentous meeting took place on this day deep in the African jungle. In 1871, journalist Henry M. Stanley met missionary David Livingstone. Though many think that Livingstone was lost - he was actually just sick. Stanley became famous for his “rescue” of the Scottish missionary and explorer when actually Stanley brought much-needed food and medicine, and Livingstone soon recovered. Livingstone remained in Africa for quite some time after Stanley returned to civilization. Stanley was also known for his discoveries in and development of the Congo region.
Random Fact - World War 2
In 1942, U.S. and British forces invaded Nazi-held North Africa. This day was a major turning point in the outcome of World War II. The Allied forces switched roles from a defensive to an offensive position.
Random Fact - Bald Eagle
The bald eagle is a large North American bird of the forest which catches most of its food victims live — including ducks, gulls, seabirds, fish from lakes or seas, and salmon from rivers. Bald eagles, which belong to the raptor family, also challenge ospreys, forcing them to abandon their catch. The bald eagle has been a symbol of power and courage and a symbol of the United States. Many birds of prey are becoming endangered species because pesticides poison their food or eggs, some are hunted, and others are losing their natural habitats. The nest of an eagle is called a aerie and it is either high in a tree or on a high rocky ledge. Female bald eagles are larger than males.
Random Fact - Ayers Rock
Ayers Rock is a giant red rock formation in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the largest monolith in the world at 1,143 feet high and about 6 miles in circumference. The landmark, which the Aborigines call Uluru, is the outcrop of a huge bed of sandstone formed about 600 million years ago. The rock changes color according to the altitude of the Sun. The surface of Ayers Rock has paintings and carvings made thousands of years ago by the Aborigines, who believe the rock to be sacred. It is named for Sir Henry Ayers, who was the Premier of South Australia when the rock was first recorded. The rock is most impressive at sunset, when it is colored a fiery orange-red by the sun’s rays. The buildings of the tourist resort near Ayers Rock are colored to blend in with the surrounding desert.
Random Fact - Radio
Very few American homes had radios in 1920, but the ones that did were able to follow the Presidential election results; on this day, the first radio news broadcast of an election was presented.