A Brief History On August 8, 1998, Pamela Johnson of Irving, Texas, founded the Secret Society of Happy People, an organization committed to the expression of happiness and for its members to remember and think about their happy times. “Happiness Happens” is their motto, with “Don’t Even Think of Raining on My Parade” as an alternate. Every August 8 is International Happiness Happens Day. Digging Deeper The SSHP is determined to express their happiness and encourages others to do the same, in spite of the unhappy campers that do not want to hear about other people’s happiness. Too bad! You’re…
Author: Major Dan
Major Dan
Major Daniel Zar is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.
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A Brief History On August 7, 1930, 2 African-American men were seized from jail in Indiana by an irate White mob, beaten, and hanged for the alleged crimes of robbery, rape, and murder. They were the last 2 African-Americans lynched in a Northern state A third Black male, only 16 years old, was rescued from the lynching by a White woman, though he was later convicted and imprisoned. Digging Deeper Defined as “extrajudicial punishment,” lynching can be any form of punishment without due process of law, usually by a mob or a vigilante, such as beating, tar and feathering, and…
A Brief History On August 6, 1917, future actor, composer, and singer Robert Mitchum was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Mitchum would live nearly to age 80 despite being a heavy smoker his entire adult life, with lung cancer and emphysema eventually doing him in. In honor of one of my favorite actors of all time and in a plea to all cigarette smokers out there to quit this life shortening habit, we list 10 Songs with the Word Cigarette(s) in the Lyrics. There are a bajillion of them, including several by Frank Sinatra, The Kinks, Blue Oyster Cult, the Cranberries,…
A Brief History On August 5, 1901, Irish track and field athlete Peter O’Connor set the official long jump record at 24’ 11 ¾”, recognized by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) a record for that event in 1912, when the event was first recognized with an official record. Prior to this momentous occasion, the “world record” in the long jump was unofficial, although of course people did keep track of such things. O’Connor’s record stood for an amazing 20 years, and he had previously set unofficial world records before this mighty leap. Here we list 10 of the…
A Brief History On August 4, 1821, little Louis Vuitton was born in Anchay (Jura region), France, to a family of tradesmen and farmers. Yet, he would grow up to be the esteemed trunk designer of Empress Eugenie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. Digging Deeper Vuitton left home at the age of 13 (his parents had died prior to this move) and took the nearly 300 mile hike to Paris. Homeless, Louis sought work in the industrial revolution he found in Paris, and got a job in a box making factory. Box making then was not the automated assembly…