RIP, Jamesetta Hawkins

Today i will stop and pay tribute to an amazing singer. Born Jamesetta Hawkins, she was better known as Etta James.

She had an amazing talent and a life of harsh realities.

May she rest in peace, At Last.


Today is:

Anniversary of the Elf Wars -- Fairy Calendar

Bald Eagle Appreciation Days -- Keokuk, IA, US (through tomorrow)

Celtic Tree Month Luis (Rowan) begins

Errol Barrow Day -- Barbados

Gasparilla Pirate Festival Children's Extravaganza -- Tampa, FL, US (the rum free version of the celebration, with a kid's parade and lots of fun; the adult version is next Saturday)

International Bon Jovi Day -- they released their first album this day in 1983

Lady of Altagracia Day -- Dominican Republic

National Hugging Day

New England Clam Chowder Day

Quebec Flag Day -- Quebec, Canada

Squirrel Appreciation Day -- sponsored by Christy Hargrove of the Western North Carolina Nature Center

St. Agnes' Day (Patron of engaged couples, virgins, Girl Scouts)

St. Meinrad of Einsiedeln's Day (Patron of Einsiedeln, Switzerland; Swabia, Germany; hospitality)



Birthdays Today:

Robby Bendson, 1956
Geena Davis, 1956
Jill Eikenberry, 1947
Mac Davis, 1942
Placido Domingo, 1941
Jack Nicklaus, 1940
Wolfman Jack, 1939
Benny Hill, 1925
Telly Savalas, 1924
Benny Hill, 1924
Paul Scofield, 1922
Barney Clark, 1921
Karl Wallenda, 1905
John M. Browning, 1855
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, 1824


Today in History:

Philip II, Henry II, and Richard the Lionheart initiate the 3rd Crusade, 1189
The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded, 1525
The first American novel, WH Brown's "Power of Sympathy," is published, 1789
After being found guilty of treason by the French Convention, Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine, 1793
Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccination is introduced, 1799
The envelope-folding machine is patented by Russell Hawes, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1853
The first US sewage disposal system that is separate from storm drains opens in Memphis, Tennessee, 1880
Kiwanis International is founded in Detroit, 1915
The first slalom ski race is run in Murren, Switzerland, 1922
The Flag of Quebec is adopted and flown for the first time over the National Assembly of Quebec, 1948
A B-52 bomber crashes near Thule Air Base, contaminating the area after its nuclear payload ruptures. One of the four bombs remains unaccounted for after the cleanup operation is complete, 1968
The current Emley Moor transmitting station, the tallest free-standing structure in the United Kingdom, begins transmitting UHF broadcasts, 1971
Commercial service of Concorde begins with the London-Bahrain and Paris-Rio routes, 1976
Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, 1981
NASA's MER-A (the Mars Rover Spirit) ceases communication with mission control. The problem lies in the management of its flash memory and is fixed remotely from Eart, 2004
Black Monday in worldwide stock markets. FTSE 100 had its biggest ever one-day points fall, European stocks closed with their worst result since 11 September 2001, and Asian stocks drop as much as 14%, 2008