February 8th History, Trivia, and Fun Facts |
February 8th History Highlights |
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February 8: National Boy Scout Day |
| This day is set aside to honor those who embody the traits of being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910 by American William D. Boyce and has helped shape many of our nation’s leaders. These young men have learned to become responsible citizens and are prepared to lead successful lives. We salute all Boy Scouts for their dedication to service and for always living up to the motto: “Be Prepared.” |
National Kite-Flying DayKite-flying has a rich history, dating back over 2,000 years to ancient China. Legend has it that a Chinese farmer tied a string to his hat to keep it from blowing away in the wind. Inspired by how it floated, he attached a bamboo frame and paper to create the first kite. From this humble beginning, kites evolved into a form of entertainment, recreation, and even military use in various cultures. February 8 was chosen as National Kite-Flying Day to honor Sir George Cayley, an English engineer and aviation pioneer credited with significantly advancing the design and understanding of kites and gliders in the 19th century. His contributions laid the foundation for modern aviation. Families and friends gather in parks, open fields, and beaches on this special day, showcasing vibrant kites of all shapes and sizes. The sky transforms into a kaleidoscope of colors as kites of every hue dance and weave through the air. It’s a spectacle that captivates both young and old, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared joy. Participating in National Kite-Flying Day is not just about the thrill of watching a kite soar high; it’s also an opportunity for creativity and self-expression. Many kite enthusiasts take pride in designing and crafting their kites, turning the day into a showcase of artistic ingenuity. |
February 8th is… |
Boy Scouts Day Laugh and Get Rich Day National Fly A Kite Day National Molasses Bar Day |
February 8th Birthday Quotes |
“There are some people who leave impressions not so lasting as the imprint of an oar upon the water.” “There’s a very basic human, non-verbal aspect to our need to make music and use it as part of our human expression. It doesn’t have to do with body movements, it doesn’t have to do with articulation of a language, but with something spiritual.” “Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.” “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” “There’s no greater way to gain an audience’s sympathy than by being unfortunate.” “Life without industry is guilt, and industry without art is brutality.” “Man’s constitution is so peculiar that his health is purely a negative matter. No sooner is the rage of hunger appeased than it becomes difficult to comprehend the meaning of starvation. It is only when you suffer that you really understand.” |
February 8th Birthdays |
| 1591 – Guercino, Italian painter (died in 1666) 1819 – John Ruskin, English writer (died in 1900) 1828 – Jules Verne, French author, poet, and playwright (died in 1905) 1850 – Kate Chopin, American author (died in 1904) 1978 – Martin Buber, Austrian-Jewish philosopher (died in1965) 1899 – Lonnie Johnson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died in 1970) 1914 – Bill Finger, American comic author and illustrator, co-created Batman (died in 1974) 1918 – Freddie Blassie, American wrestler and manager (died in 2003) 1921 – Lana Turner, American actress (died in 1995) 1922 – Audrey Meadows, American actress (died in 1996) 1925 – Jack Lemmon, American actor (died in 2001) 1931 – James Dean, American actor (died in 1955) 1932 – John Williams, American pianist, composer, and conductor 1940 – Ted Koppel, English-American journalist 1941 – Nick Nolte, American actor 1942 – Robert Klein, American comedian and actor 1953 – Mary Steenburgen, American actress 1955 – John Grisham, American lawyer and author 1968 – Gary Coleman, American actor (died in 2010) 1969 – Mary McCormack, American actress 1972 – Big Show (Paul Donald Wight II), American wrestler, actor 1974 – Seth Green, American actor 1980 – William Jackson Harper, American actor 1984 – Cecily Strong, American actress 1994 – Nikki Yanofsky, Canadian singer-songwriter |
February 8th History |
1587 – Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded. 1692 – A doctor in Salem Village claimed three teenaged girls were possessed by Satan, which then lead to the chaotic Salem Witch Trials. 1693 – The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia was granted a charter by King William III and Queen Mary II. 1735 – The first Opera in the American Colines was performed – Flora: or the Hob in the Well, in Charlestown, South Carolina. 1855 – The Devil’s Footprints mysteriously appeared around the Exe Estuary in East Devon and South Devon, England. After a heavy snowfall, trails of two-legged hoof-like marks appeared overnight in the snow covering a total distance of many miles. 1865 – Delaware voters rejected the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and vote to continue the practice of slavery, although in practice, it did not exist. (Delaware finally ratified the amendment on February 12, 1901.) 1898 – The first envelope folding and gumming machine patent (#598,716) was issued to John Ames Sherman of Worcester, Mass. 1910 – The Boy Scouts of America were founded. 1915 – The Birth of a Nation, D.W. Griffith’s controversial film, premiered. It was originally titled The Clansman. 1924 – The first state execution in the United States by gas chamber took place in Nevada. 1936 – The first National Football League (NFL) draft was held. The Philadelphia Eagles chose Jay Berwanger, the first to be selected. 1946 – The first portion of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible was published. 1950 – The Stasi, the secret police of East Germany, was established. 1952 – Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom. 1960 – #1 Hit February 8, 1960 – February 21, 1960: Mark Dinning – Teen Angel 1960 – Ground-breaking for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The initial stars were Joanne Woodward, Olive Borden, Ronald Colman, Louise Fazenda, Preston Foster, Burt Lancaster, Edward Sedgwick, and Ernest Torrence. 1969 – Pieces of the large Allende meteorite were recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico. They were estimated to be over 4.6 billion years old. 1969 – The last issue of the Saturday Evening Post was published. It was revived in 1971 as a quarterly publication and eventually 6 times a year. 1971 – The NASDAQ stock market index opened. 1975 – #1 Hit February 8, 1975 – February 14, 1975: Ohio Players – Fire 1992 – #1 Hit February 8, 1992 – February 28, 1992: Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy 1998 – The first female hockey game in Olympic history took place. Finland defeated Sweden 6-0. 2003 – # 1 Hot February 8, 2003 – March 7, 2003: Jennifer Lopez featuring LL Cool J – All I Have 2014 – #1 Hit February 8, 2014 – March 7, 2014: Katy Perry featuring Juicy J – Dark Horse |
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts |
To Yoda, backwards everyone else must speak. Writing has become 1% inspiration, 99% not getting distracted by the internet. The more cheese you have, the beggir the number of holes. The beggir the number of holes, the less cheese you have. The more cheese you have, the less cheese you have. #conundrum The original title for The Breakfast Club was ‘Detention’. Star Wars: A New Hope is all about Darth Vader’s kids getting him in trouble with his boss. First, his daughter steals the Death Star plans, and then his son blows it up. The Capital of Portugal is Lisbon The biggest film of 1983: Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi (Sci-Fi) earned ~ $309,000,000 There are two types of people: those who divide people into two types, and those who don’t. A very important part of staying organized is having a “junk drawer” – without a place to put miscellaneous items, they’ll just end up all over the place. Or, a “junk room”. “The Dali Lama told me I would reach total consciousness on my death bed, so I’ve got that going for me.” #moviequotes The fear of long words is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. Having too much sex can cause memory loss. I read that on page 437 in a medical journal on November 2006 at 6:15 pm. It was cloudy. For every Spiderman, Batman, Ironman, etc there are probably at least ten potential unknown heroes who died in the first few weeks testing their new powers. |
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