Daily Almanac for Monday, May 27, 2024; Memorial Day

By StephanieLee Elliott

 

Tha Naked Chef star, Jamie Oliver, is 48. Here he is in 2014. By Karl Gabor – http www.mynewsdesk.com, CC BY 3.0, https commons.wikimedia.org

FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Jamie Trevor Oliver MBE OSI (born 27 May 1975) is an English celebrity chef, former restaurateur and cookbook author. He is known for his casual approach to cuisine, which has led him to front numerous television shows and open many restaurants.

Oliver reached the public eye when his series The Naked Chef premiered in 1999. In 2005, he opened a campaign, Feed Me Better, to introduce schoolchildren to healthier foods, which was later backed by the government. He was the owner of a restaurant chain, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, which opened its first restaurant, Jamie’s Italian, in Oxford in 2008. The chain went into administration in May 2019.

His TED Talk won him the 2010 TED Prize. In June 2003, Oliver was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for “services to the hospitality industry”.

TODAY’S ALMANAC

The custom of honoring ancestors by cleaning cemeteries and decorating graves is an ancient and worldwide tradition, but the specific origin of Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it was first known, are unclear. In early rural America, this duty was usually performed in late summer and was an occasion for family reunions and picnics. After the Civil War, America’s need for a secular, patriotic ceremony to honor its military dead became prominent, as monuments to fallen soldiers were erected and dedicated, and ceremonies centering on the decoration of soldiers’ graves were held in towns and cities throughout the nation.

No less than 25 places have been named in connection with the origin of Memorial Day, and for many years, states observed the holiday on different dates. By federal law, however, Memorial Day is now celebrated on the last Monday in May. Since it all started with the Civil War, you might want to brush up on your knowledge of this event by visiting the Library of Congress Civil War collection, which includes more than a thousand photographs.

Learn more about Memorial Day here!

Question of the Day

What do ducks do in the rain?

Ducks just love rain. They are quite happy to stay out in it, and they often preen their feathers and poke around in puddles. (The British refer to a rainy day as “a lovely day for ducks.”) They don’t even seem to mind snow or sleet, but they dislike cold and windy weather.

Advice of the Day

Use roll-on deodorant bottles again by filling with sunscreen, bath oil, or kids’ paints.

Home Hint of the Day

Brush kerosene lightly over the surface of glass that you’re about to cut. This will make the cutting easier.

Word of the Day

Lilapsophobia

The fear of hurricanes or tornadoes

Puzzle of the Day

What city was made by time and labor?

Baltimore

(When the letters of the words “time” and “labor” are combined in a certain way, they spell “Baltimore.”)

Born

  • Amelia Bloomer (reformer) – 
  • Wild Bill Hickok (frontiersman) – 
  • Rachel Carson (conservationist) – 
  • John Cheever (writer) – 
  • Paul Bettany (actor) – 
  • Jamie Oliver (chef) – 
  • Jade Carey (Olympic gymnast) – 

Died

  • Niccolò Paganini (composer) – 
  • Paul Gleason (actor) – 

Events

  • Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco opened to pedestrians only– 
  • German battleship Bismarck sunk, WWII– 
  • USS John F. Kennedy christened by 9-year old Caroline Kennedy– 
  • The Ben Sawyer Bridge in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, became stuck open due to high temperatures– 

Weather

  • Indianapolis experienced its latest freeze on record, with the temperature falling to 31 degrees F– 
  • Lightning struck storm chaser in car in South Dakota– 
  • The Ben Sawyer Bridge in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, became stuck open due to high temperatures– 

 

COURTESY www.almanac.com