Birthdays

July 3, 1962 - Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise has starred many films including Mission Impossible, Jerry Maguire, and Top Gun, to name a few. Cruise has recently gained notoriety for his Scientology beliefs. Cruise was actually Tom's middle name. His full name was....Thomas Cruise Mapother IV.

July 4, 1918 - Esther Friedman (a.k.a Ann Landers)
Esther Friedman was born on July 4, 1918, in Sioux City, Iowa. In 1955 she won a contest to become the new "Ann Landers" columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. Thus began a 47 year career of providing spirited and on-target personal advice to everyday people across the country. One of her favorite admonishments...."40 lashes with a wet noodle!"

July 6, 1946 - George W. Bush
The 43rd President of the United States, and son of George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States.


Events

July 2, 1937 - Amelia Earhart Disappears
Earhart was an aviation pioneer, the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many other flying records and wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences. On July 2 in 1937, during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe, she and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean. In the vacuum caused by this mysterious disappearance, several theories and myths have developed. Some believe that she crash-landed near a deserted island and was marooned there until her death. Others believe that she survived and returned to the U.S., changed her name and remarried. In the absence of any definitive evidence, the disappearance will always remain a mystery.

July 2, 1776 - Declaration of Independence Adopted
Yes, it was on this date that the Declaration of Independence was actually adopted. John Adams, one of the signer of the Declaration, wrote home to his wife Abigail in a letter dated July 3rd that "the Second of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations as the great anniversary Festival..It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.". After some minor changes in wording the Declaration was formally approved on the 4th of July, and the official signing took place on August 2nd.

July 4, 1776 - Independence Day
The final language of the Declaration of Independence was approved on this date in 1776. There was debate right up to the last moment, with the colony of New York actually abstaining from the vote in order to allow the final result to be unanimous. After signing the document, Benjamin Franklin is reported to have stated..."We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately". He wasn't joking...those who signed this document were - in the eyes of the British government - guilty of treason, and could be tried and hanged for their crimes.

July 4, 1826 - John Adams and Thomas Jefferson Death
In one of history's strange coincidences, these two signers of the Declaration of the Independence and two former Presidents of the United States died on this same day, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration's formal approval. In the years since the Declaration they had become political enemies.  Ultimately, however, they were able to resolve their differences, revive their friendship, and begin a spirited correspondence that would continue until their deaths. Adam's last words were..."Thomas Jefferson still survives". Thomas Jefferson's last words were: "This is the Fourth?" 


Not to be Missed
 
Halfway Point of 2017
On July 2nd at 12:00 noon, we've made it halfway through another year, with 182 and one-half days behind us, and 182 and one-half days to go until New Years 2018!