On This Day: August 9th … Strange Holidays
Booklover’s Day
National Veep Day
National Rice Pudding Day
One who follows this pretty much on a regular basis these days, and I’ve not done this before but today I dedicate today to booklover_2020. Fitting, isn’t it? … 8=)
Booklover’s Day
This is the day that encourages you to find a place in the shade to relax with a good book.
Book reading is a great hobby. It's an important one, too. Employers look for it on resumes (keep that in mind when applying for work). Reading is educational, informative, and relaxing. It makes us both smarter, and happier people.
Book Lovers Day is a great day to celebrate. Just grab an interesting book, find a quiet, cozy place, and crack open the cover. Celebrating Book Lovers Day in August is pleasurable on the deck, under a shady tree, poolside, or in a cozy hammock. If you fall asleep while reading, that's okay. It's all part of the relaxing benefits of being a book lover. Just make sure you are in the shade when you fall asleep.
"You cannot open a book without learning something."—Confucius
National Veep Day
Today recognizes the succession plan of the President of the United States. The day also acknowledges the one president who was neither elected vice president nor president.
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation, or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.
ARTICLE II, SECTION 1, CLAUSE 6
In the history of the United States, 14 vice presidents became President. The people elected only 5 of them at some point after completing their terms as vice president. The other eight ascended to the presidency due to the death of the president. And then there is one vice president who became president who was never elected at all. The answer to this can be found in the following.
Vice President Facts:
John Tyler: After one month of being sworn in, President William Henry Harrison died in office in 1841. His vice president, John Tyler, ascended to the presidency.
Millard Fillmore: Millard Fillmore filled the vacancy left by the death of President Zachary Taylor in 1850.
Andrew Johnson: Andrew Johnson was President Abraham Lincoln’s second term vice president. His term began when Lincoln died after John Wilkes Booth’s successful assassination of the president at Ford’s Theater.
Chester Arthur: When Charles J. Guiteau assassinated President James Garfield in 1881, Vice President Chester Arthur completed his term.
Theodore Roosevelt: President William McKinley’s first vice president died of a heart attack. During McKinley’s second term, Theodore Roosevelt served as his Veep. Then McKinley was assassinated six months into the term. Roosevelt became the third vice president to step up under these circumstances.
Calvin Coolidge: After the death of President Warren G. Harding in 1923, Vice President Calvin Coolidge ascended to the presidency. He also ran and won a second term.
Harry S. Truman: President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only president to run for and win four terms. He also had three different vice presidents. His third Veep, Harry S. Truman, ascended to the presidency when FDR died in 1945 after just three months in office of his last election.
Lyndon B. Johnson: The fourth president to be assassinated in the United States was John F. Kennedy. Lyndon B. Johnson served as his vice president. An interesting note: Richard Nixon, whom this day is partially inspired by, ran unsuccessfully against JFK. Before running for president, Nixon served two terms as Veep for President Dwight Eisenhower.
After his losing presidential runs, Nixon would run again and win two consecutive terms.
Gerald Ford: Nixon’s first vice president was Spiro Agnew. However, Agnew resigned in 1973 on suspicion of criminal conspiracy, bribery, extortion, and tax fraud Gerald Ford obtained the position of vice president by appointment. When Nixon later resigned in 1974, Ford ascended to the presidency. He’s the only president to service who was neither elected to the position of Veep or president. And as a matter of historical record, Ford’s Vice-President was not elected either. Nelson Rockefeller’s only prior political knowledge was as Governor of the state of New York. Well that and being extremely rich.
National Rice Pudding Day
A variety of recipes exist for rice pudding. All of them include cooked rice as the base ingredient and combine a milk (such as cow’s, coconut, evaporated, or cream) with bread. Sugar, molasses, or honey gives the pudding a sweet taste along with other flavors such as vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Eggs hold the dish together, and butter gives it a rich, creamy consistency.
While many enjoy rice pudding as a dessert, it’s also ideal for breakfast or as a side dish. Add fruit, nuts, raisins, or enjoy it with whipped cream. Since there are so many recipes for rice pudding, the opportunity to sample more than one presents itself.
Dating back to the Tudor period, the earliest rice pudding recipes were called white pot. One of the first-known methods was written down by Gervase Markham in 1615.
After being baked, serve the pudding hot or cold. Add fresh fruit, nuts, or whipped topping. However, raisins are traditional. Other spices, such as nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and even cayenne, add variety to rice pudding recipes. Citrus zests bring brightness to the dessert that can, at times, be rich and heavy to the palate. Although most recipes call for sugar, alternatives include monk fruit, agave syrup, or palm sugar.
More Strange Holidays Coming!