A rainy night lying in bed, watching a film & smoking my pipe is a very meditative time indeed.
It seems like every month, week and most any day is dedicated to something, and today is no exception. In 1987 the World Health Organization passed Resolution WHA40.38, "a world no-smoking day." Two years later Resolution WHA42.19 was passed and "resolves that each year 31 May shall be World No Tobacco Day." Every May 31st since has been designated as such. Observed world wide, it draws attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to its negative health effects. The day aims to reduce the 5.4 million yearly tobacco related deaths. In 2007 the tobacco theme was “Smoke-free environments.” Last year's WNTD theme was “Tobacco-Free Youth.” This year’s theme is "Tobacco Health Warnings," with an emphasis on picture warnings, shown to be particularly effective at making people aware of the health risks. More and more countries are requiring tobacco packaging to show the dangers as is called for in guidelines to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. As for tomorrow, June 1st, it is the start of the officially designated Turkey Lovers Month and here in Hollywood we’ll be celebrating with a wide concoction of turkey dishes, turkey activities and tossing around fun facts such as: wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 mph and can run as fast as 20 mph.
Here is an odd assortment of events that happened on this day in history, July 27th.
Charlotte Corday, the assassin of Jean-Paul Marat 1768, is born as is the great Leo Durocher, 1906, manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.
Vocalist, producer and songwriter, Harvey Fuqua is born 1929, Doc Pomus in 1925 and Bobbie Gentry in 1944.
In 1586 Sir Walter Raleigh brings the first tobacco to England from Virginia, of course 30 years later his last reported words before being beheaded were "Strike man, strike!", I always thought he was trying to light a match. In 1977 John Lennon is granted a green card for permanent residence in the good ol’ US of A. In 1990 Zsa Zsa Gabor begins her 3 day jail sentence for slapping a cop after he stopped her for a traffic violation. In 1991 TV Guide publishes it's 2000th edition. If you hurry, there’s a copy on Ebay right now available for a $1.50! And also in 1991 Warrant lead singer Jani Lane marries model Bobbie Brown in Los Angeles, oh that cherry pie! In 2001, tenor saxophonist, educator, and local jazz icon, Harold Land, dies after a stroke at the age of 73 in Los Angeles. And in 2002 The Who's bassist John Entwistle, 57 years of age, is found dead in his Las Vegas hotel room. He had cocaine in his system, and the death is ruled accidental.
