~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
September 17, 2012

★~ Today’s Quote: Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered . . . just one kind word to another person. — Fred Rogers, American educator and TV host (1928-2003)

★~ Constitution Day:

Citizenship Day (also known as Constitution Day) marks the anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. It also recognizes all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens. The origin of this holiday dates back to 1940 when “I am an American Day” was celebrated on the third Sunday in May. In 1952, Congress moved the date to September 17 and renamed it “Citizenship Day.” In 2004, the official name changed to “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.”

★~ Apple Dumplings Day:

A dumpling is a globular mass of boiled, steamed , backed dough filled with meat, vegetables, or fruit. The apple dumpling is a traditional dessert native to the Pennsylvanian Amish who eat them for breakfast. I made the  Perfect Apple Dumpling recipe last year and it was very good but the recipe was hard to follow… Tips: Follow the pictures, my dumplings took longer to cook than 35 minutes, buy a couple extra apples, cutting the square is a pain, skip the ad for the sandals. Despite the recipe the results are yummy and your house will smell very good. Click for apple facts. 

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1964 – The situation comedy Bewitched premiered on ABC-TV. Elizabeth Montgomery played the witch, Samantha Stevens, twitching her magical nose all the way to July 1, 1972.

♥~ 1965 – Hogan’s Heroes premiered. I see nothing, nothing at all…

♥~ 1967 – The Doors performed Light My Fire on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sullivan had requested that lead singer Jim Morrison delete the line, “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher,” but Morrison refused.

♥~ 1972 – M*A*S*H premiered on CBS-TV. This popular award-winning CBS series was based on the 1970 Robert Altman movie and a book by Richard Hooker. Set during the Korean War, the show aired for 11 years (lasting longer than the war). It followed the lives of doctors and nurses on the war front with both humor and pathos.  The final episode, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” was the highest-rated program of all time, topping the “Who Shot J.R.?” revelation on “Dallas.”

♥~ 1983 – Vanessa Williams, Miss New York, was crowned Miss America. Williams was the first black woman in the 62-year history of the Miss America Pageant to win the coveted title. Williams relinquished her crown during her reign when nude pictures of her were published in Penthouse magazine. Vanessa Williams went on to enjoy popularity as a singer (Dreamin’, Save the Best for Last) and an actress (Candyman, Another You, Under the Gun)

♥~ 2006: An Italian thief robbed an elderly lady in Milan, lost his cell phone, called his own number, and unwittingly arranged a date with police, who had his phone. On his way, the 35-year-old robbed another old lady and rode a stolen scooter to meet police.

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1923 – Hank (Hiram) Williams Sr.musician, songwriter, singer: I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Cold, Cold Heart, Take These Chains from My Heart, Honky Tonkin’,Jambalaya, Kaw-Liga, Your Cheatin’ Heart, Lovesick Blues; 1st country musician whose music crossed over into pop; wrote 125 compositions; died Jan 1, 1953

♥~ 1931 – Anne Bancroft (Anna Maria Louisa Italiano) Oscar and Tony Award-winning actress: The Miracle Worker [1962]; The Graduate, The Turning Point, Agnes of God, Malice, Point of No Return, The Elephant Man, Silent Movie; married to Mel Brooks; died June 6, 2005

♥~ 1948 – John Ritter Emmy Award winning actor: Three’s Company [1983-1984]; Problem Child I & II, Hooperman, Stay Tuned; son of Tex Ritter; died Sep 11, 2003

♥~ 1953 – Rita Rudner comedienne, actress: Rita Rudner TV series, Hollywood Squares

★~ Did You Know:  6 notable People Who Renounced Their Citizenship

♥~Terry Gilliam: Famous for being the only American member of Monty Python, Gilliam became a British citizen when he renounced his American citizenship in 2006. “I’m not at all happy with what America has been in the last 10 years,” Gilliam told The A.V. Club that year. “The reality is, when I kick the bucket, American tax authorities assess everything I own in the world—everything I own is outside of America—and then tax me on it, and that would mean my wife would probably have to sell our house to pay the taxes. I didn’t think that was fair on my wife and children.”

♥~ W.E.B. Du Bois: The Harvard PhD and spiritual father of the American civil rights movement grew somewhat cantankerous in his dotage. By the time he died in 1963 at age 95, he had moved to Ghana, renounced his U.S. citizenship, and embraced the Communist Party. He praised Stalin, decried America, and was mostly ignored by the civil rights leaders of the ‘60s. It’s a testament to his genius and insight that this period in his life is mostly forgotten and his pioneering work at the turn of the last century is what he remains known for.

♥~Ted Arison: Billionaire, sports lover, cruise-ship magnate, Ted Arison renounced his citizenship in 1990 and lived out the rest of his life in Israel. As founder of Carnival Cruise Lines and original backer of the NBA’s Miami Heat, Arison amassed a multi-billion dollar fortune and was referred to at his death by the Jewish news weekly of Northern California, as “the world’s wealthiest Jew.”

♥~ Bobby Fischer: The reclusive chess champion ran afoul of a U.S. travel ban by competing in a 1992 chess match with Boris Spassky in Yugoslavia. He never returned to the US, but was held in Japan in 2004 for traveling on an invalid U.S. passport. He eventually convinced Iceland to grant him citizenship and renounced his U.S. citizenship.

♥~ President John Tyler: OK, this one is cheating just a bit. Former President John Tyler, by accepting a post as representative of the Confederacy, basically renounced his U.S. citizenship (and technically was the only President to die on “foreign” soil when he passed in 1862 in Virginia).

♥~ Elizabeth Taylor: Though never accepted by the State Department, Liz renounced in 1965. Attempting to shield much of her European income from U.S. taxes, Liz wished to become solely a British citizen. According to news reports at the time, officials denied her request when she failed to complete the renunciation oath, refusing to say that she renounced “all allegiance to the United States of America.”

How does one go about renouncing U.S. citizenship? The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 stipulates that Americans wishing to renounce their U.S. citizenship must sign an oath of renunciation in the presence of a diplomatic or consular officer. The oath reads: “I hereby absolutely and entirely renounce my United States nationality, together with all rights and privileges and all duties of allegiance and fidelity.” The renunciation must take place in a foreign country, and the State Department reserves the right to reject the citizen’s request. The oath must also be signed in person.

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Wishing everyone a merry Monday and a special L’shanah tovah to my Jewish friends. I’m not Jewish, but I always help my Jewish friends celebrate their New Year by joining them for holiday dinners; from matzo ball soup to honey cakes, everything is delicious. Friends help friends celebrate their customs! And I’m a very good friend.

Three television shows premiered today: Bewitched (1964), Hogan’s Heroes (1965) and M*A*S*H (1972). If you could pick one to watch right this very minute, which would you choose? It doesn’t have to be your favorite sitcom; just the one you’re in the mood to watch right now.

Odd Loves Company!

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