August 26 is:
Women’s Equality Day
National Dog Day
National Cherry Popsicle Day
In 1905 in San Francisco, 11-year-old Frank Epperson was mixing a white powdered flavoring for soda and water out on the porch. He left it there, with a stirring stick still in it. That night, temperatures reached a record low, and the next morning, the boy discovered the drink had frozen to the stick, inspiring the idea of a fruit-flavored ‘Popsicle’, a portmanteau of soda pop and icicle.
Eighteen years later in 1923, Epperson introduced frozen pop on a stick to the public at Neptune Beach, an amusement park in Belmar, New Jersey. Seeing that it was a success, in 1924 Epperson applied for a patent for his “frozen confectionery” which he called “the Epsicle ice pop”. He renamed it to Popsicle, allegedly at the insistence of his children.
From Today in Science
In 1883, Mount Krakatoa, an island volcano in the Dutch Indies (now Indonesia), erupted with violent explosions that destroyed two thirds of the island. It produced huge tsunami waves that swept across the immediate region, killing an estimated 36,000 people. These waves were powerful enough to cross the Indian Ocean and travel beyond Cape Horn. The most powerful blast was the most violent known in human history—it was loud enough to be heard in Australia. The shockwave was registered by barometers in England. The huge amount of volcanic dust thrust high into the stratosphere eventually traveled around the world. The dust blocked sunlight causing temperature drops, highly coloured sunsets, and chaotic weather patterns for several years afterwards.
1920 – The 19th amendment to United States Constitution took effect, giving women the right to vote.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation
From Today in Science
In 1959, the Morris Mini-Minor was introduced by the British Motor Corporation. The car, popularly known as the Mini, remains successful over five decades later. It became a landmark in automotive design because it was only 10 ft long, yet seated four passengers, and one of the lowest priced cars on the market. Its innovative designer, Alec Issigonis, saved space by mounting the engine transversely which eliminated the interior space taken up by a transmission tunnel. Issigonis believed that “when you’re designing a new car for production, never, never copy the opposition.” and created a vehicle that carried the greatest payload in the smallest practical space. It had all-independent suspension, good fuel economy, fast acceleration, maneuverability and ease of parking.
1970 – The new feminist movement, led by Betty Friedan, led a nation-wide Women’s Strike for Equality. The strike primarily focused on equal opportunity in the workforce, political rights for women, and social equality in relationships such as marriage.
1980 – After John Birges planted a bomb at Harvey’s Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada; the FBI inadvertently detonated the bomb during its disarming. John Birges Sr. was convicted of having made the bomb, and wanted to extort $3 million from the casino after having lost $750,000 there. He later died in prison in 1996, at the age of 74.