1 July

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 1st July:

1. In 1915, the first nude scene in a film was first shown to audiences. Australian actress Annette Kellerman stripped in Daughter of the Gods.
2. In 1911, Polish biochemist Casimir Funk first used the word 'vitamins' to describe certain chemicals required for a healthy diet. The word derives from the Latin word for life, "vita", and ammonia derivatives, "amine".
3. In 1982, Kosmos 1383, the first search and rescue satellite, was launched by the Soviet Union in co-operation with the USA and France; it was the first satellite equipped to pick up distress signals from planes and ships.
4. Trolley buses began running in London, in Kingston and Twickenham on this date in 1931. They ran on Electricity from an overhead cable, but unlike trams, didn’t need rails in the road. They ran until 1962.
5. The Tour de France was held for the first time on this date in 1903. The winner of the first tour was the French cyclist Maurice Garin.
6. In 2003, the congregation of the First Baptist Church in Forest, Ohio were listening to a visiting evangelist who declared: “God’s voice often sounds like thunder”. At that very moment, the church was struck by Lightning.
7. In 1842 It became illegal in Britain to apprentice a chimney sweep under the age of 16.
8. In 1987, 25,000 people in the US over the age of 100 celebrated the first Centenarians Day.
9. In 1200, Sunglasses were invented in China to conceal the Eyes of judges in court.
10. In 1929, Elzie Segar created Popeye, the spinach-loving cartoon sailor.

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30 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 30 June:

1. In 2000, a Baltimore man died when his friend punched him in the chest. He'd asked his friend to do it because he thought the blow would cure his hiccups. Well, I suppose it did, in a manner of speaking.
2. Belgian Congo gained independence from Belgium on this date in 1960, and changed its name to Zaire.
3. In 1940, German forces occupied the Channel Islands.
4. In 1939, Frank Sinatra made his first appearance with Harry James' band at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD, where he sang, My Love for You.
5. In 1859, French acrobat Charles Blondin became the first person to walk a tight-rope across Niagara Falls. A crowd of 25,000 people watched him complete the feat in just 5 minutes. Then he crossed back with a tripod camera, stopped midway and photographed the crowds.
6. In 1892, it rained little white frogs near Birmingham, UK.
7. In 1908, there was a huge explosion over Siberia. It could be seen for hundreds of miles, leading to speculation that it was caused by an alien spacecraft. Most scientists, however, believe the explosion was caused by a Meteorite hitting the atmosphere, and breaking apart before hitting the ground. 19 years later, scientists who visited the spot found 60 million trees had fallen, pointing in a radial pattern away from the centre of the blast, but to their amazement they found no crater. There was no trace of radiation, so it was unlikely to have been a nuclear explosion. Today, scientists think it might have been a comet or Asteroid about as big as a small mountain that exploded as it fell through the air.
8. In 1894, Tower Bridge in London was officially opened to traffic by the Prince of Wales.
9. In 1837, punishment by pillory was abolished in Britain.
10. In 1973, passengers on Concorde were able to observe a 72-minute Solar Eclipse.

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29 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 29 June:

1. On this date in 1613, during a performance of William Shakespeare's Henry VIII at the Globe Theatre, London, a cannon was set off to mark the King’s entrance. It set fire to the thatched gallery roof and the theatre was totally destroyed. It was rebuilt in June 1614, this time with a tiled roof.
2. In 1994, the first-ever complete fossil of a pygmy mammoth skeleton (70,000 years old) was found off the coast of California.
3. In 1804, the world's first passenger railway was incorporated in Wales. It was powered by sails if it was windy, and by Horses if not.
4. In 1905, The Automobile Association was formed in Britain to counter police harassment of motorists. The inaugural meeting took place at the Trocadero Restaurant in London, and was attended by 50 motorists.
5. In 1956, high jumper Charles Dumas became the first person to jump over 7 feet (2.13 meters).
6. In 1456, Pope Calixtus III, issued papal bull against Halley's Comet. Christians were asked to pray that the comet, which was seen as a symbol of the "anger of God," be fended off or "be entirely diverted against the Turks."
7. On this date in 2000, Patrick Webster finally got to the bottom of why he'd sneezed continually 35 years – doctors diagnosed that he was allergic to his daily muesli breakfast.
8. Constable William Grantham became the first policeman to be killed in the line of duty in Britain on this date in 1829. He went to the aid of a woman involved in a fight between two drunken men. When he fell, all three proceeded to kick him to death.
9. In 1983, a person claiming to be Prince Mongo of the uncharted planet Zambodia, accused of tampering with an electric meter in Memphis, was sentenced to ten days in prison for contempt. He appeared in court wearing Green body paint, a fur loincloth, gold goggles, and carrying a Skull under one arm. Later that year, Prince Mongo ran for mayor of Memphis and got 2,650 votes.
10. In 1838, to mark Queen Victoria’s coronation the previous day, the Sun published its entire issue in gold ink.

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28 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on  28 June:

1. A significant day for two of England's best known monarchs. Henry VIII, the one who had six wives and beheaded two of them, was born on this date in 1491.
2. In 1838 Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster Abbey at the age of 19. During the ceremony, Austrian waltz king Johann Strauss conducted his orchestra outside the London Reform Club, playing God Save The Queen.
3. Born on this date in 1928 was Cyril Smith, believed to have been the heaviest British MP ever, Liberal and Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the constituency of Rochdale. His peak reported weight was 29 stone 12 pounds, about 190 kilograms.
4. In 2000, burglar Peter Grüüber panicked after being surprised by a security guard at the Klausmann Museum of Art; he fled around a corner and impaled himself on a 4ft (1.2m)-long sword held by a statue of a blindfolded soldier. The exhibit was titled "The Weapon of Justice".
5. In 1914 Gavrilo Princip, 19, a Bosnian revolutionary, assassinated the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Hohenburg, out in their carriage in the streets of Sarajevo on their 14th wedding anniversary. Gavrilo Princep’s action was the spark needed to ignite the First World War when Austria duly declared war on Serbia. Early that morning, Hungarian bishop Monsignor de Lanyi reportedly had a prophetic Dream foretelling the incident.
6. in 1935, the first Rupert Bear cartoon appeared in the Daily Express. It was drawn by Albert Bestall who had taken over from Rupert's creator, Mary Tourtel.
7. In 1820, Robert Gibbon Johnson proved that tomatoes weren't poisonous when he ate two in front of a large crowd on the steps of the courthouse in Salem, and didn't drop dead. Tomatoes were believed to be poisonous back then because they're related to plants of the nightshade family which produce toxic berries.
8. In 1989, nine members of the Ansett Social Climbers of Sydney, Australia, climbed Mt. Huascaran, Peru, 22,205 feet. They carried with them Top Hats, ball dresses, a 3-course meal, Chairs, and a dining table. They set up their dinner party at the summit to break the world record for high dining. Unfortunately, they couldn't toast their success, because the Wine froze.
9. In 1988, a 2 year old cross between a northern and southern ostrich laid a record 5.07lb egg on a kibbutz in Israel.
10. In 1999, in Grafton, Ohio, Kelli Michetti, 29, was so tired of her husband staying up until 4am to chat with other women online that she decided to hack his computer. With a meat cleaver. Mrs. Michetti pleaded no contest to domestic violence and resisting arrest charges and was fined $200.

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27 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 27 June:

Helen Keller

1. Born on this date in 1880 was Helen Keller, who left deaf, blind, and mute by an illness diagnosed as brain fever at a year old. She was the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college. A prolific author, she was well travelled, and was outspoken in her opposition to war. She campaigned for women's suffrage, workers' rights and socialism, and many other causes. She said, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow."
2. In 1746, after his defeat at Culloden, Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped over the sea to Skye with Flora MacDonald. He was disguised as an Irish maid called Betty Burke.
3. In 1941, the BBC began using the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth as a morale-boosting motif for listeners in the parts of Europe occupied by the Nazis. In Morse Code, "dit-dit-dit dahhh" stands for the letter "V", for "Victory."
4. In 1939 Principal photography for Gone With The Wind was completed. Rhett Butler's farewell to Scarlett O'Hara was filmed on this day. David O. Selznick added "Frankly" at the last minute to "my dear, I don't give a damn." Because of the censors, it was also filmed as "I just don't care."
5. In 1652, New Amsterdam (now New York) imposed the first speed limit in the US. Basically that it was illegal to gallop within the city limits.
6. On this date in 1969, a Football penalty point started a war. In a World Cup football match between El Salvador and Honduras, the referee awarded a late penalty against Honduras. El Salvador scored the winning point, sparking violent riots and clashes between fans in the capital cities of both nations. As a direct result, on July 3, war broke out between the two states. 2,000 soldiers died before peace was finally restored.
7. In 1967, Britain's first cash dispenser was opened by Barclay's Bank in Enfield.
8. In 2018, Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident as a wildfire spread on Saddleworth Moor. Nearby homes were evacuated. The fire was described as the "biggest in living memory" in the United Kingdom.
9. In 1902, Harry Jackson, 41, broke into a house in Denmark Hill, London and stole some billiard balls. He left fingerprints on a newly painted windowsill so the Fingerprint Bureau was called in. The left thumb left the best print; it was photographed, and taken to the bureau to be compared to prints on file. A couple of months later, Harry Jackson was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison. He was the first person ever to be convicted based on fingerprint evidence.
10. In 1991, Chicago officials praised fans of the Grateful Dead, saying the parking lots where the "Deadheads" had camped out during the band's gig were left almost spotless.

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26 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 26 June:

1. On this date in 1945, the Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco by 50 nations. The text of the charter was five languages: Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
2. In 1917, King George V dropped the German titles from the Royal Family and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha became Windsor. The name Battenberg was changed to Mountbatten.
3. In 1909, Edward VII opened the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
4. A complete map of human genome published by J. Craig Venter and Francis S. Collins on this date in 2000.
5. In 1819, the Bicycle was patented by William Clarkson Jr. of New York.
6. Bar codes were first introduced on this date in 1974. A packet of Wrigley’s Chewing gum was the first item to be swiped across a scanner, at a supermarket in Ohio.
7. President Kennedy visited West Berlin on this date in 1963. It was on this visit that he made his famous declaration: "Ich bin ein Berliner." What he meant to say was "I am a Berliner," to encourage the people. However, "Berliner" is local slang for a sweet snack; so they heard "I Am a Doughnut", but guessed what he was trying to say.
8. According to legend it was on this date in 1284 that the Pied Piper reappeared in the German town of Hamelin. The townspeople refused to pay him for getting rid of their infestation of rats, so he piped away 130 children and sealed them in a cave on Koppenburg Mountain.
9. In 1498, the Toothbrush was invented in China.
10. This date in 1865 saw the birth of Shigechiyo Izumi, the world’s oldest authenticated human. He lived to the age of 120 years and 237 days. He was recorded as a six-year-old in Japan's first Census of 1871. He also holds the record for the longest working career, spanning 98 years. He began his career in 1872 goading draft animals at a sugar mill, and retired as a farmer in 1970 when he was 105. He used to drink sho-chu, an alcoholic beverage distilled from barley or rice, and took up smoking when he was 70. He attributed his long life to "the Gods, Buddha and the Sun." He lived through 71 Japanese Prime Ministers.

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25 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 25 June:

1. Born on this date in 1852 was Antonio Gaudi, the Spanish architect famous for his highly individualistic designs. He designed the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
2. On this date in 1903, Eric Arthur Blair, who would become better known as George Orwell, was born. His books include Down and Out in Paris and London, Animal Farm, Homage to Catalonia and 1984.
3. Custer's Last Stand took place at Little Bighorn, Montana on this date in 1876. Sioux Indians, led by Chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, killed Colonel George Armstrong Custer and all 264 soldiers of his 7th US Cavalry. The only survivor was a Horse called Comanche.
4. In 1960, Madagascar gained independence from France.
5. In 1921, the word "robot" entered the world's languages when Karel Capek's play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) premièred in Czechoslovakia. There, "robota" referred to the two or three days of the week when peasants were obliged to leave their own fields and work without remuneration on the lands of noblemen. Robota continued to be used to describe work that wasn't done voluntarily or for fun.
6. In 1797, at 2pm during the battle off Santa Cruz, Admiral Nelson was wounded in the right arm by grapeshot and had it amputated that afternoon.
7. In 1977, Roy Sullivan was struck by lightning for the seventh time in his life while on a fishing trip. He's the only man in the world to have been struck by lightning that many times. However, Lightning didn’t kill him – he committed suicide in 1983 because of a failed love affair.
8. In 1991, Francis Johnson's world record 8.7 ton ball of twine, which he'd been building since 1950, was moved to a prominent place in Darwin, Minnesota, where more people could see it.
9. This date in 1969 saw the longest Wimbledon men’s singles match ever when Charlie Passarell was beaten by Pancho Gonzalez 22-24, 1-6, 16-14, 6-3, 11-9.
10. In 1996, England beat Germany 3-0 at topless darts.

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24 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 24 June:

1. On this date in 1994, Abner Kriller, of Albany, Australia came to a rather sticky end. He was chewing Bubble gum while driving, and blew a giant bubble which burst and stuck to his glasses, blinding him. He ran his car off the road, plunged down a hill and was killed.
2. In 1497, explorer John Cabot landed on the eastern coast of Canada and claimed the land for England. The exact location of his landing is uncertain, but scholars believe it was probably on Cape Bonavista in Newfoundland.
3. Another significant day for Canada was this date in 1880. It saw the first performance of O Canada, the song that would become Canada’s National Anthem, at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français.
4. In 1509, Henry VIII was crowned king of England. On the same date in 1540 he divorced his 4th wife, Anne of Cleves.
5. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the first recorded use of the word ‘quiz’ occurred on this date in 1782. The word, meaning ‘an odd or eccentric person’, was used by Fanny Burney in her diary. Its later meaning of ‘to question or interrogate’, emerged in the mid-19th century.
6. In 2018, Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on women being allowed to drive.
7. In 1947, the first reported sighting of flying saucers occurred near Mount Rainier, Washington, when airline pilot Kenneth Arnold of Boise, Idaho reported seeing nine UFOs. He estimated their speed at 1,700 mph and described their flight pattern as similar to a saucer skipping across water, inspiring a journalist to dub them "Flying Saucers".
8. In 1953, Jacqueline Bouvier announced her engagement to US senator John F Kennedy.

9. In 1717, the first Grand Lodge was founded by freemasons in London. Freemasonry, which is neither a religion nor a political group, is one of the world's oldest and largest fraternities, with over four million members.

10. In 1877, St John’s Ambulance was founded. Members of the public were trained in first aid to be on hand to deal with emergencies at public events. The name is derived from the order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem which nursed crusaders and pilgrims in the Holy Land.

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23 June

 10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 23 June:

1. Born on this date in 1894 was King Edward VIII of Great Britain. This is the one who caused a constitutional crisis by proposing marriage to American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Rather than give up Mrs. Simpson, Edward chose to abdicate, the only monarch of Britain, or any Commonwealth Realm, to have done so. He is one of the shortest-reigning monarchs in British history, and was never crowned.
2. In 2016, voters in the United Kingdom went to the polls to vote in a referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU, and the stupid option won by a small margin. It's been all downhill from there.
3. In 1993, Lorena Bobbitt of Prince William County, Virginia, cut off her husband John's penis after he allegedly raped her, and drove off, lobbing his willy into a field. John Bobbitt was later acquitted of marital sexual assault; Lorena Bobbitt was later acquitted of malicious wounding by reason of insanity. A third party recovered the willy, put it in ice and took it to the hospital. Surgeons successfully reattached the penis.
4. In 2012, 76 monks were taken to hospital following an attack by a swarm of bees at Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.
5. In 1994, police in Minot, North Dakota, broke up a fight between a husband and wife in the police station car park. Both spouses were armed with chainsaws.
6. In 1611, English navigator Henry Hudson's crew on the Discovery set him adrift in Hudson Bay. Hudson and his crew were never seen again. Hudson is famous for attempting to find a route from Europe to Asia via the Arctic Ocean, and exploring the location of what is today New York City.
7. In 1993, Crocodile wrestling was banned in Israel.
8. In 1976, the CCN Tower in Toronto, the world's tallest free-standing structure, at 555m, opened.
9. In 1735, a phantom army appeared on Souther Fell, a mountain in Cumbria. The same thing happened exactly two years later, and on Midsummer’s Eve in 1745, about 26 people saw the ghostly army.
10. Born this date in 1936 was Richard Bach, US writer, and author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He wrote: "Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't."

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There is a whole new universe of superheroes to discover in my novels. The Ultraheroes Universe includes at least one alternative dimension, good guys, bad guys, secrets, romance and more.

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